Health & Wellbeing

Temperature-controlled e-cigs: The next giant leap in harm reduction of nicotine use?

Temperature-controlled e-cigs: The next giant leap in harm reduction of nicotine use?
The Vapor Shark DNA is one of the new breed of devices with temperature control functionality
The Vapor Shark DNA is one of the new breed of devices with temperature control functionality
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The Vapor Shark DNA is one of the new breed of devices with temperature control functionality
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The Vapor Shark DNA is one of the new breed of devices with temperature control functionality
Spotless: a nickel coil and cotton wick after one week of use (via Reddit)
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Spotless: a nickel coil and cotton wick after one week of use (via Reddit)

There are a growing number of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) with temperature control functionality, allowing a fool-proof way to avoid either the overheating of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Glycerine (VG), the common carrier liquids for nicotine and flavoring, or a "dry puff", where the wick becomes too dry to produce vapor, and simply burns instead.

Opposing sides in the debate about the safety of e-cigs appear to have reached a consensus on one thing – the temperature of the coil of the atomizer (which is heated to create vapor) is the difference between an e-cig being vastly safer than a cigarette, and… somewhat less vastly safer. (Although recent studies suggest that they potentially offer their own risks). In a boon for both camps, increasing numbers of devices with temperature control functionality allow a fool-proof way to avoid either condition without guess work or wishful thinking.

Evolv's DNA25 & DNA40 boards, and YiHi's SX350J board can be used with coils made from non-resistance wire, such as nickel, allowing it to read the temperature of the coil and cut off before reaching temperatures which are unsafe for the coil, wick or liquid.

Spotless: a nickel coil and cotton wick after one week of use (via Reddit)
Spotless: a nickel coil and cotton wick after one week of use (via Reddit)

Manufacturers including Hana Modz and Vapor Shark have devices on the market using Evolv's DNA40 board, and YiHi's SX Mini M class (based on its SX350J board) should be available worldwide soon after Chinese New Year.

Temperature-sensing coils are currently available for a range of popular clearomizers including the Aspire Nautilus and Kangertech Subtank, and the slightly more adventurous can build their own nickel coils for the countless rebuildable atomizers on the market.

These devices all sit at the high end of the market, coming in at or above US$189, though due to thriving competition (not to mention rampant cloning) Gizmag expects this technology to be widely available at much lower prices by the end of 2015.

7 comments
7 comments
Aaron Baker
Just tried some eliquids for the first time recently. They have sugar in them! Who thinks that is a good idea?!
moflicky
exactly what brand did you find sugar in? sugar would be a terrible thing in e-liquid, but fear not, it would only take firing it a few times to gunk up and completely disable your coil, so it's probably safe.
you know what is a good idea? doing even the littlest bit of research into the things you're putting in your body. As far as the story is concerned, the temp controlled devices are nice, but the best assurance you're not vaping hot enough to produce formaldehyde is taste. If it tastes like you're inhaling volatile fumes, it's too high.
Calson
E-cigs produce higher current levels when puffed by users than is shown in lab tests and this results in very high levels of a very toxic form of formaldehyde being breathed into the lungs.
Odd that the government has waged war on heroin and cocaine users, and specifically targeting the non-white users, while allowing the continued promotion and sale of tobacco products which kill more than 473,000 Americans each year.
Nicotine is more addictive than heroin but it is OK to sell it in gum, patches, drinking water, and now electronic machines. There are not the 200 plus carcinogenic additives (added to tobacco by the cigarette companies to enhance the addictive aspects of their products), but nicotine is still an organic poison so putting it deep into a person's lungs is not wise even ignoring the formaldehyde and other chemicals that go into the mix.
The real issue is why the rest of the population should subsidize the medical costs of treating nicotine addicts when they develop various forms of cancer.
Stephen Wintersgill
Calson,
"...E-cigs produce higher current levels when puffed by users than is shown in lab tests and this results in very high levels of a very toxic form of formaldehyde being breathed into the lungs..."
Merely serves to demonstrate that you have no idea what you're talking about. The current is a direct function of the relationship between the voltage of the power unit and the resistance of the coils, this is barely GCSE level physics and to suggest that how one puffs on an e-cig can have any effect on this is ignorant at best and disingenuous at worst.
As for your "...very toxic form of formaldehyde..." it's either formaldehyde or it isn't, that's the beauty of chemical nomenclature, it quite clearly defines and describes what a particular substance is.
As far as "...very high levels..." are concerned, I don't imagine you'd care to quantify those 'very high levels', preferably with reference to a reasonably conducted study. Why don't I imagine you'd like to do that? Because there is no such study.
John Secuila
Calson,
Nicotine has been shown to be as addictive as caffeine. I don't know where you get your info from (could be the research where they give human doses of nicotine or perhaps force cigarettes smoke to mice so the obvious there is addiction ensues. But you're also forgetting the +4000 chemicals ADDED to cigarettes but let's focus on pure nicotine. But incase people are wondering SOURCE: http://www.statepress.com/archive/node/7194) but spreading stuff like this is DANGEROUS! For all sides of the coin. Disinfo is everywhere, intentional or not, and we need to nip it in the bud. Nicotine patches, gum, inhalers have been shown that the can be used with NO chance of "addiction" (I believe addiction shouldn't be used as DEPENDENCE fit's more properly). Besides, nicotine has it's benefits (SOURCE: http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/study-finds-nicotine-safe-helps-in-alzheimers-parkinsons/2175396)
But onto facts because misinfo/disinfo runs rampant (like I didn't post facts?!) out and IN the vaping community. We don't NEED temp control we need to be EDUCATED OURSELVES on what we are doing or else we will replicate these studies being blasted by the media on how e-cigs contain 10 times more formaldehyde than cigarettes (they burned to wicking material so of course you're going to get a negative result). Same thing with network security. Millions still have UPnP enabled yet it's easily exploitable
Patrick Dieter
Anyone who knows how to read a research paper will realize that the so-called "findings" about the "harmful effects" of e-cigarettes amounts to ONE PERCENT of only ONE of the hundreds of harmful chemicals found in cigarettes.
This is a thinly veiled attempt to promote the same old moralistic "it's bad to be hooked on anything" philosophy that has reduced the effectiveness of modern addictions treatment to nearly zero. Based on these facts, e-cigs are FAR less harmful than a walk in Central Park, Lincoln Park, or any other polluted urban place. Yes, nicotine is possibly the most addictive substance known to humanity, and yes, it is a toxin that could be harmful or fatal. In the case of e-cigs, you would have to smoke them 20 at a time, nonstop for about a week to poison yourself.
They are basically safe. It's only the veiled puritanism of those who believe that "your soul isn't free if you're using anything" that fuels these kind of inflated claims and bogus studies. These things could save millions of lives, and in the case of those suffering from schizophrenia, they could also be an aid to alleviate some symptoms.
Let's come up with a REAL problem to worry about and let people have their joysticks.
HowardBischof
There is only one thing about the ecig that is a truth in my life. I don't smoke anymore! I did research it and made the call. 30+ of conventional and 2 years of ecig.
People are going to hot rod every aspect of life because that's what we do!