Conduction or Convection: Choosing the Right Vaporizer for You
A vaporizer is used to heat up smoking materials at a colder temperature which is required for burning the content you put in the chamber. The temperature is just enough to vaporize and release the active components in the herb or oil. In doing so, the vaporizer ensures that the material is not combusted and thus no smoke is produced, and the generated vapor does not contain toxic particles like Tar, Naphthalene, Toluene and benzene produced when organic compounds are burned. The vaporization ultimately makes the inhaling of the vapor much less hazardous and damaging to the lungs of the user. Since vaporizers work by heating oils of the herb at a much colder temperature, there are many benefits such as health preservation and cost efficiency. The best heat to vaporize efficiently is around 200°C or 392°F.
Vaporizers heat the substances at the right temperature so that the cannabinoids evaporate into the air, without burning. It produces the same effect such as if you were to heat a bunch of our herbs over a pan without burning them. The aroma produced is as a result of vaporization.
Vaporization Mechanisms.There are two heating transfer mechanisms vaping devices use to vaporize their contents. A potential user has to choose between conduction vs convection.
Conduction
If you remember your elementary Science correctly, conduction heating is where the heating element and the herbs are in direct contact. The transfer of heat through direct contact produces enough heat to vaporize the herb’s heavy oils and to create the most amount of vapor. Pen and portable weed vaporizers typically have conduction heating.
Pros of using conduction vaporizers:
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They heat up your herb faster
Since the heat source is in direct contact with your products, they tend to heat up more quickly. Consequently, the material in direct contact with the heating element will get much hotter than the rest and eventually the oils will be depleted unevenly. To help even out the vaporization process, give your contents a good stir between pulls to make sure the heat is distributed evenly.
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Temperature Control
Conduction allows for easier manipulation of the temperature. The devices usually have mechanisms to help increase or decrease the intensity of the heat waves delivered to the contact surface of the chamber containing our herbs. The change is also immediate, so you don’t have to waste potent vapor in case of overheating. Avoid Combustion of the materials. To avoid burning your herbs is the whole point of using a vaporizer anyway, right? Toxins from burned materials have been shown to cause cancer and emphysema. Not to mention they weaken your lungs leaving you prone to other respiratory infections. Vaporization creates no known toxins from the material used.
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Durability
In conduction vaporizers, the heating element is separated from the materials chamber. Think of how many things you’ve damaged with your lighter and ash. Such a mechanism ensures that the herb chamber is not burnt or melted and that the vaporization is achieved by very controlled means through buttons. In this way, the device will last longer because the heating element does not touch anything else, and the cannabis or tobacco also lasts longer because none of the material is heated indirectly.Cons.The direct contact runs a risk of combusting some of the material which is inhaled as smoke. The smoke may cause damage and resultant problems in the lungs.
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Temperature control is much less precise
One click too much, and you may overheat your product or turn off the vaporizer. Such a mechanism makes such vaporizers often harder to use.The heat is distributed unevenly: Only the material at the point of contact vaporizes sufficiently. The user will have to continually turn the material in the chamber to ensure it is heated through and through.
Convection
Convection heating is where a tiny fan or air holes blow air into the heating element which is then exposed to the material. When using a convection vape, heat surrounds and passes through the material in the chamber through air circulation. The heat source is not close to the product, so there is no risk of combustion.
Pros of using Convection Vaporizer:
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Purity
Convection has been considered the most effective method of vaporization by professional because of the level of purity of the vapor produced. In such devices, there is no risk of the material that’s in direct contact with the heating surface of combusting.
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Economical to use
Conduction vaporizers require you to keep turning the material to ensure it is evenly heated. Through convection, the method of heating doesn’t need you to stir the elements because the hot air is already heating them sufficiently and also uniformly as it passes right through.
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Flavor
Since the material is heated evenly, with every pull, the convection vaporizer ensures you get the full flavor of the cannabis oils. Also, since you will be using a smaller amount of your stash, it lasts longer, and the effects are more pronounced.
Cons:
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Price
Vaporizers that use convection mechanisms are typically more expensive due to the electrical intricacies that go into making them. Remember they are like mini ovens.
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Ease of use
Mechanisms of the convection vaporizers are much more complicated so they may be hard for a beginner to use and in the process, a lot of herbs go to waste.
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Timing
Convection vaporizers take more time to heat up and cool down. As a user, you will have to be patient. It also means you have to take care of the amounts you put into the chamber. It will help if you finish the content in one session to avoid wastage.
A smoker will have the following benefits when they invest in a vaporizer.
- Maintain their high without running other potential health risks.
- The odor associated with smoking is reduced significantly. No smell lingers on your clothes or hair, and there is very little to waft around.
- Vaporizers also ensure that you are not risking the health of those you smoke around.
As to the question of choosing between a conduction or convection mechanism vaporizer, it all comes down to preference. And now you have the information to help you decide.
