Is a Passthrough Battery a Good Choice?

Several vapers have made the choice between manual and automatic batteries when it comes to designing a more custom rig, but what about passthrough batteries?

What is a passthrough battery?

A passthrough battery is a manual e-cigarette battery that charges itself using a standard USB connection.

Benefits of Passthrough Batteries

Passthrough batteries are extremely convenient when you’re on the go or stuck at your computer doing work. Able to plug in just like modern smartphones, these batteries keep you from running out of juice when you’re away from your vaping supplies. A passthrough battery eliminates the need to spend money regularly on manual or automatic batteries and prevents run-ins with faulty batteries. With a USB battery, you can lengthen the life of the battery the more you charge it up, thus turning it into an economical and long-term investment.

Downsides to Passthrough Batteries

If you plan to use a passthrough battery in your car, you’ll have to buy a separate adapter to convert your 12v outlet into a USB outlet. As with any USB connection, they tend to wear out over time. Replacement wires will be needed depending on your vaping habits. Some users report occasional issues with the batteries not functioning properly with specialized sizes of clearomizers or cartomizers, so be sure to do your homework before making a purchase!

The majority of passthrough battery users enjoy the convenience and simplicity of them. They are perfect for the office or the car, and they save money on having to replace more traditional batteries. Do some research and see which style of battery works for your vaping needs!

Propylene Glycol or Vegetable Glycerin E-Juice?

E-juice or e-liquid consistently contains one of two water soluble liquids meant to produce vapor and mimic the sensation of smoking a traditional cigarette. Those two liquids are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, but what makes them different?

Propylene Glycol

The more commonly used liquid of the two, propylene glycol (PG for short) produces a more pronounced throat hit. Some users have found their throats to be irritated after using a PG-based e-juice, with some even reporting allergic reactions.
PG adds a slightly sweet component to the overall flavor which allows complex flavors to not be overpowered by the chemical properties of PG. It is a thinner liquid which helps prevent residue buildup around the various mechanical parts of your vape.

Vegetable Glycerin

Used less often in e-juice, vegetable glycerin (VG for short) produces a smoother throat hit than PG. As a result of its smoother hit, many users have found their throats to be less irritated after vaping.
It has a higher viscosity than PG and a more pronounced sweetness as well. That sweet flavor can overpower an e-juice’s other flavors from time to time. Due to its thicker properties, VG will produce more vapor in each hit. That added thickness can also result in buildup around your vape’s mechanical parts, which may require cleaning more often.

PG or VG?

Choosing between the two types of e-juice ingredients comes down to personal taste, comfort and preference. As several vaping enthusiasts tend to migrate over to e-cigs from traditional cigarettes, choosing a PG-based e-juice will feel more familiar to them due to the stronger throat hit. Try both or, if you’re a chemist at heart, consider carefully mixing the two styles to create a custom vaping experience all your own.

States that Prohibit E-cig Use

Vaping is beginning to regularly fall under the microscope of legislation, and more states are beginning to pass their own laws prohibiting the use of e-cigs on various state properties. The graphic below illustrates states that, as of January 2014, have passed laws prohibiting e-cig use in some form. Blue states prohibit their use on or in government property, green states prohibit their use on school grounds, red states prohibit their use on or in correctional facility grounds, and purple states prohibit their use on public trains.

Automatic vs. Manual E-cig Batteries

When selecting a new electronic cigarette, one of the bigger decisions you’ll have to make is whether to outfit your e-cig with an automatic or manual battery. Let’s review the pros and cons of using both of these types of batteries for your e-cigarette.

Advantages of Automatic E-Cig Batteries

An automatic e-cig battery is very simple to use. Simply take a drag and the battery will work in conjunction with the atomizer to produce vapor. Once the computer chip inside recognizes that you have finished taking a drag, it will shut itself off after a few seconds. It’s a quick and easy process that allows your smoking experience to very closely resemble a real cigarette. This makes the use of automatic batteries very popular with new e-cig users.

Disadvantages of Automatic E-Cig Batteries

Due to the automatic shut-off feature of automatic batteries, the amount of times you can drag from your cigarette is reduced. Additionally, automatic batteries only produce small amounts of vapor. For a longer drag, you’ll have to prime the battery by inhaling deeply a few times.

When using an automatic battery, you run the risk of the battery failing due to circuitry issues. Should some of your e-liquid leak into the battery, it could short out and the battery would be rendered useless. The reason this is more prevalent in automatic batteries is due to the fact that they are not made with a sealed design. Additionally, automatic batteries have been known to be triggered by the environment. Loud noises or heavy winds could make the battery think you’re taking a drag and start draining its charge.

Advantages of Manual E-Cig Batteries

A manual e-cig battery gives you more control over your vaping experience, but does require the additional step of pressing a button to use the battery before you can inhale. Unlike automatic batteries, manual ones are completely sealed which prevents them from ever short circuiting due to an e-liquid leak.

Disadvantages of Manual E-Cig Batteries

Like any kind of device that includes buttons, a manual battery can go off accidentally. When in your pocket, for example, a manual battery could drain its charge. On a whole, the charge of a manual battery does not last as long as an automatic, resulting in less time spent smoking and more time spent charging.

Making a decision on which type of battery to use in your e-cig doesn’t need to make or break your vaping experience. A wide variety of electronic cigarette kits are available in both styles of battery to suit your needs which allows you to adjust your battery preference in the future.