Inexperienced vaper issues

[80's Guy]

A good a title as any, I guess. I started vaping to get off of cigarettes. After 2 1/2 yrs it was a great decision.

I started out with a Halo brand starter kit, as I wanted to stick around the same size and weight of a cig as I could to make the transition easier. Once I got accustomed to that, I moved on to the "pen"/Ego style with the basic tanks.

I finally got tired of buying those things when they died, and wanted something a bit more reusable, so I went with a Hammer Clone. I wanted something basic, where I could replace batteries as needed, and just fill and vape. Wanted mechanical so I didn't have to deal with wires and circuitry and all that technical stuff. Worked fine for me initially.

I'm a bare bones vaper, don't have any knowledge about all the ohms/sub-ohms/wattage/resistance, etc. etc. stuff. It's like you need to be a certified electrician these days to simply puff on something and get some nicotine and flavor satisfaction. But I've run into a problem.

I use Vivi Nova mini tanks. They don't leak like a lot of other basic tanks I've tried, and I usually don't have issues with them. I snag some coils on Ebay for replacements, and haven't had many issues until recently.

I also get Slim's e-juice in the standard 60pg/40vg ratio. Before that, I was mainly a Vapor Room customer who uses a 75/25 ratio.

Here's the thing. I've started getting nasty, "burnt" tasting hits that won't stop. I got another Vapor Room juice that actually gave me flavor vs. a lack of flavor with the other juice (which I didn't have a problem with before).

Also have an issue of even a clear liquid becoming murky and dark and "gunking up" my tank/coil. I avoid darker liquids/flavors because of this, and have kept with lighter, clear juices to avoid it, but now it's happening with them also. This is even after disassembling the tank, cleaning it and the Hammer, and putting in a nice, clean coil.

I've tried doing some research, but it's a bit much for me. Is my problem the coils I bought? Should I get a specific ohm, or does it really matter for my basic set up? All I have is the mod, a battery, a tank, and a contact button. Could the juice be too thick for the wicks that it's not wicking fast enough to give me any flavor and maybe I should request the thinner ratio? Is it a combination? It hasn't given me many fits before, but now it seems to be a constant thing no matter what I try to do.

I'm looking at going to a regulated box for better "clouds" and flavor, as I've had friends who let me try theirs. But that's getting into another category as far as my "fill and puff" mentality. I do want to go that route, though, because it's much more satisfying to me now that I've tried it out (I tried a Sigelei regulated box mod, I think 200W, with a type of tank I can't remember the name of now).

All I really want is something I can slap a tank onto and puff on. But I also like having a decent amount of cloud, and also enjoy having an actual flavor over a burnt taste. Wouldn't mind having a box that used two batteries, but need to know how much wattage is too much for a bare bones vaper like me? Could I get by simply getting a 50W or 75W box and not worrying about all the fancy, higher wattage stuff out there? I'm sure with my mentality I would need the temperature control I've seen on some of the ones I've looked at. Would I be able to keep using the same tanks, or should I get one of the fatter, "stubbier" looking ones with the bigger tips that have that bottom coil "remove and replace" set up (not a dripper)?

As you can tell I'm not into the technical aspects of all this, I simply want to get a flavor I like, put it in a tank, and puff away. But I do want to experience great flavor and a nice cloud (the mental aspect, you know). If there is no cloud, or flavor other than burnt, I don't want to bother (hence not keeping with the Hammer). But I don't necessarily want to become deeply involved in the technical aspects, just enough basic knowledge to get by and enjoy my simpler experience.

Hope this was enough information, and hope to find out some helpful information. Thank you all in advance.

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Hi @80's Guy and welcome to the forum. I haven't a clue about your juices and the coils. But I am a low maintenance vaper myself. I have a few box mods and a few different tanks. They are all basically the same, fill tank, set power, vape. I have a few of the 200 watt mods but I only vape over 25 watts on one of them, and it's because I have the cloud maker (and juice guzzler) Smok TFV4 on it that has a triple coil and vapes at 60 watts. The rest of my vape tanks (7 of them) are all set up on regular Kanthal at .5 ohms and vaped at similar 22 to 25 watts. Half of these mods are temp control but I haven't decided to really get into it as I enjoy the kanthal coils and power mode. I have Kanger Subtank Minis(4.5 ml), but have been looking at some other tanks like the Uwelll Crown (4ml).

Just because a mod has the temp control doesn't mean you have to use it, just run them in power mode (variable watt/voltage). When you do get a mod, if it takes 2 batteries you will want to use and charge them together so they wear evenly and one doesn't have to carry the load (safety issue). An external battery charger (like the $20 4 bay Nitecore) is recommended rather than charging the batteries while in the mod.

There are literally dozens of mods and compatible tanks for a grab and go set up. Below are some places to check for shopping :
DEALS and STEALS - Deals and Steals (go to last couple pages)
FORUM SUPPLIERS - ECF Forum Suppliers
COUPONS - Stores - ECF E-Cigarette Coupons

I've used these U.S. vendors with no issues:
www.myvaporstore.com
www.originvape.com
www.vapesupersaver.com
www.sweetvapes.com
www.mtbakervapor.com
www.myfreedomsmokes.com
www.madvapes.com
www.gotvapes.com
www.vapeNW.com <--bought my last new mod, Wismec Reuleaux RX 200 - a 3 battery mod and love it ($45)

Good luck in your journey.

 

[80's Guy]

Hi @80's Guy and welcome to the forum. I haven't a clue about your juices and the coils. But I am a low maintenance vaper myself. I have a few box mods and a few different tanks. They are all basically the same, fill tank, set power, vape. I have a few of the 200 watt mods but I only vape over 25 watts on one of them, and it's because I have the cloud maker (and juice guzzler) Smok TFV4 on it that has a triple coil and vapes at 60 watts. The rest of my vape tanks (7 of them) are all set up on regular Kanthal at .5 ohms and vaped at similar 22 to 25 watts. Half of these mods are temp control but I haven't decided to really get into it as I enjoy the kanthal coils and power mode. I have Kanger Subtank Minis(4.5 ml), but have been looking at some other tanks like the Uwelll Crown (4ml).

Just because a mod has the temp control doesn't mean you have to use it, just run them in power mode (variable watt/voltage). When you do get a mod, if it takes 2 batteries you will want to use and charge them together so they wear evenly and one doesn't have to carry the load (safety issue). An external battery charger (like the $20 4 bay Nitecore) is recommended rather than charging the batteries while in the mod.

There are literally dozens of mods and compatible tanks for a grab and go set up. Below are some places to check for shopping :
DEALS and STEALS - Deals and Steals (go to last couple pages)
FORUM SUPPLIERS - ECF Forum Suppliers
COUPONS - Stores - ECF E-Cigarette Coupons

I've used these U.S. vendors with no issues:
www.myvaporstore.com
www.originvape.com
www.vapesupersaver.com
www.sweetvapes.com
www.mtbakervapor.com
www.myfreedomsmokes.com
www.madvapes.com
www.gotvapes.com
www.vapeNW.com <--bought my last new mod, Wismec Reuleaux RX 200 - a 3 battery mod and love it ($45)

Good luck in your journey.

Hey, thanks for the reply. Yeah, all that volts/ohms stuff is just Greek to me. lol I've never understood that stuff.

I do have a Nitecore charger, actually. Four bay one. Love it. I got tired of those junky little ones and snagged one from Ebay for 15 bucks.

So temperature control isn't essential? I figured it would be good for safety reasons (based on how it sounds) but don't actually know what it specifically protects against....

Also, again, not knowledgeable enough about the whole wattage thing to know when, why, or for what reason, changing it really accomplishes.

 

[daviedog]

Promise_ no tech.
If you've used the viva nova tanks for years with no problems & now you do. It must be the coils. Try a diff vender. That tank is ancient, i used one back in the day. Chances are, little support for old technologies.
Now straight up ahead,,techno onslaught..

 

[suprtrkr]

Hi and welcome. It does sound like you got a box of bad coils. This can happen from time to time. Another issue is those Hammer clones use a "live" spring, meaning it's part of the electrical circuit, in the top cap button between the center pin and the contact with the brass tube inside the mod that carries battery positive. These springs are famous for going south and giving you voltage drop problems, which may have greatly reduced power applied to the atomizer. (I have two of them, and have retired them for this reason). Further, as you don't understand all the "ohms/sub-ohms/wattage/resistance, etc. etc. stuff," you are unlikely to appreciate the need to keep the mod threads scrupulously clean, or to have done it unless you just like cleaning things. That's unlikely to cause the burnt hits, but it may be contributing to your general dissatisfaction with the rig.

You say you use the Aspire Vivi Nova tank. This has coils of 1.8Ω or 2.1Ω available, and it does make a difference which one you use. When coiled in that range, that makes a difference of 2.5 watts as applied to the juice on your mod (depending on battery charge), and that's nearly 25% of the total power normally applied on such coils. If you are a "fill and vape" guy, I really think you will be better served by a regulated mod. You don't say what batteries you are using in your Hammer, but moderately priced regulated mods of more modern design that use removable 18650 batteries would be the Kanger Topbox or the Evic VTC. Both of these are 60-75 watt TC mods, which is far more than you need, but you don't have to use the extra bells and whistles if you don't like. Both of those mods, bought in a kit, come with a tank that has coils available in your vape range, both will also work with your Vivi Novas, and I'd suggest you take a hard look at an Aspire Nautilus or GS Air tank for vaping in your regimen. There are any number of other small, 1 battery mods that would be suitable: the Sigelei Mini Book and the Cloupor Mini Plus are both available, are 40 watt mods, come standard without a different tank, and are cheaper than the kits I recommended above, being available in the mid $30 range. The Council of Vapor Mini Volt is another sound choice, but more expensive; as is the SX Mini (75 watt), which is also larger. There are others also availaibe that use a fixed battery.

This is just a thought: all that is probably wrong with your rig now can be fixed with a good cleaning and a fresh box of coils, and if not, the cleaning and a Nautilus or Air tank should do it. But take the time to Google the gear I have mentioned and see if any of it appeals to you. It need be no harder to use than your current set up, barring some initial fiddling to figure out where you want to set it to get the vape you want. Once you have it set, you shouldn't have to mess with it again.

 

[80's Guy]

Hi and welcome. It does sound like you got a box of bad coils. This can happen from time to time. Another issue is those Hammer clones use a "live" spring, meaning it's part of the electrical circuit, in the top cap button between the center pin and the contact with the brass tube inside the mod that carries battery positive. These springs are famous for going south and giving you voltage drop problems, which may have greatly reduced power applied to the atomizer. (I have two of them, and have retired them for this reason). Further, as you don't understand all the "ohms/sub-ohms/wattage/resistance, etc. etc. stuff," you are unlikely to appreciate the need to keep the mod threads scrupulously clean, or to have done it unless you just like cleaning things. That's unlikely to cause the burnt hits, but it may be contributing to your general dissatisfaction with the rig.

You say you use the Aspire Vivi Nova tank. This has coils of 1.8Ω or 2.1Ω available, and it does make a difference which one you use. When coiled in that range, that makes a difference of 2.5 watts as applied to the juice on your mod (depending on battery charge), and that's nearly 25% of the total power normally applied on such coils. If you are a "fill and vape" guy, I really think you will be better served by a regulated mod. You don't say what batteries you are using in your Hammer, but moderately priced regulated mods of more modern design that use removable 18650 batteries would be the Kanger Topbox or the Evic VTC. Both of these are 60-75 watt TC mods, which is far more than you need, but you don't have to use the extra bells and whistles if you don't like. Both of those mods, bought in a kit, come with a tank that has coils available in your vape range, both will also work with your Vivi Novas, and I'd suggest you take a hard look at an Aspire Nautilus or GS Air tank for vaping in your regimen. There are any number of other small, 1 battery mods that would be suitable: the Sigelei Mini Book and the Cloupor Mini Plus are both available, are 40 watt mods, come standard without a different tank, and are cheaper than the kits I recommended above, being available in the mid $30 range. The Council of Vapor Mini Volt is another sound choice, but more expensive; as is the SX Mini (75 watt), which is also larger. There are others also availaibe that use a fixed battery.

This is just a thought: all that is probably wrong with your rig now can be fixed with a good cleaning and a fresh box of coils, and if not, the cleaning and a Nautilus or Air tank should do it. But take the time to Google the gear I have mentioned and see if any of it appeals to you. It need be no harder to use than your current set up, barring some initial fiddling to figure out where you want to set it to get the vape you want. Once you have it set, you shouldn't have to mess with it again.

Thank you for all that info, that was a lot of good stuff. I did forget to mention the type of battery; I use a single 18350; although I just watched a video on YouTube that showed me I could use double of those, on top of the other sizes.

I knew I could use larger sized batteries, but didn't know what I was doing wrong when I tried to use them when I first got the thing. What happened was, I've been buying button top instead of flat top batteries and I actually had to find these rubber washers from Wal Mart that I trimmed to use as a spacer to get it to work right.

Yeah, I dived in blind with the thing and didn't think to research certain elements of it. Sounds ridiculous to me now, and was definitely a "duh" moment, but I did get it to work.

I will try cleaning it more thoroughly as well. I've cleaned the tanks, and parts of the mod, but not anything in depth (or every part; I don't think I've ever cleaned the firing button area).

 

[80's Guy]

Hi and welcome. It does sound like you got a box of bad coils. This can happen from time to time. Another issue is those Hammer clones use a "live" spring, meaning it's part of the electrical circuit, in the top cap button between the center pin and the contact with the brass tube inside the mod that carries battery positive. These springs are famous for going south and giving you voltage drop problems, which may have greatly reduced power applied to the atomizer. (I have two of them, and have retired them for this reason). Further, as you don't understand all the "ohms/sub-ohms/wattage/resistance, etc. etc. stuff," you are unlikely to appreciate the need to keep the mod threads scrupulously clean, or to have done it unless you just like cleaning things. That's unlikely to cause the burnt hits, but it may be contributing to your general dissatisfaction with the rig.

You say you use the Aspire Vivi Nova tank. This has coils of 1.8Ω or 2.1Ω available, and it does make a difference which one you use. When coiled in that range, that makes a difference of 2.5 watts as applied to the juice on your mod (depending on battery charge), and that's nearly 25% of the total power normally applied on such coils. If you are a "fill and vape" guy, I really think you will be better served by a regulated mod. You don't say what batteries you are using in your Hammer, but moderately priced regulated mods of more modern design that use removable 18650 batteries would be the Kanger Topbox or the Evic VTC. Both of these are 60-75 watt TC mods, which is far more than you need, but you don't have to use the extra bells and whistles if you don't like. Both of those mods, bought in a kit, come with a tank that has coils available in your vape range, both will also work with your Vivi Novas, and I'd suggest you take a hard look at an Aspire Nautilus or GS Air tank for vaping in your regimen. There are any number of other small, 1 battery mods that would be suitable: the Sigelei Mini Book and the Cloupor Mini Plus are both available, are 40 watt mods, come standard without a different tank, and are cheaper than the kits I recommended above, being available in the mid $30 range. The Council of Vapor Mini Volt is another sound choice, but more expensive; as is the SX Mini (75 watt), which is also larger. There are others also availaibe that use a fixed battery.

This is just a thought: all that is probably wrong with your rig now can be fixed with a good cleaning and a fresh box of coils, and if not, the cleaning and a Nautilus or Air tank should do it. But take the time to Google the gear I have mentioned and see if any of it appeals to you. It need be no harder to use than your current set up, barring some initial fiddling to figure out where you want to set it to get the vape you want. Once you have it set, you shouldn't have to mess with it again.

Oh, incidentally, I did find the performance poor when I first tried it and found a video of a guy who recommended replacing the firing button and tank screw in part with pieces from a King Clone. I did do that, so the button I have is from one of those, not the original that came with the set up. Sorry, forgot about that part since it's basically a part of the thing now.

 

[suprtrkr]

Thank you for all that info, that was a lot of good stuff. I did forget to mention the type of battery; I use a single 18350; although I just watched a video on YouTube that showed me I could use double of those, on top of the other sizes.

I knew I could use larger sized batteries, but didn't know what I was doing wrong when I tried to use them when I first got the thing. What happened was, I've been buying button top instead of flat top batteries and I actually had to find these rubber washers from Wal Mart that I trimmed to use as a spacer to get it to work right.

Yeah, I dived in blind with the thing and didn't think to research certain elements of it. Sounds ridiculous to me now, and was definitely a "duh" moment, but I did get it to work.

I will try cleaning it more thoroughly as well. I've cleaned the tanks, and parts of the mod, but not anything in depth (or every part; I don't think I've ever cleaned the firing button area).

All of that is necessary on a mechanical, unfortunately. Crud builds up in the threads and adds impedance (resistance) to the current path, causing a voltage drop in the mod. The reason I retired my hammers is I have a .3V drop I can't find or fix and it wasn't heating my coils enough. If you like the 18350 format-- they do make nice, cool little mods-- you're going to be stuck with a tube type for a replacement if you want a mech mod as these work better and are easier to keep clean. A Nemesis clone is available from Fasttech for 15 bucks, and they work fine. The problem is, really good quality 18350 authentic (not clone) mods are hideously expensive. There is a pair of "First Sail" Nau on the classies right now at $450 each or $830 the pair (they include hybrid atomizers made for them which you won't want as they are drippers and require building). I saw an authentic Hammer by Kato used on eBay for $400 the other day. They're just big money. You could always buy another Hammer clone-- that's pretty cheap-- and ditch the old one without chasing the voltage drop. But really, for the kind of vaping you do... buy a SIgelei Mini Book and a Nautilus and some Samsung 25R 18650s

 

[suprtrkr]

Oh, incidentally, I did find the performance poor when I first tried it and found a video of a guy who recommended replacing the firing button and tank screw in part with pieces from a King Clone. I did do that, so the button I have is from one of those, not the original that came with the set up. Sorry, forgot about that part since it's basically a part of the thing now.

Yeah, that makes a difference too

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Hey, thanks for the reply. Yeah, all that volts/ohms stuff is just Greek to me. lol I've never understood that stuff.

I do have a Nitecore charger, actually. Four bay one. Love it. I got tired of those junky little ones and snagged one from Ebay for 15 bucks.

So temperature control isn't essential? I figured it would be good for safety reasons (based on how it sounds) but don't actually know what it specifically protects against....

Also, again, not knowledgeable enough about the whole wattage thing to know when, why, or for what reason, changing it really accomplishes.

Temp control is the next big thing going on. I'd advise buying a mod with TC but you can run it in power mode (watt/volt) until you understand it. What TC does, (using either Nickel, Titanium, or Stainless Steel wire in the coils,) is sets a temp limit. If you vape a tank dry then when the coil reaches a temp it stops, keeping you from getting the dreaded dry hits. I'd say 90% of the new mods and tanks out now are compatible with it.

Power mode, like what you've been using is with Kanthal wire in the coils.

The rule is the same for every mod and tank you will own. Start low power and take a hit, bump it up and repeat. If it gets to taste too warm, tastes funny, or starts to taste burnt, back it down.

I'm a dinosaur, only had a cell phone less than two years and don't really care for them. Vape mods are much easier to use.

Supr gave some great advice to gear. Get a mod and throw a Nautilus on it and you'll be happy. The Nautilus is probably twice the tank you now have.

Good luck

 

[suprtrkr]

Ach, I forgot! Do not-- repeat, DO NOT-- double the batteries. It's dangerous, you mod is not designed for it, and you will be putting 20 watts on your coils which will fry them the first time you push the button.

 

[herb]

Could I get by simply getting a 50W or 75W box and not worrying about all the fancy, higher wattage stuff out there?

Of course , despite what you hear talked about (clouds bro, more clouds) the overwhelming majority of vapors still prefer non ohm vaping at lower wattages .

 

[80's Guy]

All of that is necessary on a mechanical, unfortunately. Crud builds up in the threads and adds impedance (resistance) to the current path, causing a voltage drop in the mod. The reason I retired my hammers is I have a .3V drop I can't find or fix and it wasn't heating my coils enough. If you like the 18350 format-- they do make nice, cool little mods-- you're going to be stuck with a tube type for a replacement if you want a mech mod as these work better and are easier to keep clean. A Nemesis clone is available from Fasttech for 15 bucks, and they work fine. The problem is, really good quality 18350 authentic (not clone) mods are hideously expensive. There is a pair of "First Sail" Nau on the classies right now at $450 each or $830 the pair (they include hybrid atomizers made for them which you won't want as they are drippers and require building). I saw an authentic Hammer by Kato used on eBay for $400 the other day. They're just big money. You could always buy another Hammer clone-- that's pretty cheap-- and ditch the old one without chasing the voltage drop. But really, for the kind of vaping you do... buy a SIgelei Mini Book and a Nautilus and some Samsung 25R 18650s

No, I'm not set on the smaller battery size, the thing with this one was, for portability purposes, it was the best fit in the pocket.

I think I will go with a nice, replaceable battery, box mod. If I'm using the 18350 size now, I'm sure I could get by with a one battery mod, even though I would definitely prefer the two. Might as well, right?

I definitely want more cloud than what I'm getting with this thing, though. It was nice at first, but now it just doesn't seem to be enough. Not that I'm what they call a "cloud chaser", but even back when I was smoking cigs a big part of satisfaction was just slowly exhaling the smoke and watching it roll away. Guess it's a mental relaxation thing that just became habit.

I'm currently on the Vape NW site and they have a sale going on. Have a couple nice looking things, one being an X Cube Mini. I was told an IJust was nice, but I'm not as big on the cylindrical style as I am the box style.

 

[suprtrkr]

No, I'm not set on the smaller battery size, the thing with this one was, for portability purposes, it was the best fit in the pocket.

I think I will go with a nice, replaceable battery, box mod. If I'm using the 18350 size now, I'm sure I could get by with a one battery mod, even though I would definitely prefer the two. Might as well, right?

I definitely want more cloud than what I'm getting with this thing, though. It was nice at first, but now it just doesn't seem to be enough. Not that I'm what they call a "cloud chaser", but even back when I was smoking cigs a big part of satisfaction was just slowly exhaling the smoke and watching it roll away. Guess it's a mental relaxation thing that just became habit.

I'm currently on the Vape NW site and they have a sale going on. Have a couple nice looking things, one being an X Cube Mini. I was told an IJust was nice, but I'm not as big on the cylindrical style as I am the box style.

Nothing wrong with the X-Cube Mini. I personally don't like it; the LEDs would drive me postal in about 8 seconds, and I think the mod-length firing button is a gimmick. But that's me. If you like it, super. Smok is a decent brand name, and I have not heard anything bad about it. I do think you're on the right trail: something in the 40-70 watt regulated one battery box is where you want to be. Order a Nautilus or a GS Air while you're there. Oh, and batteries: Samsung 25Rs, or LG HE2, HE4 or HG2, whichever is in stock. The HG2 will exhibit the best battery life, the others all the same and about 20% less than the HG2s.

 

[80's Guy]

Nothing wrong with the X-Cube Mini. I personally don't like it; the LEDs would drive me postal in about 8 seconds, and I think the mod-length firing button is a gimmick. But that's me. If you like it, super. Smok is a decent brand name, and I have not heard anything bad about it. I do think you're on the right trail: something in the 40-70 watt regulated one battery box is where you want to be. Order a Nautilus or a GS Air while you're there. Oh, and batteries: Samsung 25Rs, or LG HE2, HE4 or HG2, whichever is in stock. The HG2 will exhibit the best battery life, the others all the same and about 20% less than the HG2s.

Crap..... glad you mentioned that mod length firing button. I didn't even notice that while looking at it. That would be a deal breaker with me, simply because of how I hold things. I'll fiddle with it, roll it in my hand, that sort of thing. I'd wind up accidentally firing that thing more times than I'd care to.

So glad I found this site, thanks to you and everybody for the information, it's been more helpful than my uneducated flailing about Googling.

Also, do you have a layman's way of explaining the ohm/sub-ohm thing to me, as far as what the numbers mean, how they work best with what, etc. etc.?

 

[suprtrkr]

Crap..... glad you mentioned that mod length firing button. I didn't even notice that while looking at it. That would be a deal breaker with me, simply because of how I hold things. I'll fiddle with it, roll it in my hand, that sort of thing. I'd wind up accidentally firing that thing more times than I'd care to.

So glad I found this site, thanks to you and everybody for the information, it's been more helpful than my uneducated flailing about Googling.

Also, do you have a layman's way of explaining the ohm/sub-ohm thing to me, as far as what the numbers mean, how they work best with what, etc. etc.?

Lol, it's just a gimmick. But it doesn't please me either. Vapecrawler (a price comparison utility and very useful) shows 5 US locations for the Mini Book under $35; 1 for the Cloupor Mini Plus at the same price; and 1 for the Smok Treebox-- I have one, it's a red-stained Zebrawood body and I think it's beautiful-- under $36. The iStick 60TC can be had under $30. Just a thought...

On the watts and ohms thing, I can try:
In general the higher the value of the coil ohms, the less and cooler vape it produces, and the less power it will consume (or tolerate) and the less juice it will drink. The lower the value, the opposite. Thus your 1.8/2.1Ω coils to which you are accustomed will make less and cooler vapor, and use less power and juice, than a coil of .5Ω, which is a good, mid-range subohm coil. (Subohm means less than 1 ohm; I use the term +ohm to describe the coils you use now. Lately subohm has been translated as "high watt vaping" which is a misnomer.) Your coils, on a VW box, would probably perform their best in the 8-15 watt range and burn out at 20-25. A .5 hypothetical coil will want somewhere between 25-35 for best function, and might tolerate a bit more without burning out. Considering the tank you are presently using, you are almost certainly what we call a mouth-to-lung vaper; that is, you hit the vape like a cigarette by drawing the vapor into your mouth then inhaling it. It is possible to direct-lung high value coils, but it's like trying to breathe through one of those little bitty straws they stir drinks with in a bar. This is because the amount of the airflow through the tank is directly related to the vapor the coil produces, although there is variance among individual preference. Subohm vaping requires more airflow than I think you are used to and, while it is possible to MTL them, they are intended for direct lung vaping. The Nautilus and Air tanks I recommend are excellent choices in +ohm tanks, with coils to suit your current style, and some technological improvements, like better wick, than the Vivi Novas. I am not sure about the Air, but the Nauti is available in, I think, 3 different sizes so you can pick your juice capacity and how it looks on your mod. The reason I touted the Kanger Subox (the new model is the Topbox) and the Evic VTC kits is because both come with a tank that has subohm, +ohm and Temp Control coils available, as well as an adjustable air flow, so you can play around with it and figure out just what you want your vape to be. FWIW, I like the Kanger part better. If you were to select one of the other mods I have recommended, or a different one, then buy a Nauti if you're sure you want MTL, or the Kanger Subtank-- the one that comes in the Kanger kit-- for the adustability. There are more and better quality gear available, no matter what vape range you want to be in, but they are much more expensive and, until you have tried the various available regimens and determined exactly where you fit in, I think it foolish to blow the coin without knowing exactly what you want. Any of the parts I have recommended will all serve as useful backups in the event you move on later, and just might be enough so you won't want to anyway. There is, obviously, a great deal more to be learned regarding Ohm's Law and exactly how all this stuff works together, but it is more fitting for a hobbyist than a fill-and-vape guy like yourself. So long as you have a regulated mod, and use prefab coils in tanks, it really is only necessary to know what you like and how to get it. Me, I use both regulated and mechanical mods, I wouldn't touch a prefab coil as I build and wick my own, and I even make my own juice. So far-- you never know where you'll want to go in the future-- this sounds like deeper than you want to go. Feel free to tell me where my explanation has fallen short and what you still don't understand. I'll do my best to keep it non-technical.

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

Here is a list of battery businesses recommended on ECF. My last order came from LiionWholesale and I bought LG HG2's (3000 mah). I've also ordered from Illumin (Samsung 25r's - 2500 mah) You'll get authentic batteries here is the reputation, and they are much cheaper than most vape shops.
Illumn.com - Flashlights, Batteries, Carry Gear, Intelligent LED Lighting, and More! (California)
Authentic AW Batteries - RTD Vapor
Liion Wholesale Batteries | Li-ion battery distributor (Pennsylvania)
18650 Batteries | Rechargeable Li-ion | Battery Chargers
Earth's #1 source for IMR 18650 Batteries, Chargers, Cases & Wraps | IMRbatteries.com

 

[80's Guy]

Lol, it's just a gimmick. But it doesn't please me either. Vapecrawler (a price comparison utility and very useful) shows 5 US locations for the Mini Book under $35; 1 for the Cloupor Mini Plus at the same price; and 1 for the Smok Treebox-- I have one, it's a red-stained Zebrawood body and I think it's beautiful-- under $36. The iStick 60TC can be had under $30. Just a thought...

On the watts and ohms thing, I can try:
In general the higher the value of the coil ohms, the less and cooler vape it produces, and the less power it will consume (or tolerate) and the less juice it will drink. The lower the value, the opposite. Thus your 1.8/2.1Ω coils to which you are accustomed will make less and cooler vapor, and use less power and juice, than a coil of .5Ω, which is a good, mid-range subohm coil. (Subohm means less than 1 ohm; I use the term +ohm to describe the coils you use now. Lately subohm has been translated as "high watt vaping" which is a misnomer.) Your coils, on a VW box, would probably perform their best in the 8-15 watt range and burn out at 20-25. A .5 hypothetical coil will want somewhere between 25-35 for best function, and might tolerate a bit more without burning out. Considering the tank you are presently using, you are almost certainly what we call a mouth-to-lung vaper; that is, you hit the vape like a cigarette by drawing the vapor into your mouth then inhaling it. It is possible to direct-lung high value coils, but it's like trying to breathe through one of those little bitty straws they stir drinks with in a bar. This is because the amount of the airflow through the tank is directly related to the vapor the coil produces, although there is variance among individual preference. Subohm vaping requires more airflow than I think you are used to and, while it is possible to MTL them, they are intended for direct lung vaping. The Nautilus and Air tanks I recommend are excellent choices in +ohm tanks, with coils to suit your current style, and some technological improvements, like better wick, than the Vivi Novas. I am not sure about the Air, but the Nauti is available in, I think, 3 different sizes so you can pick your juice capacity and how it looks on your mod. The reason I touted the Kanger Subox (the new model is the Topbox) and the Evic VTC kits is because both come with a tank that has subohm, +ohm and Temp Control coils available, as well as an adjustable air flow, so you can play around with it and figure out just what you want your vape to be. FWIW, I like the Kanger part better. If you were to select one of the other mods I have recommended, or a different one, then buy a Nauti if you're sure you want MTL, or the Kanger Subtank-- the one that comes in the Kanger kit-- for the adustability. There are more and better quality gear available, no matter what vape range you want to be in, but they are much more expensive and, until you have tried the various available regimens and determined exactly where you fit in, I think it foolish to blow the coin without knowing exactly what you want. Any of the parts I have recommended will all serve as useful backups in the event you move on later, and just might be enough so you won't want to anyway. There is, obviously, a great deal more to be learned regarding Ohm's Law and exactly how all this stuff works together, but it is more fitting for a hobbyist than a fill-and-vape guy like yourself. So long as you have a regulated mod, and use prefab coils in tanks, it really is only necessary to know what you like and how to get it. Me, I use both regulated and mechanical mods, I wouldn't touch a prefab coil as I build and wick my own, and I even make my own juice. So far-- you never know where you'll want to go in the future-- this sounds like deeper than you want to go. Feel free to tell me where my explanation has fallen short and what you still don't understand. I'll do my best to keep it non-technical.

That explained things better than the independent research I was doing. What I think my problem is, is that I didn't understand the basics enough to understand what I was coming across.


I'm going to post in the main thread area (vs. a reply) with what I found and what I'm looking for in one of these boxes, and hopefully I'll have a new box by the middle to end of this coming week. Kind of stoked now. I was initially hesitant to go the wired/electronic route because I figured there was more to go wrong or get damaged and wind up being costly, and also the horror stories about things exploding in people's faces. I tend to overthink things often. lol

 

[suprtrkr]

That explained things better than the independent research I was doing. What I think my problem is, is that I didn't understand the basics enough to understand what I was coming across.


I'm going to post in the main thread area (vs. a reply) with what I found and what I'm looking for in one of these boxes, and hopefully I'll have a new box by the middle to end of this coming week. Kind of stoked now. I was initially hesitant to go the wired/electronic route because I figured there was more to go wrong or get damaged and wind up being costly, and also the horror stories about things exploding in people's faces. I tend to overthink things often. lol

I really think that's the way to go. Come back and give us a shout when you get it, or if you have any problems. We'll try to get you pointed in the right direction.

 

[80's Guy]

Ok, here's where I'm at in my browsing endeavors.....

I have been looking at the different boxes and, for price, I was thinking maybe I should get one of the fancier, higher wattage ones in case I decided to start experimenting more in the future or gain enough knowledge to start dabbling here and there sooner rather than later. Here is what I've found price wise, which (if the coupon works) would be even less expensive. I'll explain what I'm looking to do after the list: iStick 100W, 27.99; Reuleaux RX200, 39.95; Kanger KBox 120W, 33.99; and Mini Jedi 50W, 24.99. They're all close to the same price range enough that I could go any route really.

What I want is something that will work with the tanks I currently have until I find something better. Also, I'm not looking to "break the bank", so to speak. Don't need the super duper expensive stuff (saw a tank for 100.00 on one site. Really???) just want something nice that doesn't leak, that I can snag cheap coils for off vape sites or Ebay with no muss/no fuss and that uses coils that last a good while, prefer top fill as I like the convenience of refilling while still attached to the device, and probably a bottom coil replaceable (guy that showed off his Sigelei box with whatever tank was on it was able to take bottom off with juice in it, take out coil and show it to me, and put it back together) which seems nicer than the things I have where you have to take the whole thing out, unscrew the coil with the dangly wicks screw in the new one, etc. etc. Also don't like the metal "tube style" coils that run the length of the tank either.

I know, I know, I'm nitpicky. haha Just want something that's cheap and easy for coil replacement, lasts a good while on one coil, that I can just fill and go, fill and go, without breaking my bank account if I needed to replace the whole thing for some reason. Also a device that supports a nice range of tanks/coils.

Going to see what my new expert buds can give me to help with my decision here. I'm obsessive about researching until I feel comfortable taking a plunge at times.

Again, thanks to everybody helping me out here. Love the site.