A few potential user questions

[Aral]

Greetings everyone
I'd like to ask a few questions I couldn't find a satisfying answer to (probably my fault, the site is great )

I'd like to start with saying that I'm NOT a smoker. Yea, that's right, I don't smoke "analogs". I tried smoking, and while it has it's pleasant sides, the negative ones are turning me off. The overall experience of smoking analog cigarettes was not good enough for me to start smoking, but that has changed now that I've heard of e-cigs

After reading through a lot of posts from the stickies, and watching the vids I have a few questions I would like to find answers for:

I've got the basics of how an e-cigarette works like, the only thing is the difference between an atomizer and a cartomizer, as far as I can tell, atomizers are a bit more complicated, because you have to drip fill them constantly, but last quite longer, while cartomizers are a disposable variant that is simpler to use and you don't have to drip constantly?

I live in a small country in southern Europe, and the availability of any kind of e-cigarettes is limited to one web shop, this seems to be the only manufacturer available:e-cigarete.net - e-joy TITAN e-cigareta - elektronska cigareta 510- elektroničke cigarete - bolja joye 510 e-cigareta for a price of 122 dollars.
So, this leaves me with buying it online, but I'd like to know how often would I have to buy the various replaceable parts, such as the atomizer or the cartomizer, because of the shipping fees.

Thanks in advance
Aral

 

[zadane]

The first question we all want to know... is why do you want to start vaping?

do you want to get addicted to nicotine? or do you just want to enjoy the flavors?

please explain your thinking to us so we can better help you.

 

[Aral]

Well, honestly, I'd like to start vaping because when I'm at home and sitting at a pc, or just reading a book, watching TV etc. I always grab something to snack. It's not because I'm hungry, it's just because I "need" something to do with my hand and something to occupy a part of my attention.
About that part, I'm not sure, I would probably need nicotine, and yes, I do realize how addictive it is. .)

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I wouldn't suggest that you start vaping at all, since you aren't a smoker. There are much better things for you to do than take up an addiction because you're bored.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

They are many vendors that sell juices without nic in them. They taste just as great. I would suggest that before becoming addicted. I have actually lost weight vaping because of all the wonderful flavors available. If you are set on using an ecig then please, for your health, use 0 nic.

sas

 

[Aral]

I was thinking about that, and I'll certainly try without the nicotine at first, if that doesn't do the trick, I'll start with a low nicotine amount after that. I understand that nicotine addiction is an addiction after all, but I understand the risks. Constantly nibbling on something isn't healthy, and is certainly as addicting as nicotine
Thanks for the input everyone, I do appreciate what you are trying to say, and I will try the 0 nicotine variant first.
Does anyone know answers for some of those questions I asked?

 

[Tracj007]

Interesting......I have spent the last week reading through a lot of the threads and I have yet to see someone who wasn't a smoker and not addicted to nicotine want to vape and potentially become addicted to nicotine! I just find that an interesting concept, that's all, not saying anything bad about it.

Here is my take on it. I'm a analog smoker, switching to vaping. I have reeducated myself of nicotine and what nicotine really is as to the "society" version of nicotine. To say don't start vaping with nicotine since your not addicted to it already is like saying never drink a cup of coffee or a soda because of the addiction of caffine. Nicotine is found in many more items we consume other than vaping just like caffine is in many items we consume other than soda and coffee. So, just as your completely aware by vaping with nicotine you will get addicted to nicotine just as if you continue to drink soda you will become addicted to caffine!

This being said, the good news is, you don't have to vape with nicotine. All of the juices and cartomizers come with no nicotine and most come with various nicotine levels. As a newbie, I find that the atty's (atomizers) is difficult to wrap my head around without having some experience of vaping under my belt. Something about being my own chemist with using atty's kinda stress me as a newbie. I opted for starting with the cartomizers, yes they are disposable and easy and no need to be your own chemist. However, with the cartomizers you can slowly introduce yourself into the chemistry of refilling your cartomizer and get to know the world of eliquid, ejuice or juices as I have heard it be called.

There are lots and lots of youtube video on how to refill your prefilled cartomizers, up to two times, before throwing them out. With atty's, you are correct, it is a constant drip, refill process, almost daily from what I can tell. As a newbie, I'm not ready for that, a bite too overwhelming.

So to answer your question, which one to use...as a newbie that I am, I highly recommend the prefilled cartomizers while you are learning all there is to know on the other way of vaping, as I call....being your own chemist! I think I almost failed chemistry in high school too by the way!!

However, just my opinion. Hope it helps coming from a newbie who like you, see's that the atty way of vaping seems a bite complicated! For now that is.......

 

[Aral]

Thanks for the info I'm not that afraid of chemistry, and I wouldn't mind refilling an atomizer on a daily basis, but from what I've read, it seems like you fill them up constantly while you smoke, like every few puffs. Not sure on that though.

 

[Aral]

Which option would be less expensive in the long run, seeing as I need to order everything from another country, and pay the shipping and handling fees?

 

[Rosa]

What about if you snack on something healthy instead, like carrot sticks or grapes or celery sticks. You'll have your hand/mouth action and get some much needed vitamins too.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Thanks for the info I'm not that afraid of chemistry, and I wouldn't mind refilling an atomizer on a daily basis, but from what I've read, it seems like you fill them up constantly while you smoke, like every few puffs. Not sure on that though.

Not a dripper myself. From my understanding those that do say it is the best way to get fullest flavor. But you are right, it is constant dripping every few puffs. I have tried it a couple of times, for me --too messy and inconvenient.
Now onto cartomizers. This is a 2 piece unit that has the atomizer built into it. You remove the soft cap from the mouth piece and drip the liquid in the padding. Some hold 20-30 drops and can last up to a full day depending on how often you hit it.
Lots of vendors sell pre-filled cartomizers in a wide variety of flavors. Do you know what kind of pv's you are looking at? Go look at v4life.com and see some pv's. Hope this helps.
sas

 

[Aral]

I'm looking for a good and reliable one, preferably decent looking. Mini type rather than something bulky, and if possible not too expensive
I've checked the video on the maxx fusion one, looks great, but supposedly it's pretty costly. Everyone seems to like "501" though

 

[Tracj007]

Thanks for the info I'm not that afraid of chemistry, and I wouldn't mind refilling an atomizer on a daily basis, but from what I've read, it seems like you fill them up constantly while you smoke, like every few puffs. Not sure on that though.

If you have enough carts you can fill a days supply, whatever that might be for you, from what I can tell 4 carts seems to be a safe amount to keep on hand and then at the end of the night part of your routine is to refill for the next day. If you only have a few carts then yes, you'd be filling them often throughout the day. If you order from the US, order in bulk, therefore cutting your shipping down by ordering less. This means from what I've read, have like for Atty's on hand, 2 or 3 batteries, maybe 6 or so carts and an assortment of juices. Maybe enough for like three or four months supply as to ordering all the time and having to pay the shipping fee's. I also think how often you refill depends on the battery too. From what I've read, if you vape using an atty, you want a good ecig battery too. How often you vape will also determine how fast you go through the carts, how often you need to refill, ect.... From what I can tell those are all factors.

Oh, I also remember reading from many people that newbies do have a a thing with going through more carts or carto's in the beginning. Once us newbies get the hang of vaping, we find our nitch of how much we go through. So order more in the beginning just in case since you have to pay a higher shipping fee!

 

[FantWriter]

A cartomizer is an atomizer and cartridge as one part instead of two.

You can drip with an atomizer (a few drops added often), but you don't have to.

The advantage of an atomizer and cartridge is that it's easier to change the cartridge when it runs out (most just push on while you have to screw on a cartomizer).

The advantage of a cartomizer is that they hold more e-juice than a cartridge, so you mess with them less often.

The general average is using 4ml per day. For a standard CE2 cartomizer, that's 6.66 fillings. I'm going out on a limb a little, but I think that's about 11-13 cartridges on an atomizer. Most people report using about 120ml per month, on average, under normal circumstances.

The cost for atomizer/cartridge vs. cartomizers is about a draw. Each cartomizer is less expensive than an atomizer, but it generally doesn't last as long.

You can figure on going through a lot of cartomizers at first -- it takes a while to learn when to stop and refill them, and once you vape one dry, it is impossible to get the burnt/scorched flavor out of it. If shipping cost is high, it might not be a bad idea to get 20 cartomizers at once. The first ten might last a week or two, the second ten a month or two.

If you only plan on using the PV in one place, consider getting a PassThrough. They use all the same equipment as a battery, but you never have to mess with charging them.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lambch3p]

You are correct as you vape you refill your atty. How often depend on how much you vape. You can usually taste when it needs refilling. The taste changes because the jucie gets hotter as there is less to heat and turn into vaper.

 

[swedishfish]

I have to be honest with you Aral, this is a lot of work and expense for someone that doesn't smoke. Are you sure this is something you really want to do?

I do it because I'm an addict and it got me off analogs. I'm thrilled that I'm doing it, but I'd be even more thrilled not to do anything at all.

 

[Keiff]

If you have an oral fixation, I don't think you should add dependence on nicotine into the mix. Of course... this is my position and may not be shared by you or others. I smoked camels for 23 years... up to 1.5 PAD... much more if I was drinking. When I look back over the years on my behavior, demeanor and priorities while being addicted to nicotine... I have regrets. I got my first e-cig on Feb 16th and haven't smoked since. I'm still addicted to nicotine of course. This is just a better alternative for me and everyone else in my life.

If you look at this as a way to address your oral fixation, I encourage you to rethink it. I am pretty confident that NOT vaping is better for you than doing it but, who am I to judge. If you do decide to go down this road, I'd suggest food/fruit flavors with 0 nicotine. Go with the manual battery if you get one of the kits you linked. It looks like it's 2 complete e-cigs in each bundle. That means you have 2 atomizers. I'd have at least 2 backups available.

There is no dripping required on the atomizer or the cartomizer. A cartomizer is just a cartridge and a lower-quality atomizer combined. With the separate atomizer, you have the option to drip... or use a cartridge or tank. Cartomizers and cartidges both deliver liquid to the atomizer by wicking through some absorbent filling. I choose to drip. I recommend you buy a drip tip if you order, just so you have that option.

 

[base234]

I wouldn't suggest that you start vaping at all, since you aren't a smoker. There are much better things for you to do than take up an addiction because you're bored.

Exactly what she said.

 

[starrynight]

Aral you have no smoking addiction so you are already ahead of the curve, please think about this for a while before starting. If you get hooked on this, you could end up vaping a lot more than watching TV and reading even at a zero nic level.

 

[Aral]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I really do care about what you said, and I do understand your concerns. I'll start nicotine free and check it out. If that doesn't work out quite enough, I'll try nicotine. I know all the risks, nicotine is a pretty powerful drug, it's a toxic chemical overall, and all addictions are bad, I get it. But, I have thought about it seriously, and I'm not taking up smoking because I'm bored (which is a lot better reason than taking up smoking because of peer pressure), I'm thinking of starting vaping to fight my bad habit of snacking all of the time I'm in the house. I just can't help it, especially when my mind is focused on other things like reading, watching movies or gaming. I'm pretty sure all of you have been aware of the risks and you still started smoking, and yes, you will say that you wouldn't have started if you knew what you know now, but that's a my decision to make
Sorry, I don't mean to sound harsh or like I don't care about your opinions, I do, really, but I have thought this through and I plan to go through with it