Vaping Terminology

I swiped this from a document posted to a Facebook group by Amber Dosher.  Here are some vaping terms and acronyms in case you get lost in the mumbo jumbo.

Vaping Slang and Acronyms

ADV	All Day Vape
Analog	What vapers call a traditional tobacco (or real) cigarette, where the electronic cigarette is “digital”
APV	Advanced Personal Vaporizer
Atomizer	An atomizer describes any device used to vaporize e-liquid
Automatic Battery	A type of battery which activates when the user takes a puff on the device. Common brands are Njoy and Blu.
AW	A reputable brand of IMR high drain batteries used in devices.
Base Liquid	This is the liquid to which nicotine and flavoring are added create e-juice.
Battery	The part of an e-cig which stores and releases the energy needed to heat the coils in the atomizer. (‘Battery’ might refer to the actual battery cell inside a battery tube or box or the battery tube, box etc. itself. Some battery cases house replaceable batteries which are removed for charging.)
Blank	Often referred to as an empty cartridge that a user can fill with their desired e-liquid
Bottom Feeders	Refers to a Personal Vaporizer that has a bottle of juice in it that has a tube that goes up to the bottom of an atomizer
Box Mod	A square-shaped battery modification for lithium-ion batteries
Bridge	A small U or V shaped covering on top of the heating coil of some atomizers
BT	Big tobacco companies
Burnt	Generally what people refer to when they have taken a drag on an empty cartridge
Cartomizer	A type of atomizer
CASAA	Consumer Advocacy for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, a non-profit group that advocates for Electronic Cigarette’s Cigarettes and their users. www.CASAA.org Clearomizer - a clearomizer is the transparent version of a cartomizer; designed to allow users to see how much e-liquid they have left
Catch Cup (Drip Well)	A small cup located around the threading of a high end PV that catches any leakage from an atomizer.
CE-2	A CE-2 type device generally has the heating element towards the top of the device and wicks that go down into the juice. These wicks are designed to direct the juice from the bottom of the device to the top where the heating element is
Charger	A battery charger
Cleaning Cycle	This is an extended activation cycle of the battery (usually 20-40 sec.) designed to clean the excess liquid off the atomizer
Closed e-cigarette	an electronic cigarette system like Blu, NJOY, or VUSE with prefilled cartridges you cannot refill
Coil	A coiled wire inside atomizers which heats up and vaporizes the e-liquid. Various coils have different resistances (measured in ohms). Current flows through the coil; the coil gets hot, and vaporizes your e-liquid
Condom Fill Method	A method of filling a cartomizer by filling a condom cap and forcing the bottom threaded end of a cartomizer into it, thus filling the carto
Connection Type	Many different connection types are used to connect the atty/carto to the device or battery. The most common are 510, 901, 808, 801
Cut/Cutting	The process of diluting e-liquid to achieve the desired nicotine level
Cut-Off (Time)	The number of seconds after which a PV will automatically shut off if the power button is held in for too long.
DCT	Dual Coil Tank
Debridge	Removing the bridge (and wick) from an atomizer-common practice for people who direct drip
De-wick	Removing the wick from an atomizer
Dipping	The act of dipping an atomizer into e-liquid
Direct Dripping	The act of dropping E-Liquid directly on the atomizer coil
Disposable E-Cig	The disposable e-cigarette usually comes with no charger or way to charge it. It is designed to be used once and to last long enough for you to vape through 1 prefilled cartomizer. It is a 1 piece design. It is said to last up to 24 hours.
DIY	Do It Yourself, Anything that involves doing it yourself. Often involved in mixing e-liquid with its components.
DNA	The DNA is a small variable wattage board built for modders. The board can produce up to 12 watts and can be running in parallel to produce 24 watts.
DOD	Drip On-Demand. The drip on demand is an accessory that is used to feed e-liquid into your atomizer by pressing the bottle. Your bottle of e-liquid is placed at the top of the feeder and a spout or tube is branched off for you to insert your drip tip. It’s dripping made easier.
Doubler	A 0% Nicotine, double-strength flavor, intended to be used in 50/50 mixes with nicotine liquid.
Drip	To drip drops of e-liquid into an atomizer.
Drip Shield	The drip shield is a round metal or plastic tube that slips over your atomizer. If leaking occurs on your atomizer, the liquid will leak into the drip shield instead of leaking onto your PV. As your atomizer runs out of liquid stored, the liquid in the drip shield will be sucked back into the atomizer to then be vaporized.
Drip Tip	A drip tip is essentially a mouth piece to be used on an atomizer for dripping. The tip has an enlarged opening allowing you to drip e-liquid directly into it. Drip tips are also used on cartomizers, replacing the existing rubber mouth piece that comes with them to provide a more comfortable experience. Drip tips come in many different colors, styles, and materials.
Drip Well	The drip well is typically a bowl shape on a mod where the atomizer female connector sits. The drip well is designed to catch any excess e-liquid that may have leaked from the atomizer.
Dripping	Dripping is the act of allowing e-liquid to manually getting to the heating element by “dripping” e-liquid onto the heating element directly. Some consider “dripping” to provide the best vapor, throat hit and flavor.
Dry Burn	Drawing on the atomizer when there is no cartridge and it is completely dry. This can damage your atomizer so it should be avoided.
Dry Scratchy Hits	This can occur when not enough e-liquid is supplied to an atomizer or cartomizer, resulting in poor vapor and flavor.
Dry Smoking	The process of vaping without a cartridge (see "dry vaping").
Dry Vaping	Vaping without a cartridge; generally practiced when the atomizer is saturated with e-liquid.
Dual Coil Cartomizer	A dual coil cartomizer uses 2 coils and is commonly used in tanks. When working as said, a dual coil cartomizer has the ability to produce twice as much vapor or the same amount twice as fast from the standard.
E-Cig/E-Cigarette	Electronic Cigarette
E-Cigar	Short for electronic cigar
eGo	A common style of battery tube which usually houses an irreplaceable battery and has a connection on top to plug in an atomizer
E-Liquid	(E-juice) The liquid that is used to vaporize. E-liquid is vaporized by the heating element and this vapor is inhaled to create the sensation of smoking. Typically contains Vegetable Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Nicotine and Flavoring. Nicotine is optional E-N/ENIC - An acronym for Electronic Nicotine Inhaler; this is another term used to describe an electronic cigarette
E-Pipe	The E-pipe acts and uses the same components of an electronic cigarette, but is designed to resemble a tobacco pipe
FDA	Food and Drug Administration, An administrative branch of the United States government that oversees rules and regulations pertaining to the safety of food and drug products sold in the USA. There is currently a very controversial lawsuit involving the FDA and the importation and distribution of electronic cigarettes.
Feeder	(Juice Fed Device) - A personal vaporizer that contains a filled bottle of e-liquid. These devices feed juice directly into the atomizer or cartomizer by squeezing the bottle, where the liquid is then fed through a tube, into your atty/ carto and ultimately vaped. This was invented to replace dripping without compromising on flavor.
Filler/Filler Material	This is the filling inside a blank cartridge or cartomizer. It is designed to soak in the e-liquid and direct it to the heating element.
Flooding	Flooding occurs when there is more juice than the coils can efficiently vaporize. Often followed by leaking into the battery/atomizer connection and sometimes in the air tube.  This can cause damage if not cleaned.
Fluval	A common filler material used in aquariums; some vapers use it to replace the standard filler found in factory cartridges.
Genesis	A type of rebuildable tank atomizer for advanced vapers. It uses oxidized stainless steel as a wick instead of the more common glass-fiber wick seen in mass produced atomizers.
Glycerin	A sweet-tasting liquid commonly used in food production; it is often used as a base liquid for cartridges.
Goose Neck	The goose neck is a flexible extension for your PV. Goose necks come in assorted colors and sizes
Gurgling	Usually occurs when too much e-liquid is supplied to a given device resulting in flooding. Another cause is condensation built up in the air passage.
Head	slang term used to encompass all attys, cartos, clearos, etc.
Heating Coil	The thing that gets hot! Generally a piece of nichrome or kanthal that has been wrapped around some kind of wick. Current flows through the coil, the coil gets hot, and vaporizes your e-liquid. You then vape happily.
High Resistance (HR)	An atomizer or cartomizer with a higher Ohm rating than the standard equipment. This will allow the user to apply higher voltage to the coil.
HV Atomizer	An atty designed for higher voltage vaping, not for use with standard batteries due to low power.
HV Mod	A dual battery or boosted supply mod (modification) to allow higher power vaping.
Hybrid	there are hybrid APV's which are a single PV which has an atomizer as part of the unit and no way to separate the PV and atomizer. I'm pretty sure every hybrid PV is based on a genesis atomizer. There's also a hybrid atomizer
ICR	Lithium Ion Cobalt Rechargeable Battery.
IMR	A type of ‘high drain’ battery rated for high discharge that is commonly used in e-cigs, some are especially suited for low resistance atomizers which pull more current (amp draw). Often recommended for use in VW/VV devices too.
Juice	Also referred to as E-Liquid, E-Juice, or Smoke Juice. This is the liquid that is vaporized when using an electronic cigarette.
Kanthal	One of two types of resistance wire used for a heating coil in either an atomizer or cartomizer. The other is Nichrome.
Kanthal A1	This is the wire that is used for building coils in atomizers. It comes in MANY forms and gauges.
Kick	1. The name used to describe the feeling at the back of the throat when an inhalation of vapor reaches that spot. 2. The name of a clever add-on device produced by Evolv Vapor which is used to regulate the heat produced by certain mechanical mods.
Knuckle Head	This is an adjustable drip tip. It can be adjusted to any angle desired.
Leaking	This can happen when too much Juice is added to an atomizer or cartomizer. Juice can leak out of the bottom of the heating element and onto the battery, which in some cases can cause damage to the device (as is the case with Automatic Batteries).
LED (Light Emitting Diode)	A diode that converts applied voltage to light. These are commonly used in electronic cigarette devices to indicate that the device is actively being used.
Li-on	An abbreviated term for lithium ion batteries.
Liquid	Also referred to as E-Liquid, E-Juice, Smoke Juice, or Juice. This is the liquid that is vaporized when using an electronic cigarette.
LR (Low Resistance)	A lower resistance atomizer than a standard resistance atomizer usually around 1.5ohms. A standard atomizer is around 2.0ohms. It generally causes the heating element to get hotter faster and produces vapor more quickly. Lower resistance produces more vapor than an atty or carto that has a standard resistance rating.
mAh	Milliamp Hour (Used in reference to the amount of time a battery cell should last)
Manual	A style of electronic cigarette that has a button (mounted usually on the top side of the battery) that when pushed, activates the heating element. The button must be pushed in order to produce vapor from the atomizer/cartomizer. It is considered by some to be less like a traditional cigarette than the automatic electronic cigarette. Many prefer this style due to it being sealed and cannot be adversely affected by e-liquid.
Mechanical (Mod)	it's a PV with no wires. All the current flows through parts of the device, usually the outer casing, allowing for a very high current flow. In theory they should be able to handle any current demands put on them as opposed to unregulated mods which often have wires or switches that can possibly melt when too much current is applied.
Memory Effect	A process by which NiCad batteries begin performing in properly due to misreported energy levels; the memory effect causes the device to believe that batteries are dead when they are really not. You can reduce the likelihood of the memory effect by regularly discharging fully, and then overcharging, batteries. Li-Ion hos no memory. Some people use Ni-mh which has no memory, but no one used Ni-Cad batteries anymore, and if they do, they probably won't be reading this.
Mesh	The cover of the atomizer bridge; typically made of a metal mesh material, stainless steel mesh for example.
Mg	Milligram (Commonly used to refer to the amount of nicotine per milliliter). Typical levels are 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 8mg, 12mg, 16mg, 18mg, 24mg, 30mg, 36,mg and 48mg.
Micro	A designation for a small-sized e-cigarette; usually 50mm - 99mm long.
Mini	A smaller than average sized e-cigarette.
Ml	Milliliter (Commonly used to refer to the amount of e-liquid in a container)
Mod	The term ‘mod’ first started being used when people started taking items like a flashlight, removing the lamp and inserting a connection in order to attach atomizers thereby modifying an existing item. This was because at the time most e-cig models on the market were small, automatic and did not enable you to replace the battery cell inside them. The term soon became used to describe any large e-cig battery which housed replaceable batteries even if they were not modifications of am an existing item. Some people prefer to use the term APV or PV.
Modder	A person who is a modder modifies an electronic cigarette to their preference. Often to improve the mod device to be more powerful than a typical e-cig.
Mouthpiece	A mouth piece sits on and is inserted into an atomizer or cartomizer. A drip tip is often referred to as the mouth piece. This is the part where you lips are placed on an electronic cigarette.
MV (Multi-Voltage)	A device that has pre-determined voltage settings. Most of these have at least three settings. For example, a low setting could be 3.7V, a medium setting could be 4.5V, a high setting could be 6V. You cannot adjust outside of these settings. This is not a commonly used term in the vaping community, but it needs to be. Examples: The SVR, The EVO, The Ovale F-50.
NRT	An acronym for Nicotine Replacement Therapy
NVR	Not Vape Related
Ohm	A measure of electrical resistance. A lower number indicates lower resistance and therefore creates faster heating. Usually pertains to atomizer
Ohm Meter	A box with an led readout on it that tells you the ohm rating of the coil that is in your atomizer.
Open E-cigarette	an e-cigarette system in which you can fill the cartridge, tank, or drip on the atomizer
Pass-through	A feature built into many electronic cigarettes and mods allowing you to use them while they are charging.
PCC (Personal Charging Case)	A device that is charged first and then is used to charge you’re electronic cigarette while on the go and away from an electrical outlet. Many PCC provide extra storage room for an additional battery and cartomizer or carts. Most PCC's look like a pack of cigarettes for easy carrying. A portable charger that can be taken with a user on the go to charge electronic cigarette batteries when away from a power outlet. Particularly useful when using an e-cig that has less than a 2 hour battery life per charge.
PEG (Polyethylene Glycol)	it is infrequently used as one of the ingredients in the e-liquid.
PEG400 (Polyethylene Glycol 400)	an ingredient sometimes found in e-liquid.
Pen Style	A style of electronic cigarette, known for its resemblance to a ball point pen.
PG (Propylene Glycol)	A clear, colorless and hygroscopic liquid used as one of the two carrier liquids used in e-liquid.
PGA (Pure Grain Alcohol)	Available under the brand name Everclear (and others), Pure Grain Alcohol is useful for cleaning your vape gear, and to add to e-liquid in order to thin it out and add Throat Hit.
Pipe Style	The Pipe style electronic cigarette is also known as an E-Pipe. The Pipe style or E-Pipe is made to resemble a tobacco pipe.
Polyfil	The standard material used in the factory to fill cartridges.
Primer	Many companies use a VG based primer for preservation and shipping. The primer is used inside the atomizer and on the coils. Many vapers prefer to blow out the primer out of the atty, as the taste is less than desirable. However this primer will burn off eventually allowing the true taste of the e-liquid to come through.
Primer Puff	The practice of taking a quick, short draw just to engage the atomizer.
Protected (batteries)	A battery which has a computer chip at the base, which protects the battery and breaks the circuit in the battery from completing if the voltage goes too high or too low, the current goes too high or the cell temperature rises too high
Pull	The draw you take from your electronic cigarette.
PV (Personal Vaporizer)	another name for an e-cig. Another name for an Electronic Cigarette. Usually used in reference to the more nontraditional style e-cigs (also known as Mods).
Pyramid Tea Bags	some users find that this substance works better than the polyester fiber type filling found in most electronic cigarette cartridges.
RBA	Rebuildable atomizer
RDA	Rebuildable dripping atomizer
RDTA	rebuildable dripping tank atomizer
Regulated	Commonly used to denote that the type of device you are using, has regulation of the Voltage and/or Wattage.
RTA	rebuildable tank atomizer
Steeping	The process of letting an E-Liquid sit in a dark environment to let the flavors meld together. Almost like a fine wine.
Sub-Ohm(ing)	Refers to coils that are below 1.0ohms in resistance.
Throat Hit	The feeling in the back of your throat when smoke/vapor hits it during an inhale.
USB Pass-through	A device you plug into, usually, a usb port and connect to your ego style battery to add the functionality to vape while charging.
USP	stands for "U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention"
Vaper	Used to refer to electronic-cigarette users.
Venting	When a battery reaches catastrophic thermal meltdown. The battery will “vent” (blow really hot steam) from the vent holes in the side of the mod.
VG	Vegetable glycerin. A colorless, odorless, viscous liquid used as one of the two carrier liquids used in e-liquid.
VV	Variable Voltage. Allows the user to specify a voltage (generally between 3v and 6v) to run the atomizer at, as opposed to running at whatever voltage the battery is putting out.
VW	Variable Wattage. Allows the user to specify wattage, and then will automatically measure the resistance of the atomizer and adjust its voltage to achieve the set wattage.
Wick	The material that soaks up the e-liquid and brings it to the coil in order to be vaporized. Wicks can be made of cotton, silica, bamboo, SS mesh or ceramic. Cartomizers use poly-fill as a wicking material, while clearomizers and rebuildable atomizers use the other items listed.