Newbie Question

[Breal]

Hi everyone! I'm just a newbie, only 7 weeks on e-cigarettes after a 15 year excursion in tobacco land. And I have a question that has plagued me since I started.

I've read in several places that a cartridge is equivalent to a whole pack of cigarettes. Now, I was a pack a day smoker and I go through about 5 cartridges a day. Yikes! I was a pack a day smoker, so being a Math SAT instructor, I counted. I Vape the equivalent of FIVE packs a day??? I'm boggled because I still feel like I'm nicotine deprived. Granted, I went from 6 mg to 12 mg to 18 mg and have just ordered the 24 mg.

I feel just a little alarmed. So, my question is obvious. Is a cartridge actually a whole pack of cigarettes? Has anyone ever had this question?

Make no mistake, I'm feeling so much better since I've started e-cigs and won't give up on them. Nothing with entice me to pick up an analog again (knock on wood).

[blucavvy]

a standard 1ml carto/cart is not equal to a pack of cigs no. That's a pretty common misconception. More like 13-14 analogs imo.

what brand do you use? Some of the cheap brands have even smaller cartos/carts and thus may be only close to about half a pack.

a lot of people find they vape more than they used to smoke cuz now you can do it pretty much newhere lol, so keep that in mind or you'll end up chainvaping for sure.

[Breal]

What brand do I use? Ok, now that is a bit of a nightmare.

I started with just refilling the cartos that came with Stog (very tiny). Then I went to the V2. Finally, I got a Provari battery and ordered their cartos. Now, I think I'm going to get a 510 (or one of the kits on this site) and try the atomizer/cartridge thing. But, you are right. When I am not at work I've been vaping excessively. I don't know what it is, it's just not as satisfying as it used to be.

[blucavvy]

im not familiar with stog

v2 is an 808 style, now they're a bit overpriced but for the most part they sell a quality unit.

if you already own a provari, buying a regular 510 kit would be pointless. You already own the bee's knee's as far as vaping goes lol. Plus you have experience with slim batt pv's and have found you don't care for them. There's really no difference between the 808's and 510's other than threading on the batt.

I would say wait and see how that 24mg juice does for your nic cravings on the provari. Sometimes changing nic strengths is all that needs to be done to change your whole vaping experience.

[DAYVAPE]

A cart is nowhere close to 13-14 analogs! Not a chance!

[blucavvy]

a 1ml carto? what would you say it's close to?

[Viper Ron]

My experience is this: as far as dripping goes I seem to get 8-10 good flavorful puffs from 2-3 drops of juice.

30 drops roughly equal a ML.

Hope that helps

[kitsune]

You will find on this journey you will try many different combinations to find your sweet spot. The advantage to vaping is the choices we have, but the bad news, is that in the beginning its a bit overwhelming !!!

i.e.: 18mg liquid = 1ml contains 18mg of nicotine. I vape quite a bit and doing the math I vape pretty close to what I smoked as far as nicotine is concerned. I do however, vape more than I smoked....at least is feels that way. Instead of going out for a smoke and smoking a whole cigarette, I vape a hit or two throughout the day.

As far as nicotine goes, you should be ok. easy enough to track if you are filling your own carts....just keep in mind the filler holds onto a bit of liquid.

If you really want to know what you vape, dripping is a good way to really measure how much liquid you use.

18mg/ml or 24mg/ml are normal strengths for many of us.

If you have the provari, don't waste money on the 510. If you are looking for something with better battery life to use when you are out and about, look into the ego...they use 510 atomizers/cartomizers/tanks.

Clear as mud??

[Deadpool809]

I pretty much chain vape, and vape way more than I ever smoked. I go through at least 10 mL a day sometimes. But I also have the nic level at 0, or at 6. I wouldn't stress so much about the amount you vape just yet - just find the balance where it is filling your need, and start dialing the nic level down if you are interested in cutting back.

[pocketplayer]

Good thread...I had that ? when I first starred as well.

[Breal]

Hope! Thank you!!

[mjradik]

I’m surprised no one commented that it is not the cart or the amount alone, its mainly the strength of nicotine. General rule of thumb is that someone absorbs 1mg of nicotine per analog cigarette (even though an analog has about 8mg nicotine total, but most of that is lost through the burring process…. So your body only get 1mg out of the 8mg) and some studies put this number has high as 1.7mg per analog.

So if you’re a pack a day smoker, then you get 20mg of nicotine per day. Now lets equate that to mg/ml of ejuice…. If you vape 6mls (or 6x1ml carts) of 6mg nicotine ejuice per day, then you are vaping 36mg of nicotine per day, or equal to 36 analogs.

BUT, and this is a big BUT… Your body does not absorb 100% of the nicotine you are vaping. NO good studies have been done on this, and no one knows for sure how much nicotine your body absorbs. IN MY OPINION, based on my experience and ‘listening to my body’ I think you absorb 50-60% of the nicotine you vape. So that’s 36mg from above is really only equal to about 18 analogs, or almost a pack.

So to answer your question… how much does 1 cart equal to in analogs? Well what’s the strength of nicotine ejuice you are using?

1 ml cart of 24mg nice juice = roughly 12 analogs, or 2-3 drops =roughly 1 analog.

1 ml cart of 18mg nice juice = roughly 9 analogs, or 3-4 drops =roughly 1 analog.

1 ml cart of 12mg nice juice = roughly 6 analogs, or 5-6 drops =roughly 1 analog.

1 ml cart of 6mg nice juice = roughly 3 analogs, or 10-11 drops =roughly 1 analog.

…when I starting vaping 6 months ago (I was a 1.5/pack a day smoker), I vaped 3-4mls of 18mg nic juice. Now I’m vaping 6-8+mls of 2mg ejuice….. so as far as nicotine, I’m getting a lot less now… but my goal is to quit all together eventually… but I think I’m going to stick with 0mg nic for a long time at the end… lol…

Edited February 3, 2012 by mjradik

[mega]

i feel that a cart iss good for about 2-3 analogs.

[DAYVAPE]

That's MUCH more accurate mjradik.... companies just cannot say that a 'cart is close to a pack of analogs'.

It's all about what mg/ml the juice is... like you point out.

I never did understand how/why companies say that nonsense! Well, yeah I do, it's drawing people in to jump on their product. Just isn't right taking advantage of n00bs though.

Edited February 3, 2012 by DAYVAPE

[Viper Ron]

EMDCC,s are probably the close thing to a pack. They last me all day!

[Jeffb]

Also remember all the juice in the cart doesn't get used up, so I think mjradik's numbers are close but still high.

[DAYVAPE]

I agree there Jeff! Heck, I can blow through a 1ml eGo tank in no time flat if I wanted too... and they are saying that's 'close to a pack of smokes'? Come on! Pisses me off....

I'm thinkin' a 1ml cart of 12mg nic is closer to 3-4 analogs!

Edited February 3, 2012 by DAYVAPE

[mega]

i put 1 ml of 18 mg in my ce2's and can say i dont have to add any for about a day but if i drop it down to 12 mg like i am prolly 1.5 a day. but this also dont count my dripping with the atty. theres another ml. and i was a 2 pack a day smoker.

[Breal]

i feel that a cart iss good for about 2-3 analogs.

Yes. As much as I hate to admit that (because I sound like a druggie), that's what it feels like. One cartridge feels like 2 to 3 analogs. The only other thought I had on this is that, perhaps, my body is simply not absorbing the nicotine as well as others.

I received my 24 mg e-juice yesterday, and, oh my goodness, I just feel so much better. Sad, but true. After nearly 2 months you would think that I would have adjusted to the lower nicotine, but, no.

Thanks for all of the good info you guys. Thanks for your HONESTY.