I am SO frustrated - please help me.

[darlasue]

I have been a smoker for 37 years. This is the 3rd time I've tried e-cigs in the past year - all 510's.

Last week I spent a lot of time reading this site and felt sure I could get it right. Today I got in 3 atty's from one of the ecf vendors. I blew out the junk, put a couple drops on an atty and tried to vape.
After getting nothing several times, I held it battery-end up (as I read in the forums), to pull juice away from the atty. After a few tries I got some vapor. A couple more tries and I got decent plumes, followed by.....the burned ... taste.

Then I watched a video (#4) that said the cart needs to be lined with the bridge. I haven't been doing that. Is that why I keep getting the burned taste? Is it the junk sticking out from under the bridge, that doesn't look like it should be there? Am I just too damn stupid to smoke an e-cig?

I have 2 more new atty's without the burn taste, but I'm scared I'm gonna' ruin them, as well. One isn't getting any vapor at all, and the other is working okay for now. Not great, but okay.

I also have a 5 pack of cartomizers, but can't figure out how to bend a paper clip to get the little circle piece out.. Not that it would matter, since I'd probably destroy those too.

I have an Ego on the way, but if it's just a beefed-up 510, I guess I'll have the same problem with that. So I've spent another $100 on equipment and juice AND I'm still buying analogs.

I just want to quit smoking. I see others quitting the first day, even after years. I smoke 1.5 packs a day and I am so jealous of those who quit with their first purchase.

Are there models that DON'T have the burnt taste issue? Can anybody help me?

 

[Java_Az]

New atomizers take a good 5 to 7 drops to prime. If you getting that nasty ... taste it might be because it is dry. Since you already put a cart on i would try dripping two drops on the bridge then test see if the nasty taste is gone,

 

[ShannonS]

You keep hearing us talk about the learning curve? You are on it now. The attys are all new and that is the most likely reason for the taste you are experiencing. There is a fine line between a dry atty and a flooded atty and experience is going to be the best way for you to learn the difference. I soak new attys in a bit of juice for an hour or two before vaping them. Drip 3-4 drops into your atty and let it sit for 15 mins to an hour to let the wick get wet. Blow it out and then drip again and see if that helps.

The junk sticking out from the bridge is probably the wick. Leave it alone

With the cartos, you don't really have to bend the paper clip, you can pop the top off with a straight paperclip too. Just aim it towards the edge and the lever it off.

I suggest you pick attys or carts to master. You will learn how to do this, it just takes a little time. Learning to use brand new technology in a few hours is difficult.

 

[Richie G]

I would suggest reading Shannon's reply a few more times. It's on the money. =)

When you did your research you did very well. Two drops of liquid on the atomizer is right for most of us, most of the time, EXCEPT with a brand new (or freshly cleaned) atty.

Darla, you are *thisclose* to getting this. Hang in there.

Again, as Shannon noted, pick one or the other for now... atty or carto, not both. My opinion is that the atty is easier to learn. Good luck and don't feel alone. We've all been there.

 

[darlasue]

Thanks for answering, ShannonS. I did try to use the atty's right away. I lined them up, filled the carts, and tried vaping. So next time, I will let the atty's sit with juice for a bit. I did blow the junk out before I put juice, and I've blown them out several more times since.

I think I really did destroy them. Already.

I'm gonna' keep trying, because I really, really want (and need) to quit smoking. Aside from being broke from analogs, my skin is beginning to look about as good as my burnt ... atty's taste.

 

[SimpleSins]

I just want to point out, when I started I was given the same advice. But....nobody ever mentioned that you do this with a cartful of liquid, too. So I was under the impression that this 2-3 drops was all that was needed. And I was still getting burnt taste. I was ready to quit then. Somehow or another I came to the realization that I was not using enough juice. The 2-5 drops on the atomizer was just to get it started, and it still required that you have a cartridge that has the probably 15 drops (if new) in it before it was going to work the way it is supposed to. Once I got that down, if I got the burn-ish taste, I knew to add more juice to my cartridge. And in a very short time, I learned to recognize the taste that you get right before the burn-ish taste, so I could add juice before I got to that "ugh" moment. Hang in there. It's going to get a lot easier real quick!!

 

[Valsacar]

Yup, sounds like it just needs some more fluid. I personally don't blow out the primer, I just take about 10 good puffs (without inhaling) and that normally does it for me.

As ShannonS said, that junk sticking out is probably the wick... don't be like me and pull it out thinking it shouldn't be there... makes an atty useless (unless you want to drip).

 

[Valsacar]

Thanks for answering, ShannonS. I did try to use the atty's right away. I lined them up, filled the carts, and tried vaping. So next time, I will let the atty's sit with juice for a bit. I did blow the junk out before I put juice, and I've blown them out several more times since.

I think I really did destroy them. Already.

I'm gonna' keep trying, because I really, really want (and need) to quit smoking. Aside from being broke from analogs, my skin is beginning to look about as good as my burnt ... atty's taste.

You might not have killed it yet, unless it looks black it probably isn't completely dead. Let it soak for a bit with some liquid... what ShannonS said, it works pretty well.

 

[darlasue]

RichieG, thanks for the reply. I would love to work with atty's, since the carto's are so hard to open (for me). I just don't seem to be able to master them. I feel so freakin' stupid, too.

Since I have a 5 pack of carto's, and they're all open on the counter now, I guess I'm gonna' have to spend a bit trying to master them.

Will I have the same problems with the Ego? Is there an easier model than 510's?

 

[darlasue]

Java - I think I may have given my atty's a permanent burnt taste - just like my old ones. Apparently I'm having trouble distinguishing a dry atty from a wet one.

 

[SimpleSins]

RichieG, thanks for the reply. I would love to work with atty's, since the carto's are so hard to open (for me). I just don't seem to be able to master them. I feel so freakin' stupid, too.

Since I have a 5 pack of carto's, and they're all open on the counter now, I guess I'm gonna' have to spend a bit trying to master them.

Will I have the same problems with the Ego? Is there an easier model than 510's?

One way or another you'll have to deal with atomizers or cartomizers, unless you get nothing but the prefilled.

Some cartomizers are easier than others. There are ones that have a soft top and you can almost pop the white top of those off with a toothpick. The hard-topped ones are more difficult. The easiest way to get those off is to heat up some water (pretty warm) and holding by the battery end, put about 1/2 inch of the cartomizer in the hot water. Hold it for about 30 seconds to a minute (or until you get bored, which is what I do). This loosens the glue that holds that cap on so that you can pop it right out of there.

 

[darlasue]

SimpleSins - thanks for the encouragement. If this learning curve doesn't kill me, I look forward to being a happy vaper.

valsacar - I'm dripping some juice on the 2 icky atty's now and will let them sit for a while. It would be nice if they "lost" the ... taste. I feel sad about losing $15.00 worth of parts in less than 2 hours.

 

[Bfly]

I am also new to this and seems as if the taste is changing.

I just keep thinking this taste like charboy. I am far from giving up. Hell I used to cough up a lung when i started smoking that did not stop me from smoking. HAHAHA...

 

[DC2]

The advice you've gotten is all correct, so I have nothing to add really.
But I do want to keep track of this thread and see how things are going on your next update.

 

[Java_Az]

Java - I think I may have given my atty's a permanent burnt taste - just like my old ones. Apparently I'm having trouble distinguishing a dry atty from a wet one.

I noticed some of these cheap Atomizers taste really bad. Where did you get yours from. I got a 5 pack and they are all tasting really bad. Only two brands i can say i like are bauway and joye

 

[ShannonS]

@darlasue, set them aside and mess with them later if you get too frustrated. I threw out several attys I thought I had ruined by cleaning. They were just too dry and I was too new to realize it.

The attys will taste like they are burning until the wick is nice and damp. The atty is not "dead" unless it doesn't warm up when you vape it when connected to a battery. Almost any burned taste with an atty can be recovered.

Are you using cartridges or direct dripping?

If you are using cartridges, did you fill them with juice?

 

[ShannonS]

Hey Darlasue!

Click the live chat button on the top bar, if you come into the chat room, I will try to help you if I can

 

[darlasue]

I noticed some of these cheap Atomizers taste really bad. Where did you get yours from. I got a 5 pack and they are all tasting really bad. Only two brands i can say i like are bauway and joye

I got mine from My Vapor Store. I had to choose from East coast, since I wanted to quit buying cigs asap. So far, the one carto I've tried is tasting okay. Not great, though. I have no idea what the brand is. OH! Just noticed, these are Low Resistance cartomizers. Not sure that makes a difference.....

I've yet to hit an e-cig and taste waffle. I have a drip tip on the way, so maybe that will finally give me a satisfying waffle-flavored hit.

 

[SimpleSins]

Keep in mind that with low resistance you're going to need even more juice than you would with a standard.

 

[Java_Az]

You might not want to run those low resistance atomizers on regular 510 batteries. Wait to use those on your eGo. The 510 batteries are not strong enough. You for sure are going to get hotter vapor off them. Are they all LR atomizers ?