The Best Voltage for THC Cartridges

Finding the voltage sweet spot for vaping your THC cartridge can be hard. Lucky for you, we’ve gone ahead and done the research for you. Long story short, there is actually a good range that you should aim for, but it’s not set in stone. There is a reason that this range is a good place for everyone to start, but that’s just what it is; a good place to start. When it comes to choosing a voltage, your experience is (and should be) customizable.

Benefits of Vaping THC

Vaping and smoking THC (or CBD, even!) is a popular method of consumption due to the effectiveness and quickness of the experience. This means that you will feel the effects of your choice cannabinoid faster and more potent than other products. Vaping and smoking does this because it has higher bioavailability - your body absorbs it faster, so you will feel the effects faster. Smoking introduces the cannabinoids directly into your lungs and bloodstream and doesn’t get broken down in your digestive system. 

As with any cannabinoid product, you will receive the benefits of that cannabinoid, of course. So, if you smoke CBD, you’ll receive those benefits. If you smoke Delta 8, you’ll feel those. And so on, and so forth.

Here are some benefits to vaping THC or CBD versus nicotine; 

• May help you quit smoking nicotine
• Easier to dose/notice your reaction to product
• Lasts shorter amount of time in your system (again, easier to dose, or in case you’ve smoked too much)
• Convenient
• Customizable (change voltage to your desired preferences and change your cartridge whenever you want)

What “Voltage” For Cartridges Means

You might be a little confused about what voltage is or means for your cartridges. “Voltage” is the measure of input of energy. The number of volts is set to get your desired temperature. The higher the voltage, the higher the heat. It’s as simple as that. Below we will go more in-depth on what higher and lower voltages mean. 

Different Voltages and Their Differences

The way cartridges work is that the coil in your pen heats up the liquid, turning it into vapor, which is what you inhale. Your cartridge pen, with its variable voltage, allows you to control the temperature in which you are heating up the pen and, in turn, the liquid. Warning, there are some devices that do not have variable voltage. Disposable pens usually do not, so the harder you hit it, the more heat you're injecting into the liquid.

While there aren’t specific numbers that represent what you’ll be experiencing with vaping, there are settings that you can test out and see for yourself how you like them. With variable voltage vaping, you have full control over the temperature (the higher the voltage, the higher the heat). This means you have full control over the type of experience you’ll have. 

When you are experimenting with your voltage preferences, don’t forget to consider the different cannabinoids and terpenes that activate at different temperatures. The flavor and effects of different strains will be optimal at different temperatures.

So, let’s look at the different types of experiences you can get from the different voltage settings. 

Some things a variable voltage battery controls: 

• Flavor intensity
• Smoothness
• Cannabinoid levels
• Overall intensity/potency
• Vapor plumes

Lower Voltage

A lower voltage means lower heat. Lower heat is good for liquids such as live resin and terpene rich oils. The looser the liquid, the easier it is to heat up. So you don’t need a higher heat for these types of oils. 

If you are new to vaping or looking to microdose, lower voltages will be your home for a while. With a lower voltage, you may have more subtle flavors, but the effects will be softer, which means it will be easier for you to dose. It might take more puffs (or “hits”) to achieve your desired effect, but this way you are able to figure out your dosage. With lower voltages, your cart will last longer because you will prevent burning the concentrate, thereby preserving the flavor. Bonus, you will cough less, as your lungs won’t be surprised with a huge hit of HOT vapor. 

Lower voltage means; 

• Less coughing
• Subtle flavors
• Softer effects
• Easier to dose
• Cartridge will last longer
• Smoother

Higher Voltage

A higher voltage means higher heat. This is good for viscous and thicker oils, such as distillates. The higher voltage will deliver a stronger and robust flavor with more potent effects. The effects might hit you sooner, as well. Since this higher heat is burning your liquid inside your cartridge, your liquid won’t last as long as if you were to choose a lower voltage setting. 

Higher voltage means; 

• Higher potency 
• More intense
• Stronger flavors
• Less puffs/hits to achieve desired effect

Best Voltage For THC Cartridges

The answer you’ve been looking for is; 

2.5V - 3.3V

The best voltage for most THC cartridges is a sweet spot of 3.0V, or between 2.5V and 3.3V. Of course, as we’ve already discussed, this will vary depending on your personal preference. Plus, your personal preference can change! Maybe you’ve decided to start microdosing, then you’d consider a lower voltage. If you’re switching from feeling like a beginner to wanting harder-hitting effects, then you’ll probably pump up the voltage. Yes, there’s a recommended best voltage for THC cartridges that creates a well-balanced blend of taste and potency, but it will always be up to you and your unique palate and experience.

Suggested Use and Dosage

With any smokeable product, it’s easy, or easier, to dose, compared to other products. Because you feel the effects almost immediately, it’s easier to judge if you need to smoke a little more, or be done smoking, to reach your desired result. 

When it comes to joints, pre-rolls, and vaping, we always recommend to start with 1 to 2 hits, or puffs, wait approximately 30 minutes, and go from there. If you’ve changed your voltage for your cartridge, it’s best to adhere to the “start low and work your way up” maxim, as well. 

Always listen to your body and notice how you feel when it comes to THC products.

Troubleshooting

With any handheld piece of equipment/”technology”, there will always be issues that arise. Especially with the way we treat our technology - we throw our vape pens into our purses, pockets, or even the consoles of our cars. Problems will happen with these pens. 

Let’s look at some more infamous issues. 

Oil settling in cartridge

These liquids are usually thick, no matter if they are live resin, THC, or CBD, they might stick. If you find this happening, change the voltage to a higher setting and take a few puffs. This will heat up the oil a little to loosen it up. 

Unable to “hit” the vape

In this instance, your pen could be clogged. Get a needle, gently poke the needle through the airflow holes in the end until the residue is gone. Use this same method with the mouthpiece if your pen still isn’t hitting. 

Unpleasant flavors from cartridge

If you start experiencing unpleasant flavor notes of your cartridge, it could be bad. Oil cartridges do go bad and need to be thrown out and new ones purchased. 

To ensure you don’t come in contact with these or other issues, make sure to take care of your pen. For more information and tips on pen maintenance, click here. For the rest of your troubleshooting problems, contact our team here. 

Ready To Vape? 

Whether you’re a beginner or consider yourself an expert, we all have questions. If you’re having trouble with your cartridge pen, looking for the perfect strain, or still have other questions about voltage, we can help! If you’re not ready to start vaping, our team can help find a better product that’s more suited for you and your needs. Our team is knowledgeable and prepared to answer any questions you may have. To contact one of our team members, fill out the contact form here.  

Let us know in the comments what your favorite voltage range is and why!

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