Started vaping today, and I have a problem

[legendarymorbius]

I'm a pack a day smoker, who is trying to switch to vaping. Lot's of smokers are doing it at work, and think highly of it.

I bought a cartomizer online that looks like a cigarette (white with yellow tip, auto battery), and the device seems to be fine. Everything looks and works as expected.

Here is the problem.

I bought 3 e-liquids all with 16/mg nicotine, that are different tobacco flavors. All 3 are famous Canadian brands. The problem is.... they ALL taste like a FOG MACHINE !

To be clear, I hate the smell of fog machines. Always have. It's not just the vapor either, The smell of the fluid is pretty much fog machine with slight hint of it's intended aroma/flavor.

Is there a solution to this ? My initial goal was to get something that tasted like tobacco, now my goal seems to be something that doesn't taste like a fog machine.

Thanks for Reading

 

[mostlyclassics]

It would help if you'd let us know exactly what hardware and cartomizers you purchased.

That being said, most vapers eventually more on to non -tobacco flavors. The problem with tobacco flavors is that there is no way to make them taste like a lit cigarette: with an e-cigarette, there's nothing burning, and it's burning things that make an analog cigarette taste like a cigarette.

 

[legendarymorbius]

It's a S-510 Cartomizer starter kit.

I'm aware of the whole tobacco flavor thing, but I wasn't expecting the fog machine taste. With that being said, I would now have the expectation that this is the base flavor of all liquids.

 

[DancingHeretik]

Whenever I vape unflavored eliquid, my daughter says it smells like a fog machine. My unflavored is about 75%PG/25%VG. I'm not sure which of the two make is smell like a fog machine. Maybe you could try different ratios of PG and VG and see if that helps.

 

[retrox]

Well, first off, fog machines utilize the same ingredients as those found in e-liquid and operate on the same principles. So there's that.

Secondly, some people note that some cartomizers (particularly the cheaper ones) have a tendency to mute the flavors in e-liquid. I would strongly suggest that you try a manual battery setup such as an eGo and a clearomizer before you write this whole vaping thing off.

Thirdly, I've no idea what recommendations to give you as far as e-liquid goes, and I can't comment on those that you're using without more information. Perhaps a fellow Canadian might be able to offer more insight there, I'm sure one will be along shortly!

 

[Racehorse]

Would have to know the PG/VG ratio of the juice they put in there first. Then we might be able to help you troubleshoot the liquid.

I think everyone here is going to agree on this though: if you are using pre-filled cartos, you're bound to have a bad experience. Dunno how long the stuff has been in there, etc.

Best to buy your own liquid and fill yourself, fresh and clean, and something you will like.

Your rig sounds a bit 2010-ish to me. Please give us name of the device and company

 

[legendarymorbius]

I wish I could tell you the ratio, but it's not stated on the bottles of fluid.

As I said above, the liquid itself smells like a fog machine, not just the vapor. I have read 2 posts on the internet that state leaving the cap off will make the smell dissipate, while others say the opposite - the flavor will dissipate (leaving you only with fog machine taste/smell).

Anyone know the affect of letting them "air out" ?

 

[Kellysleep]

I agree I would get a ego twist, or a innokin vv a kanger pro tank mini 2 and some flavored juice stick more to higher vg ratio I think pg is what is used in fog machines. Watch some YouTube videos too there are tons online just type e cig reviews and start from there. Good luck and don't give up.

 

[Shadav]

hello and welcome to ECF

my main suggestion move away from the "it must look like a cigarette" once you move past this...vaping is awesome

however....tip/trick
try taking the cartomizer piece into the palm of your hand holding it with the connecting piece facing down and the mouthpiece up...roll it between both hands for 30 seconds or more

this will help pull the juice down to the atomizer...who knows how long the carts sat at the manufactures, at the warehouse, at the store before you bought them so they tend to get a bit dried up....but it sounds to me like there's not enough flavor percentage to the pg/vg percentage...

you can also buy a small tank and ejuice if you still want to use the cigarette-look-alikes which is at least a slight step up and better taste and cheaper than buying carts all the time
here's some things just to keep in mind

Size Does Matter
For those out there with the "size problem"
Here is something to give a good judgement

New Vapor Info & Starter Kits
========

It is all overwhelming at first but it starts getting easier and it starts making more sense.​

========
Some things to keep in mind:

• Try to stick to pv's (personal vapors) that have both the 510 and ego connections this way you have all kinds of options when it comes to juice delivery systems.
• Variable Voltage (vv) = everyone's taste is different so you can set your voltage up or down to help suit your needs as well as different juices and different juice delivery systems (cartomizers, tanks, ect) taste different at different voltages. (how many times can I say different)
• Variable Wattage (vw) I haven't tried yet but assuming it is the same principle as stated above for vv.
• Pass-through battery to be able to vape while charging.
• the higher the mAh the longer the battery life
• do you prefer a warm vape (top coil) or a cool vape (bottom coil)? top coil vs bottom coil tanks, to each their own...but go with glass or metal so that there's no worries about tank cracking juices.

======

 

[louietheking]

in all honesty i started vaping after i bought an ecig at a gas station as most people have here in hopes of quitting, i found quickly that these ecigs that look like a cigarette are not satisfying in flavor enough for me to quit so i kept going back and forth. i then purchased an ego T battery with a cheap clearomizer everything was under 30 dollars and it worked pretty good until i started growing into a bigger better setup. most people here go from the gas station ecig starter kit to the ego then to mods. I always recommend beginners i know to get an ego battery, even after you get a mod you still use it as a back up (or at least i do) so it's not like its going to waste, is cheap and if you get one with a pass through you could charge it via USB without disconnecting ur cartomizer from it which is awesome. As far as e juice I was never into tobbacco flavored e juice as they mostly taste kind of nasty to me I quickly realized I prefer a fruity tasting vape or a bakery flavor usually after eating a nice meal or throughout the day, there are however many vendors who offer different tobbacco flavored e liquid and you just have to kind of try some out to see how you like them after reading some reviews.

 

[Shadav]

ok after reading...you bought bottles of juice but you are using a cigarette-look-alike?

yes sometimes steeping (leaving the cap off) for some time may help with flavor....not always....give the bottle a good shaking before each use...but if you are refilling carts you also need to make sure you are fully filling the mesh inside...the roll method i posted will help move the juice down to the atty and then well there are many of other ways to refill...
some use the push or condom method (using the rubber mouthpiece end cover fill it with some juice, and slowly push the cart, connection piece down, down into it)
drip method (remove end mouth piece and drip a few drops in onto the mesh little by little)
syringe (carefully stab along side of mesh and push juice into cart)

 

[legendarymorbius]

hello and welcome to ECF

my main suggestion move away from the "it must look like a cigarette" once you move past this...vaping is awesome

Yea, I probably could do that now that I've tried it.

try taking the cartomizer piece into the palm of your hand holding it with the connecting piece facing down and the mouthpiece up...roll it between both hands for 30 seconds or more

this will help pull the juice down to the atomizer...who knows how long the carts sat at the manufactures, at the warehouse, at the store before you bought them so they tend to get a bit dried up

The cartomizer(s) were empty. I have bottles of fluid that I used to fill them. I did the condom method of using the rubber cap and slowly submerging the metal threaded end into 20 drops (about half-filled cap) and soaking it up. I also threw a couple extra drops into the top side too to make sure it was adequately soaked-looking.

 

[retrox]

Anyone know the affect of letting them "air out" ?

This is to allow any residual alcohol used as an extraction agent for flavorings to evaporate. 24 hours should suffice. If your juice still tastes "off" then there's something else going on and airing it out won't do any good.

 

[jclifford]

I was under the impression that fog machines used exclusively VG. As far as juice is concerned I do know that PG produces throat hit and flavor, VG produces clouds of smoke, but no flavor. It certainly sounds like your carto's are loaded with more VG than PG.

Most online vape shops will allow you to choose the ratio you desire. My personal preference has always been 70 PG/30 VG. Great flavor and adequate clouds.

 

[svg1234]

I'm a pack a day smoker, who is trying to switch to vaping. Lot's of smokers are doing it at work, and think highly of it.

I bought a cartomizer online that looks like a cigarette (white with yellow tip, auto battery), and the device seems to be fine. Everything looks and works as expected.

Here is the problem.

I bought 3 e-liquids all with 16/mg nicotine, that are different tobacco flavors. All 3 are famous Canadian brands. The problem is.... they ALL taste like a FOG MACHINE !

To be clear, I hate the smell of fog machines. Always have. It's not just the vapor either, The smell of the fluid is pretty much fog machine with slight hint of it's intended aroma/flavor.

Is there a solution to this ? My initial goal was to get something that tasted like tobacco, now my goal seems to be something that doesn't taste like a fog machine.

Thanks for Reading

re: the fog: You didn't mention your PG/VG ratio. Most likely it's a higher PG ratio than you would like. Try something with a higher VG ratio. VG makes the juice taste sweeter - and less like that "fog machine", if I am correct in what you are referring to. I ordered some juices in 3 different vg/pg ratios to see the difference. Also, not all PG and VG are created equally! Dealers use different brands of base ingredients. There are a lot of variables to the juice (even with so few ingredients) and the device can make a big difference in flavour too.

re: tobacco flavour: You made the same mistake I did. lol. Even though I had read numerous posts saying the tobacco ejuices would disappoint, I just HAD to try it for myself to see. My first two juices - a "texan" and a "smooth" tobacco - were both awful. I quickly understood what the posters meant. Still, I prefer a tobacco-like taste for my all-day vape. I found that I like RY4 Double, 555, and Dunhill. I will be trying many more in the future. Did not like teh menthols nor the fruit juices. I've been advised to perhaps mix the fruit with the tobacco. Infinite possibilities. But remember...there is no consistency between dealers with any particular NAME of an ejuice. 555 from one seller can and will taste quite different from another seller.

 

[retrox]

I was under the impression that fog machines used exclusively VG.

Fog machines can use glycerin or glycol. Glycerin produces a more dense, low-lying fog, while glycol compounds are ideal for a more "hazy" effect. Depends on the application.

I was not only the bass player, but also the special effects coordinator for my band back in the day.

 

[svg1234]

I wish I could tell you the ratio, but it's not stated on the bottles of fluid.

As I said above, the liquid itself smells like a fog machine, not just the vapor. I have read 2 posts on the internet that state leaving the cap off will make the smell dissipate, while others say the opposite - the flavor will dissipate (leaving you only with fog machine taste/smell).

Anyone know the affect of letting them "air out" ?

STEEPING (as they call it in the vaping community) can help some juices taste better.
But in just my short time vaping, I've had some bad juice too. But that smell your'e describing

One way to know for sure. Buy some quality juice from vendors who are trusted by the pros here and vape it on an adequate device. Then you'll know.

You need to understand that there is an adjustment period. Especially from a pack/day. The taste and smell and overall sensory experience cannot be duplicated with vaping. But...you will soon discover that it's a GOOD thing. What you are so used to really isn't tobacco or a pure taste either. Your taste buds / perception will change. The first few days, I wasn't sure, and I'm a light smoker. But over the next few days, I found myself wanting to vape and NOT wanting to smoke (which to me now smells and tastes like an ashtray).

Follow the advice given to you and give it a few weeks at least. A heck of a lot of ex-heavy-smokers are now full-time vapers and have never turned back.

 

[legendarymorbius]

This is to allow any residual alcohol used as an extraction agent for flavorings to evaporate. 24 hours should suffice. If your juice still tastes "off" then there's something else going on and airing it out won't do any good.

I am trying that now. I left it off the sample-size bottle they threw in, and I notice that unpleasant smell isn't present. So we'll see how it goes. Also turned all the cartomizers onto the threaded side and will try the first one I filled in a bit to see if anything has changed.

Any other ideas appreciated.

If nothing really changes I intend to go to the vape shop in town (only one we have, and not where I got this) and see if they have something for me to sample.

 

[Shadav]

still gonna say either the juice wasn't all the way to the atty, so what you were vaping was more burning mesh than ejuice

but also sounds like bad juice....not enough flavor added in the mix....without knowning what the percents are I'd either say it's 50/50 pg/vg or 90/10 pg/vg most juice that don't list are either 50/50 or more pg...is the juice watery or thick? if water it's more likely pg if thick more likey vg but it's rare to find juice that's more vg than pg unless specially made that way

well the good part is is that it's a 510 e-cig so you can buy a small 510 tank and use it with it...which should help with the flavor a bit...(just make sure to get glass or metal tanks to avoid any possible tank cracking juices)
or since it is a 510 you could get prefilled carts like the blu carts to use with your battery in the mean time

 

[svg1234]

I am trying that now. I left it off the sample-size bottle they threw in, and I notice that unpleasant smell isn't present. So we'll see how it goes. Also turned all the cartomizers onto the threaded side and will try the first one I filled in a bit to see if anything has changed.

Any other ideas appreciated.

If nothing really changes I intend to go to the vape shop in town (only one we have, and not where I got this) and see if they have something for me to sample.

FYI, you can use hot water to speed up the "steeping" process. Not boiling - just use very hot tap water. Take off the cap of the juice bottle and immerse it in the water (not completely!). About 2/3rds will do. I use a shallow, small ziploc plastic container. Just make sure it doesn't tip over! (I use a paper clip, bend it around the bottle, and then hook the other end over the container's lip to prevent the bottle from falling over). Use anything small. 10 minutes bath. Cap back on. Shake like crazy. Smell it. Difference? It's trial and error. Works very well.