Noob questions and comments

[TravisM100]

I just started with electronic cigarettes 11 days ago. I have a 9 month old and have tried everything to quit smoking. I'm 28, and have smoked since I was 19. So far so good, I haven't had a tobacco cigarette since I started, and I LOVE the e-cigs. I did a little research before I started, but apparently not enough. From what I've read, V4L seems to be the best choice available. I currently have a KOV 510. We have a Knockout Vapor kiosk in our mall, and thought that was the way to go. Honestly, I do like it...but am excited to order from V4L. I had a battery issue about two days in with my KOV, and the equipment at the kiosk is kept in a tackle box. I expected a carrying case and a brand new e-cig, not sure I got one. He just threw my stuff in a plastic bag. Did not seem professional at all. Should have been my first sign, but I was so excited to stop smoking I got suckered. I noticed that their prices are much cheaper than KOV's, and was curious as to how they have a better product but can charge less. (Not trying to bash KOV by the way, just sharing my experience.)

I'm a little overwhelmed by the lingo and the technical aspects of this endeavor, but I am excited to learn all about electronic cigarettes. It almost seems to good to be true. No smoke, no mess, no ashes, no lighters, no tar, the list go on and on. I have already learned a lot just from reading threads, and this forum seems like the perfect place for me. Do you guys recommend one of the V4L starter kits over the other?

Also, when you guys reference a 510, are you talking about the KOV 510? Or is that a standard number associated with all electronic cigarettes? (I assumed it was the model number of my particular e-cig.) Sorry for the long first post and all the questions, I assure I am excited to learn!

 

[steliosak]

Also, when you guys reference a 510, are you talking about the KOV 510? Or is that a standard number associated with all electronic cigarettes? (I assumed it was the model number of my particular e-cig.)

Hi Travis and welcome to the Forum

510 basically now means the threading of the battery and atomizer or cartomizer.

Basically a 510 threaded cartomizer or atomizer will be able to connect to a 510 threaded battery.
In this way you can interchange equipment from different suppliers.

 

[wv2win]

510 is the number associated with the threading of battery/atomizer/cartomizer connection. There are also 801's, 808's, 901's and a few others. V4L is an 808. They all vape a little differently. 510 probably the most common threading size. But there are adapters that cost about $3 so you can vape any size on any battery.

For example, if you had an better battery model like the E-Power or Kgo which come with 510 threading, you could still use your 808 cartomizers with a 510 to 808 adapter like this one: 510 to 901/808-D Adapter .

If you want better long term performance and longer battery life (5 - 6 hours on a charge) I would look at the E-Power or the Kgo which are the size of a sharpie pen. Here are several good suppliers:

e-Power

KGO 1100 mAh 2 battery kit

Electronic Cigarette - Starter Kits - EGO E-Power

 

[ctourtelot]

Part of the reason for the high cost at the malls is that the average price to rent one of those kiosks is $3k - 8k/mo, plus overhead and commissions. The kiosk near me sells an 808 model that is not terrible. They produce pretty decent vapor, but the online suppliers tend to have the same or better quality for much less.

The guys at the kiosk always call me over to see what new stuff I have when I go to the mall. You should have seen their faces when I came in with my ego booster and tank lol

 

[bev135]

I've been using Vapor4Life equipment exclusively since I started this about 6 months ago. I really like their stuff. The simplicity of the 2-piece system appeals to me. I buy lots of pre-filled cartos. I also have some juice in a couple of good stand-by flavors (menthol and coffee for me) and re-fill used cartos multiple times before tossing them.

Everyone will recommend different things and everybody has different preferences. For me, simplicity and convenience are high on the list and Vapor4Life products work really well. Be sure to sign up for their mailing list so you can get the current coupon code -- they almost always have a sale.

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

I've been using Vapor4Life equipment exclusively since I started this about 6 months ago. I really like their stuff. The simplicity of the 2-piece system appeals to me. I buy lots of pre-filled cartos. I also have some juice in a couple of good stand-by flavors (menthol and coffee for me) and re-fill used cartos multiple times before tossing them.

I have been using pre-filled while I am waiting for my first orders of equipment and juice. I have saved about 50 cartomizers and I hope I can use them once I get some juice.
How many drops can they hold? How long do they last, do you wash them? Also any pointers you can pass along would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers, eh!

 

[TravisM100]

Thank you! That clears up that confusion, and makes a ton of sense.

 

[Strigoi]

How many drops can they hold? How long do they last, do you wash them? Also any pointers you can pass along would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers, eh!

Standard size cartos usually hold about 1ml of liquid (20 drops, give or take). The XL cartos like the 1.7 Smoketechs (Resurrectors, depending on the vendor) hold right around 2ml of liquid.

Cartos can last anywhere from a few hours to weeks. Thinner clear liquids do better in cartos than thick dark ones. Sweet liquids also shorten the life of them. I generally run 20-30ml through a carto before I throw it away.

Washing them is a waste of time IMO. They don't work the same after they're cleaned (at least in my experience). Since they're so cheap I just use a new one.

For tips, get a syringe. It makes filling them much easier. Be sure to keep them damp as well, cartos do not like to dry out. I top mine off every half hour or so when I'm sitting around vaping. I'd also consider looking into tanks, they can help extend the life of a carto some and you don't have to bother with topping off/refilling nearly as often. You have to either buy punched/slotted cartos specifically for tanks or do them yourself (I use a Dremel to slot mine).

 

[bev135]

I know that lots of people keep one carto going for days by adding a few drops of juice often. That's too fiddly for me. I save up bunches of cartos and then fill a couple dozen at a time.

I try to fill slowly so I don't waste juice by having it run down the center tube so I start with 5 or 6 drops. Then wait 10 minutes or so. Then add another 5 or 6 drops. Wait again. Then add between 3 and 8 drops -- as much as they'll hold -- and call it good. I put the tips back on, blow them out -- there is usually a little juice in the tube, and put the "condoms" back on. Then I'm good to go for a couple weeks. (I use pre-filled cartos too for flavor variety.)

I think that I am not getting the cartos as full as they could be with this method because they don't last as long as the pre-filled ones do. But I'm okay with less that perfect results since I don't spend a whole lot of time filling.

I haven't bothered to wash cartos. When one starts to have reduced air flow or taste burned, I toss it. I think that's usually 3 or 4 refills but I'm not really sure. I put a little sticker on them when I refill so I can tell what flavor I put in (and then refill it again with the same flavor) but I haven't kept track of how many times I've refilled each one. I feel like some last much longer than others and that may or may not depend on what flavor juice I'm using -- it seems pretty random.

If you're picky about flavors, you'd probably want to only refill with a matching flavor. I'm not very picky but I do try to keep the flavors compatible. Get some weird combinations sometimes but that doesn't last very long -- the refill flavor takes over pretty quickly.

There are some trade offs between perfect flavors, maximum performance, cost, and time you spend on filddling with things. It takes some experimenting to find where the right spot is for you. I realized pretty quickly that I'm willing to spend a little time to save some money (and not feel like I'm throwing away cartos that are still perfectly good, just dry) but I have a pretty low limit on that. With a good coupon from V4L you can have a fist full of brand new cartos in a variety of flavors with no worries at all!

 

[Strigoi]

I know that lots of people keep one carto going for days by adding a few drops of juice often. That's too fiddly for me. I save up bunches of cartos and then fill a couple dozen at a time.

I try to fill slowly so I don't waste juice by having it run down the center tube so I start with 5 or 6 drops. Then wait 10 minutes or so. Then add another 5 or 6 drops. Wait again. Then add between 3 and 8 drops -- as much as they'll hold -- and call it good. I put the tips back on, blow them out -- there is usually a little juice in the tube, and put the "condoms" back on. Then I'm good to go for a couple weeks. (I use pre-filled cartos too for flavor variety.)

That seems more fiddly than doing it with a syringe. If you know the carto holds x amount of liquid it only takes maybe a minute to have one full and ready to go.

 

[elfstone]

+1 for syringe.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I just started with electronic cigarettes 11 days ago. I have a 9 month old and have tried everything to quit smoking. I'm 28, and have smoked since I was 19. So far so good, I haven't had a tobacco cigarette since I started, and I LOVE the e-cigs. I did a little research before I started, but apparently not enough. From what I've read, V4L seems to be the best choice available. I currently have a KOV 510. We have a Knockout Vapor kiosk in our mall, and thought that was the way to go. Honestly, I do like it...but am excited to order from V4L. I had a battery issue about two days in with my KOV, and the equipment at the kiosk is kept in a tackle box. I expected a carrying case and a brand new e-cig, not sure I got one. He just threw my stuff in a plastic bag. Did not seem professional at all. Should have been my first sign, but I was so excited to stop smoking I got suckered. I noticed that their prices are much cheaper than KOV's, and was curious as to how they have a better product but can charge less. (Not trying to bash KOV by the way, just sharing my experience.)

I'm a little overwhelmed by the lingo and the technical aspects of this endeavor, but I am excited to learn all about electronic cigarettes. It almost seems to good to be true. No smoke, no mess, no ashes, no lighters, no tar, the list go on and on. I have already learned a lot just from reading threads, and this forum seems like the perfect place for me. Do you guys recommend one of the V4L starter kits over the other?

Also, when you guys reference a 510, are you talking about the KOV 510? Or is that a standard number associated with all electronic cigarettes? (I assumed it was the model number of my particular e-cig.) Sorry for the long first post and all the questions, I assure I am excited to learn!

Welcome, Travis.

My story sounds a lot like yours. Same age, about the same time smoking, minus the kid. : )

V4L is a great supplier. I've bought juices and a tank from them so far and had a great experience. Don't limit yourself at the beginning, there are so many great suppliers you can find on this forum. Once you find what works for you, you can stick with a few solid vendors.

If you're looking for an e-cog that looks similar to an analog, the 808's will do it. There's plenty to choose from. The cons of 808s are that that have a shorter battery span and generally produce a lighter throat hit and sometimes lighter flavor. Thos were what I started out with but once I started hanging out on the forums, my eyes were opened to a lot of better (IMO) choices. So I know have a 510 (kGO) and I love it. I think the starter kit is around $44 from Hoosier E-Cig. As someone mentioned above, it's bigger than the 808's, more like the size of a small cigar, but it produces great vapor and I use mine all day without needing to re-charge.

Either way, I recommend getting some blank cartos and some sample juices to see what you like, unless you already know exactly what you want. Surprisingly, I smoked non-menthol analogs and my favorite flavors are mint and peppermint variations. Also, pay attention to nicotine content and find what you enjoy and what keeps cravings at bay. There are so many accessories and options that it's difficult for this to not turn into a hobby.

The people here are really helpful, so ask all the questions you need and you'll be vaping away happily in no time with a system that's right for you. I realize I sound like an infomercial so I'm going to leave it at that. Good luck!

 

[nansc]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum.Good decision (e cigs).

 

[dlsw]

Welcome! You are already getting lots of good advice on here, but I'll chime in and say that I love my V4L titans. My favorite, however is the V4L Vapor King XL manual as it lasts longer. Enjoy whatever you get and know that you are helping yourself and others by your choice. Peacmaker peppermint by V4L is really good if you like mint. (not mentholy, just minty)

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Many thanks, Strigoi and bev135. I am waiting on a couple orders right now. At the moment I have no juice and minimal equipment. I have, on order, a 'stardust', some clearomizers, and enough battery power to use as a back-up generator! I will fill the cartomizers I have saved up to use at home, as bev135 suggested, probably a half dozen of each flavour. I am paying from $3.50 to $5.00 each for these single use cartomizers! The expensive ones have no nicotine, Canada for ya! I want to feel that I have gotten all of the use out of them that I paid for, within reason.
About 20 drops sounds reasonable, a little at a time. I don't like to force things. I have plenty of time.
Aren't you afraid that by mixing flavours, that you may find the perfect taste and not be able to copy it? !
Thanks again.

 

[TravisM100]

There are so many accessories and options that it's difficult for this to not turn into a hobby.

Haha I know! I'm already so excited about it I'm obsessed with reading everything I can about it. I figure if this does turn into a little bit of a hobby, this will be a better habit to try and break. It's the only thing that has ever gotten me off of analogs for this long. (Which is only 11 days so far lol.)

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome! I have a feeling I'm going to really enjoy the minty ones, as well as any coffee flavors I can find. Possibly some of the fruity ones as well, but we'll see. I have a Camel traditional flavored bottle and it's awful! Lol. Right now I have a chocolate menthol in and I really like it. I sincerely appreciate all of the advice, and rest assured I'm putting it to use! : )

 

[bev135]

There are times in life when I'm sorry I don't have a very well developed sense of taste. Like when I'm out for dinner with my "foodie" friends and just give them a blank stare when they say something like, "Don't you just love the hint of fennel in this sauce?"
And there are times that I'm happy to not be very discerning when it comes to taste. Like when I want to fill a cartomizer that used to have watermelon flavor in it and the juice I have is menthol. Or when a refilled carto is starting to get that slightly scorched taste because it's been used too many times but still has plenty of juice so I go ahead and finish it.
Keeps me from getting obsessed with finding the perfect flavor or from totally rejecting flavors that are not so good.
Taste "blindness" can be bliss!