Vaporizer 101

Vape Troubleshooting

Proper Vape Care:

• Store your vape pen and cartridge vertically.
• Keep out of extreme weather and altitude.
• Do not heat with open flame or boiled water to alter oil viscosity.
• Remember to fully charge batteries before use.
• Charge vape batteries like a cellphone for longest battery life. Charge fully, use till battery is exhasted, charge fully, use till battery is exhasted..

Battery Troubleshooting:

• Make sure all packaging plastic has been removed from cartridge’s threads.
• Try screwing cartridge without over-tightening. In some cases, cartridges have been found to work when the connection seems slighly loose. (A blinking light can sometimes indicate the cartridge is screwed on too tightly.)
• Try a different cartridge. The cartridge might be faulty.
• Is your battery charged? What color is the light when plugged in? A blinking or solid red indicates that the battery needs a recharge.
• Is it lighting up when you pull? Is air going through the cartridge? Batteries operating at or greater than 4.0V can damage cartridge.
  Is the threading the same on your pen and cartridge?

Cartridge Troubleshooting:

• ​Try cartridge with a different battery. The pen might be faulty. 

• Batteries operating at more than 4.0V can damage cartridges.
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•  Please refer to your cartridge/pen product packaging or manufacturer's website (available in the product notes or product exchange page in the footer below) to find additional information about your specific product. Check out the HERB Return Policy here.

Vape Education & FAQ

What is a vape pen/battery and cartridge/disposable? How do they work?  When cannabis or cannabis oil is heated to temperatures between 315-450 degrees Fahrenheit, cannabinoids volatilize into tiny airborne droplets that form an aerosol we call “vapor.” Unlike smoke, which is producted from combustion, which roughly happens at 450-550+ degrees Fahrenheit. Vape pens accomplish this using a battery-powered heating element to vaporize cannabis oil. Typically, there are four elements to a vaporizer pen: a tank, an atomizer, sensors and the battery.00

1. The Tank/Chamber/Mouthpiece - The cannabis oil holder is usually called a tank if refillable, or cartridge if it’s intended for single-use. It’s also typically combined with the atomizer as a single unit.
2. The Atomizer - The little heating element in a vape pen is called an atomizer. Brands may give them other names for specific versions called cartomizers, clearomizers or other new jargon, but they are still atomizers at heart — that little heating element converts liquid to tiny airborne droplets, or vapor. If you dab a bit of oil on the heating element, that product will likely be labeled an atomizer. Surround the atomizer with polyfill material to keep it saturated with oil from a separate tank and it’s a cartomizer. Drip the oil from a separate tank onto the atomizer using a silica wick and it’s a clearomizer. The wick can be swapped for cotton, steel mesh, or other “premium” materials.
3. Sensors & Software - Some vape pens automatically turn on when the user inhales through it, while others use a push button to toggle the heating element. Both of these methods require sensors to determine when the user is inhaling or button-pushing. Embedded software controls the various pen parts.
4. The Battery - Vape pen batteries must provide enough current to power a tiny heater that reaches 400 degrees in mere seconds. So, just like your cell phones and other devices, vape pens use rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which have high energy density.

 

General vaporizing information:

• Find the Right Temp!
  Your vape temperature is another critical part of the mix, dependent on what effect you prefer. Different cannabinoids evaporate at various temperatures. Lower atomizing temperatures can increase taste from terpene and flavonoid profiles. Experiment a bit until you find a sweet spot that works for you. If you are really serious about finding the optimal temp for your oil, check out the PAX devices we carry. These sleek, high tech vaporizers are best way to dial in your desired specs for a professionally curated experience.
• Titrate Your Dosage
  Don't take long hard hits from your vape pen; it's not a joint. (We also don’t recommend hard hits on joints either--that can lead to ‘canoeing’ your joint!) If you hit it too hard, then it cannot heat the air as it passes through the oven, or you may suck up more concentrate fluid than can be vaporized and waste some valuable dabs. The trick here is to take even, short puffs the way you would a cigarette or cigar. These short quick puffs will build up to the big draw you want without overheating the vape or the mouthpiece.
• Cartridges vs. Disposables
  When choosing a pre-filled vape pen, there are several hardware options. Some products are offered in cartridges that typically come formatted with a 510 threaded standard vaporizer battery insert. These cartridges can fit on any battery that receives the 510 threading, although some may not be compatible with the battery even though it screws on nicely. Nowadays, almost all vaporizer cartridges come in this form. 
• The exception to this is when you purchase pre-loaded tanks designed by companies to fit their personalized batteries. An example would be the PAX Era Pods, which are intended to be used with their vaporizer/battery systems.
• Alternatively, many pre-loaded vape pens are available as “disposables,” containing a pre-charged battery designed to support the vape until the tank empties. These pen varieties require no charging and are meant to be disposed of after use. They contain no threading and are not intended to be removed from the battery. Check out the all-in-one disposable vape pens here.