Modern cannabis enthusiasts don’t just smoke marijuana and hemp. These days, there are tons of ways to enjoy cannabis that don’t require a lighter. You’ve got edibles, tinctures, infused beverages, and of course, there is vaping.
Vaporizers make cannabis more accessible than ever before and can help mitigate some of the lung damage caused by conventional smoking. These devices may seem like magic; just press a button, and vapor gets produced. It’s not magic, though; it’s science! Let’s take a look at how the impressive technology actually works.
What Is A Cannabis Vaporizer?
Vaporizers can come in all shapes and sizes. Some have a slim enough profile that they can easily be carried in a pocket or purse. Other bulky vaporizers take up large swaths of space on your desktop and require an electrical outlet to work. Regardless of the design, most vapes essentially function the same way.
Every vaporizer heats up cannabis, which can be either in flower or concentrate form, just hot enough to convert the material into an inhalable vapor. The difference between smoke and vapor comes down to combustion. When you light a joint or toast a bowl, the material inside gets hot enough to literally catch fire and turn to ash. This is known as combustion. The smoke that results from combustion is composed of gaseous, as well as solid particulate, which can irritate the throat and lungs.
Combustion happens at around 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a look at this vaping temperature chart, and you’ll notice that all the temps listed are significantly lower than 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Vaporizers burn at a much lower temperature than conventional smoking devices and produce a cleaner aerosol.
Types Of Vapes
Like we said earlier, there are several different types of vaporizers out there. Here’s the rundown on the most common ones available.
- Dry Herb Vaporizers: Dry herb vapes are designed for use with flower. Simply add your ground-up bud similarly to the way you pack a bowl, and you’re good to go. You can find portable dry herb vaporizers, as well as larger desktop versions like the classic Volcano.
- Dab Pens: These pen-shaped vapes are sometimes also referred to as wax pens since they are compatible with concentrates like wax or shatter. Busting out a complicated dab rig and the blowtorch isn’t always possible. That’s the beauty of a dab pen—their petite design allows you to vaporize concentrates wherever you are.
- Vape Cartridges: Disposable carts are some of the best-selling items on dispensary shelves today. These cartridges are filled with CBD oil or THC oil and can attach to any standard 510 battery to create a pen vape. Unlike wax pens, you don’t have to add messy concentrates every time you want to take a hit, making disposable carts extremely convenient for those who like to vape on the go.
Ideal Temperature For Vaping Cannabis
For manufacturers, finding the right temperature for their vaporizers can be a delicate process. Too low, and the device won’t produce very much vapor, leaving consumers feeling unsatisfied with their hits. Too much heat and terpenes and cannabinoids can take on an unpleasant flavor.
The average cannabis vaping device operates somewhere between 250 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Any higher than 400 degrees, and you start having to worry about combustion taking place. Temperatures will also depend on the cannabinoids being used. This is why we’ve painstakingly designed our elon® device to reach the ideal temperature for CBD.
The minor cannabinoid CBG, for example, has a very low boiling point—only 126 degrees Fahrenheit. Compare this to another minor cannabinoid CBC, where the boiling point is a whopping 428 degrees Farenheight.
For most cannabis users, the two most important cannabinoids are going to be THC and CBD. THC has a boiling point around 320 degrees, and CBD’s is slightly higher at 350 degrees. Typically, you’ll want to stay in this range to unlock the full therapeutic potential of you’re cannabis. Ultimately, everyone will have their own preferred vaping temperature. If your vaporizer device comes equipped with a temperature control setting, try experimenting with different temps until you find one that’s right for you.
