Very new and very overwhelmed!!!

[ktbug]

What started out as buying an e-cig for convience to smoke in places I couldn't turned into I am going to quit using an e-cig.

Since I knew nothing about it I googled e-cig and decided to buy one from eversmoke. It was exciting and new and couldn't wait for it to arrive. One day after receiving it I quit smoking. Day one, not bad. Day two, a little hard. Day three, AWFUL! But here I am over a week later and have not had one analog!

After much research and thanks to this forum I soon realized how many options I had and how much I hated this crappy thing I bought. Not to mention how expensive it was compared to others that were tons better. Thankfully I have a 30 day money back guarantee and I am sending it back tomorrow. I ordered the Riva 510-t and just got it in the mail today. I can't wait to try it out and all the e-liquid choices I have.

I was a 1 1/2 pack a day smoker and I loved every minute. I do think this will work for me and eventually go to no nicotine. I am sure that Iwill continue to vape because I love the act of smoking too much to quit.

Where I am confused is all the different discussions about cartomizers, drip tips and other various things you can use to enhance vaping. I have been reading a million different posts and can't seem to figure it out. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[anden]

There is alot to take in, I started out on joye 510. At first, I would make an order once a week and would try something new each time using the money I saved on cigs. Eventually I built up a supply and figured out what I liked. Don't get too carried away at once and always keep plenty of spare atomizers/ cartomizers on hand as they always die when you run low! I've been vaping for 1 1/2 yrs now, and still smoke 3-5 cigs a day, that is great that you have quit so fast.

 

[Flyer]

These are juice delivery systems and there are tons of choices, but most are just varions of a theme. First there are cartomizers, They are skinny tubes with filler to hold the juice and a heating element (single coil is one element, dual coil is two). They have to be primed with juice before using so that the filler doesn't get burnt and topped of with juice often for the same reason. There are systems that typically hold more juice and don't require refilling as often, called tanks. Some tanks do not have the heating coil(s) built in and require a cartomizer with holes in the side to be inserted. Other tank like systems have built-in heating elements some of which are re-buildable and some aren't (throw away like cartomizers). Lastly there are pure simple atomizers that you put a few drops of juice into and get 3 or 4 vapes from, then repeat. These provide the best overall flavor and are very useful for testing new juices - everyone should have one.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Hi ktbug, welcome to ECF and congrats. Here's an Ecig Glossary with "most" terms:
E-Cig Glossary. Definitions, abbreviations, and meanings. | eCigology
Here's a brief explanation/ description of the PV delivery systems- the part that holds and vaporizes the juice:
Atomizer= element that drops of juice are placed on- used for testing juices
atomizer + cartridge= airway+atomizer + stuffing filled container that drop juice on to the atomizer
cartomizer= filler+element+ airway in a metal tuybe- stuffing gets soaked with juice and element vaporizes it.
cartomizer + tank= cartomizer with a hole in it surrounded by a plastic tank that holds juice- juice enters the cartomizer via the hole and keeps filler wet.
clearomizer= newest- wick and element in a plastic tank- No filler.
Cheers.

 

[Ty89m]

What Flyer said. There's a LOT of information to digest, so take it slow, and read the forum here. Don't hesitate to ask as many questions as need be, people here are more than happy to help out. I know it's overwhelming now, but you'll get it figured out in time. Soon you'll know what you like, and will be good to go. I'm still slowly trying new things, and haven't settled into anything yet, but am certainly finding out what I like, and what I don't.

Welcome to the forum, keep reading, keep learning, and you'll do fine! Congrats on quitting the analogs!

 

[DaveP]

Spend some time here The ECF Library and you will find a lot of your questions answered. As Flyer said, cartomizers are made from thin metal tubes with a polyfill filler that contains a center air tube with a coil threaded through it. The bulk of the coil is at the bottom threaded end of the cartomizer. It works kind of like a standard atomizer, but holds several times more juice.

A drip tip is a mouthpiece designed to allow you to drip drops through the wide mouth so that you can top off an atomizer without removing it. It was originally used with atomizers to replace the cartridge that held the juice. Now, we use drip tips on cartos and other types of vaping hardware just because we like the feel and the length keeps sputtering juice from popping out into your mouth.

You might want to look at larger batteries later on. The 510-T battery is 220mah and will need charging every 2-3 hours. Low resistance (warmer) atomizers and cartomizers will give you better taste and vapor than standard eGo batteries, but they draw more current and need larger batteries. For right now, the ones you have will do.

Vaping will get you off tobacco and keep you off. If you get frustrated and have trouble staying off cigs, then it's time to invest in a more powerful battery and some low resistance cartomizers (commonly referred to as cartos). They are best filled per the video below, at least for the first time. After that, you can carry a sample bottle in your pocket to top off the carto as the top of the filler turns white again. Most people start off with 18mg to 24mg nicotine levels in their juice and some graduate down to lower levels or zero nic juice.

 

[Debadoo]

Congrats!!! I do wish it were simpler, but it just isn't. I know a lot more than I did a month ago, but with 40 gajillion ways to do this it can be very confusing. One step at a time. The easiest is a simple filler type carto like a boge 510. They make bigger ones that hold more juice. If you like those they are by far the easiest way to do this. I found within just a few days that I really could not deal with them. It seemed like it was always a scratchy dry hit. So I went off in search of clear cartos. (ones without the filler material). I like these much better but am still just trying different things as I can to see what will suit me best of this type. I am a visual person, so I really wish that someone who knows what they're doing, and can explain it all very simply would do a series of videos for newbies and have them all in one place. I did see one today that Grimm Green did sort of like this.

I've learned a lot by watching videos. They can be mind numbingly boring if you get one where someone just wants you to watch them vape for 15 minutes, but click off and go find another one. Just keep plugging away at it. I know a lot more about vaping than I did a month ago, that's just not saying much though. lol

 

[the_vape_nerd]

Deb and OP,

There are two guys in particular on you tube you should be aware of. PBusardo and Grimm Green are fantastic reviewers who fill their reviews very densely with usable information. Phil in particular, his reviews can be long but you never feel like you are wasting time as he explains everything very thoroughly. The best thing you can do if you are new and thinking of trying a new product is to see if one of those guys have done a review.

 

[Debadoo]

Thanks. Phil actually got me started vaping. My SIL had shown me one of those overpriced internet looks like a cig thing she bought and it seemed doable. So off I went in search of videos, and found Phil. The getting started section of his website tasteyourjuice.com (for the OP) was great. Phil is great, and I wouldn't be cig free if not for him probably, but also if not for ECF. I do love Grimm Green as well. The video of his that I mentioned in my other post was too funny. It was one where he said....ok, we need to explain some of this stuff, so he started like he was talking to someone who had no idea about any of this. I was following quite well. Then he said something about a PCC. In my sternest mama voice I said to the monitor..... Grimm....what the heck is a PCC?? Suddenly he stopped talking and said.....something like, ok I just messed up with tech talk, a PCC is a personal charging case and looks like this and he held one up. I think he heard me fuss at him! lol

But now I know I don't like filler cartos, and Phil loves them, but Grimm Green helped me in my clearo search.

 

[ktbug]

Thanks for all the tips. I will check out the you tube videos tonight. I tend to over research everything to gain as much knowledge as possible. I think I am going to have to take some notes for a while until I get the hang of all this!!! Thanks again!!!!

 

[Ty89m]

There is nothing wrong with doing your homework. I'm the same way. I spend an obscene amount of time on here, and various others sites learning/researching everything I can. I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting the hang of it. Your headed in the right direction. As others have recommended, watch all the GrimmGreen and PBusardo vids you can stand, they do a fantastic job!

 

[maleko]

I joined here last month and have been doing the same researching and all that good stuff last month I was still vaping the pen style 510 and this is my setup now a little over a month later thanks to ECF.

Have not smoked an analog since I started vaping. And the vaping experience only keeps getting better. It gets frustrating at points but all you need to do is come here and ask and so many people are willing to help out.

 

[SkyDancer]

Welcome ktbug! You will find so many great and helpful people here. I'm pretty new and still trying to navigate my own experience, aka asking billions of questions. Congrats on ditching the stinkies! I finally got a kgo and am soooo happy with it. I don't have much in the way of info for you but just wanted to give you a pat on the back for making the transition!

SkyDancer