Just started vaping after 22 yrs of tobacco - harshness issue

[moze229]

Hello all. I've been lurking here for a bit and became excited about PV's enough to try one for myself. I elected to go with one of V4L's kits and I've been pretty happy so far. Of course, I don't really know what to expect because this is all rather new to me. I was going to go straight to the "veterans" forum but I can't post there because this is my first post. I'd like to pose a couple of questions that are likely no brainers but I'd like to hear what people have to say.

I've been smoking primarily Marlboro Lights for my entire smoking career, since high school. I didn't start off at a pack a day, but that's where I've been for the last 15 years or so. My main goal is to ultimately switch from regular cigarettes to the PV but I'm having a little bit of an issue. I'm still smoking a few regular cigarettes a day.

I have read about all of the side effects of PG and VG but I don't seem to get any of those. I'm having a problem with what I would call "harshness". Sometimes, these things make me feel like I want to cough, like I'm inhaling smoke from a camp fire, but it's just vapor! With V4L, I ordered some of the regular PG cartomizers (I think that there may be a slight VG mix) and some straight 100% VG at 18mg - both produce the same "harshness". Is it the cartomizers perhaps that are causing this? Are my lungs so damaged already that I can't inhale vapor? I can smoke a regular cigarette and have no problems at all. A drag off of the VP feels like I just inhaled a large drag off of a cigar. I even ordered some 11mg fruit flavors and they produce the same effect. This doesn't happen always, just sometimes. I can tell that my lungs don't seem to be happy about it. Then I just go smoke a regular cigarette which is defeating the purpose.

My second question relates to atomizers. I'd like to try dripping at some point. Is there an atomizer that I can buy for the Vapor King batteries that will allow me to do this? If so, what should I look for?

Thanks in advance for any direction. I'd really like to see this work for me. The benefits of vaping vs smoking really has me excited.

Matt

 

[Mudflap]

Moderate your inhale. I can't draw on my PV in the same manner I USED TO draw on my cigars. Experiment with lighter draws and not directly into your lungs.

I can't advise on Vapor King batteries but dripping is pretty simple. Are they automatic or manual batteries? I've only used manual, but I've read it makes a difference. Stay tuned for better answers.

 

[Stownz]

Taste and harshness vary wildly from different types of juice atomizer/cartomizer and voltage of PV your using. More then likely your experiencing the "break in period" of a new atomizer/cartomizer. They all taste like crap the first 20 puffs of so on a new one. I dry burn (just hold the button down) to burn off the primer they use on them and let my ejuice wick up. Still a bit nasty at the start, but it gets better.

As far as dripping, you can use any atomizer you want, just change the tip to a "drip tip" instead of a cartridge. I dont use V4L as i have bought a TON of stuff so i just surf on the weekends and find the cheapest prices from the manufactures I want to try. So many websites buying from china, and relabeling the stuff anyways.

My current rig is : Screwdriver MKII 3.7v with XLClearomizer cartomizers loaded with 1.8ml of DIY Redbull 25mg/ml. I was a 3 pack a day smoker and quit cold turkey with this set up. I just spent over $250 ordering my Provari, its the God of all PVs and i'll be smoke free the rest of my days, along with my wife.

 

[Amutt]

I coughed like mad when I first got mine but after not long using em regularly it just went away and no problems.

 

[moze229]

Moderate your inhale. I can't draw on my PV in the same manner I USED TO draw on my cigars. Experiment with lighter draws and not directly into your lungs.

I can't advise on Vapor King batteries but dripping is pretty simple. Are they automatic or manual batteries? I've only used manual, but I've read it makes a difference. Stay tuned for better answers.

Sorry. I should have stated in the original post that they are the manual batteries. I am not trying to smoke them EXACTLY like a regular cigarette, but it's not all that much different. I've never inhaled directly into my lungs. Mouth first, then inhale. I can try smaller drags but I'm afraid I'll be missing on the satisfaction at that point. I can't seem to find the right "harshness" without getting too much.

 

[Mudflap]

What's the PG/VG content of your current juice?

 

[Ardeagold]

It might be the pg/vg mix in the juice. At first the higher pg juices were harsh to me. 80% pg was too much. Then I lowered a lot of my juices to 60 pg/40 vg and they were much smoother. Now I can vape the higher pg levels without a problem. So it's probably just a matter of getting used to it.

 

[moze229]

What's the PG/VG content of your current juice?

Mudflap - as I stated in my first post, I believe the standard cartomizers from V4L are a slight mix (perhaps an 80/20 mix PG/VG respectively - I remember reading it somewhere but can't find it to verify. Right now it's only a guess.) I have not contacted them with this question yet. I also have 100% VG that are producing the same effect for me.

 

[moze229]

It might be the pg/vg mix in the juice. At first the higher pg juices were harsh to me. 80% pg was too much. Then I lowered a lot of my juices to 60 pg/40 vg and they were much smoother. Now I can vape the higher pg levels without a problem. So it's probably just a matter of getting used to it.

Thanks Ardeagold. I'm not so sure though, because I have 100% VG carts that are producing the same effect. I'm starting to lean towards the "break in" factor as well though.

 

[dormouse]

100% PG juice is the harshest - it lets through all of the nicotine TH. 100% PG irritates my tongue after a while (a feeling like you drank cocoa that was too hot, leaving your tongue a bit sore and tingly). Some people even get irritated throat or lungs from vaping a lot of 100%PG, especially when they start out. For most people having 20-30% VG in the juice smoothes it out enough while adding more visible vapor but at the loss of some TH. I usually use 70pg/30vg. A few people are very sensitive to PG and go to 50/50 or 100% VG.

Also, when you vape you should drink plenty of fluids. For some reason it is more drying than smoking. And when you first start it feels harsher than it will in a couple of days.

 

[Stownz]

80/20 pg/vg is the base for everything we make atm. Pure PG stuff we made was weird. You would make a lot of vapor, but if you breathe it into your lungs, then breath out, there was like no vapor. The visual reinforcement of my smoking was lost, and it bugged me. 20% VG gave that "body" to the vapor, and when we inhale now, then exhale, we get that left over vapor.

I do still mix up some pure PG stuff, i call it "Stealth Mix", for like vaping at funerals and in church, haha. I hit it, awesome taste and TH, but nothing comes out when I exhale. Pure stealth mode.

 

[swedishfish]

My mother uses the cartomizers from V4L and complained about harshness as well. Might just be coincidence though. I put a couple drops of cappuccino juice in them and she said it was a little better. I don't know if that's recommended, but she thought it helped.

Could it be you're a little dehydrated? Maybe experiment with some other juices?

 

[moze229]

My mother uses the cartomizers from V4L and complained about harshness as well. Might just be coincidence though. I put a couple drops of cappuccino juice in them and she said it was a little better. I don't know if that's recommended, but she thought it helped.

Could it be you're a little dehydrated? Maybe experiment with some other juices?

Perhaps a coincidence. I am going to contact V4L and see what they say. I don't think it's dehydration. I'm one of those weirdos walking around with a bottle of water all of the time

I think what I'm trying to do is make the vaping experience as close to smoking regular cigarettes as possible. Perhaps I'm trying to take too much in and should just accept the fact that vaping is like smoking a super light cigarette and I'll just have to deal with it.

 

[swedishfish]

I doubt it there's anything wrong with the V4L cartomizers. Lots of people love them. My mother likes them but she complained they were harsh. I think what she meant was they weren't as smooth as her analogs. I also think in her case she tries to smoke them like an analog. A 60 year habit is hard to break. But she did say she liked them with a little cap. flavor. I ordered some irish cream flavoring for her. We'll see how she likes that.

I'm a little easier I guess. I liked the first juice I tried. She's more of a 'high maintenance' vapor.

 

[Bengringo]

It is kinda harsh at first. You kinda just get used to it. Just remember to hydrate a little more then your used to because a lot of that harshness is the dehydration caused by the vapor. Some juices do it more then others.

 

[Stosh]

One possibility is your carto is too dry, noit enough juice. A hit from a dry carto or atty can be brutal, harsh and tastes like $^@$. Another possibility would be holding the button down too long, heating the coil to the point where the juice can't wick fast enough to produce vapor instead of a dry hit.

 

[Alky]

Are all prefilled cartos 100% pg?

 

[Bozzlite]

One possibility is your carto is too dry, noit enough juice. A hit from a dry carto or atty can be brutal, harsh and tastes like $^@$. Another possibility would be holding the button down too long, heating the coil to the point where the juice can't wick fast enough to produce vapor instead of a dry hit.

Since you mentioned that it doesn't happen always, just sometimes, I think Stosh is correct. If I let my cart get to dry, it will make me cough like my very first analog did, 45 years ago.

 

[moze229]

One possibility is your carto is too dry, noit enough juice. A hit from a dry carto or atty can be brutal, harsh and tastes like $^@$. Another possibility would be holding the button down too long, heating the coil to the point where the juice can't wick fast enough to produce vapor instead of a dry hit.

Thanks Stosh. Well, if the cartos are coming brand new too dry that could be a possibility. I'm starting to lean towards the PG being the culprit. The 100% VG carts that I have still produce the same effect to me, but not nearly to the extent as the PG based ones.

I'm still trying to figure all of this out. I'm going to continue going through the carts that I have and see what happens. I'd still be interested in trying an atomizer with the drip method to see if that makes any difference, but no one has recommended an atomizer type/brand for me to try that will work with the V4L batteries yet

 

[moze229]

If I let my cart get to dry, it will make me cough like my very first analog did, 45 years ago.

Wow Bozzlite - that's a long time to be smoking. Congrats on the change over (if you've changed over 100%). Even if not, you must feel better now.