new to e cigs bad experiences with starting...any info helps have been reading for 6 weeks

[pete228]

hello new here need to blab,

after starting some wierd chest pains a while bacl, i started researching electronic cigarettes. I spent hours and days reasearching prices, different models and reading things off this forum. I actually joined as a member today so i can communicate with other people that use electronic cigs.

the first one that i purchased was a piece of junk that i found on ebay. it was cheap, and just something for me to try that wasnt going to cost me a lot if i didnt like it. But it sparked something. i found that i got some satifaction from using the ecig. So after researching for several more weeks, reading comparisons, going from site to site to site. i found a e cig model that suited my needs. i needed something that was similar to a real cig. So i decided on a kr808d model with a short battery, bouncing between lite cig usa that seemed to be mostly a diy type of company and vapor4life that offered a good short starter kit and a vast selection of flavor choices. so i went with vapor4life, the price for it wasnt bad, 2 batts, 1 charger, case and 5 carts for about $57 bux shipped.

So far its been a long road....so after ordering the shorty starter kit, 2 extra batteries, 1 pack of 24mg carts, 1 bottle of 24 mg parlament juice, 1 bottle of cool 24mg juice and a pack of blank carts (120.00 order) from them and 2 usb chargers, 1 syring (for refilling) from litecigusa i am 150.00 in on ecigs. I had 1 bad battery right out of the box, 2 days later i had one auto battery stop working. vapor4life has a decent procedure for rma and customer service problems, but its just been a hand full with trying to get started. i also order some more e juice, and come cowboy carts last week. so now i am 200.00 in this electronic cig transistion and 6 weeks in trying to get to a point where i am satisfied.

I have been smoking 2-3 packs a day of marlboro lights the last 3-4 years and my smoking has gone out control. So here i am.... I know i have to quit or die soon but, inevitably i like smoking. So here is my problem.... i read on here that if you smoked this much you need this many mg carts and blah blah blah. i am a heavy smoker so i chose to go with the 24 mg carts. Some carts 24mg carts from vapor4life are smooth going down and some are real harsh. some make a lot of vapor some dont. I recently got some 24mg cowboy carts and they are real harsh, later i got some 8 mg and its not satisfying. the 24mb parlament carts are different from the 24 mg parlament juice when you refill.
the flavor, mg of nicotine or vapor production is just not satisfying enough for me to make the switch. so i am still smoking 2 packs a day and making myself vape occationally just to use the product i have spent so much money on.

is there a eliquid out there that will suit my needs. something that is smooth going down, tastes similar to a marlboro light and produces good consistent vapor? i will buy different strengths to find which one suits me. I grow tired of wasting money on something that i am not satisfied with.

thanks in advanced

(sorry for the long ... post but i needed everyone to feel my headache)

 

[dormouse]

Try the 16-18mg. You are not the only one who has had problems with the TH of some V4L 24mg juices on Vapor4Life because KR808D-1 is a hot little mini especially w/ the WOW cartos. Heat enhances TH. Most heavy smokers who have a problem with some 24mg V4L flavors/cartos do fine with the 18mg. if you vape a lot as I imagine you do, then you are not going to have a nic fit on 16-18mg.

Some V4L flavors have a very sharp edge to the vapor and an overabundance of flavoring. My fave WOWbacco is like that. Even at 18mg (my own starting level) that one was too harsh for me on their WOW cartos (the hotter cartos). So I got a manual 510 too and I vape the WOWbacco in a Boge carto on the 510 (manuals because the threaded end of 510 manuals is totally sealed so no danger of damaging the battery with carto leaks). The slim 510 can only use standard resistance in cartos and attys. The Boges give a less hot and moister hit so I was able to vape the WOWbacco on it.

 

[JWebb]

Sorry to hear your troubles, it happens sometimes to all of us. Litcigsusa.net, Shawn is very good about returns and I think a good starter would have been the eGo from Litecigsusa or libertyflights.com or cignot or other reputable vendors. The ego/Riva/tornado all all the sale with 510 atomizers and accept 306 threads for atomizers, you can use LT attys as well on the ego sicne they have 650 adn 900 mah batteries, or even 1100mah. You can use carts, cartomizers, drip tips etc. longer battery life, good joye products and most will replace if defective. Or you can try a mod like Darwin or Provari or Juice fed like Reo. A good standard starter juice is R4Y, look at tasty vapor, puresmoker, libertyflights, backwoods brew, alienvisions for good juice. We all have spent more than we thought to get started on ecigs, it kinda trial and error for what works for you. Get the right hardware adn juice and you will be set. Good luck and welcome to ECF Pete!

 

[juicejunky]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Pete. You have cut down one pack already, so kudos on that.

There are e-cigs/PVs that are more powerful than the KR808s but since you've spent enough money already, I'd concentrate on finding a satisfying ejuice before I bought more hardware.

FreedomsmokeUSA.com sells some cigarette tasting juices. They also go up to 36mg. As a 2-3 packer you might need that much to feel satisfied. No juice will really taste like a cigarette because there is no burning, but FreedomsmokeUSAs and a few others get fairly close. With time you probably won't like them, but they are good for quitting. Order small samples of anything that sounds good to you, because it seems everyone tastes differently so find what works for you.

Backwoodsbrew.net which should open from vacation in the next day or two also has good tasting tobaccos. Smoke, Casablanca, etc. may be something you'd like.

If you can spring for another $15 or so get a 5V USB manual passthru from vapor4Life on their next sale. It is a cheap way to find out if high voltage vaping is better for you. The vape is hotter, so it feels like warm smoke going down.

You can also spend around $6-8 and get a 510 atomizer and drip tip that will hook up to the 5V passthru with an adapter if you want to try dripping. Cartomizers can dull the flavor a bit. Try GoodProphets for those since the drip tips and adapter are only 99 cents.

Getting your satisfying vape from e-cigs is a process that is unique to the individual. Since you pretty much have to quit, keep plugging away until you find something that works for you. Pat yourself on the back for every cigarette you don't smoke. Take your time and go at your own pace. Get down to 1 pack and soon you will hopefully prefer vaping to smoking. Also try some desert or fruit flavors so you have a variety of flavors. It's one of the many better things about vaping.

 

[Dee74]

My best success in cig type flavors is Vapor stations Tn,TX, Frisco, and Tampa. Backwoods brew has very good tobaccos but is closed for vacation. My Freedom smokes also has very good tobaccos. perhaps you need more of an ecig than the kr808? Maybe and ego or Riva. I started with a 510 and it was ok but not enough to get me over the hump, good luck

 

[dormouse]

Also, buying manual batteries will help you have less battery trouble. I know KR8 manuals still have a hole in the end but at least they aren't totally dependent on a drag sensor right inside that hole that can be screwed up by the slightest bit of juice.

 

[Major]

Your story sounds similar to my journey Pete. I think most start out with the units that look similar to a real cig in size anyway. I found though that I was spending as much a day as I was on analogs so I trudged on as I could. I am retired on a fixed income so "trudging on" took a little time and determination.

If you really want to make the change to vaping, you will find your sweet spot so to speak. About 4 months into my switch and my gear looks nothing like a real cigarette but it totally satisfies me. I found the bigger, fatter batteries not only lasted longer, they seemed to hit harder for a longer period of time with the same juices.

There is a sub-forum here called eGo Type Models. May I suggest you check there and read on the different models.

It was not until I found that section and read my fool head off that I found a setup that satisfied my needs. I still have my V4L batteries for the times I get to go out of the house. But I did find that for the same money, I could get equipment that literally took care of my cravings and allowed me to make the switch permanently.

Good luck to you and ask any questions you need to. As a whole, this ECF group is helpful and understanding as 99% of us started where you are. If you are determined to stick with it, I will tell you now that in a few weeks, you'll be helping someone new yourself. It just always seems to work out that way.

 

[Del Boy]

Hi Pete, wow thats some headache.

All is not lost. When i started vaping i was most definitley not going to smoke no more. I bought the pre-filled carts, like you, and had such variation from cartridge to cartridge that i quickly realised i had to get some liquid. And some liquid that would sustain me through cravings and be "nice" enough to vape a lot. I used to smoke Golden Virginia so it follows that i got some Gold. Virg. liquid at 24mg. I just vaped and vaped and vaped some more. My throat was dry and a little sore. I had "full" heads. But this was only for the first couple of weeks. I cracked it though mate. You could too. I think you just need to find the right liquid and i second the previous poster that suggested RY4.
You can do this Pete. It is a little frustrating when your gear is letting you down. But thats all it is. Seems to me like you've got your head on right (crucial) and with the right gear you're going to be smoke free.

If you are going to stick with the gear you've already bought then it's really only e liquid that you need.
Then of course you need to vape it. If i were you i'd just go fo it. I'd leave my cigarettes on a shelf and if it gets that bad i'd have one. But i would warn you that once you've vaped for three days solid with no analogs having an analog will be different. It'll taste awful. Really really bad. When you reach this point you will begin to smile inside. There is a turning point and it's not soooo far away.
I really hope you get some good juice and get out of that analog habit. I know it's cost you some dollars to get set up but after a few weeks of being off the analogs you'll have some money saved and can use some or all of that to get a upgrade. Then you really are a player and you're getting further and further away from being a smoker.
Once again. Good luck getting some good juice and getting going seriously. You can do this.

Please please keep us posted. And yell out if you need more help.

 

[English_Kris]

Sounds like your on the right track Pete, it is hard to make the switch and getting the right kit is the MOST important part (I myself started with the wrong device for me as I'm sure lots of people have done before me). Finding the right juice is almost impossible as there are so many and your needs can change throughout the day, I found with my generic auto e-cig that 36mg juice hardly hit the spot but when I bought a Riva 510 it was way too strong so I started mixing it with 0%nic to lower it down. Just keep plugging away mate and you WILL succeed and like Del said we're on hand to help you all the way.

All the Best

 

[The Fool]

Hi Pete, Welcome to the forum! Making the switch is difficult at first. The learning curve can be a bear when things just don't work right. I too was a 2-3 PAD Marlboro Light smoker for 40 years. I had tried everything to quit, but every time I made it through a few months smoke free I just felt depressed. I loved to smoke. Now I love to vape. Never thought I would enjoy something more than smoking, but I do. I've been 18 months without a smoke and I can honestly say I don't miss it.

When I first started I dropped alot of $$ on equipment and juice trying to find what would hit the spot. Here's where I have ended up.... I use a Riva 510 with a drip tip that I buy from Liberty Flights for under $40, I get my joy 510 atomizers from EV in lots of 10 for $70 and the juice I use is 555 from Madvapes I can get 50ml for $12. I figure the cost of my vaping to be about $50 a month.

I have lots of the 555 juice and I also have some RY4. I would be happy to send you some samples of each if you'd like to try them. When you get 5 posts you can send me a PM (private message) with your address and I could drop some in the mail to you. Good Luck and just don't give up yet!

 

[flbutterfly1]

Hi Pete, I was a Mlight smoker too and I really liked the Kant cartos from V4L I used the 11mg though so the throat hit might be a little harsher in a higher mg. The juices for some reason never taste the same as what is in the carto. Vapor4Life has a nice sampler of cartos this is the one I liked and gave a nice idea of what I liked Vapor4Life- Electronic Cigarette: Vapor King Cartomizers Tobacco Shop Sampler Hilton Kant RY4 555 Dunhall If you like Menthols these are good I don't care for the smilin tastes like wintergreen, but the smilin juice does not. WOW Vapor Menthol Lovers Sampler Cartomizers Wow Cowboy Menthol Wow Kant Menthol Wow Nuport Wow Smilin Special Menthol Wow Peppermint I don't like the wow carto flavor it is too warm but they give better vapor than the premium usually. You might want to try a fruit also even if you think you would not like it. I found blueberry satisfied me more than any of the tobacco flavors. As others have said RY4 is an excellent flavor is is nutty and has a vanilla like creamy taste to it I like to use it in the evening or with a beer. Good luck

 

[wv2win]

I smoked Marlboro, and the closes eliquid that I have found to marlboro is Liberty Flights, PG version "Home Counties". It is a very smooth tobacco flavor and I also use 24mg strength and have no "harshness" problems. Here is the site:

E Liquid - E Liquid 5ML - PG - Tobaccos

 

[bobbisoxs]

I like the V4L carto's but found them to hot, I started using a drip tip and that stopped that. I have been analog free for 7 months. I am still in the learning curve. I decided that I was going to stop smoking before my 60th birthday in Nov. I really liked smoking but I was determined and I have spent way to much money trying to find the right combination of battery and atty, carto's. Still haven't found the perfect match. I started with 24 mg virginia blend but after 2 weeks I couldn't stand the taste of the tobacco. I now make my own ejuice and keoke coffee is my all time flavor for vaping. Just keep on vaping and you will find that food tastes different and analogs taste really really nasty.

 

[bobbisoxs]

PS: V4L cartos do not fit 510 batteries. Has to have an adapter, I found the adapter at Goodprophets for .99 each. Boge's from Liberty Flights are good also if you have a 510 battery. Just keep at it and soon you will be analog free. Cost here for analogs are 6$ a pack. 6x3 = 18$ a day x 7= Way to dang much money in my opinion.

 

[mlinky]

I think you will need 24 mg juice to satisfy you, maybe even higher, but it is hard to say if you are still smoking 2 pad. My best suggestion is buy a bunch of samples in flavors that people have recommended and get them in various strengths. Good luck.

 

[pete228]

wow, thanks for all the info. I didint think that people here would care this much as to spend the time to put this much information in to a thread that i though was going to not even be answered to. On forums people are just lazy and always tell you to search and read. so that what i initally started out with.

but reading can on reap so make rewards. but its what got me started. i quickly breezed through all the posts, as i am on my way out to my 2nd job. I am realy amazed by as many posts that i have recieved. I am not mad at the problems i had a vapor4life. i am guessing they are a new company and its probably going to take them sometime to get a little bit more organized.

I got a little upset at them for how they handle their shipping with rma returns and new orders. came in 2 different packages delivered on 2 different days. Also my carts that i ordered i made a mistake but quickly contacted them for a change in order, they still sent me the wrong mg cart, and when i talked to them again about the mistake, the rma they sent me out wasnt what the customer service rep said he was going to send. he was supposed to send me out a few different mg carts of the same flavor so i could try them out, which i offerd to pay for. what i recieved in the mail was 8 mb cowboy carts instead of my 18mg i orginally ordered, and no samples as he stated he was going to add. I am not even going to bother trying to call them again about these problems as i am finished with the whole situation. and i wont order anymore from them until i am diligent enough to know what to buy. Cant trust a person that sits at a computer all day to be willing to care to help you out, especially when they are a vendor. They cant make money that way. but by no means am i slandering them. i actually appreciate how they tried to make it right. I will still buy products from them that suit what i need. but just not until iknow what i am buying first so there is no more mistakes.

I am not finished with vaping. I am at a point where i know i need to find a flavor combo that i enjoy and also satisfys what i need. I just dont know where to start. I am not rich so buying 100 differnt combinations every week is out of my options.

 

[pete228]

Hi Pete, Welcome to the forum! Making the switch is difficult at first. The learning curve can be a bear when things just don't work right. I too was a 2-3 PAD Marlboro Light smoker for 40 years. I had tried everything to quit, but every time I made it through a few months smoke free I just felt depressed. I loved to smoke. Now I love to vape. Never thought I would enjoy something more than smoking, but I do. I've been 18 months without a smoke and I can honestly say I don't miss it.

When I first started I dropped alot of $$ on equipment and juice trying to find what would hit the spot. Here's where I have ended up.... I use a Riva 510 with a drip tip that I buy from Liberty Flights for under $40, I get my joy 510 atomizers from EV in lots of 10 for $70 and the juice I use is 555 from Madvapes I can get 50ml for $12. I figure the cost of my vaping to be about $50 a month.

I have lots of the 555 juice and I also have some RY4. I would be happy to send you some samples of each if you'd like to try them. When you get 5 posts you can send me a PM (private message) with your address and I could drop some in the mail to you. Good Luck and just don't give up yet!

I sure would appreciate that, if you would be willing to help me out with that, ill be glad to pay for whatever it costs you to do that for me. ill pay you for the juice and the shipping costs.

 

[Del Boy]

The Fool - great work there buddy. Extending your hand like that.

Sheesh - this is one helluva place. If only the world could be more like this.

 

[ogredog]

Pete, we feel ya man. Sorry, my first ecig was a waste but a learning experience. I loved smoking too and I quit while I was married for her lol I missed those nights outside and morning cups of coffee with smokes always. Lol when I found out she was going to divorce me I ran to the liquor store. I was a few packs in and realized it was stupid to start again but I still liked smoking, so I tried a couple ecigs and wasted my money till i checked out ecf and youtube to see what would fit me best.

My opinion is f those carts and tanks unless you drive alot and don't want to buy anything else. Just take the poly fill out of the used cart and put a drop/and a half on the atty. put the blank cart back on try it. maybe box mod that has a feeding system. With e liquid you have to try a bunch. Its personal. I love tobacco, fruity, and coffee flavors. You might not. I tried a tobacco root beer I never thought I would like and its one of my favorites. Who knew? I haven't found a great all day plain tobacco vape. I like ry4 but it does not taste like a plain old analog cig.

The most important thing is DON'T give up!

 

[son et lumiere]

pete- If you are a 2-3 pack a day smoker I would highly recommend an ego or riva. They are super cheap at E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings. I would also get a 510 atomizer drip tip or a 306 atomizer and a 306 drip tip. Joye makes the best 510 atomizers. Ikenvape makes the best 306 atomizers. Then choose what resistance you like on your atomizer. The lower ohm the more vapor and throat hit but anything under 2.0 ohms stresses your battery to much and kills them even though libertyflights has a 6 month warranty batteries. Let's assume you took my advice and got a drip tip for your atomizer. Just drop 3-4 drops into your atomizer and vape it. That's the hardware side of things.

Now onto the e -juice. VG liquid is more vapor less throat hit. PG is less vapor more throat hit. Also VG wont leak out of your atomizer as long as you keep your ratio 80%VG/20%PG.There are right now so many vendors and so much juice to choose from. A couple of my favorites are strictlyejuice, kick bass vapor and freedomsmokeusa. It takes me about 5mg to determine what my thoughts on a juice are. look at reviews don't buy big bottles of juice. Buy small ones. So that you can figure out what you like. I would also recommend 24mg, 36mg would be to high if you are having heart pains.

The average vaper spends about $100-$200 on stuff and get ripped off before they come here and become educated.

GL