My experience .. and some questions

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nefario

Full Member
Jun 28, 2013
17
2
New Orleans, LA
Hello. I'm obviously new here. :)
I've been vaping for 9 days now after smoking cigarettes for over 5 years. I love it.

A new co-worker of mine talked me into buying the ego-C with a tank after letting me try his. I always brushed off e-cigs, thinking they were all equal. Boy was I wrong. I'm happy with what I have so far, -- I should! I've invested $220+ into batteries, flavorings, and accessories between me and my wife (we did try a LOT of flavors!). But I'm actually keeping a spreadsheet of my costs vs. what I would of paid with cigarettes and I will break even sometimes in July, at around 30-40 days of vaping, with savings (money AND health) to follow.

I found a shop that is here local to me in New Orleans called smokecignals. They're generally great. A little on the expensive side, but it's nice to have someone to talk to. But I still have some questions and hoping for some advice! I'm moving soon, and don't want to have to order from them-only.. So I'd like to know...

I have an off-brand acrylic tank.. and I actually love it. I cannot find this brand anywhere else. It came in a cheap cellophane film that said "Oaker Brand" at the top in tiny writing. I can't find anything about an "Oaker Brand" selling anything related to e-cigs!

I'd like another -- I went in to get my wife setup after using mine for 3-4 days and they only had the Smok Brand still in stock. I also bought a 10pk of carto's and the guy assured me that the carto's would fit both my and her new tank. They don't.

This happened twice. I went in and they had more acrylic tanks, I just stupidly assumed they were the same brand as mine and got a clear one. Wrong! Still, only takes the flanged (has two notches cut out) cartos.

It appears the brand of cartos I have are flange-less. They don't have the tiny strips cut out the side (perfectly round seal) and will not fit in my wife's Smok tank. Very disappointing because I don't want to be locked into purchasing only their flanged Cartos. What is all this about?

The flange-less cartos I have have a large opening at the base, instead of the pin-..... the Smok brand, to let the juice into the carto. (on top of being perfectly round, not flanged, just above the base) They don't seem to vape as good as the stock Smok brand carto she got with her tank, but... She's had a TON of problems with hears leaking juice out of the bottom randomly (on top of the battery), making it bubbly when she draws on it... and it drives her NUTS! It's made her want to stop vaping and go back to the "analogs" just because it's so much of a hassle, while my cheap-o carto/tank setup seems to work much better. I've had very little issues.

My only issue seems to be priming the cartos. It may be this cheap brand of carto, but it seems either I'm vaping too hard, or they're just cheap-- Sometimes, especially after I change cartos, I get cotton-burn taste where the coil is burning the cotton (didn't have enough juice/went dry).

Otherwise... I'm enjoying it and soon my wallet will too! .. Can anyone clear up the confusion I'm having? What are the flanged/non-flanged carto's brands/real terminology? What am I even looking for?

Also very interested in DIY flavors. I'm moving from New Orleans soon to a rural area and I'm anxious about not having the flavors "I know I like" available. While I'm new to vaping, I'm quite the engineer and I don't think it would be outside my capabilities with a little safety first. All of their flavors are labeled "MANS". Is that a well known flavoring vendor?

Sorry for all the questions -- But just figured I'd get a few doubts out while I introduced myself!

I'm sure I'm going to have a great time here ;)
 
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cyberwolf

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Apr 22, 2009
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Priming the cartos is the first step in avoiding the burnt taste. Keeping them wet is the next. Some cartos just don't wick liquid from the tank fast enough, especially with a thicker e-liquid. Try puffing into the mouthpiece and watch to see if bubbles appear in the tank. If they do, that air will displace liquid, forcing it into the tank. Note that if you do have a poor seal on the bottom, puffing into it may cause more leakage. That poor seal will also be a major factor in not keeping the carto wet enough, as it eliminates the previously mentioned pressure in the tank that forces the liquid in.

If this method does work, then it might be time to enlarge the hole in the carto or make more of them.
 

nefario

Full Member
Jun 28, 2013
17
2
New Orleans, LA
I talked to the owner of the shop I mentioned, smokecignals, and he said he personally didn't like the carton tanks either but occasionally used them. He suggested the protank (which appears to be the Kanger ones.. trying to remember all this!!) as well.. Am I going to get as good as a burn with the "bottom coil" burners vs a dual coil carto tank? The cartos I have, once again, seem to be single coil (I dismantled one) even though they were sold as two. But my wife's are definitely dual coil and vapes 100x better.

I guess I can play with some more carton based ones just to have the experience and maybe try the Kanger/kanger-like.

Cyberwolf, I never considered a bad seal on my wife's setup. I'll look closer. Although it seems to be the small hole in the bottom of the atomizer, not the tank/cartomizer seal.. Almost like in the Smok brand the holes (in the bottom) are too big.

Although I worry about the "caboration" of my setup too, especially if I am going to switch to a Kanger-like tank. I like to be able to draw easily, not a hard pull.

If I'm putting this all together correctly (and, someone please let me know if I am).. The 510 threads are the smaller threads inside my eGo battery? And when I use 510-threaded stuff, that's why I am needing the skirts to fit on the larger (what are they called?) thread to give it a more aesthetically pleasing look?

I have a problem using the skirts because they restrict airflow too much for my taste.. The skirts I have do have holes in them to allow airflow, but they are too big, and I don't have anything to make them larger!
 
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