bought my 1st mod..need help plz!!!

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iblearning2vape

Full Member
Aug 4, 2018
6
12
Virginia
So I bought my 1st cape mod yesterday...I have a smok Al85...the guy at the cape shop was real helpful explaining alto but I don't know if Im using it correctly.. I feel like I've been hitting to hard and would like to know if I continuously hold in the hit button while sucking the vape in my mouth? How long is it ok to vape for? How long should I wait between hits? I also bought peach taffy 3mg nicotine vape juice. Anyone have any good tips on how I will know Im doing it right and how to use this mod so that Im not burning up the coil to quickly? I am very NEW to this. I love the feel and flavors but have only used the pen type before buying this one. All help greatly appreciated! I don't usually post online to sites and when I found this site it real
 

suprtrkr

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jun 22, 2014
10,410
15,049
Cowtown, USA. Where the West begins.
Hi and welcome. The real question is, are you smoking? If not, you're doing it right. There isn't One True Way to vape; it's all about what works for you. I need some answers from you before I can offer the best advice: most importantly what wattage are you vaping? Next is what tank and coil are you using? Unless you are down below 10 watts or so, you are surely vaping much higher than you are used from a pen setup. If you feel like you're hitting it too hard, you probably are because feeling is how you make that decision. Try turning down the watts a bit so it will hit less hard. Yes, do hold the button down when you're drawing on the mouthpiece (some people like to release the button a second or two before finishing the draw; this makes the tank "weep" less because it clears the vapor out of the chamber and can make the coils last longer by cooling them a bit at the end of the hit.) If you find yourself getting cotton mouth or "heavy lung"-- you'll know if you do, that's a good description-- you're vaping too much or using too much VG in your juice.

The AL85 kit comes with the Baby Beast tank, and I suspect that's what you're using; probably with the included Q2 coils. I further suspect you've gone from Mouth To Lung or severely restricted Direct Lung hits to much freer DL hits, That's a big change from a pen style. Some people like it, and others do not. If you don't, not to worry; there are any number of MTL tanks that will fit your mod and reduce the power a good deal with higher Ω value coils and/or a more restricted air flow. The BB tank is a little brother to a tank designed for cloud. That may be too much to make you happy, and it doesn't really feature coils suitable for a lower power vaper.

Making the coils last is mostly about what juice you use in them. Most coils fail because the wick "gunks up," reducing the juice flow. Eventually the wick will burn because it couldn't get enough juice to keep it cool enough to avoid burning, and then it tastes foul. If you like your peach taffy juice, I think you are a sweet juice kinda gal. That's a problem for coils because sweet and dark colored juices are famous for gunking a coil. What happens is the sweetener in the juice caramelizes from the latent heat in the coil (the heat left over once you release the button; the coil does not instantly cool to room temperature after the hit). Caramel, just like the candy, is pretty good at stopping fluid flow. There are things that can be done, but not much if you want to keep sweet and/or dark juices. I won't overload you with all that just now.

Tell me more, especially what you don't like about it. Try to describe it exactly as it feels to you without worrying about proper terminology; the people who hang out in this board are used to it and will probably understand what you're saying. If you hit the "reply" link at the bottom of my post when you do the system will notify me you have replied and I will come back here and talk to you some more about your troubles.

Finally, and most important: Good news on the switch, and welcome to the board. The answers you need are here, and we-- I am not alone, by any stretch-- are going to help you. You keep asking questions, and we will keep answering them. Promise :)
 
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iblearning2vape

Full Member
Aug 4, 2018
6
12
Virginia
Hi and welcome. The real question is, are you smoking? If not, you're doing it right. There isn't One True Way to vape; it's all about what works for you. I need some answers from you before I can offer the best advice: most importantly what wattage are you vaping? Next is what tank and coil are you using? Unless you are down below 10 watts or so, you are surely vaping much higher than you are used from a pen setup. If you feel like you're hitting it too hard, you probably are because feeling is how you make that decision. Try turning down the watts a bit so it will hit less hard. Yes, do hold the button down when you're drawing on the mouthpiece (some people like to release the button a second or two before finishing the draw; this makes the tank "weep" less because it clears the vapor out of the chamber and can make the coils last longer by cooling them a bit at the end of the hit.) If you find yourself getting cotton mouth or "heavy lung"-- you'll know if you do, that's a good description-- you're vaping too much or using too much VG in your juice.

The AL85 kit comes with the Baby Beast tank, and I suspect that's what you're using; probably with the included Q2 coils. I further suspect you've gone form Mouth To Lung or severely restricted Direct Lung hits to much freer DL hits, That's a big change from a pen style. Some people like it, and others do not. If you don't, not to worry; there are any number of MTL tanks that will fit your mod and reduce the power a good deal with higher Ω value coils and/or a more restricted air flow. The BB tank is a little brother to a tank designed for cloud. That may be too much to make you happy, and it doesn't really feature coils suitable for a lower power vaper.

Making the coils last is mostly about what juice you use in them. Most coils fail because the wick "gunks up," reducing the juice flow. Eventually the wick will burn because it couldn't get enough juice to keep it cool enough to avoid burning, and then it tastes foul. If you like your peach taffy juice, I think you are a sweet juice kinda gal. That's a problem for coils because sweet and dark colored juices are famous for gunking a coil. What happens is the sweetener in the juice caramelizes from the latent heat in the coil (the heat left over once you release the button; the coil does not instantly cool to room temperature after the hit). Caramel, just like the candy, is pretty good at stopping fluid flow. There are things that can be done, but not much if you want to keep sweet and/or dark juices. I won't overload you with all that just now.

Tell me more, especially what you don't like about it. Try to describe it exactly as it feels to you without worrying about proper terminology; the people who hang out in this board are used to it and will probably understand what you're saying. If you hit the "reply" link at the bottom of my pose when you do the system will notify me you have replied and I will come back here and talk to you some more about your troubles.

Finally, and most important: Good news on the switch, and welcome to the board. The answers you need are here, and we-- I am not alone, by any stretch-- are going to help you. You keep asking questions, and we will keep answering them. Promise :)
 

iblearning2vape

Full Member
Aug 4, 2018
6
12
Virginia
Hello! Suprtrkr. :) Thank you! For your very well informed response. I can't respond at this moment but will be back on in a while and get the info that you asked for. I am replying with my cell and unfortunately my battery needs charging. Just wanted to let you know though before I do so that I really appreciate you getting back so quickly. I look forward to chatting further with you and learning more. Will send another reply ASAP. Thanks!
 

suprtrkr

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jun 22, 2014
10,410
15,049
Cowtown, USA. Where the West begins.
Hello! Suprtrkr. :) Thank you! For your very well informed response. I can't respond at this moment but will be back on in a while and get the info that you asked for. I am replying with my cell and unfortunately my battery needs charging. Just wanted to let you know though before I do so that I really appreciate you getting back so quickly. I look forward to chatting further with you and learning more. Will send another reply ASAP. Thanks!
I'll be waiting. And I won't be alone.
 

stols001

Moved On
ECF Veteran
May 30, 2017
29,338
108,119
You'll get the hang of things fine. There are lots of ways to vape and lots of ways to inhale. Most people are inhaling for most of the time they are hitting the fire button, and how long or short it is, that's up to you.

You can vape as much as you want, (called chain vaping) and most newcomers do it. As long as you are feeling okay, and you seem to have a reasonable nicotine level for your setup, you should eventually feel satisfied enough to just do something else for a bit before you feel the need to vape again. You may feel a bit weird as you go through detox.

Coils last how long they last. That depends on a bunch of things including type of juice, amount of flavoring or sweetness, and how much you vape in a day. Chain vaping CAN shorten coil life at times as coils can overheat.

There are many things you can do (moving forward) to address all these matters, but for now unless going through coils "too fast" which can also be somewhat subjective, I'd keep the focus on transitioning to and getting the hang of your vape equipment and how to use it.

If you want to get more suggestions, you could tell us what wattage setting you are using, what type of juice, and what the resistance of the coil you have in there are (and if you don't know, we can help you find those things) but mainly just focus on learning to vape right now. No one never makes a vaping mistake either, so don't worry if you do, most of them can be fixed.

Anna
 

BrotherBob

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Dec 24, 2014
14,110
12,444
Sunnyvale,CA,USA
So I bought my 1st cape mod yesterday...I have a smok Al85...the guy at the cape shop was real helpful explaining alto but I don't know if Im using it correctly.. I feel like I've been hitting to hard and would like to know if I continuously hold in the hit button while sucking the vape in my mouth? How long is it ok to vape for? How long should I wait between hits? I also bought peach taffy 3mg nicotine vape juice. Anyone have any good tips on how I will know Im doing it right and how to use this mod so that Im not burning up the coil to quickly? I am very NEW to this. I love the feel and flavors but have only used the pen type before buying this one. All help greatly appreciated! I don't usually post online to sites and when I found this site it real
The information below may help you to obtain a good foundation of vaping knowledge.
Might like to read:
Learn About Vaping Here - Everything Ecigs - From Beginner To Advanced
Vaping and Inhaling: Everything You Need To Know
https://spinfuel.com/new-vapers-start/
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
Beginner – Guide To Vaping
Vape 101: Here's Everything You Need to Know about Vaping
6 Quick & Useful Vaping Tips for Beginners
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...up-the-vaping-ladder-with-egos-and-mods.5058/
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/f...nk-or-what-a-guide-to-juice-attachments.3230/
 

Baditude

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Apr 8, 2012
30,394
73,076
71
Ridgeway, Ohio
Suprtrker has already provided you with much useful information. Concerning your particular mod, its often helpful to search on You Tube to find a review/tutorial to learn of its features and operations.



Since you were using a "pen" type vape setup before, your vaping experience with the SMOK Al85 will be quite different. Your new device is a "high wattage" regulated mod and using a "sub-ohm" coil tank (Baby Beast). Sub-ohm vaping will be vastly different from most vape pen devices. Primarily, most vape pen setups use a MTL (mouth-to-lung) draw that compares to smoking a cigarette (tighter draw). Most high wattage sub-ohm setups like your new one use a looser/open DTL (direct-to-lung) type draw, so there may be a period of adjustment for you.

You can use practically any type of tank on most regulated battery devices. Tanks on the other hand are either lower wattage standard ohm MTL tanks, or higher wattage sub-ohm DTL tanks. One is not better than the other; which one vapers choose depends on their individual vaping preference.


 
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