Innokin T20S and the MTL quest

[machinestatic]

Hey all. I haven't posted in a long time, but I'm confused about the experience I'm having right now and could use a sanity check. Let me start with the necessary preface that I purchased my first e-cigarette over 7 and a half years ago(!) so I am a vet that knows what he's doing. (Though this just makes me more confused.)

Now then. I love me some mouth to lung vaping (to stop the analog cigs from dancing in my head), and was satisfied with my Beyond Vape Silo Lite for years, until they discontinued it. Looking for my next purchase, I just picked up an Innokin Endura T20S. This thing has gotten great reviews on websites, and YouTube, as an excellent hassle free mouth to lung kit. So how's it treating me?

#1. I plugged it in via the USB cable to charge it last night, and 3 hours later the light was still red. So I unplugged it, slept, and brought it to the office today to plug it back in. 4 more hours plugged in, and the light's still red. Defective?

#2. If I take literally only 2 puffs in a row on this thing, the drip tip gets so hot that I can't keep my mouth on it. I am doubtful that I need to be schooled on how to inhale, after owning over a hundred (ugh) different devices, tanks and tips. But I'm perplexed by how this wasn't an issue in the dozens of YouTube reviews I watched.

Soooo... any thoughts? Similar experiences?

Note: I've stepped up my game at home, and I'm very happy with my T-Priv/Baby Beast. I just don't want to be "that guy", blowing clouds standing in front of my office building. I prefer cheap, quiet and MTL when in public.

 

[machinestatic]

No replies yet, so I'll be obnoxious and post some updated thoughts. I hope the powers that be don't mind. Hopefully this is helpful for someone that stumbles across this some day.

RE: #1. The light is probably defective, but for a $25 kit it's not the end of the world. More importantly however, I discovered that the battery only has a .5A max charging capacity. This explains the ridiculous charging time. In the future I won't buy an internal battery device that's under 1A.

RE: #2. I put a longer Delrin drip tip on it and it improved greatly. I also need higher nic liquid in this thing, so I chain vape less and it stays cooler. Thus, I've ordered some Cosmic Fog Chill'd Tobacco, 12mg.

And lastly... I'm bringing my Smok AL85 to work tomorrow. I've never brought it out of the house before due to vaping self-consciousness, but F it.

 

[bombastinator]

No replies yet, so I'll be obnoxious and post some updated thoughts. I hope the powers that be don't mind. Hopefully this is helpful for someone that stumbles across this some day.

RE: #1. The light is probably defective, but for a $25 kit it's not the end of the world. More importantly however, I discovered that the battery only has a .5A max charging capacity. This explains the ridiculous charging time. In the future I won't buy an internal battery device that's under 1A.

RE: #2. I put a longer Delrin drip tip on it and it improved greatly. I also need higher nic liquid in this thing, so I chain vape less and it stays cooler. Thus, I've ordered some Cosmic Fog Chill'd Tobacco, 12mg.

And lastly... I'm bringing my Smok AL85 to work tomorrow. I've never brought it out of the house before due to vaping self-consciousness, but F it.

Sounds like you solved your own problem. This t20s are definitely better than pod devices but that doesn’t make them great. Use the device that works. I support F it in this case.

 

[Opinionated]

Good morning...

Okay, so here's my thoughts. One, it sounds like some things aren't working as they should - as you already deduced.

This may also account for the drip tip heating up? Just a guess that. Another thought really might be that it's difficult to go backwards with airflow. I like restricted lung, but can do MTL as well, however the longer I vape with restricted lung rta's, the more i have to consciously take slower, gentler draws on a MTL tank so I'm not burning up the coil.

It's one thing to say we don't need schooled in it, another to simply be unused to the technique and allow habit to get the best of us.

The above is just a thought, based on some of my own experience though.

Many new vapers are getting off the cigarettes with this thing, but it's also their very first set up usually - so they are more likely to be satisfied with much less, overall. There was a day I thought a ce4 was acceptable too and all I needed to get off the smokes .

Your best best is to look for something small, but that's not a beginner set up. The Provari crowd is all in for the JAC, SERIES-B DNA 75W (Device Only) so you might talk to some of them and see their thoughts. It's smaller and comfortable in the hand, much like provari, so it allows for some stealth vaping. It's a 75 watt device, so it'll give you some battery life and this way you can choose a better atty.

Just a thought, but that's the route I'd take, steering clear of beginner gear all together and find something small and stealthy for work.

 

[stols001]

I think your wattage is too high on that setup if you are having to replace drip-tips and whatnot, so it's probably not the best setup for you in any case. Warranty it if you can.

I will go out on a limb here and say that a good MTL experience is going to require some better gear. MTL is not a "throw away or cheap" experience if you want it to be a good one. There are some nice setups out there with variable wattage and tanks taking different resistance coils, and they don't have to be hugely expensive, but you do want to select with care. The Aspire Zelos kit is fairly inexpensive and comes with the Nautlius 2, a well-regarded MTL setup. It's also small and portable, and charges with an internal battery. The 75 watt model can do TC if that interests you.

Or, I might suggest a pico mod with perhaps an Ego One Mega on top, but using not the coils that come with it, but Joytech CLR coils at 1.0 resistance. The pico is nice and portable, and the CLR coils are known to be flavor machines, they have excellent longevity, and can be rewicked and rebuilt.

You really want to do some research, it's easy to think MTL should be "cheap" due to the proliferation of starter setups and whatnot. MTL has really come a long way, and if you will use the setup when out and about, you want something reliable, with enough battery etc., to meet your needs during the day. The higher up the financial chain you decide to climb, well, there are amazing (and expensive) MTL setups out there, but this should get you started. Best of luck!

Anna

 

[machinestatic]

Thank you, I appreciate the replies. I was indeed hoping for a dirt cheap "all in one" MTL kit that I could mindlessly purchase, and assumed the beginner category would work. But I'm definitely going to do more research and kick it up a notch. I'm just hesitant to order a lot of new things because, like a lot of us, I've gone through so many cycles of...

• watch video reviews of a device > buy device > dislike device > sell device on forum
• watch video reviews of a device > buy device > device is dysfunctional > top-rope-drop-kick-device-into-the-trash-can
• talk to drippers for months about RTAs > buy an RTA > oh, I'm terrible at wicking my own coils > sell RTA
• talk to squonkers for months > buy 3 Reos > actually I don't think I like this > light a cigarette

But in all seriousness, I'm ready to shop around again.

Any thoughts on the Nautilus 2 vs. Triton 2 Mini vs. Busardo's Zenith? (I used to love the original Nautilus years ago, with that metal sleeve over it... but I'm never going back to bottom-fill.)

 

[Opinionated]

Thank you, I appreciate the replies. I was indeed hoping for a dirt cheap "all in one" MTL kit that I could mindlessly purchase, and assumed the beginner category would work. But I'm definitely going to do more research and kick it up a notch. I'm just hesitant to order a lot of new things because, like a lot of us, I've gone through so many cycles of...

• watch video reviews of a device > buy device > dislike device > sell device on forum
• watch video reviews of device > buy device > device is dysfunctional > top-rope-drop-kick-device-into-the-trash-can
• talk to drippers for months about RTAs > buy an RTA > oh, I'm terrible at wicking my own coils > sell RTA
• talk to squonkers for months > buy 3 Reos > actually I don't think I like this > light a cigarette

But in all seriousness, I'm ready to shop around again.

Any thoughts on the Nautilus 2 vs. Triton 2 Mini vs. Busardo's Zenith? (I used to love the original Nautilus years ago, with that metal sleeve over it... but I'm never going back to bottom-fill.)

Of those three, I honestly think the Zenith shows a lot of promise, and if it were me choosing between the three I'd give that one a shot, its reasonably new and seems to have some nice features.

I've never used it though (I use RTA's because I don't suck at wicking... lol) so it's just a guess on my part..

Other than that I'd choose the naughty 2.. it's second runner up but it's got some good reviews, and I have Kabuki's so I know i like the Nautilus coils..

You ARE better off talking to real life owners of devices before buying than watching review videos... I found those aren't that helpful until AFTER you buy... and that just to get more in depth on how to use some features, but as far as how good something is long term? Nope.. only an owner can tell you that..

That's why I recommended the jac, because I know those who own them and how they feel about them months in.

@stols001 physically owns the mod she recommended..

Those are the people you need to talk to for recommendations - owners, not paid reviewers. Reviewers only use a device two or three times before reviewing, if that. I'm not sure it gives enough time to really say anything much.

Just my two cents.. good luck with it.

 

[stols001]

I have a zenith and an N2. N2 gets the job done. Flavor is okay, but not great compared to some. The zenith is pretty cloudy for a 1.6 coil, although it definitely gets the job done, and I haven't even tried the 0.8 coils yet, my first coil is still going strong.

Keep in mind that the 1.6 zenith coil has an 8 ml break in period (or so) where the flavor is really muted. Noticeably so. If I'd known, I would have used storebought in the first two tanks. 8 ml doesn't sound like a lot, but the zenith is also not a very "thirsty" tank with the 1.6 coil. I hear the 0.8 coil is great right out of the gate, but I have a feeling it's going to be even cloudier, so I'm saving it for when I start vaping my PEG400 mixes, to see if I can get the clouds down.

Other than that, it's a very well designed, nice, easy to operate MTL tank. Better flavor and capacity than the N2. I am not a triton user, but those that are really seem to enjoy that tank.

I'd go with either then N2 or the Zenith, personally...

Anna

 

[machinestatic]

Thank you again for your input. I'm always embarrassed when I reappear on the forum, try to brag about being a veteran, and then my thread quickly devolves into the same exact thread people have already answered 50,000 times. (And that I could've answered myself by using Google. lol)

But yeah, since I'd been using the same battery, tank and ADV liquid for several years (iStick/Beyond Vape Silo Lite/Halo Sub-Zero), I wasn't aware of how much MTL had advanced. I had assumed that everyone and their mother just sub-ohmed and cloud chased now, and that no one sold anything with tighter airflow anymore. (RIP carto tanks!) Granted, I love my Smok Baby Beast, but DTL has never been a good cigarette replacement for me.

Anyway, enough rambling. I'll probably pull the trigger on this guy:

The Aspire Zelos kit is fairly inexpensive and comes with the Nautlius 2, a well-regarded MTL setup. It's also small and portable, and charges with an internal battery. The 75 watt model can do TC if that interests you.

 

[Opinionated]

Thank you again for your input. I'm always embarrassed when I reappear on the forum, try to brag about being a veteran, and then my thread quickly devolves into the same exact thread people have already answered 50,000 times. (And that I could've answered myself by using Google. lol)

But yeah, since I'd been using the same battery, tank and ADV liquid for several years (iStick/Beyond Vape Silo Lite/Halo Sub-Zero), I wasn't aware of how much MTL had advanced. I had assumed that everyone and their mother just sub-ohmed and cloud chased now, and that no one sold anything with tighter airflow anymore. (RIP carto tanks!) Granted, I love my Smok Baby Beast, but DTL has never been a good cigarette replacement for me.

Anyway, enough rambling. I'll probably pull the trigger on this guy:

Being a veteran has its benefits, but unless you try new gear frequently then it's hard to know what's available... cloud chasing gear gets more advertisement because the cloud chasers are more likely to continually buy new gear whereas mtl vapers are more likely to find something they like and stick with it..

But there is still mtl stuff out there, and LOTS of advancement in the industry as a whole ..

I'm glad you've gotten some good information and made a good decision. .