Need some help...of course don't we all :)

[lite1000]

Hello everyone. First post here so I'll try not to mess it up too much. Looking for some advice. My wife quit analogs and switched to an e-cig a few years back. I can't remember what the first unit was we got but, when she gave it up and went back to analogs, she was using an eGo from The Vapor Pro. Now she would like to give up the analogs again and go back to vaping but, her problem is, she says that the eGo just doesn't cut it for her. Basically it doesn't give her the vapor and throat hit she's looking for in order to replace the real thing.

So this is where I need help. I've read up some on all of the new units out there since I last researched all of this years ago, and I'm a little overwhelmed. Looking for suggestions from the group. Size doesn't really matter that much. I have a strange flashlight fetish, so I have lots of 18650 batteries. 14500 or just about any other size wouldn't be a problem either. I definitely want the battery to be replaceable and not integrated into the unit. I've looked at the Vamo V3 and the Innokin iTaste SVD on fasttech and they both look interesting as a starter kit or power unit. The Innokin comes with a couple of iClear 30 atomizers and some rebuildable coils.

Looking for advice on what everyone thinks. Don't want to break the bank but don't want to skimp too much either. I would really like to see her kick the analogs for good! Thanks in advance!

 

[Robinowitz]

Great first post! Before I embarked on this journey, I researched lots also (and glad I did). There are lots of nice mods out there and better choices than a few years back. I started with a Mini Provari. I'm grateful I did as I never worry about it working...because it always does. I also like the cartomizer tanks from IBTanked. Great flavor and fairly simple to learn to fill, etc. (I branched out into other bottom coil tanks (ProTanks) but wasn't pleased with the taste and got tired of throwing out dead atomizer heads. As far as vapor and throat hit. Much of this IMHO has to do with the VG and PG ratio in the e-liquid. ( e-liquid is part nicotine, flavoring and some ratio of VG/PG). Vegetable Glycerin and Propylene Glycol. VG tends to increase vapor, whereas PG tends to carry the flavor more and increase the throat hit. You can research this and then try out some different ratios. Also do some research about how high nicotene % she should start with. Usually high is better. Vaping is not just like smoking and it was helpful when I learned that. What vaping does for me is allow me not to smoke without pulling my hair out . She is lucky to have you looking out for her. Hope this is helpful! One less cigarette is one less cigarette!

 

[lite1000]

Thank you very much for the information, Robinowitz!

Does anyone else have any feedback as far as power units, atomizers, tanks, etc. to meet our situation?

 

[Robinowitz]

You are welcome Lite. There's so much info and wisdom on these threads. A life saver for sure. Take care!

 

[Katya]

Thank you very much for the information, Robinowitz!

Does anyone else have any feedback as far as power units, atomizers, tanks, etc. to meet our situation?

Since she's not sure about her commitment to vaping, I'd suggest maybe something a bit better than a traditional eGo (3.3-3.4v) that will be able to give her both a smooth and powerful vape for very little upfront investment. I'd get her a VV eGo-C Twist or a Vision Spinner--same shape as her old egos but much more powerful. Or, if shape is not a problem, get her the MVP 2--it's the best bang for your buck nowadays--2,600 mAh, dual eGo/510 connection, vv/vw, ohms reader and it will charge her cell phone. But it's box shaped and has an internal battery. Topped with a few good clearomizers, like Kanger BCC or Aspire, she may be able to get what she needs from vaping.

If you really insist on replaceable batteries, there are many mid-price APVs like Sigelei Zmax or Vamo, but they are not as nice as the MVP, IMHO. And the really nice ones, like ProVari, are much more expensive.

Good luck.

 

[Baditude]

So this is where I need help. I've read up some on all of the new units out there since I last researched all of this years ago, and I'm a little overwhelmed. Looking for suggestions from the group. Size doesn't really matter that much. I have a strange flashlight fetish, so I have lots of 18650 batteries. 14500 or just about any other size wouldn't be a problem either. I definitely want the battery to be replaceable and not integrated into the unit. I've looked at the Vamo V3 and the Innokin iTaste SVD ...

My first concern when reading the above is what kind of batteries do you use in your flashlights? If they are alkaline or cobalt (Li-Ion) batteries they are the wrong kind for mods like the Vamo or SVD. You need IMR (Li-Mn) high-drain safe-chemistry batteries.

Battery Basics for Mods

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/129569-rechargeable-batteries.html

 

[Soseliquid]

Just a quick note, you do not need IMR high drain batteries for china made regulated voltage devices, just something that is rated to 5amp continuous draw. I recommend a Samsung ICR 18650 2600mah rated at 5.2amp continuous draw. Know your battery amp limits and match them to the chipset your using. If your going to go with a unregulated mechanical mod it is very important to use imr high drain batteries.
I recommend the Vamo V5 it is a great mod and will definitely meet the needs of vapor production and throat hit. Couple the vamo with either a kanger protank or Aspire Nautilus and your Golden. The vamo has a 5amp current limit, and the SVD I believe has a 3amp current limit. Just make sure you use batteries that have a higher continuous amp draw then the limit on the chip.

 

[PLANofMAN]

...I definitely want the battery to be replaceable and not integrated into the unit...

Why is this important? If it is because you want to be able to replace the battery when it no longer holds a charge, then you need to look at better vaping devices. The Vamo and SVD will probably break before the batteries need to be replaced. Ditto for the MVP, though I could see that one lasting until the internal batteries no longer held a charge.

...
I recommend the Vamo V5 it is a great mod and will definitely meet the needs of vapor production and throat hit. Couple the vamo with either a kanger protank or Aspire Nautilus and your Golden. The vamo has a 5amp current limit, and the SVD I believe has a 3amp current limit. Just make sure you use batteries that have a higher continuous amp draw then the limit on the chip.

The Vamo is a piece of junk (in my opinion, as I've had two of them break on me). The Kanger ProTank and/or Aspire Nautilus is a good recommendation though. If cost wasn't an issue, I would recommend a ProVari Mini. As it is, I do recommend the MVP 2.0, despite it having internal batteries.

If you choose to pursue the rebuildable route, then you should go with the ProTank. The coils on it were not intended to be rebuildable, but they are actually fairly easy to rebuild. If size and weight are really not an issue for her, then the Kayfun Lite + is another rebuildable you ought to look into, as is the IGO-W dripping atomizer. Both produce excellent vapor production when re-wicked with cotton.

 

[Warpigs]

It may be a tad spendy at 1st to get into, but I recommend the Silver bullet with a 5 ML PBC Tank and 2.4 ohm bottom coil, with AW 18650/3400 Mah Protected batteris. This is what I use and from quitting smoking in December of 2013, it has already payed off itself. For 1, you get a great and worthwhile mod that has been around for years and is a staple in the mod buisness (the dam thing is a tank, I could run it over with my car and it will still work) heh. And you get the easy upkeep .

 

[RaceGun59]

I have a KMax by KSD and a ZMax by Sigelei. Both are serving me well. The Kmax is adjustable and will fit 18350,18500, 18650, or stacked 18350s. The Vmax is V2 that uses 18650 or stacked 18350s. I prefer Kanger ProTank IIs. There is also a L-Rider Robust that uses a 14500. The wife however likes here MVP2 with tanks like the Kumiho The Fox i-Tanks, Hyper Tanks, or Kanger ProTank minis. Stay with glass tanks so you can use any juice without fear of cracking it. Since you are into the flashlightsyou'll already know about battery safety and the differant types of Li-ion batteries and chargers. Good luck on your quest.

 

[RaceGun59]

I have a KMax by KSD and a ZMax by Sigelei. Both are serving me well. The Kmax is adjustable and will fit 18350,18500, 18650, or stacked 18350s. The Vmax is V2 that uses 18650 or stacked 18350s. I prefer Kanger ProTank IIs. There is also a L-Rider Robust that uses a 14500. The wife however likes here MVP2 with tanks like the Kumiho The Fox i-Tanks, Hyper Tanks, or Kanger ProTank minis. Stay with glass tanks so you can use any juice without fear of cracking it. Since you are into the flashlightsyou'll already know about battery safety and the differant types of Li-ion batteries and chargers. Good luck on your quest. Oh, and nice to see a fellow Kentuckian. Owensboro here. We have several good stores here now.

Crap.double post gremlin got me.

 

[Baditude]

Just a quick note, you do not need IMR high drain batteries for china made regulated voltage devices, just something that is rated to 5amp continuous draw. I recommend a Samsung ICR 18650 2600mah rated at 5.2amp continuous draw. Know your battery amp limits and match them to the chipset your using. If your going to go with a unregulated mechanical mod it is very important to use imr high drain batteries.

The last thing that I want to do is to hijack this thread by debating battery chemistries, but I couldn't disagree more with the above, and this is an important enough subject worth mentioning here.

In this day of modern battery technology there is no reason to use an ICR battery in a mod. As we are more likely than not using batteries in metal tubes, the type of battery we use in them becomes critical for safety reasons as well as performance. Using a battery with volatile chemistry (ICR Li-Ion) is akin to using what could potentially become a pipe bomb. These can vent hot gas and flames should they hard short, fail, and go into thermal runaway. I know this for a fact as it happened to me, which inspired me to research and learn about batteries.



IMR and the newer hybrid batteries are a safe-chemistry battery less likely to go into failure, vent flames, or explode. Why risk using ICR batteries when life/limb and destruction of your home could be at risk?

From a performance standpoint, regulated mods use buck boost circuitry and use PWM (pulse width modulation) to raise the voltage output of the mod higher than the 3.7 volts of lithium batteries. For optimal performance, they require high drain batteries.

Technical - Why High Drain Batteries?

Question for the Tech Engineers at Provape

A 18650 ICR battery will typically have a 2.65 amp rating. Basically, if you use a coil that has a resistance of 1.5ohms, and you apply 4.0v across it:

4.0v / 1.5ohm = 2.6 amps

This means you will have a 2.6 amp current draw on your battery. Using that ICR 18650, you would be pushing the limits of that battery while a typical IMR 18650 with a 10 amp limit would accept it with ease. Add to the fact that the PWM of a regulated mod may easily draw up to 9 amps from the battery, and you can be WAY over an ICR battery's amp limit.

I'll challenge you to prove that the Samsung 18650 2600 mAh ICR has a 5 amp continuous rating. Even if it has that much, it can still be pushed over its limit by the PWM of a regulated mod.

 

[Rickajho]

A couple points of concern from the OP:

I know you said you have a pile 'o batteries, but as 'bad pointed out we (you) don't know if they are the right kind of batteries. On one level there is the safety/chemistry concern. On a horribly practical level a lot of APV's - the VAMO included - do not function with ICR batteries that have built in protection circuits.

Any APV here that has at least variable voltage will be a step-up over her original fixed voltage eGo experience. If she isn't committed, and still has the original eGo charger, she could get just an eGo Twist or Vision Spinner to revisit vaping and get a much better experience in the process.

As far as her overall experience goes, a lot of this has to do with liquids. If she wants more throat hit just choosing liquids with a higher PG ratio may be all that's required there.

 

[lite1000]

My first concern when reading the above is what kind of batteries do you use in your flashlights? If they are alkaline or cobalt (Li-Ion) batteries they are the wrong kind for mods like the Vamo or SVD. You need IMR (Li-Mn) high-drain safe-chemistry batteries.



Yep, they're IMR's. Mostly Samsung, some LG's, a few Panasonics, some Trustfire flames, ad more junk Ultrafire's then I care to mention. Some are unprotected and some have protection circuitry.

 

[lite1000]

I have a KMax by KSD and a ZMax by Sigelei. Both are serving me well. The Kmax is adjustable and will fit 18350,18500, 18650, or stacked 18350s. The Vmax is V2 that uses 18650 or stacked 18350s. I prefer Kanger ProTank IIs. There is also a L-Rider Robust that uses a 14500. The wife however likes here MVP2 with tanks like the Kumiho The Fox i-Tanks, Hyper Tanks, or Kanger ProTank minis. Stay with glass tanks so you can use any juice without fear of cracking it. Since you are into the flashlightsyou'll already know about battery safety and the differant types of Li-ion batteries and chargers. Good luck on your quest. Oh, and nice to see a fellow Kentuckian. Owensboro here. We have several good stores here now.

Crap.double post gremlin got me.

Ha, we're just down the road in Bowling Green...home of the internationally acclaimed Corvette Swallowing Sinkhole Thanks for the great advice!

 

[lite1000]

Lots of great information here! Thanks everyone!

 

[BeRight]

Lots of choices - we all have our favorites - more and more choices seem to come out every month.

I only own models of the Innokin itaste line - safe - dependable - reasonably priced - I set wattage and vape.
Already mentioned is their itaste MVP 2 (best of their models IMHO) and I also like their itaste VV/V3 model for out and about.

Fundamentals haven't changed: more PG/nicotine more throat hit - more VG more vapor - more wattage generally more vapor.

50/50 ratio of PG/VG works for many as the happy medium - reasonable place to start and then vary ratio to your/her liking.

I vape at 8 watts using MVP 2 or VV/V3 and works well for me with various toppers and ejuices.
Easy enough with a variable wattage device to change settings to your liking.
Quality of vape is the same between these devices. Just the MVP2 lasts longer - about three times longer

I also have Innokin itaste models EP, 134 and SVD - all have worked well for me - some members on this board have reported fire button failures with their SVD and their 134 turning itself off on its own free will.

 

[lite1000]

Lots of choices - we all have our favorites - more and more choices seem to come out every month.

I only own models of the Innokin itaste line - safe - dependable - reasonably priced - I set wattage and vape.
Already mentioned is their itaste MVP 2 (best of their models IMHO) and I also like their itaste VV/V3 model for out and about.

Fundamentals haven't changed: more PG/nicotine more throat hit - more VG more vapor - more wattage generally more vapor.

50/50 ratio of PG/VG works for many as the happy medium - reasonable place to start and then vary ratio to your/her liking.

I vape at 8 watts using MVP 2 or VV/V3 and works well for me with various toppers and ejuices.
Easy enough with a variable wattage device to change settings to your liking.
Quality of vape is the same between these devices. Just the MVP2 lasts longer - about three times longer

I also have Innokin itaste models EP, 134 and SVD - all have worked well for me - some members on this board have reported fire button failures with their SVD and their 134 turning itself off on its own free will.

To be quite honest, longevity or small problems don't really concern me a lot. I'm an Engineer by profession which means I'm a hacker/DIY'er/modder by default. I sit around and wait for perfectly good items to stop working or break so I can take it apart and see what I can do to give it more power/strength