first timer buying a VTube from Apollo, Can someone check over my list?

[grimeade]

i dont smoke cigarettes, dont ever plan on doing it. smoke hookah with friends, love doing it but can't find any good hookah bars locally and too much of a pain to set up. not looking for throat hit nor nic. plan on only usuing 0mg nic
will probably get the liquids from local sites (houston)

i have a crisp 100$ that i want to spend on a new ecig+liquid
this is my shopping list so far, if i should fix something just let me know



From Apollo ECigs
Apollo VTube 1x


i dont know what to get for my cart/atom. the drip tip that comes with my vtube replaces my cart, right? maybe i should get a tank?

i am looking at the cartos deals on here
Crystal Clear Vaping

and i have no idea if i should get a LR or a regular one!


as far as my e-liquids go, what mix do you guys suggest? i was thinking a high vg would be better for my needs


someone please help!

 

[BrotherFrankie]

im fairly new too, i just ordered one a few days ago.. how did u make out?

 

[elfstone]

Is that a rebranded LavaTUbe / VZ VV / Knight Rider?

If it is, then you're in for a great first purchase. The drip tip is a mouthpiece kind of thing, you fit it on top of the atomizer or cartomizer. in the case of the atomizer, it doesn't replace the cart in the sense that it doesn't hold juice. With the atomizer, the best thing you can do is direct dripping.

I would pick up some Boge standard resistance cartomizers - that way you can use the full range of voltage of your tube.

The trouble with high VG is that it's a little more difficult to manage, especially in the beginning. There are a LOT of juice vendors out there, I can't even begin to list them... Try to order sample sizes of various flavors and VG/PG mixes...

 

[sailorman]

I just got that same kit and it came in today.
Yes, get Boge cartos, or at least standard resistance cartos in the range of 3 ohms. The LT regulates amperage, so you can't get the full range of voltages with anything lower than 3ohm +/- a .1 or so. That 15 carto deal at CCV is just about the best deal out there. You've done your homework, I see.

Get a spare battery. The included batteries are not the greatest, but they're o.k. Problem is, the tube is too short for a standard button top battery. I hear the AW IMR 18650's fit, but I'm not positive. They take forever to charge and they're not available everywhere, so you'll want a spare, at least until you can find out for sure what other batteries fit. There's not a lot options here.

If you get a tank, stay away from the Smoketech DCT. There is a flange at the bottom that interferes with full insertion into the connector. You'd probably have to get a 510/510 extension to make it work.

The Vision Grande disposable tank fits perfectly. I understand the J-tanks also fit well. Because of the little nubs around the top of the LT, you have to use one of the narrower tanks or else you can't screw it all the way into the connector.

I started with 100% VG, but I can see how it's a little bit of a PITA for newbies. It also doesn't work that great in top coil cartos like the CE2's, where the juice has to wick upwards. I'd start with something with at least 30% PG and see what happens. I prefer high VG for the vapor production and I'm a bit intolerant of PG, but YMMV. Juice is too subjective. You just have to get a bunch of samples and see what works for you.

 

[Riverboat]

Ive been vaping for 2+ years... 100% VG 36mg is my favorite, and I only Direct Drip... For a 3.7 volt device LR attys are the best. SR attys work well with a variable voltage/wattage device... You sure you dont want a Provari instead of the Apollo? I know they cost more...Pretty solid.......

 

[sailorman]

im fairly new too, i just ordered one a few days ago.. how did u make out?

You'll love it. I can't believe that sale is still on. It was supposed to end at the end of Feb. and I ordered 2/29 at almost midnight. The shipping was super quick and I got it today already. CA to FL in 3 days. Not bad.

I have a altsmoke BB I've used for nearly 2 years, chain-vaping. It's been my only regular PV. The Lavatube* ain't no BB. You can't run over it with your truck. The switch isn't going to last for years and years of heavy use, but for the price, it's not bad and gives me a chance to play with different voltages without having to use a 5V passthrough or stack two 3V batteries. My "sweet spot" seems to range between 4 and 4.7V with a 3ohm coil and 14500 batteries don't stay above 4V very long. The Lavatube lets me stay in the sweet spot MUCH longer than any 3.7 Volt battery.

Again, it ain't no BB or Silver Bullet. I probably won't be able to pass it down to my grandchildren, but it was $25 cheaper and it's a great intro into VV vaping without having to spring for the big bucks of a Darwin or Provari

BTW, the case they send is actually for an eGo. It's much nicer than I expected and holds the PV, a spare battery and a few cartos/attys/tips as well. Overall, I'm happy with mine. I just hope Apollo lives up to their 1 year warranty if I need it.

One more thing. If you got the free disposable, they're out of nic. and sent me a 0 nic one. Blecchh. I won't convert any of my smoking friends with that.

*Lavatube, VTube, whatever. All the same.

 

[sailorman]

Well Ive been vaping for 2+ years... 100% VG 36mg is my favorite, and I only Direct Drip... For a 3.7 volt device LR attys are the best. SRattys work the well with a variable voltage/wattage device... You sure you dont want a Provari instead of the Apollo? I know they cost more, but they are really solidly built....

What's the Provari going for now? $150? The Apollo LT kit is $60. For a newbie, or even just a VV newbie, that's a good deal. He'll save $50 in cartos and attys that he doesn't burn out by over driving them before he learns what ohm goes with what voltage.

At least he isn't asking what's the best one with an automatic battery, a LED, and looks like an analog.

 

[Riverboat]

At least he isn't asking what's the best one with an automatic battery, a LED, and looks like an analog. [/QUOTE]
...............................................................................................................................................................
I got to give you that one......... lol

 

[Geiseric]

I just picked up my lavatube (or Vtube, or whatever you want to call it) from Apollo a couple weeks ago, and I was very impressed. Ordered it at night, and they packaged it and put tracking up within the hour. Recieved it in the mail 3 days later. The disposables that they ship with free are great, very good flavor. Its too bad they are shipping them out nicotine free right now. I intended to give it to friends i wanted to convert but I liked it so much I burned through it myself.

The tube itself is very nice. I don't own any high calibur fancy mods to compare it to, but I find its build quality to be more than stocky enough as long you arent planning on stumbling around drunk with it. The screen is a little goofy looking, and the three small buttons feel a tad cheap, but both work very well on mine. It has a decent drip well, and the 510 port on it is well sealed. I am very satisfied with it. I intended to use it at home only, but I've been lugging it around driving and at work the last week due to being so infatuated with it.

The atty included is decent. I asked them what it was rated and they gave me a pretty wide range, so it seems like its kind of luck of the draw on if you will get something close to a 3.0 ohm, which would be nice to have because if you are like me, you probaby don't have anything higher than 2.0 around, having not needed it before.

However, given their crazy good customer service and speedy shipping, I would order from them exclusively if they would just diversify their curent stock.

 

[sailorman]

Yep, three days from CA to FL. Incredible shipping time. I put a meter on the atty they sent and it was 2.8ohms, just about right for his PV. I'm not much of a dripper anymore. I got tired of the hassle, so it was no big deal to me. It seems like a pretty o.k. atty though. We'll see. My only real gripe is the dodgy batteries. They're marked IMR, but they sure aren't AWs. I need to find out if good AWs will fit in that battery tube. There's not much room to spare in there.

 

[Geiseric]

No, in Pbusardo's video he showed that most of the batteries he tried didn't fit. Have they worked poorly for you? Mine work ok, one dies a little faster than the other. I hate dripping for the inconvenience too, but I don't mind doing it before bed, and dripping on the atty I got with it is sooooo much better than with my old joye 510 one (not sure what it was rated, but it was CRAP).

 

[sailorman]

I saw Pbusardo's video. I don't remember him specifically trying an AW IMR. I have heard other people say that they'll work, or that they'll work but leave a small gap that they fill with an O-Ring. AW doesn't make one with a top as flat as the stock batteries, but it's flatter than anything I've ever seen. The problem with all those batt's Pbusardo tried is that they had both a full sized button on top AND a protection circuit. That made them WAY too long. I just can't believe that these no-name batteries are the only thing that'll fit. I REFUSE to believe it!!

So far, the batteries I have are working o.k.. Then again, I've only been vaping with this thing for 8 hours now. Just got it today. They just look cheap and cheezy, plus they're only 1600 mah. I've got 14500's that are 900mah. I know AW makes 2000mah IMR's. I need to find a reliable length of those. They sound ideal.

For almost a year, I dripped almost exclusively. I skipped the whole CE2 rage. Then, I got some CE3's and I was sold. I haven't dripped yet. The CE3's are a bit fiddly but I just found out they have CE4's. Both of those have bottom coils, which I need because I vape pretty thick juice. If the CE4's perform as well as the CE3's, I probably won't drip again. I've started using Boge cartos too. They're better than I remembered and cheap enough that I'll never clean another one. I don't like polyfill though. The clearomizers types taste as close to dripping as I've ever had.

 

[Geiseric]

I agree about the ce types... when they work. Giantomizers were a colossal disappointment. I've finally started getting the ce2 6th rev clearos working. I tried pulling back the cup on the wick, fluffing the wick, unwinding the wick.. no go (this is with 40%vg). Finally, I just entirely unwound the wick, crammed in into the cylinder, and flicked it until they were generally pointed down. Pulled the cup back, and.. they worked. Great. As you said. Almost as good as dripping, flavorwise. Mild throat hit, not scorchy like a carto gets after the first few pulls. Is it worth the hassle? Maaaaybe. It is convenient to have that kind of quality hit while out and about without dripping. Sure is a pain in the ..., though. I have a vision Grande coming in the mail, I'm reserving my opinion on the whole ceramic cup thing until I see that. Don't ever buy a giantomizer though. Garbage.

The batteries: whats the deal with the fluctuating sizes? Doesn't the name of the battery refer to the dimensions? Outside of the protection circuits, why do they vary so much?

 

[sailorman]

I got a Vision Grande in the mail yesterday. I didn't have my Vtube then. I filled her up about 2/3 way and stuck it on my BB. It vaped fantastic. About 5 minutes later, it started leaking. Not real bad. I dabbed off the juice and vaped some more. Then it started gurgling a lot. I evened out the plastic seal and started vaping again. Ten minutes later, nothing. Checked it with my meter and it had no continuity. ...... me off. I got about 15 minutes with it. It fit the Vtube beautifully and vaped like a dream. I was using 70% PG from Gotvapes specifically because it was a top coil unit. I'm torn if I want to order another one. I have a Vision Stone coming. I'll see if that holds up any better. The new ones aren't out yet, but they're supposed to be repairable.

The name of te battery is evidently based on the cylinder size, less the button and any protection circuits. If you take those two things away, they are pretty consistent. The problem with the Vtube is that it doesn't allow much, if any, leeway. This is the only 18650 device I've ever seen like it. It seems to be 18650 +/- 3mm. Ridiculous.

Now that I think of it, I think the Lavatube deal at TW had genuine AW batteries included in the kit. I'll have to take another look at that and make sure. I just don't trust these batteries. They aren't even the same shade of red/orange.

 

[sailorman]

O.K., just verified it. Genuine AW 1650mah IMRs here for $9.49
AW IMR 18650


And Genuine Panasonic 2250mah IMR's here for $12.95
Callies Kustoms 3100mAh 18650 Panasonic Batteries

Both of these are a verified fit. The Panny's look pretty badass.

I've not been overimpressed with the 14500 AW IMRs I have. They're not bad, but nothing special and don't seem to last as many cycles as they should, so I think I'll spring for the extra $$ and try these Pannys.

 

[Geiseric]

Yeah I saw a video of one of the stone models, I'm not sure which, but he mentioned the flavor was better with the Grande, which is why I picked one up. The burning sounds scary. Are you still in the first 24 hours of having it? Wouldn't that be covered by their doa policy? I suppose I should check mine right away so I can return it if its bad, but I was thinking I was going to hold off on its first fill until I have a flavor I really like. My batteries were also different shades. Huh. Those 3100 mah look impressive, and the price isn't too bad, although that shipping is kinda ugly. I'm tempted to pick up some myself.

 

[sailorman]

No. You're looking at the wrong batteries. You have to scroll down past the 3100's. The ones you want are at the bottom of the page. They're 2250mah. for $12.95.
Shipping is $6 flat rate. Not cheap, but it wouldn't be that bad if you picked up two batteries. I've seen Ultrafire 18650's for $16-20, so this price isn't too bad. I don't think anyone else even has them. Maybe I'll look around.

Oh yeah, the Vision Grande burned out within an hour of when the mailman put it in the box. I always thought DOA was if it didn't work when you first tried it. I dunno. I've never had a really DOA item. It's probably too late now to do anything about it. If I were you, I'd at least take a meter to it immediately. You usually only have a day.

 

[Geiseric]

Oh, I see. I was a little confused about the link name vs the pricing. Pfft I may have to go dig out my meter then. I hope the leads are easy to find. Oh well, I have a ce2 that needs to be re-soldered anyways, I'm going to have to dig around my storage anyways to find leadless solder.

 

[sailorman]

You can just give it a quick dry burn to make sure it's going to fire up. That won't hurt it. In fact, put a little dab of juice on the coil. It'll help burn off any factory applied chemicals too.

 

[Geiseric]

Good plan. I'll do that. Can't find solder or meter. Time for more online orders. Work check, come faster. I torch the wicks on ce2s too, I'm paranoid after reading about that antibacterial business.