If you want to try vaping and are interested in using a 510-thread cartridge or tank, one of the first things you’ll learn is that you need a 510 battery or a 510-thread vape pen before you can get started. That might be a little confusing to you, though, if you have no prior vaping experience. What is a 510-thread vape pen, and what does the number “510” actually mean? What is the 510 thread, and are there also other types of threads?
Before you get started with vaping, it’s important to make sure that you buy the right type of vape kit for your needs – and in this article, we’re going to help you do that by clarifying a very important term in the lexicon of vaping.
What Is the 510 Thread for Vaping?
Every vaping device needs a container in which to store its e-liquid. The most common containers include glass tanks, plastic cartridges and plastic pods. In most cases, the tank or cartridge attaches to the vaping device by screwing into threading at the top of the device. That allows you to replace your device’s cartridge by unscrewing it and connecting a different one.
In the early years of vaping, there were many different types of vaping devices. Each one had its own threading for cartridges, and the different devices and cartridges were generally incompatible with one another. Each thread had its own name. In addition to the 510 thread, the names of some of the other threads for vaping devices and attachments in those days included L88, KR-808, 801 and 901. Most of the thread types were physically incompatible with one another.
As vaping grew in popularity, people began to demand refillable tanks and cartridges. They wanted to choose their own e-liquids instead of using proprietary e-cigarettes with single-use pre-filled cartridges. In order for the refillable products to be successful, manufacturers had to create tanks and cartridges that would work with as many different types of vaping devices as possible. Most of the devices available at that time used the 510 thread, so that was the thread that most manufacturers chose. The other thread types eventually became more obscure. Today, almost every vape tank or cartridge uses the 510 thread.
What Is a 510-Thread Vape Pen?
A 510-thread vape pen is any vape pen with 510 threading. The term “vape pen” usually refers to a device that has a cylindrical shape. Many vape pens – the Innokin Endura T18X, for instance – are narrow and resemble actual pens. More powerful devices such as the Innokin Endura Apex are a bit wider. The larger size allows those devices to hold higher-capacity batteries and to offer more advanced features.
Vape pens aren’t the only types of vapes that use the 510 thread. It’s also common for vape mods to have this type of threading. Vape mods are the most advanced and most capable vaping devices on the market, and people who buy them often want to choose their own tanks. Using the 510 thread allows a vape mod to accommodate as many different types of tanks as possible.
In addition to the term “510 vape pen,” you may have also seen the term “510 battery” as you’ve learned about what vaping is and how it works. The difference between the two terms is that a 510-thread vape pen usually includes at least one tank or cartridge, although you’re always free to connect a different attachment to the device if you like. A 510-thread battery, on the other hand, usually doesn’t include an attachment – you’ll need to provide your own.
Can I Use Vape Pods with a 510-Thread Vape Pen?
Vaping devices don’t always have threading. You can also find disposable vapes, which come pre-filled with e-liquid and don’t use removable attachments. When a disposable vape runs out of e-liquid, you replace the entire device. Pod-based devices are also popular. A pod system stores its e-liquid in a removable drop-in pod, and the pod doesn’t require threading to attach to the device. In most cases, the pod attaches magnetically.
Pod systems are always proprietary, which means that they don’t work with any pods except the ones designed specifically for them. That means you can’t use vape pods with a 510-thread vape pen. In some cases, though, it is possible to add 510 threading to a device designed for pods. A 510-thread adapter, for example, is available for the Innokin Sensis EZ pod system.
What Are the Different Types of 510-Thread Vape Pens?
As we described earlier in the article, 510-thread vape pens generally fall into two categories. There are smaller and simpler devices, and there are vape pens that are larger and more complex. We’ll call them “beginner” and “advanced” vape pens. Here’s how they differ from one another.
Beginner Vape Pens
Beginner vape pens are smaller devices such as the Innokin Endura T18X and the Innokin Jem Pen. These devices are usually narrow like ballpoint pens, and they typically only work with small tanks and pre-filled cartridges. If a tank is much wider than a given vape pen, it’s likely that the tank won’t work with that device. Larger tanks usually have sub-ohm coils that require devices capable of operating at high wattages.
A beginner vape pen is designed for maximum simplicity and portability and usually operates with a single button or just by puffing on the attached cartridge or tank. They usually don’t offer advanced features such as the ability to operate at different power levels, and they’re designed to be as user friendly as possible for people who have no previous vaping experience.
Advanced Vape Pens
Advanced vape pens are devices like the Innokin Endura Apex and the Innokin Sceptre Tube. These devices are typically a bit taller and wider than beginner-oriented vape pens. The larger size allows them to hold higher-capacity batteries and to offer more advanced capabilities. An advanced vape pen typically has the ability to operate at a higher wattage compared to a beginner-oriented device. That means a vape pen of this type can usually work with a wider variety of vape tanks, including ones with sub-ohm coils.
Because advanced vape pens have larger battery cells and can operate at higher wattages, they usually have the ability to produce larger clouds compared to beginner-oriented devices and can last longer between battery charges. In addition, a vape pen of this type may also have advanced features that a beginner vape pen lacks. Those features may include fully adjustable airflow or the ability to operate at more than one power level.
How Do You Use a 510-Thread Vape Pen?
One of the reasons why 510-thread vape pens are so popular with beginning vapers is because they’re so simple to use. Using a beginner-oriented vape pen is usually as simple as puffing on the device or holding a button, and that’s one of the reasons why vape pens are so popular with first-time vapers. Here’s a brief overview of how to use any 510-thread vape pen.
- Charge the device fully after removing it from the package. A vape pen will almost always include the required charging cable, and you can charge the device by connecting it to your computer’s USB port. When you charge a vape pen, its LED indicator usually turns red. Most small vape pens charge in about an hour. When the device is fully charged, the light will change color or turn off.
- Open the included tank or cartridge – you can usually do this by twisting the tank’s mouthpiece counterclockwise – and add e-liquid until the cartridge is nearly full. Replace the mouthpiece. To ensure that the cartridge’s wick is completely saturated with e-liquid, you should wait about 5-10 minutes before vaping. If you’re using a pre-filled cartridge, you can skip this step and simply connect the cartridge to the vape pen.
- Turn the vape pen on. You can usually do this by pressing the fire button five times. If you’re using a puff-activated vape pen without a fire button, your device doesn’t have an on/off function; the vape pen is on when a cartridge is connected.
- If you’re using a vape pen without a fire button, vape by puffing on the cartridge’s mouthpiece. If the vape pen has a fire button, vape by puffing on the mouthpiece while holding the button. Inhale and exhale the vapor as if it were cigarette smoke.
- As you vape, pay attention to the level of e-liquid in the cartridge. When the level is low, refill the cartridge to prevent it from producing a burnt flavor. If you’re using a cartridge that isn’t refillable, you can continue using the cartridge until it’s completely empty. At that point, you’ll need to replace the cartridge.
- If the vape pen’s light blinks when you try to vape, the battery is dead. Connect the vape pen to your computer to recharge the battery.
