New pilot hybrid draw and vapor questions

[Starlight]

OK, I just tried it. I changed the Pilot cart for an EVO one, the newer longer one. It draws better and isn't as "airy". Or maybe it's my imagination .

The wool in the new tiny round black Pilot carts is very thin and very spaced out, not as "packed" as the Evo wool, so maybe that's why it feels so "airy" to me? By "airy", I mean it feels - and sounds like - as if I'm sucking in a lot of air.

Flitzanu, I will say "airy" once more to make you feel better about saying "stick" several times in your post

 

[2ndHnd Vapor]

I too have just recieved my pilot and the my first e-cig. It too has the smaller insert pictured on the bottom. Yes it is very "airy". Is this a normal feeling with the e-cig. I smoke about a half a pack of lights a day. I never cough from the hit of a analog. So far in just a day I have noticed that I don't feel the sense of a "full" feeling for lack of a better explanation. When I smoke a cig of course I know I am smoking something. With the e-cig I guess so far I am not getting that satisfaction and I don't know why. I don't believe it is the amount of vapor, which isn't that much for whatever reason but that is another story in itself I guess, becuase if I like take a primer puff and puff again and again the hit makes me cough. That I don't like. I don't know if it is too strong of nicotine (which are med tobacco). It's no one probably knows about what mg of nicotine you get from a light cigarette. Any info would be helpful. Thank you.

 

[Lorddrek]

Try removing the cartridge and put a few small drips on the metal wick bridge above the atomizer. Puff on that a few times. It doesn't get any better than this. Then you can play around with cartridges and know when it's working right. I personally find it tough to not get a burnt juice and plasic taste when using the cartridges though.

 

[Starlight]

@ 2ndHnd Vapor - I have 4 models of e-cig, the EVO, the Pilot, DSE 901, and Penstyle. For me personally, the Pilot is definitely the most "airy" one. The EVO has the most throat hit without a doubt and it can sometimes feel much harsher to me in the EVO than in one of the others, especially if it's a flavour that already has some hit in it. I get that "airy" feeling a bit with the EVO too, so maybe it's something to do with the atomiser. I don't get it at all with either the 901 or Penstyle. The Penstyle has a draw that's very smooth with a great thick vapour both on inhale and exhale. Everybody's opinions might differ though.

How one draws on the e-cig counts a bit too. After that first primer puff, try a long slow gentle draw rather than trying to smoke it like an analogue. It should help give you more of that sensation of fullness as well as more vapour. The amount of vapour one exhales also seems to depend on how one exhales according to the video here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/10130-how-do-you-exhale.html

About the nicotine, if you go to the "Nicotine" forum Nicotine - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat, you'll find a couple of threads that try to make comparisons between the nic levels in analogues and e-cigs.

 

[2ndHnd Vapor]

Thank you Starlight I will check that out and try what you suggest. I will say also that I got the reddragon at the same time. I got the 6mg carts from smoke 51 regular tobacco and I don't think I like the flavor of them. I also got the high Lights with the reddragon and I do believe as of now (and I have only had them for a day) that the reddragon with the high light carts does seem to satisfy and feel like I am smoking.

 

[ChainSmkr]

WEIRD!!
all my Pilot Hybrid carts i've popped out are "on a stick."

I was surprised to see those carts when I got my order. I don't like them and had expected to get the carts on a stick.

 

[testerjtester]

I was surprised to see those carts when I got my order. I don't like them and had expected to get the carts on a stick.

I also got the longer no-stick carts, in both of my Pilot kits. But after seeing the stick carts, I think I want me some of those too... it seems like they should provide better airflow, and I've had trouble that I'm pretty sure is related to stuffing the inner carts too far down inside the mouthpiece, if such a thing is possible.

Which kind of brings me to my latest problem, that may actually be expected behavior - I've been using pretty much the same 5 or so carts for nearly a week now, rotating them in and out, and I think the plastic of the outer cartridge is warping from the heat of the atomizer, causing it to not seal properly against it, and thereby allowing air to flow in around the sides, rather than through the atomizer, and thusly reducing vapor production and causing me to suck on it like a Tijuana ....... I think the same warping is allowing the inner cart to fit too far down the mouthpiece when putting it back in and blocking the airflow in that case.

Does this sound more or less normal? I've definitely been heating these things up trying to figure them out... but most people seem to talk about the inner cart filling wearing out, and I can't recall seeing anything about the outer carts.

 

[ChainSmkr]

...I've had trouble that I'm pretty sure is related to stuffing the inner carts too far down inside the mouthpiece, if such a thing is possible.

I push my inner carts all the way down. I don't know why I assumed that's what I was supposed to do. Maybe because my micro carts always just drop in and go there???

The inner cart is so tight on the no-stick ones that my paperclip has slipped and I've accidentally stuffed the filling down when trying to put it in the mouthpiece. Had to pull it out and fix the filling, then try again. I've done it at least 3 times now. I need to use something other than my paperclip to push it in lol.

...I think the plastic of the outer cartridge is warping from the heat of the atomizer, causing it to not seal properly...

My mouthpiece (that came w/the no stick) was brittle and making strange noises like it was cracked this morning but I couldn't find anything. Normally, I have a hard draw, this time I was sucking air!

I wish I had some answers for you. All I know is something isn't right and its not vaping like it could be. The PH works well with a direct drip to the atomizer so there's definitely an e-liquid to steel wick problem that I haven't mastered yet. I think my next test will be to replace the stuffing but, between u and me, I'm kinda getting tired of messing with it.

 

[testerjtester]

The inner cart is so tight on the no-stick ones that my paperclip has slipped and I've accidentally stuffed the filling down when trying to put it in the mouthpiece. Had to pull it out and fix the filling, then try again. I've done it at least 3 times now. I need to use something other than my paperclip to push it in lol.

I keep having exactly the same problem (fill, push, AAARRGH! Pull stuffing out, push, AAARRGH! Repeat), so I found a kind of round metal tube from a broken windchime that has a bigger diameter than the inner cart, but smaller than the outer. Worked like a champ for a few days, but now I'm wondering if I maybe outwitted myself and am forcing them to far in because it's TOO efficient!

But using one side of my tweezers placed perpendicular to the edge of the inner cart to push it in seems to work pretty well...

My mouthpiece (that came w/the no stick) was brittle and making strange noises like it was cracked this morning but I couldn't find anything. Normally, I have a hard draw, this time I was sucking air!

Yep, have noticed the cracky noises, and have sucked a LOT of air, think I'm getting more oxygen than I ever did with analogs...

I wish I had some answers for you. All I know is something isn't right and its not vaping like it could be. The PH works well with a direct drip to the atomizer so there's definitely an e-liquid to steel wick problem that I haven't mastered yet. I think my next test will be to replace the stuffing but, between u and me, I'm kinda getting tired of messing with it.

Well then, you and I are in the same boat. Something is always wrong, there are too many places for something to GO wrong, and every time I figure one problem out (on my own, or with the help of all the feedback in this thread), another pops up to take its place.

I'm still in the 14-day return period, and I'm fighting hard to give it whatever's left...

 

[rsngfrce]

My mouthpiece (that came w/the no stick) was brittle and making strange noises like it was cracked this morning but I couldn't find anything. Normally, I have a hard draw, this time I was sucking air!

My mouthpieces (w/stick) make a cracking noise sometimes and I thought I was breaking them, but figured out it is actually the sound of cart moving in the mouthpiece (due to the cart having one flat spot) when I happen to bite on that area. Something like that might be happening with yours, though it seems less likely with the different cart design.

 

[KevinR]

Thought i would add my 2p worth.

I have the smaller carts with the 3 small pieces around the cart to hold it in place and i have removed the inner cart and started dripping straight on the atomiser about 4 small drips. This gives alot of vapour production similar to my 901 but not as much throat hit.

I am going to play around with the inner cart to see if i can make it better.

 

[igetcha]

i recieved a pilot a few days ago for review and must say that for me, the problem lies with the inner cart. if i swap it for either the stick type or new longer inner cart from an EVO then i get a fantastic amount of vapour. if i remove the inner cart and just use the blank mouthpiece whilst direct dripping i get a fantastic amount of vapour. if i use the original Pilot inner cart then vapour becomes poor.........but still has a good throat hit.

ive emailed simon at e-cigs.co.uk to inform him of the problem as it seems im not the only one!

get rid of the inner cart problem and i think the Pilot is great!

 

[Starlight]

I agree entirely with Scott that the poky little narrow inner cart on the Pilot is awful and that the EVO carts (old or newer ones) are better.

But I'm really p****d off as I bought a whole load of batteries and atomisers, thinking it would replace my EVO as it was impossible at the time to get EVO parts (from IntelliCig at any rate). Regardless of which cart I use, it still vapes with a load of air, or with what I call an "airy" feel to it.

I love the look of the Pilot, especially with the gold atomiser. But I don't like the way it draws. It seemed fine for the first few days, but now seems really airy fairy, and as if I'm getting a mouthful of flavoured dust and air. Doesn't matter if it's with a used or new atomiser or with which inner cart.

I've tried the same flavour with the same inner cart on both the Pilot atomiser (including 4 new ones) and an EVO atomiser, with the carts well filled up and moist. I've tried dripping too. And I still get that "airy" and "dusty" feel with the Pilot. It's definitely the atomiser that's making the difference. The EVO does the same to some extent, but nowhere near as much as the Pilot. The throat hit, for me, is much better with the EVO and flavours with the EVO seem a touch stronger.

Some people on the forum seem to insist that the Pilot and EVO are exactly the same (being M401s) but with different names. I disagree. And we know that IntelliCig claim to have created their own software for the batteries and there is definitely a difference in the atomiser - as shown by Terraphon's video on the differences between them.

I think I'm just going to put my Pilot atomisers in a box and keep them for backup purposes as I've got fed up with all this faffing about now and I'll use the batteries and black outer carts with the EVO for when I want a black or platininum look - won't be quite as nice as with the gold atomiser though.

(I've also got a Penstyle which is perhaps my favourite, and a 901)

 

[testerjtester]

i recieved a pilot a few days ago for review and must say that for me, the problem lies with the inner cart. if i swap it for either the stick type or new longer inner cart from an EVO then i get a fantastic amount of vapour. if i remove the inner cart and just use the blank mouthpiece whilst direct dripping i get a fantastic amount of vapour. if i use the original Pilot inner cart then vapour becomes poor.........but still has a good throat hit.

ive emailed simon at e-cigs.co.uk to inform him of the problem as it seems im not the only one!

get rid of the inner cart problem and i think the Pilot is great!

This has been my experience as well with the non-stick inner carts, except I didn't have any other types to test with. I never got the vapor that I thought I should be getting, even with all of the messing around I had to do with the other components. I did get passable vapor for a while, as long as I had the right battery, atomizer, and carts, and the carts were stuffed and filled in just the right way, and I was extra careful not to push the cartrdige too far down inside the mouthpiece.

It was all too much for me. I've requested a return.

EDIT: Forgot to add, the vapor problem is consistently causing me to trip the cutoff on the batteries trying to get a good hit, which makes it doubly frustrating. If I didn't have two kits, I'd be getting a pretty good workout from chasing the Pilot around the room after throwing it as hard as I can.