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Aesthete

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May 2, 2017
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Someone recently gave me an IPV D2 and I accidentally quit smoking. Now I'm wondering what is in my hands, how do I take care of it, and since this one's a little beat up should I upgrade to an IPV D4 or IPV 8, and on that last one why would I want a dual battery mod with 220 watt capacity as opposed to a single that maxes out at 80 watts? I have been cleaning my coils every time I change the cotton and so far this has been a life altering experience that I greatly enjoy though I am very ignorant of what I am doing. Any information at all would be devoured because I want to learn as much as I can about this, but not being an electrician or having anyone around that I can ask about anything. Yes the internet is overloaded with impossible amounts of information, but I'm hoping this is easier to learn a little bit about what I am doing. Tips about any aspect of vaping, mods, tanks, batteries, anything you are willing to share and in the meantime I will cruise the site looking for more information.
 

gandymarsh

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May 11, 2014
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Welcome to ECF!

Congrats on accidentally quitting smoking. Your lungs will thank you.

Ask any questions you want here. The more specific the better.

I recently bought an IPV D3s but haven't used it yet. It's an updated version of the D2. It''s the highest wattage mod I own. I haven't even gone up to 20w yet and probably never will go much higher than that.
 

petrotech

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Feb 9, 2015
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indiana
hi and welcome!

I started off kind of like you...wanted to keep everything as simple as possible, then I found this place...now I build my own coils, make my new juice, and spend way too much money on stuff I "need".

don't have much of a suggestion as to a new mod, as I normally use mechanicals. I do have an istick pico, which is a great little single battery mod that can be had for pretty cheap. it's pretty popular, so if you have any issues with it, lots of people will be able to help you out!
 
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ddirtyvapes

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Jan 23, 2011
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Can you clarify what you are putting on top of that mod? As in, what are you changing the cotton and coils in? That's already somewhat advanced stuff, so you probably know more than you realize. You'll get the hang of the terminology.

The golden rule of e-cig use is to have backups for your backups. So if you like your IPV D2 I would say either get another if you can find it (probably for cheap), or else the D4 or 8. But there are many other good mods to consider-- tons really. If you're happy with the line then there's probably no reason not to consider something similar as a new primary device. Then you could keep the 2 as a backup, should anything happen.

I'm going to go against the grain and say if you are comfortable with a larger mod that holds two batteries and the device has good reviews (I've never been an IPV person), there are benefits to having a dual-18650 220W mod even for vapers who will never use that much power. At worst, you will vape at a fraction of the power your device is capable of and will get great battery life. In my experience, many vapers eventually find that they are happy to have some headroom either way. Comparatively few ever vape at even 150W, certainly not on a regular basis, but those vapers definitely exist. Again, there are a lot of other mods that fulfill those same basic parameters of two-battery, higher max power.

There are plenty of benefits to a smaller mod, too. Comfort, portability, stealthiness, etc. Battery life and max possible power will suffer, chiefly, at least when looking at two mods in the same basic "line." I love compact devices, though, and I have a bunch.

Again, not really an IPV person so sorry if I've messed up any of the models or anything, speaking more generally anyway.

It will be really helpful to know what's sitting on your mod :)
 

Imfallen_Angel

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Apr 10, 2016
1,711
2,763
Ottawa area, Canada
Someone recently gave me an IPV D2 and I accidentally quit smoking. Now I'm wondering what is in my hands, how do I take care of it, and since this one's a little beat up should I upgrade to an IPV D4 or IPV 8, and on that last one why would I want a dual battery mod with 220 watt capacity as opposed to a single that maxes out at 80 watts? I have been cleaning my coils every time I change the cotton and so far this has been a life altering experience that I greatly enjoy though I am very ignorant of what I am doing. Any information at all would be devoured because I want to learn as much as I can about this, but not being an electrician or having anyone around that I can ask about anything. Yes the internet is overloaded with impossible amounts of information, but I'm hoping this is easier to learn a little bit about what I am doing. Tips about any aspect of vaping, mods, tanks, batteries, anything you are willing to share and in the meantime I will cruise the site looking for more information.
check my blog.. I've been expanding it as I have time, but I'm trying to cover every "basic questions" that most newbies have, so that when the same questions are repeated I won't have to reharsh the same stuff over and over...
 
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Chakris

Resting In Peace
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Aug 22, 2012
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First off, congrats on quitting the stinkies! How many days now?

Since your IPV is used, it may be a good idea to get an upgraded model - if you're afraid it may stop working.
You can either upgrade to another IPV or other brand. Kanger or Smoktech for instance, have some nice mods out.

Either way keep up the good work and stay smoke free!
 

djsvapour

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Oct 2, 2012
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I'm going to go against the grain and say if you are comfortable with a larger mod that holds two batteries and the device has good reviews (I've never been an IPV person), there are benefits to having a dual-18650 220W mod even for vapers who will never use that much power. At worst, you will vape at a fraction of the power your device is capable of and will get great battery life.

That is my grain, @ddirtyvapes
I backed out on many IPV mods over the years. How good they are now I can't say, but it's all a gamble.
 
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BrotherBob

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Dec 24, 2014
14,226
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Sunnyvale,CA,USA
Someone recently gave me an IPV D2 and I accidentally quit smoking. Now I'm wondering what is in my hands, how do I take care of it, and since this one's a little beat up should I upgrade to an IPV D4 or IPV 8, and on that last one why would I want a dual battery mod with 220 watt capacity as opposed to a single that maxes out at 80 watts? I have been cleaning my coils every time I change the cotton and so far this has been a life altering experience that I greatly enjoy though I am very ignorant of what I am doing. Any information at all would be devoured because I want to learn as much as I can about this, but not being an electrician or having anyone around that I can ask about anything. Yes the internet is overloaded with impossible amounts of information, but I'm hoping this is easier to learn a little bit about what I am doing. Tips about any aspect of vaping, mods, tanks, batteries, anything you are willing to share and in the meantime I will cruise the site looking for more information.
Welcome and glad you joined. I hear you, you are going to have to cherry pick through below. If you have a battery and juice, it's all about the atomizer.
Might like to read:
vapetown
http://www.vaporauthority.com/pages/learn
http://www.ecigarettedirect.co.uk/a...tte-college-guides-tutorials-information.html
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
Beginner – Guide To Vaping
http://www.smokingvapor.com/blog/2016/05/
http://vapingcheap.com/vaping-101/
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum
(1) Proper Terminology - Is it a carto, a tank, or what? A Guide to Juice Attachments. | E-Cigarette Forum
 

Frenchfry1942

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jan 12, 2014
7,459
14,397
Yes, read. I look at the New Posts and then I look at 3-4 forums that are currently on my mind. I do it every day...since I started here. Mostly lounge stuff, but, a couple of vaping sub-forums.

Compared to vaping, smoking is very boring. Vaping is a huge world. You don't have to know it all, but it kind of becomes a hobby. Just read and understand.

Have fun! Welcome to not smoking.
 

Aesthete

Full Member
May 2, 2017
10
8
35
Can you clarify what you are putting on top of that mod? As in, what are you changing the cotton and coils in? That's already somewhat advanced stuff, so you probably know more than you realize. You'll get the hang of the terminology.

The golden rule of e-cig use is to have backups for your backups. So if you like your IPV D2 I would say either get another if you can find it (probably for cheap), or else the D4 or 8. But there are many other good mods to consider-- tons really. If you're happy with the line then there's probably no reason not to consider something similar as a new primary device. Then you could keep the 2 as a backup, should anything happen.

I'm going to go against the grain and say if you are comfortable with a larger mod that holds two batteries and the device has good reviews (I've never been an IPV person), there are benefits to having a dual-18650 220W mod even for vapers who will never use that much power. At worst, you will vape at a fraction of the power your device is capable of and will get great battery life. In my experience, many vapers eventually find that they are happy to have some headroom either way. Comparatively few ever vape at even 150W, certainly not on a regular basis, but those vapers definitely exist. Again, there are a lot of other mods that fulfill those same basic parameters of two-battery, higher max power.

There are plenty of benefits to a smaller mod, too. Comfort, portability, stealthiness, etc. Battery life and max possible power will suffer, chiefly, at least when looking at two mods in the same basic "line." I love compact devices, though, and I have a bunch.

Again, not really an IPV person so sorry if I've messed up any of the models or anything, speaking more generally anyway.

It will be really helpful to know what's sitting on your mod :)

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer me in length. I have an RDA on my mod that's green and says x2 on it, it has dual kanthal coils and the IPV says it's at .32 ohms which from my head scratching I want it 1-3 ohms because I don't care about 'chasing clouds' as I've learned today reading everyone is obsessed with. I'm more interested in juice efficiency, although flavor and a throat hit like a cigarette would be ideal. I am debating what mod to buy and what RTA to accompany it, or even a clearomizer, since I already have a drip, and I need something for driving. but maybe sub ohm is not for me? Even though it's my set up currently. Like I say, this is a handme down.

I like what you said about dual batteries just meaning longer life, because I am quite content with forty watts, although my D2 gets very hot and I wonder would a dual battery mod be less likely to overheat? I am not at all offended about you not liking IPV I am in no way committed and am loyal only to quality, which sounds like Lost Vape with DNA but sounds too complicated for me, would happily buy an alien or wismec but they come with sub ohm tank and i want to conserve juice, (or is it really worth it to sub ohm for some magical flavor)

so I have read a little bit today, and learned a few new words I got to say just now, but questions remaining what mod, what tank, I wonder?

Do I have to build a new coil to higher my resistance and conserve juice or is that a setting I can manipulate digitally?

and temperature control? i have kanthal coils so I hope I'm not accidentally fiddling with that because it should be nickel or titanium correct?

and any information you could pass my way I would eat up. I have found some fantastic links though and I will read those until I pass out tonight.
 
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Aesthete

Full Member
May 2, 2017
10
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First off, congrats on quitting the stinkies! How many days now?

Since your IPV is used, it may be a good idea to get an upgraded model - if you're afraid it may stop working.
You can either upgrade to another IPV or other brand. Kanger or Smoktech for instance, have some nice mods out.

Either way keep up the good work and stay smoke free!
My last cigarette was disgusting by the way, but it was sunday when I bent my coil out of shape trying to insert a scottish roll and smoked a 'frustration cigarette' and then fixed my coil and did a regular wick job on it. cigarettes are disgusting compared to this glorious vaping. I can't believe I've been blacking my lungs with that garbage when this sweet tasty invention has been out since the day I started in 2009
 
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Aesthete

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May 2, 2017
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I really appreciate you taking the time to answer me in length. I have an RDA on my mod that's green and says x2 on it, it has dual kanthal coils and the IPV says it's at .32 ohms which from my head scratching I want it 1-3 ohms because I don't care about 'chasing clouds' as I've learned today reading everyone is obsessed with. I'm more interested in juice efficiency, although flavor and a throat hit like a cigarette would be ideal. I am debating what mod to buy and what RTA to accompany it, or even a clearomizer, since I already have a drip, and I need something for driving. but maybe sub ohm is not for me? Even though it's my set up currently. Like I say, this is a handme down.

I like what you said about dual batteries just meaning longer life, because I am quite content with forty watts, although my D2 gets very hot and I wonder would a dual battery mod be less likely to overheat? I am not at all offended about you not liking IPV I am in no way committed and am loyal only to quality, which sounds like Lost Vape with DNA but sounds too complicated for me, would happily buy an alien or wismec but they come with sub ohm tank and i want to conserve juice, (or is it really worth it to sub ohm for some magical flavor)

so I have read a little bit today, and learned a few new words I got to say just now, but questions remaining what mod, what tank, I wonder?

Do I have to build a new coil to higher my resistance and conserve juice or is that a setting I can manipulate digitally?

and temperature control? i have kanthal coils so I hope I'm not accidentally fiddling with that because it should be nickel or titanium correct?

and any information you could pass my way I would eat up. I have found some fantastic links though and I will read those until I pass out tonight.


also, what is the benefit of having dual coil or more instead of single coil in an RBA?
 
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ddirtyvapes

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Jan 23, 2011
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@Aesthete Great, thank you, that's a lot more information for us to work with.

I'm sorry, kind of hard to tell what RDA you're using based on that information but is THIS it? If yes, then that is definitely more of a cloud chasing atty which you said you don't care about, so I'd concur that maybe something more your speed is needed. To be sure, you can get perfectly good flavor from a cloud chasing RDA with the right build, but it's not what a specifically-cloud-chasing topper is made for and IMO it's better to have something designed for your purpose if you can afford it. Even if that's not your exact RDA, it doesn't particularly sound like you are getting quite the experience you are hoping for.

It's a little unclear whether you are building yourself yet or if someone is building for you, but that is something to consider when looking for a new topper. Frankly, with all the regulations in the US, I DO recommend that US-based members who are at all interested get into building while there's time. Wire will continue to be available whereas stock coil heads may not. If you are not in the US, this is a little less of a concern and it also doesn't mean you have to start building RIGHT NOW if you are. Just something to consider, and it sounds like you are.

Are you hoping for a draw that is closer to a cigarette, or are you happy inhaling directly as long as the flavor is good? "Mouth to Lung" (MTL) vaping is like smoking, wherein you first draw the smoke or vapor into your mouth and then take a gulp of air to inhale into lungs. Direct-lung vaping is what it sounds like; rather than first drawing into your mouth, you bypass that step and take a deep, direct inhale. This is PROBABLY what you are doing with your RDA, depending on what it is.

I'm not going to start throwing out a bunch of toppers and devices in this post yet just because I have a few more questions and there may well be people who are better versed in the type of atomizer I think you need. I can definitely help with mods, though. Just generally, it sounds like dual-battery would be a good option for you if you're wanting the battery life. There are a lot of dual-18650 mods around now that are not gigantic and you are more than welcome to never surpass 40W if you don't want to, but have the option if you do. And again, if you're going to be vaping at 40-50W on a 150-200W mod, your battery life will be fantastic. As for overheating, it's hard to say. You definitely don't want your devices getting too hot, so I don't want to be flippant. BUT devices will get warm, that's for sure... most of this comes from heat conduction coming from the topper. A dual battery mod won't necessarily help that. If your mod is getting hot, make sure the heat is not coming directly from the battery, but at 40W you're not necessarily taxing it like crazy. IF it's a good battery. What is it?

Also, just to be crystal clear, I have no problem with IPVs at all. It's just not a line I have gotten into and we all develop our loyalties.

You will need to make a new coil if you want to raise your resistance significantly. It is normal for the resistance of a given coil to change slightly while vaping, but a .3ohm coil isn't going to suddenly turn into a 1ohm coil. If it does, you've got a problem. The one exception to this rule is removing coils from a multi-coil set-up. I'm not going to get into quads or sextuples or anything insane, but dual coils-- which should be a matched pair-- run at half the resistance as one of those coils would. So, if you're using a .3 ohm dual coil and remove one of them, it will then be a .6 ohm build. Not all dual coil capable RDAs can run in single coil mode, but if you are using the one shown in the link, I think it can. ESPECIALLY when new to building, make sure you are using a coil calculator.

Sub-ohm builds-- to a certain point-- will indeed typically be more flavorful, but it's not a rule. It is absolutely possible to get more flavor from an above-ohm build than sub, and I think the flavor starts to break down at SUPER low resistances anyway. IMO there is a flavor sweet-spot that, based on personal preferences, is anywhere from 0.5-1.5 ohms. There are many, many other factors that influence the flavor you get from a given set-up besides resistance. In fact, resistance is probably one of the less defining factors on that front, but it certainly plays a role.

I can't tell you whether you are accidentally fiddling with temperature control, but I can tell you that kanthal is not a wire that can be temp-controlled on the vast, vast, vast majority of mods. (Actually, I can only think of one chip that can temp-control kanthal.) So if you are somehow accidentally using a temperature control mode, don't. Kanthal and Nichrome should be used in power mode, at least on that device.

There are benefits and drawbacks to dual or multi coils, and it has gotten even more complicated with some very beefy single coils now "standard" repertoire for a serious builder, not that anyone has to go crazy with coil making... just that there are exceptions to every rule. However, if we're just talking about simple coils made with round wire and nothing else fancy, dual coils increase your surface area (good for flavor and vapor), lower your resistance (good for those who DO like cloud chasing, especially on mechanical mods), and create denser vapor. The downside is that they require more power, more airflow than a single coil would, take more time to build, can be complicated to install in certain decks, and some rebuildables simply aren't made for dual coils. This is less common today though.

That all said, just as an example, even a simple single coil made with very thick wire-- say 22g-- is going to require more power and airflow and have a much lower resistance than a dual coil made with 30g wire, so the above is very general.

Hope that helps, gonna stop before this turns into a novel but will come back with device recs.
 
Last edited:

Aesthete

Full Member
May 2, 2017
10
8
35
@Aesthete Great, thank you, that's a lot more information for us to work with.

I'm sorry, kind of hard to tell what RDA you're using based on that information but is THIS it? If yes, then that is definitely more of a cloud chasing atty which you said you don't care about, so I'd concur that maybe something more your speed is needed. To be sure, you can get perfectly good flavor from a cloud chasing RDA with the right build, but it's not what a specifically-cloud-chasing topper is made for and IMO it's better to have something designed for your purpose if you can afford it. Even if that's not your exact RDA, it doesn't particularly sound like you are getting quite the experience you are hoping for.

It's a little unclear whether you are building yourself yet or if someone is building for you, but that is something to consider when looking for a new topper. Frankly, with all the regulations in the US, I DO recommend that US-based members who are at all interested get into building while there's time. Wire will continue to be available whereas stock coil heads may not. If you are not in the US, this is a little less of a concern and it also doesn't mean you have to start building RIGHT NOW if you are. Just something to consider, and it sounds like you are.

Are you hoping for a draw that is closer to a cigarette, or are you happy inhaling directly as long as the flavor is good? "Mouth to Lung" (MTL) vaping is like smoking, wherein you first draw the smoke or vapor into your mouth and then take a gulp of air to inhale into lungs. Direct-lung vaping is what it sounds like; rather than first drawing into your mouth, you bypass that step and take a deep, direct inhale. This is PROBABLY what you are doing with your RDA, depending on what it is.

I'm not going to start throwing out a bunch of toppers and devices in this post yet just because I have a few more questions and there may well be people who are better versed in the type of atomizer I think you need. I can definitely help with mods, though. Just generally, it sounds like dual-battery would be a good option for you if you're wanting the battery life. There are a lot of dual-18650 mods around now that are not gigantic and you are more than welcome to never surpass 40W if you don't want to, but have the option if you do. And again, if you're going to be vaping at 40-50W on a 150-200W mod, your battery life will be fantastic. As for overheating, it's hard to say. You definitely don't want your devices getting too hot, so I don't want to be flippant. BUT devices will get warm, that's for sure... most of this comes from heat conduction coming from the topper. A dual battery mod won't necessarily help that. If your mod is getting hot, make sure the heat is not coming directly from the battery, but at 40W you're not necessarily taxing it like crazy. IF it's a good battery. What is it?

Also, just to be crystal clear, I have no problem with IPVs at all. It's just not a line I have gotten into and we all develop our loyalties.

You will need to make a new coil if you want to raise your resistance significantly. It is normal for the resistance of a given coil to change slightly while vaping, but a .3ohm coil isn't going to suddenly turn into a 1ohm coil. If it does, you've got a problem. The one exception to this rule is removing coils from a multi-coil set-up. I'm not going to get into quads or sextuples or anything insane, but dual coils-- which should be a matched pair-- run at half the resistance as one of those coils would. So, if you're using a .3 ohm dual coil and remove one of them, it will then be a .6 ohm build. Not all dual coil capable RDAs can run in single coil mode, but if you are using the one shown in the link, I think it can. ESPECIALLY when new to building, make sure you are using a coil calculator.

Sub-ohm builds-- to a certain point-- will indeed typically be more flavorful, but it's not a rule. It is absolutely possible to get more flavor from an above-ohm build than sub, and I think the flavor starts to break down at SUPER low resistances anyway. IMO there is a flavor sweet-spot that, based on personal preferences, is anywhere from 0.5-1.5 ohms. There are many, many other factors that influence the flavor you get from a given set-up besides resistance. In fact, resistance is probably one of the less defining factors on that front, but it certainly plays a role.

I can't tell you whether you are accidentally fiddling with temperature control, but I can tell you that kanthal is not a wire that can be temp-controlled on the vast, vast, vast majority of mods. (Actually, I can only think of one chip that can temp-control kanthal.) So if you are somehow accidentally using a temperature control mode, don't. Kanthal and Nichrome should be used in power mode, at least on that device.

There are benefits and drawbacks to dual or multi coils, and it has gotten even more complicated with some very beefy single coils now "standard" repertoire for a serious builder, not that anyone has to go crazy with coil making... just that there are exceptions to every rule. However, if we're just talking about simple coils made with round wire and nothing else fancy, dual coils increase your surface area (good for flavor and vapor), lower your resistance (good for those who DO like cloud chasing, especially on mechanical mods), and create denser vapor. The downside is that they require more power, more airflow than a single coil would, take more time to build, can be complicated to install in certain decks, and some rebuildables simply aren't made for dual coils. This is less common today though.

That all said, just as an example, even a simple single coil made with very thick wire-- say 22g-- is going to require more power and airflow and have a much lower resistance than a dual coil made with 30g wire, so the above is very general.

Hope that helps, gonna stop before this turns into a novel but will come back with device recs.


again thank you for your in depth questions and information. It's shocking to have a stranger be so kind and capable. Your comment about getting into building in the US inflamed suspicions that led me to reading up on pending regulations and FDA oversight, probably bought out by Big Tobacco which kills 480,000 people a year in US, so horrible people to be involved in this safe, and far superior tobacco substitute. I absolutely adore vaporizers and never want to smoke a real cigarette again. I have bough extra batteries, chargeries, and I scored a an AL88 baby alien kit from smoke with the baby beast tank. It is a sub ohm tank which I did not want but it was five dollars for the whole things so ....! Is vaping soon to be extinct or extravagantly and ruthlessly taxed and condemned to labyrinths of misinformed bureaucrats? I can't cope with that because I despise cigarettes and want more than just a fruity puff, I want to build everything and get heavily involved.

By the way that picture you sent is my RDA. so what is the top piece called that I put my mouth to? and I will look into removing one coil to conserve juice if possible. money is tight, I'm scraping by with oddjobs in a construction nature for family members that need rooms painted, windows installed, driveways paved etc because I am not mentally stable enough to handle a full time job right now. Too much information.

So I am definitely mouth to lung as you asked, and I love a good throat hit. I consume significantly less nicotine than I did as a 30-40 unfiltered pipe tobacco hand rollies a day.

with my batter and charger I am confused. They are all three brand new IMXJO with 3000 mah, but my Xtar VC4 says they are fully charged at 1800 mah, so is my brand new charger from tmart.com a fake or did my local vape shop accidentally send me chinese knock offs, or what do you think?

As far as building, I was going to get the coil master set that they sell on amazon. They say they work directly with coil master and it is authentic, and there are hundreds of five star reviews by vapers. Is that something I should get? It has coil jig, ohms reading, tweezers, scizzors, pliers, precision screwdrivers etc. It's cheaper to buy the kit then to just get the jig and the ohms reader so everything else is just a plus. Also, now that you know what RDA I am using what guage of kanthal wire should I purchase to build coils that are between 1-3 ohms, (3 ohms being my IPV D2 max) Also now that I scored that Baby Al85 by smok with the TFV8 Baby Beast tank, is that an RTA or a clearomizer? and can I build coils for higher resistance, at least 1.5 I was hoping for that tank? and could I put my RDA on that baby alien? I bought five replacement coils for the TFV8 for 15 dollars and also bought a sony VTC6 for 7.99 as well.

I also bought juice from Fuggin Vapors, from omvapor, from brokedick.com, and have stopped going to local shops because right now all I have is 6mg and I require nicotine at an almost unreasonable level and need to puff less on the glorious APV. (Am I calling that right? IPV is a an APV, and a baby alien as well?

Lastly I am confident the IPV has all the necessary idiot proofing for me like shortage protection, reverse polarity, over and under discharge, and whatever else. I never want a mechanical mod my oblivious ... would lose his ... in a loose change forming a circuit explosion.


lastly but most importantly on my mind is vaping going to continue in the united states of america or is all this hype I've perused in the last 24 hours filling with me with rage going to shut down shops and sites and cause big tobacco to dominate the show, and repeating one last thing since it's a long message, what guage of kanthal, or a variety? and what guauge for building for the TFV8 baby beast?

as always, look forward to hearing from you and thanks for sharing your education and intelligence. Vaping is my new favorite thing, so I must have been grouchy on our last letter sounding like I wasn't having a positive vape experience. I am hooked and want to be as informed and and capable as possible as I ease my way into building. I've had a vape for one month and regularly change cotton and clean coil but have not had to go to a shop to rubuild it yet, but hopefully soon that will be on me. Up to this point my only electrical experience is installing exterior lights on people's porches and garages, and I hope it's just as easy, but even if it's not, I'm prepared to spend any amount of time to master it.
 
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ddirtyvapes

Ultra Member
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Jan 23, 2011
1,183
1,563
Portland, ME
Try not to worry too too much about the regulations in the U.S. because there is still some time to stock up. I won't lie, though. It won't be good-- really, it will be nearly apocalyptic for the industry-- the way things stand right now, but there are a lot of advocates fighting for our right to vape. It is a LOT to get into in this post and my information might not all be current, but as far as I understand the short answer is that certain restrictions may start coming into effect within the next few months (though the implementation of some were actually recently delayed by the new administration). Then, by August 2018, almost every separate device or liquid or a whole bunch of other vaping-related items wanting to remain on the market will require an expensive and lengthy approval process, with essentially each barcode (like different nicotine strengths of the same flavored juice) being its own individual process and costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. This will effectively force most companies out of business.

Again, there is time to stock up on things and this is why it's good to learn how to rebuild as most/all items needed for rebuildables should remain available through their use in other applications. The same is true for DIY juice, which I also highly recommend learning. The only item for DIY liquid that will surely be unavailable in the future as things stand is the liquid nicotine itself. There is a lot of information available on the FDA Deeming Regulations on ECF and also info on what you can do to help. CASAA is a great advocacy group, and without getting into politics any further than this, there is always a chance that the new administration/congress/surgeon general (recently replaced) will take a different path on this matter.

As for the rest... you put your mouth on a drip tip. Certain extra wide-bore drip tips may be referred to as "chuff caps," which is a specific type of drip tip/RDA top-cap but is also used more generally now. Also, the SMOK Baby Beast is a great tank. It is a sub-ohm tank or clearomizer, terminology-wise. I know you don't really need or want sub ohm but you may actually prefer that tank to the Doge atomizer you are using right now. The Baby Beast is not really an RTA BUT you can purchase a separate rebuildable deck to use your own coils, and I'd imagine it would work better with slightly higher resistance builds than your RDA would. The rebuildable section is like $10 but requires a slightly different sized glass tube than the stock coils, though the glass tube comes with the RBA. I think the rebuildable section works OK but I really dislike the fact that the glass is different. It's just a pain and renders the deck useless if the glass breaks, and I'm not sure replacements are sold separately. You could probably find a good dedicated RTA for only a few dollars more. Not sure what kind of extra coils you purchased but some the stock coils for the Baby Beast are not crazy sub ohm; they make .6 ohm heads though I'm not sure if there are any that are higher resistance. Still, those work well at even 25-30W and don't go through juice like crazy. The AL85 is also a good mod.

You can put your RDA on your AL85 or your Baby Beast on your IPV. It matters more what coil is in them; the threading is the same so they will screw down and should make contact. Authentic Doge v2s can run in single coil mode, so even if you have a clone you should be good, but I don't have one so I can't guarantee. I'm of two minds about the Coil Master kit. It is nice and does have everything you need to get started, but it's actually more than you really need to get going if you're looking to save money. Your mod will act as an ohm-meter and firing station, so you don't NEED the tab. (I use one and I have regulated mods so I understand it's nice, believe me, but not getting it saves a lot immediately.) A jig is a good tool when starting but I would strongly recommend learning to freehand coils as soon as possible; you really don't need a jig. All you need, at bare minimum, is wire, *flush* wire cutters, a set of precision screwdrivers to wrap on and whatever you need for your rebuildable's screws, pliers, and wicking material. Ceramic tweezers are nice to have, but aren't do-or-die. If you fire your atomizer while manipulating it with metal, it will short, which is why people use ceramic tweezers. It is entirely possibly to fire and then manipulate using metal pliers or tweezers but does require care, and at least it's far less dangerous on a regulated device. It's just a pain to short it out that way and have to rebuild. So you may really want the ceramic tweezers in addition to the rest and they're ALMOST a necessity but not literally, so I'm just pointing out they CAN be nixed to save $$. So think about it and see how much those supplies, and the below wire recommendations, might cost separately.

I recommend starting with the same wire type for all new builders: 28 and 26g kanthal, maybe 28g nichrome but again I sooner recommend kanthal for those just starting. Don't build 3ohm coils; there's no real point. There is a reason so many people like lower resistance builds. It doesn't mean you have to go crazy sub ohm or sub ohm at all, but I'd be willing to put money on the assumption that you'll end up enjoying something in between, say, .6-1.6 ohms. I could be wrong, of course. Either way, the biggest thing right this second is that your RDA is really designed to accept sub-ohm builds. You do not HAVE to build that way in there, but it probably won't work as well with a particularly high resistance coil. I would probably recommend aiming for around 1ohm to start in that device, even knowing you want to keep your resistance a little higher. Use the coil calculator, but for example, 7 wraps of 28g wire on a 2mm screwdriver will come very close to 1.0ohms with a single coil (1.02 based on calculator).

For the batteries, I really can't touch the IMXJO. I don't want to guess and tell you wrong, but that is weird behavior and weird behavior is always a bit concerning. Be careful. Those are fairly popular batteries but it's entirely possible your shop unknowingly sold you bad rewraps, or something. There are a number of possibilities so it's pretty difficult to say for sure, but I am also definitely not the battery expert around here beyond knowing the best options (thanks to the testing work of other members) and where to get them. Maybe someone else can more confidently shed a little more light.

What I WILL say about batteries is... a few things, actually. The VTC6 isn't a terrible choice and Mooch did rate it a little higher than Sony. But ultimately a Sony VTC5A or even VTC4 would be better options for that mod. I know you want battery life, but you also really need to keep yourself safe. The regulated devices have their own protections but you want to give yourself as much headroom as possible with the discharge rating. Basically, with these high power mods, even if they take two batteries, you should be aiming for as close to 30A as you can get. Nowadays, something like a VTC5A is a great middle-ground between amperage and capacity. Don't base your decision on what especially smaller battery companies claim their ratings are as there is a lot of inflated information, though the large multinational electronic companies don't typically overinflate specs. They just also hate that we use their batteries to vape lol. Many of us trust Mooch's tests, along with a couple of other sources, above all else. NiteCore chargers of various types are the gold standard, and I recommend limiting your battery purchasing to a few well-known and well-tested/loved types: the big ones are LG HG2s (20A 3000mAh) and HB6s (30A 1500mAh); Sony VTC4s (20-23A, 2100mAh), VTC5s (20A 2600mAh), and VTC5As (25A 2500mAh); and Samsung 25Rs (20A 2500mAh) and 30Qs (19-20A 3000mAh). I personally only order from IMRBatteries or LiionWholesale. There may be a couple of other reputable vendors, but neither have ever let me down.

LMK if you have other questions.

Late edit: "APV" stands for "advanced personal vaporizer," and "APV" and "mod" are used interchangeably. The term "mod" comes from a time when early mechanical devices were literally modified flashlight tubes but is now used to refer to any advanced e-cig. Almost any device that is capable of outputting greater than ~15W, has removable batteries, and/or the ability to change the voltage or wattage is considered an APV or mod. As with all things, there are exceptions, and many contemporary "starter kits" are either capable of high power or are just full-out APVs. In any case, both of your current devices are indeed APVs.
 
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BlueMoods

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Aug 19, 2010
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What a way to accidentally quit smoking, by becoming a sub ohming cloud chaser :) Most start off as tootle puffers, you skipped a huge, usually expensive process of trying nearly everything on the market before getting to the good stuff.

I'm guessing you are more into flavor than clouds a steam engine would envy. :) Great suggestions here, you're already using rebuildable atty so, that's good. Main thing is get a few flavors, and the wattage you like for them nailed down, then get the rig that does the things you like best.
 
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