Noobie comments and questions

[whatmonkey]

Well, I'm tempted to split this into a bunch of posts to bump my postcount, since I can't wait to post in the LiteCigUSA forum with another story about how awesome a site that is for ordering. (And I wish there was a V2cigs.com forum so I could post a warning there to other noobies -- I'll find someplace to post that eventually..)

So, this is my first day -- I received my litecig (thank you, lurking here pointed me to them) automatic kr808d-1 batteries, 5 of their premium cartomizers (thank you, lurking here convinced me that they were a better choice if I planned to fill my own), a usb charger, and 10ml each of their Dekang vanilla and green tea flavors.

I wasn't exactly skeptical that the ecig would work -- I looked at a video or three along with my forum lurking, and obviously they do. But, I was having a hard time imagining puffing on a vaporizer and getting the same sensation as actually smoking -- yet from the very first puff I knew I could throw out the rest of my smokes, which I did. It's truly amazing. The coworkers I showed, who ranged from as excited as I was to see what it was like at one end, all the way to fully skeptical of the idea at the other, were all also pretty surprised at how much like a cigarette it was.

This is exciting for me on so many levels -- not the least of which is the guilt I've felt at concealing the fact that I've fallen off the wagon regarding smoking from my wife, who has never been a smoker, and who is exceptionally stern and disapproving on the topic. So now I'm freed from the guilt of hiding that, freed from worrying about how I smell when I get home, freed from feeling bad about what I spend (wasn't a heavy smoker, but my initial investment here will still pay itself off in about a month with what I'm saving), and freed from worrying that I'm selfishly willfully damaging my health (reducing the years I will have with my family) -- but I get to keep all the benefits of smoking, which I have always enjoyed so very much.

Plus, though I've never had a problem with the taste of cigarettes, I have to admit that the vanilla was so much nicer. (Haven't tried the green tea yet.)

But, I do have a few questions.

• I read extensively about how to refill and about how to tell when a cartridge goes empty. BUT --

I still managed to overfill one of them. I blew out the excess, and thoroughly wiped the battery end -- but was still pretty paranoid about trying to use it, because I had read some posts about shorting out and ruining the battery. Well, eventually enthusiasm triumphed over caution, and I tried it anyway -- with no issues. But in doing more reading on the topic of overfilling, it seemed like some folks were very cavalier about it -- "blow it out and wipe it off" is apparently regarded as sufficient by some. So is it sufficient, or did I get lucky?

• Regarding the cartomizers.

I read one vendor's site who basically said "these are designed to be used once and thrown out. If you refill them you are wasting your time and money" -- but on most other websites I have read claims of being able to refill anywhere from 5 to 25 times. What's realistic? And how do I know when it's worn out?

• Regarding "juice"

Based on what I'd read, I assumed the 100% PG base for the Dekang juice would be barely acceptable regarding how much vapor it would produce with this setup. That was OK by me, and I figured once I'd tried it I'd look at some PG/VG mixes. But to my surprise, it's easily on par with what I'd get on a normal cigarette for my smoking style. OTOH, I admit that more vapor wouldn't really bother me -- how big a difference in vapor and taste should I expect going to the other mix at LiteCig, which is 70/30 PG/VG?

The flavor is overall not as strong as I expected -- this isn't necessarily bad, but I'm wondering if this is characteristic of Dekang, or my tastebuds are still dead, or etc... Do some makers use more flavor than others?

I've seen cautions about the untested nature of inhaling the flavoring components specifically -- does anyone have any warnings about this or references which point to a "don't worry about it" view?

Hmm, I'm sure I have more questions, but this will do for now.

I think any smoker with an open mind would have no choice but to embrace this option if exposed to it. The idea of burning dried leaves and inhaling the smoke already seems really crude in comparison. I find the whole experience to be superior to smoking a regular cigarette...

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Welcome to ecf and grats on getting off of analogs. I'll try to answer some of yours questions, may also do it over a couple of posts..
First, you can refill cartomizers. How many time depends on you. when the flavor gets bad or if it runs through on re-filling it, throw it out. That said you should be able to fill it several times.
Over-filling happens to all of us. Just wipe the excess and if necessary blow out. I ususlly blow fromt he mouth piece and out of the battery end but I not sure it matters.
PG..some people are alergic to pg and maybe vg. pa gives a better flavor and throat hit, and vg gives a slightly sweeter flavor with more vapor. Alone of mixed together it works, it all about what you are looking for in terms of taste, amt of vapor, etc.
they are several flavors of ejuice ranging from tobacco to fruits, candies, drinks, bakery items, etc. Basically any flavor we eat potentially can be vaped. You decide.
Fingers tired now.
Happy Vaping
sas

 

[nerak]

I am still using cartomizers that I got 6 weeks ago. Taste was dropping off and they were rinsed and filled again. Still doing good. If they don't produce vapor, draw hard, or don't work at all I would think they were at the end of their life.
You will probably want to try a few different liquids from various vendors. Tastes do vary by vendor.
I only do 100% VG. I am satisfied with that.
Flavors are made for food products, so I don't worry about them in my vapor. If they are made to be in baked goods or heated and are approved for consumption I figure they won't hurt in vapor. My opinion.
Enjoy the benefits of vaping, and knowing your health is better for it.

 

[DivisionMatrix]

I can't help with the carto's as I only drip. But, on the juice, you will get more vapor with a 70/30 mix than 100% PG, it'll also taste a little smoother and slightly sweeter. The flavor of the juice will start to change a lot as your taste buds recover, don't be afraid to try lots of different flavors (just buy small bottles till you find some you really like) you'll be suprised what you might like. A lot of vendors will add extra flavor to their juices if you ask as well.

As far as the safety of inhaling the flavorings, I can only say I feel, breathe, taste, and smell 100% better since I got my e-cig. It may not be totally safe, but it sure is safer than sucking up 4000 chemicals every time you light up.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Using a cartomizer once and throwing it out is a huge waste of money! I'm still using the same cartos that I bought a month ago!

As far as juice is concerned:

PG is harsher and contributes to throat hit. The more PG, the stronger the throat hit. It doesn't produce a lot of vapor.
VG is for creating a smoother vape and producing more vapor. It also adds a bit of sweetness and is thicker than PG.
The mix you use is going to be completely up to you, just like the flavors you like.

Your taste buds and sense of smell are going to need time to recover. Until then, flavors may not taste right to you. Some juices also need time to "steep" so the flavor develops. Just leave them alone for a couple of days or more and try them again. The difference might surprise you!

 

[ardelleg]

Welcome to ECF....
Heartily argree on Litecig and V2

I too manage to overfill once in awhile, have almost all auto batteries and haven't killed one YET. Just blow it out and go... I get poor vapor production if it is way too full.... sometimes I get some of it back out, sop it up with a little tissue or reverse Taryn spin.

I have no idea how many times I refill the cartos, keep losing track which ones are which, and I think my 'funky' tolerance may be a little higher than most... guess I don't have very discerning tastebuds?

Have moved from straight PG to mix PG/VG and bought some VG to cut some of the tastes I am not overly fond of.... have a hoarding gene so can't just throw any out...

Can't imagine going back to cigarettes.... even when I am having a day when none of the ecigs taste very good I have to remind myself that cigarettes hadn't tasted good for a long time, for me... and I'm not smoking...

 

[whatmonkey]

Thanks all for the various helpful info, I appreciate it!

 

[Craig645]

A good way to fill a cartomizer is to use the condom method (condom is the clear plastic cap that comes on the carto). Fill the condom half full and press your carto onto it. Then do it again. A carty should hold approximately a full condom. Welcome to the world of vaping.

 

[DaveP]

Lots of questions and some good answers! Go here for lots of info. The ECF Library

When you fill a cart, it's easy to overfill. You know that you've overfilled when you see the juice pool on the top of the filler material. Use the bottle to suck it back up. Just turn the bottle right side up, squeeze slightly and use it as a syringe to suck up that last drop back into the bottle. You won't wasted any juice that way!

Refilling cartos is fine. When you fail to get good vapor and taste, throw it out and open a new one. A syringe is the best tool to use for refilling. You can inject the juice deep into the carto filler.

VG based juice produces more vapor than PG based juice. Most people vape 50/50 pg/vg up to 80/20 mixes to get the best combination of vapor and taste. Dekang juices can be good, but there's always the suspicion about what actually goes into Chinese juices. USA vendors are more particular about quality, IMO. The antifreeze component DEG (diethylene glycol) was detected in a Chinese juice in FDA tests in small amounts. This led to most vapers preferring to buy their juices from American suppliers.