Would love some information-Newbie here!

[jm1008]

Hi all,

So I'm going on a year of vaping. I started smoking around 15. In my early 20's I had a son. He has autism and tons of medical issues. The stress had me smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day. But, last year I was able to quit using a e-cigarette from a local store. I have a few questions and I would love some advice, answers, etc. Right now I am using a stick battery with a "mini BCC Eleaf" atomizer and I am using the e-liquid from my local smoke shop.

1) I went to the doctor last week and he told me that vaping is WORSE than smoking. I was shocked. He said that the liquid has formaldehyde in it. He also said that it might explode.

Is the formaldehyde thing true? Is there a "safer" e-liquid? What about a safer battery?

2) I would love to upgrade to a better kit. The ones at our local smoke shop aren't really branded. I worry about safety. Plus, I've never gotten any information about charging and safety. Any ideas? I would like to keep the price below 50 if possible and 100 maximum.

Thanks so much!

 

[Graham Kelly]

Hi mate, welcome to the forum.
I havent heard of anyone experiencing any blowing up. I have read here that cheap, unvented batteries can vent flames or leak so it is smart to invest in good ones.

There is no formaldehyde in e juice. Some studies have falsified this on the basis that their "tests" show formaldehyde in exhaled vapour, yet we exhale formaldehyde with every breath. The only ingredients in e juice are, nicotine, propylene glycol (found in asthma inhalers), vegetable glycerin (natural substance) and food safe flavouring. GP's only know what they are told about vaping at seminars and conventions by othaers who are either pharma reps or paid off by them as big pharma and tobacco are losing money to vaping.

Happy vaping

 

[jseah]

As for your doctor's claim about formaldehyde, that finding has been debunked. Even the scientists who did the testing and wrote the original article is distancing themselves from it. The only way they were able to get the level of formaldehyde that they got in their test was to increase the power well past the point where the wick and juice burned. No vaper would ever set the power that high because it would taste horrible well before. FWIW, formaldehyde is also present in cigarette smoke.

As for upgrading, there are just so many options out there, it really comes down to what you are comfortable with. Going with a small box mod like the iStick 50 or iStick 30 would be a great choice, as it can provide you with so much room to grow. You definitely want to go with a quality tank. Many out there are ok, and there are some that are exceptional. You aren't limited to just buying at your local smoke shop. There are a ton of reputable sellers on the internet that will beat any price you can get at your local shop (they don't have to deal with the overhead of a storefront, so they can sell it for less).

The silver set up that is in my avatar picture is an iStick 30 with an Aspire Nautilus Mini tank. Purchasing it online, and not having to deal with sales tax and getting free shipping (many of the forum suppliers here also offer discounts), you can get the same set up for around $60. That is an exceptional setup and will most likely blow the doors off of what your setup is now.

 

[Wolfenstark]

Go get a new Doctor.

 

[daleron]

Welcome to ECF jm, make yourself right at home
You'll hear/see a lot of misinformation

 

[Sir2fyablyNutz]

welcome jm. You might find these links helpful : http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ormaldehype-junk-study-released-jan-21-a.html http://vaping.com/news/formaldehyde-flap-fallout Testimonials | CASAA Testimonials I joined CASAA - http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/casaa/95016-what-who-casaa.html

Your doctor is IGNORANT (lack of knowledge) on vape.

Upgrade : iStick 50W ($50) & Nautilus (full or mini) ($28) pack of BVC coils ($10 to 15)

pictured with a 510 to ego adapter ($5) for use with ego threaded tanks

iStick 50W will work down to .2 ohm coils (as per manufacturer) for growth into sub ohms should you desire

Good luck!

 

[sonicbomb]

The iStick/Nautilus combo is a great pairing, there is some concern about the wicking material in the Nautilus, do a search here on the forum and you will find more detail. I would recommend the Kangertech Sub Tank Mini.
The formaldehyde thing was either an intention smear or political pressure forcing the testers to create the "desired" results. As stated, they pushed enough voltage through a cheap clearomizer until the wicking and/or the juice burnt. If you have ever got a burnt hit, then you know theres no way you could mistake that you had gone wrong, it tastes foul and hurts your lungs. The scare mongering that was intended was that was a silent constituent in ALL vapor.

"Tobacco companies spend billions of dollars each year to market their products. In 2011, the tobacco industry spent $8.4 billion on cigarette advertising and promotional expenses in the United States alone"

CDC - Fact Sheet - Economic Facts About U.S. Tobacco Production and Use - Smoking & Tobacco Use

This gives you some indication of the kind of financial clout the tobacco industry has. If they can drop $8,400,000,000 on advertising, who knows what their budget is for removing threats to their business.

 

[wesson]

Hmm, sounds like your doctor is misinformed. Just for giggles, I'd ask him to provide some data, not only about about formaldehyde and vaping, but those "terrorist" inspired batt explosions.

 

[Netop]

About six weeks vaping for me (no cigs for a bit over a month and not bothered by smoking near me). Approx PAD habit (hard to tell, because I was hand rolling).

I think the gear out there today made this possible. I dove in with:

Aspire Atlantis Tank
Aspire CF Sub-Ohm Mod
Aspire Nautilus Mini (2 of 'em for accidents or flavor changing)

The Atlantis kicked my .... So, Naut Mini on the CF Sub for a week. Then, as a back up (and for stealth vaping, I got the the iStick Mini (10w). Nice little device.
I was still struggling to find the right fit at this point. Another week or so, and I picked up the iStick 30w.

The iStick 30w was game changer. I could dial back the Atlantis, I could push the Nautilus.

I was still not 100% behind the Aspire coils. I didn't seem to burn the nautilus coils, but the Atlantis made me a bit worried, so I went out and got a Kanger SubTank Mini with its OCCs (Organic Cotton Coils). Love it. No weird, burnt taste like the Atlantis. I've enjoyed it across a range or resistances (the .5 and the 1.2 provided as well as my first builds on their RBA head).

So, advice from a newbie that has found success after a couple failed attempts:

A VV/VW mod that handle some sub ohmming (nice to leave your options open)
-iStick 30w is cheap and supports most vaping. It's also small. Which means some things look ridiculus on it, but it also fits into a shirt pocket.
-iStick 50w is only a few more bucks, gives you a lot more headroom, but it's bulkier
-Aspire has a 30w mod that should be shipping as I type. - It's a bit bigger than the iStick 30w, a bit smaller than the iStick 50w and either looks awesome or stupid and I think will be a few more bucks than the iStick 30w.
-there are others in this range, but some have had quality issues, some are more expensive, and some are ugly (IMO, that is… if you like 'em just check out reviews on them).

Something decent to throw on top:
-Nautilus mini is easy and produces good flavor. I wish the draw was a little more open sometimes, but I'm using mine everyday.
-Kanger Subtank Mini - A whole lot more range. You can try some rebuilding. Or you can use their heads. Unless you're using Naturally Extracted Tobaccos or other juice that really gunks up coils, the stock coils last a while. I even soaked them in vodka, let em dry and reused them.
Joyetech Delta 2 - I tried it at a vape shop and liked it. Good reviews. A few buck cheaper than the SubTank, but you have to but the rebuildable base separately.

Something good to pour into it:
So subjective, it's hard to say anything about this, especially to someone who has been at for longer than I have, except:
if your smoke shop is more of a head shop than a vape shop, find a vape shop that allows you to sample. Or find a site that is dedicated to juice and cruise the reviews.

Overall…
iStick 30w plus a Nautilus Mini keeps you well below the $100 mark (should be able to squeeze a second naut mini into that budget) and the Naut Mini can go on your stick (it's got a beauty ring for ego stick batteries), so you won't be caught high and dry if you run out of charge or drop your new mod in a pond.
or.
iStick 30 (or 50) and a Kanger SubTank still gets you under a buck and gives you more options. Can't put the sub tank on your current battery, though.

 

[crazymike]

I agree with most here, Can not beat the Istick and Nautilus Mini combo for the price!

 

[RandyF]

The "exploding" mods are sort of a thing, I wouldn't simply dismiss that. It is however user error, and not simply electronic devices just exploding. They are mechanical mods (no electronics) being used by inexperienced vapers who are shorting their batteries causing them to vent. If the mech mod they are using cannot vent those gases from the battery fast enough, you basically have a pipe bomb.

Formaldehyde is not added to e-liquid. It is a naturally occurring organic compound that will naturally absorb into your juice from the air around it. I wouldn't know how to explain the complete science behind it, but from my understanding, it would be impossible to keep it out.

 

[juggler86]

Sigelli Mini30 and a Smok VCT tank and a LG HE2 for $55 or so. You could throw in a 5 pack if .5 or 1.2 coils for $12. CoiLs last along time, ive put 60mls threw 1 and there no sign of it failing.

The Sig30 is just built so much better then the iSticks IMO and are priced the same.