When people look for 510-thread batteries to buy, variable-voltage operation is one of the features that they request the most. The reason why vape batteries have variable voltage is because different types of vape cartridges work most efficiently at different power levels. Some cartridges are a little bit low in terms of vapor output and work better if they’re given just a bit more power. Other cartridges, on the other hand, generate burnt hits easily and do best at lower voltages. A variable-voltage vape battery allows you to adjust your device’s power as necessary to get the best possible performance regardless of the cartridge you’re using.
So, what’s the best voltage for vape carts? The answer is that the ideal voltage for a cart is usually somewhere in the range of 3.0-3.6 volts, although it can vary from one brand of cartridge to the next.
The phrase “one size fits all” definitely doesn’t apply in the world of vaping, though, so this question deserves a more detailed answer. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you want to know about voltage and vape carts.
Get Bigger Clouds Without the Burnt Flavors: At Hamilton Devices, we’ve revolutionized the world of vaping by creating a range of vaporizers with support for multiple cartridges. Devices like the Tombstone V2, the PS1 and the Jetstream allow you to use two or even three carts simultaneously, so you can enjoy the smoothest flavors and the highest level of potency, even at lower voltages.
What Factors Determine the Best Voltage for a Vape Cart?
In general, it takes a bit of experimentation to determine the best voltage for a vape cart because the ideal power level for a given cartridge depends on the cartridge you’re using and what’s in the cartridge. One of the reasons why we love CCELL® cartridges at Hamilton Devices is because they offer top-notch performance with even the thickest vape oils, which means that they’ll often tolerate it if you want to push the voltage a bit higher.
What’s in the cartridge is also an important factor in determining the ideal voltage for vaping. An oil that’s a little runnier – perhaps because it’s diluted with added flavors or terpenes, for instance – will tend to perform better at higher voltages because it’ll absorb into the cartridge’s ceramic core more quickly. On the other hand, the best voltage for live resin carts may be as low as 3.0 volts or even lower because live resin is often extremely thick.
In other words, the runnier the oil is, the more likely it’ll be that you can kick the voltage up a bit without experiencing a problem.
How Do You Know if Your Voltage Is Too Low or Too High?
With such a wide range of potential power levels, how do you determine the ideal voltage for the vape cartridge you’re using? The best advice here is that you should always pay attention to the cartridge’s flavor.
- If your voltage is much lower than it should be, the cartridge may not produce any vapor at all. You’ll want to increase the voltage significantly in this case. Once you begin to get vapor out of the cartridge, you’ll know that you’re getting close to the ideal power level.
- If the cartridge only produces an extremely tiny cloud – or the flavor isn’t quite as intense as you’d like it to be – you can try increasing the power a little.
- If the cartridge produces a burnt flavor when you puff on it, you’ve probably gone too far and should lower the voltage.
Remember that if you’re not happy with your cartridge’s vapor production, you don’t necessarily have to increase the voltage to enjoy bigger clouds. You can also just take a longer puff. Most vape pens will let you inhale for several seconds before they cut off.
How Do You Change the Voltage on a Vape Pen?
If your vape pen has a fire button, there’s a good chance that the voltage is adjustable. You can usually change the voltage by pressing the fire button a certain number of times. For example, the Tombstone V2 allows you to toggle between settings of 2.8, 3.2 and 3.8 volts by pressing the fire button three times. Each time you adjust the power, the indicator light blinks in a different color to indicate the current voltage.
Note that many of the vape pens on the market are much simpler devices and don’t have fire buttons. If you’re using a vape battery without a button, your device most likely doesn’t have adjustable voltage. If you’re looking for that feature, it might be a good time to consider buying a new vape pen.
What If Your Cart Still Tastes Burnt After You’ve Reduced the Voltage?
Are you here because your vape pen tastes burnt, and you’re trying to figure out why? If so, reducing your device’s voltage will fix the issue in most cases – but it won’t if there’s another problem that you need to address. Here are some other reasons why your vape might taste burnt that won’t be fixed by lowering the voltage.
- Your cartridge may be clogged. In this case, you can often dislodge the clog by inhaling more firmly through the cartridge or by breaking the clog with a paperclip. Click the link for more troubleshooting information.
- You could be using a new cartridge, and the oil may not be fully absorbed into the cartridge’s ceramic core yet. This usually takes about a half hour. Learn more about how to prime and fill a new cartridge.
- You could be chain vaping. After each puff, you need to wait several seconds for more oil to absorb into the cartridge’s ceramic core. If you don’t do that, your next puff will taste burnt. If your cartridge is producing a burnt flavor intermittently, not waiting between puffs is the most likely cause.
- You could be using an old cartridge. You can reuse a refillable cartridge as many times as you like, but it’ll eventually begin to taste burnt. When that happens, it’s time to replace the cartridge.
