There are lots of people out there who got a brilliant battery but were given the wrong cartomisers, or atomisers. This happens because one little known fact about electronic cigarettes is that they sometimes have battery threads (where you screw the cartomiser / atomizer or to the battery) not all of which are compatible with each other. Most shops online and retail will state what threads they offer and will stick to one set or the other but sometimes this gets lost in translation or missed either by the salesperson or the consumer. There are perhaps few things that can annoy a vaper more than getting a pack of cartos only to find they don’t fit the battery and having nothing to vape with.

 

But what are these thread connections, well, let’s have a look.

 

There are the three main threaded battery connections:

 

The 510 thread.
You can find hundreds of different atomisers, cartomisers and batteries of almost all shapes and sizes for this thread on the market, the 510 thread is perhaps the most versatile and popular connection on the electronic cigarette market.

The first choice to make is whether to start out with prefilled cartomisers, the more costly option, empty cartomisers and the e-liquid / vape juice of your choice, or an atomiser / tank system like the eGo-T (note: the eGo-T tank may need an adapter to fit certain battery designs).

For the beginner vaper prefilled cartomiser packs are a great option, they come in a pack of five, and are easy to use straight out of the box, no hassle, just screw it into your battery and you're good to go.

The trade off is that prefilled cartomisers haven't a huge variety of flavours to choose from as manufacturers tend to make prefilled cartos in only the most popular flavour.

Prefilled cartomiser packs are also the more expensive option in the long run.

For the intermediate and vape enthusiast who likes to experiment or prefers flavours not easily available as prefilled carto packs, a combination of e-liquid and empty / refillable cartomisers is a great option to go with. 

Empty cartos can be refilled with e-liquid of your choice and last a good 2 - 3 weeks depending on how much you vape.

However this option requires a bit forward planning. 

Most experienced vapers can probably refill a cartomiser within a few seconds, but the first few attempts in the hands of a novice aren't especially easy and if you dont have the space to sit down and concentrate on it can be messy.

When using empty or refillable cartos it's a good idea to have filled cartomisers with you in case you dont get a chance to fill them during your day or night out.

It is also good idea to keep each cartomiser for a specific flavour as different flavours in the same cartomiser can make for an unpleasant taste and an undesirable vaping experience.

Atomiser / tank systems are another great alternative. 

They hold more liquid than a cartomiser and are the most cost effective with a full tank lasting the average vaper up to if not more than a day. 

Even though they don’t produce the same amount of flavour, levels of vapour or the same hit to the throat a cartomiser does, they have other distinct advantages. 

You can see exactly how much liquid you have left in the tank to vape instead of waiting to feel the slightly burnt taste a cartomiser leaves when its e-liquid payload is spent.

Changing flavours in a tank is a simple and easy task, simply wash out the tank, dry it and then fill it with a new flavour. Cleaning out and refilling a tank is a doddle and despite getting a little messy at times, it is a much easier process than refilling a cartomiser.

 

The 808 / 808D thread

This massively popular thread connection comes in a very close second to the 510 thread.

Built specifically for use with cartomisers this connection has threads which are thinner than the 510 and in some cases the thread connection is reversed, i.e. the attery screw into the cartomiser rather than vice versa as it is with the 510. 

It is possible to use 510 atomisers with an 808 battery but in order to do so you will need a thread adapter to convert the 808 to a 510 thread, so if you like to experiment with different e-liquid delivery methods such as atomizers, the 808 thread can be needlessly fiddly. 

The 808 is really for the cartomiser vaper.

 

The 901 thread. 

A very popular thread for cigarette shaped e-cig batteries, the 901 threaded batteries and starter kits are often referred to as pen style e-cigarettes.

This one is a great option for the fan of the traditional form factor of the tobacco cigarette, and ideal for the light / social smoker but not really recommended for a heavy smoker / vaper as the batteries for these threads generally aren't vary powerful due to their size.

 

There's some great information which expands on some of these threads here

“The core of the 510 e-cigarette is the battery; because all 510-compatible attachments are interchangeable with one another, you can always switch to tanks, cartomizers, dripping or whatever you like without purchasing a new battery…”

http://vapegrl.com/510-e-cigarette/

“The KR-808 e-cigarette is a small device that competes with the […] 510 e-cigarettes in the “mini” electronic cigarette market…”

http://vapegrl.com/kr-808-e-cigarette/

 

The reason for the 510 thread's popularity is quite clear, you can make almost any accessory combination and tailor your vaping experience exactly to your requirements.

The 510 thread is the most versatile in the electronic cigarette market whether using cartos or the more understated atomiser.

The 808 thread is ideal for the carto fan but requires an adapter to play ball with anything else and the 901 thread is geared more to the light / medium smoker rather than covering a wide range of vapers.

Whichever thread you choose you’ll still get a good vape out of them if you get a good quality starter kit, combine decent accessories or choose the right battery strength for your level of vaping

but always remember

The quality and enjoyment of your vape will only be as good as your choice of accessories, kit and e-liquid!