When you make the jump from smoking your favorite herb to vaping it, one of the biggest things you might miss is taking a really big rip – the kind that literally fills your room with clouds. Concentrate vaporizers like oil pens are unbeatable for potency, discretion and convenience, but the one thing they often can’t do is produce enormous clouds. If you miss having that level of performance, you should know that there are actually several ways to potentially get more vapor with a 510-thread battery. In this article, we’ll explain all of the tricks that you can try. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know how to enjoy the biggest clouds that your vape pen has ever produced.
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Make Sure the Battery Is Fully Charged
One important thing to understand about 510-thread batteries is that they often work by direct voltage output. That means the battery always outputs its full available voltage to the connected cartridge. The voltage decreases as the battery is discharged, though, which means that the battery’s vapor production will naturally drop. This phenomenon can also happen with a battery that’s regulated to operate at a specific voltage at all times; when the battery’s charge is low, it’ll have trouble reaching the target voltage. If you want to get the most vapor possible with a 510-thread battery, it’s crucial to ensure that the battery’s charge level never gets too low.
Clean the Battery
If your battery is already fully charged, the next thing that you should do is check to make sure that it’s clean. A vape battery can only produce the biggest possible vapor clouds if it has a good electrical connection with the cartridge – so if a cartridge has ever leaked oil into the battery’s threading, it’s going to hurt the battery’s performance. If your battery has dirty threading, dissolve the oil with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Adjust the Battery’s Voltage or Wattage
Does your 510-thread battery have a manual fire button? If it does, the battery might have adjustable voltage or wattage that allows it to operate at different power levels. For example, some of the premium vape batteries from Rokin Vapes have this function. If your vape battery has adjustable power, you can usually toggle between the power levels by pressing the fire button either two or three times. If you’ve never increased your device’s power level before, start with a short puff to gauge the flavor. Some cartridges don’t work well at higher voltages and may taste burnt.
Adjust the Cartridge’s Airflow
Are you having trouble getting big clouds with your vape pen because of a tight draw? In that case, check the base of the cartridge to see if it has a collar that allows you to adjust the airflow. You’ll always get the biggest clouds if you make the airflow holes as large as possible. Many 510-thread batteries also have adjustable airflow, so you should also check your device to see if it has an airflow tab or ring. Note that opening the airflow on your cartridge or device will introduce more air into the vapor, which means that the flavor will be somewhat muted compared to what you’re experiencing now. You might find the trade worthwhile, though, if it allows you to get the room-filling clouds you want.
Check Your Cartridge for a Clog
A tight airflow setting isn’t the only reason why you might have trouble getting big clouds out of your vape pen. Another potential reason may be because the cartridge is clogged, preventing air from flowing smoothly through the airflow channel. If you’re having difficulty drawing air through a cartridge, try these three things to fix it.
- See if your vape battery has a preheating function to warm the oil and help it flow through the cartridge. If a battery has a preheating function, you can typically engage it by pressing the fire button twice. Wait a few seconds and try vaping again.
- Try puffing on the cartridge more firmly. If the cartridge’s chimney has some oil stuck in it, drawing air very firmly through the cartridge may dislodge the clog and improve the cartridge’s airflow.
- Run a toothpick or thin needle down the cartridge’s mouthpiece to dislodge a tough clog. If the cartridge has leaked badly, you may also need to clean the airflow openings at the bottom.
Try a Different Brand of Vape Cartridge
One of the useful things to remember about using an oil pen is that there are many, many companies producing vape cartridges today. There are perhaps hundreds of different factories that produce the hardware, and there are even more companies filling the cartridges and selling the finished products. Between the cartridges and the different vape oils, there’s room for an enormous amount of variation between brands. Some vape cartridges perform better than others, and some vape oil blends produce bigger clouds than others. If vapor production is an important part of the experience for you, it’s worthwhile to experiment with different brands until you find one that delivers the performance you want.
Try Attaching Your Vape Pen to a Water Pipe
Have you ever considered the possibility that your vape pen’s lackluster vapor production doesn’t have anything to do with shortcomings in its performance? Maybe the real problem is harshness that prevents you from inhaling deeply. Some people find that oil- and wax-based concentrates create a harsh sensation in the throat, and that limits their ability to take really big hits. If that’s the case for you, it may be worthwhile to consider adding water filtration to your vaping setup. You can find universal silicone adapters that allow almost any vape pen to connect to a water pipe’s stem. If you have a vape pen with automatic puff-based firing, inhaling through the water pipe will activate the vape pen. You may find that the additional smoothness of water filtration allows you to inhale more deeply, thus increasing your vape pen’s cloud production.
