Help a newbie please!

[PiesangSA]

Hi - I'm new to this esmoking - started with K401 (inherited) and have had pretty much hit or miss results - but good enough to have me cut down drastically on smoking and want to persevere!!
Sometimes I get vapour, sometimes none - same with taste. Throat hits are a bonus! Very frustrating!!
I ordered new carts and atomizers but now have vapour with little to no taste. If I draw too hard I get a mouthful of juice
What am I doing wrong?

I also ordered and am using the 901 with very good results - especially after doing the mod with the Q-tips (we call them cotton buds in SA)

Great forum with brilliant, informative posts BTW

 

[BiteMe]

Hi - I'm new to this esmoking - started with K401 (inherited) and have had pretty much hit or miss results - but good enough to have me cut down drastically on smoking and want to persevere!!
Sometimes I get vapour, sometimes none - same with taste. Throat hits are a bonus! Very frustrating!!
I ordered new carts and atomizers but now have vapour with little to no taste. If I draw too hard I get a mouthful of juice
What am I doing wrong?

I also ordered and am using the 901 with very good results - especially after doing the mod with the Q-tips (we call them cotton buds in SA)

Great forum with brilliant, informative posts BTW

Sounds to me like you're not doing anything wrong, and doing everything right by switching to the 901. If I understand you correctly, you inherited the K401? Maybe there was a problem with it that you inherited also. Or maybe the way you vape lends itself to sucking mouthfulls of juice. It could be any one of a number of things. If a new atty and a new cart didn't solve the problem, but switching to the 901 did, then I'd say stick with the 901 and enjoy!!!

 

[SueandCootie]

I'm a 901 vaper too..it takes a while to fine tune and discover all the tricks..if you get sealed manual batteries, or make/buy a mod that is button activated, you won't get as much juice in your mouth, since you don't have to draw on it as hard, and vapor is more consistant. The cart filler mods work too..it just takes a little time and research to settle in!

 

[PiesangSA]

Sounds to me like you're not doing anything wrong, and doing everything right by switching to the 901. If I understand you correctly, you inherited the K401? Maybe there was a problem with it that you inherited also. Or maybe the way you vape lends itself to sucking mouthfulls of juice. It could be any one of a number of things. If a new atty and a new cart didn't solve the problem, but switching to the 901 did, then I'd say stick with the 901 and enjoy!!!

Thanks for the response.

The K401 was passed on to me to "try before I buy" and it was put aside in favour of the 901 by my son who wanted to be able to vape for longer periods before topping up. He'd used it up until then, but finds the 901 is so much better!

I would like to get the K401 operational as well - seems a pity to have it just sitting around.
Do you think cleaning the atomizers would help? The whole system sat in a drawer for about a month or so.
If I clean everything up and re-charge the batteries and pack my own carts - would this give everything a new lease on life?

Do I clean with hot soapy water or as someone else suggested - soak the atomizers in 90% alcohol overnight and then dry with a hairdryer?

 

[Pablo4200]

I use a Cola bath, rinse them with hot water and blow them dry with a can of compressed air.

 

[doots]

clean your atty with cola if you like or vinegar . let soak a little while. Rinse with water. No soap needed. I then use alcohol and rinse and just blow out from battery end. put back in cig and prime with a few drops of juice and go.

 

[PiesangSA]

I'm a 901 vaper too..it takes a while to fine tune and discover all the tricks..if you get sealed manual batteries, or make/buy a mod that is button activated, you won't get as much juice in your mouth, since you don't have to draw on it as hard, and vapor is more consistant. The cart filler mods work too..it just takes a little time and research to settle in!

There is quite a bit to learn which is why this forum is so great!

Having only just bought the 901 I'm afraid I'll have to stay with regular batteries for now but it sounds like the manual batteries could be the next step, even though it's working great for me.

Any suggestions for achieving better flavour using the K401? I can't understand why I'm getting either air or juice ....
I want to stay with the tobacco flavours. (I have been given quite a selection of the other juices to try but that can come later)

 

[PiesangSA]

@ Pablo4200 and doots

Cola - would that be like coke a cola - sorry if this sounds like a strange question but we have different names for some things, so I'm just checking - and why cola?

Vinegar - I assume any would do as it is going to be rinsed off anyway?

No cans of compressed air here, so the hairdryer it will have to be!

Thanks for the input

 

[SueandCootie]

Since I don't drink sodas or alcohol, I use first aid type hydrogen peroxide, dribble it in, rinse thru with very hot water, blow thru with my mouth, load and go! I'm still using the original atty I got with my 901 starter set back in May! Clean it once a week or so...there are, as with everything here, several methods to clean attys, just my favorite.

 

[Crankyfuzz]

clean your atty with cola if you like or vinegar . let soak a little while. Rinse with water. No soap needed. I then use alcohol and rinse and just blow out from battery end. put back in cig and prime with a few drops of juice and go.

does the vinegar leave behind a bad taste?

 

[doots]

rinse out w/water afterwards. no odor

 

[Crankyfuzz]

thanks doots was wondering I seen other people post it...had to give up soda so no cola for me (refused to give up smoking my only vice left look at me now) but always have vinegar in the house.

 

[jvapor]

I have a k401 and had experienced similar problems. The solution was way simple. It was a worn out battery. The switch was sticky and even at a full charge it was not putting out enough volts. Once I replaced the battery I got back good flavor and an easy draw. The sucking of fluid stoped also since it was burning hotter. With the bad battery I had to suck pretty hard.