First Mod Advice

keithg89

So I've successfully stayed off the fags for 6 months now, almost to the day, by vaping. I've been through several clearo/battery combinations and I find myself wanting more than my mini vivi nova and ego battery can give me. I've been looking on ESI and I'm going to try the igo-l. I'm wondering can it be used with this cheapy mod? Would it be much of a step up from the set up I have now?

http://www.e-smokeireland.eu/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=udtl&CartID=1

Also how does it work? Is it like a tank and you just pour juice directly onto the coil or what's the story? Also the battery charger; will I need a special charger for that type of battery? I have one here for normal rechargeable batteries will that do? And I presume all the drip tips on ESI will do?

Have to say a huge thank you to everyone on this forum too. Because of your help and advice I've managed to make the best decision I've made in a long time and give up the fags.

Ionised

First off...well done on staying off the smokes!

I have no direct experience of that mod but looking at a couple of reviews its not a bad place to start. You will need the correct batteries and charger to go with it. These devices use IMR batteries that need a particular charger.

Charger: http://www.e-smokeireland.eu/product-p/i2.htm

Batteries: http://www.e-smokeireland.eu/product-p/efest18650.htm

The Igo L is a cracking littler dripper...don't forget to grab some spare wick and wire though as it is likely to be a steep learning curve so you may be building coils a few times to get it right. Loads of videos on YouTube to get you started though.

Note that the Igo L has no tank at all so you will be dripping liquid into it every few vapes. If you want a rebuildable with a tank then you are looking at something else...Like an Aga T or similar.

Aga T2: http://www.e-smokeireland.eu/product-p/agat.htm

Any of the standard 510 drip tips will fit perfectly.

keithg89

Thanks very much for that. So I need the mod itself, batteries, charger, tank and drip-tip. I think I'll go for the Aga so, I need to be able to fill it up in the morning and head to work for the day without needing to be messing around filling it. On that note, how long would an 18350 battery last? I want to use keep the size down as much as possible so I'm thinking of carrying a spare 18350 in my pocket if that would be needed? Is there much of a difference between the Igo and Aga? I would imagine both would be a vast improvement over my current set up? I have some wick and wire there. I've been rebuilding the coil on my vivi nova for quite some time now, so I'm not worried about that end of things as I would imagine it's probably easier on the Igo or Aga. Sorry for all the questions but way out of my depth looking at the vast array of products out there.

Ionised

As to how long any bettery will last is very dependent on what knd of coil you run. For my out and about vape I use an Aga T2 on a DS mechanical mod with an 18350 battery. My coils usually end up around 1 ohm and I get about half a day vaping before I notice the voltage dropping off and I need to change batteries.
I also changed from a Vivi Mini and noticed such a big improvement in flavour, vapour and throat hit when I started with the Aga..and it has gotten better as my limited skill in coil and wick building has improved.
When at home I either use the Aga or more recently my A7 dripper.

The initial cost when you factor in batteries, charger etc is a bit steep but they are pretty much once off costs.

Of course..all this is merely my experience and you will no doubt get a few hundred different opinions...all of which are valid

Mr. Chrome

Ionised, are you using silica in the AGA, I wouldnt recommend ss mesh for a first rebuildable.

keithg89

Thanks again. You're after being most helpful. Just pushed the button. I'm taking advantage of the 20% off on ESI at the moment. It came to €54 including postage so I'm happy enough. Realistically I suppose my only expense in the near future will be juice? I have about 20m of wire left and a good load of wick. I might try out the 3mm wick though as I only have 1mm at the moment.

Ionised

Mr. Chrome wrote: »

Ionised, are you using silica in the AGA, I wouldnt recommend ss mesh for a first rebuildable.

Aye. Experimenting with SS rope at the moment a little...but mostly SS mesh.

Thats a very good point though. Mesh can be a bit of a pain to get right although my experience is that its not much harder than footling with silica wick. Very complete oxidation seems to be the key to getting mesh working well.

Mr. Chrome

How do you find the ss rope, I presume you have to oxidise it. I wasnt a huge fan of the mesh but I probably didnt give it enough of a chance.
Does Keith know that he needs ss mesh or does the AGA work well with silca?

Ionised

Mr. Chrome wrote: »

How do you find the ss rope, I presume you have to oxidise it. I wasnt a huge fan of the mesh but I probably didnt give it enough of a chance.
Does Keith know that he needs ss mesh or does the AGA work well with silca?

You don't have to oxidise the rope...just wrap a really small peice of oxidised mesh around the top where you build the coil. It's an easier build than just mesh and wicks like nothing else I have known. Literally pumps juice to the coil. One issue I have had is that everything can get a bit warm if you chain vape. The rope holds heat longer than mesh. If you want to give it a try I have a good bit here and can fling some in an envelope to you.

I did try silica once in the Aga and really didnt find it a good idea. Couldn't get it to transfer juice like mesh. May just have been my inexperience though.

keithg89

Thanks I'll add mesh to the vastly growing shopping list. I've looked up some tutorials on youtube. Seems simple enough.

Mr. Chrome

Thanks ionised, Im good with silica for now though.

keithg89

I'm back with more questions. After doing some research it seems a hot spring would vastly improve the cheap mod I ordered. Could I get one in the likes of an electrical shop or where could I find one?

quintron

keithg89 wrote: »

I'm back with more questions. After doing some research it seems a hot spring would vastly improve the cheap mod I ordered. Could I get one in the likes of an electrical shop or where could I find one?

Vaperus sell hot springs: www.vaperus.ie/accessories/277-hot-spring.html
I got one for my Sigelei 20. Massive difference!

keithg89

Excellent just ordered one. Thanks a million. Gutted I'll have to wait until next week to actually get it.

keithg89

So I just had everything delivered and set up with a ss wick. Sweet baby jesus the difference. I can barely put it into words. Absolutely delighted with my purchase. Thanks to all involved. Especially for the Aga T2. It's a beast of a yoke. Now I just have to prepare myself for the dildo comments tomorrow in work.

Ionised

Great to hear you have had a positive experience thus far. The difference with a properly built rebuildable vs a clear or car to can be remarkable. As an experiment I went back to a standard bone car to over the weekend and it was a bit like "where has all the flavour gone? ".

That said, I do still use a carto and tank when I'm feeling lazy :-D

Mr. Chrome

keithg89 wrote: »

So I just had everything delivered and set up with a ss wick. Sweet baby jesus the difference. I can barely put it into words. Absolutely delighted with my purchase. Thanks to all involved. Especially for the Aga T2. It's a beast of a yoke. Now I just have to prepare myself for the dildo comments tomorrow in work.

You're a brave man taking on an AGA t as a first rebuildable.
Well done :-)

Green Hornet

I could never really get to grips with those gennies. Well, I only tried two, the VH Genesis and the Aga-S. The VH was a bear for hot spots and the Aga-S was okay to coil but had no clear tank. Hated all of the prep work too. Neither wicked particularly well for me either and I had to tip them. Bugged me on principle having to do that so I accepted my failure and scuttled back to silica.....

Mr. Chrome

I have to say, a wick that lasts 6 months is pretty appealing compared to a few days with silica. I found the rsst pretty good until I drilled the air hole too big. Having to tilt it and keep it upright did my head in.

Green Hornet

The Clockworks RDA is excellent with a mesh wick actually. Loads of room to set it up and its sitting in juice. Wicks like hell.

Ionised

Just my own experience, but using the SS rope in the Aga-T I have found no need to tip to keep it wicking properly.

keithg89

Thanks again lads. Still sucking away like a mad man. The wick lasts six months? Seriously? I just bought a shít load of mesh haha I didn't find it difficult at all to be honest. I watched a lot of videos when I was hungover over the weekend and it worked perfectly almost first go. I only got a tiny bit of mesh with the Aga so I was kind of nervous.
The wick is still perfect. I oxidised it using a gas cooker. Then I made a mistake. I wrapped a coil using 0.15 kanthal that I already had and my little half dead ego blew it, what ever happened. Then I wrapped a bit of 0.20 around and bingo all rings glowing perfectly evenly still using my ego. Then I threw on the mod and a drop of juice on the coil. I was amazed at the amount of vapour produced just burning to see if it was working at this stage. Then I actually vaped it. I just thought holy shít, why have I been using an ego this long. I don't think I'll be changing the aga anytime soon. Happy enough the the UDT-L too. I'm still waiting on a hotspring in the post so that should improve it more apparently.
Thanks to you lot I haven't smoked an analogue in 6 and a half months and I don't think I ever will again.
Another question if you don't mind. I'm not overly pleased with the juice I have in it now. If I was to change juice in it would I be better off changing the wick and coil again? Also, could you recommend a drip tip? I stupidly only bought a cheapy from e-smoke and its very loose in the top. It doesn't inspire confidence if I'm leaving it in my pocket.

Ionised

When I want to change juices all I tend to do is empty and clean out the tank (remove wick and coil) using warm water and a syringe. Discard the coil but keep the wick and just burn it again to reoxidise and clean it. Replace the wick in the tank, wind a new coil and you should be good to go again.

Mr. Chrome

Ive heard people say a mesh wick can last 6 months if properly looked after.

keithg89

Good to know I can just re-oxidise the wick to clean. Should only be a couple of minutes of a job to change back to my usual all day vape so. Thanks. Hard to believe a wick could last months. Excellent. Now just to see what my battery life will be like. I presume ill get at least 9-6 on two 18350's anyway :P

Ionised

keithg89 wrote: »

I presume ill get at least 9-6 on two 18350's anyway :P

Should make that easily. I do a 12 hour day in work on one and a bit 18350's...and I take a lot of breaks

grindle

Unless I was moving from menthol/mint/coffee I'd just vape what was left, slide wick out, dry-burn, rinse tank, slide wick back in, new flavour.
If I was moving from a strong flavour I'd rinse and flame the wick with a lighter (unless it'd mix nicely with the next flavour).

@GH: you should contemplate a genni again now we have ribbon Kanthal. Piece of piss.

Green Hornet

Maybe.....I'm happy enough with the spheroid though still.

Wonder has Digby tried one with the ribbon yet......think he didn't get on with the gennies either.

rickyjb

I had the same experience as Green Hornet with an AGA-T, couldn't for the life of me get it to work AND I was using ribbon kanthal. Properly oxidised wick with a blowtorch etc. but couldn't get rid of the hotspots or if I did it wouldn't wick properly and the hotspots would reappear.

I did have a SS hybrid wick in the clockworks RDA for a while but preferred the flavour from silica so went back to that, can't see myself going near SS again. Does SS rope really improve things?

keithg89

My drip tip is after getting looser again. Could anyone recommend a decent one that will fit nice and tight in the Aga? The loose one is wrecking my head.

Ionised

keithg89 wrote: »

My drip tip is after getting looser again. Could anyone recommend a decent one that will fit nice and tight in the Aga? The loose one is wrecking my head.

I use the cone version of this... http://www.vapegear.co.uk/Sigelei_Stainless_Steel_Drip_Tip/p1826719_8535317.aspx

Looks well with the Aga