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(Please only post questions OR additional noobie info in here to keep this thread clean. ie: no thank you, good post, etc, posts) This is to help you play catch up on what the veterans know. Basic ecig Parts A.) Cartridge - holds the ejuice and is also a mouth piece. this part can be replaced with a drip tip and is what most do B.) Atomizer - has an element that heats up the ejuice and as you pull air threw it vapor is produced. * sub B section - you can also use cartomizers, they are atomizers with filler to hold juice and are a tad shorter in size. C.) battery - these will be 3.7v Lithium Ion batteries, they supply the power to the atomizer. they come in auto (activated by suction) or manual (activated by button) Common Ecigs What's the best ecig This is more dependent on how you vape and your needs for vapor, throat/lung hit, battery life needs and other factors. Most people will advise the ego/tornado/riva as they all have a nice battery life and are built good (ego being the favorite of the three) this is the ego mega and regular batteries with manual buttons Ecig Model Numbers These are based on the atomizer they use when one says 510 kit, they generally are referring to the cigarette shaped ecig. like the first picture of this post. Why we tell you not to get cigarette shaped ecigs A cigarette shaped battery runs $12 for a normal manual 510 9hrs at $20 (ego battery) 540mins 45mins (510 kit battery) 540 ÷ 45 = 12 12 (batteries) x $12 = $144 so for mAh (Milliamp hours), it is a lot less expensive to buy a larger battery. this will also keep you from having to buy more batteries. explained after next set of math. 510 kit batteries needed for 9hrs 9hrs (540mins) ÷ (45min run time + 2hr charge time = 165mins) = 3.272727273 batteries needed to run 9hrs on 510 kit 3 x $12 = $36 - 1 ego battery = $20 = $16 saved. that is initial cost only!! 45min x 2 is what you have ready to go after your first needs charged (90mins). your first battery is going to take 2hrs to charge so by the time you run out the other two the first is done charging. so just to keep going you would need at bare minimum you want two 510 chargers, this means more $$. why you ask? at night when you don't have a single battery to use, you will only be able to charge 1 while you sleep. it would be more ideal to have 3 or one of the larger chargers that do more than one and have no less than 10 batteries ready to go. on top of this when you go out you will have a pocket full of batteries, making this not a very portable device to bring with you. other than that you have to recharge more often and the more you charge the more you replace. batteries have an # of recharges before they start failing to keep their charge. now you may say by logic that you are only charging once on those small batteries in that 9hr time, so there isn't an issue on life, BUT, the smaller the battery the less times you can charge it before the failing starts. also consider that you have 3 batteries that will fail First Order When you get an ecig make sure that you have spares of everything. the atomizers, cartomizers, batteries, and juice are all going to need purchased at some point again. Your first cart should consist of NO LESS than, 5 atomizers, 2 packs of cartomizers (5 in a pack), your kit, 2 extra batteries (i would advise mega batteries), 1 extra charger, and a nice amount of juice. the last thing you want is to have to wait on something you didn't buy enough of to come in. if one thing is missing you will go right back to smoking, nobody wants that. Mods and Why Mods are usually over looked or not even known to noobies of the ecig world. these devices can be anywhere from 3.7v to 8.4v. the point is that some people need one of two things, longer battery life with less cost and/or an aggressive throat hit. as a newbie i wouldn't advise a mod above 3.7v that doesn't have the option to go as low as 4.2v if it is not a variable voltage you are stuck on that till you get something lower if you don't like it. i say 4.2v because any 3.7v battery charges UP TO 4.2v. most people love vaping that initial fresh charged battery. voltage drops after usage to as low as 2.9v Mods will use batteries like these these are all 3.7v batteries with a much longer charge life vs a kit ecig. you can find almost all of these batteries from US suppliers for $5 each. a 3.7v mod using the largest battery (18650) can last you 4+ days @ $8 for the battery. some mods can last up to 4+ days before needing to be recharged. I'm not going to go into mods or pictures of mods. you can do that on your own, also watch youtube videos about the mods before thinking its large. the standard ones people use are silver bullet mako tekk mod (prone to cracking at the top unless you find someone that knows how to make them correctly) some sort of wetbox (check reviews of these missys wetbox fails quite often due to her under rated buttons and cost $15 to fix) (there are a crazy amount of mods out there, this is just a small list of the most talked about) Abbreviations General Noob - Beginner OP - Original Post(er) Analog - Regular Cigarette Mod - Homemade device or a Moderator. Pull - The act of sucking on the mouthpiece to pull the vapor into your mouth TH - Throat Hit (The tingling sensation in the back of your throat) Vapor - the "smoke" emitted from an e-cigarette Vape, Vaping - The use of an e-cigarette (similar to the term "smoking" when referring to an analog) Topping off - Adding drops of e-liquid to your current cartridge. Dripping - Vaping by adding a few drops of e-liquid directly on the atomizer instead of using a cartridge. Dipping - Sticking the bridge of the atomizer in e-liquid. E-Cigarette E-cig or E-cigarette - Electronic Cigarette PV - Personal Vaporizer Atty - Atomizer Cart - Cartridge Bat - Battery Filler - The fiber found inside your cartridge that holds your e-liquid PCC - Personal Charging Case SD - ScrewDriver JS - Janty Stick PT - Passthrough or passthrough battery 2-piece/Disposable - 2 part e-cigarette. The Battery and a "cartomizer". Cartomizer - An atomizer built into the cartridge, marketed as disposable (you throw it away when the e-liquid is used up). 3-piece - 3 part e-cigarette. Battery, Atomizer, and Cartridge. Cutoff - Refers to how long the battery will activate the atomizer before shutting down (safety measure to protect the atomizer). E-Liquid E-juice, e-liquid, juice - the liquid nicotine that you fill your cartridges with. DIY - Do it yourself (homemade e-liquid mixture) PG - Propylene Glycol VG - Vegetable Glycerin(Glycerine = glycerin = vegetable glycerin(e) = glycerol) PEG - Polylethylene Glycol Suppliers VT - Vaportalk VG - Vaporgalaxy VB - Vaporbomb ENS - electronicstix JC - Johnson Creek PS - PureSmoker TW - Totally Wicked EST - E-smokeytreats JS - JantyStick SD - ScrewDriver GG - The GG! Miscellaneous FDA - Food and Drug Administration ECA - Electronic Cigarette Association NRT - Nicotine Replacement Therapy (patch, gum, e-cig) PH - Public Health BP - Big Pharmaceutical Companies BT - Big Tobacco Companies ALF - American Legacy Foundation 'Anti's - Anti-smoking people who do not acknowledge that vaping is a viable alternative to smoking analogs. RYO - Roll your own (tobacco) Universal Forum Lingo AFAIK - As Far As I Know BTW - By The Way DOA - Dead On Arrival (didn't work from the moment I got it) FWIW- For What It's Worth FYI - For Your Information IDK - I Don't Know IIRC - If I Recall/Remember Correctly IMO or IMHO - In My Opinion or In My Humble Opinion (some mean 'H' to be Honest) IOW - In Other Words JK or JJ - Just Kidding or Just Joking JS - Just Saying OMG or OMFG - Oh My God and it's adult extension PITA - Pain In The *** PWN - Own or "dominate" ROTFLOL - Rolling On The Floor Laughing Out Loud ROTFLMFAO - ^ Adult Extension of above SOL - (can't be helped or fixed) (SP?) - Used when unsure of the spelling of the previous word TIA - Thanks In Advance TMI - Too Much Information (too personal) TOS - Terms Of Service ("the rules") TROLL - A person that posts in a forum/thread with the sole intention of provoking an argument (can sometimes also imply a "spy") TY - Thank You WOOT - Exclamation, as in Hooray! (Sometimes: Want One Of Those) WTF - Same As below WTH - What/Where/Who The Hell YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary (your experience may differ from mine)

Both of my regular attys died this past weekend and have been stuck with my back up mega atty. I HATE it!!!! I can take a huge draw and nothing! I can't wait till my LR attys get here tomorrow. Sorry had to rant.

Alright... I guess I'll just do this in a number format. I feel like I've got a lot of the basics down, but I still have a lot of questions that I can't easily find answers to in my time as a lurker over the past week or so. Then I got my kit and just dove right in and had a ton of questions... So, I registered, and here I am! A little background: I just got my new Joye eGo(x2) with a 1000mah battery(x2). I'm currently using atomizers and pre-filled cartridges that came with the kit. I've also got 10 empty refillable cartridges with 10 more on their way. My e-juices haven't come in the mail yet, though some have been shipped. I ordered a number of different sizes and flavors from Ms Ts, MadVapes, and FreedomSmokeUSA. I was previously on 1.5 packs of "analogs" a day. Since I got my eGo yesterday, I haven't even considered going back. This post is going to be quite long, but I want to do this right. Any answers to any questions will be greatly appreciated. I promise I've read a ton about vaping, but I just can't find basic every day things anywhere. I'm 100% new to all of this and it's obviously much different and a bit more complex than a lighter and an analog, lol... Now then... On to the questions! 1. Cartridges. A. How long does the average 501 cartridge on my eGo last? How many puffs, maybe? I've gotten into the groove of pulling like this: Press the button, pull softly for ~4-5 seconds, release the button, finish the pull, inhale, exhale. My use is sporadic. I'll take a few pulls a minute or 1 pull every 30 minutes. Given this, how long can I expect a single cartridge to last? a. Is there a general consensus yet on how many pulls = 1 analog (of equal nic strength) or how many cartridges = 1 pack? This really isn't important to me. Just a curiosity thing. B. How can I tell if a cartridge is empty enough that it will hurt my atomizer and I need to replace/refill? C. Using the cartridge-refill method, depending on the answer to A, how many cartridges/refills can I expect to go through in a single day? a. Approximately how much e-liquid goes into 1 cartridge? D. What is the best method to reusing cartridges? Will my bottles of E-liquid come with droppers to help me fill them using the paper clip method, or will I need to buy a syringe? I really don't want to go the syringe method personally, but if it's a must, I can suck it up. E. Why do some claim that cartomizers are replacing atomizers/cartridges? F. Atomizers/Cartridges seem to have longevity compared to cartomizers. What is so bad about cartridges that most use the drip technique or cartomizers? G. I've heard that you can buy a bag of the fluffy stuff inside the cartridge that soaks up the e-liquid from Walmart and you'd never have to worry about buying cartridges again. You just replace the fluffy stuff, refill, and vape away. What is the validity to this? Is this method safe? Is it effective? H. Is cleaning the fluffy stuff inside the cartridge effective? 2. Atomizers. A. While it was in my pocket, I accidentally had the button pressed down (I'm getting a cover soon (Yes, I know. I'm a noob. lol)). When I pulled it out, it was quite hot, but not so hot that it burned to the touch. How can I tell if I've damaged that atomizer? (No worries, I've got spares!) B. What is the average life expectancy for an atomizer? C. How will I know when I need to clean/replace the atomizer? 3. E-Liquid. A. Can someone point me in the direction of a detailed DIY guide? It seems to be the way to go for a sustainable and relatively cheap vaping experience. I'm guessing you get PG/VG and use that to dilute large quantities of extra strength nic flavored mixes to turn say a 120ml 36mg into a 240ml 18mg? I'm totally new to this, so this is just my impression on DIY. 4. Batteries. A. I currently have two 1000mah batteries for my eGo. How long can I expect these bad boys to survive? (Sidebar: I know nothing about modding, but these things last all day and into the night. I don't even need the second one since I just use the same battery all day, then charge it while I sleep, take it off the charger, and repeat. Couldn't imagine needing a mod for a longer lasting battery. The 1000mah is quite an amazing battery.) 5. The whole package. A. What is the correct way for me to store this at night after putting the battery on the charger? a. Should I separate the cartridge from the atomizer and replace the little white cap on the in-use cartridge and the empty cartridge back on the atomizer? b. Is it OK for the atomizer if I just left the in-use cartridge attached to it or will this cause damage overnight? Oddly enough, I think I had more questions than this, but I just forgot them. Sorry for the long post, but this community seems to be quite amazing at helping out new users and everyone seems very friendly. I honestly just want to do all of this the right way the first time so I don't end up just going back to analogs. Thank you everyone for your responses in advance! If I end up getting consensus answers, I'll post them underneath the questions so people like me who read this thread will have a more streamlined source of finding the answers.

AW is considered to be the premier battery maker (you certainly will pay premium prices). I've got nothing bad to say about them except they are expensive and the 18650's mAh rating, although accurate is too low. The high drain LiMN. The Li-Ion. Do note the larger Li-Ions have no 'button' top, for some devices you may need a spacer (small magnet) Do note with 14500's the high drain LiMN's make some sense, as standard Li-Ions here can not keep up with the current demands of even a standard Joye atty (they are being pushed past their max discharge rating, stressed). And with 14500's for some reason, vape times are very similar. FWIW TrustFires in general are better that UltraFires. These are very good for budget vapers, The reviews are positive and they have been tested and are in fact true 2400mAh cells. Nice price too. http://www.thecustomsabershop.com/TrustFire-Protected-37V-2400mAh-18650-Lithium-Battery-2-pack-P517.aspx

Jolly Got you pretty much covered. I will add my 2 cents about a couple of things: 1. One of the hardest things to stop doing is comparing vaping to smoking--The number of draws, amount of nicotine etc as compared to smoking is kinda like apples and broccoli. It ends up boiling down to what works best for you. you will have a period of trial and error ahead of you trying to figure out what works for you. 2. My personal preference really is dripping--I get a much more consistent flavor, throat hit and vapor. It does take a bit of practice to get the hang of dripping, but overall it gives me the best experience. 3. I am one of the few left that prefer carts to cartomizers (only use them when I am driving or unable to drip). I use the blue foam found at most pet shops in the aquarium section, or you can get some precut foam from strictly ejuice (fairly cheap). Yes you can remove the filler, wash, dry and reuse. to refill the carts--pull out the filler--add liquid (about 8-10 drops), until below the top the cart--push filler into cart using paper clip, tweezers or what not.--pull the fill back to the top level with the cart rim--fluff a bit--add a couple drops to the top if needed. Most liquids come in dropper bottles--so you really don't need syringes etc until you get ready for DIY. topping carts--as the vapor and flavor drop off when using carts--remove the cart--add a couple drops the top of the filler and maybe an extra drop to the atty--replace cart and vape. It is almost impossible to get all the liquid out of a cart--if you allow 5-10 minutes between draws--more liquid will wick to the atty. The problem most of us have with carts is that we vape faster than the liquid can wick---this is when dripping comes in handy. Whe using carts I actually end up using a combination of dripping and carts--like stated above I just add a drop of 2 to the atty and the top of the cart and vape--usually I can get about 10 draws before I feel the need to add more liquid. I know its all a lot to take in at the beginning. You will soon find there is no single way to do things--its a matter of finding out what works best for you. Trial and error. You will know when the atty is getting dry--gets a burned type taste to it--just don't let it stay dry and hot and your atty will be fine. Check out the DIY section--information is scattered around, but there is lots of info. ask away. I am working on a DIY guide--but its still a work in progress--hoping to have something in the next couple weeks. Backups, Backups, Backups--Batteries, Atomizers and liquids !!!! always carry extras with you when possible. don't rely soley on carts--always have some extra liquid on hand. Happy vaping

you need a lipo charger. you can actually catch any cell on fire 1) WAY over charged the cell and leaving it unattended in a cheapo charger. 2) Combining good cells with junk cells in a high drain application 3) Combining cells that have a very low charge with cells that have a very high charge, in a high drain application 4) Short circuiting the cell. 5) discharge them very quickly if you see someone that has caught fire or exploded a cell, assume that they have done one of the above. not to say that the protected circut couldn't have gone bad.. but when buying a mod you should also be very aware at what details your charger has behind it. what your batteries are charged to when taken off the charger. among other things. high drain is a good idea for that "in case" situation. we are in no way doing high drain on a tiny atty/carto though. i have no idea where these people come up with such wild ideas but it gets a tad annoying to hear. years and years of flashlight modding to put out intense beams of light that can burn plastic, set fire to wood, blinding people from far distances have been done with good old li-ion. stacking 18650 batteries and draining them in a matter of 3 mins from full charge, yet i'm to believe that a rinky-dink atty/carto that takes 1-2 days to drain a single or stacked 14500 is going to need a high drain battery? please! are they needed, no. is the chemical make up safer, yes. sorry about the rant but just had to get that out. been reading to many threads about li-ion issues and the wild crap people say.

1. Cartridges. A. How long does the average 501 cartridge on my eGo last? How many puffs, maybe? I've gotten into the groove of pulling like this: Press the button, pull softly for ~4-5 seconds, release the button, finish the pull, inhale, exhale. My use is sporadic. I'll take a few pulls a minute or 1 pull every 30 minutes. Given this, how long can I expect a single cartridge to last? - about 10 drops, 3 drops on an atomizer is bout 4-5 puffs. 3 into 10 = 3ish so 12 puffs "roughly". a. Is there a general consensus yet on how many pulls = 1 analog (of equal nic strength) or how many cartridges = 1 pack? This really isn't important to me. Just a curiosity thing. - you could draw up some mathematical bit of info but it wouldn't be conclusive with out blood samples. - most of what people would say is hear say and holds no merit to real science. - vape the mg you feel you need, i started with 18mg, went to 24 then 30. i'll do any of the 3 currently. as a general rule do not go above 24mg; Ever! B. How can I tell if a cartridge is empty enough that it will hurt my atomizer and I need to replace/refill? - the taste and vapor production will get lower C. Using the cartridge-refill method, depending on the answer to A, how many cartridges/refills can I expect to go through in a single day? a. Approximately how much e-liquid goes into 1 cartridge? - 8-10 drops. please for the love of all that is holy, don't refill cartridges! that is by far the worst experience i think all of us have had with ecigs. the mess, the time, and then its time to do it again. for sitting around drip, for on the go cartomizer it. and before you ask 40ish drops per cartomizer. D. What is the best method to reusing cartridges? Will my bottles of E-liquid come with droppers to help me fill them using the paper clip method, or will I need to buy a syringe? I really don't want to go the syringe method personally, but if it's a must, I can suck it up. - the best, is to not, reuse. E. Why do some claim that cartomizers are replacing atomizers/cartridges? - neither replaces either, atty for lounging, carto for out and about. F. Atomizers/Cartridges seem to have longevity compared to cartomizers. What is so bad about cartridges that most use the drip technique or cartomizers? - i only used attys at the start but now that i use a mod i only use cartos G. I've heard that you can buy a bag of the fluffy stuff inside the cartridge that soaks up the e-liquid from Walmart and you'd never have to worry about buying cartridges again. You just replace the fluffy stuff, refill, and vape away. What is the validity to this? Is this method safe? Is it effective? - you can, the blue u-foam for fish tanks is what most people move to. then after that they just direct drip and think to themselves "why did i wast all that time and energy filling those damn carts and cutting foam. H. Is cleaning the fluffy stuff inside the cartridge effective? -no 2. Atomizers. A. While it was in my pocket, I accidentally had the button pressed down (I'm getting a cover soon (Yes, I know. I'm a noob. lol)). When I pulled it out, it was quite hot, but not so hot that it burned to the touch. How can I tell if I've damaged that atomizer? (No worries, I've got spares!) - when it doesn't work anymore. the only other thing that might happen is you burn the wick inside, if you haven't already removed it. DO NOT REMOVE THE BRIDGE, no matter what anyone says! and before you ask, removing the bridge is the best way to flood the battery with all the juice that should be in the atty. the wick on the other hand is crap and shouldn't even be part of the atty. B. What is the average life expectancy for an atomizer? - i had one last me 95+ days and then destroyed it (not by using it but trying to clean it), long story short don't clean your attys with vinegar or by boiling them. thats some serious over kill and doesn't help at all. let them soak in hot water for a few days and then rinse them a few times. C. How will I know when I need to clean/replace the atomizer? - i pretty much don't clean them, not even when i switch juices. my theory is that people put to much energy into thinking about cleaning and end up killing them because of all the extra measures they do. an atty is about 6 bucks, a cartomizer is around 1 buck. its not like you're buying them every day so if it last a week then who cares. one pack of smokes is 6 bucks and for most of us that would be one day of smoking. 3. E-Liquid. A. Can someone point me in the direction of a detailed DIY guide? It seems to be the way to go for a sustainable and relatively cheap vaping experience. I'm guessing you get PG/VG and use that to dilute large quantities of extra strength nic flavored mixes to turn say a 120ml 36mg into a 240ml 18mg? I'm totally new to this, so this is just my impression on DIY. - there is a diy section on the forum. go there and ask, keep it more geared to something you want to try such as caramel apple or something nutty. 4. Batteries. A. I currently have two 1000mah batteries for my eGo. How long can I expect these bad boys to survive? (Sidebar: I know nothing about modding, but these things last all day and into the night. I don't even need the second one since I just use the same battery all day, then charge it while I sleep, take it off the charger, and repeat. Couldn't imagine needing a mod for a longer lasting battery. The 1000mah is quite an amazing battery.) - a day maybe two, hell could last you a week if you don't vape but a few puffs a day. - mods are for people that either want higher voltage, something sexy or beastly, or to save money. an stock ego battery is in the $20 range, for 5 bucks i can get two batteries that last just as long as the mega ego battery. even at 12 bucks i can get two batteries that are 3x the life of the ego PER battery. after you are into this for a while, you will get a mod. when the day happens i'll be the guy saying; "see". 5. The whole package. A. What is the correct way for me to store this at night after putting the battery on the charger? a. Should I separate the cartridge from the atomizer and replace the little white cap on the in-use cartridge and the empty cartridge back on the atomizer? b. Is it OK for the atomizer if I just left the in-use cartridge attached to it or will this cause damage overnight? -lay it on its side. there isn't a need to take it apart. if you have an auto battery you may want to take them apart and stand it battery threads down to drain any juice that got into the hole.

The only thing I don't like about them is their short vape times. Most 18650 Li-Ions can easily handle a 2.5A drain which covers almost any atty. A standard Joye510, for example pulls maybe 1.8A. Take a peak at this 2A drain test. Look how quickly the AW IMR drops off (bottom, green), then look at the standard AW Li-Ion (top, black) and how much longer it maintains a higher voltage. In general the AW Li-Ions capacity is about 60% greater. One reason to put up with the bulk of an 18650 is for large capacity and long vape times. Another thing to note is the poor showing of the often used red/white UltraFire 3000mAh batteries (brown line). Although they last a bit their heavy and quick voltage drop is unacceptable. Avoid them.

We built a kennel for our big dog (for when we're away at work etc) and tossed in his favorite vinyl reclyner. After a week he had it torn up just right and he's been the happiest kenneler this side of the Rockies. He hardly ever uses his igloo doghouse that's filled with soft shavings so naturally we gave him hubby's old winter coat to snuggle with on the reclyner. I'm surprised he hasn't asked for an xbox yet.

Let me add my 2¢, for any other members ready to take the plunge. These PT's are chintzy devices made with the cheapest components available. They have nothing in them that could possibly protect either the atty or the device that they are plugged into in case of a short. Hopefully your game consoles and computers can quickly deal with a dead short or stuck on button. As a long time PT user abuse is inevitable. They get yanked, dropped, stepped on etc. and the one you buy today may well be different than tomorrows. That one person has declared the 'universal fitness' of them as safe, should be considered with a grain of salt. The various e-cig forums are strewn with horror stories concerning PT damage to expensive equipment, even with the more expensive PTs that purport to have various electronic safeguards built in. Buy a $10 AC/DC USB 2000mA adapter, not only to save you equipment but you'll also get better performance.