New! Need some advice!

[RedZone]

A lot of people here, push individual suppliers, possible ulterior motives, who knows?

My suggestion is go with a model that has been around, still in production, and widely used (here)....

Make sure you get "extra" everything's! (That's where my comment on the don't go cheap comes from)... I was a 2 pack a day smoker for 30 years, did my research here, and my initial order for equipment and juice was about $300. That's what about 4.5 cartons in Shytown?
Nothing worse than getting off the analogs, but then find out you went cheap, and don't have a backup battery or atomiser, or juice, etc. etc. etc.

Here's what I bought to get started:

Totally Wicked (They have a 30% off sale starting in a week!)
(1) Mega Titan 510 Manual Starter Kit
3 Mega batteries
3 Atomisers
5 Blank Carts
5 Slot Battery charger
10ml Tobacco eJuice (Haven't touched their juice yet)

Extras from Totally Wicked:
10 Extra Carts
USB Passthrough (So I can vape all day without a battery, LOVE IT!)
5 Extra Atomisers

Juice (I ordered from 2 suppliers, Johnson creek and DIY Flavor Shack
Johnson Creek
15ml 24mg Nic - Summer Peach (Yum, med. throat hit, lots of vapor)
15ml 24mg Nic - Espresso (Not very impressed, Vape it w/ Coffee in the morning sometimes)
15ml 24mg Nic - Tennesse Cured (Haven't even cracked it yet)


DIY Flavor Shack
10ml 30mg Nic - Thin Mint (Think eating an Ande's choco mint, unbelievable!)
10ml 30mg Nic - Cappuccino (didn't mimic the flavor 100%, kind of a nutty aftertaste. Still like it, once my taste buds expected creamy nutty)
10ml 30mg NIC - Mint Chocolate Banana Float (OH MY GOD! This flavor hits so many different taste buds at once. An implosion of great taste!)
10ML 40mg Nic - French Vanilla (Haven't cracked it yet. Bought it in case the 24/30mg Nic strengths weren't hacking it)

I'm more impressed overall with Dawn's DIY Flavor Shack mixes, though I do like the Johnson Creek "Summer Peach"...
As you can see, I'm not even worried about tobacco flavor look alike's to my previous analogs (Marlboro Reds)...

Finally, I invested in a lot of equipment and juice, BUT, I haven't had an analog since I made the switch, NOT A ONE! I vape like a fiend working at the computer all day, through my USB passthru, and use my batteries when I go out.

Yesterday, had some vaping issues, and just put my used carts aside, grabbed a couple new carts, and BOOM, back to a nice sweet taste, and lot's of vapor again.

I'll worry about cart mods, etc, over the next couple of weeks. Right now, it's more important for me, to have easy access to everything.

Summary of my suggestion, don't buy the cheapest, just to get started. Research here, ask lots of questions, then put together your order, based on what you think is going to work for you. If you go the 510 route, my suggestion is to get the "manual" batteries, you control how long the atomiser is firing!

Good luck in your efforts, and think, if you do it right, and have success, you have a lot better chance of getting your Dad to switch also! Time for another hit of Dawn's choco mint banan float! Yum!

 

[jj2]

I'm with some of the others. DO NOT BUY the one you saw. Most over the counter will give you an idea whether you are going to like vaping, but that's about all.
Do some research and then make a choice.

 

[Dram202]

Thanks! I've only been researching for a day, but am leaning towards the 510 as has been suggested to me. Now I am attempting to narrow brands.

Was considering Joye 510. Is that a reliable manufacturer? I am looking for throat hit and considerable vapor. I am probably going to start out with 24mg and see how that dose works for me. As I smoke regular Camels think I'll just stick to that flavor.

Will definitely be going the juice route.

What do you "heavy vapers" spend per month?

 

[RedZone]

They are not the anywhere near the same. Vaping will mimic some things, and getting nicotine into your system through the same channel is where the two are similar.

I would strongly advise getting a flavor sampler, rather than trying to mirror the taste (though that's not really possible), of your Camels.
There are so many positive benefits comparing vaping to analogs, that you should have some fun with it. I really don't have much of a sweet tooth, but the sweeter flavors are really nice to the taste buds. After several days off the analogs, your taste buds will crave bolder flavors, in addition to more O2 hitting the brain, and other parts of your system. Better sleep, better everything!

Don't try and mirror your smoking, the idea is to move on to something better that still fills the nicotine needs.

 

[Kent C]

Thanks! I've only been researching for a day, but am leaning towards the 510 as has been suggested to me. Now I am attempting to narrow brands.

Was considering Joye 510. Is that a reliable manufacturer? I am looking for throat hit and considerable vapor. I am probably going to start out with 24mg and see how that dose works for me. As I smoke regular Camels think I'll just stick to that flavor.

Will definitely be going the juice route.

What do you "heavy vapers" spend per month?

Joye makes most of the 510's there is now a few others making them but Joye 510, Janty Dura C, TW Titan, TECC, Yeti are all Joye510s.

Since the 510 tends to run warmer than other attys - some flavors are enhanced, some subdued but throat hit is better as is vapor. But since throat his is primarily heat + nicotine (with some flavors helping - pepper, menthol, cinnamon, etc. ) you'll get more throat hit on higher Voltage mods, but even then you want a 510 atty if throat hit is a major consideration.

For juice, RedZone is right - no vaporized juice will taste like tobacco combustion, but still - try out Camel and turkish flavored juices but again, as RZ says: samplers is the way to go at first - saves money..... here's one ploy:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...31-gettin-envy-what-juice-buy.html#post585922

 

[VapingRulz]

Thanks! I've only been researching for a day, but am leaning towards the 510 as has been suggested to me. Now I am attempting to narrow brands.

Was considering Joye 510. Is that a reliable manufacturer? I am looking for throat hit and considerable vapor. I am probably going to start out with 24mg and see how that dose works for me. As I smoke regular Camels think I'll just stick to that flavor.

Will definitely be going the juice route.

What do you "heavy vapers" spend per month?

It seems like a lot of people here like the Joye 510. I haven't tried it but it seems like a safe bet.

For ease of use and great flavor/throat hit, I would recommend the 2-piece cartomizer unit. I use the Vapor King from Vapor4Life and I refill the cartomizers with e-juice that I buy from several different vendors, all of them very good. You can check the forum for recommendations.

Your question about ongoing costs is difficult to answer because it really depends upon your personal habits and usage. I often see an average usage of 2ml per day of juice and that sounds about right to me. You should be able to buy e-juice for anywhere between .50 and $1 per ml...even less if you buy in bulk.

Good luck!

 

[Bekinder]

Hi, I am pretty new at the vaping thing; just one month today. I have found it very
expensive thus far, and headaches from researching it. I'm glad that Kattdaddy said
it would work out to be cheaper in the long run.

I'm a long-time smoker and really would go to great lengths to end "cigarette/analog" smoking. I can breath much easier now, and noticed that after just a few days of being off cigarettes.

I still have lots of things to learn. For instance, I don't know the healthyest juices to use, the best quality for the best prices. I have bought 4 510 titans and have 2 J118 as a starter and also just ordered a "chuck" from Thagbuilt. (Have to wait on that for awhile to be built).

I'd like to hear from some of you long-timers as to your advice on units, juice and
how often to clean attys, ect. I also was a smoker of one pack per day...so hope I'm not overdoing the amount I'm using.

I have lurked here for awhile and gleaned much of the knowledge here before ever buying anything, but there is much more to learn. Thanks

 

[tonyboy]

You can see by all the sincere advice you are recieving that you are about to step into a world that you may never want to leave!! Welcome friend.

 

[Kurt]

Dram, welcome to our crazy wonderful world! Some good rules to vape by happily:

Rule #1: Don't buy a PV from a gas station. Or a mall. Or a street vendor. Those sellers are there to take advantage of desperate smokers that know nothing about PVs. They will die quickly, as will the seller's business probably. If its in your face on TV or the radio, its a huckster, with few exceptions.

Rule #2: If an online seller is really playing up the "# cigarettes a cartridge is equivalent to", then they are most likely trying to play the same game. Same old crap: lots of hot women staring at you from the page, hard to get definite info on nic levels, and worst of all FREE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE offered. Yes, absolutely FREE!! And then top dollar for the carts you MUST buy from them since no other brand's carts will fit. Who is more desperate to buy a PV than an ignorant heavy smoker? They know this and they will break your heart and bank account for a POS.

Rule #3: If the company name does not show up here, or worse, it shows up here and WE HATE THEM, stay away. There are 10s of 1000s of people here, most of whom are avid PV users and learners...nicotine has a way of doing that...and companies' sales and general health are strongly affected by our word.

Rule #4: If the company plays up that their PVs will get you to quit smoking stay away. True, this often happens, but these claims are a big no no to the FDA. Chances are very good you will either quit or seriously cut down, but them claiming this as a sales pitch is just playing on your deperation. Good PVs speak for themselves.

Rule #5: In the beginning you should spend at least a few days researching models here and with UTube vids so that you can decide what sort of model you want, based on your day to day routine. Then when you have narrowed it down to a few models find out what companies off them, and what their rep is here. We are on first name basis with MANY companies here, and the good ones are considered friends. The bad ones are run out of town on a rail.

Rule #6: Expect that once you start vaping your definitions of "packs a day" or "number of cigarettes in a day" will go out the window. vaping is REALLY that different. Better in almost all ways, not as good in some. Get a range of nic levels initially, so you can start to get an idea of what is good for you. There are so many variables affecting how much nic you get from vaping that you really just have to play around and see. Before it would be "I'm having a smoke, brb." With vaping it will be "maybe I'll have a cart with mostly 16 mg but top it off with a nice 36 mg drop to spike it up for a few drags." Its a brand new world when you have so much control over your nicotine.

Rule #7: Most juices unless they say otherwise are propylene glycol (PG) based, and for some that is an issue. I would say roughly 25% of vapers have some sort of negative reaction to PG, and some have strongly negative reactions. I do. Affects me from my sinuses to my intestines. I use vegetable glycerin (VG) based juices only, with zero issues. It takes a little while to find out where you stand with this, so be patient but wary.

Rule #8: In all likelihood you will NOT be getting as much nic as you got from smokes. So you may not want analogs, but you may still be experiencing nic withdrawals to some extent. Crankiness, change in regularity, and other symptoms. I thought it was too much nic in the beginning...but it actually wasn't enough. But take it slow and flesh it out...it takes a couple weeks to figure it all out, and you will be likely be dealing with nicotine liquid, which leads to...

#9...#9...#9...#9...("...Eldorado..." who knows THAT reference? )

RESPECT THE NIC!! High strength nicotine liquids are DANGEROUS. Get a few drops of 48 mg on you without you knowing and you'll be feeling sick. PVs can be a messy business depending on your model and the level of hands-on you want. Me, I'm a chemist, so the more hands-on and lab-like the experience the better. I'm comfortable with hazardous materials, and nic juice can be very hazardous. Don't go off half-cocked and buy a liter of 60 mg juice without a LOT of preparation and research. Be safe, be smart.

That's enough from me. Oh, and I was about a $200/month smoker. I committed to spending initially 2 months worth of smoking to get enough toys and peripherals so I would drown my smoking with PV distractions. It worked about 90%. I still have a couple a day if things are seriously stressful, but I'm learning about other options in addition to PVs. Are PVs less $ than smoking? Sure, they certainly can be. They can also be initially a lot more if you want to really have fun, like any high-tech hobby. I personally have a small lab set up with devices, glassware, measuring tools, etc. And I love it. But you do not have to do this. I know many that are very happy with a starter kit plus a few extras and occasionally bought juice.

And one more thing. If you do quit or seriously reduce smoking, you may not be the same person as before. Smoking is deep, affecting MANY physiological and environmental aspects of us. Be patient. Some changes are fantastic, better than imaginable, and some are not so great. But you will definitely be in the company of friends here.

Let us know what you go for or if you have questions. Read, read, read, search, search, search. See how many I-hadn't-thought-of-thats you can have in a day. You will not make a bad choice, for even if you buy a POS, you will learn a lot for when you buy again. This is no magic bullet, its a magical mystery tour.

Have fun on it. We certainly are.

 

[nurse3766]

What is the approximate cost per month for this? Do people generally replace atomizers monthly, and how much are atomizers? Seems to me becasue of the use of these devices they would require a lot of parts to be replaced.

I figure I currently spend about $300.00 per month on analogs.

hi
i see your getting some excellent advice here.
ok for my type dse801 attys are 7$ batteries are 10$, i broke my first atty the first day i had it i twisted it really hard and broke the wires inside. i had to wait a week for replacements in the mail. i whined about it alot on all the forums lol. sometimes u get duds on attys or batteries and most sellers will replace something however you will still be going w/o which sux once youve spent a day vaping. i now have 3 attys 3 batteries and a usb pass thru which im using atm. this is a must! i got my usb pass thru at rockymountainvapor. also got my spare attys there.
i was smoking about 150$ worth a month ie a carton a week. i read where someone figured out the cost of each model with replacement parts per yr on average it said 1.82 a day for dse801 now that was using replacement carts which add to costs i use liquid and refill carts or drip on my atty. i have an addictive personality and love this so im buying more than i need to. id say to get started get a starter kit from a seller who is highly recommended, be sure it has 2 attys 2 batteries and a charger dont spend more than 50$ for it. you can buy 2 attys 14$ and 2 batteries 20$ thats 34$ so dont spend more than 50$ on a starter kit. you want a decent kit so you will have a good charger etc.

anyways back to yr question average person smokes 2-3ml per day. i just got 70 ml for 24$ inc shipping thats 2-3 wks of vape for the cost of 5 days of analogs. and no im not promoting any seller im just letting you know who ive had good experiences with. check this link http://www.xxxxxxxxxxx.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14

 

[Dram202]

Now that I'm getting into this, I am getting nervous about the FDA. I am really looking forward to this getting me off the analogs.

 

[Dram202]

Well must say I am well pleased and even a bit surprised. I recieved my Joye510 kit from Cignot today following the advice from all of you. Wow!

As stated earlier in the thread I smoke two packs a day on average unless I am out with friends (I can smoke three packs). I assembled the 510 straight away and vaped for three hours with no analog. If I did not have the 510, three hours would seem like an eternity with no cig.

The battery died about three hours in, so I decided to have an analog. I put it out half way through to my own surprise! Apparently I recieved enough nicotine from vaping, and I think the pre-filled carts are only 18mg. I was first amazed that the taste was very similar to analog cigs, I used the Marb High cart. The 510 also created plenty of vapor for me, it felt almost like I was smoking an analog.

To have this kind of result in a few short hours was a shock to say the least.

Thanks to everyone for their kind advice.

 

[Toots]

I just love a happy ending.

 

[cassavetes]

Smoking for 15 years and still able to play the bagpipes. Kudos!

 

[Kent C]

I was a 3 pack a day guy and it surprised the he!! out of me too. No analogs since my 510 arrived going on 6 months. Congrats to you for starting down that path.

 

[Dram202]

Smoking for 15 years and still able to play the bagpipes. Kudos!

Ha! Thanks. Amazingly, I know many other good players who smoke. I do however look forward to maybe having a bit more "wind" this next season, if I can ditch the analogs and stay vaping.

 

[Dram202]

I was a 3 pack a day guy and it surprised the he!! out of me too. No analogs since my 510 arrived going on 6 months. Congrats to you for starting down that path.

Thanks Kent.

The only "side effect" I am experiencing is a slight dry throat. Is this a PG/VG Phenomenon?

 

[Joliet]

HEAR HEAR! Good advice Kattdaddy!

First off.. Yes, vaping will turn out being a lot cheaper than smoking analogs. You will have an initial high start-out cost finding the exact unit you want and working with the flavors to also find the ones you like.

Second.. Nicotine levels cannot really be judged. It really goes on what you yourself require to walk away from the coffin nails. When I started, I found the best thing to do is get 10ml each of 18mg, 24mg, and 36mg.
10ml is enough of each to experiment and find the level that is right for you. Flavorings, well.. I can not point you to the right flavor because those are just subjective to an individuals taste.. I will say that if you are hoping to find a tobacco flavor out there that taste exactly like the analog you smoke.. you will not find it. Most have found that the toxins in a cigarette also contribute to the taste you are used too. Vaping is simply a method to get the nicotine you crave and you will have to adapt to its taste.

Third.... As far as the unit.. That too will change. I would suggest that you take the plunge and buy that unit your looking at. $50.00 is not bad.. just make sure it comes in a kit that supplies at least two atomizers, an extra battery wouldn't hurt, and at least five carts .. some offer five filled carts and five blank carts with a sample bottle of juice. Alwways check and see what kind of warranty is available. I know you want to buy close but there are so many vendors to choose from now, It does get confusing... At the same rate, If that one doesn't offer a warranty, most likely they do not stand behind their product. The vendors listed on this site are trustworthy and I would say would be the best for your first choice. They all stand behind their product and If you have problems they are very prompt. I would also say that you want to make sure when starting to get a good supply ( say at least 3 or 4 10ml juices of various flavors) of juice at first, so that if you do enjoy vaping and quit analogs.. you have enough on the front end to keep you going.. most find that even at the heaviest .. they go through maybe 2 to 3 ml a day. Some more some less. The juice is a lot cheaper in comparison to by packs of smokes.. because a 30ml bottle can be bought relatively cheap.. some 15 to 18 dollars and some 23 to 30 some odd( just depends on quality.)
It generally takes me close to three weeks to go through 30 mls.

I hope this helps.... But I would still recommend you go on this forum and any research you can do on the internet.. There is a lot of info here and a lot of reveiws that may help you choose exactly what you are looking for.
Hope this helps.
Tom

 

[Joliet]

LOL! I had a friend that ran with a cigarette in his mouth. A mile in 4 to 5 minutes!8-o

Smoking for 15 years and still able to play the bagpipes. Kudos!

 

[butchrobotpope]

The only "side effect" I am experiencing is a slight dry throat. Is this a PG/VG Phenomenon?

I noticed that too - I read somewhere on ECF here that it's pretty common. I've been drinking more water, to stay hydrated. Apparently, our bodies have to adjust to not breathing in toxins all the time - go figure.

By the way, I just now read through this whole thread and I gotta say: Congrats man!