losing satisfaction - need recommendations and help! (small mods, 1.5 LR usage)

[LEEIII]

hi - normally I spend a lot of time doing all my research myself, but I am in my last semester of college with lots of additional stressors and I think I've become a little overloaded. On top of that, I've been vaping for 2 years and for the past 6 months I just can't seem to get it right. These past 2 weeks everything has broken down and I'm going a little crazy.

So, a few months back i broke down and ordered an Alpha (this one), but it just wasn't doing anything for me. Used 14500 batteries I bought with the mod. I used standard and Cisco LR 1.5 and 2.0 atomizers on it and it just really didn't seem any better than my previous setup, which was a 1300 mAh Brother with 1.5 Cisco atomizer. I also did not like the mechanical plunger switch as I tend to slip my cigarette in my back pocket when not sitting down, and it would still compress and go off... yea, this got pretty painful on several occasions. i prefer the manual switch close to the atomizer, this seems much harder to trigger by accident. not anything against the maker, it seems very well made, but i just didn't like it. also it got dingy from fingerprints really fast and often slippery; didn't like that too much either.

I also got a USB passthrough (this and this) which I use plugged into a power strip when at home, and it seemed to be better at first, but now I think it's pretty bunk too. I've tried a 510-T, a regular 510, and even desperately tried one of my 1.5 Ciscos on it and it just doesn't seem to satisfy any more, while it additionally gets hotter, faster.

I'm a dripper, btw, and I can do it on the go. I enjoy the functionality of my 510-T atty system but if I'm not using an LR atomizer I feel a little crazy. It's just not enough!! I could get a 510-T LR but I feel like I'm just doing something wrong somewhere and want to fix that first. i have NEVER been able to get cartomizers to work. it makes me feel like a total idiot but i just DO. NOT. GET IT. i've bought some fancy double coil LR clear-0-mizer whatevers and seriously it just doesn't work. i bought syringes to fill it, no go there either. i can't tell if i'm flooding the atomizer or what, but I either get juice in the mouth or a hard-draw with very little vapor. i don't think they've all been DOA... (i've tried 5 cartomizers prolly)

I keep reverting back to 1.5 LR atomizers and 3.2v Brother (with stock 510 and mega batteries in emergency) but it's never QUITE what I would like, but anything else just seems worse! I'm also a DJ/VJ/musician sort of person and I just can't haul a giant mod/batteries/box with me everywhere, and i do not carry a purse. I just carry the cigarette in one pocket and a small bottle of juice in the other. I don't need the best of the best but I do need to feel satisfied... I really don't want to go back to cigarettes but lately it's been a frustrating back and forth. Accept a cigarette to reduce cravings, feel smoky and suffocated, try to vape current setup, not satisfied. repeat ad infinitum.

my brain is so tired i can't think and digging through the forums just leaves me exhausted and confused. could i please get some recommendations? short list:

• no bigger than Alpha or Brother - please!! slim as possible
• need at least 650 mAh or up to last a gig at the bar
• would prefer button in a "normal" position, no plungers or switches on the ends that can be compressed easily in tight pockets. and i MUST be able to put it in my pocket dammit!!!
• don't think i want a box mod, sorry. you can TRY to convince me but REO mini is prolly as big as i'm willing to go, and not sure i want to, because:
• i DO like the cigarette look because i have to field enough questions about my device as is in a crowded bar environment.
• i am satisfied with vapor production but not flavor/TH/general satisfaction. don't care too much about cool draw or hot draw, just don't like HEAVY draw.

i just know there is something i'm not doing right. either its in my technique or it's in my gear. again, the best thing that's worked for me the past two years has been:

• The Brother 1300 mAh 3.2v
• 1.5 LR Cisco spec atomizer
• Delrin whistle drip tip

also, i tend to range from 15-25mgs in strength, and smoke juicy vapor, backwoods brew, and totally wicked liquid. usually PG mixed. rarely smoke dark or VG heavy. i clean my atomizers with a brief boiling and a good blowout, but maybe not as often as i should. prolly only a few times a month, maybe 4 or 5. they seem to last me a long time.

any advice or ideas or recommendations.... so appreciated. i need them.

 

[justintendo]

i think you are getting all you can from something that looks like an analog. i know you dont like boxmods, but i recently got a madvape variable volt box. its very small, much less than a pack of smokes. pretty cheap too. holds two 14500 batts, which are like a "AA" in size.. really light, would fit in pocket great. it has a somewhat easy to depress swith on the side, but has a master on off switch. im running it about 4.5 volts now, it seems much more satisfying sometimes than my altsmokes bb. dont get me wrong, i love my bb, but the 3.7 volt doesnt do it for me at times. i think you should give it a try! there just has to be a small sacrifice somewhere sometimes to really get what you want

 

[justintendo]

also, i vape about 3-4 ml a day, i find my boge lr cartos last a loooong time, but every 4-5 days they need cleaning. maybe you should try a carto, i find much more regulated effect and i exclusively use a liquinator now. its powerful on the right device, very reliable, and has very consistent results.

 

[sugismimi]

The Clear-o-Mizers are a waste of money IMO.
I use the smok tech dual -coil cartomizers for several of my set ups.
I love to drip also, so maybe just sticking to that should be the way to go for you.
The carto's I mentioned hold 1.5 - almost 3 ml of liquid. My problem with that is , i dont always wanna vape the same thing, and at those amounts, you have to.
So I pull out the trusty atty. I have removed the bridge from several of mine and that helps a lil bit again IMO.
Tell the truth, since starting to vape and ruining several good atty's, I just DO NOT clean them any more, i just dry burn them and they r sweet.....
I have the same feeling tho-, I just told some peeps , I'm bored with it now, but do not want to give it up.. love it too much.
well hope something Ive said can help.....

 

[Allan.GH]

You *might* consider going up in nic strength to 3.2% or 3.6%. I know that Pink Spot has 3.6%, ans will mix to your specifications, but don't have any experience in actually using their stuff.

 

[Tracey1]

Have you tried high drain batteries in your Alpha? The LR attys can drain batteries quicker. You are a busy person. Lots of places to go, people to see and things to do. You can have more than one set up to use in various situations. The Alpha when you are home or out with friends. An inconspicuous slim e-cig (or a Joye Ego, Riva type) for work. A pass thru when you are home on the computer. I have many different types of e-cigs and mods and use whatever I feel comfortable with at the moment. You've been vaping for two years. Equipment eventually needs to be replaced. A REO Mini sounds like a good investment for you. Solid construction, very reliable, good battery life and a bottom feeder for convenience.

 

[ec!gg]

The Clear-o-Mizers are a waste of money IMO.
I use the smok tech dual -coil cartomizers for several of my set ups.
I love to drip also, so maybe just sticking to that should be the way to go for you.
The carto's I mentioned hold 1.5 - almost 3 ml of liquid. My problem with that is , i dont always wanna vape the same thing, and at those amounts, you have to.
So I pull out the trusty atty. I have removed the bridge from several of mine and that helps a lil bit again IMO.
Tell the truth, since starting to vape and ruining several good atty's, I just DO NOT clean them any more, i just dry burn them and they r sweet.....
I have the same feeling tho-, I just told some peeps , I'm bored with it now, but do not want to give it up.. love it too much.
well hope something Ive said can help.....

Smoktech dual coils for the win! Love em

 

[Allan.GH]

Still thinking about this, so I thought I'd mention the following:

If you can deal with something that is 3/4" in diameter, and less than 4.25" long (without the atomizer), you might consider going with the PureSmoker Prodigy V3.1. The switch locks, so it won't fire in your pocket. The darn thing is built like a tank and will stand-up to virtually any abuse you can throw at it. You can have it in 3.7 Volts and/or 6 Volts, and use pretty-much anything you want to on it with a 510 or 801 threading.

 

[Dan Patrick]

I am also a DJ, and I find that Ego/Cigarette style devices....anything that has a light on it is the most non discrete thing you can use in this circumstance. I use my Reo mini...get a black black one and you can palm it. No light, small, juice on demand. Bottom feeders IMO are most like dripping. I use an AW battery and a Cisco 1.5 HH 357 and I think it is great.

Now my wife vapes at work secretly and she loves the GLV super mini. She is a dripper, and this thing is tiny. She uses the 1.5 Cisco LR atty. To clean soak it overnight in some Everclear....water takes forever to dry in an atty, and these bounce right back, and less time in front of the stove.

I also am interested in the VV little sister Evercool. It's the size of a bic lighter, and though not as sturdy as some mods, will have that punch you are looking for.

I also love the Infinity Pro VV from Not Cigs, ego size, though a little longer. You could sell the mod you have in the classies and get one of these for around 100 dollars. I got mine with 2 sets of batts for $107. This one you can use a regular atty or carto and get up to 5.5v and up to 15watts. This has crazy power, in the smallest package I have found so far. Even has a long 510 connection so you don't need an adapter for you drip shield...if you want.

For bars/partys where I don't mind the little light on the end of a mod, I love the 808 Smoov/Volt route. They have Kanger Bottom Coil cartomizers, but you can use and adapter and use your regular 510 lr. These are actually 3.7 unlike most small batteries.

 

[Hondo69]

I always had trouble with portability, so I just improvised using an old eye glasses case.

Just took some foam and hot glued it into the case. Then used an X-Acto knive to cut out impressions that would hold my Riva and some cartos. Took me a little while because the foam was harder to cut than I imagined, but works like a champ.

No more misfiring or having one more thing to carry around in my hands. Just slip it in my pocket and off I go. The hard outside case makes it almost indestructible. Don't know if you could fit a small bottle of juice in there or not, but I think it might work.

 

[LEEIII]

Have you tried high drain batteries in your Alpha? The LR attys can drain batteries quicker. You are a busy person. Lots of places to go, people to see and things to do. You can have more than one set up to use in various situations. The Alpha when you are home or out with friends. An inconspicuous slim e-cig (or a Joye Ego, Riva type) for work. A pass thru when you are home on the computer. I have many different types of e-cigs and mods and use whatever I feel comfortable with at the moment. You've been vaping for two years. Equipment eventually needs to be replaced. A REO Mini sounds like a good investment for you. Solid construction, very reliable, good battery life and a bottom feeder for convenience.

didn't know about high drain batteries - but i simply won't use the alpha. i just don't like it. i guess i am learning that equipment needs to be replaced as my passthrough just totally kicked the bucket. i guess i just figure it would hold up, you know?

If you can deal with something that is 3/4" in diameter, and less than 4.25" long (without the atomizer), you might consider going with the PureSmoker Prodigy V3.1.

yea, that's a good device, but i hate hate hate bottom buttons. so awkward.

I am also a DJ, and I find that Ego/Cigarette style devices....anything that has a light on it is the most non discrete thing you can use in this circumstance. I use my Reo mini...get a black black one and you can palm it. No light, small, juice on demand. Bottom feeders IMO are most like dripping. I use an AW battery and a Cisco 1.5 HH 357 and I think it is great.

Now my wife vapes at work secretly and she loves the GLV super mini. She is a dripper, and this thing is tiny. She uses the 1.5 Cisco LR atty. To clean soak it overnight in some Everclear....water takes forever to dry in an atty, and these bounce right back, and less time in front of the stove.

I also am interested in the VV little sister Evercool. It's the size of a bic lighter, and though not as sturdy as some mods, will have that punch you are looking for.

I also love the Infinity Pro VV from Not Cigs, ego size, though a little longer. You could sell the mod you have in the classies and get one of these for around 100 dollars. I got mine with 2 sets of batts for $107. This one you can use a regular atty or carto and get up to 5.5v and up to 15watts. This has crazy power, in the smallest package I have found so far. Even has a long 510 connection so you don't need an adapter for you drip shield...if you want.

For bars/partys where I don't mind the little light on the end of a mod, I love the 808 Smoov/Volt route. They have Kanger Bottom Coil cartomizers, but you can use and adapter and use your regular 510 lr. These are actually 3.7 unlike most small batteries.

Dan, thanks, this post was pretty useful to me. You and the rest are starting to really convince me to take a second look at the REO mini. my problem with visibility isn't so much that i'm trying to vape secretly, but that people know that i use electric cigarettes, and i'm ALWAYS having to explain it. having a box means i am going to have to RE-explain it to everyone. "yes it is still an 'electric cigarette'" ad infinitum. it's becoming more common for people to walk around with PVs, but i just know people will be crawling all over to ask me what the hell i am smoking out of.

i really like your other recommendations too. i'll be sniffing around the GLVs and the Infinity Pro VV. I am really broke right now however, so until I get this Alpha sold I am a little boned. any site recs to pick up a cheap 808 smoov? i'm assuming they are much cheaper anyways, i've seen them advertised on occasion. i just burnt out my last atty so i HAVE to get something, my battery will need replacing soon, so i might as well just get something for an interim period...

I always had trouble with portability, so I just improvised using an old eye glasses case.

i actually tried a method quite similar but soon went crazy opening and closing my case all the time and just stuck the damn thing straight in my pocket instead. case too big to fit in my back pocket anyways. MUST GO IN POCKETS.