Tootle-puffer with an RTA, coughing

[NoFumus]

Will I get laughed off the forum for saying this? I just got a Lemo (v1), my first RTA, and I might have too much vapor now. I know I'm getting more throat hit than I like, and it's making me cough.

I've been thinking about an RTA for a while, not because I was unhappy with my Nautilus Mini, but because I was tired of buying coils. They're not inexpensive on the internet, and if I have to buy one at the local vape shop, they charge $4.95 each.

I also have two Aerotank minis, and I eventually got to the point where I could do a passable job rebuilding those coils. I made one failed attempt at the BDC coils, and decided there had to be an easier way.

I've been vaping 6mg 50/50 at about 8-10W on the iStick 30W with my Nautilus, and now with the Lemo. I've tried playing around with the airflow & the wattage, but It's still making me cough.

Maybe I'll get used to it after a while, but I'm wondering if I should change my juice next time I order -- more VG, still lower nic? This tank came pre-wicked with 1.2 ohm coil. Might a different build help? Am I doomed to buy coils forever?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Ryedan]

I've been vaping 6mg 50/50 at about 8-10W on the iStick 30W with my Nautilus, and now with the Lemo. I've tried playing around with the airflow & the wattage, but It's still making me cough.

Maybe I'll get used to it after a while, but I'm wondering if I should change my juice next time I order -- more VG, still lower nic? This tank came pre-wicked with 1.2 ohm coil. Might a different build help? Am I doomed to buy coils forever?

Are you using the same 8-10 watts with the Lemo NoFumus?

 

[Denvap0r]

You might be PG sensitive. Try a 70/30 juice and see if it clears up. But I do recommend a nice RTA. Even a Kayfun V4 clone is relatively inexpensive and they work so well.

 

[NoFumus]

Reydan,

Are you using the same 8-10 watts with the Lemo NoFumus?

8W is what I started with, moved it gradually to about 10W, with the airflow mostly closed. When I opened the airflow completely, 12-13W seemed better there.

 

[NoFumus]

You might be PG sensitive. Try a 70/30 juice and see if it clears up. But I do recommend a nice RTA. Even a Kayfun V4 clone is relatively inexpensive and they work so well.

I've been using 50/50 for most of my 15 mos. of vaping, except for 65Pg/35VG on a couple fruit flavors. I haven't noticed a problem before, but you never know. The appeal of the Lemo was good reviews when it came out (now replaced by bigger/better) and the $19 price.

 

[AndriaD]

I've been using 50/50 for most of my 15 mos. of vaping, except for 65Pg/35VG on a couple fruit flavors. I haven't noticed a problem before, but you never know. The appeal of the Lemo was good reviews when it came out (now replaced by bigger/better) and the $19 price.

Could be the nicotine... when I got my Achilles, I had to lower the wattage from 10w to 8.5 or 9 watts, and also lower the nic from 10mg to 9mg, because the TH is so intense from this little beauty.

Andria

 

[suprtrkr]

There is no reason you can't coil an RTA at the same value as the pre-made coils in your Nauti or the Aerotanks. If you do, you should be putting the same watts on the juice. The thing about Lemos-- I have a V2 I love-- is they breathe better than any tank I have ever tried before. I'm sure it's freer drawing than your Nauti or Aerotanks. More airflow through the vape chamber will make more cloud. Try closing down the air vents and take less air through it. You may find a Kayfun clone more to your liking, they do not get the same air as the Lemo. Also consider upping the VG percentage in your juice, to lower the throat hit. If you're getting more vapor than you're used to, you're also getting more nicotine than you're used to, at least per puff. Nic also does throat hit, you might want to squeeze down on that a bit. Get a bottle of your favorite in 6 and another in 0, mix them and make some 3, or two and one for some 4.5, see if that helps. Also try cutting the wattage down a watt or two; it should then make less vapor. You could coil them stiffer, in the 2 or 2.2 range as well. I don't know how much that will help in the VW mode, but it'd be worth a try. The short answer is, no, you don't have to give up RTAs. You just have to learn to coil them to give you the vape you want.

 

[Ryedan]

8W is what I started with, moved it gradually to about 10W, with the airflow mostly closed. When I opened the airflow completely, 12-13W seemed better there.

What happens when you restrict the air flow a bit and try 6 & then 7 watts? If there is a lot of heat up time hit the button for a second or two before you start to take your drag.

 

[WonderDude32]

You have just started using the equivalent of a sportscar in the world of vaping. It's going to take some time to adjust to more everything: air flow, nic ratio, power settings and so on. Also, try building to a 1.5 or in that range and work towards lower ohm coils. I went from a Nautilus to a Subtank Plus with a .5 coil and almost died the first day. Now I don't see how I ever lived without it.

 

[NoFumus]

Could be the nicotine... when I got my Achilles, I had to lower the wattage from 10w to 8.5 or 9 watts, and also lower the nic from 10mg to 9mg, because the TH is so intense from this little beauty.

Andria

Andria, nicotine is what it feels like, if that makes sense -- somewhere between a bite and a tingle, and I do get that from some of my 12-18mgs leftovers. Vaping that 18mg was an accident. I didn't realize that I had one left from six months ago. Made me woozy.

I was wondering where you found a vendor with 1mg nic steps, but then I remembered you DIY. That's my next step. (I wrote down one of the recipes you posted, too, the one with strawberry). It's just that I used that little Apsire glassomizer for the first year and only vaped mint, because that's about all I could really taste. Now that I've upgraded my setup, I can other taste flavors for the first time. For now, trying new flavors is fun, but rapidly getting to expensive.

What PG/VG ratio do you use?

 

[suprtrkr]

It further occurs to me a smaller bore drip tip might help, if your V1 will accept one. The pic shows what I meant about Kayfuns getting less air than some other tanks: L-R Russian 91, KFL, KF4, Fogger V4, Fogger V6, Lemo2

 

[NoFumus]

You have just started using the equivalent of a sportscar in the world of vaping. It's going to take some time to adjust to more everything: air flow, nic ratio, power settings and so on. Also, try building to a 1.5 or in that range and work towards lower ohm coils. I went from a Nautilus to a Subtank Plus with a .5 coil and almost died the first day. Now I don't see how I ever lived without it.

I like the car analogy, because I guess I was less interested in a sports car, than in a rebuildable Volvo Station Wagon -- solid with turbo. Maybe I can just start building to 1.5 and NOT work my way down? I really feel like I'm swimming against the tide here.

It sounds like you took a bigger step with the Subtank. I don't think the Lemo's gonna kill me, but it's similar to my experience with my first cigarette. And, it looks stupid on an iStick, so now a need a new mod, right?

 

[AndriaD]

Andria, nicotine is what it feels like, if that makes sense -- somewhere between a bite and a tingle, and I do get that from some of my 12-18mgs leftovers. Vaping that 18mg was an accident. I didn't realize that I had one left from six months ago. Made me woozy.

I was wondering where you found a vendor with 1mg nic steps, but then I remembered you DIY. That's my next step. (I wrote down one of the recipes you posted, too, the one with strawberry). It's just that I used that little Apsire glassomizer for the first year and only vaped mint, because that's about all I could really taste. Now that I've upgraded my setup, I can other taste flavors for the first time. For now, trying new flavors is fun, but rapidly getting to expensive.

What PG/VG ratio do you use?

85% Pg... it's the only way I can vape and also breathe. Just dropping that 1mg helped a great deal. Also, I normally use a fair amount of the Flash additive, to really boost the TH; with the Achilles, I also lowered that quite a bit; from 9% in the recipe to 6%; it helped a lot too.

Andria

 

[NoFumus]

It further occurs to me a smaller bore drip tip might help, if your V1 will accept one. The pic shows what I meant about Kayfuns getting less air than some other tanks: L-R Russian 91, KFL, KF4, Fogger V4, Fogger V6, Lemo2

Wow, that's a wide range.

And, my Aerotank's drip tip fits. I think that's better. Thanks!

 

[roxynoodle]

The Lemo works just fine at 1.5 ohms. Try that. Also lowering your coil should decrease your throat hit. I hardly get any from mine. My Flash e Vapor is another story...that puppy has throat hit.

 

[suprtrkr]

I like the car analogy, because I guess I was less interested in a sports car, than in a rebuildable Volvo Station Wagon -- solid with turbo. Maybe I can just start building to 1.5 and NOT work my way down?
...
And, it looks stupid on an iStick, so now a need a new mod, right?

***

Wow, that's a wide range.

And, my Aerotank's drip tip fits. I think that's better. Thanks

I like the car analogy too, it's apt. With the Lemo, you have sort of left Tootle Puffer Ville and drifted over the border into Mod Womper Land. The Lemo can put out more horsepower than you're used to. Not to worry, though, because it can also be "de-tuned" to bring it back within official tootle puffer specs. It's also nice to know the horsepower is in there... just in case... one day... you never know. I think you're on the right track: smaller drip tip; coil it up in 1.5~2.0ish range; crank down on the watts a notch or two; close down the air intakes; consider mixing your juice with some zero to lower your nic; maybe add a drop of Wal Mart VG per mililiter in your juice bottle to increase VG ratio. Keep futzing with it and you'll get there, I promise. I forgot to welcome you the wild and wonderful world of RBAs. The really cool think about them is they are *adjustable.* You can make them do just about anything within their airflow, juice channel and temperature tolerance limits. It's all about learning how. So don't give up; learning how is a small price to pay for not buying coils.

Yes, that is a wide range of airflows, among other things. It's also an indication of my search for the right tank to build on. The KFR and KFL are cleaned and ready, in case I ever decide to build them again for some reason. The KF4 is still in use-- it's full of DIY peppermint in the photo-- as it's part of my top-fill experiment. It also has the "wide airflow and subohm insulators" kit in it, to amp up the horsepower a bit. The FV4 is a backup for my car mod. And the FV6 and the Lemo 2 are presently built with Ni200 wire and I'm testing them on my Snow Wolf 200W TC machine (where both are performing well, the Lemo on the inside and half a car length ahead.) You're sure to want at least another RBA sooner or later, just as you rotated 2 Aerotanks. Take a good look at the Tobeco clone of the KF4; top fill, air and juice flow controls, same price as the Lemo1, and you don't have to put the soup-up kit in it mine has. Just sayin', YMMV.

And of course you need a new mod! *Everybody* needs a new mod...

 

[Grimwald]

I have experienced the same thing going from my Kayfun to a Subtank. My solution was to build a 1.8-2.0 ohm coil and reduce the airflow to the minimum...and get a more narrow drip tip.

 

[LewAz]

I don't know if this will help, but when I first got the Kanger Subtank Mini, it came with the 0.5 OCC coil installed. After cleaning the tank, I filled it up and started vaping...well, attempted to vape. It was WAY to much for me. Hurt my throat, my lungs, I was coughing. Removed the 0.5 and put in the 1.2 OCC coil...filled it with 12mg/ml liquid instead of my usual 24mg...adjusted the airflow...and it was perfect. Just can't do sub-ohm.

 

[NoFumus]

I wanted to thank those of you who offered suggestions and encouragement. My Lemo and I are getting along well now. I've built a couple of functioning coils for it so far (and many false starts). I am really, really bad it it. Perhaps I should save pictures in case someone starts a coil blooper thread. On the bright side, I can only get better. I'm thinking seriously of getting another, because unless I can master those little BVC coils, I may be retiring my Nautilus.

 

[mamabear15]

I remember this feeling from when I got my Subtank Mini, coming off of cartos! I was so excited, then almost died...for me the coughing was from the heat of the vape, it burned my throat a bit. A few days in, I had a sore spot on the roof of my mouth, and the drip tip itself felt like it would burn my lip (tbo it never actually did). I read here where people talked about it being a "cool" (cold) vape and that right there almost made me throw in the towel on the whole thing. Building higher ohms helps, yes.. For me, more airflow helped cool it down. A couple weeks went by and suddenly I thought it was a cool vape too, and my next step was a dripper. A delrin drip tip might help too, more than not getting hot to the touch, it actually cools enough to actually make the vapor itself cooler (which is more of what causes coughing than you might think, that's why everyone discussed watts with you above) - heat & nic levels are your biggest causes, I'd wager.
Anyway, from all that.. You did good and got a solid pick on the Lemo. One of the best to begin with, better airflow, easier to build on, and easier wicking than the Subtank I started on. I see people recommending you a Kayfun, I'd say that's a good tank too but wait a couple weeks to a month before you make your future picks, give yourself time to get thru the adjustment before you reflex buy. If you want a rebuildable with super amazing flavor but a vapor production that is more like a carto (cooler, less clouds etc) then a Kayfun might be for you. If you adjust and get on the "power craze train" you may want a Billow or a Goblin. Just stick thru the "what the ???" phase before you pick... If I'd done that, I'd have saved a ton of money. Lol