# Vaponaute in practice, nic shots, DIY and setting up the VB26

> Vaponaute in practice, adding the brand's nic shots to a 50 or 100 ml shortfill, dosing a concentrate, setting up the VB26 kit and reading its error messages.


A 70 ml bottle filled two thirds of the way, an "iced" nic shot next to it, and a mod that shows "Coil check" the first time it is switched on. With **Vaponaute**, the Parisian brand that joined the Gaïatrend group in 2018, every product comes with its own way of working, rarely explained on the shelf. Product pages show round strengths, dosing percentages and short error codes that leave people puzzled. A few pointers before pouring, mixing or pressing the fire button avoid most of the classic mistakes.

## Vaponaute, what to know before you use it

In practical terms, the Vaponaute catalogue comes down to four families. The Classics, Fruity and Desserts e-liquids are nicotine-free shortfills, 50 ml in a 70 ml bottle or 100 ml in a 125 ml bottle, in a 50/50 ratio. Collections such as Aces come in ready-to-vape 10 ml bottles, with or without nicotine. The 30 ml flavour concentrates are dosed at 15% in a base. Finally, the brand sells its own nic shots and a kit, the VB26, which runs on an 18650 battery and Innokin PZP Max coils.

Each of these products hides a trap. The strength printed for the large formats is rounded, the nic salt shot shifts the ratio, a concentrate needs several days of steeping, and the mod speaks in short messages that are worth learning to read.

## Adding nic shots to a Vaponaute 50 or 100 ml shortfill

Vaponaute sells two 10 ml shots under its own name, and they do not give the same result. The sum is always done on the final volume, liquid and shot included, never on the starting volume.

### The 50 ml and its two free spaces

The 70 ml bottle takes one or two shots, and the brand's page then quotes 3 or 6 mg/ml. With the Boost Givré shot at 18 mg/ml, one shot adds 180 mg of nicotine to 60 ml, exactly 3.0 mg/ml. Two shots give 360 mg in 70 ml, or 5.1 mg/ml, a little less than the figure quoted. With a standard 20 mg/ml shot, the UK maximum for a nicotine bottle, you get 3.3 and then 5.7 mg/ml.

The second shot also dilutes the flavour, as the maker itself points out. To stay at 0 mg/ml with the same dilution, a 10 ml bottle of plain base takes the place of the shot. The mixing steps (order, shaking, labelling) are the same as for any shortfill and are covered in our guide to [the Lemon Time shortfill](/uk/lemon-time-shortfill/).

### The 100 ml in its 125 ml bottle

This large bottle is designed to take two shots, which brings the volume to 120 ml. Two Boost Givré shots give 360 mg in 120 ml, or 3.0 mg/ml, and two 20 mg/ml shots about 3.3 mg/ml. To vape this format without nicotine, the brand suggests adding two 10 ml bottles of base, so the flavour ends up just as concentrated.

### Boost Givré or Boost Salt, the ratio is not the same

Boost Givré is an unflavoured 50/50 shot that contains a cooling agent. It keeps the ratio of the liquid but adds a cooling note that changes the profile of a dessert or tobacco-style recipe. Boost Salt carries 20 mg/ml of nicotine salts in a 70/30 base, according to the product name, although its page also mentions a 50/50 version.

Poured into a 50/50 shortfill of 50 ml, one 70/30 Boost Salt raises the propylene glycol share to about 53%, and two shots to 56%. The gap is modest, but the maker recommends a shot and a base with the same ratio so the dilution is not thrown off. On a kit designed for 50/50, a 50/50 shot such as Boost Givré leaves the ratio untouched, at the cost of an added cooling note.

## The brand's concentrates for DIY, dosing and steeping

The Vaponaute 30 ml concentrates follow recipes from the current range, such as Mint Fusion or Toasted Almond Classic. They are never vaped neat and must be diluted in a base, with or without nicotine.

The maker gives a 15% dose for both references checked. One 30 ml bottle of **concentrate** therefore makes 200 ml of liquid, and 15 ml makes 100 ml. For a first 30 ml test batch, use 4.5 ml of concentrate and 25.5 ml of 50/50 base.

To add nicotine, the shot replaces part of the base, never part of the concentrate. At 3 mg/ml over 30 ml you need 90 mg of nicotine, which is 5 ml of Boost Givré at 18 mg/ml. The recipe becomes 4.5 ml of concentrate, 5 ml of shot and 20.5 ml of base.

Steeping time depends on the recipe. In a 50/50 base, the Mint Fusion page asks for at least 2 days and the Toasted Almond Classic page for at least 3 days. On these two references, the minty recipe therefore needs one day less than the tobacco-style blend of toasted almonds and caramel, and tasting too early gives a false idea of the dosing.

## Setting up the VB26 kit, battery, coils and filling

The product page for the Vaponaute VB26 lists both mouth-to-lung and direct-lung draws, but its 0.4 and 0.2 ohm coils point towards an airy draw. Three settings matter the first time you use it, the battery, the coil and the filling.

### The 18650 battery and charging

The mod runs on an 18650 battery, not included, which slides in under the kit through a dedicated door. The USB-C port (5 V, 2 A) underneath is meant for top-up charging, and the maker advises a dedicated battery charger to look after the cells. If that charger detects nothing or warms up, our article on [the vape battery charger that stalls](/uk/vape-battery-charger/) walks through the checks.

### PZP Max coils and their wattage range

The VT26 tank takes Innokin **PZP Max coils**. The 0.4 ohm coil, fitted out of the box, runs between 40 and 60 W, and the spare 0.2 ohm coil between 60 and 80 W, the ceiling of the mod. Both are intended by the maker for 50/50 liquids.

To change the wattage, hold the + and - buttons for one second until the figures flash, then adjust. With a new coil, starting at the bottom of the range gives the cotton time to soak.

### Filling, airflow and capacity

Filling is from the top, through wide ports that suit every bottle nozzle, and the airflow is set by a ring above the tank. The kit also includes a spare MTL drip tip, a spare glass and spare seals.

The product page lists a 4 ml tank. For reference, UK rules limit refillable vape tanks to a capacity of 2 ml.

## VB26 error messages, what to do

The Vaponaute mod has six protections, each flagged by a short message on the OLED screen. The table sets out what each means according to the maker and the first check to run.

| Message | What it means | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Time out | button held for more than 10 seconds | let go, check nothing presses the button in a bag |
| Low volt | battery voltage too low | recharge the battery or fit a charged one |
| Low res | resistance too low before vaping | check the fitted coil and how tight it is |
| Coil short | resistance too low while vaping | stop, remove the coil, look for a short |
| Coil check | tank not screwed on properly or resistance too high | screw the tank back on, check the coil |
| High temp | circuit board too hot | let the mod cool down before carrying on |

On a first assembly, a tank that is simply not screwed down is enough to trigger "Coil check". "Low res" and "Coil short" belong to the same family as the error explained in our article on [the atomizer short message](/uk/atomizer-short-fix/). If the mod no longer sees the coil at all, follow the steps for [the no coil detected message](/uk/no-coil-detected-fix/).

A message that keeps coming back after a coil change and a full re-tightening points to a fault in the mod itself. At that stage it is better to stop using it and have it checked.

## FAQ

These questions come up when preparing a bottle or getting to grips with the mod, beyond the settings covered above.

### Can a higher-VG liquid go in the VB26?

The maker intends the supplied PZP Max coils for 50/50 liquids. A thicker liquid feeds the cotton more slowly and risks a burnt taste, especially at the top of the wattage range.

### Does Boost Givré taste of mint?

It adds an unflavoured cooling agent, so a cool sensation rather than a flavour. The brand does not say exactly which agent it uses, and two shots add more of it than one.

### Where can I find coils for the VB26?

The VT26 tank takes Innokin PZP Max coils, made by another manufacturer. The kit's product page lists no coil made by the brand itself.

### Are the brand's bottles traceable?

Yes. The maker states that every e-liquid carries a batch number and that production takes place at its plant in the Grand Est region of France. Keeping that number helps if you ever have a question about a bottle.

### Does the VB26 take a 21700 battery?

The product page only mentions an 18650 battery, housed under the mod. It is wiser to stick to that size, with a cell able to deliver the current needed at 80 W.

## Vaponaute, the habits worth keeping

Three habits cover the essentials. Work out the strength on the final volume rather than trusting the round figure, pick a shot with the same ratio as the liquid, and let a DIY mix steep for the time given on the product page. On the hardware side, the VB26 is set within the range of its coil, and its messages read as a diagnosis rather than a breakdown.

These habits apply to any brand of e-liquid or mod, and they save time with every new **Vaponaute** bottle.

## Related reading

- [Lemon Time shortfill, adding nic shots and mixing it right](/uk/lemon-time-shortfill/)
- [Vape battery charger, when charging stalls](/uk/vape-battery-charger/)
- [Atomizer short, what your mod detected](/uk/atomizer-short-fix/)
- [No coil detected, what to check, in order](/uk/no-coil-detected-fix/)

<em>Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products can contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This article is not a buying recommendation.</em>