There's a lot of really helpful info in this thread. I just want to add some of my observations from my experience
w/ eGos, eGo Twists, Vision Spinners, Kanger batts and every Kanger mini ProTank there was, or is, at a certain point
in my vaping career.
Also, one of my hobbies is hooking up aspiring non-smokers with affordable, satisfying gear so they can give
vaping a try. I test it and make sure it's in good condition. I remember how many frustrating hours I spent trying
to get my set-up, which was working great yesterday, to work well again the next day. I usually give or recommend the
eGo* + ProTank set-up & ppl have liked them and kept vaping. And stopped smoking.
So I still like the solid ProTank/eGo-style set-up. Like every vaping device, from a $220 authentic to a $10 clone,
they've got a learning curve. But they're reliable once you learn them.
Plus, Mini ProTanks have good flavor, produce decent vapor and are affordable.
And, the reason I originally chose them was the GLASS TANK.
Also, the eGo-style (I'm going to type eGo* from here on out) battery and ProTank was the set-up that helped
me stop smoking completely.
Okay, so here are the things I've learned:
1. Sometimes even evods won't make a good connection with Kanger batteries. The same happens with ProTanks.
These tanks & batts are mass produced, and bad batches are poorly machined so the pos
pins of the evods and protanks can't connect well (or at all) with the battery. Just the way it is.
So I never give out Kanger batts to new vapers anymore. If it's too frustrating to get your vape on, you're going
to need to smoke a cancer stick just to calm back down and return to trouble-shooting. I have a brand-new, 1-2 yr old 1100
mAh Kanger batt that just sits and smirks at me. Because that dastard will only connect well with a Nautilus,
but it Will Not mate with its own kin. Incest scruples. I guess.
The batteries I mentioned above have always been completely
solid for me. Those brands are just the batteries I found most consistent in quality and battery life. But
again, they're mass-produced. So you will get a POS once in a while.
2. Another thing that cut my ProTank vapor to a wisp: liquid. There will be liquid on the pos
pin of your evod/ProTank coil. Also in the eGo threads around it. There will be liquid on the 510 pin and in
the well of your eGo* battery. There will also be liquid on your eGo-style USB charger cable.
You will end up buying more cotton swabs than you'd ever dreamed once you start maintaining your eGo* battery and Kanger
ProTanks and charging cables. Wipe all of them every time you fill a tank, charge a batt, and once more for
good measure. Liquid and the residue it forms when cooked will drastically diminish or entirely prevent
voltage transfer.
Liquid also gets in the chimney from filling, vaping, etc. Blow it out through the mouthpiece.
3. ProTank/evod coils come unscrewed from the base. When you refill, check that the coil is
screwed in tightly. Loose coils will also leak juice down into the nether regions.
4. Finally, this is just my opinion/preference, I recommend variable voltage
eGo* batts. All juices sing at different voltages, and some, like max-VG custards, burn easily at voltages higher
than 3.4. I usually used (and give out) 1.8 ohm single coils and 1.5 dual coils (for the new tanks). This is
just my preference b/c the lower resisce coils gave me a satisfying amount of vapor.
A side-note: The resistance of Kanger coils is notoriously erratic. And they tend to run higher. I've had authentic
coils marked as 2.2 that read 2.9 or even 3.1 when checked with 2 diff. meters.
Another source of thin or non-existent vapor is a crap coil. The coils are mass-produced too and you will periodically get a bad one. .i
experienced this infrequently, but the market was much
smaller then. I've also never received fakes, but I buy from the same dude I always have.
tl;dr
1. variable voltage eGo* batts. Avoid Kanger batts if you want your ProTanks to have the
best connection to the batt.
2. Maintain your stuff, constantly. Liquid messes stuff up. Buy Q-tips and Johnson&Johnson stock.
3. Check coils frequently to see if they are fully tightened.
4. Clear extra juice from the chimney. Blow it out through the mouthpiece. Juice inhibits vapor.
5. Ask forum vets for recommendations of reliable vendors of the batts and tanks you're using.
6. Be patient and expect a learning curve.
I know I'm forgetting something, but I already wrote a book. I will edit when I remember.
Finally, congratulations! It's a major achievement. But even if you smoke sometimes, you're on the way. It took me 2 years to quit entirely. It takes time. And I think it was easier for those of us who started vaping earlier. There wasn't all this conventional
wisdom screaming that "if you have bought vape stuff, you should be all done with that smoking thing!" That's
bovine excreta. It takes time, experimentation, advice and your own experience to find the style of vaping and the gear that will help you quit permanently. Fortunately, we have the generous community of ecf.
Good luck and be proud of yourself for taking a huge step. You got this!
w/ eGos, eGo Twists, Vision Spinners, Kanger batts and every Kanger mini ProTank there was, or is, at a certain point
in my vaping career.
Also, one of my hobbies is hooking up aspiring non-smokers with affordable, satisfying gear so they can give
vaping a try. I test it and make sure it's in good condition. I remember how many frustrating hours I spent trying
to get my set-up, which was working great yesterday, to work well again the next day. I usually give or recommend the
eGo* + ProTank set-up & ppl have liked them and kept vaping. And stopped smoking.
So I still like the solid ProTank/eGo-style set-up. Like every vaping device, from a $220 authentic to a $10 clone,
they've got a learning curve. But they're reliable once you learn them.
Plus, Mini ProTanks have good flavor, produce decent vapor and are affordable.
And, the reason I originally chose them was the GLASS TANK.
Also, the eGo-style (I'm going to type eGo* from here on out) battery and ProTank was the set-up that helped
me stop smoking completely.
Okay, so here are the things I've learned:
1. Sometimes even evods won't make a good connection with Kanger batteries. The same happens with ProTanks.
These tanks & batts are mass produced, and bad batches are poorly machined so the pos
pins of the evods and protanks can't connect well (or at all) with the battery. Just the way it is.
So I never give out Kanger batts to new vapers anymore. If it's too frustrating to get your vape on, you're going
to need to smoke a cancer stick just to calm back down and return to trouble-shooting. I have a brand-new, 1-2 yr old 1100
mAh Kanger batt that just sits and smirks at me. Because that dastard will only connect well with a Nautilus,
but it Will Not mate with its own kin. Incest scruples. I guess.
The batteries I mentioned above have always been completely
solid for me. Those brands are just the batteries I found most consistent in quality and battery life. But
again, they're mass-produced. So you will get a POS once in a while.
2. Another thing that cut my ProTank vapor to a wisp: liquid. There will be liquid on the pos
pin of your evod/ProTank coil. Also in the eGo threads around it. There will be liquid on the 510 pin and in
the well of your eGo* battery. There will also be liquid on your eGo-style USB charger cable.
You will end up buying more cotton swabs than you'd ever dreamed once you start maintaining your eGo* battery and Kanger
ProTanks and charging cables. Wipe all of them every time you fill a tank, charge a batt, and once more for
good measure. Liquid and the residue it forms when cooked will drastically diminish or entirely prevent
voltage transfer.
Liquid also gets in the chimney from filling, vaping, etc. Blow it out through the mouthpiece.
3. ProTank/evod coils come unscrewed from the base. When you refill, check that the coil is
screwed in tightly. Loose coils will also leak juice down into the nether regions.
4. Finally, this is just my opinion/preference, I recommend variable voltage
eGo* batts. All juices sing at different voltages, and some, like max-VG custards, burn easily at voltages higher
than 3.4. I usually used (and give out) 1.8 ohm single coils and 1.5 dual coils (for the new tanks). This is
just my preference b/c the lower resisce coils gave me a satisfying amount of vapor.
A side-note: The resistance of Kanger coils is notoriously erratic. And they tend to run higher. I've had authentic
coils marked as 2.2 that read 2.9 or even 3.1 when checked with 2 diff. meters.
Another source of thin or non-existent vapor is a crap coil. The coils are mass-produced too and you will periodically get a bad one. .i
experienced this infrequently, but the market was much
smaller then. I've also never received fakes, but I buy from the same dude I always have.
tl;dr
1. variable voltage eGo* batts. Avoid Kanger batts if you want your ProTanks to have the
best connection to the batt.
2. Maintain your stuff, constantly. Liquid messes stuff up. Buy Q-tips and Johnson&Johnson stock.
3. Check coils frequently to see if they are fully tightened.
4. Clear extra juice from the chimney. Blow it out through the mouthpiece. Juice inhibits vapor.
5. Ask forum vets for recommendations of reliable vendors of the batts and tanks you're using.
6. Be patient and expect a learning curve.
I know I'm forgetting something, but I already wrote a book. I will edit when I remember.
Finally, congratulations! It's a major achievement. But even if you smoke sometimes, you're on the way. It took me 2 years to quit entirely. It takes time. And I think it was easier for those of us who started vaping earlier. There wasn't all this conventional
wisdom screaming that "if you have bought vape stuff, you should be all done with that smoking thing!" That's
bovine excreta. It takes time, experimentation, advice and your own experience to find the style of vaping and the gear that will help you quit permanently. Fortunately, we have the generous community of ecf.
Good luck and be proud of yourself for taking a huge step. You got this!
