gasolinev8

....should I get?
Fairly new to this, though I currently have a 306 style unit. Actually, a Bogetech 307 that I bought locally with a 306 atomizer and carts. My main issue is maintenance. I'm a pretty heavy vaper and the carts don't last long enough for me and I find refilling these things messy. I've been loading up carts lately, but with that I go thru all 5 of them in a day plus some refilling. I need something that will last longer and/or easier to refill. I've been seriously considering the 510 or one of the cartomizer styles. Also, battery life is a consideration for me as well. I go through about 3 batts a day and the batteries on this 307 seem to be longer than the 306's. I work in a shop so a passthru really isn't an answer for me. I have been to the other forum and they all seem to be extremely bias towards the cartomizers. Maybe they work that well, maybe thats just how that forum works, IDK. You all seem a little more down to earth over here so I thought I'd get some opinions from this side of the fence. Perhaps this has been discussed before but I was unable to find any info I wanted with search, so forgive me if this has been discussed or send me in the right direction please.

Stehle

My Personal choices are 084's & 510's

084 = Light vaping, nice flavor, throat hit, vapor & ultra realism. *

510 = Heavy vaping, okay flavor, throat hit. **

* PCC is a must have due to the short battery life.

** PCC is very nice to have away from the charger.

Just my personal thoughts.

gasolinev8

The 084 is similar to the 306, is it not? The liquid container is recessed inside the cart? Or more like the 510? I'm sorry but I'm not real familiar with all these products yet. As much as I've grown used to the 306 performance and size, I do not like the process involved with topping off these carts. And they seem to not last very long before I have to change or topoff, maybe 3 cigs worth. The 510 seems to have a much better cart design and hold more fluid, but seems a little large for my use during work. If there was a smaller model that was setup similar to the 510 or 901 style cart, I think that's what I would want. And I only ask about the cartomizers cause people seem to swear by these things, however, it seems like it may be more hype and convenience than actual performance and cart life.

Kaye

Gas8, I recommend the manual battery 510 and if you order the mega batteries from Totally Wicked (that's the only place I know you can get them), you'll be able to vape over twice as long before you need to recharge. I'm guessing 8 hours if you use it only sporadically throughout the day; mine are lasting that long. The mega battery makes it a little longer, but it's worth it. And truly, I don't think you'll mind the larger size, even in your shop; it doesn't look wierd or clunky and the benefits are SO worth it. My 510s have been incredibly reliable; no problems at all. You'll need to look around on this forum a little to find threads dealing with juice/liquid and alternative cartridge material, but those are personal choices and something you'll get to over time. A 510 starter kit for around $47, some good juice (I like VG best) and later a 5-pack of mega-batteries from TK will make your vaping easy and enjoyable.

gasolinev8

Thank you for the input. Seems like this is going to turn into a hobby. 510 seems like the way to go at this time, but seriously, I wanna try em all. With all the money I'm saving not buying cigs, I can justify to my girl the money I spend on equipment After all, he with the most toys wins

Snarkyone

Gas,
I doubt that the 510 is going to be to your satisfaction either. I have a 510 and I am constantly jacking around with the carts and topping them off. Getting the filler for them is a pain in the butt, it's a real pain. If you don't want to do all that, and want the simplest system get a cartomizer like a KR808D-1, the carts last a lot longer and they are so much easier to fill than the 401, 510, or 901. The 510 hits good and provides a good amount of vapor and throat hit but you also pay for it with your time spent with the carts.

gasolinev8

Thank you all for the input,
Got more questions though,
With my 306 carts, I gotta top off after about 3 drops or about 30 drags (I know drops and drags are subjective to many things, but its the easiest comparison I know of).
Stehle, How often do you have to top off the 084?
How often do you all find your self topping off the 510? Do any of you have any cart mods?
Snarkyone, seems like youv'e used both designs. What would you estimate your cart to cartomizer usage ratio is?
I hope I'm not bugging you all, but again, I can't seem to find any consistent info. I keep reading people using anywhere from 10 to 80? drops to fill 901 and 510 carts but nothing on how much is really used. And everyone with cartomizers sound like those guys that show up at my door on the weekends wanting to sell me something I can't live without.
The shop I work in does a lot of custom automotive stuff. I constantly get guys in there bragging about how fast, how low, how off the hook their rides are and a lot of the stuff I find about e-cigs sounds like bench racing to me.

Hachiroku

LOL! Just like computers or anything else that can be modded!

I got an 084 from Smoke Assassin, no nic, and definitely overpaid for it (FREE, but $9.95 shipping and first order of carts=$79) Ooops. Wish I had come here first.
Vapor is OK when the battery is full, taste is OK (I just got some HIGH nic Tobacco flavor from VT Vapor), but the battery life SUCKS!!!! Also, to get good vapor I took one of the carts apart and stuffed some of the batting under the atomizer. Otherwise, first hit was good, and everything after was weak. I'm going to use this around the house, but I found a local dealer selling 510's and think that's going to be my workhorse. He needs to get some but he says that's what he smokes (er, vapes?), and he was a 2 pack a day smoker! (He owns the largest tobacco store in the area.) He sells them for $52, two attys, two batteries and 10 carts and a charger. No tax where he is. No web, either.

The real drawback with the 084 being the battery, sometimes I only get one ciggy worth of charge! It is small, easy to carry, but the carts run down fast. Supposed to be good for 10 ciggies, I get about 3 before topping off.

But I can tell you, I have about 1.5 LBS of rolling tobacco around here, and about 100 tubes and a roll yer own machine...I'm keeping the tubes, the machine and .5 LB tobacco, but I think they're done (unless the FDA pulls the rug out...)

Snarkyone

Your right there is a lot of hype amongst the users. I hate seeing post where people ask what is best for them and the person will get 100 answers and not one person will ask the most important question that needs to be asked before you can recommend any model. You have to know what the person smoke habits are along with their personality. Many people lack the patience or the time to play around with the 3 piece units filling carts all the time or dipping/dripping all the time in order to enjoy the product.

I was like you and saw all the ads for the cartomizers and the talk of one cartridge being equal to one pack of tobacco cigarettes using some math formula that has absolutely no bearing on real life smoking. If I recall correct it was something like 250-300 puffs per cartridge and if you get 10 puffs on average from a tobacco cigarette thus 200 puffs is one pack. They don't take into account that smoking is a lot like driving, we all have our own style of doing it. We could have identical cars and have totally different gas mileage due to how we differ in our driving.

I used hours a cart was good as my guide rather than number of puffs since I counted my tobacco cigarette usage that way as well. I would go through a pack or so a day so by rights if a cart is equal to a pack then it should last me a whole 24 hr period, you hear what I'm saying? I get about 24 hrs to the cart so far. Now that's subject to change but it is a far cry from the 2-4 cigarettes I get out of the 3 piece units. I got my first cart and had it charged at 4:00pm one day and it lasted to 4:00pm the next day, with only light breaks where I forgot to bring it with me and had to use my Dragon or 510, but not enough to really have a big impact. I can also say that the hit is nice, it's warmer and it's quite tasty. I also like how easy it is to refill these carts. It is a lot less mess than the 3 piece units and I like how they have a O-ring type gasket to protect you from sucking up extra juice and sealing off the material, it's nice and quick to refill, like pouring a glass a beer.

They are not perfect though. The KR808D-1 hits like a Ultra Light tobacco cigarette and requires that you plug off some air hole which is easy enough to do but still, this could have been done better but then again, it works. Perhaps the inventor smoked ultra lights who knows...The PCC charging cord that plugs into the USB is kind of weak and very easily damaged, I would think it could be designed better. The carts like I said are the point that most people would be disappointed since they are expecting a cart that is a never ending cigarette. It's hard to temper people's expectations, hell it's hard enough to temper my own. Personally I think the best on the market at the moment is the GreenCig cart. Once I saw the pictures of how those carts are assembled and the parts they are made of it was clear that the tech was leaps and bounds beyond even the KR808D-1. The bottom line is yes I think the cartomizers are a better E-Cig and that's my opinion. I think that they are worth the extra money to start and I don't worry about the cost of the carts since they can be refilled many times before they need to be chucked in the trash. Are they the perfect E-Cig with no room for improvement? Not by a long shot but they are a class above the 3 piece units.

gasolinev8

wow. Awesome input from everyone. The problem with time comparison is that I find I actually vape more than I did smoke. Its more convenient and pleasurable to do so. But a very good way to compare usage indeed. Now, all the KR808 re-brands are mostly the same I assume, but it sounds like cartomizer designs may be different between brands? And I noticed on a post of yours elsewhere, you had some issues with batteries. If one was a pack and a half a day smoker, would 2 batteries get them thru a day? Are they reliable?

Snarkyone

In answer to your question yes, with a PCC a moderate to heavy smoker could get through the day with a couple of batteries. You should be able to get through a shift with 2 batteries and a cart or two. I always bring extra carts you never know when you find that you need them. I also always bring juice along as well, contrary to popular belief most cartomizers can be refilled quite easily. I had issues with the batteries that were sent because evidently they were older ones that had been sitting around for a while. I got my satisfaction with the vendor and I don't think that the batteries have issues at all. If they did it would have been out long before I came along.

Yeah, I find that I vape more than I used to smoke and that's why it's so hard to qualify the one cart equals one pack statement. Especially if you take into consideration the starter puffs....are they counting those in that 250-300 puff estimate of theirs? I found that I had to take on average a good three pulls (kind of like the little running push you would give your bike when you were a kid to get it going) to get a good lungful of vapor that satisfied. A lot of that has to do with the excessive airflow of the KR808D-1 model that I will refer to as the KR model. That is not that unusual in these E-Cigs with the auto batteries. I don't have a manual battery KR which is now available for those that prefer them.

Yeah a lot of the re-badged KR808D-1 are the same. They are made in the same factory, the only difference is one retailer opted to brand their shipments. I don't care for the practice, since it only adds to an already confusing marketplace but nobody really gives a rats patootie what I think about it. The difference is in the vendors choice of flavors to stock really. The carts are all filled at the same place as well so don't fall for any crap about our carts are better because unless they handfill their own empty carts for reselling they are all the same when it comes to the KR808D-1.

The top of the line cartomizer the GreenCig has the most technologically advanced cartomizer of them all. It is obvious at first glance of one that has been disassembled that this cart is something way beyond stuffing some filler in a cart and putting juice in it. This is engineering at it's finest.

gasolinev8

Ok. You've got me stoked about the 808 now, though I'm really jones'n for a 510 as well. Decisions, decisions...

Guess I'll just have to buy one for home and one for work

Snarkyone

Well look at this way, you would have spent the money on tobacco cigarettes anyway, you might as well find the one while you are first getting started. You don't still smoke the same brand of tobacco that you started out with as a kid or whatever did you?

I know what path I have taken to get where I am today, and everyone has to find their path. I went from the m401/Dragon (which I still use and recommend to the right people) to a 510 which I got out of curiosity more than being unsatisfied with the m401/Dragon. I like the throat hit but I detest the carts and the mess of filling them. I then said the hell with it lets take a look see at the cartomizers got a KR808D-1 loved it, but then saw a GreenCig cart from the inside and here we are. I could have gone straight to the GreenCig from the start and I almost did, but then you would have missed out on all this wonderful information!

OK that's all the arm twisting you'll get from me, you have the recommendations and I will happily answer any questions and I have some discount codes for different suppliers if anyone needs one let me know. There might even be a supplier that I have talked with a lot that might throw you something extra nice if you drop my name in the order, then again you might get ripped off so leave me out of it, and under no circumstances will I accept 3rd party kick in the gnads either, lol!

Lazarus

I would suggest you look into The KR808D with the empty carts. Buy your own juice and fill them up! I've been told this may be the best of both worlds.

The greencig carts have some alien looking stuff inside them (looks like human hair) that turns me off.

Also vaping a cartomizer dry has some serious drawbacks like burning the cart filler material as you vape...but as I've been told a wet atty is a happy atty... Good luck!

gasolinev8

Math time... 1 pack of Marlboro per day @ $5.00 + change = $140+ per month. Plus all the gum I had to chew so my breath wasn't so foul = $???.??. Internet retailers + low prices + clickety,click,click,click = damn, with all the money I save NOT buying cigs, I could buy one of everything and still have money to spare.

I'm going shopping.

Thanks for all the input guys. I'll get back to you when it's all said and done.

Maybe snarky wouldn't mind kickin down some couponcodes?

highping

gasolinev8... Looks like you are getting a lot of good advice on models here, but I gotta throw in my two cents. I have not tried a cartomizer model, so I don't really have any input on those, but the models I have bought and used are the SE gold(4081), the 901, the 401, and the 510. If you're looking for the best hit the 510 wins hands down.
I have seen some complain that topping off a 510 is a pain, which I don't get. You pop off the cart and the reservoir is right there. It's not down in the cart like a 401 or 4081. And the cart holds a lot of liquid (especially with the PTB mod).
The hit is the best of any stock e-cig (IMO). The only down side I have found with the 510 is batt life (which really isn't as bad as everyone says), but if you get a PCC, it will not be an issue. Just throw the PCC on the charger when you go to bed and it will get even the heaviest vapor through the day.
Having said that I should mention that I don't even use stock batteries anymore. (My Chuck will get me through 3-4 days without worrying about batteries.) But when I did use the stock batts I didn't have much trouble. You can also get a passthrough with an in-line battery that will run most of the day after it's unplugged from the comp.

Like I said...just my two cents.

gasolinev8

Thinks for the feedback Highping. Like I mentioned earlier, I have a 306 which has served me well so far. It has taken me as far as getting me off the cigs. My friend has a 401 and honestly between the two, I cannot tell too much of a difference other than his batteries seem to last longer, or maybe he just vapes different than me, IDK. I've used these enough, however, to realize what shortcomings these models have. However, these may be shortcomings common in all models that I may just have to deal with. Cart filling and life is my biggest issue. Now I don't mind filling carts and lately have been loading carts to take to work. But the process involved with filling these things is a pain in the arse. I don't really much mind when I am home, but when I'm at work, my hands are dirty, between customers or otherwise, it's a nuisance and sometimes unsanitary. Now, from the great info I have gotten from everyone here, I believe I am probably gonna purchase a 510 and an 808. The 510 sounds like it will suit my needs well while at home, not to mention it is also the go-to recommendation from everyone and compatible with my 306, giving me a large arsenal of options and availability. The 808 sounds like it may be my stick when I just wanna vape while on the go.
Being the car guy, I liken this to my vehicle situation. I have an older (but not too old) Mustang which is a bit healthier than stock. It's a great and fun car to drive but is a bit of a chore, uncomfortable to ride in and not efficient to drive everyday. For the mundane chores, I use the Mitsubishi. Easier to drive and great on gas.

Hachiroku

What's that? (N00B question!) :0

highping

I like the car analogy...here's the rundown of the PVs I own.

4081= Nice reliable ride that can be counted on, but not much of a performer. (good batt life)

901 = Good running machine but not going to chirp on takeoff. (not a great hit)

401 = '74 orange hatchback with bald tires and a brown door. (my least fav if you couldn't tell)

510 on a stock battery = Corvette with a leak in the gas tank (hits good, batt life not great)

510 on a Chuck = Badass custom street rod, that will pull low 9's and has a 1000 mile range. (awesome hit, 3-4 days batt life, fully customized)

highping

You had to ask so here we go...

The Chuck is a Big battery mod. There are lots of BB mods out there, but the absolute best IMO is the Chuck. There are a lot of reasons why I say it's the best.

1) You can run it on 3.7V or 6V. (that doesn't really put it ahead, as other BB mods can do that too)
2) All copper body. This puts it ahead of a lot of BB mods, because most are aluminum body which has higher resistance so you don't get the full voltage to your atty. I have heard (from ppl that own both) that a 3.7V chuck hits like other 5V mods.
3) Quality workmanship. These are hand built by one guy (Jeff) in his shop, not mass produced. He takes great pride in the building of his product and has a one year warranty to back it up. The thing is built like a tank.
4) Customizable. This is the thing that separates the Chuck from ALL other mods. There are many colors to choose from. These are not just spray-paint jobs either. They are powder coated (like a paint job on a car) so it is very durable. Best of all, you can email your own custom graphics to him and he will put them on and clear-coat them in.
5) Price. Most BB mods are selling for $100+. Jeff sells the Chuck for $80 shipped.

Anyone interested can check them out here:
THAG BUILT: You think you can break it?

If you want lots of reviews check out:
e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat
It's a very long thread but you can see the progression of the Chuck from it's conception. If you want to see some of the latest works, go to the end and work your way back.

BTW: the pics of the illusion colors don't do them justice. In person they are absolutely gorgeous.

Also BTW: After reading this, some might think that I am the one selling them, but I am not profiting from this at all. I am just a proud owner, and would like others to be aware of a good product at a great price. And I have a lot of respect for the guy building them ( at $75, he's obviously not in it for the profit)

Snarkyone

Where do you want a coupon code for? If you want one for Nhaler.com use "saveinNJ" without the quotes for 10% off and like I said Drew always adds extra goodies to your order and you never know what they will be other than to know that they are going to be useful, not just a fridge magnet. I would tell you to tell him Snarky sent you but I don't want anyone to think that I get anything from this because I don't. I just like that I can call and actually talk to Drew and get any questions answered prior to buying or if there is an issue with something I bought. The juice is to die for as well, but that's another post.

If you have a different vendor in mind let me know there are tons of them and tons of coupon codes. I wish I could just tell you where to go to get more info but it's another E-Cig forum and that's bad etiquette in my book, one doesn't troll forums for members to invite to other forums. Google is your friend though and I'm sure we have some bright boys and girls on here that can find it. As always if I left something out or if you have more questions I will answer PM's and just about all the damn post I see for some odd reason.

The 510 and the KR808D-1 are both good choices but I think you will find yourself much more satisfied with the KR808D-1 than the 510. You heard it here first! I have them both but I prefer my KR808D-1 hands down anytime over the 510, especially with the passthrough. The 510 is good throat hit but a pain in the butt with the carts and the battery issues. Granted a mod fixes the battery issues but it does nothing for the carts. Once you see the difference in carts and refilling them I have no doubt that the KR808D-1 will show you just how much superior it is. The carts are designed way better, taste great, and provide a great throat hit. I can't wait for my GreenCig kit to arrive which is even more advanced and better engineered than the KR808D-1, I will be sure to post a review.

highping

I could have used that a couple days ago. I just got my first order from Nhaler Monday... Love it and placed another order immediately. Thanks Snarky I will use that on my (imminent) next order. BTW: I searched other said forum and couldn't find a code for Nhaler.

Hey... was that a shot at me for my last post? I don't consider it bad form to share info. We're all in the same community in my book. I would just as likely mention this forum in "the other forum" (and this forum would be better for it).
So let's stop with the passive name calling
...damn wolverines (JK snarky )

Hachiroku

YIKES!!!

I used to be an e-tech, and do car electronics (audio, for fun) and computers (for profit) so a battery mod shouldn't be so tuff. Looks like the hard part is...parts! There are LOTS of 3.7v batteries around, but I've heard people say they've fried attys at 6V.
For $80, I think I'll make my own!!!

highping

Yeah $80 seems like a lot until you start shopping big battery mods. (and this thing is a piece of art).

But if you're into DIY, you can build something for a lot cheaper.
Check altsmoke.com and look in their modders area. They have battery threads for a few models.
You can get the batteries and chargers from batteryjunction.com; they're cheaper from dealextreme but you will wait longer (coming from china).
The "goto" batteries for 3.7 modders seem to be the 18650 (big batt, long life) or the 16340(smaller batt, shorter life but still 10x a stock battery). For a 6V mod you want 2 RCR123's @3V.
Check out the DIY forum (or search "e-cig modding" on google) for info on building your own box.

As far as frying attys at 6V. This is a bigger problem with some models than others. 510s get super hot at 6V because they're only 2.5ohm. the "sweet spot" for the 510 is 5V.
801s(3.5ohm) and 901s(3.8-4ohm) are better for 6V.
Either way, you just have to keep your atty wet when you go to high volt. (HV juice from Nhaler doesn't hurt either)

highping

Ok snarky you've convinced me to try the KR808D.
Do you have a place that you would recommend for buying?
How durable are the cartomizers?
Do they eventually start burning the filler?
or burn out all together?
I guess they all burn out 'Eventually'. What i mean is... am I gonna get a couple months out of one? (I've got a 510 attys going on three months old and still going strong)
How much juice can you pack into one?
Does it use up all the juice in the cart? (510 always dry the top of the filler even when the reservoir is still half full)

Is that too many questions all at once?