Five Very Useful Apps That Vapers Couldn’t Live Without

The rising popularity of vaping has prompted many blogs and forums to produce web and mobile apps that cater to all kinds of vapers and their need for accurate information. Those who are passionate about re-building their drip and tank atomizers use these apps to play around with the numbers until they found the right set of measurements for an optimal coil build.

Image: MistHub’s Ohm’s Law Calculator

An Ohm’s Law and Vape Safety Calculator

MistHub created a Basic Ohm’s Law calculator with color-coded boxes for the four variables: orange for Resistance (Ohms), blue for Current (Amps), yellow for Power (Watts), and green for Voltage (Volts). The calculator is easy to use. Just enter the values of any two variables, and click ‘Calculate’ to find the values of the two other variables.

A Pie Chart of the Twelve Formulas of Ohm’s Law

The overlapping relationships between power, voltage, current and resistance are best defined by the twelve mathematical formulas of Ohm’s Law. They’re presented in this beautiful pie chart by MistHub in a clean, orderly and visually attractive way.

Image: MistHub’s Ohm’s Law Chart

Apparently, each of the color-coded quadrants belongs to one of the measurable elements of Ohm’s Law. They’re individually marked by a letter (P, E, I and R), the name of the element (power, voltage, current and resistance), and the units of measurement they use (watts, volts, amps and ohms). A trio of equations also occupy each of the quadrants. Each of the three equations can solve the value of each variable.

These formulas aren’t that difficult to solve using a pen and blank sheets of paper. You don’t even need a calculator to solve the square root of a simple number, such as 9 or 16.

The Coil Wrapping Calculator

Millions of RBA users around the world depend on the Coil Wrapping Calculator to provide correct mathematical and electrical measurements for an optimal coil setup for a drip or tank atomizer. This calculator has a simple and an advanced version.

Image: Screenshot of Simple Coil Wrapping Calculator

The simple version provides the essential data, such as the total length of wire to use, the resistance of each coil, and the number of full or half wraps in each coil, in a quick and efficient way. Users may specify the inner diameter and the total leg length of each coil, but they can’t adjust the wire resistance value per mm or in, the wrap spacing for building micro/nano coils, and the resistance wire length for each coil in multi-coil setups.

Image: Screenshot of Advanced Coil Wrapping Calculator

Clicking the ‘Advanced’ button beside the ‘reset’ button expands the whole calculator and shows additional fields where users can adjust the numbers. This version of the coil wrapping calculator provides a closer look into the wires you’re planning to use in building and the custom coils you wanted to build. Specific measurements, such as the width, length and neutral axis diameter of each coil or the surface area, density and volume of the resistance wire used for each coil, are displayed in a separate area farthest to the right.

This online tool was developed with an international audience in mind. All numerical values have been set in millimeters, by default, because the International System of Units (SI) or metric system of measurement is now recognized and used by every country in the world (except for the United States, Liberia and Burma). If you’d rather compute the lengths, diameters, widths and other units of measurement using the imperial system, then you have the option to do so.

This one-of-a-kind web-based app is available for free on the Steam Engine website along with other online tools that are of great practical value to vapers.

Mod Range Calculator

It seems Steam-engine.org has become one of the many go-to sites for vapers because of the unique tools they provide on their website. No other vaping-related website has a Mod Range Calculator that figures out “the optimal resistance range for your advanced personal vaporizer, or also known as regulated or variable voltage/variable power (wattage) mod, based on its maximum output current, voltage and power.”

Image: Screenshot of Steam Engine’s Mod Range Calculator

The makers of this calculator left the following points for users to remember:

• With most VV/VW mods, a low resistance is not required for high power output, so the minimum resistance may be less important than you think.

• At the median resistance, the mod should be operating well within its voltage limit, as well as its current limit. If you are unsure about the quality of your circuitry, this resistance may be the safest bet for achieving maximum power.

• The maximum resistance usually gives you the widest adjustment range.

• Between the median and the maximum resistance, there is a sweet spot of sorts, where many mods will give you a good balance of power and adjustability without overburdening your circuit board.

You’ll notice that the calculator uses APV Presets. You select the brand and type of e-cigarette you have from a drop-down menu of different brands and types of advanced personal vaporizers. Once you select an option, the calculator immediately fills up with data.

Most of the data provided, such as the maximum wattage, maximum voltage, and current amp limit, come from product descriptions on the packaging and on the manufacturer’s website.

However, some of the information may not be reliable or accurate. The calculator’s developer is the first to point out that many manufacturers tend to exaggerate the specs of their products while others don’t even publish the limitations of their products. And so, measurable data and qualitative feedback were collected from consumer-generated and professional product reviews and from opinions shared in forums and blog comments.

It’s also important to remember that individual mods may vary in quality of hardware and level of performance, even when they’re from the same manufacturer. If you wanted to know more how this calculator works or you have more accurate data on specific brands and types of APVs, click the ‘How It Works’ link at the bottom. The link has a javascript code that expands a hidden text-filled portion of the page.

Battery Amp Limit Calculator and Other Tools

The vaping community of KritikalMass has made the Battery Amp Limit Calculator and other similar tools on their website available to all vapers around the world for free. The calculators were designed to provide immediate and accurate electrical measurements to everyone who needs them. It’s also useful for vapers who wanted to use rebuildable atomizers with their unprotected/unregulated mechanical mods.

The other calculators look simple and plain, and they’re not that complicated to use. One calculator finds the total amps and watts that were consumed by your device. The other calculator figures out the total amps and volts that were drawn from your battery.

As you scroll down, you’ll find this well-organized chart of brand-specific battery amp limits. Each column shows standard computations for the continuous and maximum discharge amps, the safe ohm to run, and the C Rating for each battery’s brand name and mAh. Use this as a general guide to selecting the right brand, type and size of e-cigarette batteries.

Three More Apps to Help You Quit Smoking Now

One of the more popular articles this blog has published featured Quitbit and Smokio – two easy-to-use and effective electronic helpmates to smokers looking to quit and track their progress as they did so. In today’s very competitive mobile app market, these two gadgets aren’t the only ones available out there. Here are three more apps to help you whittle down the number of cigarettes you finish in a day until you don’t need them anymore just to function normally.

Screenshots of Quit Now for Android devices. Source: quitnowapp.com

Quit Now!

The app provides the user with real-time stats of his or her cigarette use. It counts the number of minutes, hours and days since you last smoked a cigarette. It also calculates the money and time you have saved because of not smoking.

In addition to these features, the Quit Now! app also provides important information regarding your health using indicators based on World Health Organization standards. You’re also given an achievement list that you will unlock one by one. This is to motivate you to continue reaching for the short-term goals indicated on your app until you finally achieved the greater goal of quitting smoking.

Fewlaps, a Spanish software developer of mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, created this app. It is now available on iTunes and Google Play.

Screenshots of the Quit Smoking app for Android devices. Source: quit.azati.com

Quit Smoking

This widget application for Android devices is designed to wean you off your dependency on analog cigarettes. It calculates the number of cigarettes you have or haven’t smoked since the day you installed the app. It also shows the recommended number of cigarettes you’re supposed to limit yourself to each day in the step-down program. The limit changes in number until you’re down to zero.

You can download the app from the Google Play store or from the developer’s website.

Stop Smoking

This is a mindfulness meditation app to help end your dependency on nicotine. This app works with people who already practice meditation as part of their smoking cessation program. It plays a relaxing audio clip to put your mind and body at ease while you’re meditating. You can set the app’s music to run in a loop for either 5 or 10 minutes.

The app begins with a narration to guide newbies through the process. For advanced users, there’s no narration and only a soft bell sound to mark the passing of time.

Of course, these aren’t the only apps out there. There are more you can check out from either iTunes or Google Play. Find the app that works perfectly for you.

Innovative Solutions to Problematic E-Cig Batteries

Innokin Disrupter

Not all batteries for electronic cigarettes are made equal. Some of these are made of low quality materials and they tend to overheat and explode when used incorrectly, such as charging the electronic cigarette using a cellphone charger instead of the one that came from the manufacturer. As a way to prevent accidents from happening, a few manufacturers of e-cigarette parts and accessories have made some improvements on their power storage products and launched them this year.

Is this the Strongest E-Cig Battery for Vaporizers?

In January 2015, Vapor Hub International introduced what the company believes to be the “strongest 26650 battery for vaping” to the burgeoning e-cigarette market. This sub ohm battery was launched under the banner of the Vamped Vapor Cells brand. Its spec sheet says that it’s supposed to deliver a pulse limit of 65 amps. Moreover, it’s believed to last longer with a sustainable battery life at 3500 mAh.

“We are always thinking about and acting on the needs and demands of our customers. We realized the strong desire for a larger battery and we have fulfilled that request. We look forward to the marketplace’s acceptance of our innovation,” Vapor Hub CEO Kyle Winther said.

A Battery that’s Better than the 18650

Innokin recently launched its newest advanced personal vaporizer that’s equipped with the company’s trademarked Innocell Vaping Power System. It has a powerful Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery that takes advantage of Innokin’s replaceable battery technology.

The InnoCell is a compact high-quality LiPo battery pack with advanced integrated safety features like automatic short-circuit shut off, low voltage reserve and holds the charge longer.

The InnoCell is charged via standard Micro-USB for maximum convenience and also features Innokin’s trusted ‘Vape-While Charging’ pass-through technology to ensure that your vape will always be ready.

Solar-Powered E-Cig Batteries

A previous blog post mentioned the battery-free Solaris Power Cells vaporizers as one of this year’s most amazing developments in the e-cigarette industry. Now, let’s get to know their proprietary Solaris Power Cells PESA™ technology that powers their vapor mods. Because of this technology, charging the mods takes less than two minutes unlike the hours of waiting for your mod to completely recharge via the traditional USB or power plug method.

There are many options for e-cig batteries in the global market today. You’ll just have to invest the time and energy into reading their specs carefully and checking customer reviews of various products before deciding which ones to buy for your mods.

Image Credit: Innokin Technology via Pinterest

Use Flavoring Oils with Care in Mixing Vape Juice

Flavoring oils are different from oil-based flavors and fragrances used in baking and cooking as well as in making perfumes.

Before you decide to mix your own flavors, dig deeper into the quality that goes into creating those flavoring oils.

I’m not sure how many vapers – experienced or otherwise – are aware of the differences in quality and safety of flavoring oils that are used in mixing their e-juices. I’ve found a few sources that question the presence of diacetyl and eugenol in some liquids. Rocket Fuel Vapes mentioned this in one of their blog posts.

“Since e-liquids primarily get their taste from food flavorings, many e-liquid flavors are at risk of containing diacetyl. Although the risks are much lower for vapers inhaling diacetyl-containing e-liquids than for workers in manufacturing settings handling diacetyl, it is important to understand the potential consequences of extended diacetyl inhalation.”

“… The latest study of e-liquids found that those containing diacetyl may cause harm to the respiratory system over time. It is important to note that of the e-liquids tested, the average carries around 100 times less diacetyl than the traditional tobacco cigarette. The scientific community considers vaping an avoidable risk and seeks to arm users with the knowledge to determine the best course of action for one’s self.”

Diacetyl is a volatile organic compound with a yellow or green color. It’s generally used as food flavoring to bring out an intensely buttery taste in food items and beverages. It’s also naturally found in apples, artichokes, beans, butter, coffee, dairy, fruits, honey, tobacco and vinegar in very small amounts.

In comparison, it seems that eugenol may be as hazardous to respiratory health as diacetyl. A page at Medline Plus mentioned that this compound is often found in clove cigarettes:

Clove cigarettes, also called kreteks, generally contain 60% to 80% tobacco and 20% to 40% ground clove. Eugenol, one of the chemicals in clove, acts like menthol to reduce the harshness of tobacco smoke.

We all know that most e-juices available in the market today have not been thoroughly tested by the FDA. If you’re unsure of the quality of your chosen flavorings and additives, then check out this Guide to Flavouring provide by Planet of the Vapes.

Experienced vapers have been using these commercial flavoring oils as ingredients in their custom e-juices, and so far, there haven’t been any reports of someone falling grievously ill after inhaling those vaping liquids. Their flavoring strengths vary, but they usually fall into one of three ranges: between 5% and 10%, between 10% and 20%, and between 20% and 50%.

The decision to inhale these e-liquids is your personal responsibility, and you should take more than a few minutes pondering over the consequences of using some of these flavoring oils in creating your custom e-juices. In the end, however, it all comes down to your ability to make discerning judgments on what’s good and bad for your health.

For more information on flavoring oils and DIY e-juice mixing, check out the following links:

Essential Oils in E-Juice or as Flavorings – the post describes a few techniques in mixing e-juices using some flavoring oils

Ingredients to Avoid Using in DIY – you’ll find this forum thread very useful

Vaping essential “oils” and lipid pneumonia – read the lively discussion that ensues in this Reddit thread

Take Back Control of Your Vaping Habit

The Smokio iPhone app presents data in colorful charts and graphs. Image Credit: Smokio.com

Don’t wait for your nicotine tolerance to go down as you vape day in and day out. Make use of innovative gadgets to track the number of times you “light up” in a day, and see what triggers your need to smoke and whether or not you have made any progress towards your personal goal of quitting forever.

Smokio and Quitbit are the two most promising gadgets for those who want to quit their nicotine addiction in a systematic way.

A French start-up has created a “connected” e-cigarette called Smokio. It’s not wearable tech, but it comes close to being attached to you as the device tracks your vaping habits meticulously through a proprietary mobile app of the same name.

It counts the number of times you used your e-cig, measures the amount of vapor you inhaled, and calculates the equivalent number of analogs you’d have consumed and the amount of nicotine you’d have imbibed if you were still smoking.

Unlike basic vaporizers, Smokio lets you monitor your real time intake by measuring number of puffs and nicotine levels.

It shows how well you are doing thanks to insightful reports and customized notifications. You can then set up your milestones at your own pace.

What’s more, it also gives you a bigger picture on how your vaping habit has benefited you financially and physically. A vital statistics chart shows how well your heart and lungs are doing, and how many years have been added to your life. The gadget also tells you how much money you have saved since you started using Smokio.

Quitbit has a built-in digital display on its face. Image Credit: quitbitlighter.com

In comparison, a nifty little gadget called Quitbit offers users the capability to control their need to light up or vape on. The objective is to slowly wean the smokers and vapers from their nicotine-laden habit. Here’s how the developers describe the digital lighter on their website:

The Quitbit itself, much like a scale, is a tool to measure, manage and empower the user. It works as a standalone device to provide real-time feedback through its display. However, the app is needed to unlock additional features like setting goals, and viewing trends.

The Quitbit is a flameless fully rechargeable lighter. Unlike traditional lighters, it doesn’t need gas or butane to burn the tip of a cigarette. Instead, it makes use of a powerful heating element that’s similar to a car lighter.

A Short Chemistry Lesson on Vaporizing E-Liquids

Many flavored vaping juices use a combination of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) as carrier solvents for liquid nicotine. Some people fear that the combustion process for these two chemical compounds will result to the formation of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in the haze.

But, this fear is insubstantial. The complete combustion of PG and VG in the juice usually breaks down the compounds into carbon dioxide and water molecules. Those are the same particles you get from fizzy water. Put in some flavor and color, and you’re practically breathing in the vaporous equivalent of carbonated soda.

Stackexchange user thomij briefly explains the chemical process in his answer to the original poster’s question “How does propylene glycol/glycerin form formaldehyde/acetaldehyde when vaporized with a vaporizer?”

“What happens is that the hydrocarbons in the propylene glycol and glycerin molecules are partially oxidized – oxygen reacts with them to ‘steal’ electrons. If the combustion was complete, you would wind up with just carbon dioxide and water. When combustion is incomplete, you can get any number of compounds, two of which happen to be formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Carbon monoxide is another one I would be concerned about.”

Meanwhile, only minimal traces of the atomized nicotine have been found in the hazy plumes exhaled by vapers. In fact, most of the nicotine has already been absorbed by the body before the vapor exits the lungs.

“To date, there is no evidence that nicotine is present in the vapor from liquids with or without nicotine. Inhaled nicotine in cigarette smoke is over 98% absorbed, and so the exhaled mist of the e-cigarette is composed of propylene glycol, and probably contains almost no nicotine; and no CO [carbon monoxide].”

The rest of the ingredients, namely natural flavors and distilled water, are basically harmless. Water turns into steam as the e-juice is exposed to high heat emanating from the coils. And, the electronic cigarette user sucks the vapor into his or her mouth without fear of exposure to huge amounts of carcinogenic substances.

Image Credit: imgur.com