http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/ en Mon, 20 May 2013 16:06:22 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/ http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/3504-getting-ihybrid.html Tue, 25 Dec 2012 22:54:48 GMT In order to get to the cozy, unofficial hybreed chatroom (you're more than welcome even if you don't use iHybrids, btw) you have to somehow connect to the IRC network ECNet, then join the channel #iHybrid.

Right now, the easiest way to get there is: http://vapenerd.com/irc.html

If you don't like that or it doesn't work for some reason, then another easy enough method that most users prefer is this:

1. Click Here to go to Mibbit

2. When you get to Mibbit, go to the 2nd box, first drop down Menu.

3. Scroll down to ECNet [webirc] and click on it.



4. In the next space, type in any "nickname" you want to use.

5. Then type in: #ihybrid



6. Hit "Connect" and you're there


You can get to the chatroom in various other "old school" ways, using an IRC client.

On Windows, you can try mIRC or XChat (the latter also works on a variety of Linux flavors).

On an Android tablet, you can use AndChat or AndroIRC

For iOS devices, there is an app called LimeChat that works decently.

The basic setup in an IRC client is similar. You most likely will be asked for a server, a port, a nickname and possibly an 'ident' and a 'real name'. Just use irc.ecnet.org for the server. More on the advanced side, or if you have problems you can use the following addresses: 74.112.203.135 or 72.20.19.235 or 206.41.117.23

The port can usually be left blank, otherwise use 6667 (the default IRC port). The ident and the 'real name' can be anything, NOT necessarily your real name.

Then, if you can't find a way to 'save' the channel #iHybrid somewhere, after you connect just type /join #ihybrid This will get you to the channel in any app, even in the Mibbit one if somehow you get out by mistake.

For example, here is a setup that works in mIRC:






And here is a completed setup screen for AndChat on Android:




Hope to see you there
]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/3504-getting-ihybrid.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2921-did-e-vape-gr.html Sun, 08 Jul 2012 01:23:31 GMT Oh, yeah... Image: http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6278/img004815.jpg *Build quality: *all parts are flawless, match perfectly and the... Oh, yeah...



Build quality: all parts are flawless, match perfectly and the threads are smooth and noiseless. When it's fully assembled it feels compact and sturdy, unlike my other genny device. The 510 connector is good and secure, it sits almost flush on my ProVari and Legacy (without adjustments).

Ease of assembly (body): no skills job - everything only fits one way, it's basically just scewing stuff together. The smallest parts are the center post washers, but it's not that bad. I guess people with some level of dexterity impairment will have a hard time putting those on. Nothing else to say.

Ease of assembly (coil): oh, well... I'd give it a 3+/5 compared to my only other genny - a Zenesis standard. And that considering that Zenesis requires two different keys for the process. The brass nuts are a mess - you have to fiddle with the bottom one, then if you are not careful you end up moving both as you tighten the top one, then if they come together you can just unscrew the top one alone... It's a pain. But it does the job. You can't do an easy secure (i.e half loop the wire then secure it like that, such as you can do with the negative connector). You have to first fully wrap the wire around the pin then secure it somehow.

I really like the thicker, sturdier wick though. My wick is a bit shorter than in the video, but there is no real problem gauging the length of the coil so everything goes together. I make my coils outside the device. I think my wick touches the bottom of the tank, and it is indeed a bit annoying that I can't see it.

Once it's done, it feels secure and it doesn't seem like it's going to go anywhere, and screwing instead of snapping on the top cap also contributes tot he sturdy feeling - you don't worry you'll destroy your coil as you put the top cap on.

Performance - I made a 4 wrap coil, and got 2.1 Ohm, stable from the get-go (Jack Frost + rolling paper). It produces a very satisfactory amount of vapor starting at 5.8 Watt, then my sweet spot seems to be at 8 Watt (4.1 V on the ProVari). It's warm and thick and saturated. The wicking is extremely good, better than the Zenesis - no dry hits even without tipping it down.

If it floods, just like other Geneses, the vapor production goes down, but you just have to fire it vertically a couple of seconds to fix that.

If you remove the fill hole screw, the vapor and the flavor seem to improve. I think so, at least. I postulate it is because it wicks better, on the one hand, and because the wick needs airflow through it for better vaporization.

At first, flavor was't fully developed. I was vaping a simple Peach menthol. The menthol obviously came through strongly, the peach was muted and there was still some add-on taste that I'm not sure where it came from...

After about two tankfuls (thankfully, I had work to do so I just vaped without paying to much attention to flavor), it broke in really good. Flavor comes through, loud and clear, true and wild. It is on par with Zenesis, but ever so slightly and indescribably different; neither better nor worse, just different. I cannot say which one I prefer, I guess I don't have to prefer one, now, do I?

It doesn't leak.

It doesn't as long as the fill hole screw is in, but since I like it more without it, well... it leaks if it sat down horizontally. It is actually less leak prone than the Zenesis, I can lay it down with the top leaning on something so as to stay at 10-15 degrees, and then it won't leak.

I strongly feel it would perform better with a larger airhole. I have no clue how to go about making the hole larger, but I'd actually hope Jim will consider an "open draw" cap...

Just like the Zenesis, the top nut on the center pin obstructs the mouthpiece hole, probably causing the same vortex airflow inside the chamber. With these atties, the speed of the air whirling around in there seems to count enormously for both vapor production and flavor. Therefore, a slow pull achieves better results. But when the airhole is smaller, you can't really pull slowly enough, yet effectively enough to achieve the right airspeed. That's just a guess. I only know that a larger airhole and a more "open" draw results in easier pulls and heavier, thicker vapor.


Bottom line: probably the best deal on a ready-made Genesis device around right now! ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2921-did-e-vape-gr.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2872-banner.html Sat, 23 Jun 2012 08:34:54 GMT Image: http://sincemylastcigarette.com/banners/1326145500_20_1_USD_6.5_dark.png *$1,617 *spent | *ZENESIS Standard* (http://goo.gl/rz1ht) ProVari,...
$1,617 spent | ZENESIS Standard ProVari, Legacy, Reo, kGo; Soon: SGV3 Co-Op, DID atty
A project worth supporting in any way: We Are Vapers Documentary ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2872-banner.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2849-vaping-versus-smoking-seen-through-my-eyes.html Wed, 13 Jun 2012 00:56:24 GMT Yesterday it was difficult to read / write because I had an eye exam and everything was blurry and too bright. It's no fun driving around with your eyes dilated even with shades. Anyhow...

I wanted to share this just because, you know, we all hope vaping is better for our health... It's anectodal, so not very relevant scientifically, but extremely relevant for me.

So I've had a little high blood pressure problem found last year at some point - nothing extreme, just a bit above normal. Part of the ensuing tests included an eye appointment and they saw bad disease in blood vessels in the back of my eyes. They were concerned that it would affect my vision soon, and that it could lead to permanent problems. Needless to say it's scary. They thought it must be blood pressure related, but my blood pressure was not extremely high; I started taking a small dose of medication and that made my blood pressure normal, but the changes in the eyes were still getting worse 6 months ago when I had my last visit. I did know that smoking was probably making this worse, of course. In the past 5 months I have been vaping exclusively and yesterday I was still unsure whether it helped or not.

Oh, well - it did, as far as it appears. My eyes are almost normal, they say. All the bad stuff is healing, and the blood vessels look normal. We all know that smoking causes harm to blood vessels - not only in the eyes, but everywhere. I'm sure whatever happens in the eyes goes on in the blood vessels of your brain and heart and legs and so forth - eventually causing all the cardiovascular complications of smoking.

Science has not proven that nicotine alone causes that, but public health authorities are putting all their might into skewing the scientific data trying to convince uninformed public and decision makers that nicotine is as harmful by itself to blood vessels as smoking. This is scientifically preposterous and ethically criminal, and I don't understand why they do it. Small experimental studies have shown exposure to nicotine increases blood pressure briefly and constricts blood vessels. Others showed that in current smokers nicotine has an exaggerate effect on blood vessels and one small study actually showed that effect was not found in current non-smokers. There are no large, long term studies on the effect of nicotine alone, but there is data from the Swedish Snus cohorts showing significant reductions in cardiovascular risk with Snus users compared to smokers.

In my single case situation, it is obvious to me that switching from smoking to vaping with nicotine has resulted in a fairly rapid resolution of the problems in my eyes' blood vessels and I am very happy for giving vaping a chance in spite of the positions adopted by FDA and medical professional associations.

Yay!

[originally posted here] ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2849-vaping-versus-smoking-seen-through-my-eyes.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2558-provari-here-end-all-quests.html Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:16:01 GMT I updated this post again after more than three months of ProVari bliss, still just to say this: everything below stays the same - I have found no... I updated this post again after more than three months of ProVari bliss, still just to say this: everything below stays the same - I have found no fault to the ProVari yet.

I updated this post after four days of exclusive (and close to continuous) use.


My very first impression when I started using my ProVari was:

"It's me, again, almost two months ago, first vape, having a revelation that this can actually work; it's me, again, two weeks later, hugging the KGO, discovering thick, fragrant vapor; and it's me, again, some ten days ago, taste buds fully regrown, understanding why people claim they can taste the juice. It's that whole past journey of discovery, rolled into a couple of vapes and multiplied by a hundred."

And now...

The only thing I don't absolutely love about my ProVari is that the extension endcap for 18650 batteries doesn't look quite as cool as the original one for 18490.

With that out of the way, everything else is as close to perfect as I can imagine:

The fantastic consistence - Phil Busardo caught it in the act: he managed to measure the voltage output on the very last button push, as the battery was dying, and it was spot on. That is something you feel in the vape - every single one is identical to the previous one, throughout the day, until it starts blinking.

The flavor - I never suspected that my juices actually could taste that way. It's easy to see each individual juice shines differently at different power settings. With a 3.0 Ohm quality atomizer on the ProVari, vaping is a true gourmet experience!

The 0.1 V control - I didn't think I'd care much about that, but in using it you discover that subtle adjustments go a long way for some carto/juice combinations.

The current amperage limit is above anything I could reasonably need. I can use it to get all the power I, at least, can handle out of anything I put on it. As a bonus, it functions as a meter for the battery and for the carto/atty resistance. It's everything.

The weight, the grip, the balance - it feels like a precision crafted, balanced and fully finished device, because it is! It's a sensory delight to just hold it and vape. It's heavy, but in a nice way - it feels solid, reliable. There's no give, no jiggle, no squeaky threads. And my satin black, at least, is almost sticky - you can't get it to slide no matter how soft you grasp it.

The button - it is in the exactly right place. It doesn't click, but it gives you a clear feedback, soft but consistent, and it sort of springs back when you stop pushing it, slightly pushing against you finger so you don't ever get to be "neither on nor off".. it's hard to explain.

The deep drip well. Enough said.

The peace of mind - safer chem batteries running on a smart circuit that constantly monitors voltage, amperage and temperature. It doesn't let you do unreasonable things, and it tells you so by means of error messages (unlike other VV mods).

I guess, as a purchase, I can actually tell where the money went with every vape I take. Once you hold it and you vape it, it doesn't seem "expensive" any more. ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2558-provari-here-end-all-quests.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2516-quitting-smoking-real-cigarettes.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:15:37 GMT Apart from the chemical "addiction" there are a lot of psychological / situational triggers. For me, for instance, such would be finishing a meal, having a dead time at work, finishing a TV show episode, driving, etc. You need to identify yours and make sure you have you PV ready and start vaping as soon as the triggering event happens, preferably before the craving hits. You won't be able to avoid all cravings, but this could help.

I was lucky enough to be able to switch over without a "transition" period, but many users say they had longer time of vaping and still lighting up here and there. It is important to not look at those cigarettes as failures, and keep vaping trying to maintain the vape as your main fix.

Whenever you can, do not stop vaping until you are satisfied. Nicotine is absorbed more slowly from vapor, and you may need longer "sessions".

Find your nicotine concentration need (the miligrams listed), and don't try to taper it off too quickly.

There's a saying around here, I don't know who coined it*, "trust the vape". It will help you with the cravings, you just need to keep doing it. Don't give it up - there are many ways to increase the "kick". I don't know your setup, but you may need a midsize or large battery device, and play with the resistance of the cartomizer / atomizer. Maybe consider variable voltage, or a 5-6V mod or passthru.

It's vital that you explore the flavors to figure out what you can vape with pleasure for longer times. You may want to use such an "all day vape" at lower nicotine strength, and have a "rescue vape" with higher nicotine for particularly bad cravings.

Most importantly, every cigarette you don't smoke counts. Don't become frustrated if you do light some up for a while.

Originally posted here

* turns out he did ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2516-quitting-smoking-real-cigarettes.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2515-taste-coming-back.html Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:10:47 GMT I'm starting to taste the flavors really well. It's wonderful. Earlier, about a week after I started vaping, I had a 8-10 day run of no taste/flavor, but I thought it was gone. Well, turns out it wasn't. It's only in the past two days that flavors are really exploding on my tongue.

This is to mark my calendar, really - it's been 1 month and 16 days of no smoke, all vape, and now I can truly taste juices. A long wait, but it's worth it!

I'm rediscovering old juices, and finding that some favorites are not really that great. No surprise there - very intense flavors that I probably liked because at least I could taste something are now too strong. It's fantastic.

New rule: never toss any juice - a month down the road, it may become your favorite. ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2515-taste-coming-back.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2411-one-month.html Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:35:16 GMT I've been vaping for... let me check my sig... Oh My God, one MONTH! And I haven't even celebrated! :) Evidently, the best thing about it is that I have also been off burned tobacco for the same amount of time. I smoked my last cigarette on the balcony and saw the mailman pulling in. Then I went down and picked my package. That was my last cigarette indeed.

My last pack, two thirds full, is in the exact same place I left it then, on a table, next to some new Listerine puff thing package. I used to use a lot of those so I didn't smell at work. The package is also unopened. That is the other best thing about it - there is no need to try and hide any smell. Because there is none. I still brush my teeth several times a day, but I guess that's healthy enough and, just like vaping, it is just another addiction I can live with. (And just like vaping, it contains PG :) )

I never had shortness of breath when I was smoking. I had occasional morning cough. That got worse, briefly, just like every other times I quit analogs before. It's normal. It means your bronchial epithelium comes back to life. But now I can not breathe much better. I love swimming, and I was beginning to notice it being more difficult to hold my breath underwater and even when only breathing every three strokes. Now I can, again, just like in childhood, swim a full length underwater :)

I quit smoking because my overall health was going down, and that included high blood pressure. My pressures are okay now, but that's confounding because I also started a low dose of medication for that. But my heart rate certainly improved (it was too high at rest, which in itself is a very strong indication of future risk of problems). This is also confounded by the fact that I exercise now, but I can exercise better because I don't smoke. So, there.

In the first few weeks I vaped like I smoked. I was very dependent on all sorts of triggers. I would go out to vape after a movie or a meal. I would actually go out, because I felt jittery and in need of going out. So I just did it. Now all that is gone. Gone is also the need to vape at regular intervals. I actually vape very little or not at all during the day. Sometimes I vape in the morning, but not always, and I certainly do not feel that crushing urge right after I open my eyes, like with cigarettes.

I vape a lot in the car, and I mainly vape at night while writing, watching TV or doing whatever. Visiting ECF is the only strong trigger to vape like crazy :) I find that when I vape, I like to keep vaping on and on. That's why now I'm going to try out the carto-tank setup, and at some point I'll get a Reo (I guess I'll wait for the VV Woodvil to kill two birds with one stone?) I also find that I never really get a craving to vape. I don't know if that means I am no longer as addicted to nicotine as I was. I'd like to think so, but I am not eager to try quitting vaping right now.

Interestingly, I find that I am overall calmer and more patient. I used to plan my workday around smoking escapes. And I would get antsy when stuff would come in the way of my plans. Yet, I used to think cigarettes were allowing me to be calm and patient, and, based on cold turkey precedents, I used to think quitting them would make me insufferable. However, at work or play, even when I'm really not vaping at all, I now am indeed calmer on the average.

All in all, I think I am significantly better off.

Orignally posted here ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2411-one-month.html http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2319-kgo-here.html Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:06:45 GMT I've been smoke free for more than 10 days now. I owe that to vaping, of course. I'm a little bit wary of calling this "quitting smoking". I don't thing it is. God help us when, 10 years down the road, they prove that inhaling warm food flavorings causes dementia, liver failure and mutations in your offsprings. Probably not, but bronchiolitis obliterans, emphysema and good old lung cancer are still on the table.

Anyway, that's not what I'm trying to say.

I just switched from V2 to kGO myself a couple of hours ago. There is a major problem though, I've been vaping continuously since. I can't seem to stop! :)

Compared to a Boge LR cartomizer on the kGO, the V2 sticks literally have NO flavor, there is about half vapor or less, and after a few drags the V2 vapor starts to kinda scratch my throat if that makes any sense (I guess it's the 100% PG). I kind of understand why regulators are worried about e-cigarettes, and I really hope they don't find out about really good PVs: this is a different vice/hobby/gourmet pleasure altogether and it definitely could attract a non-smoker, if they were to try...

I've been tooting only on one Boge carto so far and there is another thing. Every single drag is exactly the same taste, density, temperature you name it. With V2, even with the passthrough, after 10 drags or so the vapor feels "dry" and there is a little plastic flavor added. If I leave it alone for a while, it comes back a bit. But that's annoying.

Interestingly, I put a V2 carto on the kGO for a second and, except for the bland flavor (Sahara 18), it actually works better, gives off more vapor, but still dries out quickly.

I just wanted to jot these live impressions because I've been one to believe up until a couple of hours ago that the kGO can't be all that better but I'd give it a try anyway; their marketing statements that their V2 cartos have a proprietary "superior" technology were burrowed in my head :)

That said, the V2s (and especially the passthrough) were able to keep me off "analogs" without much in the way of cravings for 12 days which is a great deal. They may be inferior and perhaps overpriced, but are definitely not worthless! I probably wouldn't get them in hidsight, but I say vape'em if you have them and, unless you're ready to explore more, give them a chance - they will keep you happy and nicotine'd... ]]> elfstone http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/elfstone/2319-kgo-here.html