Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 5, 2011 17:20:33 GMT
Hi Jason. Just skipped through your posts and sadly I think your earlier comment about lack of patience being involved with this may have some merit, so if things still aren't going well I'd suggest you rewind a little and to some extent start all over again. Please don't hate me!!
First off, the Riva batteries hold an awful lot more power than the supermini ones. They should last you much, much longer from each charge, and with luck (as they won't have to work as hard as tiny batteries) could also last you several months of recharging. I do appreciate that 8 hours is a long time to wait before using a new piece of kit when it arrives but it is quite important to look after these batteries and basically the extra-long initial charge is recommended by virtually all suppliers. Subsequent charges will not take anything like 8 hours, it is only the first time you charge them you need to do this.
To keep you from fretting too much while your battery charges, had you thought of trying out your new liquid in your old supermini e-cig? I'm not familiar with your model but even if it has very small cartridges there may still be some way you can reach the filler and top it up with your new Home Counties juice.
As long as you can get even a few drops into the cartridge filler this would give you a chance to see how the juice itself tastes and what the difference in strength feels like to you. There may be some mixing of whatever flavour the cart originally contained for the first few puffs but after that you should get the new flavour coming through. If nothing else, it will allow you to have some idea of what it should be tasting like when you try using the Riva again with a fully-charged new battery.
While you're doing that, I don't think it would be a terrible idea to leave your new 510 atomiser standing up on a sheet or two of kitchen towel to drain, cartridge off, battery connection end uppermost. That way if it has become flooded it definitely won't be when you start to use it again. It might even be a positive advantage if it has been flooded as the extra juice might help to carry out any remaining nasty-tasting primer.
If on the other hand all is now going fine, feel free to ignore all of the above!! (One exception - I still think both new batteries should have an 8-hour charge each if at all possible) Welcome to the world of vaping, Jason - trust me, it really IS worth sticking with it through the steep part of the learning curve! All the best.
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 5, 2011 13:38:05 GMT
Looks as if some lucky chaps (and chapesses) have received theirs! So they really do the job, do they? These sound very promising indeed. ...and I've been the lucky recipient of a shining example of the kindness & generosity of one of the smashing members of this forum! The lovely CKC has sent me a PM and is going to send me a couple of hers so I can try them too.  I am really delighted and would happily have added many points to her karma score if this were still possible - any chance of these returning, Chrissie? I must say this has brightened me up no end, the perfect antidote to some not-so-great things which have been happening this week - like listening to the sound effects of the (currently ongoing) gales dismantling the remnants of my rickety much-repaired greenhouse, for instance...!  Thanks ever so much CKC  - and I can also add my gratitude to Perpetua for having the perspicacity to grab these while they were available, too. |
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 5, 2011 1:46:41 GMT
Chrissie - thanks ever so much for the link to Raggy's posts about his difficulties with OKS juices back in December. It looks as if I may have to investigate this further if they have apparently been changed to 100% VG.
I did have some Drum in a recent delivery but haven't actually tried it out - oddly enough the colour of it is quite pale. Old Holborn from the same delivery appears quite a bit darker.
Generally the stronger (higher nic) juices appear darkest, zero is normally very pale/almost clear; I get a range of strengths in some flavours and mix as needed, (eg) for people who want to reduce strength gradually. I think I've vaguely noted some differences in the colour of the juices before but just put it down to variability in the base.
As it goes I never did join the most recent OKS forum - perhaps I should have done. Looks as if I certainly should do now. Makes me look a bit foolish posting those figures extracted from the ingredients list - received 20th January...!! Ah well, if that's the worst thing that happens all year...
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 4, 2011 22:50:40 GMT
((((Chrissie)))) - likewise - grand to see you too!
Was this a recent change that Ragjoy had noticed? I haven't noticed any change with the ones I've had in recently, but then don't actually always check! The last time I know there were changes was around the time they introduced the Drum, Old Holborn & Golden Virginia flavours - because they had changed suppliers, I believe. Personally I thought it was an improvement, and the rolling tobaccos are excellent.
I have had some of the new Amber Leaf recently and found that too very good. A nice light rolling tobacco, perhaps slightly lighter than the GV but still a definite rollie flavour and as far as I can recollect once again pretty accurate to the original - unlike many of the 'named brand' type flavours (to my personal tastebuds). Don't get me wrong, this doesn't mean I don't like them - OKS B&H is probably my personal favourite, but it doesn't taste like the 'real ones' to me, I didn't actually like those much!
If there have been changes which I haven't spotted (going to have to try them all now, aren't I?) I will be after someone's guts for garters! I do think there's a certain amount of variation from one delivery to another but this hasn't struck me as significant up to date.
I think I may have just become accustomed to the fact that absolute consistency apparently isn't something that happens with e-cigs in general, either hardware or 'software', sadly!
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 4, 2011 22:11:11 GMT
7 out of 10 atties u/s doesn't sound right at all. This may or may not be relevant, but I recently had some atties failing to make a good contact on an SDII.
I have been swapping around 901 & 4075 atties and batteries (as well as using on the SD sometimes) and although they are supposed to be interchangeable they don't always seem to like each other. One thing I'd found was happening was that the silicon grommet beneath the round contact at the base of the atty seemed to have been getting crushed down too far; I tried easing the contact upwards very slightly with the blade of a very small screwdriver (the sort you tighten up spectacle screws with) and this seemed to help some of them.
Might just be worth trying this with some of your apparently non-functioning atties, Hanow? I am talking VERY gently - there are small wires attached to the inside of this round contact and you don't want to risk pulling them away from it!
I found last week though that I have one atty now (4075) which just refuses to make contact with the SD. Works fine on a standard 901 battery but nothing at all on the SD - I thought at first it had croaked, but no, it has apparently just decided it doesn't like the SD and will NOT work with it! ???
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 4, 2011 21:31:19 GMT
Sounds as if the Tanks proved rather a disappointment all round for you, Ian - shame. Hope you have better luck with the SmartCarts, whose thread I have now spotted! More kit to yearn for...!!
I'm basing my thoughts about increased VG proportions not only on observation but also some hard info; I was talking with Jasmin at OKS recently and she mentioned having an ingredient list and kindly sent me a copy.
It proved to be for the Marlboro flavour and shows PG> 55%, Glycerol (VG) <30%, Pure Water <4%. This, combined with the fact that some liquids now appear thicker (to me) and produce pretty dense vapour, makes me suspect that juices which I'd assumed were principally PG may well contain more VG than they used to.
For comparison, I managed to find a relatively recent TW box from the 50% sale period last year which shows PG >65%, Glycerol <20%, Pure Water <10%.
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 4, 2011 19:31:34 GMT
Oooooh! They look clever - shame I wasn't around earlier to enter a plea to try some of these...
Perpetua - you said they also go on a 901 atty OK? I've always found some size discrepancy between 901 & 510 kit; eg 510 carts fall out of my 901 atties. Can be a bit of a b*gger when you have the cart clenched in your teeth! (very bad habit of mine)
Has there been any suggestion these might become available anywhere a little closer to home? Or possibly in a 'dedicated' 901 version?
There seems to be a glut of new stuff to lust after just at the moment!
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Feb 4, 2011 18:43:41 GMT
Please forgive if this seems a little off-topic, this is really aimed at Ian as he's been so disappointed by the Tanks. (my sympathy - SO annoying when a new toy won't play) I am becoming increasingly convinced that the proportion of VG even in PG liquids has been increasing over the last 12 months or so, as the viscosity of all of the liquids I've seen recently seems to be much greater than it was around 2 years ago when all were noticeably thinner. I'm suspecting this might be related to problems I've had recently with 901 carts which are failing to wick properly even when brand new. They transmit liquid from about the top 1/4" then the rest just sits in the cart not budging! I do wonder if it might be a worthwhile experiment to try adding a little vodka to a small bottle of juice, Ian - this should thin it a little (adding alcohol also increases throat hit, too) and then try one of your Tanks again. I'd only suggest a few drops to start with, say 4/5 in a couple of ml and shake vigorously to mix. This might just adjust the viscosity enough to allow the Tank to work a little better. If this has already been suggested and tried please accept my apologies, haven't been in (or active in) the various forums for some while up till about the last week or so. |
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Aug 6, 2010 16:01:23 GMT
At the risk of being accused of peering into the gift horse's mouth, I'm still rather intrigued by why TECC would be unloading ALL of their stock like this - if they were about to change their logo/merge with TW or something like that surely they wouldn't also reduce everything else right down to the Lorann flavourings? Oddly, it only crossed my mind recently that I hadn't been deluged with TW emails for ages (thought I'd been dropped off the mailing list) then got 3 today. I'm trying to remember when it was they last went in for a load of half price offers - was it around this time last year? I really don't see Jason as the kind who would lose his nerve after the way he's built his businesses but the cynical old book-keeper in me can't think of many good reasons to suddenly unload stock this way... or perhaps he's just got the taxman after him!!  |
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Aug 6, 2010 8:16:42 GMT
Hi MM & Scylla - lovely to 'see' you too!
I've caught up a bit so now know that you may finally be making that long-threatened move at last, MM. I'm sure I've still missed masses of things so please forgive me (and let me know!!) if I put my foot in it anytime. I have actually spent much longer than I should have looking around in here, following interesting links etc...oops - where does the time go??
Scylla, do hope you enjoyed the juice - I think it was the Belgian Praline? Seem to recall Tim had something like 9 or 12mg though and always thought of you as a "full-strength" gal!
Chrissie, I did realise we still have that famous 'decision' to come in Sept but rather hoped they had realised how foolish going for 'ban' would make them look. Due to the public condemnation the MHRA got from the other lot (Regulatory Policy Committee) they would be wide open to challenge for what basically amounts to incompetence, ie not doing their job properly.
I'm still subscribed to a few threads over at ECF about stuff like this and it was catching up on these that brought me up short yesterday - then I couldn't seem to locate anything definitive saying "This is nonsense". That Katherine Devlin's a clever girl, isn't she? I'm delighted she is on 'our' team.
I was rather surprised though (a bit horrified, TBH) by something else I spotted in the press release; another of the contacts given at the foot of the letter is a chap at E-Lites of all places. They are an outfit I'd heard of a while back and thought of as a fairly good example of what I'd be inclined to regard as the cowboy rip-off element in the e-cig industry!!
Better hop off & get busy now - masses to get ready for markets etc over the weekend, meant to get a load of it done yesterday but somehow...didn't!
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Aug 5, 2010 13:50:28 GMT
(((((Chrissie!!!!!)))))
Heartbroken to hear of your losses, I am so sorry. A double bereavement like that would hit anyone hard, even if they were not vulnerable. You must hold on really tight to the knowledge that the lives they had with you were good lives.
...and I should actually have realised that if there WAS anything to this silly fuss with the MHRA of course there would have been a thread here about it.
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Aug 5, 2010 12:48:46 GMT
So it IS another storm in a teacup, Chrissie? This is the real snag with the size of ECF & so forth - sorting out the true hot p**p! (Bit saddened seeing some rather nasty remarks about Kate, too)
I am sorry I haven't been contributing here for so long, haven't posted in ECF for even longer (got a bit paranoid about them tagging me as a 'supplier') and the habit of just lurking but not posting sort of stuck...
Plus I have been really busy out in 'the real world' - finally, after all these years got a psych medic who gave me some pills for depression that actually keep you awake and get you going instead of making you feel even more like you have been run over by a fleet of artics!
So I have been trying (with a little success) to make some money while the sun shines; still rather scared I may plummet again as the nights draw in.
Speaking of money - must get an email off to James, need some more liquid from him; have run out of (read: sold all of) the MarliB I had from before he went off to the States.
Thanks so much for speed of response, Chrissie and Perpetua, feel a little calmer now!
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Tetsab
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Post by Tetsab on Aug 5, 2010 11:58:08 GMT
Hello to all my good friends here, with apologies for such a long absence of posts! I have been lurking occasionally for ages and as always picked up useful hints, tips and contacts - eg, the lovely James.
I am still one of the UK's smallest e-cig sellers, only selling in person at a few local events and markets, but have recently been quite astonishingly busy; some customers have recommended me to others, who have recommended me to others, who have... and so on. It could be just a flurry, but it might be the start of a cascade. At this rate I might even turn a small profit!!
So my shock this morning at tripping over the furor about the Trading Standards Officer's email saying the MHRA decision has been made (ban) followed by another hour trying to find out if this was correct (no-one seems sure?) has rocked me on my heels, rather.
Knowing that some folk here always seem to have their fingers bang on the pulse and I could spend all day in ECF, UKVapers etc trying to find out what is REALLY going on - I'm here pleading for someone to put me straight: Should I be panicking or not?
My personal optomism level about the UK legislative situation has been up and down like a yo-yo (or a UK economy graph) over the last few months but had settled back to something almost reasonable after the June meeting and the MHRA being slapped for doing such a lousy job. Today it has plummeted off the scale like a stock market crash...
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Post by Tetsab on Nov 21, 2009 11:28:33 GMT
Hot news, chaps & chapesses - new strength testing results on TW liquids from the excellent Vapn (Dvap in ECF) just in. forum.totallywicked-eliquid.co.uk/index.php?topic=3743.60He hasn't made any remarks about flavours, though... Jason must be tearing his hair out if this has been the result of clamping down on the Red Label juice suppliers! I could almost be feeling sorry for him again... |
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Post by Tetsab on Nov 5, 2009 22:19:10 GMT
Pleased to hear that your mail deliveries are functioning again Scylla, but rather a shame that you weren't over-impressed with the contents.
If your 'dead dog' carts were the ones that delight in the monicker of 'Regular' I always thought they tasted like someone else's feet - yeeuch!!
I have had some of the Dekang State Express (now called 555) and found it perfectly acceptable, nutty but not peanutty and no trace of any dogs or feet.
Annoyingly, since Dekang changed to calling Marlboro "USA Mix" they seem to have changed the flavour as well and I'm not that impressed with it now. This kind of thing isn't helping me to maintain consistency of product in the liquid flavours I blend for sale either!! I'm in quivering fear of Simon coming out with 'new improved' versions of some of his flavours...
Do you think there's any point mixing some of the State Express with some of the Kona in the hope that two wrongs might actually make a right? Or at least a 'not too appalling'...
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I am really delighted and would happily have added many points to her karma score if this were still possible - any chance of these returning, Chrissie?
