Completely new to all this; seeking guidance

[holycrapoctopus]

I was in Chicago last weekend and some guy outside a 21st Century Smokes outlet sold me a complete Joye eGo starter kit from freedomsmokeusa.com, minus one atomizer. This seems like the perfect way for me to quit smoking cigarettes, but I really want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly, buying the right stuff, etc... I have a million questions; hopefully this forum helps! Keep in mind I'm a complete noob at this so if these questions seem moronic, bear with me.

1. The ecig that I have is a Joye eGo. It came with five cartridges and I have two small bottles of juice. My biggest question is, how exactly should I be using the juice and cartridges? I've been just putting two or three drops at a time directly onto the atomizer and puffing until the hits become dry. Should I be dripping into the back of the cartridge instead? or just using the cartridge and forgoing the juice altogether? (I don't know if the cartridges have any nicotine juice in them; they have white foam filler but that's all I can discern)

2. I have two bottles, one is 3ML with 24mg of nicotine; the other is 5ML with 6mg of nicotine. Now, it seems like this would mean that the 3ML bottle has a much higher nic content than the 5ML bottle... but I've tried both juices and neither of them really seem to satisfy my nic cravings completely. If I am to purchase another bottle or two, what proportion of mg's to ML should I be looking for? I don't want to increase my nicotine addiction, just satiate the cravings enough to quit smoking real cigs and then reduce the amount over time. I guess I just don't know where I should start; I typically smoke an average of 5-10 cigs a day.

3. (this one's quick) What are PG and VG and how should this factor into deciding what juice to purchase?

4. What do you guys mean when you talk about 501 and 901 etc.? Is this like the size of the battery or am I way off?

I know I'm asking a lot; any help is greatly appreciated. I'll save the rest of my questions until I get some responses. Thanks in advance!

 

[Renzuli]

Order 36mg , if the 24's not doing it for you . Your already dripping , ( 2or 3 drops , directly on the atty ) So you may as well order a drip tip , when you order some juice . Start out with some sample juice sizes , until you find the juice you like , then order a bigger bottle . And with the carts , When the juice inside , is pretty much gone , you can either drip some juice , may 8 to 10 drops into the cartridge . You want it to look , sort of slushy , not a pool of juice . If too much , dab with paper towel to remove the excess . SOunds like you got a great start . Welcome , and ask any questions , you need answers to . Somebody on the forums , can probably , tell you want you want to know .

 

[holycrapoctopus]

Thanks a lot! So the nicotine content is constant for any size bottle? Meaning, 24mg's is 24mg/ML; and that would be the same regardless of how big the bottle is?

 

[Eclipsed1770]

Thanks a lot! So the nicotine content is constant for any size bottle? Meaning, 24mg's is 24mg/ML; and that would be the same regardless of how big the bottle is?

Yes, that is correct because the number represents mg per ml.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Thanks a lot! So the nicotine content is constant for any size bottle? Meaning, 24mg's is 24mg/ML; and that would be the same regardless of how big the bottle is?

Yup, that's how that works regardless of the bottle size.

When we talk about 510 and 901, we're talking about the threading. As a general rule, if something is a 510, then you can use anything with a 510 thread. There are some exceptions, but that's the easiest to remember. The rest falls into place later.

 

[beckah54]

I was in Chicago last weekend and some guy outside a 21st Century Smokes outlet sold me a complete Joye eGo starter kit from freedomsmokeusa.com, minus one atomizer. This seems like the perfect way for me to quit smoking cigarettes, but I really want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly, buying the right stuff, etc... I have a million questions; hopefully this forum helps! Keep in mind I'm a complete noob at this so if these questions seem moronic, bear with me. You purchased an excellent brand to start out with. The eGo batteries last a long time and use a 510 atomizer or cartomizer.

1. The ecig that I have is a Joye eGo. It came with five cartridges and I have two small bottles of juice. My biggest question is, how exactly should I be using the juice and cartridges? I've been just putting two or three drops at a time directly onto the atomizer and puffing until the hits become dry. Should I be dripping into the back of the cartridge instead? or just using the cartridge and forgoing the juice altogether? (I don't know if the cartridges have any nicotine juice in them; they have white foam filler but that's all I can discern) When you put drops directly on the atomizer you are "dripping". A lot of PV users like to drip. I quit using the cartridges long ago, too much trouble to refill. You may like them.

2. I have two bottles, one is 3ML with 24mg of nicotine; the other is 5ML with 6mg of nicotine. Now, it seems like this would mean that the 3ML bottle has a much higher nic content than the 5ML bottle... but I've tried both juices and neither of them really seem to satisfy my nic cravings completely. If I am to purchase another bottle or two, what proportion of mg's to ML should I be looking for? I don't want to increase my nicotine addiction, just satiate the cravings enough to quit smoking real cigs and then reduce the amount over time. I guess I just don't know where I should start; I typically smoke an average of 5-10 cigs a day. Most like to keep some higher nic liquid for times when they need to satiate their cravings. You probably should get a variety of nic strengths and flavors to try. Most vendors offer sample packs of liquids, 3-5 ml so you can try more than one of their flavors.

3. (this one's quick) What are PG and VG and how should this factor into deciding what juice to purchase? PG and VG are the base used for the flavoring and nicotine. It seems to be an individual choice about what proportion you like. PG seems to give more throat hit and is a thinner base. VG is a thicker liquid and gives more vapor. Seems to have a sweeter taste too.

4. What do you guys mean when you talk about 501 and 901 etc.? Is this like the size of the battery or am I way off? These are referring to the atomizer connection threading. Your PV has a 510 atomizer connector and you should look for 510 attys or cartomizers when you purchase new. You can also purchase atty adapters to convert your 510 connection to another (901, 808, 801, 306) etc. These are all atomizers with threading to fit a specific battery.

I know I'm asking a lot; any help is greatly appreciated. I'll save the rest of my questions until I get some responses. Thanks in advance!

My answers are in red, hope they help and I didn't confuse you more.

Welcome to the forum, ask questions and read all the stickies. They contain a wealth of information.

 

[BardicDruid]

Ok since no one else is gonna say it, welcome. You may want to go to the forum main page and scroll down, you'll find a bunch of suppliers there and freedomsmokeusa.com. The suppliers on this forum can be trusted and you can probably get your stuff a lot cheaper. Also check out the ECF Library, it can answer most of you questions without having to wait on a post. Do some reading and let the fun begin.

 

[Eclipsed1770]

3. (this one's quick) What are PG and VG and how should this factor into deciding what juice to purchase?

4. What do you guys mean when you talk about 501 and 901 etc.? Is this like the size of the battery or am I way off?

#3. The PG and VG you will have to experiment with for yourself. Generally the PG gives the throat hit and the VG produces the vapor but dulls the flavor.
#4. The numbers that are thrown out relate to the models threading. The Joye Ego is a 501 thread. The mah relates to the battery size. Ego's come in 650mah and 1100mah (I believe) and a rule of thumb is 1 hour of vaping per 100mah before recharging is needed.

 

[Mindfield]

Welcome, and congrats on making the switch! The eGo is an excellent place to start, a very versatile PV with plenty of options available for it.

1) Dripping vs. Carts (and vs. other methods). I started with carts but found they just didn't really do it for me. I used them, but the problem with carts is that I find you only ever get to the top quarter of the liquid in it. The rest remains trapped below with not enough weight to wick to the top, and the filler material doesn't seem to lend itself well to much capillary attraction. Dripping is absolutely a viable alternative, and tons of people do it, so if that works for you, that's awesome. Personally I prefer cartomizers these days. That's a pretty recent thing for me but the low resistance and dual coil cartomizers have really improved lately, and I don't have the patience or pocket space for dripping. I just like to fill and go. To that end I've heard great things about the 1.7ohm Resurrectors from SmokTech, they're supposed to be great. I also love the dual coil 510 and dual coil eGo Mega cartomizers -- truly great cartos. But however works for you is all up to your personal preference.

2) As has been said, nicotine content is constant regardless of bottle size, so 24mg is per-ml. As for what strength you need, that depends on how strong the cigarettes you smoked were and what kind of throat hit they gave. The higher the nic content, the stronger the throat hit will be and obviously the more nicotine it will deliver. If you're a smoker of "regular" cigarettes, you might want something stronger in the 18-24mg range. If you smoked lights or ultra-lights, try something in the 6-12mg range. What I did was start at 18mg (basically right in the middle) and adjusted from there based on my needs. Doing so led me to discover that 18mg will work but it's a little weak for me, so I'm most comfortable around 24-26mg, because I like a good strong but smooth throat hit and I was a pack a day smoker.

3) VG and PG are the bases that the nicotine and flavouring are mixed with. PG is thin and offers a better throat hit and tends to be a better carrier of flavour in many cases (but not all) but lacks in the vapor production department. VG is generally much thicker, but tends toward a weaker throat hit and somewhat muted flavour in many cases (again, but not all), and offers denser plumes of vapor. Most people like a mixture of the two, most commonly around 20-30% VG and 70-80% PG, as this provides decent vapor while retaining good throat hit and flavour. However, as always, your mileage may vary, some recipes may work better in one medium than another, and this is an area where it's best to experiment. I can't vape pure VG myself as I find it's too dense and makes me cough, but a mixture of "reduced PG" (around 20-30% VG) works for me perfectly.

4) All those numbers are typically different types of hardware, and as such generally have different connectors, so carts and cartos meant for a KR808D-1 won't work on a Joye 510/eGo without an adapter. There are adapters available for pretty much every from/to combination though, so if there's something in particular you really want to use that fits on one type of PV that won't fit your eGo, you can probably find an adapter for it.

Hope that helps.

 

[crk0756]

Well, looks like everyone has already answered your questions.... so I will say Howdy!!! and welcome.....

 

[dormouse]

Grats on the Ego - great choice, very flexible!

PG is thin, lets through the most of nicotine's TH and irritation, lets through the most flavor, makes thinner looking vapor

VG is thick, dulls/smooths everything PG lets through, makes thicker more persistent vapor

For atomizers (w/ cart or drip tip) I like 70pg/30vg and some like 50/50 (all 3ml FreedomSmokesUSA 3ml bottles are 50/50)

I recommend you try some 70/pg/30vg or 80pg/20vg 24mg juice. The 50/50 PG/VG in that 3ml 24mg sample would be dulling the hit. 24mg is considered high nic, and many full strength cigarette smokers are fine on 24mg. In thinner juice with higher PG (like 80PG/20VG) you will feel the hit better. More than 1/2 of FreedomSmokeUSA"s juices are available in any PG/VG (not the samples, not the specialties - those are all 50/50).

And cartomizers are much more pleasant than atomizer and carts. So when you are ready to try something new, buy some Boge 510 standard resistance (warm) or LR 2.0 (hotter, use charge faster) cartomizers. You may want to try the standard first to get the hang of filling and keeping them damp so they don't singe. The LR ones are less forgiving since they run hotter. (heat enhances nicotine's hit)

Cartomizers hold twice as much juice and need juice added less often. They provide a more consistent vaping experience. However they have limited lifespans. Only put juices you know you like into cartos (so use the atomizer and carts or atomizer and a drip tip to find juices you like). For stuffing-type cartos I recommend thin juices 20% or less VG especially clear light juices that leave no flavoring sediment to clog the stuffing. I can get a week's good use out of a carto. Some people succeed in cleaning and drying them to get additional use out of some. I usually toss them or set them in a bag in case I ever have an emergency that would drive me to try to clean them (I doubt it). I enjoy getting a fresh atomizer inside every cartomizer, no cleaning required.

Ego is a great system. And 85% of people who use ecigarettes are able to stop smoking completely (many without even planning or trying to). You just need to do a bit more work. Get thinner 24mg juices for better hit and try the cartomizers (fill completely with 18-25 drops of thinner juice, clean it up, let settles on different sides for 15-20 min, and vape. And whenever the vapor gets a bit light or a bit dry, add some more juice).

And remember to smell the vapor - very very important for the flavor. Cigs dump their aroma all over you - with ecigs you need to remember to smell the vapor.

 

[holycrapoctopus]

Thanks a ton for the welcomes and replies everyone! This has been super helpful. I'll probably get a sample pack of some different flavors, what suppliers do you guys recommend? I definitely understand pg/vg and the thread size thing now. One other thing I'm wondering is how exactly do cartomizers work? It seems like it'd be nice to just fill it up and have it for the day instead of carrying juice bottles around with me like I am now.

 

[holycrapoctopus]

"So when you are ready to try something new, buy some Boge 510 standard resistance (warm) or LR 2.0 (hotter, use charge faster) cartomizers. You may want to try the standard first to get the hang of filling and keeping them damp so they don't singe. The LR ones areless forgiving since they run hotter."

Could you (or anyone) elaborate on this please? Or if somebody wants to link me to a good noob carto tutorial that'd be sweet.

 

[Scotay87]

Thanks a ton for the welcomes and replies everyone! This has been super helpful. I'll probably get a sample pack of some different flavors, what suppliers do you guys recommend? I definitely understand pg/vg and the thread size thing now. One other thing I'm wondering is how exactly do cartomizers work? It seems like it'd be nice to just fill it up and have it for the day instead of carrying juice bottles around with me like I am now.

You basically answered your own question there.... A carto is an atty and cartridge in one you pop the cap off fill replace cap and go...You can also use a drip tip on the carto and top it off every so often to keep it moist.....

Welcome aboard and good luck....

 

[LauraBolyard]

Welcome from a newb! Began this journey about six weeks ago and never looked back!! I've been here reading from the start. It can be frustrating to get it right! You wouldn't believe what my tackle box looks like with about 13 different batteries and various attys, carts, cartos, drip tips, I look like a drug dealer! Finding the right juice and combo of pg/vg has been a bit frustrating too. One important thing is ALL of out tastes are different!!! And your taste will change over time too, mine already are. I found almost ALL of the info I needed in the 6 part series in the efc library!! It was a great read!!! Great battery start!! Good luck!!

 

[Mindfield]

Thanks a ton for the welcomes and replies everyone! This has been super helpful. I'll probably get a sample pack of some different flavors, what suppliers do you guys recommend? I definitely understand pg/vg and the thread size thing now. One other thing I'm wondering is how exactly do cartomizers work? It seems like it'd be nice to just fill it up and have it for the day instead of carrying juice bottles around with me like I am now.

As was said already, cartomizers are just cartridges and atomizers in one.

The main advantage of modern cartomizers is that the atomizer coil (the heating element) sits vertically along the length of the cartridge, surrounded by a sock or sleeve made of silica rope, which itself is surrounded by polyfill. What this allows cartomizers to do is increase surface area contact with the liquid to 360°, which means it can produce more vapor than the cart/atty combination. Furthermore,the liquid has a short distance to travel to get to the coil because it works from the outside in rather than bottom to top. By comparison, the cart/atomizer combo has the liquid in its own compartment at the tip of the unit. That liquid has to get soaked up by a nickel mesh bridge in the atomizer, which then transfers the liquid to a silica wick, which then transfers it to a coil sitting at the bottom of the atomizer. In short, the liquid has a much greater distance it needs to travel to get to the coil, and there's only so much surface area that comes in contact with the polyfill that holds the liquid. Furthermore only the top half of the coil will end up getting any liquid to vaporize because that's all teh wick is close to (unless you drip, which is basically controlled flooding of the atomizer). Cartomizers have no need of a wick, at least not in the same sort of sense; the silica rope sock that covers it is there as much to absorb liquid as it is to prevent the coil from coming into contact with the polyfill and burning it.

However, you can't drip with cartomizers, so if it turns out you prefer dripping, then an atomizer with an empty cart or drip tip is the way you need to go. But a good Boge or SmokTech cartomizer will work wonders if you want something you just fill and go for hours with. Especially if you get the new eGo Mega dual coil cartomizers. Those things hold an astonishing 4.5-5ml of liquid; I can go a day and a half between fills on those -- I run out of battery juice before I run out of liquid juice. Smaller cartos will obvious hold less but may be more comfortable for you and take up less room. (The dual coil eGo Mega cartomizers are huge.)

 

[DaVinci54]

Just wanted to say hello and wish you good luck. I'm into my 3rd day now and can't believe that I want nothing to do with an analog cigarette. Seems to me that the vaping life is a good life!