What I Would Do Differently

[deback]

On September 3, 2010, I ordered my first starter kit. When I received it on September 14th, I realized I was having to wait 1½ hours every 2 hours for the battery to recharge. Otherwise, I would have quit smoking the same day. So, two days later, I bought another starter kit from a local smoke shop (and quit smoking that night) -- to get me through until I received more batteries that I ordered on September 14th. The second battery turned out to be less powerful than my first vendor's battery, and I had to mess around with a PCC to charge it, and the charge only lasted 1/2 hour or so, if that (and less throat hits). In the first week, I ordered lots of things and ejuice from a few different vendors and spent way too much money -- for parts that I really didn't need and no longer want now that I've figured out what works for me.

Now that I've been vaping since September 14th and doing lots of research every day, here's what I shoulda ordered:

Absolutely NO starter kits, NO atomizers, NO standard cartridges, NO Fluval polyfil, and NO blue foam.

Four 510 USB Passthroughs -- One for each of my two computers (bedroom and office in home), one for my car, and one for watching TV in my bedroom.

One Car DC to USB Adapter

Two AC to USB Adapters (One for the bedroom and one for the office...actually, one will be an extra, because I'll probably use the USB port in my office)

Two USB Extension Cables

Several 510 Cartomizers with silver threads and SOFT caps at the mouth end

e-liquid -- whatever I decide, but currently vaping RY4 caramel and apple, strawberry and kiwi, but still experimenting.

Glycerin USP from Wal-Mart (which is vegetable glycerine)

Some empty plastic bottles with droppers

Small syringe and needle

Larger syringe

Q-tips and Kleenex

91% Isopropyl Alcohol

These are the basic items needed for me to vape effectively, with lots of vapor and throat hits. Throat hits are the most important to me. I had problems with the atomizers and cartridges and was spending way too much time messing with them. Also, I was spending way too much time recharging batteries, not to mention learning how to fill cartomizers and clean everything. I get the best throat hits and vapor with cartomizers, so I won't go back to using the standard cartridges.

I received three USB passthroughs in the mail today and love them! Then I discovered I could buy a car adapter that I could plug the USB passthrough into -- without having to do any recharging of the battery. Then I discovered I could buy an AC adapter to plug the USB passthrough into (and discovered I already had one from the 2nd starter kit I bought) -- so now I can vape without ever having to charge any batteries.

So, I'll be stuck with several atomizers, several pre-filled cartridges, and six batteries that I probably won't ever use again. I should have researched all of this before I bought that first starter kit, but I was in a hurry to try it out, and it took several days researching e-cigs and watching YouTube videos before I found out what I wish I would have known three weeks ago.

Correction: I will be using the first vendor's battery now and then when I'm somewhere without a computer and not in my car. And I guess I'll have to use the second vendor's PCC when I'm somewhere long enough and need to recharge the two little black batteries -- when the first vendor's two batteries need to be recharged. But I'll still use cartomizers at those times, which probably won't happen that often, since I work at home.

Deb

 

[Automaton]

Well, thing is, it's impossible to know what you like and what you don't before you try it.

So, everyone starts with a starter kit - usually a 3.2v-3.7v battery, and somewhere between cig-sized and small cigar sized.

Some people move on to high voltage. Some people switch from atomizers to cartomizers, or cartomizers to atomizers. Some just get a bunch of pass-thru's like you did. Some DIY, some don't, some mod stuff, some don't, etc etc etc.

And there's no way to know until you try. There's really nothing you could do differently.

Me? I started with a standard Kr8 kit with cartomizers. I now have 510's, 901's, LR's and have tried 5v. And I have an 801 kit on the way.

And guess what? My standard Kr8 with cartomizers is STILL my favorite. I just gave away my LR, because I found that I don't like them. I also don't like high voltage.

I have a 510 pass-thru. I use it. I like my 510's, and my 901's. Sometimes I'm just in the mood for them.

But for me, most of the time? Vaping nirvana is right where I started. Everything else I try takes a back seat to my original Kr8. Maybe I'm just strange.

Not going to stop me from trying stuff though.

 

[Rosa]

I'm glad you found what works best for you!

For me, it's an eGo battery, LR atty, and a drip tip. DIY juice w/ menthol flavoring (all PG, no exception, for the TH), and cartomizers for driving and reading in bed.

BUT - is it just me, or does my "perfect vape" keep changing every couple of months??? I can't keep up. But it keeps getting better and better the more I refine my system!

 

[banjo]

I'm glad that you found something that works for you, but I think I would have skipped all the the passthroughs and spent the money on an eGO and some extra batteries, but that is only my opinion. I just don't like the idea of being tied to a wire just to vape. An eGo with a 900 mAH or 1000 mAH will last the average user about 8 to 12 hours between battery changes. And my REO or Phidias with the 3000 mAH battery will last me about 2 days between charges.

 

[deback]

MistressNomad,

Wow, you were so quick to reply! You're not gonna believe this, but I know about almost everything you just posted, because I watched all of your YouTube videos earlier tonight (added you as a subscriber) and read all of your blogs here. I was very impressed with everything you wrote and said. I found you when I happened to click on your success story a few hours ago. What a great story and great writing!

I've been reading that the Kr8 is what I should have started with. I spent a few hours reading everything at VapeWithPuff last night and a few hours with MistressNomad tonight, and you both agree about the Kr8. So, it's on my list to check out in the future. For now, after spending over $700 in the last three weeks, I need to stop buying stuff for awhile.

The passthroughs I received today are from a vendor that starts with a V and ends with an O. They're working fine so far, and I'm getting good throat hits, but it seems like they started working better after they were plugged in for several hours. I almost had to light a cigarette earlier tonight (wasn't getting good throat hits), but I was able to avoid it. Then they started working fine after I added more juice to all my cartos (using the condom method at the mouth end).

Thanks for the response, and I'm planning on checking out your posts on this forum. I've been here a few times briefly in the last 3 weeks, but decided to finally register a few minutes ago.

 

[deback]

Banjo,

Thanks for your reply. The eGO is also on my list to check out in the future. What I like about the passthroughs is that I'm almost always at my desk in my bedroom or at my desk in my office (during three months of the year doing tax returns), in my car now and then, or sitting in bed watching movies, etc, so I like the idea that the USB passthrus will always be charged, and I will never have to mess around with charging batteries again (except for those times when I leave home for a few hours and won't be in my car for long when I'm gone). The cable doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Automaton]

Thank you. I'm glad you found them helpful.

The Kr8 is sort of a flame thrower in the vaping world... you either love it or hate it. If you want to start an argument here, just tell someone that their opinion of the Kr8 is wrong.

But if you like 510 cartos, you should like it. The Kr8 is just slightly higher voltage (3.7v - the 510- is 3.2v), and thus slightly warmer with a little more throat hit.

3.7v is my sweet spot. 3.2v is just a little too low for me. And anything higher than 3.7v is too high.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

 

[deback]

Rosa,

Thanks for your reply. It seems like I'm going through several cartomizers each day (like 8 or more, because I can't quit vaping constantly...), so I'm having to spend time refilling them. Guess I'll just have to get used to it, though, because there's no way I'm gonna go back to smoking.

I'm sure I'll be continually refining my system, but today, some of the annoyances are gone after receiving the passthrus.

 

[deback]

MistressNomad,

"Well, thing is, it's impossible to know what you like and what you don't before you try it."

Very true! And I hadn't even heard about e-cigs until the beginning of this month. Maybe because I work at home, I don't know, but I happened to discover them when someone on a Chantix forum mentioned she was quitting with Chantix and no-nicotine e-cigs. Someone else posted a link to the first vendor I used, so I bought my starter kit from that vendor...NOT realizing there was MUCH more I needed to learn first, many other vendors, and many different e-cigs on the market. To me, it will be worth what I overspent, because after smoking for 42 1/2 years, it was time to quit -- and I love vaping!

 

[deback]

"But if you like 510 cartos, you should like it. The Kr8 is just slightly higher voltage (3.7v - the 510- is 3.2v), and thus slightly warmer with a little more throat hit."

My first starter kit has a larger battery and is more powerful than the second starter kit's battery. But I have no idea what the voltage is. Assuming I can't mention vendors' names here, the first kit has the initials SD and is a white battery. I believe that battery is probably 3.7v and the second battery is 3.2v, but I really don't know. Guess I should go try to find out for sure.

 

[deback]

MN,

It was because of you and your link to CN that made me aware that I could buy the AC and Car DC adapters to the USB cables -- because I went to that site and found them. Ordered them about an hour ago. So, thank you very much for your videos on YouTube!

 

[Rosa]

To me, it will be worth what I overspent, because after smoking for 42 1/2 years, it was time to quit -- and I love vaping!

This is a great attitude! I think most of us jump in, all excited, and end up buying this that and the other... it takes a while to figure out what works for YOU. And we all have our own unique vaping sweet spots.

It's definitely NOT a one-size-fits-all sort of thing. LOL!

 

[Automaton]

You can mention vendor's names.

Well, the 510 is 3.2v. So you can use that as your barometer to sort of guess-timate the comparative voltage of the other stuff you have.

 

[Rosa]

"But if you like 510 cartos, you should like it. The Kr8 is just slightly higher voltage (3.7v - the 510- is 3.2v), and thus slightly warmer with a little more throat hit."

My first starter kit has a larger battery and is more powerful than the second starter kit's battery. But I have no idea what the voltage is. Assuming I can't mention vendors' names here, the first kit has the initials SD and is a white battery. I believe that battery is probably 3.7v and the second battery is 3.2v, but I really don't know. Guess I should go try to find out for sure.

You can say vendors' names. After all, it's just your opinion.

 

[deback]

I found some Smokeless Delite reviews, with mention of 4081, 306, and 510 compatible. So, I don't know for sure, but I know I was impressed with the taste (kind of sweet), lots of vapor, and great throat hits in their first shipment of USA Made cartridges (which are actually cartomizers that use a gold adapter to plug into the battery). I received a second box of their cartomizers today, and the taste is not the same...more like a putrid tobacco taste. Anyway, the black cartos with silver threads fit the SD battery, the first atomizer they sent me is not working and gets real hot, with a lot of hassle trying to get it to work right -- and it never does, so they sent me another one today. I decided soon after I started vaping to just use the cartos, and for now, that's where I'm at. The Volcano Magma passthroughs I received today work just as well as the Smokeless Delite battery and the black cartos I bought from another vendor, so I'm happy with not having to constantly recharge four batteries all day long.

 

[Java_Az]

Just a heads up but if you got passthrus without the batteries the adapters that come with kits to charge batteries dont have enough amps. They are usually .5 amps which under rated. I didnt know any better when i first started and my wall charger now squeels like a pig under load. I stressed it out too much. Really you need at least 1.5 amps and if it is a 5volt pt you want at least 2 amps. Powered USB hubs that are 2amps are pretty cheap on ebay. Other then that they do make wall ones that are higher amps that some of the vendors carry. If you bought the PT's with batteries you good to go off the .5amp wall chargers so disregard what i said before this last sentence.

 

[deback]

Java - Thanks for letting me know that! My passthrus didn't come with batteries.

I just checked and the AC adapter that came with the Volcano PCC says on the back: DC 5v 0.5A, so it sounds like I shouldn't use this AC adapter with the passthru and just hook it up to an extension cable (which I planned to do originally, until I realized I had this DC adapter and thought I could use it).

The AC to USB adapter I ordered earlier tonight has "1000mA" in the description. Will this work okay?

Thanks for your help!

 

[deback]

I also bought a couple of USB hubs the other day. They are Targus 4-Port, but it doesn't state the amps on the packages or on the hubs, so now I'm not sure if my computer will blow up or not.

 

[Strigoi]

i wish i just went with a battery mod in the beginning. i would have saved myself $100+ doing it that way. i wanted it to look somewhat like a cigarette in the beginning though. now i couldn't care less what my e-cig looks like now as long as it performs well.

now i only drip with LR attys. carts/cartos are too much of a pain to deal with and i'll never go back to them.

 

[Java_Az]

My adapter that squeals is a volcano magma brand. So probably the same thing. 1000mA or 1amp is cutting it close. But it would be better then .5 amps or 500mA. @ 3.2 volts my atomizers pull just over 1 amp @ 3.7 volts they pull1.25 amps. That pic in my Avatar is a battery charging card i use my straight Threw PT i made on. Basically lets me dial a voltage and vape also has a amp readout so that's where i get the numbers from.

Sounds like those USB hubs are not powered. Powered ones come with a AC wall adapter. USB 2.0 Computer ports have a maximum output of 1.5amps or 1500mA but some people have problems with there computer using passthrews. Really comes down to how the PT was made. If made right it should work no problems on a computer. But since computers are pricey items i suggest getting a USB hub that's powered and 2 amps. Here is a link to one on Ebay so you know what they are. They also have 2amp USB wall adapters USB2.0 High Speed 7 Port Hub w/ Power Supply CUSBHB12 - eBay (item 120623384432 end time Oct-18-10 20:02:13 PDT)
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