am i making the right choice?

[dragonpuff]

Hello Everyone! This is my first post. Before i get started i just wanted to thank everyone here for all the wonderful information and advice i've seen on this forum you all have been so helpful to so many!

I got my first PV about a week ago, a generic 401. Unfortunately i have had so many problems with inconsistent performance that i haven't been able to quit smoking completely (though i did cut back to a third of what i was smoking). Mainly i have trouble getting a decent throat hit and i have problems with my atomizer drying up with even a full cartridge.

I plan on getting another model, and i would like everyone's opinions on what would be best for my needs:
1) I need a strong, consistent throat hit
2) I need a manual battery- this whole business of it activating in the wind is going to be an issue in the winter!
3) I need one that is going to work every time without me having to fart around with it like the 401. I am a full time student and i want to be able to go to school with just a few extra batteries and carts and not have to worry about dripping or anything.
4) I need discretion, i.e. i do not want to use a screwdriver on campus

I've been really eyeing the 510, it seems like it will work for me, but i wanted to check with you guys and make sure i'm not making a mistake.

Thank you

 

[SLDS181]

The 510 is awesome - the regular batteries don't last too long though, so I'd get 3, personally. Better would be buying the mega batteries (I don't know who has them besides Totally Wicked, I picked up a 5 pack of them).

 

[wv2win]

Your point number four nulifies your first three points pretty much. I would guess the 510 would be your best bet in consideration to point number 4. It is a good PV but does have very short battery life, about an hour or a little more.

Your first three points should lead you to one of the premiere devices. I was going to suggest either the 5 volt Prodigy or the Janty Stick. I have not seen any reviews on it yet but you might want to check out the VP1 or VP2. I've seen where some of the younger members think it is real "cool" looking, yet has a much better battery.

Just in case you change your mind, here is the list of the Premiere's:

Screwdriver: ecigscrewdriver.com
The Black Screwdriver Kit / Totally Wicked eLiquid / Electronic Cigarette eLiquid Store
Prodigy: PureSmoker.com - Home of the USA Built PV !!!
GG: SmokeJuice - HOME
JantyStick: Janty USA - Janty USA
LV/ZiMoshi:Personal Vaporizers : Hardass Vapor Shop
Super T: Super T, Innovative manufacturer of Personal Vaporizer products.
AdapteverR: Home - AdapteveR Home of the ORIGINAL USA built PV
Silver Bullet: http://www.altsmoke.com/starterkit/silverbullet.html
VP1/VP2: VaprLife

 

[Jim Davis]

The 510 is a good unit. If you're having a lot of problems with the 401, you better make sure that the problems are not user error, or you could wind up having the same problems with the 510.

 

[dragonpuff]

I was planning on making sure i have extra batteries, all fully charged the night before. And i am considering something like the prodigy or janty stick for home use, but right now i have to focus on what i need to go back to school and i can only afford so much right now.

Jim, what kind of user errors are you referring to? If that's the case then maybe i can get some more life out of this device. I have been using prefilled cartridges (i plan to change that real soon, but i need to use up what i have), do you think that could be it?

 

[Jim Davis]

Prefilled carts won't last, and get very expensive. Juice is the answer. You may be running the carts low. They dry out quickly, and you lose hit & vapor. The attys have to stay wet to work their best. Drawing to fast & too often doesn't give the juice enough time to flow to the atty. There's a learning curve with the e-cig, and technique is important.

I get at least 5 PM's every couple of days from folks asking for help. It usually ends up being dry carts & attys or technique.

The manual batteries are great, but in cases where people want automatics, I suggest the vacuum activated instead of sound sensitive. The Vacuum activated batteries don't go off from noise or wind.

Bottom line is, wet carts & attys, long steady draws, let it rest for a minute or two after maybe 2 or 3 draws.

 

[dragonpuff]

Thank you Jim i'll see what happens when i start filling my own carts. I also noticed that the "flavors" these were supposed to come in are unnoticeable.

I've been trying to give it a rest between puffs, but that's difficult when i'm getting little out of it to begin with. What usually happens is i get quite a bit of vapor but no throat hit maybe that'll improve with different juice.

If it does, I wanna give the m401 to my mom, she recently decided she wants to quit smoking! I'm so excited for her!

 

[Jim Davis]

The juice should help the hit, and it will definitely help the output. I think you'll see a world of difference when you fill those carts with juice.

The 401 is not a bad e-cig, but 90% of the people move on to others. It's good to keep it for a back up. The other good thing is you can polish your technique and get the hang of vaping with it, and you'll be mostly problem free when you buy somethings else.

 

[dragonpuff]

I'm planning on ordering juice with my 510 from rocky mountain vapor. I think that would be a good start. But one concern i have is the kind of filler i use. I would like to make sure that, in case the filler gets too close to the atomizer, that it won't be overly hazardous to breathe. Of course I'm going to avoid this scenario as much as possible, but stuff happens and i just wanna make sure.

 

[dragonpuff]

Ok, i just bit the bullet and ordered my 510, along with 40 mL of e-liquid in various flavors to try. I will order more parts for it next week after i'm certain of it (i tend to be overly cautious about spending money).

Thank you everyone for your help

 

[killdozerd11]

Prefilled carts won't last, and get very expensive. Juice is the answer. You may be running the carts low. They dry out quickly, and you lose hit & vapor. The attys have to stay wet to work their best. Drawing to fast & too often doesn't give the juice enough time to flow to the atty. There's a learning curve with the e-cig, and technique is important.

I get at least 5 PM's every couple of days from folks asking for help. It usually ends up being dry carts & attys or technique.

The manual batteries are great, but in cases where people want automatics, I suggest the vacuum activated instead of sound sensitive. The Vacuum activated batteries don't go off from noise or wind.

Bottom line is, wet carts & attys, long steady draws, let it rest for a minute or two after maybe 2 or 3 draws.

Jim is quite right
juice is a thing that if you did a lot of reading on the forum you should know
is a necessity.
just using carts don't cut it unless you fill your own and there are several good mods for carts in the forum. If you have problems with cart fiber burning taste I have not had that problem but others have

You should also have read on the forum that technique is a big part of vaping they are not analogs and you have to learn how to use them.

I started with a 510 cylon and i still use it and i use and sell DSE901's
they work very good to Heck if you really read this forum you would
know that most people own more than one kind

The thing i always tell people i sell to is that these are not like analogs and it takes time to adjust to them.I still used analogs for awhile before i quit totality

A cart will not last as long as a pack of analogs if somebody tells you that they lie.I give all my buyers a 10ML bottle of juice to get them started

I don't want people to get frustrated with pv's and quit them
I want them to like them and tell there friends and relatives and any body else they can think of how good they are

I want them to bring more people to me so i can sell them one too
off topic but that's business. and i will not sell something i don't use or believe in

There is no better advertising than other people telling people about something that they are happy with.
A satisfied customer is a return customer

 

[TheLizinator]

Not to open a can of worms here, but I felt like you did in the beginning. I was not satisfied with what I was getting while vaping. I was still craving...nicotine, I guess, but whatever it was, I was still feeling the absence from no cigarettes. I have recently been vaping a high level liquid and the void has been filled. What level that is will be up to you, but I do know that I have reached a level that makes me quite satisfied with vaping in lieu of smoking. I also obtained a USB passthrough which keeps me vaping without dealing with the constant issue of crapped-out batteries (I use a 510). I am going for the mega batteries next to try to get away from spending my life charging batteries. The 510 battery is weak.

 

[TheLizinator]

Oh, and I started "dripping". I don't use a cart anymore and it makes a huge difference in the throat hit. The high level nicotine was a major improvement, but dripping directly to the atomizer made a big difference as well.

 

[dragonpuff]

I'm definitely not going to stop trying to make this work. I like vaping so far, and i really need to quit smoking. I just need to fill in the holes of the frustrations i've been having with it. I bought the prefilled carts mainly because i was afraid that if i filled them myself, i'd accidentally OD.

Now that I'm actually using a PV, my views on what i need are quite different than when I started. No more fear of OD; in fact, i learned through use that the 18 mg carts are too weak to satisfy my pack-a-day habit, and i just bought a higher dose knowing i can cut it down with PG if its too much.

I'm trying to be patient. I just was hoping to quit, or at least cut down to about 2 a day, before starting at my new school. I'm very fortunate to be attending such a top-notch college and i want to attend as a nonsmoker and be proud of that.

 

[dragonpuff]

I read the owners manual for my PV, and it said, in broken english, that i must not allow my PV to contact any metal objects, such as coins in my purse how serious of an issue is this? I haven't seen anything about this posted in other forums, and i'm afraid to put it in my purse. What kind of metal must it not contact? How much of a barrier must be between them?

I've never seen this kind of warning, its perplexing

 

[lady9ball]

I read the owners manual for my PV, and it said, in broken english, that i must not allow my PV to contact any metal objects, such as coins in my purse how serious of an issue is this? I haven't seen anything about this posted in other forums, and i'm afraid to put it in my purse. What kind of metal must it not contact? How much of a barrier must be between them?

I've never seen this kind of warning, its perplexing

My 510 goes into the same compartment of my purse as my keys. And I keep spare parts in an Altoid tin. I have never heard this before either, and everything I have still works... but maybe that's luck of the ignorant?

 

[dragonpuff]

Could it be an issue with the automatic m401 batteries?

Quote from my manual: "If the battery electrodes contact hte metal ornaments, keys and so on, it may cause some loss and damage. Because it is easy cause short circuit and be hot... Never put the batteries together with the metal."

Like i said, broken english, but the message is clear.

 

[halfevildruid]

The only issue with metal contact would be a battery not connected to an atomizer making metal contact shorting your pos and neg together. Basic electronics. Dragon the only thing I would like to add to new users from what I have learned by selling to local people and helping them start is a good portion of them do ok for a few days and then find they need a higher level of juice. 8 out of 10 come back and stay regular on 24mg. Not everyone of course as smoking habits vary, but most! Also everyone that has started with a "mini" such as M401 has also ended up getting a penstyle or 510 afterwards, and then finding themselves satisfied. I think people are drawn to the smaller, slimmer look but they just don't perform as well as the others, (on average). Keep in mind everyone is different and you will find what works for you before it's over with. I suggest a bottle of 24 on hand for the day that is coming that seems tougher than the others.

 

[kodykills]

just get a 510. trust me, they rock. Cigarettes disgust me now.

 

[dragonpuff]

I just bought the 510 with 24 mg juice trying not to get my hopes up too much yet very excited at the same time