510 very harsh. Model, juice, or what?

[Giantfan]

Just got my 510 and it's been great, but I've noticed the harshness is getting a little annoying. It's become a real effort to smoke it.

There's been times when it was smooth, but mostly not. Is it the model, the atomizer, or maybe the juice?

I am using Totally Wicked juice 18mg.

I want a throat hit, but I also want something smooth with a lot of vapor. My e cig is getting too harsh to use comfortably.

Is this normal?

 

[jemo]

How long have you been using it? It was harsh to me too for 2 days or so. Now that I've had it 5 days or so I've grown accustomed to it.

 

[IMetalGearVaporXI~]

I would cut the juice with a mixture of VG and distilled water it should be less harsh. Recently I was vaping 16 mg Camel flavor from litecig and for me it was harsh. Though the other flavors where not so harsh even though they to are 16 mg.

I cut it half VG and other half Camel shook it up and now its not harsh enough, next time I will put in less VG. My first time mixing my juice with VG and its crazy the vapor hangs in the air so long I could hot box my room.

 

[Scaralouche]

if it is your first ecig, there is an acclimation process your throat goes through as it discovers what PG vaporized does to it. it will pass, and all will be well. and if it doesnt, looks like it is VG for you rather than PG.

 

[zoolatry]

Hey - I'm a new vaper myself, just been doing it for a few weeks, but I'm wondering if maybe your problem might be really be your atomizer. I've got the 510 and right from the start it's been great for me and I haven't found the vapor to be harsh at all. However, I recently tried out the other atomizer that came with it and it is NOT the same - it doesn't consistently produce vapor and when it does, it tends to be quite harsh, though not every time. Even after multiple attempts to clean/clear out priming fluid it is still this way.

Just a thought, but maybe another atomizer could solve your problem?

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

Harshness usually indicates that you aren't keeping the atomizer wet enough. It is recommended to put one drop of liquid directly on the atomizer bridge each time you refill the cartridge.

If you can't get rid of the taste, you may have scorched the wicking, and will need to soak it in a good alcohol (I use EverClear... don't use ISO alcohol!!).

If you clean it, make sure to re-prime the atty by putting 4 or 5 drops of liquid back into the atty on the bridge, and let it soak in well.

 

[lkim65]

I had the same problem. It was the atomizer. I took all my new atomizers and soaked them in rubbing alcohol for a couple of hours. Rinsed them out and let them dry. I haven't had a problem since...

 

[Arizona Dad]

I too use the TW 18 mg liquid. I had the same problem with harshness at first. I almost gave up, until I read some of threads here about cleaning the primer out of a new atty. There are plenty of posts about how to do this. Every time my cart starts to get dry, I get that harsh taste. Just keep them moist and you should have no problems. Good luck, and don't give up. There are solutions to the problem.

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

As indicated by the various posts in this thread, there are many factors that could be contributing to that harsh taste. Here are two more:

• You mentioned the supplier (and milligram strength) of your liquid, but not the flavor. Some do taste harsher than others. e.g., obviously Cuban Cigar tastes harsher than Kent or Menthol.
  
  
• As soon as I read "want something smooth with a lot of vapor" in your post, I thought of the model I use, the DSE801 penstyle. The 510 is immensely popular right now, but it is not for everyone. I've never vaped a 510, but (from what I've read) it's not know for its mellowness. The penstyle is ... and probably generates the greatest amount of vapor, short of one of the 5-6V Hybrids or the GreenCig. Of course, it is considerably longer than your 510.

Don't let your current dissatisfaction prevent you from embracing vaping. I was not particularly happy with my first e-cig model. But I have come to love vaping (far more than I ever did analog smoking, and I did that for 40 years). For me, it's been the penstyle (and Prodigy) ... for you, it remains to be seen.

All the best!

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

Don - I use both the 510 and the 801. Big love here for both of them.

Harsh taste comes from a 510 being too dry. Same with the 801. I use all kinds of e-liquids (love cuban cigar!), and none of them could be described as harsh unless I'm running my PVs dry. The worst is hitting an 801 dry on my 5v passthrough... nasty! LOL.

Liquid application is the biggest learning curve of e-cig use. Get that down, and the rest is great. If you don't understand what the inside of the atomizer looks like, you probably won't get why the liquid keeping things moist inside the atty is so important. There are several places on ECF that have diagrams. Check them out. It was my light bulb moment when I first started using these.

 

[ShinKun]

I think you might be having the same problem as me. No analogs in 2.5 weeks but moderatly frustrated.

If it's flooded it's harsh, if it's too dry it's harsh and has a "burnt" "plastic" or "chemical" after taste.

I'm having a real hard time finding and maintaining the sweet spot. This has been my experience with topping off(too many hairs burning) and dripping(hoping to figure it out)... otherwise I am about 85% satisfied with the e-cig so far.

 

[Elapid]

DonDaBoomVape, like you I use the 801 and the Prodigy. Have you tried the PureSmoker passthrough? It's a hi volt passthrough that act's like the Prodigy, I use it when sitting at the puter.

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

DonDaBoomVape, like you I use the 801 and the Prodigy. Have you tried the PureSmoker passthrough? It's a hi volt passthrough that act's like the Prodigy, I use it when sitting at the puter.

I almost bought the PS PT instead of the Prodigy (to save $), but wanted the portablity. Haven't seen the point of getting the PT since then, because the Prodigy batteries last so long and I do a lot of my vaping away from the computer (although not at the moment, obviously).

If I were to buy a passthrough, I wouldn't give very much consideration to any other. Puresmoker's is one of the few true* passthroughs out there.

* That is, the computer directly powers the atomizer, rather than charging an inline battery.

Tying this pair of posts back into the thread's topic: The Puresmoker passthrough potentially will work with any atty. It's sold with your choice of various adapters, e.g., 801, 901 (which also works with the KR808D-1 cartomizer), and 510. It's about twice the price of the typical 510 "passthrough", but (as I'm sure Elapid will attest) it is much sturdier and more powerful. [And, no, I am not on Puresmoker's payroll. I just respect good quality when I see it.]

 

[Giantfan]

I think you might be having the same problem as me. No analogs in 2.5 weeks but moderatly frustrated.

If it's flooded it's harsh, if it's too dry it's harsh and has a "burnt" "plastic" or "chemical" after taste.

I'm having a real hard time finding and maintaining the sweet spot. This has been my experience with topping off(too many hairs burning) and dripping(hoping to figure it out)... otherwise I am about 85% satisfied with the e-cig so far.

This sounds like the problem, because sometimes my 510 is smooth, and I know my atomizers are broken in, so it's not that. I must not be getting things at a consistent moisture level.

 

[Kent C]

This sounds like the problem, because sometimes my 510 is smooth, and I know my atomizers are broken in, so it's not that. I must not be getting things at a consistent moisture level.

Try this with the oem filler:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/tips-tricks/11421-cart-mod-better-refilling.html

When refilling put a drop or two on the atomizer bridge - no more. If you're not getting vapor you've most likely flooded your atty. unscrew it blow it out from the battery end. Sometimes just holding the ecig at about a 60 degree angle will drain it. This would be true for any model, btw. Don't buy a new set of golf clubs to cure your slice ;-)

The straw mod helps imo, in that it helps wicking up to the top of the cart and allows you to use the whole cart by allowing more drops in the polyfil.

Mega batteries are really nice (ok, buy a new putter ;-) because they seem to hold the initial charge longer so you're vaping at a better strength for a longer period of time. But focus on finding that sweet spot on refilling and dripping and while rubbing alcohol might work I highly suggest using vodka if you are going to do any 'cleaning'.

 

[Bjorn Toulouse]

I have been using the 510 for about 4 months now and I have killed 4 batteries and at least 4 atties, in that time I have destroyed at least 90ml of liquid from 5 main suppliers.

IMHO harshness in the 510 comes from various angles!!

I only use liquids that are 16mg, 18mg 24mg or 36mg
harshness is not for me assosiated with strenth
18mg flu curred from Ruyan Direct has more hit than 36mg TW Red Bull or 36mg EcoPure.

Smoothness tends to be increased when using a VG liquid like ECOpure
Like others say keep it moist, I tend to have a pool when I top up, this is ok for me some dislike this.
Atties do make a difference
I have
morning atties - nice middle of the road ones not too strong
afternoon ones - bitt harsher
last thing at night ones - milder as my throat starts to get sore
out on the razz ones - the harsher the better as copious amounts of bevvy nimbs my throat!!!

The other thing to bear in mind is that as the battery runs out it getts harsher and nasty soo keep your batteries charged.

note: even if you by the same strenth liquid from the same supplier the flavour makes a difference.

hope this is of help

 

[ShinKun]

The other thing to bear in mind is that as the battery runs out it getts harsher and nasty soo keep your batteries charged.

Yeah, noticed that too. I guess when my Protege arrives I will be able to take that variable away. Right now, it's ...is it too dry, too wet, not enough power, or my draw isn't quite yet?

Gettin' there

 

[Giantfan]

Ok. I think I have been flooding my atties. I have been putting about two drops in the attie, trying to hit the middle.

I also put about one or two drops of juice on top of the cartridge. I haven't filled a whole cartridge yet from bottom to top.

During this, I think I have been flooding it, as it makes that gurgling sound when I vape it.

 

[ShinKun]

When I was using carts I had pretty good luck keeping the fill looking like a slushy... no pool of liquid but almost. The problem I had was the the little hairs from the fill would hit the bridge and burn YUCK!! but seemed to me that a little gurgle was a good thing. Smooth copious vapor.

 

[NaviRahu]

I just top off with a few drops in the cart and one or two on the atty and I'm usually pretty good. There were times I actually wished it was a little harsher. I'm right now using clove juice at 18mg. It's usually too smooth for my tastes when I first top off, but after a hit or two it's fine, and stays about the way I want it until it's time to top off again. And I usually get less vapor before it starts getting harsher. Not sure if it's just the way I take care of it or if it's just the batch mine came from.