New mod vaper looking for advice!

[luckybee]

So, I've been doing research for about 4 days straight now (bedridden from an accident, so I've got some time, clearly...) and I think I'm ready to take the plunge on my first entry-level mod. I'm about thisclose to clicking confirm on my shopping carts, and I'd love some last minute advice/tips/pointers/comments...


Here's the spread I'm going with:
VAMO V5
Protank-II Clearomizer For ejuice
Bulb Atty at 1.8 Ohms (which I gather is better for waxes)
Nitecore Intellicharger
and 2 Panasonic NCR18650B 3.7V 3400mAh batteries
for a grand total of $53.14 on FT and $28.89 on Amazon.
Woot irrresponsible spending!!


But yeah, if anyone has any last minute advice, or sees I'm forgetting something vital, it'd be a big help to hear it! Even just a "Yep, seems good" would be super welcome...I'm just so nervous about my first mod!

 

[steved5600]

Get the Protank III or It's a dual coil and is better than the II. The coils are rebuildable to. You will like that charger just check to see if it comes with all the cables some don't. I have a Nightcore 4 bay. Vamo v5, and 3 PT IIIs. Love bottom feed coils..

 

[luckybee]

Dammit! I already confirmed... but now that I'm searching through FastTech it seems like they're sold out of pretty much every Protank but the one I bought. I'll have to try the III when it's back in stock :/ Still waiting on the batteries though, I just found illumn and realized it would cost the same from them as Amazon, and their battery selection seems better. My brain is going to explode from all the choices

Edit: found them listed under 3, rather than III. Double dammit. Maybe it's not too late to change my order...

 

[kiwivap]

You don't need dual coils with a Vamo. You'll see.

 

[Izan]

Hi and welcome,
What devices are you using now and how much and for how long did you smoke?

Have you used FT before? (shipping can be a killer)

Good luck
I

 

[luckybee]

Gah I can't wait for my order... make time go faster!!
Still overwhelmed with battery options though. o_________o

 

[kiwivap]

Gah I can't wait for my order... make time go faster!!
Still overwhelmed with battery options though. o_________o

Actually the batteries you ordered are protected ICRs. The batteries you want are IMRs - high drain with a safer chemistry. An IMR battery is very unlikely to explode if it goes thermal, but will vent gas instead.

For a Vamo (I have two) I would recommend AW IMRs - these actually:
AW IMR 18650 2000mAh

and if you want the smaller 18350s then these:
AW IMR 18350 3.7V 700mAh - Batteries

That's a good vendor and he sells authentic AW IMRs. I use AW IMRS myself.

 

[Scottsman241]

Definitely a fan of the Intellicharger. It has made a huge difference in the life and performance of all my batteries. Overcharging seems to kill them pretty quick. Putting them on my old charger and leaving them overnight was killing them within two months

 

[Btsmokincat]

If things haven't shipped yet on fasttech you can definitely cancel them and get a "Gift cerrtificate" to get something else. I've done it a couple of times when I had second thoughts. As for shipping, yeah that's going to take at least 2 weeks if everything is marked "Ships next day".

 

[Wow1420]

Get one of these https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10004861/1654500-authentic-airflow-control-valve-for-protank-2 for the protank. The side airflow solves all the possible PT2 issues with occasional gurling and flooding.

If you want to change a FT order, cancel the whole order, take the refund as store credit/gift certificate. Place a new order and apply the gift certificate as payment. The gift certificate is available to use immediately, while a paypal refund can take days to show up.

and Bulb Atty???

 

[Btsmokincat]

and Bulb Atty???

I was thinking the same thing. Unless you live in Colorado, Washington or a state that allows "medicinal herbs" that atty will raise the suspicions of law enforcement!

One other tip, order everything separate, especially batteries. It's all free shipping so that doesn't matter and any one thing won't hold up the entire order.

 

[Wow1420]

One other tip, order everything separate, especially batteries. It's all free shipping so that doesn't matter and any one thing won't hold up the entire order.

Good point, batteries will ship by Maylasian Post, which is very slow. Get batteries from a US source or be prepared to wait about 4 weeks.

 

[1badwheel]

Ebay has pretty good deals now and again with some pretty fast shipping and processing. I just got my dream INNOKIN VTR with a protank 3 and it took only 5 days from east coast to west. If you got ALOT of time and save some money than go through Fast Tech but my experience with them is where the term "Slow boat from China" came from. I could swim there faster. Sounds like you got a pretty good setup but I agree that you would be happier with the pro tank 3 because of the glass tank not so much the dual coil. Soon you will be wrapping your own coils like the rest of us. Hope you get better soon and happy vapeing!! "/

 

[luckybee]

Bulb as in globe. If you look up Bulb Style Glass Atomizer on FastTech it should show up.
Should be a good starter to work from.
...hopefully...

 

[luckybee]

I was thinking the same thing. Unless you live in Colorado, Washington or a state that allows "medicinal herbs" that atty will raise the suspicions of law enforcement!

One other tip, order everything separate, especially batteries. It's all free shipping so that doesn't matter and any one thing won't hold up the entire order.

I'm back and forth between San Francisco and Los Angeles, two cities that aren't so hard on us "bulb users"... haha
I can literally walk down the street in SF with a "medicinal cig" and not worry.

 

[Hijack]

Actually the batteries you ordered are protected ICRs. The batteries you want are IMRs - high drain with a safer chemistry. An IMR battery is very unlikely to explode if it goes thermal, but will vent gas instead.

For a Vamo (I have two) I would recommend AW IMRs - these actually:
AW IMR 18650 2000mAh

and if you want the smaller 18350s then these:
AW IMR 18350 3.7V 700mAh - Batteries

That's a good vendor and he sells authentic AW IMRs. I use AW IMRS myself.

Yes you should really use IMR type batteries in an electronic mod as the mod has built in protection and might not like the protection circuit built into the ICR battery. They are safer as well.

 

[luckybee]

Actually the batteries you ordered are protected ICRs. The batteries you want are IMRs - high drain with a safer chemistry. An IMR battery is very unlikely to explode if it goes thermal, but will vent gas instead.

For a Vamo (I have two) I would recommend AW IMRs - these actually:
AW IMR 18650 2000mAh

and if you want the smaller 18350s then these:
AW IMR 18350 3.7V 700mAh - Batteries

That's a good vendor and he sells authentic AW IMRs. I use AW IMRS myself.

Very glad I didn't order them yet then! I figure since my VAMO's coming in from FT I have some time to pick out decent batteries, eh?

I found "2 AW IMR 18650 2000mAh 3.7v Rechargeable High Drain Button Top Batteries" for $14.95 on Amazon, as well as "(2 Pieces) IMR 18650 2000mah 3.7v High Drain Li-mn Rechargeable Battery with Button Top" for $9.73+4.99 shipping...

I can't post links for some reason I probably just haven't read about yet, so I included the entire list title in case anyone wanted to check them out.

Illumn also carries a 18650 Efest IMR18650 V1 2100mAh High Discharge Button Top for 7.99, and a 18650 Efest IMR18650 V1 2000mAh High Discharge Flat Top for 6.49, which are hard prices to beat on my budget. I've heard good things about Efests on other forums, but does anyone here have an opinion on them?

Is Amazon generally a trustworthy source of batteries? Also, does flat top/ button top make a difference?

 

[Hijack]

I found "2 AW IMR 18650 2000mAh 3.7v Rechargeable High Drain Button Top Batteries" for $14.95 on Amazon, as well as "(2 Pieces) IMR 18650 2000mah 3.7v High Drain Li-mn Rechargeable Battery with Button Top" for $9.73+4.99 shipping...

I can't post links for some reason I probably just haven't read about yet, so I included the entire list title in case anyone wanted to check them out.

Illumn also carries a 18650 Efest IMR18650 V1 2100mAh High Discharge Button Top for 7.99, and a 18650 Efest IMR18650 V1 2000mAh High Discharge Flat Top for 6.49, which are hard prices to beat on my budget. I've heard good things about Efests on other forums, but does anyone here have an opinion on them?

Is Amazon generally a trustworthy source of batteries? Also, does flat top/ button top make a difference?

I would go for the efest, and get from the most reputable vendor you can. Its a minefield of fakes out there when dealing with batteries.
It shouldn't matter if they are flat top or button top. I have button top 650's but a flat top would work ok in my mods.
I cant suggest a vendor as I buy from UK. But if you go look at the batteries on ebay and read the comments people have left it will put you off buying from there full stop.

 

[luckybee]

I would go for the efest, and get from the most reputable vendor you can. Its a minefield of fakes out there when dealing with batteries.
It shouldn't matter if they are flat top or button top. I have button top 650's but a flat top would work ok in my mods.
I cant suggest a vendor as I buy from UK. But if you go look at the batteries on ebay and read the comments people have left it will put you off buying from there full stop.

Thanks for the tip, this is super helpful!

 

[BeerGolfClouds]

For a few $ more you can get Sony US18650VTC5 batteries, I've found several reputable online vendors selling them in the neighborhood of 2 for $20. IMHO about the best battery available, and a battery that will grow with you should you decide to venture into rebuildables at some point. Also, they are 2600 mAh so each charge will last longer. $.02