Placing My First Order Monday

[Yemaya]

Hi, everyone.

A couple years back, I ventured into cheap e-cig land with Blu and Njoy. Njoy actually helped me quit smoking, but gave me nosebleeds. I couldn't handle that, so I switched to Blu. I couldn't handle that because frankly, I thought everything from taste to smell was gross. TH was inconsistent and most of the time, I'd end up with a harsh TH and a burnt taste. It didn't take long after that to go back to Camels.

I started working from home in Jan. and consequently, I started smoking more. That was no good, and I started waking up feeling like I couldn't breathe. Add to that, that I recently turned 40 and realized that 40 is better than I had anticipated. Besides, my kid told me that I couldn't be old and wise until I was 65+, and I reaIly want to make it to the age of 'wise'.
I was writing some web content for an ecig business, which is what peaked my interest again. Between research for writing the content and research for personal knowledge, I hit information overload pretty quickly. I decided to stop reading and start vaping already.

I may or may not have found High Desert Vapes due to that content writing gig. After figuring out my budget, I decided to get the 650mah eGo CE4 Kit and four ejuices through them. I've got the order ready. Now, I'm just waiting for Monday so I can place the order. (Monday is pay day. Hence, the necessary and annoying wait.)

I'm not overly fond of flavored tobacco. I don't know how this will translate to flavored ejuice at all, so I avoided that to start and chose three different tobacco flavors and one pipe flavor, which reviews indicate is more like a analog tobacco flavor. I like pipe tobacco now and then, so it won't be a bust regardless.

I know I like a decent TH, but not harsh. Given that, I figured 50/50 PV/VG ratio was a good starting point. And of course, I have no real understanding of what strength nicotine I will need. The Blu had 18mg and that wasn't enough. But I don't think that translates well when you're talking about a quality ejuice that isn't sitting in a cartridge for months or years before being used. Still, I wasn't sure. I finally decided to get two 18mg and two 24mg for a little flexibility starting out. I know there are cheaper ejuices out there, but Desert Vapes seems to have good reviews for quality products and it's easier to get everything I need in one place for now.
I have no idea if I'm on the right path or not. I feel like I'm starting to understand a little more than I did before. Eventually, I'll probably give some of the fruity and coffee flavors a go. For now, though, I'm doing my best to use what I know about myself as a traditional smoker to help me transition to vaping with as little trouble as possible. I've been smoking nothing but Camels for 23 years at about a pack a day. More on weekends when friends are over. So I want to minimize any common stumbling blocks.

I doubt I will ever get into mods or build your own stuff. I'm a sucker for simple and this kit seems to offer that while also giving me control on flavor, strength, etc. That said, words of wisdom, finger pointing while laughing, suggestions and whatnot are welcome.

 

[Seattle444]

Nice story Mate if I were you I would get a bit bigger battery. You will find in short time that the 65o will not be powerful enough for you. I would at least get the 900 if not the 1100. I know they will cost a little more but in the long run you will be happier with a battery that has more power and lasts longer. If you can't afford the larger one the by all means it great that you will be getting off the Camels and on to the good stuff. I smoked Camel 99's and now that I have given those up now for over 3 month I don't get nearly as winded as I did smoking those nasty things. Good luck Mate and if you need and help with stuff this is the place to ask!!

 

[Moonswanni]

I doubt I will ever get into mods or build your own stuff.

Be careful with those words. I told myself people are crazy for spending over $100.00 when a twist battery does the same thing. Well today I just bought my first mechanical mod and have a Kayfun on order. As you can see from the picture below I got hooked, although I'm a light weight. Hopeful that will be you in seven months. ::: That reminds me, I need another box :::

Welcome back to the club.

 

[klynnn]

Ce4 is probably the worst clearo out there. They are not rebuildable. Get 2 batteries and make them VV. If you are going to do it do it right.

 

[Moonswanni]

For the record, this is what I recommend to all my friends. You can get a cheaper ego-style battery, but I think they look sazzy and I still love/use this setup. I like the "silver" battery and have all the tank colors, other people prefer to match.

They also make VV (twist) batteries, so you can upgrade later and your tanks will still match.

PS: These tanks have an airy draw, which will be a little weird for anyone still on cigarettes.

 

[Yemaya]

Thanks. I wondered about the battery, but I assumed that having two would mitigate the problem of running out of power. I'm not out and about a lot, so I figured I'd always have one available. Thinking about it though, I'm not always going to be home all day. In the next month alone, I have both client meetings and events on the agenda. So a better battery makes sense.

I do like the idea of a vv battery as well. The eGo Twist was on my radar. If I could find the same price for two of those that come close to the price on the (now) eGo 1100mah included in the CE4 kit, I could be swayed. I initially looked for something with a wider variable, but I couldn't see just one battery being enough for me. Maybe it would be, but I'd feel much better with two. -- I could be way off base with my thinking, though.

Moonswanni, we'll see! I'm pretty good at saying never about a lot of things and then regretting it later.

The biggest issue right now is budget. Especially since I've tried every method out there to quit smoking, none of them worked and now the husband is a little skeptical that the next try is going to be worth the money spent. Since he's never smoked, he doesn't 'get' it, though he does try. So the budget thing isn't super flexible at this point. Later, when he sees things are going well, I would probably be able to convince him that an upgrade is in order. For now, I'm going to do some more research and see what I can find. I'm definitely sold on the bigger battery for sure.

Edited to update: I think I actually have found a comparable twist style battery that allows me to purchase two. But I've confused myself already. If I'm using the 1100mah eGo-T battery, can I pair that with the Vivi Nova Rebuildable Tank? See this is the problem I run into when not buying things as a kit. I have no real idea of what can be used together and what can't.

 

[Moonswanni]

Note: All links are included just to give you an idea what I’m talking about. I have used all of these vendors but they may not be the cheapest price at the moment.

What Tanks On What Batteries?
Pairing tanks with an ego style battery is easy because it includes both a 510 connector and is a ego threaded. A Vivi Nova has a 510 connector and those Evod tanks are ego-threaded. So both tanks would fit on an ego-style battery. However, 510 connectors leave the threads exposed (see below pictures), but many tanks will include a beauty ring to cover them (see below picture). Another problem with 510 connector type-tank is weight, especially if its glass and not plastic. I've also included a picture of a battery that only takes a 510 connection; you normally see these on larger "batteries" like the Zmax, Provari, etc. On these "batteries" you could use an adapter, so you can use your ego-threaded tanks; I personally don't use adapters.

So yes, you can use a Vivi Nova on an ego-style battery. However, it will be top heavy and will perform a little better on something like the MVP. The purpose of a ego-style battery (in my opinion) is portability. The 510 tanks on an ego-style battery sorta defeat that purpose.

If You Only Want One Device
I had a friend who wanted to keep it simple, because he was only a pack a WEEK smoker. In his case, I recommended an MVP 2.0 (out of stock at site) and a Kanger Aero-Tank (shown below). Unfortunately, the initial upfront cost is more but he saves money in the long run.

The MVP
With a MVP you really don't need two batteries, although its a good idea to have a backup. The MVP is a 2600 mAh battery and last about a day or two. It has a variable voltage, variable wattage, resistance checker, and you can charge things like iPhones and Phones on it. It is also 510/ego-threaded like the twist batteries. It is the best all-in-one battery you can buy, and just happens to last the longest. The problem is the size and weight. It's heavy and is uncomfortable in the hand.

Aerotank
I also recommended the Aerotank (in picture below) because it doesn't leak, its glass (that could be a bad thing), the heads can be rebuilt (for the future), and has air flow control.

Air Flow Control
Air flow control is sorta the equivalent to VV for tanks. It controls how hard the "drag" is. If you don't like the drawl on a non-air flow tank, the only way to correct this is to buy a different tank. Although the Aerotank comes with dual coils, you can use the same single coil head on the evods and protanks (fairly cheap). You can also rebuild these heads fairly easy, which is why these tanks are so popular. After you settle on hardware, its the heads and juice you will be constantly buying. If one goes with Kanger tanks, one really needs to learn how to rebuild them because the heads generally last only a day or two. You do get more milieage out of top-coil heads like what is found the Vivi Nova.

For Those Who Never Want to Upgrade:
Battery: MVP 2.0
Tank: Aerotank
Heads: One box of 2.0 ohm Dual Coil Heads or Single Heads
Charger Comes with MVP
Cost: ~ $68.00 USD


Variety Ego-Style:
Battery: One 650mah eGo Battery and One 900mah Twist Battery (I find the 900 mAh batteries a little too long, but this gives you experience with both sizes)
Tank: One Mini-Protank II V2, One Kanger Evod MT3
Heads: One box of 1.8 to 2.0 ohm Heads
Battery Charger *
Cost: ~ $59.00 USD

* If you have a wall-wart that takes USB you don't need a wall charger.

Cost Conscious:
Battery: Two 650mAh Ego
Tanks: Two Kanger Evod MT3
Heads: One box of 1.8 to 2.0 ohm Heads
Battery Charger *
Cost: ~ $43.00 USD

Or This Kit at $39.99: My Favorite As Stated Above

This gives you an idea on how to build your starter kit. Just keep in mind I've only included bottom coil tanks because I haven't found a top coil tank I like. One could also add a carto tank to the mix, but the tanks are generally more expensive.

I hope that helps! Sorry for the long post.

Threads Exposed
A 510 connector tank on an ego-style battery.




Beauty Ring



510 Connector Battery
You'll Need an Adapter to Use Ego Threaded Tanks

 

[Moonswanni]

Forgot one.

Here is the difference between an ego-thread tank (left) and a tank with a 510 connector (right). Both will fit on an ego style battery. The ego-threaded tank will be flush with the battery and the 510 connector will stick out like in the picture in the previous post.

 

[djsvapour]

A couple years back, I ventured into cheap e-cig land with Blu and Njoy. Njoy actually helped me quit smoking, but gave me nosebleeds. I couldn't handle that, so I switched to Blu. I couldn't handle that because frankly, I thought everything from taste to smell was gross. TH was inconsistent and most of the time, I'd end up with a harsh TH and a burnt taste. It didn't take long after that to go back to Camels.

Oh dear. I feel for you. I am an unapologetic enemy of these products, unless they actually work for the user, then who am I to argue.

They never got me off the smokes.

Now look at me.... a tool box full of batteries and mods. I have been getting used to the iTasteVV recently, but as soon as the NEW Vision Spinner comes out, I'll be giving Mr Pay Pal a nod.

 

[Moonswanni]

Moonswanni, we'll see! I'm pretty good at saying never about a lot of things and then regretting it later.

There is a huge difference going from a little e-cig like a Blu to an ego. But going from an ego to other devices is going to be less dramatic if you just quit smoking. You will not appreciate the difference, because your mouth is not that sensitive yet. So you can get a lot of mileage out of the egos. For my friends that want egos, I tell them to stay with it for a month and just experiment with different juices. I recommend them to buy only the smallest size and never buy bigger bottles unless its a "too die for" juice. Unfortunately you'll get tired of that "too die for" juice and the quest for another juice will always be there. It seems to come-and-go in phases. LOL

My favorite juice vendors at the moment are Alice in Vapeland (only sells on Tuesday) and Vapor Chef. Here is a good list for ejuice vendors. I use it all the time.

 

[Moonswanni]

I have been getting used to the iTasteVV recently, but as soon as the NEW Vision Spinner comes out, I'll be giving Mr Pay Pal a nod.

I'm obviously an EVOD fan but I just bought one of these yesterday. What a cool little device and it looks sharp with my EVOD and Mini Protanks (yeah I spent a lot of $$ yesterday).

We're probably not helping the OP pocket book ... but ya know.

I figured I hijacked this thread already, might as well add another picture. It's a pink sorta day.

 

[Yemaya]

Moonswanni, you are amazing! The pictures are super helpful. Thank you so much for the links and the information. I'm going to look through it all as soon as I finish working. Speaking of, do you know what makes me smoke more? Screwing up a deadline and knowing I have to rush to complete it on time. Then I'm stressed, which makes me want to smoke. But then the smoking, which I go outside for, makes me even less productive and even further behind schedule. Yikes! I can't wait until tomorrow when I can finally order this stuff. Vaping and working at the same time can only be a good thing during days like today.

I'm making notes and saving all of the information you're giving me. That way, if I want something I didn't get this time, I can find it when I'm ready to spend my money again. You do a good job of making all of this seem far less complicated than it was before I joined the forum. Thank you again. I really do appreciate all the time you've taken to help me.

 

[entoptic]

I did the green smart living cartriges to start with, but the battery life was ...well...not very good....by the time I decided to make the full jump to non-smoking. I bought the mvp2. really happy with it! I love being able to charge my phone off of the enormous battery ( which lasts me a full day of chain-vaping). I really wish I had skipped the e-cig stage.

 

[Moonswanni]

Oh I'm so glad and you are so welcome. I felt so bad for spamming your thread, and I’m so happy you found it helpful.

The good thing about vaping is I don't want to smoke when I get stressed, and sometimes I forget its break time. It's so liberating. I was a clock watcher. hehe

Since you don’t mind me spamming you thread, here are some more thoughts. Sorry if you know this already.

Why Variable Voltage

Juices are different at different voltages. Using the same juice, the taste will not be a drastic change but it’s fun to play with. However, the more juices you acquire the more VV comes into play. Thick and thin juices will taste different at different voltages, and complex juices taste different at various voltages.

Heads and Ohms

When you buy a tank it may say something like, "this tank comes with 2.5 ohm atomizer head". Each atomizer head will have an ohm attached to it. The range is from 1.5 to 3.0. Here is what this really means.

1.5 ohm head: hotter vape, lots of vape clouds, muted flavor, drains battery faster.
3.0 ohm head: cooler vape, less vape clouds, more flavor, drains battery less.

This why it’s suggested to stay around 2.0 ohm heads at first. It’s sorta a middle range. Another benefit is if you use variable voltage (VV) don’t have to worry about changing the dial every time you switch tanks.

How to Use Variable Voltage

There are vaping charts but there are two easier ways to do this. When you use VV you have to be aware of the OHMS on your tank head is operating at. All you do is add 2 to the “ohms of the head”. The result is the number you should set you dial on your twist battery.

Example:

2 OHM HEAD + 2 = 4.0 volts. So you should not turn up the twist past 4 generally speaking. Turning it up past four, the juice will eventually start to burn your juice. Some juices are more liberal than others. My goal is to put a juice on the highest (hottest) setting without it burning. With experience, you’ll learn what juices breaks that rule.

1.5 OHM HEAD + 2 = 3.5 on your twist battery.

1.8 OHM HEAD + 2 = 3.8 on your twist battery

etc

And even easier way, is to start the twist dial on the lowest setting and work your way up. If you get a burnt taste it’s too hot, and just turn it down a notch.

Variable Power/Wattage

Variable power takes all the guess work out of VV for new vapers. You just set in on a number (usually around 8 watts) and the device figures out the voltages. However, you still may need to tinker the wattage up or down a notch depending on the juice, but you don’t have to do the math. The MVP has variable power/wattage.

Sorry so long. Good luck with your purchase tomorrow. Let us know how it goes. Feel free to PM me if you don’t want to post it in a forum.

[Edit: Sorry I'm in a hurry and I just know this post has grammar issues.]

 

[Yemaya]

Oh nifty! Some of this stuff, I thought I knew, but after reading your information, I realize I didn't have it quite right.

A friend reminded me that I actually know someone with an e-cig business. He has a B&M store, too. So I think we're going to make a trip there tomorrow. I'm so excited! With the info I got here, I feel more confident about walking into a store and understanding the basics. That will help narrow down the many options. The most exciting thing is that I may walk out with everything I need instead of having to wait for shipping, which means I could be vaping tomorrow evening. I'm so excited!

lol at the grammar mistakes. I make plenty of them. Maybe I should start proofing my forum posts, but I'm always so excited to get them written and posted that I never do.

 

[Moonswanni]

Let us know how it went. Its nice to have a vape shop around, especially for your first kit and knowing someone in the business. I'm excited to see what you come home with. I'm so excited for you.

 

[Yemaya]

So this is what I started with. I was worried about budget, so I didn't buy anything but the basics. It was nice to be able to try the different flavors so I could get something I liked. I wasn't super fond of any of their selections, but I managed to find four that are good enough to keep me satisfied. And I know that taste may change as I go along, so I won't say never on buying ejuice there again.

So the funny part about all of this is that the hubby was standing there not saying much, and I was worried about money. On the drive home, he asks why I didn't buy at least one more tank. Why not two more? lol. So I'll be ordering two or three more online. I'm going to go ahead and order some ejuice from High Desert Vapes as well. But just starting out, I'm pretty happy with what I got.

 

[Buggainok]

So this is what I started with. I was worried about budget, so I didn't buy anything but the basics. It was nice to be able to try the different flavors so I could get something I liked. I wasn't super fond of any of their selections, but I managed to find four that are good enough to keep me satisfied. And I know that taste may change as I go along, so I won't say never on buying ejuice there again.

So the funny part about all of this is that the hubby was standing there not saying much, and I was worried about money. On the drive home, he asks why I didn't buy at least one more tank. Why not two more? lol. So I'll be ordering two or three more online. I'm going to go ahead and order some ejuice from High Desert Vapes as well. But just starting out, I'm pretty happy with what I got.

View attachment 318966

That looks really great for a beginner start up. As soon as you possibly can, get another battery so you will have a back up. I think another battery is way more important than more tanks. You don't want your battery to fink out and leave you with nothing to fall back on.

 

[Moonswanni]

So this is what I started with. I was worried about budget, so I didn't buy anything but the basics. It was nice to be able to try the different flavors so I could get something I liked. I wasn't super fond of any of their selections, but I managed to find four that are good enough to keep me satisfied. And I know that taste may change as I go along, so I won't say never on buying ejuice there again.

So the funny part about all of this is that the hubby was standing there not saying much, and I was worried about money. On the drive home, he asks why I didn't buy at least one more tank. Why not two more? lol. So I'll be ordering two or three more online. I'm going to go ahead and order some ejuice from High Desert Vapes as well. But just starting out, I'm pretty happy with what I got.

View attachment 318966

Oh, this is nice little setup. These batteries should last you a fairly long time. The tanks is the Aspire BDC right? I haven't tried that one.

You also have a good mindset; keep it simple and don't go crazy (like I did). Being limited on funds is not really a problem and can be a god send. hehe

It's so nice to try the juice before you you buy it. I can't tell you how many big bottles I threw away because I was stupid. My vape ejuice selection is not great either but they just opened the store.

I hope your having a great time. I quit smoking with a NRT for three months and then started vaping. Even then, it took me about two months to get rid of the anticipation of the harsh throat hit/heat of cigs. You do get used to it. I promise.

I'm so happy for you. Keep us posted on your tank hunting adventures!

 

[Moonswanni]

When is your birthday? I need to offload some equipment. If you want to PM me your address, I'll mail it to you free of charge. However, I will not be able to ship it until Wednesday. I was gonna give to a friend but I'm not sure they would appreciate it like you would. I've been down this road before, I gave a Halo Triton Starter Kit to someone who still hasn't used it yet.

The Zmax is VV and Variable Power. The menu system is a little strange but you'll get they hang of it (instructions in the box). PBusardo has a YouTube video that goes through the menu system I believe.

The Innoken iClear 30 give wonderful flavor but I had problems with it. It tends to leak like a beast. For me, the key was to only fill it half way where the juice is below the plastic cap. This is a good tank to see why people get aggravated with equipment. Once you get used to the tank it vapes great. It's also a 510 connector tank. The Zmax is a 510 battery and will not take ego threaded devices. I've included an adapter, so you can put your ego tanks on the Zmax. You will see why it's best not to use an adapter - its looks bad.

All the heads are new and have never been used; they are stock and not ones I built. The exception is the one in the purple tank. I left it there so you can how it is put together.

With the exception of the sealed tank, all the tanks have been used. With the Innoken you can use the drip tip on the one that is sealed and use it on the other ones to avoid the "creep factor". You can use your own drip tip on the Pro Tank. I'll state the obvious but please santizie them. I've only cleaned them with water.

I included one IMR 183350 700 mAh battery. You unscrew the bottom cap from the Zmax and input the battery with the nipple up, or whatever they call it. The charger is very cheap and I would personally buy a better one but it will get you started.

All the equipment is Genuine. The exception is the sealed IClear 30 and the two boxes of heads. The iClear 30s is genuine.

This is what the box will include:

Smok Zmax Mini (Purple)
1 - Innoken iClean 30 including two boxes of new heads (never opened)
1 - Innoken iClear 30 (used head and in purple tank)
1 - Innoken iClear 30s (clear one not packaged)
1 - Mini Protank II
1 - Very Cheap Charger
1 - IMR 183350 700 mAh battery
1 - Ego to 510 adapter

Keep in mind this is a setup (minus the tanks) I should not have bought. I didn't like the Zmax because of nothing will sit flush with the battery. Performance wise its decent.

Just let me know if you want it. I know this is a little weird, but I received my very first vape gear from a complete stranger. This will give you a lot of experience to play with the device, so you can buy the one you want. Hopefully, you can offload this to a new vaper in the future when you move on to better things.

Sorry, the pictures are bad.

Give me a second and I'll follow with pictures.