Voltage of THC cartridges | Fifth Ave Green House

What is the optimal voltage for THC cartridges?

With the explosive growth of vaping and the passage of new laws regarding marijuana and THC in many regions, it is no surprise that vaping THC is becoming increasingly popular.

Most disposable vaporizers and simple reusable vape pens have a fixed voltage setting, but today vapers also have several device options available, including 510 batteries, dab pens, and vape mods, that offer customizable voltage or wattage settings that allow users to customize their experience.

How does voltage change your THC vaping?

Before we discuss how to find the perfect voltage for vaping THC, let's take a step back and consider why we need to ask the question: How does voltage change your THC vaping?

For simplicity, a higher voltage setting when vaping THC means that the THC product you are vaping is heated to a higher temperature. This in turn increases vapor production and the amount of THC consumed, but also burns off more terpenes and creates a harsher vapor that can be more irritating to the throat and lungs.

In general, lower voltage (and therefore lower temperature) results in smoother, lower vapor production, but with a more pronounced flavor due to the retention of delicate terpenes.

However, this also means smaller vapor clouds and – crucially for many – less THC inhaled per hit.

Personal preferences – and other variables

Finding the optimal tension for you is largely a matter of personal preference and there is no objective answer to the question of optimal tension.

Instead, to a certain extent, a certain amount of experimentation is required to find the optimal voltage, as you need to find the right balance between flavor, smoothness, and potency to enjoy the best THC vaping experience.

However, things are a bit more complicated: Since every vaper is different, there are also big differences between the vaping devices.

One important variable is the resistance of the atomizer coil/atomizer. Since resistance varies from device to device, the same voltage in two coils of different resistance will cause the coils to produce different heat levels.

Therefore, using the same voltage on two devices can produce completely different results.

This means you will need to experiment a bit by adjusting voltages and trying different cartridges on the atomizer to find the voltage that gives you the experience you want.

However, there are some guidelines to follow when vaping with various THC products.

Optimal voltage for absorption of THC oil

Arguably the most popular method of vaping THC is using a pre-filled cartridge of THC oil. When using regular THC oil, a voltage range of around 2.5 to 3.3 volts is considered normal, and a voltage range of around 3.0 volts usually provides a good, balanced experience.

When using a new device or cart, it's best to start at the lower end of the range and adjust upward until you find the best balance of flavor, vapor, and effect.

If you are using a thicker THC oil, you may need to use a higher voltage, up to about 4.0 volts, so if you have a thicker oil, you can start with a slightly higher voltage than regular oil and work up from there.

Optimum tension for waxes and semi-solids

THC waxes and semi-solids require a higher temperature to melt and vaporize. When using these products, you can start with a higher voltage than THC oil and then adjust the voltage accordingly.

Optimal tension live resin

One of the newer forms of cannabis concentrate is live resin, which is made from fresh cannabis that is frozen immediately after harvest.

This form has several advantages, as the terpenes are well preserved and produce a strong flavor, while the THC content remains high, making live resin an effective way to consume cannabis.

However, to maintain these desirable properties, the temperature and voltage during vaporization should be relatively low. Otherwise, the terpenes will break down and you won't be able to enjoy the full flavor.

This means that the best starting point for such products is around 2.2 volts and you can gradually find the optimal temperature.

Optimal voltage Delta 8

Delta 8 THC is an isomer of Delta 9 THC. An isomer is a compound with the same formula as another but a different structure – in this case, Delta 8 is slightly less potent than Delta 9.

It is commonly found in cannabis products, including vape products, and is generally thought to produce a milder high. It is legal in some countries where delta-9 THC is still illegal, so it can be an excellent option for people living there.

However, in terms of vapor temperature and voltage, it behaves similarly to regular THC, so you can start at around 2.5 volts and then adjust the voltage until you find the perfect balance.

Optimal voltage distillate

Distillate is a more viscous concentrate and you have to use a higher voltage to smoke it

Many people find that a setting of around 4.0 volts is best for such products, but if you are trying to figure out what voltage is best for you, it is recommended that you start at around 3.0 volts and work your way up.

Optimal voltage for CBD oil

CBD is another cannabinoid found in cannabis. While it doesn't get you high, it is said to offer users various health benefits.

One way to use CBD is to vaporize it. This requires setting the e-cigarette to a higher temperature than when smoking THC. As always, the ideal setting can vary, but most people find a voltage of around 3.3–3.8 volts works best.

It is best to start at around 3.0 volts and increase from there.

Devices with watt display

As mentioned above, even if you know the optimal voltage for using a particular cart with a vape device, the situation may change if you switch to a different device or cart.

To get around this, some devices display the power output in watts. Then, when you change carts, the device can calculate the voltage needed to achieve the same vaping experience you are used to, taking into account the resistance of the coils.

With this type of device, you'll still have to experiment in the same way to find your preferred setup for different types of THC products, but the advantage is that you can easily achieve consistency when switching between different cartridges.

But most importantly, remember that increasing wattage basically has the same effect as increasing voltage, which is increasing heat, so it's best to always start with a lower setting and then increase it until you find the wattage you want.

Basic equipment

Sometimes the most basic THC vaping devices don't allow you to change the voltage settings at all. Often they have relatively low voltage settings as this is what most THC vaping enthusiasts prefer.

The benefit of using a simple device is that you don't have to worry about confusing setup like you would with a traditional e-cigarette – but you can't customize the experience.

Is the voltage set too high?

As we've mentioned many times in this post, lower voltages will give you more flavor but less THC per hit. In comparison, higher voltages will give you bigger clouds and more punch, but at the expense of flavor.

Some vapers who value efficacy over flavor may increase the voltage from the start to get the strongest hit.

As temperatures rise, the terpenes are the first to burn and are lost. Then, as higher temperatures are reached, the oil (or other THC products) also begins to break down – that is, at a certain point it begins to lose potency as the heat burns the THC before it can turn into vapor.

There is a sweet spot when smoking THC – which can be different for everyone due to personal preference – but if you crank it up too much, the results could be unsatisfying.

In addition, too high a voltage can even damage the wires in the coil and render the car unusable, so always start with a low voltage and increase it gradually.

Experiment with your vape to find the voltage that works best for you

As we've seen, there are several reasons why it's impossible to give a simple answer to the question of the optimal voltage for vaping THC. There are too many variables, including the vaporizing device you're using, the ohm rating of the cartridge or atomizer, and the type of concentrate or wax you're using.

However, in this article we have provided some guidelines that should give you a starting point, after which it's all about finding a voltage that produces the best combination of flavor, vapor cloud, and THC for you.