Advice request on moving to new system

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 15:27:18 GMT djs said:

Welcome Frances.

I was drawn to JacVapour after cutting down from 15 a day to about 12 a day using E-Lites. They're good they are, and cheap too. NOT.

Sometimes, the whole JacVapour thing annoys me, other times I'm kind of so-so about it. Compared to E-Lites, JacVapour are good guys.
Do I feel I got the whole truth buying into their system? No. But products like Blu and Halo in the US do exactly the same thing. They conveniently forget to mention the stuff is incompatible with almost everything else on the market.

Now, some good news. It IS possible to use up your cartomizers and even your Vivi Novas using an adapter to make it fit 510 equipment.

Even saying that - I'd say buy yourself something new and 100% compatible.

If you feel you want to get your money's worth out of the VV vGo, then keep using it with the vivi nova tank. If it takes one new atomizer head every 2-3 days, that's only 70p a day - you probably won't find them cheaper than £1.99 in all honesty. Then again, you might decide to use up what you have and then buy a 510 Vivi Nova .... your inherent problem is not going to change though.

I used up nearly all my JacVapour kit.... and then cut my losses. The biggest annoyance is that every last product is more expensive than it needs to be; from the liquids to the batteries to the atomizers.

Trouble is, google leads SO many people to JacVapour. So many people are utterly "amazed" at the quality and all the reviews are sensational.
Compared to skycigs and E-Lites, they are a bloody miracle. However, the users pay too much and it's only when you start shopping around that you realise the 808 problem.

Somebody once described the V3 mini cig-a-like as the best one on the market. Even I wrote a generous review about it in the early days.
I puffed on mine yesterday, freshly charged battery with a brand new 18mg Vanilla cartomiser. What a disappointment.
This stuff is old, old technology now. A £7.50 eGo battery kit is superior in every way.

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 15:27:18 GMT djs said:

Welcome Frances.

I was drawn to JacVapour after cutting down from 15 a day to about 12 a day using E-Lites. They're good they are, and cheap too. NOT.

Sometimes, the whole JacVapour thing annoys me, other times I'm kind of so-so about it. Compared to E-Lites, JacVapour are good guys.
Do I feel I got the whole truth buying into their system? No. But products like Blu and Halo in the US do exactly the same thing. They conveniently forget to mention the stuff is incompatible with almost everything else on the market.

Now, some good news. It IS possible to use up your cartomizers and even your Vivi Novas using an adapter to make it fit 510 equipment.

Even saying that - I'd say buy yourself something new and 100% compatible.

If you feel you want to get your money's worth out of the VV vGo, then keep using it with the vivi nova tank. If it takes one new atomizer head every 2-3 days, that's only 70p a day - you probably won't find them cheaper than £1.99 in all honesty. Then again, you might decide to use up what you have and then buy a 510 Vivi Nova .... your inherent problem is not going to change though.

I used up nearly all my JacVapour kit.... and then cut my losses. The biggest annoyance is that every last product is more expensive than it needs to be; from the liquids to the batteries to the atomizers.

Trouble is, google leads SO many people to JacVapour. So many people are utterly "amazed" at the quality and all the reviews are sensational.
Compared to skycigs and E-Lites, they are a bloody miracle. However, the users pay too much and it's only when you start shopping around that you realise the 808 problem.

Somebody once described the V3 mini cig-a-like as the best one on the market. Even I wrote a generous review about it in the early days.
I puffed on mine yesterday, freshly charged battery with a brand new 18mg Vanilla cartomiser. What a disappointment.
This stuff is old, old technology now. A £7.50 eGo battery kit is superior in every way.

Sorry about that- just learning to do the quote bit to thank you and reply- for some reason I can't just select a part of your post (I just managed it with my previous reply...?). Useful to think about getting an adapter to enable me to use my old tanks/carts on whatever new battery I buy. The trouble with Jac (as you no doubt discovered) is that you can't buy an adaptor for the battery to make it compatible with other tanks (all to do with male/female connections being reversed). I think you are right that I need to start again! Thanks

[Pepperty]

hiya frances and welcome to edit a post you quoted, I just delete the chunk I don't want inside quote box

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 14:01:50 GMT chykensa said:

frances - hi, and welcome to the forum!
You have made a start, that is the good thing! I've never seen Jacvapour kit before, but I have read that it is incompatible and expensive.
There will be many other posters along who will recommend kit which will be better for you in the long run, but you could do a lot worse than visit Myepack and have a look at their starter kits - here's one to get you started Protank Starter Kit
You will of course need another battery and maybe another tank, so why not buy 2 and then you have a backup charger too.
With 2 batteries and 2 Protanks you will be future-proofed and if you want to get into the realms of recoiling heads, the Protank heads are quite easy to do yourself, as many of us do!
Above all, please don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have; we've all been where you are now and can help you to get the best out of your kit and your wallet

ETA: try having a look through this excellent guide put together by a forum member to see what is around - allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/28309/pics-vids-get-started-abbreviations?page=1&scrollTo=513761

Thank you for your advice. The guide is indeed excellent and I am now thinking about a new system. I have got used to and enjoy the variable voltage so would be looking for that feature and will definitely be trying the pro tank heads (when I've decided on which new system to go for). Myepack are new to me and can't believe their prices- the juice in particular! Will definitely give them a go. Many thanks. 

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 14:02:15 GMT cigyc said:

 ....unless you buy the adapter only couple of pounds...

The problem is that you can't get an adaptor for the Vgo as the threads are reversed (the battery is male and the tank female, unlike all the other systems I've seen. I discovered this on another thread on this forum after ordering a couple of tanks that don't fit (yet- I'm soon to be buying a new battery!). Thank you for your reply. 

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 14:13:03 GMT dragon said:

The magic number you are looking for is 510, that is the standard fitting these days that nearly all independent systems use. Many things are 510/ego fitting. A 510 atty will fit on an ego battery, but an ego atty will not fit on a 510 battery (there are very few of these) without an adapter.

You will probably be able to get an adapter for your batteries which will allow you to use 510 attys. I don't know what size fitting jac use, hopefully someone can tell you. www.liberty-flights.co.uk/product.asp?id=35

For gunky liquids I really like the iClear16s. If you learn how to dry burn you can keep the coils going for months. The iClears are also a lot less likely to burn your liquids.

Good hunting, there are some wonderful systems out there, just remember to stay with 510 and you can mix and match

Thank you for your reply. It doesn't seem possible to get an adapter (all to do with a reversed connection and raised in another thread on this forum). For dry burning, can I ask, do you wash the wick first? When I've attempted this so far (3times now) the atomiser doesn't fire at all and ends up in the bin and me very annoyed! I take it apart, clean it in warm water, gently and leave to dry over night. Then I assemble it and ... Nothing. I have managed it successfully on a bottom coil but not on the nova for Vgo (seems a special just for JAC - as it has the appropriate connection). 

[ionian]

Ok, variable voltage options:

Let's start at the top - the Rolls Royce of vaping devices, the Provari is an American made device that has a reputation of being the top dog in electronic mods. I've never tried it, but one day... It's also available as a mini. Prices start at around £175.
Stepping, down a little, there's the Evic - tube device, links to your PC and tracks your vaping throughout the day. Complete kit is about £100.
I don't have links for these two, but I'm sure someone will oblige if you want more info!

Coming down in price, for between £30 and £50 you can get one of the following;
I love Innokin products. The STD is a tube mod with a good reputation; the MVP is a box mod with an enormous battery life, no other batteries needed; the itaste is a smaller battery, but is very slim and attractive.
Also available at this price range is the Vamo - many people start their vv/vw experience with this, another electronic tube mod.

Vamos, SVD and MVPs are available at www.myepack.co.uk - best prices I've found for brand new items; the itaste best price is at www.paradisevape.co.uk for £30. I've got to run so haven't got time to find direct links - apologies!

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 14:59:03 GMT giles said:

frances

Main thing is to get a clearomiser with replaceable heads, so when they gunk up you replace only the head, not the whole atty. The iclear and protank will both do that; so will the evod, which is like the protank but a bit cheaper. Protank and evod heads are cheaper than iclear; or you can buy wick and wire and rebuild them yourself, which can't be done easily on the iclear. The iclear also tends to use more juice - but it is a very nice vape.

The obvious replacement battery would be a spinner. You could get something like firstvape.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=226 You'd probably put an evod, mini protank or an iclear 16 on it rather than a bigger clearo.

Or, if you are happy with something much bigger and heavier you could take a larger step and go for something like a vamo - charliesvapeshop.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=296 or much cheaper slowboat from china (if you want to do that let us know, and we can advise on batteries etc.). You would put a full size protank or an iclear 30 on that.

Are you using Jac's juices? There are better and cheaper alternatives.

Thank you Giles. I am currently using replaceable heads- maybe my expectaions are too high in how long they should last (2 days?) I wouldn't mind so much if I could clean them, but when i do they stop working all together! I know it's still cheaper than smoking, so I shouldn't complain! I'm still trying to decide between going for an alternative vv of a similar size to the one I'm used to or biting the bullet and going 'large' with a mod. Is the only difference to do with battery time and tank size or is there a noticeable difference in flavour and throat hit too?

[dragon]

Nov 2, 2013 18:59:17 GMT frances said:

Nov 2, 2013 14:13:03 GMT dragon said:

The magic number you are looking for is 510, that is the standard fitting these days that nearly all independent systems use. Many things are 510/ego fitting. A 510 atty will fit on an ego battery, but an ego atty will not fit on a 510 battery (there are very few of these) without an adapter.

You will probably be able to get an adapter for your batteries which will allow you to use 510 attys. I don't know what size fitting jac use, hopefully someone can tell you. www.liberty-flights.co.uk/product.asp?id=35

For gunky liquids I really like the iClear16s. If you learn how to dry burn you can keep the coils going for months. The iClears are also a lot less likely to burn your liquids.

Good hunting, there are some wonderful systems out there, just remember to stay with 510 and you can mix and match

Thank you for your reply. It doesn't seem possible to get an adapter (all to do with a reversed connection and raised in another thread on this forum). For dry burning, can I ask, do you wash the wick first? When I've attempted this so far (3times now) the atomiser doesn't fire at all and ends up in the bin and me very annoyed! I take it apart, clean it in warm water, gently and leave to dry over night. Then I assemble it and ... Nothing. I have managed it successfully on a bottom coil but not on the nova for Vgo (seems a special just for JAC - as it has the appropriate connection). 

Sounds to me like you haven't dried things enough. I have attys with replaceable coils which makes it easier. I disassemble the clearo completely before removing the white plastic cover on the coil/head and rinsing the head before blowing through it to get rid of most of the water, and then leaving it to dry for 24hrs. I then dry burn and put the head in a cup and pour boiling water over it. If there is any water inside the head or the "bottom" I attach it too in order to dry burn then it reads as a short, as in will not fire.

Also make sure you do not yank on the wicks too much as it can displace the coil causing a short.

DO NOT boil any part of a clearomiser other than the head it weakens the plastic. For clearos you can't take apart then make sure you remove the white plastic cover to the coil before rinsing (tweezers required) and they take longer to dry before you can dry burn.

I had a look for an adapter for you. There are some available in America, but with postage etc, you may as well just get new batteries

[giles]

2 days is certainly short. I'd have thought a week was more usual, and some of us manage much longer. I don't know what clearos you are using, but they shouldn't stop working if you run them under a hot tap. I'm wondering if you are on an unusually gunky juice.

Evods and protanks are very easy to rewick. Todd is usually pretty good www.toddsreviews.com/2013/02/evod-mt-bcc-review-rebuild.html I use ecowool.

Some would disagree with me, but personally I doubt if you'll notice that much difference in the vape with a bigger device unless you put a different sort of atty on the top - specifically some sort of rebuildable (RBA). You can get more power out of the bigger ones, but you are turning the power down anyway. I'm not suggesting that you buy an RBA now - they can be expensive, and they are relatively complicated, so best to start by rewicking an evod, protank, or nova, see what you like.

What a vamo (for instance) does do, among other things, is tell you how much power is left in your battery, and tell you the resistance of your atty - which is handy when you are rewicking. And if you do want to try an RBA one day then you'll have something that can drive it properly.

[frances]

Dragon- thank you for this info on cleaning the tank/atomiser/coil/wick (not sure what the collective term is- it's a nova tank that I've been using with replaceable coil). I think maybe the problem is a bit of both- not dry enough (impatience) and pulling on the wicks (ignorance)! I have since dissected one of the heads and now am gaining a bit more insight into how it all works- bear in mind that I am of a generation where girls didn't study science apart from biology if they attended an all girls school!! One more bit of clarification please- you say you put the dry burned head in a cup and pour boiling water over it. So then do you have to dry it again for 24 hours- sorry for being a bit dense!

Giles- thank you for your feedback. I do particularly like vermillion river juice - premium Kentucky blend -which is quite thick and sweet. If you know of a similar one which might not clog as much I'd love to hear about it. I have a very large (for a relatively new vapour) collection of juice and seem to always prefer the sweet, digestive biscuity tobacco ones (I'm an ex cigar smoker so that might explain my preference). If I can't find an alternative (and even if I can) would there be something I could re wick with that would tolerate these stickier liquids. I'd definitely like to have a go at re wicking.

[dragon]

I dry them for 24hrs, but so long as you blow out the excess and dry it on tissue to soak it up faster then think a couple of hours is probs long enough. I have a good system going maintaining mine and hubbys, and 24 hrs suits my ocd

I really like the T-juice cigar flavours btw. Cubano gunks up the coils fairly fast, but cubanito doesn't. They are different from each other but both yummy imo. Neither are sweet though.

[keepitgoin]

Welcome frances, I cant do the "board" stuff too well either, BUT on here you'll get good Vaping advice, and computer help!!! 2 for the price of 1!!

[giles]

Nov 2, 2013 23:14:24 GMT frances said:

would there be something I could re wick with that would tolerate these stickier liquids.

I suspect that bottom-coil devices like the protank and evod will fare better than the top coil devices like the nova and iclear, but I'm really only guessing. However, if you are coiling your own wicks then you can replace the usual silica wick with cotton, which handles thicker juices better. (If that doesn't work, the next step would be a genesis-style RBA with a metal mesh wick or a dripping atty). I don't use cotton myself, but plenty do. There's videos e.g. link

It might be easier to do something about the juice. Juices with a lot of VG (instead of PG) tend to be thicker. Also more vapour, a bit less throat hit. Slightly sweeter. It may be worth seeing if your supplier has a higher PG version of the liquid. Or, you could try thinning it yourself. Distilled water works (from a chemist, not a garage) but personally I use vodka, which works better and also increases the throat hit a bit (which I like but of course you may not). 5% vodka to 95% juice will probably make a noticeable difference to the atty, but maybe not much (or nothing bad) to the flavour.

Incidentally, to clean my heads I just rinse them under the hot tap for a while, dab them on a tissue, and then put them on a radiator. I have at least 2 heads for each clearo I've got in use, so I replace the head with one I cleaned yesterday or whenever. I don't dry-burn any more. I've tried other things, but I think it is easier to just do the rinse more often. Evods and protanks are less trouble to clean & change heads than the novas and iclears because you don't have to empty the tanks before you do it.

[frances]

Nov 2, 2013 18:59:40 GMT ionian said:

I love Innokin products. The STD is a tube mod with a good reputation; the MVP is a box mod with an enormous battery life, no other batteries needed; the itaste is a smaller battery, but is very slim and attractive.
Also available at this price range is the Vamo - many people start their vv/vw experience with this, another electronic tube mod.

Vamos, SVD and MVPs are available at www.myepack.co.uk - best prices I've found for brand new items; the itaste best price is at www.paradisevape.co.uk for £30. I've got to run so haven't got time to find direct links - apologies!

Sorry for the slow reply- I see that the innokin products get good reviews and are at around the right price point (at the moment!). Couple of quick questions if you don't mind? Is the box shape of the MVP or VTR uncomfortable in the hand (I'm guessing not or it would be so well reviewed). I keep reading about 'pass through' - does that mean that you don't hold it? Would it be best to go with the VTR over the MPV if I'm thinking of doing my own coils (so I can check the resistance- hope I'm getting the terminology right here!). I can see definite advantages if the battery lasts so much longer, without too long a length/weight. Do you need a second battery for when it needs charging or do most people just use a back up system of charge overnight? 
I think that's more than a couple of questions! So I'll stop there. Just can't believe how incredible kind and helpful everyone is being! Thank you.