I am a noob please help...

[RainSong]

Welcome to ecf! Keep in mind *whatever* you try can be altered, customized, tweaked in ways to make it more satisfying. So feel free to try anything and everything to gain experience and really narrow down your preferences. They'll likely change and evolve as you learn more. I started out with a subohm setup and while it did work well enough for me to quit smoking I found that I enjoy a different style. I do use a direct lung hit but I use lower airflow, lower wattage tanks. This saves me on juice volume and gives me longer battery life. I started subohm vaping with 6mg nicotine and that's still what I use, though I have no problem with using my husband's 12mg either.

 

[D4rk50ul]

You may be having some overfill spilling into the center and flooding the coil, which will spill out the air Vents if not vaped dry.

Also, there is no DTL = twice as much nicotine as MTL rule. Watts don't = more nicotine, the only way to measure how much nicotine you consume is to keep track of the amount of liquid you use. Sub ohm setups burn through juice faster, so you end up inhaling more juice / nicotine. Use what level satisfies you, I wouldn't go above 12mg on your setup though, I think 3mg-6mg is the norm.

The ideal settings for your device power wise is whatever gives you consistent flavor, without getting dry hits where the wicking dries out mid hit. This is usually caused by chain vaping (up your nicotine levels to reduce frequency) or from sheer heat burning the wick (reduce watts).

If you still end up with the leaking tank make sure you clean and dry the bottom of the tank below the threading where the atty head screws in, and also the bottom of the atty head as well.

 

[tgs3]

Welcome - this is an incredible community. There are others far more qualified than me to address your technical problems, but as to nic, I agree that you need to increase the level. I joined this community around a month ago. I have been smoking for over forty years, 1 1/2 to 2 pad. I have managed to reduce to 9/10 a day because of vaping. I have been vaping nic salts at 5% using a Juul. When I vape normal e-liquid I use 2.4%. The great thing is that one can gradually reduce the nicotine while minimizing the suffering. There is a thread for those of us who continue to dual use. If your interested:

Still smoking support and chat thread

 

[Hightech Redneck]

Welcome, it took all of us a while to find our perfect vaping experience and most are still searching.
You can find a tank with higher ohm coils to mtl as mentioned and use it on your tpriv, just at a much lower wattage. This will get you much longer battery life and minimize cost. Good luck.
Oh and for peace of mind ask here before you purchase a new tank.

 

[Brewdawg1181]

Congratulations, Vexar! 5 months now for me, after 45 years of smoking.

It does sound like they didn't do you any favors where you got set up- neither for the juice, or the equipment. It definitely seems that most pack a day smokers have success at 18 mg. or more. I never could get satisfied myself when I tried 12 mg, even after a few months (I'm at around 16 now with DIY) and did much better at 18mg. I even had a small bottle of cheap 24mg tobacco from Dekang that I'd use to add a few drops on evenings when I'd had a few beers, and really needed the boost.

I'd also agree with the others, in that you should have a good MTL setup (my description of the difference is that MTL= cigarette hit, DTL= .... hit). Early on, you're just wanting to replace a cigarette, so that's the best way to go. I don't use it anymore (I use a rebuildable now), but the Nautilus 2 tank seemed to be the consensus "best" MTL tank with easily replaceable factory coils. It did the trick for me, and was easy and reliable to use. And any regulated mod that can drive it at 8-15 watts ought to do the trick.

Keep reading this forum, and its many useful threads. There's a ton of support, knowledge, valuable info, and many great people here that helped me learn, and be successful!

edit: Ha! Sorry, Moderators - you're quick. Didn't realize I couldn't use that word. But I'd have thought you'd edit it to B**G Hit or something! I'll be more careful now that I know!

 

[Vexar]

Thank you for all the nice replies everyone! I read every reply!

I am starting on week 3 as of today. So far I would say I have cut down my smoking 30-40%, maybe more I am tracking how often I have to get a new cartoon, I had one super long day where I was up for 20 hours working and smoking to keep awake so that changed the average.

I figured out the leaking issue, I took a part the tank reversing the gaskets and the glass it works much better now.

On the juice question, I upgraded to 6mg using 55-60 watts with Skwezed Green Apple and Red Watermelon, Green Apple is awesome highly recommend, I wont get the Water Melon again seems to be missing the flavor I was expecting, it is still good.

I was mixing in both into my 3mg Naked Green Blast and it was tasty for a while but after a few days of that I tried to go with the pure tank of each. Was fun to mix them up. I might try a higher nicotine content next round, right now I have 3 bottles and the first 60 ml is still 1/3 full.

I seem to be going through 2-3 tanks a day, around a total of 6800 puffs and counting as of this message.

I find the experience very good except the mess, my device seems to get sticky even with out a leak, I have had to take it apart and clean it all with warm water soaked cloth a few times.

The next thing I am studying are larger tanks, and spare batteries or the highest end batteries for my device and wattage and longer usb cable the one they gave me is tiny, I am using my phone cord most of the time now, but it would be great to have a 6ft long USB cable so I can vape away and always be recharging. I have been reading up and watching more vods from the great community here.

One thing that the vendors seem to want me to do is smell the vape juice before I buy it knowing I am total noob also I am a smoker so my sense of smell is way way off, so this method has no meaning for me. I know why they are doing it but if you are a clueless noob then they all smell good.

Next time I go on the juice hunt I will force myself to get something out of the fruit range. I am hoping to find a jolly rancher cherry or strawberry flavor still. One thing that is puzzling is that the I have read that juice has a shelf life but none of the bottles have any expiration date on them, if you are building new juices this is a feature I think will go over well.

 

[gofishtx]

I would add that when you are buying new batteries that you also invest in an external charger such as a Nitecore.It's always better and safer to charge your batteries externally.
Like someone said, raise your nicotine level so that you can drop the stinkies completely. I started at 24 and then dropped to 18 and then 12 and finally to 6mg to 3 mg. The higher nicotine will really help you stop smoking.

 

[stols001]

Congrats on reducing your smoking that much already! That's fantastic. Glad you are getting your setup figured out. A small amount of e-juice is not unexpected on things. I do my best to keep everything dry and non-sticky, it does require a certain amount of time.

I am a bit in agreement with others about possibly raising your nic level-- not too high with your setup, but the tiniest bit higher may push you over the edge where avoiding cigs is a bit easier.

With that said, there is nothing wrong with dual using for a while, and tapering cigs. I did that (well, not so much the taper) but I smoked a bit my first week, week and a half, and I think it probably made the final transition easier for me, so don't sweat a cigarette here and there, just keep vaping and they will drop away once you decide on making the final switch (and there is no other "right" time frame to do it, just what works for you).

Good luck, and happy vaping!

Anna

 

[gofishtx]

I should add that when I was on 24 mg of nicotine, the only e cigs available back in 2011 were the Joy Ego or pen style. The mods today are much more efficient at delivering that nicotine hit, so maybe start out around 12 mg

 

[jfcooley]

Don't know if it's been mentioned, in break so can't read all.

Leaking in the BBB, check the o ring on the coil. Sometimes if you tighten too much is screws that ring up and it leaks. Had a coil with a bad ring that leaked like nobody's business. I'm sure some mentioned leave a little air.
.also, there is a white o ring on the chimney. That's where the top screws into the coil. That one has given me all kinds of issues. There's a spare in the kit that comes with the tank.

If mentioned before, forgive me.

 

[Vexar]

Quick update: I found out that the batteries sold to me with my mod were knock off LG's 1/3 of the listed power.

My leaking tank was caused by over tightening it by compressing the gaskets I was causing the leak by listening to the seller and watching him do it. The tank leaked before I did anything to it but I didn't help it after. No more leaks.

I went to the seller of the mod / batteries to explain to him how you can tell if batteries are fakes (giving him the benefit of the doubt he did not know this) his blank stare, his response and the look on his face told me all I needed to see he knew he was selling fakes.

He then tried to sell me new batteries at 3x the price of what they cost. The wrap on one of the batteries had a small hole in the wrap causing a short in my mod. He tried to blame that I was charging it via USB but I asked him to get his charger out so we could test the batteries he refused. I will never go back, I don't care about the money at all just that I can't trust this guy ever again which just made me sad.

I found a great vape shop on my 3rd try got 4 new real batteries, a charger, new juice, more information that helped me fix tank, and lot of other great information. The two guys that work at the shop earned my trust and money I will always try to go to them first now. My new favorite flavor is Sqeez Berryade 6mg.

 

[Coyote628]

Hello Vexar...Lots of good advice...I agree with 99 3/4% of it and I'd bet you'll be an Ex-Smoker in a very short period of time !!!...Find a comfortable main line starter kit and I'm in the Lower Watts - MTL - Higher Nicotine Camp...My gut tells me 12mg...And MTL most closely duplicates the ACT of smoking which is a habit in itself...There are many Good Starter Kits: Kanger / Innokin / ego / Aspire / ELeaf are a few names to look at...

Personally I vape at about 4.3v / 11.5w +- a bit...50/50 PG/VG at 15mg Nicotine...I dilute 18mg and will be going down to 12mg in the very near future...With a "Better" device 18mg has quite a kick to it...

For JUICE...On-Line...Mt. Baker Vapor is as reputable as they get...It might sound obvious but get some of their House Blend flavors you'll really enjoy...They aren't the cheapest or the best...But they're Very Good !!!...Reasonable $$$ and lighting quick on shipping...

Mt Baker Vapor - Vape Juice | E Juice | Vape Devices

I smoked for over 30 years...If I can quit...So can you !!!

I have a t-priv but it wasnt the device i started out with. Im with everyone else on starting out with higher nicotine and an MTL type device. That will give you the nicotine you are used to. After a month or two, you can begin to lower the nic level and switch over to your t priv. By then, direct lung hits will feel much better and easier to take