Veteran vapors tips for newbies.

[residualgenius]

I wanted to start a thread that would help the newbie get off the ground instead of picking through all the different threads. Here are my recommendations to a newbie and hope the rest of you old timers throw out your tips as well

1.) Make sure you buy a multi pack of atomizers and batteries to keep around because trust me you will need them.

2.) Buy yourself a USB passthrough and a car charger to usb plug. This will eliminate your use for batteries in the car and at your computer. (also as a side note make sure you look at the rating on the rechargeable battery in the passthrough because all passthroughs are not the same. TW has some good passthroughs and I have heard good things about the electronicstix stuff with the exception of some faulty manual buttons.

3.) I would recommend you start with a 36 mg juice and also buy a 0mg juice to cut it with. When you first start it is easy to get in too much nicotine trying all the new flavors and everything. Some people will tell you to cut with glycerine, but if you are doing this realize that glycerine has a little sweetness to it and with all flavorings and can junk up your atomizer a bit.

4.) Rotate your atomizers. Never use the same atomizer two days in a row and I would recommend doing a cleaning with alcohol or a dry burn nightly after its use.

5.) If you are making diy (do it yourself) eliquid make sure you shake up the bottle before you fill your carts because the liquids will seperate.

6.) Carry with you something to fluff your cart filler if you are using a standard cart or polly fill. I keep a tooth pick on me and fluff the batting regularly this will redistribute the juice after it has settled a bit. I also make it a habit when I am carrying my ecig with me to keep it cart up so the liquid does not settle to the mouth side of the cart.

7.) Strongly consider experiementing with different filler media I personally use ptb (pyramid tea bags), but I have heard good things about many different types of material. You can be somewhat creative with this and cut down on your expense and increase the enjoyment of your experience.

8.) If you can't find the info you need browse around youtube. You can find a ton of great videos and reviews on just about any type of equipment/juice on there.

 

[residualgenius]

feel free to post any questions you may have.

 

[SwanVesta]

I have a question if I may.....

Sometimes my filler attaches itself to my att, most commonly on my passthru - why is this happening and what can I do to avoid it please?

thanks for your help and a great post

 

[Pandora]

Thanks for this. What is a dry burn? Are you supposed to take everything apart every night? I've heard that you shouldn't clean attys, just blow them out but then other people recommend cleaning them somehow.

 

[seaotter]

Thank you for this. Would you elaborate a little more on #4?

 

[TaketheRedPill]

I really like your tips. but I would disagree on one major point. Starting with 36mg.

Not everyone is a 4-pk/day smoker, and one doesn't want to increase their nicotine addiction, we just want to maintain or lessen it, right? We're using PV's to get off analogs, so if we get even more addicted to e-juice than to analogs, well, what are we going to use to get off the e-juice?

So, it might be better to begin on the low end of the juice spectrum with 6mg or 8mg or 11mg - and cut it in half right off the bat. If/when one gets a craving they absolutely can't work thru with activity or exercise or hyperventilating for 10 seconds, only then use a few drops of full-strength 6/8/11 on the atomizer, and go back to the half-strength right away. You want to find a level where you are vaping similar to what you were smoking - once every hour or every three hours, etc. and then work on cutting that level down as comfortably as you can. I've found having plenty of zero carts/drops on hand helps.

Just to give some perspective, I was a pack-a-day, lights, for 40-years, using minifilters for the last two years. I'm on day 42 of vaping with my M401 (thanks!VaporOptions-and-VaporStuff!), 2mls a day of 3mg/ml, with a shot of 6mg late at night when/if the craving seems to hit harder. I started at 6mg/ml. My goal is 0mg/ml by the end of day 60. I use a 3.75ml glass dropper bottle (midwest vapor/diystore/juicy/myfreedomsmokes/others) to easily keep track of the mils I'm using. (Makes filling the carts much easier, too) I also count "extra" drops to the atomizer when calculating my nicotine intake for the day and trade them off for zero carts/drops. It's hard, but I'm pushing thru it. And it's working. I feel like I'm rewarding myself when I put in a zero cola cart and vape away to my heart's content

I'm not sure anyone would want to take in more nicotine than they were when they were smoking. So, unless a newbie is a hard-core multi-pack smoker, I'd suggest saving the 36mg for cutting only. Goggle nicotine and small-cell lung carcenoma (very aggressive and nasty icky). Increased 'throat hit' isn't worth increasing your cancer risk, especially for lightweights.

Otherwise, some great tips, Residual, and a good thread. Thanks!

It's your life. Keep it simple. Choose wisely.
TaketheRedPill

 

[Porphy]

I really like your tips. but I would disagree on one major point. Starting with 36mg.

...

Otherwise, some great tips, Residual, and a good thread. Thanks!

It's your life. Keep it simple. Choose wisely.

I'd say the exact opposite. When you start you are trying to find the easiest solution. Getting the 36 mg you can try that first. Is it too much? Cut the remaining liquid to 24 mg and try again. Still too much? cut it to 18 mg. etc.

You can buy 1 bottle and use it to find your strength liquid. You can cut down strength, you cannot cut up. A few test runs on higher nic strength isn't going to increase an addiction. It'll only increase it if they continue on the 36 mg for an extended period of time.

 

[kc0cmp]

1.) Make sure you buy a multi pack of atomizers and batteries to keep around because trust me you will need them.

Just watch out for TW's multipacks, theyre not guaranteed. In fact, before buying, look at the forums for the reseller here under "Supporting Suppliers" to get a feel for how customer service is. Everyone who's anyone in the E-cig selling game is here in those forums.

 

[residualgenius]

Thank you porphy. That is exactly the point I was going for. You can cut a 36mg fluid with a 0mg down to anything you need. It doesn't work the other way

 

[residualgenius]

Thank you for this. Would you elaborate a little more on #4?

By rotating your atomizer I mean to never use the same atomizer two days in a row. They last longer when you give them a rest from a hard days work.

 

[residualgenius]

Thanks for this. What is a dry burn? Are you supposed to take everything apart every night? I've heard that you shouldn't clean attys, just blow them out but then other people recommend cleaning them somehow.

I do blow out my atomizers, but you will notice that most flavors don't go away with just air. Personally for my last few vapes of the day I will take my loaded cart off and put on a cart with no filler. When you notice the flavor has gone away you are probably in good shape. Just be careful with this because you can dry out the wick on the atomizer and get the dreaded burnt taste.

 

[Mr-Glass]

By rotating your atomizer I mean to never use the same atomizer two days in a row. They last longer when you give them a rest from a hard days work.

Im not sure I agree with that of course it may depend on the model of atty that you use - I have been using the same 510 on my Prodigy (5V) for over a month and a half - and have only taken it off one night to give it a Vodka bath.. perhaps that is true with 801 or 901 - anyway just my .02

 

[ramblingrose]

Thank you for this. Would you elaborate a little more on #4?

If you ask ten people for a recommendation on atty care, you might well get ten different answers.

I blow my atty most nights and stand it on its head to drain. I do it right after my last hit, so the juice on the coil is moist and drains well. I only change attys when I switch flavors. The atty I use at work gets the biggest workout. It's a few months old by now, has been used every workday, and still working fine.

 

[happily]

I don't recommend cleaning or rotating atty's at all..........I parked my first atty last week after 3 mos. The 2 atty's my wife lost were directly after a clean. She also used one and then left it to rest for a couple weeks and it doesn't vape worth a ****. Grab one atty and run it til the wheels fall off.

I recommend buying 36mg.........but not starting with 36mg. If you start with 18mg and vape for a week, let your body get used to 18mg, then go up to 36mg. It will be a giant blow in the battle against nicotine cravings.

 

[residualgenius]

you will notice that in my recommendation it says buy a bottle of 36mg and a bottle of 0mg so you can play with your needed strength. I never recommended starting out with 36mg.

 

[Hackenbow]

I'm a newbie. I haven't cleaned my atomizers in the 6 weeks I've been using them. The ones I (try to) use every day seem to work better over time.

I'm still working on the ml issue because I couldn't just cut over to e-cigs. But, now I've got a 510 and a Janty Stick, and I think I can finally do it. Like many, I didn't even know about my choices until Blu blitzed the world. I think it's great...but...I must be stupid. I couldn't get any vapor, or not enough, and not consistently. Then I got a manual battery with my 510. I guess everyone in the world (but me) knew to draw long, slow, and steady. I sucked like heck, puffed, did a 'priming' puff, and was very unhappy. Now, life is good, and, I'm ready to change.

Until my atomizer dies or quits working, I'm not messing with it.

 

[residualgenius]

510 is the best mini in my opinion and not many people would argue with that. Atomizers do work better after a little use. They take a little bit to break them in, but they also go out after constant use. Whatever works for you stick with it. There is a way to get good use out of every system.

 

[xogul]

6.) ... I also make it a habit when I am carrying my ecig with me to keep it cart up so the liquid does not settle to the mouth side of the cart.

I used to do that with a dse901 and the liquid constantly appears outside the e-cig. standard cartridge, factory filled.

 

[residualgenius]

that will happen if you carry the carts that way not attached to an atomizer. Usually they leak unattached regardless

 

[Kate51]

that will happen if you carry the carts that way not attached to an atomizer. Usually they leak unattached regardless

I've only been vaping for 6 months, and am for sure no expert, but I would be very careful advising people to buy 36 mg liquid (I smoked 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day, and 36mg would be waaaay too strong, would make me wretch); 'dry' burns are a no no (your atomizer will overheat and ruin the coil), and the cart filler should be either left as is, if a person is having trouble out of the box it's usually because they're not taking very long, gentle puffs. Puffing too hard will cause excessive juice to flow, flooding the atomizer, and getting juice in your mouth! And carts shouldn't leak, if they do they should be replaced. Replacement cartridges are advised from time to time at the filler will deteriorate from heat and clumsy re-filling. People sometimes want to experiment with "alternate" wick materials, sometimes will use things that could be harmful. And just for hygenic reasons. And if you use 'pre-filled' carts, there should be a plug or a seal on the end to keep the wicking (fiber-fill) moist. If you are re-filling, all you need is a small carry along bottle, one cartridge is all you need. And yes, if an atomizer sounds 'gurgly', take it off and blow it out from the thread end. Gurgling noises come from too much liquid in the atomizer, which can be caused by a fading battery, puffing too hard and not long enough, or over-filling the cartridge. Those things cut down the sufficient heating of the atomizer for good vapor production. But no reason to be alternating 5 atomizers, in the end they will all eventually fail no matter how you arrange their schedules!

And all should store juices, cartridges, and batteries safely, out of reach of kids and pets and curious old people!