Newbie first purchase, how did I do?

[Asmo6]

Hi all!

Looking for some input and general commentary if possible.

The short;
Got the flu right before Christmas, felt some chest symptoms and heard bronchitis was also going around and just quit smoking entirely. Figured I'd be miserable anyway, try and beat the chest portion by going cold turkey on smoking. It worked. 20 years, PAD. To zero. Lots of nyquil and literally spent 3 days semi conscious with the flu thru Christmas. Kicked the nicotine via nyquil and flu self induced coma. Have not smoked since. Miss smoking and all the typical triggers are still tough.

Dug up a mistic e-cig that the woman had tried to quit smoking maybe a year or so ago to help stay busy. Its utterly useless. Started reading trying to figure out what might work. Learned that there is a whole world out there. (E-cigs, PV's, etc).

Found a local place that just opened. Bought something more substantial.

Equipment list:

Innokin - iTaste vv 3.0
KangerTech - mini protank-II
5 pack of KT 2.5 ohm coils
2 plastic 2.4ml clear atomizer tanks ($5-6)

House menthol blend 18mg (30ml)
(It's like a slightly more peppermint Newport I'd say)


It works well and was an acceptable size. (Barely)
How did I do?

*For me I went from pretty serious desperation that this could not work to confidence I would never smoke a cigarette again in the time it took to pick things out and get going. (An hour) So I'm hopeful, and fairly excited about this all now.



The rambling; (long)

For me the 'hit' was the issue. I smoke in maybe a minute or two between doing things all day. I frequently have to pinch off a half inch or more ember from the cigarette I'm smoking just to make it possible to hit it again. I don't puff, I don't enjoy. I just crush them and get back to work. (No real CIG breaks) I was smoking Marlboro lights after doing menthols for 16-17 years. Couldn't handle the menthol any more. Every morning was basically cold symptoms until I got a shower. Switching to something I didn't like was intentional, and it sort of worked. I never finished a pack the day I bought them any more. I'd flick more than a smoldering filter.

Moving to the e-cig was confusing. I couldn't hit it, feel it, or knock down the nerves with it and it was almost infuriating. I didn't realize it just can't deliver what I was expecting. A tidal wave. After 4 big drags on a cigarette I've built up a lot of nicotine and the little mistic was like an iv drip.

Calming down and realizing it's never going to work, it's time to retrain the brain. I can get a pretty felt hit from the itaste, and go back to something I like, and still not smoke. And I'm now way happier. If I'm stressed out I can take a big hit of something I can feel for the mental portion of it, then a few easy drags to get the nicotine rolling and hold off any desire to smoke or be agitated etc.

Previous to the new equipment I bought some vapor-x blueberry liquid and stripped the mistic cartomizer apart, cleaned it, and refilled it. It didn't work very well which prompted me to come here and read, and search endlessly online. It got a bit overwhelming, and I couldn't deal with the mistic any more so I found a store and went. Normally I research but they let me try anything I wanted in the place. They fired up a few vaporizers and any liquid I wanted so I was confident it would work for me before I swiped my card and left. (About $90 total) which was chump change compared to what I spend a month smoking. Plus what she spends. ($300/mo easy?).

More rambling;

I'm a bit of a modder in life. I root and flash phones, built / tuned cars (professionally for a while) and tinker with firearms. So I sprung for something that was 510 variable voltage and wattage. They had some of the big mods I've seen online, and toys, but I need something more portable, and I have NO freaking clue what any of that does yet. I managed to find and ohm vs voltage chart in the protank box and just set according to it. But I figured I'd have some options by going towards the middle and common thread. Room to grow so to speak.

I need to try more liquids. I think that might be a fun part of this too.
The melon one I tried was good but they only had 30ml bottles. That's not trying something, that's buying it a ring and giving it a key...
Also dragon fruit. Liked that.
Spearmint was ok.
The blueberry vapor x stuff is harsh. It's OK.
The Newport / peppermint (mass they call it) is punchy. I got it because it's a little rough and should give me a home base to go to, to shut down any desire for a cigarette.

A older woman (customer) in the shop shared some advice too. She said do not smoke. Don't ruin it for yourself. You quit, it's over. If you cheat, it will ruin the vaporizer for you. If you really want to not smoke, enjoy this, have fun with it. And every day you feel better, remember it's because you don't smoke!

And I do feel better even in just a week or so.

I'm trying to learn as much as I can now. Initially the mods and pv's that kind of look like a crack pipe put me off. But I'm dealing with the size vs performance thing a little better now. If a mistic (or similar) hit like this itaste I'd be a happy guy. But idk if that's even possible?

So hello! Any input, good or bad is welcome.

 

[Dakota Jim]

Your equipment choices are great and so is your story, Thanks

I did the baby step upgrades and spent a fortune but now I have several of the bigger mods and rebuildable tanks plus I DIY my own eliquid so my monthly vaping costs are less than $9.00 (200ml per month)

welcome to the ECF - we all enjoy new members

 

[Sickkboy]

I'd say your setup now is ok, some vet still use setup like yours, but you should get more battery, mayby 1 or 2 more, you don't wanna be in a situation that you craving nic real bad and only to find out battery die on you.

For juice, there're billion vendor that sell juice, you might try sample pack from vendor that get good review, Mostly are small bottle so if you hate some flavor then you don't waste much.

 

[bacc.vap]

Hello and welcome. Sounds like your headed in the right direction.

 

[Papa_Lazarou]

You got completely wrong gear.

Kidding... I'm kidding. Nice first setup, and it will be your FIRST setup. There will be more, probably many more. From your background, I'd bet $100 you'll be rocking a sick mech mod with a high end RBA and talking about your custom quad microcoil build in short order. The terms, the tech, the technique - none of it will be daunting within a month, and what might have just sounded like greek to you in the last sentence will be second nature. You'll enjoy it, oh yes you will.

Welcome to being a vaper and congrats on being a nonsmoker.

Seriously, great setup you got.

 

[espkh123]

Wow this is the exact setup I have!
I got the protank in blue and a yellow drip tip.

I love mine and you should love yours! Stick to around 4 volts because my juice burns any higher than that.
Also, dont hit it hard. Just slowly hit it for a few seconds.

EDIT: Also, 8Watts is the highest I go.
Read the manual! You can also vape while charging.

 

[LoveVanilla]

You did very well -- likely well ahead where most start. Get a variety of juices (so you don't bore), layout plans for backup equipment and, of course, spend time here. Nice story, and congratulations.

 

[cope]

once i found out vaping could get me through the day without lighting up a cig my quest for a tough pv started i prefer quality over low cost
so i have a few vv/vw mods one of wich is a provari mini..i need a all weather mod...cant seem to find one yet

 

[Asmo6]

Thanks for the kind warm welcome guys!

Wow this is the exact setup I have!
I got the protank in blue and a yellow drip tip.

I love mine and you should love yours! Stick to around 4 volts because my juice burns any higher than that.
Also, dont hit it hard. Just slowly hit it for a few seconds.

EDIT: Also, 8Watts is the highest I go.
Read the manual! You can also vape while charging.

She (the shop owner) gave me a quick run thru about being careful with voltage. Matching it to what the coils resistance. And being gentle with wattage until I did some reading.

But input from an experienced owner is welcome. SERIOUSLY.

The protank hits so nice. Like the draw. The plastic one I can't tighten fully or the draw gets stifled. I'm ocd about loose stuff from doing the car thing for years. So it bugs me. I'll prolly just buy more protanks to have multiple flavors loaded up.

I got the black battery, clear tank with the black chrome trim ring.


And I have access to a charger at work, my car, and home. It's also a pass thru. So I don't need mega batteries. Even with 2 ppl hitting it all night at home it's still green. (Full) I like that I can take a puff or two whenever I want. And just put it down. When you smoke there's a burning cigarette obligating you to finish it, our put it out and waste it. I used to smoke halfs to spread them out and not smoke a full cig each time, so the vaporizer is awesome for me. Little here, little there. No waste. No burnt garbage taste. Awesome!

 

[Asmo6]

once i found out vaping could get me through the day without lighting up a cig my quest for a tough pv started i prefer quality over low cost
so i have a few vv/vw mods one of wich is a provari mini..i need a all weather mod...cant seem to find one yet

If you've got a tinkery gene, how about a flashlight tube? The batteries are o-ringed on most TAC lights, and they already facilitate a switch that's weather proof... And batteries... Yank the head. Gut the board out. Most lights have a snap ring holding the board element in front of the battery compartment. Use that to house your own electronics. Pick a threaded head / connection. Seal it. Go?

A site called shining beam has cheap lights ( that are really good for the money BTW) that I have had soaking wet and battered with muzzle blast from rifles and they don't take on water. I haven't submerged them in any serous way. But you could probably get into a decent tube for $20-25 that way. The lights they make, some are adaptable to use AA or CR123. And others. So... Should be able to get a tube size you want?

 

[bacc.vap]

once i found out vaping could get me through the day without lighting up a cig my quest for a tough pv started i prefer quality over low cost
so i have a few vv/vw mods one of wich is a provari mini..i need a all weather mod...cant seem to find one yet

There was a guy that had a thread here in the new members section that was designing and testing waterproof mods. I can't remember his name though, he also had vids of them on youtube. Is that what your looking for, waterproof mainly?

 

[ibhanky]

excellent choices.

 

[Mark Anthony]

Hello and welcome.... you seem to be off on the right foot for now. The longer you're here the more you will become interested in ""upgrading" your equipment!!

 

[SirSteve]

Welcome to ECF and vaping.

Nice setup, might want to add another battery like someone else stated, backups and more backups are a way of life for us. The iTaste V3 offers a lot of features for a device that is in the Ego size range. It does have a small battery at 800 MAH and the battery is not meant to be replaced. Overall a great device.

You will undoubtedly want to try different things, don't be afraid to ask questions as many members here love to help others.

 

[Asmo6]

Welcome to ECF and vaping.

Nice setup, might want to add another battery like someone else stated, backups and more backups are a way of life for us. The iTaste V3 offers a lot of features for a device that is in the Ego size range. It does have a small battery at 800 MAH and the battery is not meant to be replaced. Overall a great device.

You will undoubtedly want to try different things, don't be afraid to ask questions as many members here love to help others.

Glad to hear I did ok! It seemed like the largest thing I could really keep portable throughout my day that had some options and a little more power than something like a analog clone.

I'd really like some input on wattage? For now I think voltage I can muddle my way through by going by manufacturer recommendations. IE: This coil = X.Xohm set at X.X volts.

Wattage I'd gather is just like power? Translating to... heat @ the coil? Intensity, duration? A little clarification there would be helpful. Any kind of even basic illumination on the subject would be good. And I'll take a link if no one wants to type it out.

Anyway, here's the Innokin.

 

[Asmo6]

Ok learned a lot in the last week and ordered a ton of stuff. She chose the same PV I did when we went back to get her set up. We both ordered a ton of flavors to try as well as some more tanks and I also snagged a vision twist (400mah) to have as a back up. Carts, some attys. And well, a week later this is kinda what happened to the counter.


I'm really having problems finding any eliquids I like. They are all weak to me and no matter what tank I put them in, or even if I'm sucking straight off the Atty. Maybe 2-3 of the dozen do anything for me. Zero of which compare to the original menthol I'm now almost out of.

Not sure what to do. But she can smell and taste a dozen times better than me and agrees they are all fairly lame. She even bought extra flavor extract to pump up certain flavors and I'm not interested in almost any of them. They are merely hints - where the original menthol I bought was a sledge hammer.

I'm easily $300+ in now and striking out repeatedly with juices.

I want nuclear. Do I have to go RDA to get more out of these? Ive watched a dozen or two videos and it doesn't seem hard to do, just time consuming. I even ordered all mine 80pg/20vg hoping to get some more punch out of them. They all made me yawn. You see all these people talking about - oh the flavor! I'm not finding it.

 

[Buggainok]

I don't know how many years or how heavily you smoked, but I know for myself I've pretty much trashed my taste buds, at least for now. 40 plus years of smoking had to have quite an effect on me.

I'm getting enough flavor and taste to keep me going, but hope as time goes by, my "taster" will get more discerning.

Also, I haven't seen it discussed here as yet, but I'm thinking since our sense of smell also has a lot to do with taste, my poor nose was probably in the combat zone all those years, too, and needs some time to recuperate. I am hopeful.

 

[lawrenceahawkins]

Congrats on making the switch. Great setup to start and get off analogs. Liquids are the difficult part now all I can say is hit every local shop you can and try everything you can. So many option in that realm

 

[Sirius]

If you've got a tinkery gene, how about a flashlight tube? The batteries are o-ringed on most TAC lights, and they already facilitate a switch that's weather proof... And batteries... Yank the head. Gut the board out. Most lights have a snap ring holding the board element in front of the battery compartment. Use that to house your own electronics. Pick a threaded head / connection. Seal it. Go?

A site called shining beam has cheap lights ( that are really good for the money BTW) that I have had soaking wet and battered with muzzle blast from rifles and they don't take on water. I haven't submerged them in any serous way. But you could probably get into a decent tube for $20-25 that way. The lights they make, some are adaptable to use AA or CR123. And others. So... Should be able to get a tube size you want?

Hello Asmo6 -- I started off much the same as you but I picked up the eGos..Got 2 of those before I found out the only way FOR ME to go was a mechanical mod. So I picked up a Hcigar King clone from Vaperoyalty for around $45..I think they went up a bit,I'll post a link..anyway I went on eBay and picked up a RDA,(rebuild-able drip atomizer) a Nimbus clone, for around $16,(easy to build and there are threads on the best way to do this here) a couple 18650 batteries and Kanthal wire..only have around $85 in the whole set-up and that is with a ohm meter for the RBA and charger for the batteries.
Anyway welcome to the forum, just ask around about the size wire and type batteries ya need.Someone is always willing to help.Here's that link btw
HCigar King Mod Clone

 

[Sirius]

*additional
You should be able to taste your juice better,much better,with a RBA and a mechanical mod.Learn to build coils,it's easier than I ever thought it would be.You will of course have to lower the nicotine level for those as they hit so much stronger.