Important tip for new Pilot users...

[rsngfrce]

As a newbie, it took me about a week to figure this out, so I thought I should pass it along... the switch in the Pilot battery is very sensitive. If you drag hard and fast, as is natural for me at least, you will hear a loud 'air sucking' sound and get very little vapor. If you drag slow and soft, you don't get that annoying noise and get a lot of vapor! Try it and you will be much more satisfied.

 

[dohsma]

I agree with that advice. The pilot is my first e-cig as well and it took me a while to get used to it. One other thing I would note, it seems to work A LOT better with the shorter battery. Of course it could just be my unit, but the longer battery does not work too well for me.

Overall it's a great product, and personally I haven't had an analog since Saturday. I even concocted some of my own home brew juice with no nic and I have been using that quite a bit.

 

[udave]

Good tip. A slow soft drag is definitely the way to go, and the sound when you take a hard and fast drag is really annoying anyway. My shorter battery seems to perform better than the long one as well (more vapor, throat hit, and a brighter led.)

I'm really liking my Pilot so far and can't wait to see a usb passthrough for this thing.

 

[rsngfrce]

I think I would agree about the performance with my short battery, but at least in my case (and I have a feeling this is common) I think this is because the switch is more sensitive on the short battery. I don't know if this is because of the short length or it was just made that way. The problem is, while this makes it nice to use around home, I've found it much more likely to turn itself on and go to cutoff mode when I am in my car....

 

[ninjapuff]

I'm experiencing the same... I start out with a heavier draw to get it warmed up, and then draw it real light, just heavy enough to keep the LED on, and it gives a ton of vapor. The bigger battery works as well and lasts longer, but it does require a slightly heavier draw to activate it.

I may have just been imagining this, or just getting used to my first e-cig, but it seems like it was quite a bit harder to draw for the first couple days. I don't think it would have been possible to do the light draws at that time. I ordered an extra atomizer, and it seemed it took 2 days to break each of them in.

 

[snf]

the slow and soft technique works real well for me too. When I first started out, i was huffing and puffing tryin to get vapor lol...now i just take a primer puff then slow and soft drag

im not sure if this is with anyone else but when my pilot gets good vapor, i dont feeel much of a throat hit, and when I do get some good throat hits (after dripping), I don't get as much vapor? iono

 

[CaSHMeRe]

rsn ... that's the key bud ...

have to remember, pilots use an electronic switch, not a pneumatic.

so many people start with mechanical switch type ecigs, so they are used to sucking to get the best vapor. There is no force needed for electronic switches, thus, you get the best vapor on the slow and steady puff

 

[Shaz1973]

As a newbie, it took me about a week to figure this out, so I thought I should pass it along... the switch in the Pilot battery is very sensitive. If you drag hard and fast, as is natural for me at least, you will hear a loud 'air sucking' sound and get very little vapor. If you drag slow and soft, you don't get that annoying noise and get a lot of vapor! Try it and you will be much more satisfied.

I have the PeeWee, but this seems to be case with me. I think a quick shallow puff or two before the long slow drag really gets the vapor level up too.

 

[zauriel]

I'll have to throw my agreement on the 402 battery seemingly performing better than the 401. Plus I like the shorter design, despite less battery charge than the 401. I'd love to see the 402's able to be ordered on the site by themselves, plus a case to accommodate the 402's and not just the 401's.

I've had my Pilot, my first e-cig, for a week now. I would say that it's probably taken me until now to really grasp the best way to get the most from it, and yes that includes the long, slow draw without much force. Although I have to say that even in its best form, I don't get a "ton" of vapor, I get moderate vapor that roughly equals the output of my analogs of choice, Camel Crush. Though I am considering reading up on how to cut the liquid I have with glycerine to increase the vapor production.

 

[Enzo]

I received my Pilot yesterday and for some reason it's producing very little vapor but I'm getting the harshest throat hit you can imagine. It's actually hurting my throat and is uncomfortable to say the least. I've tried the short/slow draws as well as longer/faster ones and it makes no difference. My 901 is producing 5x as much vapor. Any ideas???

 

[Spikey]

I received my Pilot yesterday and for some reason it's producing very little vapor but I'm getting the harshest throat hit you can imagine. It's actually hurting my throat and is uncomfortable to say the least. I've tried the short/slow draws as well as longer/faster ones and it makes no difference. My 901 is producing 5x as much vapor. Any ideas???

Hey Enzo.. and welcome! It sounds to me as if your atomizer is not broken in yet. The new atomizers sometimes have a "primer" taste to them that burns a bit and tastes slightly like burnt metal. Once it goes away.. it gets much smoother. You can always clean the atomizer too (see the thread "cleaning atomizers"). Then once you drip a drop to moisten it (love the word "MOIST"!)and pop a cart on.. should vape great and produce lots of vapor.

 

[snf]

yeah just gotta break it in, keep puffin

 

[]v[icr0-kn0x]

Hmmm, that's a good tip Spikey. I guess I know what I gotta do once I (eventually) will get my pilot in. Is this primer actually some type of coating that is on the atomizer when they get shipped?

 

[Spikey]

I heard it is a fluid they put on the atomizer that soaks in to keep it "moist" (hah!) so it doesn't dry out and it puffs off as it gets hot. Can anyone confirm that?

 

[fenez]

yeah spikey thats what i've heard