The worst thing could happen when you return to the hotel after a rough day and just want to lie on the bed and take a few puffs before sleep. Suddenly, the fire alarm rings and everyone squeezes out of the hotel. At last, people find out that you are to blame as your vape sets off the fire alarm. You just wonder: How do vape detectors work and where the hell is the detector? Today I'd like to explain why vape smoke sets off a fire alarm, how it works and most importantly, where it is located.
1. What Does A Vape Detector Look Like?
Fortunately, vape detectors are not invisible and are easy to notice when you raise your head. Shapes may vary but they are usually white and a little bit larger than the common smoke detector. If you see a Roomba on the ceiling, there is a 99% chance that it is a vape detector.
2. How Do Vape Detectors Work?
Generally speaking, vape detectors are more advanced and complicated than traditional smoke detectors, as the former are designed to sense aerosol particles and determine whether somebody vapes or not. There are mainly two detections involved, particle detection and chemical/VOC detection.
(1) Particle Detection
A vape detector sends a laser beam into the air. If there are aerosol articles, they will scatter the beam and the detector analyzes the size and concentration of the particles to determine whether they are vape particles or not. Usually, the higher the power of your vape is, the more likely your vapor will be detected.Ā
(2) Chemical/VOC Detection
Some versions may contain a chemical sensor to target and differentiate cigarette smoking and vaping. These more sophisticated machines can detect the VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) released by vapes. Propylene Glycol (PG), Glycerin and flavoring chemicals are all their targets. The high accuracy makes stealth vaping much more difficult, even for a sleek one like Nexa Ultra 40K.
3. Common Places Vape Detectors Are Installed
Policies and regulations may vary but vaping indoors remains a no-go. Wherever vaping is regulated, there are vape detectors.
School Bathrooms: Vaping is not cool. It is still harmful, especially for kiddos without fully developed brains
Hotel Rooms: Think about the fees higher than the room rate
Airplanes: Try to piss off hundreds of people with one puff