Electronic Cigarette Intro: Part 2
Selecting the Right Device for You
Whatever
model you choose, ensure that your initial order includes at least two
atomizers, two batteries, one battery charger, 10 cartridges or cartomizers, and
30–60 ml of e-liquid ... and some means to ensure continued vaping for a
full day (e.g., extra batteries, PCC, Passthrough, or high-mAh battery Mod).
[NOTE: The following suggestions are organized by type of model, not
in order of quality or recommendation.]
1. DSE901 or
Joye 510 Yeti
If
you want to start with an e-cig close to the size and shape of an analog
(and are willing to cope with frequent battery recharging), consider either
the DSE901 or Joye 510 Yeti:
- The tried and
true 118 mm DSE901 gets the job done, very well. It is an excellent choice if you
would prefer an automatic switch battery – delivering power
to the atomizer by sucking on the mouthpiece, rather than pressing a
button. The $47 starter
kit includes two batteries, one atomizer, wall charger & cord,
five prefilled cartridges, and an instruction manual.
To ensure all-day vaping for at least two weeks,
supplement the starter kit with:
o
At least one extra $10 DSE901 atomizer.
Otherwise you would be paralyzed if your only atty gives up the ghost.L
o
The $23 Yeti
USB Passthrough and $6 Adapter (510
battery to 901 atomizer) to save your two charged batteries for when you are
away from the computer … and/or one or two extra $14 DSE901
batteries
in order to have at least two fully charged backup batteries when
you venture out into the world.
o
Last, but foremost, blank carts and juice! The
cartridges in the starter kit will last you a couple days. In fact, the
hardware will likely keep you going for one or two months. Buy two
$2.85 five-packs of unfilled
cartridges … and two to four 15-ml bottles of $11 Non-USA AltLiquid
and/or $15 USA-Made
AltLiquid. I recommend trying a variety of flavors.
- The 112 mm Joye510 Yeti is the most popular
model among those in the know and produces more vapor than any
other electronic cigarette. It is the ideal choice if you want full
control of the vaping experience by pressing a button to engage its manual
switch battery. The $50 starter kit
includes two batteries, two atomizers, wall charger & cord, five
prefilled cartridges, and an instruction manual.
To ensure all-day vaping for at least two weeks,
supplement the starter kit with:
o
The $23 Yeti
USB Passthrough to save your two charged batteries for when you are
away from the computer … and/or $20 Yeti
PCC to charge one battery while vaping the other (and hold an extra
atty and three carts), even when you are out and about.
o
And, of course, the blank carts and e-liquid as suggested
for the DSE901. Buy two $2.85 five-packs of unfilled
cartridges … and two to four 15-ml bottles of $11 Non-USA AltLiquid
and/or $15 USA-Made
AltLiquid.
2. KR808D
If
you want the simplest, easiest to use e-cig and more puffs per
battery charge (tie with the Penstyle, but short of a Mod), consider the KR808D: the two-part e-cig
using an integrated cartridge and atomizer. You just screw on a pre-filled
cartomizer and vape. No juice dripping or cart filling required (although you
may want to do so to save money).
The
$33 KR808D Starter Kit includes the PCC (with
built-in USB charger), one 280 mAh battery, and two high strength cartomizers.
To
ensure all-day vaping for at least two weeks, supplement the starter kit with:
·
Additional ways of powering your cartomizers, either:
o
One or two extra KR808D batteries in
order to vape one battery while the other is being charged in your PCC, when
you venture out into the world. You can pick one up for $14.95, KR808D Manual Battery.
o
And/or the $23 Yeti
USB Passthrough and $6 Adapter (510
battery to KR808D cartomizer) to save your batteries for when you are away from
the computer
·
And cartomizers and/or e-liquid! The cartomizers
in the starter kit will last you only a day or so.
o
Buy two $9.50 five-packs of filled
cartomizers (in any of six flavors)
o
Or two
$9 five-packs of empty
cartomizers (in any of six colors) and two to four 15-ml bottles
of $11 Non-USA
AltLiquid and/or $15 USA-Made AltLiquid.
I recommend trying a variety of flavors and colors. [Colors add flair to the appearance of your e-cig and
can enable you to color-code the flavors of e-liquid you insert.]
3. Silver
Bullet or BB
If
you want to be able to vape all day without using a charger, PCC, or PT and
make a long-term investment in a personal vaporizer that can last a lifetime
(and are comfortable with a device much larger than an analog cigarette)
– the Silver Bullet or BB is for you.
·
The larger, virtually indestructible Silver
Bullet ($99) is the ultimate in day-long vaping. It is available
in its original namesake finish or in smooth black, with a fitting for the
Joye510 Yeti atomizer.
You also need to order:
o
Two protected 18650 2400mAh batteries ($8
each) + a dual-battery charger ($14),
both available from AltSmoke.
NOTE: Always use protected batteries only.
o
Atomizers
and/or adapters: two 510 attys ($16/pair) … or two 901 attys ($16/pair)
+ 510 to 901/KR808D/Greencig adapter ($6) … or a blank KR808D
cartomizer five-pack ($9) + 510 to 901/KR808D/Greencig adapter ($6).
o
And, of course, the cartridges
and e-liquid described
previously for the smaller models.
·
The smaller but equally indestructible BB ($99) is for those who
want many hours of uninterupted vaping in a more streamlined
package. It is available in its original namesake matte black finish or in pink
or purple, with a fitting for the Joye510 Yeti atomizer.
You also need to order:
o
Two protected 14500 900mAh batteries ($5
each) + a dual-battery charger ($14),
both available from AltSmoke. NOTE: Always use protected
batteries only.
o
Atomizers and/or adapters: two 510 attys ($16/pair)
… or two 901 attys ($16/pair) + 510 to 901/KR808D/Greencig adapter
($6) … or a blank KR808D cartomizer five-pack ($9) + 510 to
901/KR808D/Greencig adapter ($6).
o
And, of course, the cartridges
and e-liquid previously
described.
·
If you’d like to have your cake and eat it
too, i.e., have the smaller, streamlined BB and be able to access
increased power, get the BB and the $55 BB Passthrough.
It attaches to the top switch portion of BB unit,
replacing the battery with 5V of sustained power from a USB port on your
computer.
How to Use Your E-Cig
Charging Up
and Plugging In
The
first thing to do when your order arrives is to charge your batteries
fully – at least until the charger light turns from red to green,
although four to eight hours is recommended for the initial charge. [NOTE: If
you ordered the KR808D, the PCC is your battery charger, so skip to the next
paragraph.] Connect the charger and cord and plug into a wall outlet or power
strip. Screw a battery into the charger (notice that the LED on the battery
flashes briefly and the light on the charger turns
red). Or, if you ordered the Silver Bullet or BB, insert the batteries in the
dual charger.
If
you ordered a PCC, charge that fully as well. Connect the miniUSB cable
to the Yeti PCC and plug the cable into a USB port on your computer. For the
KR808D PCC plug the built-in USB connector. The red light will turn on and,
when the PCC is fully charged, the green light turns on. Tip: You can
charge one of your batteries in the PCC, as you are charging the PCC itself.
If
you ordered the USB Passthrough, you can begin vaping immediately, even
while your batteries are charging. Insert that slender blue 320 mAh battery
into the black box on the cord (line it up the end with the bump at the + sign
and the flat end at the spring). Close the little black box and plug the cord
into your computer. [The
tiny plug of the miniUSB cord goes into the bottom of your PCC; the larger plug
goes into a USB port on your computer.] From now on,
you can use your PT just like a battery, following the instructions in the next
section.
While all
that charging is going on, why don’t you sit
back and read the little manual that came with your starter kit … and
watch this review and demonstration of the Joye510 PCC (branded “Titan” by
TECC) by Scott (“igetcha” of E-Cig-Reviews.com):
Your First
Vape
Open up one
of the cartridge (or cartomizer) packets. You see that there is a plastic
“condom” on the end (to keep the juice moist). You remove that and
put it to the side (you might have a need for it later). If you have the
KR808D, skip to the next paragraph. Otherwise, remove the temporary empty
mouthpiece from the atomizer and put it to the side (you might want to use that
in the future also). Push the cartridge into open end of the atomizer.
For an
optimum vaping experience, orient the cartridge as shown and described here by eclypse:
[NOTE: The filler in your cartridge
is not blue. What’s shown in this photo is the “blue foam
mod” described in the Appendix.]
Screw the
atomizer/cartomizer into a fully charged battery (or passthrough). [In the case
of the Silver Bullet or BB, unscrew the two portions of the battery housing,
insert the battery into the housing (plus side up), screw the housing back
together, and screw in the atomizer/cartomizer.]
Now the big
moment! You stick it in your mouth and puff. [If you have an automatic battery,
e.g., DSE901 or KR808D, skip to the next paragraph.] Nothing happens.L Oh, that’s right!
I forgot to press the button. So you do it again, pressing the button while you inhale.
Oh, I felt something there, but not much. And where’s this
vapor everybody talks about? Has AltSmoke let me down? Nope.
The problem
is not with your new e-cig; it’s with your drag technique. You’re
attempting to do it the same way as you have smoked an analog cigarette: a
short, sharp puff directly into your lungs. But an e-cig, although similar in
some ways, is not an analog (it’s better, but different). So some
brief instruction is in order…
Using his
penstyle e-cig (with an automatic battery), joshuajamerson
explains and demonstrates what you did wrong and contrasts that with the more
effective way to do it:
[NOTE: If
you have a model with a manual battery, you don’t have to worry
about that “fine line” he mentions. You just press the button and
drag as long as you want.]
One aspect
of puffing on an e-cig that he doesn’t mention is the two-phase inhale
that most of us use. That long leisurely drag is not directly
into your lungs (as with an analog), but into your mouth … and then
inhale into your lungs.
Why
don’t you give it a try? That was much better, wasn’t it?
Lots of vapor and you really felt it. Oh, you want to go right back and do it
again, huh? OK! Have at it … and start evolving your own
puffing/inhaling style!
If you are
using the Yeti or DSE901 atomizer, you may notice a rather unpleasant taste as
you are vaping. Don’t worry; you are about to find out how to take care
of that. We need to learn some…
Basic Operating
Procedures
The Joye510 Yeti and DSE901
For
these models, let’s bring in ECF’s
and VF’s Kristin. Her Everything You Ever Wanted to
Know About Your 510 tutorial provides the foundation for
effective continued use of either the Yeti or DSE901 [or for the use of the SB and BB using Joye510 or DSE901 atomizers and
cartridges]. We’ll supplement her wisdom with that of others from
the vaping community, who will be joining us in photos or by video.
In the Getting Started portion of her tutorial, to get rid of that unpleasant
taste, Kristin advises you to:
…blow out your atomizer. The atomizer comes from the
factory with a “primer fluid” to keep it moist, but it tastes
terrible. [Actually, I don’t think it’s that bad.] Simply
place your mouth over the threaded end and blow hard [and steadily] onto a
paper towel until no more liquid comes out.
[NOTE: This
is the same thing to do if your atomizer ever becomes flooded with too much
e-liquid at once.]
There may still be some primer fluid on the atomizer, so
drip TWO drops [of e-liquid] directly onto the metal coil in the atomizer,
attach the [mouthpiece/cartridge] to the atomizer and then screw the atomizer
onto the fully charged battery.
[Then]…take a few puffs into your mouth [but
don’t inhale into your lungs] and blow it directly out, to get the liquid
flowing into the atomizer….If you continue to taste a burnt/chemical
taste, this is the atomizer burning off the primer fluid. Continue to
“puff & blow” until the taste diminishes.
From
then on you will be able to vape contentedly with that atomizer. After awhile,
you’ll notice the flavor, vapor, and/or TH (i.e., throat hit) begin to falter. That means you
need to top off your cartridge. In the first half of this video, Dustin (aka
“RatInDaHat”) of E-cigReview.com shows us how to do that
(using a different model e-cig) and also introduces us to dripping.
As
Kristin cautions, “DO
NOT OVERFILL. Use the dropper to drip the liquid until it no longer absorbs
into the filler. Usually around 15 drops [with a blank
cartridge]. If some liquid pools at the top, dab with a paper
towel…. drip TWO drops directly onto the metal coil in the
atomizer.” And
continue vaping.
The KR808D
[Also
applies to the SB and BB using KR808D cartomizers.] Cartomizers were originally
designed to be used once and thrown away. However, most users extend the life
of their cartomizers by refilling them with juice (or by filling empty
cartomizers from scratch). They hold approximately 1ml of fluid which means you
can refill them less often than DSE901 or Yeti carts.
When
you notice a change in flavor (some people say it tastes slightly plastic) or a
drop in vapor, it's time to refill the cartomizer. [If you ever taste a harsh
burnt flavor, throw the cartomizer away.] There are two ways to do that: the simple
(but less effective) way and the more effective method (which requires a bit
more effort).
The
simple way: Drip into the hole at the battery end. The more effective way:
Remove the end cap (and the plastic washer beneath it) at the mouthpiece end;
and then fill the batting inside with juice. GrimmGreen demonstrates both
techniques in this video:
Conclusion
There is a lot more you can learn about AltSmoke’s
Yeti, DSE901, KR808D, Silver Bullet, and BB and how to enjoy them. Refer to the
following Appendix, browse the threads in ECF’s Joye 510, DSE 901/b *Mini*,
and KR808D-1 Model
Specific Discussion forums, the Order of the
Silver Bullet and AltSmoke
forums, and search throughout ECF and Vapers Forum. Ask the wise men and
women we’ve consulted in this guide (including in the Appendix). Shown
below are those we called on the most. [You’ll recognize the guys from
their videos. We read the words of Kristin (in the top row) and will hear
the words, and see the hands, of Ms T (in the lower right).]
As
a last resort, you can even ask me! [That “last
resort” crack was modest self-deprecation and not meant to
discourage you. Actually, I’d love to hear from you! Be forewarned: I am
not very technically savvy.]
Of
course, for any questions about the items you receive – or want to order
– from AltSmoke, don’t hesitate to contact Rob (“halopunker”
on ECF), AltSmoke’s proprietor extraordinaire.
In his inimitable way, pugilist BigIceDog points the
way to find out even more about vaping:
Enjoy your electronic cigarette and accessories, all the great AltLiquid … and your interactions with one of the best vaping suppliers in the world!
~DonDaBoomVapeElectronic Cigarette Intro: Part 1
Electronic Cigarette Intro: Part 2