Help Me Choose My First E-Cig :d

[ThirdFloorNorth]

First a link to my introductory post: http://www.vaportalk.com/forum/forum/forum/topic/6616-hi-complete-newbie-herre/

To give a quick summary:

Pack a day smoker for years, smoking for 6 years all total, had no intention of quitting

Came down with H1N1/Swine Flu, couldn't smoke for days, decided to go ahead and quit

Three months without cigarettes without much difficulty, but am nostalgic for smoking, and happened across E-cigs

Short and sweet of what I am looking for:

As close to the Blu Starter Kit as possible without sucking, as the Blu apparently does. I particularly like the smooth looking PCC.

Something that looks like a brand of cigarette at first glance,including the PCC. Nothing clunky.

I'm going to be walking around a college campus, vaping between classes, I want it to look natural and close to smoking, put a good face on for vaping in a state where I am sure there is almost no representation (Mississippi)

Long form of what I am looking for:

-Looking to spend less than $80 initially.

-Good throat hit and high vapor production are an absolute must. As I said, similarity to smoking is a MUST, I know you guys understand

-Close in length to a Marlboro regular short, not the 100s, not the tiny 72s, a regular cigarette(I realize this costs battery life, so I would like to try to find the best quality battery at that size possible for the price)

-I like the black sleek look, and am torn between a blue and red LED. I will probably get one of both in a starter kit. I want the LED to be as bright or brighter than a a cigarette cherry. No weak glow.

-Cigarette shape. No tapered mouth pieces.

-The main reason I liked the Blu was the sleek, attractive look of the device and the packaging. I particularly liked the Blu PCC. A PCC as close to an actual branded cigarette pack is pretty much a must.

-I want an automatic battery. I know, most long-time users end up switching to manual, but I want this to be as close as possible to the tactile sensation of smoking, so it'd be nice to find a good-quality battery as described above that wouldn't pose too much of a flooding problem?

-I want one that I can refill on my own with E-liquid, I'm pretty new to this, so I'm not sure if that is all of them?

-Longevity in the item. I don't often shell out money like this on myself, so it has to last. This is an experiment, so a good return policy, warranty and customer service would be amazing.

Am I asking the impossible ladies and gentlemen? God I hope not.

Edited July 15, 2010 by ThirdFloorNorth

[DAYVAPE]

Sorry, but I'm going to stick with what I said in the other thread... and I know you don't think it's something that you would like. But it's just my opinion now that I've been right where you are and thought the same exact way. http://www.totallywicked-eliquid.com/products/featured-products/wicked-tornado-e-ni-or-electronic-2-product.html

... or the eGo, it's one in the same... just a different name.

They are alot smaller than one might think too... I was seriously shocked when I firs got mine. It's just such a beautiful looking unit... so much so that you would take it out wherever you go and not be afraid to do so! I'm sorry... I'm just trying to save you time and money here by telling you what will happen. We've all been in your shoes and have done the same type of thing. I swore that if anyone ever asked my opinion on what e-cig to get... that I would tell them the eGo/Tornado, 100%! But you need to get what you want... not what everyone tells you I suppose.

Edited July 15, 2010 by DAYVAPE

[ThirdFloorNorth]

Sorry, but I'm going to stick with what I said in the other thread... and I know you don't think it's something that you would like. But it's just my opinion now that I've been right where you are and thought the same exact way. http://www.totallywicked-eliquid.com/products/featured-products/wicked-tornado-e-ni-or-electronic-2-product.html

... or the eGo, it's one in the same... just a different name.

They are alot smaller than one might think too... I was seriously shocked when I firs got mine. It's just such a beautiful looking unit... so much so that you would take it out wherever you go and not be afraid to do so! I'm sorry... I'm just trying to save you time and money here by telling you what will happen. We've all been in your shoes and have done the same type of thing. I swore that if anyone ever asked my opinion on what e-cig to get... that I would tell them the eGo/Tornado, 100%! But you need to get what you want... not what everyone tells you I suppose.

You're probably right, and I'll probably regret not listening to your advice in the long run but for me to justify shelling out this much money on something that isn't a necessity (if you can't tell, I've been poor my whole life lol), it has to be as close to my gut feeling, original-cigarette-sensation as possible. It literally almost broke my heart when I saw the EXTREME torrent of negative reviews about the Blu.

NOTE: Has anyone used the Firelight? Any experience with them?

[DAYVAPE]

You should seriously do the 510 then... it's tried and tested! As you have already seen... many people here recommend it to firs time users. It's pretty easy to use and is a fairly reliable unit. The only downfall really is the battery life... so that's something you would need to get a routine with. You just need to always have a charge one waiting in the wings.

[kitsune]

I would definitely look at the 510 starter kits-they do come in automatic. The PCC(personal charging case), would give you the ability to charge while you are out and about. The length is somewhere between a regular and a 100, but to the best of my knowledge that is the shortest you will get . The 510 will give you great vapor and throat hit, carts can be refilled with own liquid or direct dripping.

Most dealers carry 510 starter kits. . Make sure you use a reputable dealer. the supplier list is a great place to start.

[ThirdFloorNorth]

You should seriously do the 510 then... it's tried and tested! As you have already seen... many people here recommend it to firs time users. It's pretty easy to use and is a fairly reliable unit. The only downfall really is the battery life... so that's something you would need to get a routine with. You just need to always have a charge one waiting in the wings.

I would definitely look at the 510 starter kits-they do come in automatic. The PCC(personal charging case), would give you the ability to charge while you are out and about. The length is somewhere between a regular and a 100, but to the best of my knowledge that is the shortest you will get . The 510 will give you great vapor and throat hit, carts can be refilled with own liquid or direct dripping.

Most dealers carry 510 starter kits. . Make sure you use a reputable dealer. the supplier list is a great place to start.

Thank you both: My question then turns to, is there a sleek PCC for the 510? All the ones I find so far look like an electronic device from the 80s. Any specific recommendations, particularly in terms of the PCC, or an automatic 510 that seems to stand above the rest?

[ThirdFloorNorth]

Also what is the difference between an E10 and a DS 901E?

[kitsune]

The PCC's all look about the same--just different colored metal boxes about the size of a pack of smokes (maybe a bit smaller)-- The PCC's are fairly standard.

Can always personalize it once you get it.

Can't give much info on the automatic--gave up on that after my first week (over a year ago now). Not even sure who carries them, but I am sure one of the VT certified suppliers would have what you are looking for.

[Jolly]

if you want a 510 kit, volcanoecigs.com has a nice package.

that is what i went with right off the bat. their 510 is called magma.

they have one similar to the blu that is just dubbed volcano. i wouldn't get that though.

customer service is good and the forum has nice people in it.

i used their 510 attys for over 85 days until i "personally" messed them up. they still actually work but are filled with caramelized ash now. lets just say it was a cleaning gone bad.

[DAYVAPE]

http://www.vaportalk.com/forum/forum/forum/topic/6574-authentic-joye-510-sale-kits-start-at-only-2971-free-shipping/page__pid__58716#entry58716

This might work...

If you do decide to go with a 510, do yourself a favor, and get the manual batteries. They are sealed, unlike the auto batts, keeping your juice from running into them and ruining them. And trust me... you WILL leak from time to time! They also allow you to take longer drags... allowing you to get more vapor, etc.

Edited July 15, 2010 by DAYVAPE

[kitsune]

The 510 is know for it vapor and throat hit. the 901 is known for vapor and flavor, less throat hit. Both are reliable units. personally I think the throat hit from the 510 is a key selling point. The downside to the 510 is that it does kill some of the flavor. The atomizer burns hotter than the 901.

[ThirdFloorNorth]

if you want a 510 kit, volcanoecigs.com has a nice package.

that is what i went with right off the bat. their 510 is called magma.

they have one similar to the blu that is just dubbed volcano. i wouldn't get that though.

customer service is good and the forum has nice people in it.

i used their 510 attys for over 85 days until i "personally" messed them up. they still actually work but are filled with caramelized ash now. lets just say it was a cleaning gone bad.

I had heard that Volcano was the exact same as Blu and just as bad... but their Magma is ok? What is the difference? And has anyone used or heard of Firelight?

Also, did you use automatic batteries? How was your experience?

http://www.vaportalk.com/forum/forum/forum/topic/6574-authentic-joye-510-sale-kits-start-at-only-2971-free-shipping/page__pid__58716#entry58716

This might work...

If you do decide to go with a 510, do yourself a favor, and get the manual batteries. They are sealed, unlike the auto batts, keeping your juice from running into them and ruining them. And trust me... you WILL leak from time to time! They also allow you to take longer drags... allowing you to get more vapor, etc.

Is there NO solution to the automatic battery flooding issue? Nobody has developed an automatic that doesn't have this problem? Home fixes? I REALLY want an automatic lol, but dont want to bork up my battery considering how expensive they are.

Another question: I'm at a loss about atomizers/cartomizers...

Edited July 15, 2010 by ThirdFloorNorth

[DAYVAPE]

I had heard that Volcano was the exact same as Blu and just as bad... but their Magma is ok? What is the difference? And has anyone used or heard of Firelight?

Also, did you use automatic batteries? How was your experience?

Is there NO solution to the automatic battery flooding issue? Nobody has developed an automatic that doesn't have this problem? Home fixes? I REALLY want an automatic lol, but dont want to bork up my battery considering how expensive they are.

Another question: I'm at a loss about atomizers/cartomizers...

No fixes that I know of...

You don't like any of my suggestions anyway... so I'll leave the "atomizer/cartomizer" fiasco to everyone else. Although they are extensively explained all over the forum if you do a search for them

[ThirdFloorNorth]

No fixes that I know of...

You don't like any of my suggestions anyway... so I'll leave the "atomizer/cartomizer" fiasco to everyone else. Although they are extensively explained all over the forum if you do a search for them

Nooooo lol I really am taking your suggestions to heart; for that matter I know for a fact I will probably end up regretting not listening to your advice borne from experience.

Its just...I have a certain image in my head of what I want out of this, and for my brain to justify me dropping this much moola it's gotta be pretty close.

I'll seriously listen to your atomizer/cartomizer advice, because I have ZERO preconceptions about them, if you'd still be willing to give such a stubborn student as me your thoughts?

[DAYVAPE]

Nooooo lol I really am taking your suggestions to heart; for that matter I know for a fact I will probably end up regretting not listening to your advice borne from experience.

Its just...I have a certain image in my head of what I want out of this, and for my brain to justify me dropping this much moola it's gotta be pretty close.

I'll seriously listen to your atomizer/cartomizer advice, because I have ZERO preconceptions about them, if you'd still be willing to give such a stubborn student as me your thoughts?

I was just jerkin' your chain... kinda. LOL.

Someone with faster typing skill will show up soon and hook ya up with the info... there's just sooo much that I dont want to type a novel right now.

[Jolly]

the bad things talked about with blu is that they take a life time to ship a product and CS sucks. they may have fixed those flaws.

i have heard that blu didn't vape as well as a "magma" not sure if they were talking about a different type of blu but both them have a 510.

volcano vs magma (volcanoecigs.com two models) magma wins hands down. the volcano and the blu were comparable in the attys they both use/used.

some people are happy with their blu, but when you have so many bad reviews, it is best to just walk away.

and yes blu and the volcano are the same. though the magma is the 510.

mAh and how it effects you:

mah stands for Milliamp hours. This is the capacity of your batteries. The larger the number, the longer it will provide power, assuming the same electronics and/or motor.

a 510 kit battery can range anywhere from 60mAh to 180mAh some might be rated in the 200 range but real world testing will prove all numbers to be lower than what they say they are.

i vape kind of heavy and the magma battery was rated at 180mAh. just about every hr or half hour i would have to toss a battery on the charger.

the batteries themselfs are about half the length of the tube.

what i do now is use a AAA or AA sized 3.7v battery to power 510 atomizers. you get longer life and much more vapor. my AA is rated at 900mAh and the AAA is 600mAh. so all the people that i know that want an ecig, i build one for them. it is a much better first experance for them because you arent always charging and you get a great TH/LH from the vapor.

on a full charge my batteries run at about 4.13v, so it's close to running a 5v mod with out all the big box crap that looks like you are smoking a black cig pack.

Auto Batts:

you can flood a auto battery and have to dry it out for it to work properly again. the key to not flooding is to make sure you arent plugging in a cart that is topped off with juice. dripping is the age old cure all for this problem though. two maybe three drops and vape away.

i only flooded a battery once or twice. it still worked but i had to dry it out.

it gets flooded because the atty has a hole straight down threw it for the suction switch. you drag and it lifts turning on the power. in my mods i close that hole and only use switches. no more issues ever again.

atty & carto

the atty is just one piece and then you "can" put a cartridge on top that has juice and a wick in it. that can be messy and just frustrate you.

the cartomizer is both in one. more expensive but tends to work better for almost everyone.

after you have done this a while you will end up looking into mixing your own juice and dripping as most of us do.

hands down for myself and people i know it's the best/simple/cheap way to vape.

[Jolly]

let me add this as a side solution.

grab a few 3.7v batteries like the 10440 or 14500 ones

three 510 atomizers (normal ones)

mod you can do that fits that 510 (you could swap 510 for 901 - those are the two i like)

and vape it.

or buy something that uses those batteries and is an ecig.

my main market place is the bar. show them the goods/vape off mine and charge, then get to building and deliver. those kits i consider (and this is my opinion) junk. EVERYONE upgrades.

before i got rid of my old kit, i let people test both kit and my injector mod. though the mod was crap but worked to support what i was pitching.

[ThirdFloorNorth]

the bad things talked about with blu is that they take a life time to ship a product and CS sucks. they may have fixed those flaws.

i have heard that blu didn't vape as well as a "magma" not sure if they were talking about a different type of blu but both them have a 510.

volcano vs magma (volcanoecigs.com two models) magma wins hands down. the volcano and the blu were comparable in the attys they both use/used.

some people are happy with their blu, but when you have so many bad reviews, it is best to just walk away.

and yes blu and the volcano are the same. though the magma is the 510.

mAh and how it effects you:

mah stands for Milliamp hours. This is the capacity of your batteries. The larger the number, the longer it will provide power, assuming the same electronics and/or motor.

a 510 kit battery can range anywhere from 60mAh to 180mAh some might be rated in the 200 range but real world testing will prove all numbers to be lower than what they say they are.

i vape kind of heavy and the magma battery was rated at 180mAh. just about every hr or half hour i would have to toss a battery on the charger.

the batteries themselfs are about half the length of the tube.

what i do now is use a AAA or AA sized 3.7v battery to power 510 atomizers. you get longer life and much more vapor. my AA is rated at 900mAh and the AAA is 600mAh. so all the people that i know that want an ecig, i build one for them. it is a much better first experance for them because you arent always charging and you get a great TH/LH from the vapor.

on a full charge my batteries run at about 4.13v, so it's close to running a 5v mod with out all the big box crap that looks like you are smoking a black cig pack.

Auto Batts:

you can flood a auto battery and have to dry it out for it to work properly again. the key to not flooding is to make sure you arent plugging in a cart that is topped off with juice. dripping is the age old cure all for this problem though. two maybe three drops and vape away.

i only flooded a battery once or twice. it still worked but i had to dry it out.

it gets flooded because the atty has a hole straight down threw it for the suction switch. you drag and it lifts turning on the power. in my mods i close that hole and only use switches. no more issues ever again.

atty & carto

the atty is just one piece and then you "can" put a cartridge on top that has juice and a wick in it. that can be messy and just frustrate you.

the cartomizer is both in one. more expensive but tends to work better for almost everyone.

after you have done this a while you will end up looking into mixing your own juice and dripping as most of us do.

hands down for myself and people i know it's the best/simple/cheap way to vape.

I would actually probably want to start out not mixing my own juice at least not yet, but definitely dripping, if I understand it correctly.

When you say you do a AA or AAA, how do you do that? Is it a mod, or can you buy them?

Also, when you say you close the hole in your mods, relying on switches, is it still the suction switch IE is it still an automatic with the hole closed somehow, or do you make it into a manual?

If I did dripping, would I be buying cartomizers or attys?

So much useful information to glean from experienced users lol

Edited July 15, 2010 by ThirdFloorNorth

[kitsune]

Many of us have been in the exact same place, trying to make heads and tails out of all this information.

For me (significantly less choices) the information was over loading and I just Jumped. I was fortunate and tried the 510 first and have been vaping ever since. Initially set up, do matter what you pick, will cost.

Just keep in mind--no matter the unit you decide on, It is still different from smoking. You will discover soon (hopefully) it is much better.

Keep looking through the forum, you will find tons of information.

Check out the you tube videos by igetch69. http://www.youtube.com/user/igetcha69 . He reviews many different models and gives his opinions. his videos are very helpful.

The videos on the forum are also helpful.

LOL- as you have found, we can all have different opinions about what works best--Unfortunately, you won't find any absolutes

Sometimes, you just have to jump !!!

[Jolly]

I would actually probably want to start out not mixing my own juice, but definitely dripping, if I understand it correctly.

that's how i felt till i actually did the math on the whole cart vs mix ratio to $$$.

When you say you do a AA or AAA, how do you do that? Is it a mod, or can you buy them?

normal batteries are 1.2 - 1.5v. you can get a AA or AAA sized battery that is 3.7v (what the atomizer needs to run). you buy a battery listed as 10440 (AAA size) or 14500 (AA size)

now there are other batteries that run at 3.7v but the sizes are all different and they can get pretty large. last thing you want is to have what feels like a maglite hanging from your lips.

i vaped on a SINGLE 14500 for about 12hrs before i tossed it on the charger. like i said before the kit 510s i had to toss them on around every 30-60mins. world of difference in vaper also.

Also, when you say you close the hole in your mods, relying on switches, is it still the suction switch IE is it still an automatic with the hole closed somehow, or do you make it into a manual?

i ripped out the threads from the battery of a 510 connected my wires and filled the hole with solder to keep any liquid from getting threw the positive (+) terminal on the battery connection end. that made me have to use a monetary switch. push the button in and it is on, let go and it is off. auto is ok for starting but it tends to cut off before you're done taking a drag.

If I did dripping, would I be buying cartomizers or attys?

atomizers. the cartomizers are the atty and cart that has the juice in it together. once the juice is used up you discard them. you can mod the carto so you can refill it but dripping is more cost effective. I'm cheap and like to find the simple solution that has longevity, less mess, and saves me money.

back to the question about the batteries as another side note. you can make a box kit that uses regular AA or AAA batteries.

the problem with that is, it's not sleek, discreet, or sexy.

to compair

this is my Maggie and Vinja

the larger of the two is the maggie, made from a maglite that takes two AA batteries

the smaller vinja is a single AAA

when i go in full production the maggie will be reduced to a single AA, and a name change will be done. there are issues with using two batteries in a cylinder like that. you have to flip the batteries and then if a person were to take them out they may end up not putting them back correctly thus frying an atty. so single is the way to go.

now a box mod looks like this

that is a single battery box but if you wanted you could make a larger one to use regular AA or AAA. like i said, not so sexy and sleek.

[Jolly]

LOL- as you have found, we can all have different opinions about what works best--Unfortunately, you won't find any absolutes

Sometimes, you just have to jump !!!

this is by far the best comment so far.

what works for me might not be for you.

thanks for that reminder, kit.

that even holds true for the mg of nicotine, some heavy smokers like a lower nic level and some that smoke a little like a lot in their juice.

[joe2003]

I don't use auto batts so this is just an opinion but I think to defeat the leak issues you're

gonna have to go with cartos as opposed to atty's and carts.Dripping is more trouble than it's

worth with cartos but once you learn to refill them they last a decent amount of time.

The best looking PCC kits are kr808d-1 at vapor4life but they are bigger units(PV's and PCC'S) than a 510.

If you really wanna use autos, the best thing I can recommend is a 510 kit and cartomizers.

A decent kit +a couple packs of cartos + some juice should be within your set budget.

I don't know if the vapor talk store has auto batts.but Chris might be able to hook you up,He has

everything else you need:)

[kitsune]

In many ways I am glad that when I started I had the choice between the 510 and 901--black, white or silver. Now, the choices are huge--I have a hard time keeping up and I've been at this for awhile.

When discussing the best vaping options it alot like asking a group of people what their favorite color is--Lots of different answers.

Jolly--whats the voltage on vinja--I like the size of that one....

[Jolly]

it's also 3.7v just has a lower battery life in compairison to that injector mod i did.

it takes a 10440 battery (AAA) and the injector takes a 14600 (AA).

Maggie is another story. also one i consider a "current" failure due to how it is designed to take batteries.

maggie will be slimmed down to the same length as vinja, just be wider and hold a longer charge.

then the third one will come. it will be a solid 5v.

[FTJoe]

How about piecemeal just to get started? Get a white auto 103, RN4081, 901 8084 (are these the ones like a cigarette?), atty, cartridge and a charger. Maybe someone can chime in on how close these are to a cigarette or at least find that cool chart that used to be up with the pictures of them?

http://shop.wordupecig.com/Universal-USB-charger-Universal-USB-charger.htm <-- no idea how or if this will work

http://shop.wordupecig.com/DSE103-Manual-And-Auto-Batteries-DSE103-Manual-And-Auto-Batteries.htm

http://shop.wordupecig.com/RN4081-E-Cig-Batteries-RN4081-E-Cig-Batteries.htm

http://shop.wordupecig.com/DSE901-E-cig-Batteries-DSE901-E-cig-Batteries.htm

http://shop.wordupecig.com/BKME-8084-E-cig-Batteries-BKME8084-E-cig-Batteries.htm

http://shop.wordupecig.com/All-Ecig-Atomizers_c6.htm

Usually the attys come with a cart attached but I can't be sure about any of these, maybe ask the vendor. Also, I think TotallyWicked has auto 510s.