GotVapes for Dummies

[Randyrtx]

I'm an engineer, so tinkering comes naturally to me. But I don't want to have to tinker when it comes to vaping. I just want to vape... while tinkering with other stuff!

@Briar: on that one Stardust that has a tight draw, try moving the coil slightly (and gently). It's likely pressing down and clogging the hole in the top of the inner seal.

 

[Briar]

I agree - I like the Stardust's tighter draw. Once in a while you get one that's *way* too tight - that's a malfunction, and I think that's what some folks complained about. I got one out of ten that way. Tossed it.

I haven't tried the new Fluxo yet. With the old one you often had to lift the seal to make it wick reliably well. Maybe you need to do it with this one as well sometimes, depending on the juice? I am not sure you can, if what I suspect about the seal-mouthpiece configuration is true - but if you can't, you can open up the wick slots a little with a razor blade or a utility knife. I know - fiddly... Another reason you may be getting dry hits is that that ohmage is too low. Have you measured the resistance? Do you have a VV?

Historically, Fluxos have been a tad fiddly in comparison to Visions or Stardusts - but they should give you good taste once you get them going, and they last a very long time. Plus, they are easy to take apart.

Speaking of which. You should have gotten a tip with them - write to GV. The drip tips, which I always use, are a tight fit, but you can improve on that. Work off the tube and flip it upside down. The bottom end is distended from sitting over the base, so the drip tip will fit much easier.

Got a few stardusts today and I'm really liking them. Some people complain about the tight draw, but I kinda like that. I also got some fluxo's. Less than impressed. First of all, did I miss something when I ordered them?? No tip on them. I don't mind using my own drip tips but only one of them fits, and that one is very tight. And the flavor isn't all that great out of them,, couple of dry burnt hits.. maybe i just didn't let it sit long enough. Won't give up on em, but probably won't buy them again. Maybe I should go with the phoenix??? Damn, I hate when I make the wrong choice!!

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

Dry burns are fairly easy...through the dry burn process, I have some Fluxos that I've been using since December! It really keeps them going, since they don't have to work through all the gunk. Not quite as good as new after a while, but definitely worth the risk. 5 second pulses once they glow until clean. Make sure your wicks are dry (hence DRY BURN) or you'll use up a bit of battery while they dry. I can go from dirty/completely assembled to new juice/cleaned and vaping in about 5 minutes.

Oh, that makes sense. Guess mine was still wet, although I let it dry overnight. I did the 5 second thing, and puffs of stuff came off for a looooong time. Thinking to myself, so where's this red glow? It finally arrived, and I was OK from there.

Just a little addition. I was blowing on the coil - I guess to blow all the stuff away. Turns out to be a no-no. Seems that you can pop a coil that way.

 

[Briar]

I'm an engineer, so tinkering comes naturally to me. But I don't want to have to tinker when it comes to vaping. I just want to vape... while tinkering with other stuff!

@Briar: on that one Stardust that has a tight draw, try moving the coil slightly (and gently). It's likely pressing down and clogging the hole in the top of the inner seal.

Oh, ok, thanks - I'll try that. I did toss it, but it's still on top of my paper basket. LOL

Update: THANK YOU, Randy! A life saved - Mr. Green Stardust #2 was pulled out of the paper bin, and the operation was performed successfully. He is breathing well now, and is likely to have a good quality of life until it's natural (and far removed) end.

 

[kellie]

The Stardust I got are 2.1 - 2.4 ohm and I vape between 3.4 - 4.2 v should I get the higher ohm? The whole Lr and omh thing really confuse me

Just need to know before I stock up

 

[Briar]

Are you getting burnt taste or dry hits?

If not, and if you like the taste, then it's fine. For me that would be too much power, I like my vape cooler. So I usually get higher resistance, and vape between 3.3 and 3.7, depending on the juice.

The Stardust I got are 2.1 - 2.4 ohm and I vape between 3.4 - 4.2 v should I get the higher ohm? The whole Lr and omh thing really confuse me

 

[kellie]

Are you getting burnt taste or dry hits?

If not, and if you like the taste, then it's fine. For me that would be too much power, I like my vape cooler. So I usually get higher resistance, and vape between 3.3 and 3.7, depending on the juice.

Some times it kinda taste dry and alittle burnt. Maybe I will go with the higher omh hmmmmmmmmmmmm........

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

Are you getting burnt taste or dry hits?

If not, and if you like the taste, then it's fine. For me that would be too much power, I like my vape cooler. So I usually get higher resistance, and vape between 3.3 and 3.7, depending on the juice.

Me too. I have a 3 stage Ego, and rarely go above 3.8V. Should note that I don't do tobacco flavors any more. I might want to go above that if I did.

I really like 3.2-3.8 with the lower resistance stardusts. The higher one is fine too. Hmm, can't remember what the phoenix is.....

BTW, when I said this in one of the big boy forums, someone said that I couldn't have been a real smoker. I had to tell him that I smoked for 40+ years, up to 2 packs a day, with many years of unfiltered roll-your-owns. He did have the grace to back down and apologize.

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

Well, I forgot my manners. Hello to all of you, and welcome. I like the way this thread is progressing. Thanks for joining in!

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

The Stardust I got are 2.1 - 2.4 ohm and I vape between 3.4 - 4.2 v should I get the higher ohm? The whole Lr and omh thing really confuse me

Just need to know before I stock up

Kellie: I've used both. First I got the higher resistance because that's all they had. Later brought in the lower one, and I liked them a little better. Those are the ones I stocked up on - ordered 12 the day before that sale!

Not a huge difference to me though. I usually vape at 3.2-3.8V.

 

[kellie]

Thanks for starting this thread it is awesome. Even though I have been vaping since 2009 There is alot that still confuses me. I just want my stuff to work and for my juice to taste awesome. I think with my Buzz and these Stardust I may have found my perfect setup. Until I need to do a dry burn

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

Thanks Kellie. Forgot to add in my last post that I think you will have to compare the two stardusts yourself to see if you prefer one over the other. It's subtle - for me anyway.

 

[EatnBullets]

I have ordered some of the Phoenix I do not use a ego so I can't speak for the others. Monday I should have the Phoenix ill give it a first look then. Btw I do tinker but I like having a faithfully stand by to vape when I am playing.

 

[tidegirl]

Update on my fluxo (XL) experience- I haven't had any more funny flavor from the first one. I'm thinking in my sleep deprived state and a half empty carto I just wasn't tilting enough. I also filled a second one with some DIY menthol juice and it was great from start to finish.

I'm still getting a tiny bit of spitting/gurgling, not constant but some, from the one that I removed the cup seal. I also haven't tried to do anything to fix it though. Second one that I haven't fiddled with hasn't released a drop of juice that it wasn't supposed to release.

Pro and con- the width. I like the way the skinny clearo looks on my mod, but it does make it a bit more difficult to tilt the juice up the wick when it is running low.

Pro- I love being able to use my own drip tips, and just like the feel of a drip tip better than the vision whistle tips in general.

Con- the length. OK, I know I gotta give up something here- length width or juice capacity- but my I pro is already pretty long. It won't fit my storage bag with a fluxo attached. Really shouldn't matter since I never put it down long enough to store in the bag, but...

Pro- I am not getting the funky taste that was reported with the old fluxos. Some have been reporting with these too though. Again, limited experience so far. The new juice I put in the first one I am not wild about so I could be missing something there. And the menthol I guess could mask an aftertaste. Time will tell.

Con- Contrary to how they are supposed to work, these can not be filled without a syringe or needle tip bottle with the cup seal in place. The little holes on the sides of the cup seal are just too tiny. My needles (16 gauge I think? Maybe 14?) can barely be crammed in the tiny hole.

Phoenix order is scheduled for delivery Tuesday, but I'm not holding my breath until it has left NY. I can't wait to compare these to the fluxo. So far I think the visions have been replaced. Fluxos will probably remain in my arsenal, but from presale reviews I have really high hopes for the Phoenix.

Kellie- Do you wonder how a couple of anti-fiddle, nonmechanical girls like us ended up with such fancy, powerful, fantastic mods?

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

Nice review tidegirl! I've been following the other thread on these. There do seem to be some problems, although people are coming up with fixes. I'm gonna pass for now.

I am really curious to see what you think of the Phoenix. The one I got was fiddly to fill at first. There's a little needle hole that can be hard to see - well, for these old eyes anyway. I actually found it by feel. It is small, but I just jammed a larger gauge needle through, and now it's a lot easier.

Has anybody ordered the larger Phoenix?

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

I keep hearing great things about all these new cartos but im a bit gun shy. The Stardust was supposed to be the cats meow but I'm mostly unimpressed by it. The flavor is weak, they can't handle any kind of wattage, and I get a constant sore throat from them. I just wish someone would build a decent carto so I can stop dripping. In other news, when are you guys going to do the obvious thing and build a decent dual coil clearomizer?

Hello inanitydefined. Love that name!

Sorry about your stardust experience. I'm suspecting that you are a high voltage vaper, and I know those guys are not happy with the way they hit.

The sore throat surprises me though. Hmmmmm.

 

[Briar]

That's too bad.

It's true, Stardusts don't do well with high watts. I bet the reason you are getting sore throat and weak flavor is because you are vaping them at too high a voltage... Stardusts are kinda funny that way - you notice the sore throat before that horrible "burnt metal" flavor hits.

At lower voltages I haven't found anything with better/stronger flavor - to the point where some of the juices I really liked before, with Visions and Fluxos, are way too strong for me now (I used to double-flavor everything - not anymore).

But, then, I like lower power. Beyond a certain point, I cough so much that vaping is not even possible.

I keep hearing great things about all these new cartos but im a bit gun shy. The Stardust was supposed to be the cats meow but I'm mostly unimpressed by it. The flavor is weak, they can't handle any kind of wattage, and I get a constant sore throat from them. I just wish someone would build a decent carto so I can stop dripping. In other news, when are you guys going to do the obvious thing and build a decent dual coil clearomizer?

 

[luvinit]

Well guys... I'm back. A couple things.. the Stardusts. It's great that they don't leak, I like the tighter draw, but my flavors seem muted. I mean, really muted. I use a KGO, which I think is around 3.7 volts??? I ordered an adapter to use them on my lavatube, but maybe I should do that? I love how easy they are to use, but really what's the point if you can't taste the juice?

The fluxos.. I did find the tip in one of the boxes (my bad!) and it does fit a bit better than any of my own drip tips. But I get nothing but burnt ickyness out of one of them. The last thing in the world I want to do is have to tear these things apart and mess around with them to get them to work right!! And no flavor out of these things either... but maybe that's just my rotten taste buds at the moment.

I'm looking at that new Vivi system.. it looks pretty interesting. And the phoenix ones look pretty interesting too.. I wish someone would come up with something that didn't require an engineering degree to get it to work! I guess the biggest thing I'm having trouble with is finding something I can use on my lavatube.. I'm very new to the vv thing and I think I don't understand it very well.. I know I need higher ohms to vape at higher voltage (right?).. maybe I should just go back to cartos.. and advice anyone??

 

[Briar]

What resistance Stardusts are you using? They don't do well at higher wattage, but the taste ought to be better than most other cartos, not worse...

Also, the point of the VV (or one of them, anyways) is to be able to adjust to voltage to a particular carto/juice combination - in other words, it's not just about cranking up the voltage. IMHO, most clearos just don't do great at high volts. I often use my Provari to crank the voltage *down*, not up, to accommodate lower res Stardusts. And I always measure the res before I start using it.

So far, Stardusts have been the only carto that is fiddle-free. For me, at least. But you gotta fill them no more than 2/3 way up, learn to vape at an angle / dip the wick, and not over-watt them.

Taste-bud-wise, yeah they go south once in a while. Right now I can't taste one of my favorite juices and it's driving me nuts. It goes away eventually though. Helps to switch different tasting juices. I do that a lot, after a week where I couldn't taste a thing. Almost drove me back to analogs.

Well guys... I'm back. A couple things.. the Stardusts. It's great that they don't leak, I like the tighter draw, but my flavors seem muted. I mean, really muted. I use a KGO, which I think is around 3.7 volts??? I ordered an adapter to use them on my lavatube, but maybe I should do that? I love how easy they are to use, but really what's the point if you can't taste the juice?

The fluxos.. I did find the tip in one of the boxes (my bad!) and it does fit a bit better than any of my own drip tips. But I get nothing but burnt ickyness out of one of them. The last thing in the world I want to do is have to tear these things apart and mess around with them to get them to work right!! And no flavor out of these things either... but maybe that's just my rotten taste buds at the moment.

I'm looking at that new Vivi system.. it looks pretty interesting. And the phoenix ones look pretty interesting too.. I wish someone would come up with something that didn't require an engineering degree to get it to work! I guess the biggest thing I'm having trouble with is finding something I can use on my lavatube.. I'm very new to the vv thing and I think I don't understand it very well.. I know I need higher ohms to vape at higher voltage (right?).. maybe I should just go back to cartos.. and advice anyone??

 

[SuperLuckyLady]

........Well guys... I'm back. A couple things.. the Stardusts. It's great that they don't leak, I like the tighter draw, but my flavors seem muted. I mean, really muted. I use a KGO, which I think is around 3.7 volts??? I ordered an adapter to use them on my lavatube, but maybe I should do that? I love how easy they are to use, but really what's the point if you can't taste the juice?



Hi luvinit, I'm sorry, it's horrible when you can't taste your juice, I know. But I vape around your voltage, and like Briar, I find that my juices taste great in the stardust. I've tried most filler-less cartos out there, and for me, these have the best taste of all. Well, except for the old vortex, but they had other problems.

Are you sure it's the stardust and not something going on with your taste buds? Is there a carto or atty you use that is tasting good to you right now?