How to Vape with Your 510 E-Cigarette

Now that you’ve assembled your 510 e-cigarette, you’re ready to start vaping.

Step 1 – Activating your 510

How you vape with the 510 will depend slightly on whether you have chosen an automatic or manual model, but in both cases you’ll know that your e-cig is switched on and working thanks to the glowing orange LED tip at the end of the battery.

For an automatic 510 e-cigarette, a sensor will detect when you are breathing in through the mouthpiece and fire the battery while you inhale, for up to 5 seconds. If you don’t inhale for the full 5 seconds, the battery will switch off by itself when you stop, then switch on again when you’re ready for the next puff.

With a manual 510 model, you control the length of each puff by holding down the button on the side of the battery. Saying that, I don’t recommend firing the battery for more than 5 seconds at a time as this can risk overheating and damaging it.

Step 2 – Drawing vapour into your mouth

When vaping, the trick is to go slow and steady. Pull gently for 3-5 seconds per puff, with the intent of filling only your mouth with vapour. It’s not as effective if you try to draw the vapour straight into your lungs, because vapour is thicker and heavier than smoke, and you can’t inhale as much of it as fast. Also, the process of vapourising e-liquid takes a couple of seconds, whereas the process of burning tobacco takes an instant.

Step 3 – Drawing vapour into your lungs

Now you can suck your mouthful of vapour down into your lungs. Hold it there for a few seconds to allow any nicotine in the vapour to penetrate the walls of your lungs and hit your bloodstream and nervous system. It’s just like what happens with tobacco smoke, except the nicotine penetration takes a bit longer with vapour, and doesn’t carry deadly chemicals along with it.

TIP: You may cough a bit the first time you vape, because your lungs aren’t used to the heavier consistency of vapour. It’s a similar reaction to when you step off the plane in a tropical climate and notice the extra “wetness” in the air you’re breathing – it can feel like a struggle at first. Once you adjust though, you’ll be able to vape comfortably and easily, in any indoor or outdoor location, and without any of the toxic horrors you’d get with inhaling tobacco smoke.

Step 4 – Exhaling and repeating as desired

And that’s all there is to it! Keep on vaping until you reach your desired outcome. If you are using a nicotine-free e-juice solution, then you are probably just looking to replicate the comforting and familiar ritual of smoking a traditional cigarette, so the outcome is achieved straight away. Or you may just enjoy the delicious taste – chocolate, vanilla or other sweet flavoured juices are a great calorie-free substitute for dessert!

If you are vaping e-juice containing nicotine, be aware that you possibly won’t experience the “instant hit” you may be used to with tobacco cigarettes. For most people, vapour delivers nicotine to the bloodstream and nervous system more gradually than smoke. You will still end up with the same relaxed muscles, mild headspin, and/or whatever other physical effects nicotine has on you personally. Just be prepared to wait a couple of extra minutes for them.

A good rule of thumb is that if it used to take you 5 minutes to have a smoke break at work, set aside 6-8 minutes for your vape break. In reality it may work out that vaping saves you time, because you’re not obligated to make the trek outside to do it. Your “second-hand vapour” isn’t dangerous to you or the people working around you.

The last guide in our 510 series is How to Clean and Care for Your 510 E-Cigarette.