What are Atomisers?
Atomisers come in many different shapes, sizes, and types. In standard terms an atomiser is a heating element that screws into your electronic cigarette that then heats up the coil that has the wicking material running through it that absorbs your e-liquid. This heating element is what causes the juice to atomise/vaporise.
Here is a list of some of the different types of atomisers available
- Rebuildable Atomisers (RBA)
- Clearomisers
- Cartomisers
What are rebuildable atomisers?
Rebuildable Atomisers come in several different shapes and styles. Generally they come in 3 pieces. The ‘deck’ which is the base of the atomiser that houses the positive and negative posts and the juice well. The amount of posts it has is dependent on the design of the RBA you use however generally they have 3 posts. A negative post on the left and right with a positive post in the center. The posts sit inside the juice well. The depth of the well will also depend on the type of atomiser you use. Some are very shallow and some are very deep. Then you have a top cap that covers the unit with an opening at its top for your drip tip to sit in. Again, this design is dependent on the device you use and does very greatly.
Clearomisers
Clearomisers come in two different types, disposable and rebuildable. They are a tank based system that is either clear or with a window on the tank itself to easily allow you to see the level of juice currently available in the clearomiser. The tank itself is generally plastic, glass, or Pyrex glass. Disposables are designed to be used for a few weeks (dependent on your vape habits) and thrown away. Rebuildable Clearomisers have replacement atomisers generally referred to as ‘coils’ that can be unscrewed from the base and replaced when needed.
These atomisers contain the wicking material, usually cotton or silica and the coil inside a metal frame. Some clearomisers are fed by removing the top cap and filling in the gap between the tank and the central metal chimney. Be sure not to fill too much liquid into the tank and try to always keep it at least ¼ of the way full. When filling, it is essential that you do not place any liquid into the central chimney as it can lead to leaking/flooding. Gurgling, tight draw and leaking out of the air holes (located at the base of the clearomiser) are signs that this has happened. To resolve this issue when it does happen simply take an absorbent cloth or napkin and loosely place over the air holes and blow through the mouthpiece to clear the excess juice.
Cartomisers
Cartomisers consist of a metal tube with a coil in the centre that is filled with filler material that is then saturated with e-liquid then attached to the battery for use. There are also cartomisers designed for tanks with holes pre-punched into the metal tube to allow liquid in the tank to seep into the filler material from the suction of inhaling from the mouthpiece. You can also punch your own holes into a cartomiser with a cartomiser punch tool to achieve this effect. Cartomisers are mostly found in use with cig-a-likes (e-cigarettes that greatly resemble cigarettes).