Not loving my 510. What's better for me?

[Scottes]

Halfeveildruid - Liquid: Mostly Dekang, but with some VG from LibertyECig. A whole variety of flavors though, from tobacco to sweet.

Bandit - Atomizer: My wife and I switched e-cigs, since she said hers was fine. She said that mine tasted funny and burnt, but I didn't notice a whole lot of difference. Hers (now mine) is better, but just by a slight degree.

Jim - Technique: I've tried several techniques (primer-puff, double-primer-puff, 1- 2- and 3-drop drips, long slow drag, short slow drag, short hard drag, and all combos), but I'm leaning towards this that my poor technique may be most of the culprit. I will do some more research again on technique. Mix in some unfounded expectations...

Brialeeanna - 901: I keep hearing that the 901 produces better flavor. I'll work on technique, patience, and expectations before purchasing one, though.

TheJoker - 510 is easy to drag: I just don't get this. OK, I guess that I want a draw like a Marlboro Red. Time to lower my expectations.

Applejackson - Flat tips: Yes, I have flat tips. They are better than the round for me.

Kristin - NHaler High Voltage: Yep, I ordered some good juice last night. Some samplers of NHaler High-Voltage and some of their other "regular" stuff, as well as a Johnson Creek sampler.

Kristin - PCC: I have a PCC. I think that I will keep swapping batts to keep one as charged as possible.

Kristin - cart trimming: I am using the PTB mod - much better than the stock poly-fill.

Kristin: Atomizer break-in takes a week: Argh, the first two days were disgusting. Any tips on quickening that break-in process??

Deadcat2 - Dry atty: Yeah, I think I may not be topping off enough. It kinda stinks since my drive to work is long. I may have to keep 2 topped-off cigs in my pocket - there's no way I'm going to top off a cart at 85mph!

Deadcat2 - Cleaning: Only cleaned my atomizer once, a quick rinse under hot water and a full blow out and over-night dry.

Deadcat2 - "A Primer": I may not be filling the carts enough. This morning I topped off to the point where the juice pooled in the cart, and then I dabbed up the excess with a tissue. This was better.

Deadcat2 - Wicking process has trouble keeping up: On the drive to/from work, it gets tough. Again, maybe having 2 e-cigs and swapping off constantly will help.

Psyc - 510 has good draw: Argh! I've got to lower my expectations.

Psyc - Taste buds: Yes, my taste buds need to wake up, no doubt. But there is a difference between not tasting something and having something taste bad. Isn't there??

Psyc - 901: I'm leaning towards getting one of these anyway... But I'll give it another week.


Thanks for the info folks! I'm off to check some technique tips to see where I'm going wrong.

 

[kristin]

Kristin: Atomizer break-in takes a week: Argh, the first two days were disgusting. Any tips on quickening that break-in process??

Now that I think about it - I did have one atty that got the burnt taste and I never got rid of it. I ordered a few replacement attys after I learned how to care for them and how to keep them moist, etc.

You may just need to start over with new attys. You can get a 5 pack from libertyecig for $40.

This time, break them in properly. You may get the chemical taste at first, but that burnt taste is usually caused by user error, from what I've read. Usually it's from letting it get to hot or too dry. When breaking in a new one, try to keep it constantly topped off and also drip for a while.

Take short, easy drags at intervals & put it down in between vs. taking long, hard drags for 10 minutes, like you would an analog. With my 510 and high voltage I only have to drag about 3 seconds to get a typical analog-type of vapor. Any longer and I can hear it start to sizzle and dry out. After about 7-8 easy drags over about 15 minutes, I top off. My husband takes longer drags, but he takes longer intervals in between than I do.

Vaping is NOT smoking. Remember that you don't have to finish it before it burns up, like an analog. You can take easier drags over time. If you feel the need for nicotine, increase the mgs, so you're not trying to get more nicotine by dragging harder and frying your atty.

Trust me, that burnt taste is NOT something you have to learn to live with in vaping. If done right, you don't get that taste at all - so don't give up. Get a fresh atty and start over.

 

[Scottes]

Take short, easy drags at intervals & put it down in between vs. taking long, hard drags for 10 minutes, like you would an analog. With my 510 and high voltage I only have to drag about 3 seconds to get a typical analog-type of vapor. Any longer and I can hear it start to sizzle and dry out. After about 7-8 easy drags over about 15 minutes, I top off.

I have mainly been taking long easy drags with my stock-voltage 510. A quick primer-puff and then a 7- or 8-second drag.

There's no way I top off that frequently! Yikes, a 2-hour drive will mean that I'll have to pull over every 30 minutes to top off!

So I may have let that atomizer run too dry. Maybe several times. So yes, user error may be the culprit here.

I'll give another atomizer a shot tonight. Right now I have my wife's and she has my burnt one. Since my wife and I both went with 510s, we have 7 atomizers in the house (and 2 more purple ones on the way), so I have several more opportunities to screw up.

 

[kristin]

If you're driving a lot, keep carts you've pre-filled around to switch out vs. topping off. I keep the 2 extra carts in the PCC filled for a quick switch. I rarely am in the car 2 hours though! LOL

Just don't give up on the 510 thinking that's all there is - the burnt taste CAN be avoided and is not something vapers "just have to put up with."

 

[kristin]

Have you tried cleaning the atty with vodka, diet cola or that ice machine cleaner? Claims have been made that those work to get rid of the burnt taste.

 

[kristin]

Kristin - cart trimming: I am using the PTB mod - much better than the stock poly-fill.

That reminds me - I have to pick some of those up today for my husband!

 

[pcore]

I will admit that I "drip and drive" during my commute. During the hour drive I basically chain vape - a drag a minute or so. I end up dripping 4 times or so each way, but I think it's less dangerous than the guy I see reading on the interstate every day!

 

[kristin]

Empty carts are so cheap and come with those little plastic lids. You could easily prefill 10-20 of them and stick them in an empty Altoids tin or something. Much safer than trying to drip or refill when driving - I worry about you guys!! LOL

 

[Robert]

Do you align the oval in the cart to the white ceramic oval in the atty? If the part that getts hot dosen't line up with the cart, the heat can warp/ melts carts.. I align, use PTB, and flat tips.

I made a post about alignment- Seem like only a few know about it or think it's important. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/atomizer-mods/29739-pink-dot-atomizer-alignment-mod.html I know it is.

 

[kristin]

Robert, what PV do you use? My 510 doesn't have an "oval in the cart?"

 

[Scottes]

Hmmm, I align a flat part of the whistle-tip with the switch on the 501 battery. Maybe I should try lining up the oval part of the cart with the atomizer wick. (Having the switch off-center is going to drive me batty...)

 

[MickiO]

The dse801, has the easiest draw of e-cigs, the largest of all carts, and lonnng battery life It's my #1 e-cig and I've gotten very spoiled using it, as it seems nothing yet seems to be able to compare to it's quality

 

[Robert]

Robert, what PV do you use? My 510 doesn't have an "oval in the cart?"

510

You see the shape of the opening in the cart - it's like a oval but with 2 long flat sides? That is the shape of the ceramic (white part) of the atty (part that glows red). Those two should be alligned- IMO

 

[Doc1313]

I use an 808D-1 called a Vapor King and I love it. It gives me a lot of vapor an excellent throat hit and the battery lasts all day for me. It is a 2 piece e-cig so it is easy to use and very little upkeep. I would suggest this model to any and everyone.

 

[Flitzanu]

if someone said this, sorry. just started glancing through and seeing complex answers that weren't touching on one thing (well, Jim did closely about technique).

if you're getting a burnt flavor, try MOUTH inhaling. puff like a cigar, slow and steady, pull the vapor into your cheeks and mouth and THEN inhale.

i ALWAYS find that i get nasty burnt taste if i try inhaling straight to the lungs, or if i inhale TOO strongly.

 

[DC2]

Deadcat2 - Wicking process has trouble keeping up: On the drive to/from work, it gets tough. Again, maybe having 2 e-cigs and swapping off constantly will help.

Some people do that.

I use The Windmill Method, which is stupid, but it works.
It should probably be called the Thermometer method though, since that is more accurate.

Basically, shake it like a thermometer and let physics do the rest.
But it is a tricky beast that takes practice, and is NOT recommended for automatic batteries.

It is talked about in this thread: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/27169-packing-e-cig-i-swear-works.html

 

[SquirrilahFish]

If your using polyfill in your carts theres your problem, PTB mod will do wonders on a 510, as far as taste and throat hit and draw, 510 is great for that too,
the only other thing I could say is 801, some flavors do taste better, because it burns cooler, but your get better TH with the 510 IMO

 

[Proverb]

I have mainly been taking long easy drags with my stock-voltage 510. A quick primer-puff and then a 7- or 8-second drag.

There's no way I top off that frequently! Yikes, a 2-hour drive will mean that I'll have to pull over every 30 minutes to top off!

So I may have let that atomizer run too dry. Maybe several times. So yes, user error may be the culprit here.

I'll give another atomizer a shot tonight. Right now I have my wife's and she has my burnt one. Since my wife and I both went with 510s, we have 7 atomizers in the house (and 2 more purple ones on the way), so I have several more opportunities to screw up.

The part that I've emphasized in your quote may also be the culprit. 510 atomizers run pretty hot, and most people recommend a puff of no longer than 5-6 seconds (assuming a manual battery). I just started up a few weeks ago, and there's definitely a difference between the atomizer primer taste and the burnt taste you're describing. I get the burnt taste if I hold the button on the battery down too long so I'm thinking the liquid is legitimately burning due to taking such long drags, and in turn that burnt taste is lingering in the atomizer.

If you are indeed using a manual battery, try letting up on the button a second or two before you're done inhaling. The atomizer still takes time to cool down and will still produce a bit of vapor during this time.

 

[DC2]

The part that I've emphasized in your quote may also be the culprit.

Yeah, primer puffs are only needed for automatic batteries.

 

[Scottes]

Flitzanu: I mouth inhale.

Deadcat2: I will pack or windmill. I like that idea.

SquirrilahFish: I do PTB.

Proverb: I'll ease up and try to give it a 5-count until it's habit.

Deadcat2: OK, no more primer puffs.


Again, thanks for the tips. I'll keep up with my 510.