Help with my next steps to success in e-cig vs tobacco!

[moseng]

I hope this is the right place for this?



I was smoking a ½ pack a day until last week when got a stock 510 starter kit in the mail. The good news is that I’ve only smoked 10 cigs in that week. The bad news IMO is I can’t put the PV down! I mean I am like a chimney fog machine! Anyway, here are some things I noticed in my first week.

Carts – Having to refill them while out and about and it is a real PIA! I’ve tried a couple mods with the short piece of blue foam working the best so far. I still have to refill them way more than I want though.

Battery life… Everyone said it, but I didn’t listen. The stock 510’s are horrible and if it wasn’t for the PCC I got with the kit I would have chucked them the first day. I go easily through 5-6 battery charges a day. I lost count on Saturday...stress day!!

Real cig (OK, Analog) Cravings - I have tried several nic strengths, PG and VG based up to 18mg but I “think” I may have to go higher, at least during the day. Not sure about that though. And that first hit or two from a fresh battery and newly filled cart is “almost” enough, but not quite. The vapor is ok, but I think I need a stronger throat hit maybe to mimic real cigs more closely? I know it's not the same, but if I can get a little closer... or is this addiction talking?


So, I figure there are a couple of things I can try next….

Stronger juice – I have some 24mg on the way.


Cartomizers - because they hold more. I am thinking I could fill 2 or 3 in the morning and be good for the day. I go through about 7-9 full carts a day now (modded with blue foam).


Higher Voltage - Ordered a 5 volt pass through (with 5v 2amp wall plug) and an LR atomizer to try out.

batteries – Hmmm, think I will wait until I see if the above will work before investing any more money. I mean I could find myself looking for some sort of HV juice dispensing mod so why spend more money on say an EGO??


Well, that’s about it. I was hoping you all could tell me if I’m on the right track or I’m just blowing vaper out of my ...!

 

[hittman]

I think you are headed in the right direction. If the 18mg is not satisfying your cravings then don't be afraid to try the 24mg and even maybe 30 or 36. Even though you are getting the nicotine, the liquids we use don't have the chemicals and tobacco alkaloids that cigarettes have in them. For some people it helps to use higher strength liquids to get past the hump of your body reacting to not getting the other things in cigarettes. For a lot of people that will get them where they want to be and then many cut back on strength later. Then there are the others like me that don't function well without the alkaloids in the tobacco so I substitute my vaping with Swedish snus and some nasal snuff. I think that either with a higher voltage pv or with a low resistance atomizer that it will give you a better throat hit and give you the feel that you are looking for. Just remember that no matter the voltage or liquid, it's never gonna feel like a cigarette does. I have tried liquid with whole tobacco alkaloids and it is a more realistic feel than anything else I have ever tried. Perhaps some day the liquid manufacturers will produce liquid with WTA's in it.

 

[Kent C]

For one thing, you don't want to use a LR 510 atomizer on a 5 volt PT. It won't last long. The 901 atomizer (@3.4ohms) with a 510 to 901adapter is almost perfect, imo. See this chart of wattages for a range where you're less likely to burn out atomizers/cartomizers:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-resistance-atomizer-high-voltage-device.html

I think you would find that the eGo batt (6-6.5 hours) with a mega eGo atty and cart (2.5ml - 4-5 hours worth of ejuice) would be just as good as a juice dispensing mod. You'd need the usb quick charger for the eGo batt.

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

hittman and Kent have provided excellent suggestions.

Indeed, most cartridges don't hold that much juice and don't deliver it very effectively to the atomizer. But notice Kent's comments about large capacity and effectiveness of the Mega eGO cartridges (used with the Mega eGO atomizer). Another alternative is to forget carts and just drip directly on the atomizer coil, something I have done for the past year. It does take frequent (minor) effort, but, for me, it's analogous to lighting up a cigarette: no big deal.

Because of battery life, I do think that a 650+ mAh eGO (or one of its competitors, e.g., Riva, Vgo, Inferno, Hello 016) is the way to go ... unless you want to leap immediately to a mod.

Getting one of those fat batts (as I call them) also would enable you to use LR atomizers: one of the two ways to boost the intensity of the vape (vapor, flavor, TH). [NOTE: You endanger the life of your 510 batteries by trying to use LR attys on them.] The other way is by increasing the voltage, e.g., the 5V passthrough. But, as Kent cautions, don't do both at the same time.

It is possible that you are one of those people (I am another), who doesn't get much TH from the 510 atomizer. At some point, you may want to try out an 801 atomizer. [I recommend either the EastMall 801 (e.g., from Vapor Junction) or the 2.0 ohm or 2.5 ohm LR 801 (e.g., from IkenVape). The 2.0 ohm one will require the higher mAh of a fat batt.] You can use it on your 510 or fat batt battery with an inexpensive 510batt-to-801atom adapter, e.g., from GoodProphets.

Try different flavors of e-liquid (both China-made and US/UK-made) and from various suppliers. At the same nicotine strength, a tobacco flavor is a very different experience from a sweet-tooth flavor ... and, for example, Decadent Vapours (UK) or Backwoods Brew (US) is very different from DeKang (China).

With a little experimentation, almost certainly you will have a vaping experience far superior to smoking cancer sticks (which this former 40-year smoker now finds to be yucky).

 

[hittman]

Great suggestions from Kent and Don. I have never tried the ego carts so can't talk about those. I quickly grew tired of carts after using all of the standard ones(510,901,801). I could never get them to work like I thought they should. Evidentally the ego ones must be better if Kent is recommending them. I only drip now or use cartomizers.

 

[Kurt]

Well, all great suggestions here so far. As you can see, moseng, there are a lot of good ideas, some of which may work for you, some may not.

1. The 5V PT is a good idea, but Kent is right, LR attys will fry on it. I have one, and the nice thing is you can get cheaper SLB510 attys (~3.2 ohms) and they work great. So do Joye 510 attys at 2.4 ohms. But we are not always tethered to a computer, so...

2. I recommend a Boxmod from boxmods.net. Cheap, hardy, and work with 900 mAh 14500 batts. Excellent with 510 attys or cartos. They are about $25, and the batts are much cheaper than the "fat batt" mods, like the ego. Also they put out a true 3.7V.

3. I'm gonna second hittman's suggestion for Swedish snus. I am one of those that need more than just nic. Snus works! Its not as sweet as US snus, like camel, but its much safer due to its processing method. Very low in carcinogens. getsnus.com has a large selection and good prices, and its cheaper to ship than from Sweden (getsnus is in PA), although that is an option too.

Higher nic has its place, and might do the trick, but for me it keeps the analogs away longer, but ends up making me nervous. Sometimes a nice kick is good though.

You idea about doing cartos is a good one. They do last much longer than carts, do not leak, and can give almost a good a vape as dripping. Its easy to fill several for a day, and then just pop them on when one runs out.

Don's comments about flavors are good too. I make a pipe tobacco flavored juice that is remarkably satisfying. Others have similar results with tobacco flavored juices.

Regardless, you are well on your way in this journey! Don't give up, something will work well for you, although you may need some time to find out what it is. The trick is to have fun with it. Its a great hobby...although it can get a bit expensive if you explore too many new toys.

Good luck!