Help! So Confused!

[TnA]

8-o pursed lip motion causes mouth wrinkles?!?! 8-o Egads! No more guppy-fish kisses for me!

I think hobson succinctly stated what I droned on about. Worry about the function because most people find out they aren't really concerned about the form.

My advice, go for function, not form. If your e-cig doesn't function properly for you then you'll find yourself running back to analogs. As for the flat tip cartridge, it has the benefit of reducing the pursed lip motion that causes mouth wrinkles. I like it!

 

[Speedikeys]

Wow! Great information and suggestions! I'm understanding so much better now, but, if you don't mind, a couple more questions....

Approximately how long should an atomiser last? I know I should get at least two when I order but can't really figure out how often I'll need to replace those, assuming I don't burn it out or damage it in some way.

Thanks to your great explanations, I understand the difference between manual and automatic switches now, but in regard to battery life, when you say 2 to 3 hours or 4 to 5 hours, is that actual time of use? Like...actual puffing time?

To try to make my question more clear, I'll compare it to a flashlight. On an automatic device, do you have to actually turn it on? And then the atomiser is activated by the draw but when it's just laying on the table it's still on, kind of in "standby mode," so that the battery will wear down in 2 to 3 hours like a flashlight left on would, even if I don't touch it? Or is the battery only in use when you "smoke" it so that would be 2 to 3 hours of actual use? Does that question make any sense?

The cartridges I'll definitely refill, but I'm wondering if anyone has used the 0 nicotine and still got that "throat hit?" I know I can beat my nicotine addiction because I've done it before. It only takes a few days of misery and I'm over it. But what I miss when I quit analogs is that feeling in my mouth and throat of actually inhaling and blowing it out. I'm hoping the flavored 0 nicotine will still provide that. Fingers crossed! LOL!

Again, thanks for all the info and suggestions. I'm back to thinking the DSE901 will be my first purchase. Thought I might run to our local Costco which was the only place around here to actually carry PVs, but found out they were pulled from the shelves and are no longer able to sell them.

Thought I saw a discussion somewhere on these boards about using PVs in public. Gonna head over there to read a while. Have to admit, I'm a little hesitant to use this thing in public. Just don't like to be the center of attention and I'm sure they draw attention. 8-o

I should be used to that though, slinking away outside with all the other social outcasts to smoke an analog!

 

[Speedikeys]

8-o pursed lip motion causes mouth wrinkles?!?! 8-o Egads! No more guppy-fish kisses for me!



You guys make me laugh, but it is true!!

 

[Shadowdr]

Atty's are a crapt shoot as to how long they will last. I have had em die in the first hour and have had a single one that lasted three weeks. That is not to say they don't or couldn't last longer, they very well could if a good way is found to clean them on a regular basis. Advice is to keep a few because you just don't want to be without.

If batteries were a flashlight always on, The PeWee oe mini about an hour, the Dura or 501 maybe two. They are the only ones I have so that is all I can tell you about. Three to four hours is in real time.

Glycerine will give a lot of smoke and some say a good throat hit. That and some flavoring and you can make your own 0 nic juice, as for anyones o nic I have never tried any.

 

[Speedikeys]

Thanks a bunch, Shadow. I think I better be sure to get at least two, maybe three, attys so I can ruin one, which I'm sure I will, and still have backups. Most sites have flat rate shipping so I'm trying to figure out everything I'll need and order it all at once, but at the same time, don't want to "over order" because what if I hate it.

I'm thinking 2 batteries, 2 or 3 attys, cartridges, and one small bottle of juice or a sample pack for refilling the carts. Does that sound reasonable to start off with?

Is that your puppy in the picture? He/she sure is a cutie!

 

[Shadowdr]

Thanks a bunch, Shadow. I think I better be sure to get at least two, maybe three, attys so I can ruin one, which I'm sure I will, and still have backups. Most sites have flat rate shipping so I'm trying to figure out everything I'll need and order it all at once, but at the same time, don't want to "over order" because what if I hate it.

I'm thinking 2 batteries, 2 or 3 attys, cartridges, and one small bottle of juice or a sample pack for refilling the carts. Does that sound reasonable to start off with?

Is that your puppy in the picture? He/she sure is a cutie!

It does sound resonable to me. I like to have three attys and batteries kinda depends on what model you get but two to three total as long as it is not one that has a real short lifespan. I have a RN4081 with 5 batteries but I only really need two for my dura c because rthey charge in about an hour and will last two(I vap like I smoked, alot). There is no need to overdo it right away. In a few weeks you will know what all you need. Being only a pack a day smoker you won't need that much to forget cigarettes all together.

It's not my puppy, I just liked the picture and can relate to how he feels.

 

[tikva]

Thanks so much everyone for all the helpful info! Very much appreciated!

Since my ePuffer order may/may not arrive and/or work, I ordered a 510 yesterday. I ordered the Titan starter kit from Totally Wicked (because other suppliers seem to be out of stock) and TW emailed me today saying the order has shipped. Great! The kit comes with two batteries, two atomizers and ten assorted carts. I also ordered two more batteries, two more atomizers and 30ml of 36mg juice which I plan to dilute with glycerine to make 60ml of 18mg strength. So, that should be a good start, hopefully!

Meanwhile, the EM-901 I ordered from Vapor4Life (because it was discontinued and a cheap price) arrived today. Fast shipping! (I ordered it over the weekend and they shipped it out Mon).

It looks like this:
http colon double slash store dot vapor4life dot com slash products_p slash em-901 dot htm
(can't post links until I have 15 posts....)

The good news is that it worked right out of the box. The bad news is---I must be doing something wrong. There's a video review here on ECF of the 'Modena' which looks exactly the same (taken apart, and put together) and is the same size. The video review was great and showed alot of vapor and the reviewer said it had a great throat hit too.

My EM-901 is only producing a fraction of the vapor as on the review. (I DID 'prime' it first and experimented with different drag techniques, trying to keep smooth and even). The cart is very 'juicy' too. I can see a small amount of vapor when I puff on it, but when I inhale I don't feel anything except a very nasty 'cigar smell' kinda taste, and NO vapor when I exhale. I'm not getting a throat hit---nothing except that awful taste. It came with 5 filled carts and I ordered an extra box of 5, so I tried changing carts---same nasty taste, very little vapor, zero when inhaling, etc.

After 2 hours of taking the ocassional puff, while I was at the computer (so my brain was distracted) I put the e-cig down to go have a cigarette. I most definitly had that "I need a cigarette NOW' feeling, and felt an immediate 'fix' with the first drag off an analog, so I think I wasn't getting ANY nicotene from the e-cigs. (The carts are all 'High', 2.4mg).

If I thought this was what vaping is like I'd never touch another e-cig. But I'm not giving up yet because I don't think this is what it's really like. Too many people here happy with vaping. I just need to figure out what I'm doing wrong...

Meanwhile....that nasty cigar'burnt' smell has a long hang time, I can still taste it...yuk!

Oh yeah, the carts that came with it are just 'tobacco' flavour I think, and the ones I ordered are 'Marlboro', but they taste exactly the same--nasty.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Right now, I'm just being patient until the TW order arrives and see if that's a better experience. Meanwhile, I'm disappointed I'll still be smoking my analogs just the same until then....

 

[Shadowdr]

Hmm, is the atty getting hot?

 

[tikva]

I think so. I don't know how to tell for sure. But there is some vapor, more at some times than others, and there's a slight gurgling sound. The battery seems to have a short cut-off time. I read somewhere that the reason this model was discontinued was due to problems with the atty getting too hot, but the PV doesn't feel hot.

The smell and taste are really awful though. It's on my clothes and skin and smells alot worse than smoking tobacco......

 

[Shadowdr]

I don't think that your atty is working like it should. It should be hot to the touch after a few hits. The foul burning smell(and taste)is a primer that they put on it new, and usually burns off after about a cartfull. My mini works ok when I get a little much juice in the atty and flood it but my Dura does not. Take off the mouthpeice and remove the battery, using a tissue to catch the fluid blow through the battery side hole to clear the fluid out and see if that helps. It could be a bad atomizer, it happens.

 

[tikva]

Thanks Sadowdr!

The burning taste/smell isn't so bad today so I guess that was from the primer like you said. The atty is alittle warm to the touch but not hot. Still very little vapor and I don't feel like I'm getting a nic 'fix'....

The awful cigar taste and smell is from the carts themselves. I smelled a fresh cart (never used) and it smells exactly like the two I used in the PV. The carts all have a sickening 'sweet-like' cigar smell. I personally hate cigar smell.

Is this what 'tobacco' flavour carts are supposed to smell/taste like?

 

[lrt73]

It's $7-8 here in MA too...it's crazy.

I'm still not understanding the switching method piece...

 

[Elendil]

You will need to invest about $100 initially.

I think you missed a 0 on your estimate

 

[Speedikeys]

Tikva, wondering how it's going for you today? Any better? Did any of your other orders arrive yet? You have like 3 out there, right?

I decided to order the SS Elite from Sharp Smoker which I'm told by a very helpful forum member is really a Smoore M402. I was back and forth between so many different models, but every time I would think I'd settled on one, either nobody would have it in stock, or I could get the ecig but not the extra carts/attys/extra batts, etc. from the same supplier.

Finally, I found this SS Elite and got 2 batts, 2 attys, 15 carts, the charger and delivery for $68 since Sharp Smoker is having a 40% grand opening sale.

They don't carry the juice so I'm gonna go slow here and wait until I get everything, see how I like it, and then order juice from another supplier if all goes well.

I'll update when I get mine. The website says I should have it in 2 to 3 days, but I'm not expecting it quite that fast. I really really hope I like this. It was kind of an impulse buy because I was getting so frustrated and spending hours and hours checking all the posts and then checking all the websites so I really didn't do a lot of research on the Smoore 402 (comparable to M401, M402 I'm told).

Analogs just went up here again, but compared to what some of you have posted you're paying, I guess I'm still lucky to be under $5 a pack. Even if this ecig thing doesn't save me any money, I just can't wait to be done with the chest aching and everything being so stinky! Plus, it just gets on my one last nerve that most of what I'm paying for a pack of smokes is taxes!

Check back and let us know how you're doing. Sure hope it's better!

 

[tikva]

Speedikeys, I still have hope!

Yesterday was my first day vaping. Even though this e-cig isn't working too well, (little to no vapor, no throat hit, fast battery cut-off, etc.) I still managed to go 12 hours yesterday without an analog! ( 8.5 hours at work + commute +running errands). I was actually okay at work, vaping about every 1/2 - 1 hour, although I was dying for an analog when I got home. Altogether I smoked 4 analogs yesterday, 2 in the morning and 2 after I got home. Same today. I've only had 3 reg. cigs and it's after 9 pm. I really have hope that once I get a PV that works properly I can go my first whole day with an analog!

Yes, I have three orders out...(my paycheck is gone! and I have to dip into savings to pay the phone bill!) Good thing I'm used to living on the edge8-o...no wonder I smoke!

Order #1 was from ePufffer for a penstyle---although I really had no idea what I was ordering at the time---too much confusing info. I haven't heard anything back from them and expect a long hassle to get a refund...

Order #2 was from Totally Wicked (a Titan 501 kit). I ordered it on the 6th and it arrived today! Yay! But I live on this stupid island and there's no mail delivery except to the Post Office and it's closed today and tomorrow! But I'll be on their doorstep first thing monday morning to get my package! I'm really excited to try a decent model e-cig! If I've managed to only smoke 4 cigs two days in a row with a barely working PV, I'm hoping to maybe quit analogs cold turkey with a good PV!

Order #3 was from David Yang and I ordered an M401 and a DSE901 kit. So, I'll be able to try 3 models altogether. (I would have been able to also try the penstyle, but like I said, ePuffer is not coming through with the order......)

Anyway, like I said, I have high hopes for the other models since I managed to go so long without an analog even with the p.o.s. unit I've used for 2 days.

Oh, and btw. The one I'm using has a 'flat tip' not round like a real cig, and it doesn't bother me at all like I thought it would. It's not as flat as the pic on the web look. It's actually quite nice.

Hope you get your order SOON!

And I'll have my Titan 501 on monday!

Looking forward to hearing how your Elite works. What a great deal! You saved about a gazillion more $$ than I did!

 

[tikva]

EDIT: The end of that first paragraph was supposed to say, "...my first whole day without an analog!"

Sorry 'bout the typo

 

[Brooks]

Well, I just started looking at this stuff and bought an NPro.... THEN I found THIS site and said.... "Damn... I could have......" Now I have an 801 and a 701 (cigar) coming, as well as blank carts and a pass through. Okay, I know big bucks! But, I am a fireman here and the lungs are going fast between analogs, fires, and overhaulin' post-fire jobs.
I dunno how old you are... but get rid of the smoke! It WILL eventually get you!
Oh.... I got the JC Kona Coffee flavor and mixed it with Tobacco flavor and cut it with glycerine and brandy <---(LOL).... It tastes sooo much better than analogs that I had to cut it down even further so that I do not O.D. on nicotine.
I already love this stuff!!!

 

[tikva]

Brooks, glad everything is working out so well for you! You sound like you're having waaay too much fun with DIY e-Juice!

 

[Paradiso]

Check out AbsolutelyeCigs.com and www.eastmall.net - Eastmall International Co.,Ltd. With both you are pretty much buying directly from the source. Shipping is not expensive and it takes about 10 days to get your order.
I'm new to this and have only used he M402 from abolutely ecigs and am very happy with it.
It takes a little while for the atomizer to break in before you get good vapor. Also batteries must have a good charge, as the battery weakens, the vape dwindles.
I am vapin non stop but I went from 1 1/2 packs a day o virtually none immediately. I started 8 days ago and have smoked about 15 cigarettes since, only 1 in the last 3 days (yesterday).

 

[Shadowdr]

EDIT: The end of that first paragraph was supposed to say, "...my first whole day without an analog!"

Sorry 'bout the typo

Big congrats there and very well done.
I thought there was no hope for me, I actually quit 4/4 but have had two packs since then due to dead attys. Your going to love having your lungs back.