New to E-Cigs

[MMA1985]

Hi Everyone,
I am just starting out on E-Cigs and hoping to quit my pack a day smoking habit going on 9 years. After reading a lot of posts on this forum I decided to purchase a Volt for my first E-Cig. I got a starter pack with a short auto battery and some pre-filled cartomizers (12mg and 18mg). I've had it for almost 3 weeks now and to be honest I am a little disappointed with the performance. The draw is tight and there is not much throat hit. There is no way that I will be able to quit smoking with this product as I am still craving cigarettes even when I use the Volt constantly. I know its not the nicotine because the 18mg is almost too much for me, I don't think I can go higher. I thought it might be this battery so I just ordered another bigger battery (auto) from them as well as some refill liquid. However if with this next order I am still not satisfied I am hoping I will be able to return it. Due to funds I don't have the ability to keep trying different E-Cigs so I am willing to give another E-Cig a try before I give up on the idea of vaping as a way to quit smoking. I would appreciate some feedback if anyone has the time. Also, I don't really care about whether it looks like a cigarette or not, so I am willing to try anything. Although I am hoping that it is not something too complex that needs constant upkeep.
Thanks.

 

[bruiser]

I think you need a larger battery model. Look into a Kgo or epower. Check hoosierecigsupply. Either of those will outlast the Volt, and are a little more powerful. Also think about using cartomizers, the low resistance eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizer, akd EMDCC, will work on either of the models I mentioned. Hold a lot of liquid and hit very good.

 

[willmon22]

Well I have a joye ego passthrough with a XXXL 1.5 dual coil cartomizer on it and I am really impressed with it. I am using 24MG nicotine and doesn't seem to give as good of a throat hit as 32 but it is still good. I would say it is your nicotine amount that is the issue with no hit but the hard draw I don't know what to tell you about that.

 

[dlsw]

I have V4L and Volt batteries. The draw should not be as hard as you described. The only thing I don't like about the Volt is the 5 second cut off. I hope you like the autos, but please do not give up. Did you buy the new Volt Max? It has a lot of positive reviews and should help you out a lot. Hopefully, SI will come out with some larger cartos for it soon. Good luck and let us know how you are doing! The passthrough idea that willmon22 gave you is a good one, too.

 

[bushmasterar15]

Welcome to the ECF.

 

[Chris77]

I started with a KR808 model similar to yours called the V2. Though I wasn't as disappointed with that model, I very quickly gravitated towards an eGo-C (which I presume is the same design as the Kgo).

The eGo produces more vapor, kicks a nice throat hit (depending upon juice) and I never have to taste burnt cartomizer filling. However, I've found it's not too great with VG-heavy juices so am considering a bottom feeder. If you want full control and are willing to fork out the dough, the Provari is a beauty. It's big though, and not the most convenient- but with full control over power (voltage & atomizer) you're sure to find something that satisfies.

Are you positive 18mg is enough? After about a dozen puffs my craving is usually gone. It's not nearly as fast. Vaping has never provided me with that instant satisfaction a cigarette can deilver, but is altogether more enjoyable I think. You might want to consider trying a 24mg with a strong tobacco flavor (maybe a 555 blend) to see if it more quickly kicks that "gotta have it now" feeling.

Congrats on taking the step and not giving up! I'm confident you'll find an alternative that works for you.

 

[willmon22]

If you don't like the 5 second cut off then a manual battery would be the way to go. I have had a 5 second cut off battery and it cut of much before I was finished. This joye ego with the XXXL carto is great for me.

 

[MMA1985]

Thanks for the quick replies, and thanks bushmaster for the welcome I am happy to be here and probably would not have even tried using E-Cigs if not for this forum.
I had spoken to the customer service at SI because I was thinking of getting the Volt max batteries however he told me that all the batteries perform the same it is just a matter of how long they will last so I figured it wouldn't make a difference and just ordered a 78 auto (for my second batt). I was also thinking about getting the manual but after reading a lot of reviews I was under the impression that with Volt the autos are actually better. As for the nic amount, 12mg was definitely not high enough however with 18mg vaping for a couple of hours left me very jittery and anxious. But that could be because I was smoking regular cigs as well. I may be confused as to how this works but although it seems there is not much throat hit, with the 18mg I get a very uncomfortable stinging/ tingling sensation throughout my throat and mouth and it is not pleasant at all, I hope this is not what people refer to as a throat hit. And if higher nic amount will increase that feeling I definitely don't want it. I am referring to the smooth hit at the back of the throat you get from regular cigs.

I don't mind paying a decent amount up front for a quality PV but I was also hoping to save money by switching so I don't want something that is going to be expensive in maintenance in the long run. I was thinking about an ego, since it seems that's what most people seem to use that satisfies them. I really am not familiar with a lot of the technicalities and terms surrounding E-cigs so I appreciate the help.

 

[mmsjs5]

You may need to go with a liquid that has VG (or a higher % of VG) in it. VG smooths out the hit and makes it more pleasant/fulfilling for me.

 

[Chris77]

I can't speak to the Volt, but I can tell you that most of the veterans here use a manual switch device. It took me about five days before I completely backed off the autos.

Definitely read the following if you haven't already:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...hen-quitting-tobacco-changing-ecigarette.html
Nicotine poisoning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The overlap can make for an interesting paradox, huh? I'm still working on quit-smoking anxiety myself, but vaping has made it so easy to stop.

The throat hit from a PV is much different than a smoke (or so I think) and you might not like it as much. The two components which make it up (for me, and I'm only three weeks in w/o cigs) are the juice (high PG, nicotine) and the heat (voltage, atomizer combo). As mmsjs5 mentioned, you may want more VG, some people are sensitive to PG. VG juices can also give much more vapor which adds more for me to the overall effect than TH does.

Tobaccos that I like to quickly kick nic fits are RY4 (myfreedomsmokes), 555 (V4L) and X-Line (americaneliquidstore). Coffee juices (ecblend has one that I like) and Christy's Capp (avejuice) are also high on that list for me.

I'd go with the Ego, and a few atomizers of different strengths along with a few drip tips to start sampling many of the different juices. Check out http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...945-2011-juice-year-award-44.html#post4915392

 

[MMA1985]

Well I think that SI uses 80PG/20VG but not sure. mmsjs - I was under the impression that higher VG will produce more vapor however it will not have as good as a throat hit but I may be wrong.
Also it seems the problem with having an E-Cig like the volt is that it is designed to optimally perform using THEIR cartomizers and liquid I think so I'm hesitant about trying a higher VG juice in their blank cartomizer. So that is another reason I want to get something else that will allow me the flexibility of trying out different juices and PG/VG ratios.

Chris77 - what type of ego do you recommend? Don't know if that is a dumb question since their may be only one but every time I try searching egos there are different names they go by like ego c, ego t, tank.

 

[DarkSide_306]

I also use a volt kit

 

[DarkSide_306]

I think they are 808's but who knows. also if they are 901's will work also.

 

[sailorman]

Well I think that SI uses 80PG/20VG but not sure. mmsjs - I was under the impression that higher VG will produce more vapor however it will not have as good as a throat hit but I may be wrong.
Also it seems the problem with having an E-Cig like the volt is that it is designed to optimally perform using THEIR cartomizers and liquid I think so I'm hesitant about trying a higher VG juice in their blank cartomizer. So that is another reason I want to get something else that will allow me the flexibility of trying out different juices and PG/VG ratios.

Chris77 - what type of ego do you recommend? Don't know if that is a dumb question since their may be only one but every time I try searching egos there are different names they go by like ego c, ego t, tank.

You need a decent PV upgrade. The volt is o.k. for someone who smoked 1/2 a pack a day maybe.
Otherwise, you'll go broke buying batteries cartridges and stuff.

All of the **go's are based on the same original machine, the eGo.
Reading your history and what you are looking for, the type of eGo that would be best for you is the kGo.
It's simple, flexible, you can use low resistance cartomizers and atomizers without damaging the battery and it's inexpensive and not huge and bulky.

With the kGo, you can use any 510 carto or atomizer or tank system. You can use any juice with any PV or VG ration.

You can get a complete kit for about $45. It will include some cartomizers and/or atomizers for "dripping".
Get extra cartomizers in 2.0 and/or 3.0 ohms.
Get some juice. 18mg should be fine for you. 24mg is what I used for a 3pack/day habit.

A similar option is the e-Power. The difference is that the e-Power takes separate, replaceable batteries.
The cost is about the same as the kGo. With the kGo, you get two batteries. It's like having 2 ecigs.
With an e-Power, you get one PV and two rechargeable batteries.
When a kGo dies, you toss it. An e-Power is not itself a battery, so it doesn't die. You just replace the battery.

Don't worry about the eGo C or eGo T or any of that. Some people like them and some hate them.
They all have little problems and quirks you probably don't need to deal with and aren't worth the hassle.
Nobody hates the kGo or the e-Power. You won't be stuck into using any particular tank or carto or atomizer.
You can use most all of the stuff made for the other eGo types, and a lot of stuff that isn't.

 

[Chris77]

As I understand it, the eGo-C is supposed to be an improved version of the eGo-T.

This is the kit I purchased:
Genuine Joye eGo-C Tank Cartridge Electronic Cigarette Kit

Besides their X-Line, I'm not a big fan of their other liquids that I've sampled.

Check around for better pricing of course - I was happy with that company's customer service the first time I used them and their prices seem reasonable.

The only thing I dislike about the eGo is the price of their atomizers; though none have failed on me yet after ~3 weeks rotating 5.

Make sure to get a 510 atomizer+drip tip too. This model works with 510 cartos/attys and you can buy an adapter to fit KR8s too, though I still prefer mine on the cig-sized batteries.

 

[mmsjs5]

mmsjs - I was under the impression that higher VG will produce more vapor however it will not have as good as a throat hit but I may be wrong.

You were saying that what you have gives you a harsh hit. The VG smooths that out, kinda makes the vapor "thicker". Can't really explain it any differently, you just have to see for yourself.

 

[sailorman]

Problem with the eGo C is that they're trying to take what is fundamentally obsolete system, the atomizer/cartridge and modify it and tweak it and drag it back into relevance. It's still a cartridge system. It still relies on trying to make a cartridge deliver juice to an atty from a separate reservoir. It's fiddly and limiting. You need special atomizers and "tanks". IMO, it's a big PITA. There are plenty of good clearomizers that work fine with the normal eGos, and kGos and Rivas. The Stardust is just one, and there are others. All the normal, inexpensive cartomizers work fine with the kGo and e-Power. What's the point of using an eGo C or an eGo T? I cannot understand it.

 

[5cardstud]

Welcome to ECF. I started with a joye 510 and like you though what the ... Anyway with some help from the members I've been smoke free over 2 yrs. One thing I noticed you got an auto. A manual gives you a little more control on your puff and you can get more draw if your not trying to activate a switch.

 

[Chris77]

Problem with the eGo C is that they're trying to take what is fundamentally obsolete system, the atomizer/cartridge and modify it and tweak it and drag it back into relevance. It's still a cartridge system. It still relies on trying to make a cartridge deliver juice to an atty from a separate reservoir. It's fiddly and limiting. You need special atomizers and "tanks". IMO, it's a big PITA. There are plenty of good clearomizers that work fine with the normal eGos, and kGos and Rivas. The Stardust is just one, and there are others. All the normal, inexpensive cartomizers work fine with the kGo and e-Power. What's the point of using an eGo C or an eGo T? I cannot understand it.

Don't know, never had a kGo.

I like the eGo because it's a closer second (IMHO) to direct dripping than polyfilled-anything. No "burn in" required, just drop a drip on a clean atomizer, snap and twist. The only fiddling it requires of me is a cleaning when swapping flavors. It holds ~1ml, so three cones get me through the day. It seems to keep fairly constant power, and lets me know when the battery is just about due. My only issue with it is that it doesn't do as well with heavy VG juices like Boba's Bounty. In that case, I can just screw on a 510 atty and drip tip and I'm set, 3.7V works great with LR atomizers if you like a warm vape.

It sounds like the eGo is a kGo with a cartridge. They sound like they're from the same company, maybe my eGo is a clone?

 

[ambition]

OP, just wanted to address your comment about the 18mg juice being hard to handle.

I think most people here will agree that PG dries your throat, and when you first start vaping, it can be a bit much but it does get better. Drinking water while you adjust to it helps alot.

Also, 18mg juice, while it sounds high, and may very well feel high at the moment, isn't what I'd call a strong juice.

I started on 12mg thinking that was the right level before I'd tried it. I also got some 18mg prefilled cartos just in case.
I was ok on the 12mg cartos, but I was going through them too quickly and chain vaping. I tried the 18mg cartos and was like OMG...way too strong. The extra nic made the dry throat much worse.

What I did to help it was...you guessed it....I drank lots of water, and before long my throat was better able to deal with the stronger juice and when I realised I needed much stronger juice (28mg), the difference was very slight compared to the first jump.

All I'm saying is unless you think you're getting super sick from it, just tough it out with the PG for a bit and you'll find it gets much easier. A little like when you first learned to smoke.

Take care