Newbie here, just got a 510.

[Boodle]

If you're in Phoenix metro there's a brick and mortar shop near or in Glendale. Phone: 623-979-9535
21620 N 26th Ave #110. The owner's name is Chad. I'm a state over (NV) and needed something fast. Ordered in the AM and had it the next afternoon. If you're near Tucson there's a fabulous store there, FreedomSmokeUSA.com

I'm sorry for misreading your post earlier. I thought it said carto and it said cart. My attempt to help probably caused more confusion

 

[hiram13pm]

If you're in Phoenix metro there's a brick and mortar shop near or in Glendale. Phone: 623-979-9535
21620 N 26th Ave #110. The owner's name is Chad. I'm a state over (NV) and needed something fast. Ordered in the AM and had it the next afternoon. If you're near Tucson there's a fabulous store there, FreedomSmokeUSA.com

Wow, that's awesome... I hadn't even thought about a brick and mortar shop. Closest real one to me is in Dallas, I think... good call.

Yeah, MJT. It's always nice to see it in person before you buy (or get to try a sample). FreedomSmokeUSA has a good rep here, though I've never ordered from them personally. I don't think I've ever heard anything remotely negative about 'em.

 

[Currynoah]

Too true. When vaping, the nicotine is more readily absorbed by the esophagael lining & the sinuses than it is by the lungs... remember, there's no tar to make it "stick" in your lungs anymore. Plus, hold it in long enough, and you're getting the first steps of "stealth vaping", lol.

Nice. I like the stealth vaping mode..

 

[Reanimator]

I have a story to tell and a few questions to ask, if I may.

First let me say I have been smoking since the 9th grade (1967), and have been smoking a pack a day (Newport 100"s, then USA Gold 100's) for at least 40 years

I purchased my first e-cig on August 20, 2011. Took the wife to the movies at Arundel Mills Mall, outside of Baltimore, Md. and while wandering through the mall, I picked up a "Smoke Free" e-cig at a kiosk. It looks just like a filtered 100mm cigarette (white batt, tan cart w/the little speckles). The "Duet" starter pack contained: 1 batt, usb charger, a/c adapter, metal carrying case, free pack menthol cartomizers. I added 3 additional packs. Total cost over $150. Took it home, charged it up, and vaped all night (or until batt died). First thing in the morning I'm back at the mall buying a spare batt, and more carts. Everytime I even thought about a cigarette, I grabbed my Smoke Free. For the first time, I did not feel like I was depriving myself, the main reason I could never suceed in quitting. Every now and then, I would prove to myself that I was not missing anything by holding an an analog in one hind and my e-cig in the other. Take two puffs of each, and be reassured that I was not missing anything except for a bit of throat hit. I must have lit about four cigs and took two puffs from each over the next week or so. During that time, I discovered Blucigs online, was sold by the smart pack technology, and decided to order starter packs for both of us. My wife wanted the white pack, which was out of stock, so I waited and continued to vape on my Smoke Free. The white packs were restocked on 8/8 and I ordered our two starter kits, $79.95ea w/3 cart packs ($12ea). The order arrived on 8-12.
Everything seemed fine, the Blu charged up very quickly, and we were vaping away. I then noticed that my pack was not turning off automatically after it charged, like my wife's pack. Everything else worked fine. The next morning I called customer service, and was advised to switch the charging cables I used, since my wife's worked fine. If not, they would replace it. It did not work, in fact the next morning the usb connector broke off into the pack. Called customer service, arranged for an exchange, and sent the black pack back. Since I still had the e-cigs and the enclosed charging cables, life went on. Still not smoking. Replacement pack arrived Sat. 8-24-11. I have not smoked an analog cig in over a month!!!!! I am amazed at how easy it has been. I feel like I'm smoking!!! I even feel guilty sometimes, feeling like I'm cheating and have to remind myself that I'm not smoking, I'm VAPING!!!! You cannot imagine how pleased I am with myself!!!
Now to the questions: I read that the Volcano e-cig (510) is the same as the Blu, just reversed polarities, so the carts fit. I have ordered some blanks to try to create my own stronger menthol flavor, and maybe a few mixes. Purchased the Johnson Creek Sampler pack, their Tundra Menthol, and Volcano's Menthol Burst. However, has anyone heard of the Smoke Free??? What e-cig model is compatible with the Smoke Free??? As I said, it looks like a real cig, a little fatter and a bit longer than the Blu. Would like to be able to get blank cartomizers for it also. Then I would have two coplete kits available. All of these model numbers I see in these comments are confusing, since I cannot tell what is compatible with what. Neither the Smoke Free nor the Blu is labled with a model number (K808, 510, etc). I HAVE QUIT SMOKING AND WILL CONTINUE TO VAPE UNTIL I DECIDE TO STOP ALTOGETHER, though I am really enjoying this and look forward to mixing any number of flavors. Any help or info would be appreciated.
Reanimator

 

[hiram13pm]

Reanimator,

Ooooo.... no. Are you asking about the SmokeFree I see advertised on television? Run, do not walk, away from these... You can get a good 510 kit (2 batts, 2 atomizers, charger, some carts) for $40 or less.

Yeah, my first model was a rip-off too. I actually had to cancel a Visa card to get them to stop charging me. Check out the vendors here on the forum's list, and compare prices. Yes, the Blu is a 510 thread... but the blu is also terribly underpowered [510 is a 180mah battery, the blu about half that... so half the charge life]. The general rule of thumb is: the closer it is to the look and size of a cigarette, the worse the performance. Caveat Emptor.

Going rate for a replacement 510 atomizer is 6-8 bucks, depending on source. Cartomizers usually go for around $8 for a 5-pack. Last I checked, a replacement 510 battery was around $10-12. Really, shop around. You can get a LOT better stuff for a LOT less than you've been paying. Check out some of the "stickies" at the top of this subforum, esp. MistressNomad's Videos for Newbies. They're chock full of the basics.

I don't work for any supplier, or get any kickbacks (just a disclaimer)... I get my hardware from Madvapes, my flavorings from ecigexpress, and my nicotine base from xtremevaping or BoxElderChemicalSupply; I've also ordered from Cignot, Vaporjunction, and a few others. Do some price comparisons.

 

[hiram13pm]

Actually, if I knew then what I know now... and as much as I *loved* my little 510's... I'd probably skip it and go straight to an Ego or Riva. But that's me.

For purely technical interest; the Ego and Riva are 510 threaded, but have batteries in the 650-1100mah (that's milli-amp hour, and a general measure of how much charge they hold). They can use atomizers, cartomizers, etc., from any models using 510 threading. Believe me, having a battery that will last you almost all day (at 650mah) up to a day and a half (1100mah) without recharging for a former 1.5 pack a day smoker (me) was really, really nice.

 

[mjt]

I want something thing that can give me that big deep lung buzz feeling. I'm not really getting that right now. Any help here?

 

[mjt]

This is the model I bought, can anyone tell me if I screwed up or what I could replace to improve cheaply?

Mega 510 starter kit

 

[Vagablonde]

Actually, if I knew then what I know now... and as much as I *loved* my little 510's... I'd probably skip it and go straight to an Ego or Riva. But that's me.

I would have to concur with this as well..however my 510 was what I used to quit

 

[mjt]

If you're in Phoenix metro there's a brick and mortar shop near or in Glendale. Phone: 623-979-9535
21620 N 26th Ave #110. The owner's name is Chad. I'm a state over (NV) and needed something fast. Ordered in the AM and had it the next afternoon. If you're near Tucson there's a fabulous store there, FreedomSmokeUSA.com

I'm sorry for misreading your post earlier. I thought it said carto and it said cart. My attempt to help probably caused more confusion

No problem, you are very nice. I really appreciate your input and kinds words. They really help!! So thank you.

 

[mjt]

Im about to end my first full day smoke free.

 

[Vagablonde]

Ive ordered stuff from cignot and had it in 2 days...great place..also my freedomsmokes is another!

 

[Vagablonde]

Im about to end my first full day smoke free.

hang in there mjt...you have everything to gain..on the 21st was my one year and i feel so much better for it...
one day at a time...vape on!!

 

[mjt]

hang in there mjt...you have everything to gain..on the 21st was my one year and i feel so much better for it...
one day at a time...vape on!!

Thanks, so physically how much better do you feel? I can't even imagine not dealing with the smoking effects anymore, I've smoked since I was 13.

 

[mjt]

One last thing was is PG and VG. ?

 

[VapingRulz]

You'll notice that both acronyms are underlined so if you hover over any term here that's underlined, you'll get the definition. PG produces the throat hit; VG the vapor. You'll have to experiment to find your favorite ration of PG:VG. I like 80/20 or 75/25 but everyone is different.

 

[Reanimator]

Actually, if I knew then what I know now... and as much as I *loved* my little 510's... I'd probably skip it and go straight to an Ego or Riva. But that's me.

For purely technical interest; the Ego and Riva are 510 threaded, but have batteries in the 650-1100mah (that's milli-amp hour, and a general measure of how much charge they hold). They can use atomizers, cartomizers, etc., from any models using 510 threading. Believe me, having a battery that will last you almost all day (at 650mah) up to a day and a half (1100mah) without recharging for a former 1.5 pack a day smoker (me) was really, really nice.

Thanks for the info. I am unsure whether or not I want to upgrade to another system. Believe it or not, I enjoy my "Mall e-cig", wish I could combine it with the Blu's extremely cool smart pack. Just starting to try and mix my own flavors, waiting for my blank cartomizer order to arrive. Again, thanks for the info.

 

[DaveP]

When you get tired of charging batteries every hour and a half (I saw that you have a 510 starter kit and not an Ego), go to E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings and order a Riva 510 Lite bundle. It gives you 2 750mah Ego class batteries, 2 510 atomizers, a cone, and an Ego style charger. (don't use it on your 510 batteries ... it will ruin them).

The Riva Lite Bundle is cheaper than buying just the batteries and a charger.

Electronic Cigarette - Starter Kits - Riva 510 $29.95

Order some Boge 510 cartos for the best flavor from your juice. Clearomizers are good, also, but I had issues with the tubes cracking on those.

 

[eg-guy]

charging batteries does get very annoying, so does refilling all the time. I started with the blu premium e-cig n it was just ok to me. I ordered a joye ego-t and recieved it today. It is awesome, the battery lasts forever and the cartridge holds about 1ml of juice. Great throat hit, and the juice tastes really good. I would highly recomend this. I got the starter kit from litecigusa.com for $52 shipped with a coupon i found online.

some food for thought, hope this helps

edit: cignot.com has the fastest shipping ive ever seen, with outstanding customer service. order and ship the same day. vikki is awesome.

 

[hiram13pm]

I want something thing that can give me that big deep lung buzz feeling. I'm not really getting that right now. Any help here?

Um... let's see here....

You've already got a 510. (almost) Everything I've got is 510 threaded. Kudos on the Mega; you've already got something with better battery life than the "stock" 510. There are 2 ways you can go without changing so much that you're "starting over" with all new equipment.

1. More power. This would mean a different battery.
2. Lower resistance. This would mean different atomizers/cartomizers.

You *could* try different levels of PG vs. VG in your juice, but that is (IMHO) a minor tweak. Here, check out an email I wrote a while back for a friend... I imagine it's bouncing around the internet now, on permanent "forward" status.... Nothing I've tried hits better than a 3.7 volt box mod with a 2 ohm cartomizer... look them up at Madvapes, the link is below. Hope this info helps.

------------------------------------------------------

I've had a few people ask me about ecigs lately, so here's a list of sites online that I use.

First off, any questions you have will be answered at E-Cigarette Forum - ECF . You can spend days browsing the different topics there. John, check out the modder's subforum... there's a "sticky" at the top with a bunch of mod designs:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...tery-diy-models-other-useful-information.html

Ok, so here's where I get my stuff, and a few places where I don't (but I know they're good & you might like 'em):

First off, I get 90% of my hardware like parts for my homebuilts, kits, cartomizers, etc. at Welcome to MadVapes LLC . If you've seen my personal rigs, you know that one of my favorites is a homebuilt 3.7v box-mod. At madvapes, you can buy your parts individually, or buy a kit with all the parts for one unit, or even sometimes buy the mod already built. What I use is called a "510 boxmod kit" at madvapes. It's a good place to start if you're going to build your own, and only 9 bucks.

510 Box Mod Kit

A basic wiring schematic for mods can be found in the "modders subforum" at ECF and also in the "how to" forum at madvapes:

http://www.madvapemods.com/

I moved away from the classic atomizer-cartridge setup a long time ago, and started using cartomizers (cartridge & atomizer combined in one piece). These are the ones I use, and I highly recommend them. 2 ohm Low Resistance cartomizers, made by Boge. The ones by SmokTech are identical, same price & performance. Both are available at madvapes for $9 per pack of 5, and I use about 2 a week:

Refillable 510 Cartomizers 2.0ohm

They're out of stock at the moment, but keep checking back. If I were looking to get some right now (like I was totally out and HAD to get some right away), I'd probably get these standard resistance ones:

Refillable 510 Cartomizers

...or these bad boys.... dual-coil mega-sized, they hold a LOT of liquid (I have some, and they're great. Really awesome at 6 volts, work like a 2 ohm LR carto at 3.7 volts):

MadVapes 510 Dual Coil Black Cartomizer

Batteries for my boxmods can be bought at madvapes, but I usually get them at half the price from dealextreme; it takes a few weeks to get to you, but they're the same batteries & cheap:

14500 batteries - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

Be warned that if you're using a mod, the batteries MUST be "protected". Make sure they say "protected" in the description; Lithium Ion batteries that are unprotected can have a runaway discharge and explode. Never use unprotected batteries. These are my favorites:

TrustFire Protected 14500 3.7V 900mAh Rechargeable Lithium Batteries (2-Pack) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

$5.70 for 2 of them, including shipping. John, order some of these today; by the time you have a few box mods built, they'll show up. You'll also need a charger, again from madvapes or dealextreme. Here's a good one:

TrustFire TR-001 Multi-Purpose Lithium Battery Charger - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

If you're looking for a kit, madvapes has a bunch of good ones. I have personally owned or tried the 510, eGo, e-power, and one called the "Indulgence", which is basically the same as the Roughstack. They are all threaded for "510", and will use the cartomizers I mention above, and they're all great. I highly recommend the e-Power for a newbie:

E-Cigarette Kits

****************************************************

Liquid:

I make my own, but good pre-made liquids can be purchased at madvapes and:

Welcome to Tasty Vapor

http://www.ecigexpress.com/

E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings

... and about a zillion other places. Shop around. There's a list of suppliers approved by ECF, check them all out:

Forum Suppliers List

One of my favorite suppliers, especially for newbies, is Cignot. I bought my first "real" ecig from her, and she's LEGENDARY for customer service and shipping speed. If you need juice in a hurry, get it from Vicki at Cignot. It's DeKang, not the best, but still tasty, not overpriced, and gets to you in 2 days (maybe 3 on the west coast, Lara).

Cignot ®

Ok, so if you want to mix your own, here's where I get all of my stuff. Bottles, syringes, etc. I get from madvapes. I get my nicotine base from either of these two, depending on who's having a sale:


Artisteer

Box Elder Chemical Supply - 500 ML 100 Mg/Ml

Be careful when mixing using a 100mg base; it can be dangerous if you get it on your fingers or spill it. Never ever vape anything over 36mg/ml... I usually mix mine at 20-25mg/ml. If the price seems high (I think right now 500ml from boxelder is about $100), bear in mind that 500ml will mix down to 2 liters of 25mg juice, and most vapors go through about 3ml a day.... so that $100 will be all the nicotine you need for almost 2 years; longer if you use a lower strength. I keep it in the freezer.

All of my flavors come from here:

http://www.ecigexpress.com/flavoring-c-16

...as well as my base liquids (PG and VG) Sometimes I get PG and VG from xtremevaping. Before you start DIY mixing, read up about it at ECF.

Anyway, I hope this list of links helps y'all. If you have any questions, email or call me. Happy Vaping!