The directions that come with e-cigarette starter kits are sketchy at best. There is definitely a translation issue at play here. Because of this, I continually get the same questions after someone gets their first starter kit. I’ll try to address the most common ones I get here …
What should I do first?: The first thing you need to do is connect your charger to the plug that came with your e-cig starter kit and then plug it into a wall outlet. The light on the charger should turn green.
Then, grab one of the batteries that came with it (hopefully you ordered a kit that came with two batteries) and screw it into the hole at the front of the charger. With most models, the light on the battery, itself, blinks a number of times, stops blinking and the charger light turns from green to red.
According to the instructions that come with most kits, you are supposed to charge each one of your batteries for 8 hours the first time. Then, you are supposed to use your e cig for twenty minutes (whatever that means) and give it another one hour charge. Now, if you are a rules follower, do what they say to do.
I have found absolutely no evidence that there is anything even resembling sound electronic theory that supports this strange ritual and have spoken with several electronic engineers who say this is based on old, pre-lithium ion battery technology practices (lithium ion batteries do not have a “memory”). In fact, I have found that these devices actually work better if you use them right out of the box with whatever factory charge was put in the batteries when they tested them. Then, when it dies the first time, charge the battery for 8 hours (this is done with both batteries). After each battery has gotten its first really long charge, they only need to be charged for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours when they go “dead” from then on. (I work with monkeys, mostly, so they aren’t much help as far as figuring these types of things out.)
Please ignore the light on the charger unit. It will turn green way before 8 hours have elapsed. Removing your battery before it has charged for 8 hours may have an adverse effect on its overall life and its useful life between charges.
The way these things are theoretically supposed to work, is that the light will remain red until the battery is charged. The problem is, it may very well tell you that it is charged 20 minutes later. Technically it is charged but not fully charged. You will only get 10 or 15 minutes of use out of it before it dies if it has only charged for 20 minutes.
It should be noted that using a battery that has not been fully charged will produce less than desirable vapor. It is sort of like trying to vacuum with an almost dead battery on your Dust Buster; the engine runs slowly and little to no dirt is picked up!
Okay, my batteries have been charged; now what?: Now, comes the easy part (not that charging the battery was exactly rocket scientist material). Put your e-cig together and start puffing away! There is only one way these things can be put together, so 
it’s pretty hard to go wrong here (not impossible I’ve found out, but pretty darned hard!).
If you have a two part model (the kind I do not recommend for both performance and cost reasons), there is literally only one way to do this. Screw the battery onto the cartomizer. For the sake of maintaining my faith in the intelligence of humanity, I really hope this is self explanatory. If you can’t figure out how to screw part #1 into part #2, hand it to a monkey and he’ll show you!
If you were smart and purchased a three-part model, it might take the monkey a couple of minutes longer to figure it out. Screw the atomizer (the metal doohickey that is about half the size of the battery) into the battery (the thing you just charged that has a light on the end of it). Once those two pieces are screwed together, it’s simply just a matter of pushing a cartridge onto the e-cigarette.
NOTE: Many times, the atomizers that come with e-cig starter kits have a completely empty cartridge attached to them that is put there solely for the purpose of protecting the atomizer during shipping. Pop this off before putting it onto the battery. An empty cartridge does not have any gauze-like stuffing inside of it and can be thrown away.
Every e-cigarette model’s starter kit that I know of comes with “pre-loaded” cartridges. Pre-loaded cartridges already have some sort of e-liquid in them, so there’s not much you need to do here. Usually, the plastic wrapper that the cartridges come in have what type and strength of e-liquid is in the cartridge written somewhere on the plastic wrapper (sometimes it is written very small, though).
Most of the time there is a rubber/plastic cap on the e-liquid end of the cartridge. Pop the cap off of the cartridge and throw the cap away. Sometimes, there is an additional piece of plastic film under the plastic/rubber cap that is placed there to further protect the freshness of the e-juice inside of the cartridge. If so, that needs to be discarded as well.
The “big hole” side of the cartridge that you just took the cap off of should look like a tube with a piece of liquid-soaked cotton-like material stuffed in it. That is the side that needs to be pushed onto the open end of the atomizer (the “closed end” already has a battery on it). The side with the small hole is the mouthpiece side of the e-cigarette. Your e-cigarette is now charged, assembled and ready for use!
How do I “smoke” this thing?: First off, we do not “smoke” an e-cig; we “vape.” This terminology may come in handy if you are in a restaurant or bar that has a “no smoking” policy. Thank goodness you are only vaping!
If you have a push button style of e-cigarette, like a Joye 510 (also called a Janty, Dura and Pilot, amongst other things), simply 
press the button down and begin inhaling. The vapor should come quite easily with this type of e-cig. (I’ve already checked … the monkey got this on attempt number three!)
If you have an e-cigarette with an automatic battery like a traditional DSE901 an M401, a bluCig, Greensmoke or Smoking Everywhere e-cig, to name a few, you simply take a drag and the microprocessor within the battery senses you are inhaling and will start releasing the vapor. Although an automatic style e-cigarette battery may sound like it is easier to use, it will take some practice to get it just right. Drawing too hard or too easy will not produce the desired amount of vapor. With ten minutes or so of practice, you should find an amount of suction (for lack of a better term) that is just right for you. (Last time I checked, after 8 months, the monkey was still working on this. A slightly greater degree of intelligence and patience is required with this type of e-cigarette.)
Eeeek! Why is my battery flashing me?: There are two times that a battery may start blinking. Some e-cig models have an automatic cutoff built into the batteries that temporarily shuts the battery down after it has been activated for 5-7 continuous seconds. This is actually a safety mechanism built in to keep people from burning out their atomizers. For those of you that prescribe to the “damn the toredoes; full speed ahead” mentality, you can trick e cigs that have a battery cutoff by using it for four seconds, backing off for a split second and then starting over again for another 5-7 seconds (surely a 10-12 second drag is enough, isn’t it?).
All e-cigarette batteries eventually need to be recharged. You will notice that the more a battery gets drained, the poorer the ecigarette performs (sort of like me at midnight). Eventually, your e cigarette battery will become completely drained and need a recharge. You don’t have to guess when this happens. Your e-cigarette will let you know by flashing repeatedly. Unlike the blinky thing that happens when you try to use a battery for too many consecutive seconds, a dead battery will begin to flash immediately when you try to use it and no vapor will be produced. The monkey figured this out pretty quickly but continued to press the button on his Joye 510 (he really likes the blinking light!).
ONE FINAL NOTE ON USING YOUR E-CIG: There is definitely a learning curve when it comes to using an e-cigarette. It has been estimated that it takes one or two months for beginners to get to the point where they are completely at ease with using their e-cigarette. There are also many different ways of vaping. Some people like to take multiple small puffs (sometimes called “sips” or “mouthfuls”) in succession with small intakes of air in between each sip. Those that utilize this method claim that it is easier on the throat and that it allows them to taste the flavor of the e-liquid better. Others – especially those who are looking for a “throat hit” – like to take one long drag directly into their lungs. You may want to experiment with each method. In time, you will find a way that works best for you (no two people do it the same).
My Atomizer Is Getting Really Hot – Is This Normal?: An atomizer will definitely get warm while you are using it. If it gets really hot, the vapor production actually decreases. It is best to give the atomizer at least a fifteen second break between drags. This will not only prolong the life of the atomizer, but it will result in better vapor production for you.
How Do I Fill My Cartridge With E-Liquid?: If you planned ahead, you probably purchased some e-liquid (also called e-juice) with your e-cigarette. (NOTE: Just because you did not plan ahead does not mean that you are not smart. You are probably pretty intelligent if you haven’t had to break out the monkey for any of the above steps.)
Filling a cartridge, whether it was a prefilled cartridge or if it is a “blank” is really quite simple; you simply need to add one drop of e-liquid at a time until the filter becomes saturated. A perfectly filled cartridge will look like a “slushy.” There are only three things to remember here:
- If after adding a drop, it still looks like gauze, it needs at least one more drop.
- If after adding a drop, it looks like a little lake, it has one drop too many (not a big deal).
- If after adding a drop, it looks like a slushy, it is perfect and ready to be used!
Depending on the model of e-cigarette you have, if it is a standard “mini” e-cigarette a completely dry, blank cartridge will take 10-14 drops to fill. “Super minis” take less and “pen styles” – like a DSE801 – take two to three times that much to fill. If your cartridge has previously been filled and you are just “topping it off,” it could take anywhere from two to five drops to get the “slushy” effect. Also, if you are observant when filling a cartridge, you will notice that small air bubbles start to form just before the drop that makes it a perfect slushy!
How Do I Know When I Need To Add More E-Liquid?: When the amount of vapor decreases or when it begins to taste like you are “smoking” a sock, it is time to “top off” your cartridge. Believe me, you’ll know!
How do I Keep from Getting E-Juice in My Mouth?: The number one reason people get e-liquid in their mouths, is that they are holding their e-cigarette incorrectly. Your e-cig needs to be angled so that it is pointing slightly downward toward the floor. If the battery end is higher than the mouthpiece, it is a simple matter of gravity taking over, causing the liquid to flow downhill into your mouth (even the monkey figured this out!).
More Questions?: I can’t possibly remember all of the questions that I get asked about these things when a new user first gets their starter kit. This page may very well be updated as I encounter more questions from first time e-cig users. If you have a question about your new e-cigarette that you would like answered, please ask it in the comments section, below. Who knows? Your question may be so great, that it makes it into the body of this post!
One Final Note: No monkeys were harmed while writing this article.
E-Cig Express Quote of the Day: “An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men.” – Charles Darwin
About the author: Scott McKirahan has articles published on a wide variety of subjects, ranging from politics to sports, and is the owner of the e-cigexpress.com and electriccigarettestop.com websites.
The gums, patches, and hard candies that contain nicotine for those who want to quit can be found in any store. They contain small amounts of nicotine so that it will help the quitting person to compensate for the sudden lack of this addictive substance as an effect of quitting. The dosage on these things can then be lessened as the days go by
When I was told I could use ecigs everywhere it was really hard too believe. But I had to try it. So far no one has said a word too me. Yet on a recent doctor’s appointment at the Veterans hospital, I went to their police, to see what they would say. Being state of one thing but a Veterans hospital is Federal and I didn’t want to get in big trouble. To quote the Veterans hospital Police office ” If they don’t contain tabacoo, they are legal in any Federal building.” Everywhere in the hospital I went people would stop me and ask about the electric cigs. I was amazed how many questions I got and I was very thrilled to demostrate them. I told people that asked that I am using this to quit smoking and that I may not have totally quit smoking yet. I have cut back enough too notice a big difference, in me and the smells in my home.
I tried the two part….mistake, hardly any vapor , small cartridge time. I think I am ready for the Joye510 for the look and function and pretty new vapor user, would you recommend this? I am pretty big on the “throat hit” thing, like lotsa vapor. Will I get that with the Joye510? Please respond when you can. Dyana.
Dyana,
For an e-cig that is roughly the size of a regular e-cigarette, the Joye 510 is the consensus #1 (even though a lot of people will argue the DSE901 is better).
Personally, I switched to the T-Rex back in July and would never go back to a 510 or a 901. It’s bigger, though. It is roughly the size of a mini cigar (or AA battery) at the tip and tapers down to the size of a regular cigarette at the mouth end.
The bigger battery allows it to produce more voltage and more vapor and they last at least four times as long as a regular e-cig battery. Super heavy vapers get around 10 hours out of them and moderate vapers get more than a day out of a charge (I get a day-and-a-half). My wife is a light vaper and her battery last her more than a week!
You can always go with a Joye 510 and graduate to a T-Rex later on because it uses a Joye 510 atomizer and Joye 510 cartridges. That way, nothing goes to waste if you move up to a T-Rex.
Here’s a bit of information I bet no one knew, if your standing barefoot on a concrete floor and your computer is also on the floor, (barefoot or not), you will get a small shock from your USB passthrough, kinda like licking a 9 volt battery. (I’m not sure how many people have done that but I was tricked into it by my father when I was 10.)
Can I purchase my e-cigs and supplies locally, instead of paying shipping and handling?
We do not sell anything locally. Like the vast majority of websites, e-cig or otherwise, we are a home-based business.
There are a few places around town that sell e-cigs and their supplies. Some are in tobacco shops, some at truck stops and some in flea markets. Usually, because of the overhead involved such as rent, insurance, salaries, workmans comp, etc., you can count on paying at least double for e-cig supplies from a store-based business, though.
If you are buying one thing at a time, you break even. If you buy two or more things, you are far better off forking out the $5.99 for shipping.
Highly informative and speedy reply, thank you !
Kudos to you and a banana for the monkey.
Used my girlfriend as a test case, she was tied with the monkey. thanks again, you now have a loyal customer.
David Bauer
Good use of the tools you have on hand, David.
My wife wouldn’t let me have a girlfriend to use, so a monkey was the next best thing!
I bought my first e-cig on Sat – a kit that included everything. I am smoking it lightly – trying to get used to it and noticed that I seem to be getting headaches – can this be related to the device? (PS: I haven’t totally quit the real cigarettes, but have cut down significantly)
There is nothing in an e-cig that isn’t part of what most people use in one way or another every day.
The e-liquid is mostly water, of which your lungs are already 80% composed of.
There is nicotine in far lower quantities than any traditional cigarette you are already smoking, as well.
Finally, our e-liquid (and what is in the pre-filled cartridges) has propylene glycol in it. Propylene glycol is in many everyday products, is an anti-viral and germicide used by hospitals and is also the carrier used to transport antibiotics to lung transplant patients. Propylene glycol has been deemed as generally safe for consumption by both the FDA and the EPA.
Some e-cigarette forums suggest that headaches have occurred with some people who smoke both tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes. I’m certainly no scientist but, because e-cigs do not contain the more than 4,000 chemicals and 40 cancerous substances found in tobacco cigarettes and that they have far less nicotine than traditional cigarettes, they could actually be withdrawal symptoms. Many suggest that drinking plenty of water while smoking an e-cigarette has helped alleviate any symptoms they have had.
Finally, some people have reported that switching to vegetable glycerine (VG) based e-liquid has helped with any adverse reactions they have had to the transition. Keep in mind, however, that vegetable glycerin is much thicker than propylene glycol and that it has a detrimental effect on the performance and overall life of your e-cig atomizers. It also has not undergone the same battery of tests that propylene glycol has – tests that originated back in the 60′s.
I am almost what you would call a chain smoker. I tried e-cigarette and i can say proudlly that i STOPPED smoking after a good decade.
Thank you guys for this!
I just got the ecig (comes with vapor part in small green and white box. What I am not understanding is why when I draw in or “Vape” – there is air flowing from where the battery and tip connect – causing me to draw harder and longer to just get a “hit”. Are all ecigs like this? Also, I prefer the convenience of pre-filled cartridges and the base/cartridge to look like a cigarette. Any suggestions? PS I am a two pack a day smoker and just looking not smoke in car and house. Thanks.
The air vents are there so that you can draw on it. If it was completely sealed, it would be like trying to suck the air out of a coke bottle. The larger the vents or the more vents there are, the better the airflow will be.
Although every e-cigarette is different (there are hundredds of models being sold), none of them draw exactly the same as a traditional cigarette. Most of them require a much longer, lighter draw than is used with a regular cigarette. There is certainly a learning curve that can last up to two months, depending on the e-cigarette and/or the ability or willingness of the user to experiment until he/she finds the method that works best for them.
For those that are tired of breathing in the toxins and cancer causing substances found in tobacco cigarettes, it is worth spending the time to learn the intricacies of vaping. Those who are not motivated or just plain lazy tend to revert back to smoking what they know best.
Thank you for all ur great Articles,
am a newbie
I just received my kit from totally wicked on the 25th of May and I only smoked 3 cigarettes since then (i have been smoking for almost 14 years)am loving it although am still getting used to it and I guess I might have a problem with one of the batteries because it keeps leaking the liquid (the other one doesn’t)however, I am worried that I might have been increasing my daily doze of nicotine because am using it all the time (maybe coz am a newbie :d) my liquid is “Titan Fluid: Tobacco, 11MG – Medium” and I have a 0mg liquid from another manufacturer. is it safe to mix them ? .. my idea is to have mixture of 5 or 6mg rather than 11mg then i will start to reduce it gradually ,, so what do u think ? and what advice to u have to reduce the daily nicotine intake ?
p.s/ the best think about these e-cigarettes is that I don’t smell like crap anymore
It’s hard to say what might be causing your “leaking” problem without knowing what model you got from Totally Wicked. They are known to be priced a bit on the high side and tend to use off-brands but I’m sure they can help you with your problem if you contact them. I could not find anything on their website, however, that referenced their return policy.
As far as worrying about getting too much nicotine, that is almost impossible to do – especially with an 11mg e-liquid. An 11mg solution is equivalent to about 1/15 of a regular cigarette per puff. That means you would have to take more than 15 puffs for every one that you would take on a regular cigarette to actually be getting more nicotine than a regular cigarette would provide.
And yes, you can definitely mix the e-liquids; people do it all the time, creating all kinds of crazy concoctions.
I will not give any advice as far as reducing your intake of nicotine is concerned. That would be skating a thin line on the slippery slope of advocating these devices as smoking cessation products. The official answer (in case the FDA is watching) is that these are not meant as smoking cessation products but merely as an alternative to regular cigarettes.
I purchased my ecig about 2 years ago and wasn’t satisfied with it. It’s the exact same model you displayed in your breakdown. However I’m ready to try again but I’m not sure if something is wrong with the ecig because it’s sat for so long.
I charged my battery overnight and replaced the cartridge that’s preloaded but when I suck I’m not getting any vapors like I used to. Bottom line i don’t get the visual of “smoke” which I know is the vapors coming out of my mouth and I definitely don’t taste the flavor.
Could you shed some light in what the problem may be?
Also as I stated earlier I have the same model as you showed a pic of, could you tell me exactly what model that is?
Since I did not take that picture, I cannot emphatically state the exact model of e-cigarette that it is. There are hundreds of different models and rebranding of e-cigarettes out there. It would appear to me, though, that it is a Joye 510 e-cigarette based on the fact there is a button on the battery.
An atomizer must be kept moist at all times or it will dry up and no longer work. If your e-cigarette sat for a year without being used, it is highly unlikely that the atomizer would function. The atomizer is the heating element. That would certainly explain why it is not producing vapor.
Although a Joye 510 is definitely one of the most highly regarded models of a standard size e-cigarette, it is limited by its small size and can only do so much.
For folks who don’t care if their e-cigarette looks exactly like a real cigarette, I would recommend getting the larger Joye eGo, MJT T-Rex or, my personal favorite, a Mega Evolution-X E-Cigarette. The Mega Evolution-X batteries last at least 6 times longer than a standard Joye 510′s battery and because it uses a mega atomizer and mega cartridges, you only have to add e-liquid about once for every five times you have to with the smaller, standard e-cigs.
hi scott,
I have smoked since I was 14 yrs old, I am now 52. Never wanted to quit smoking and still don’t. However, my father got sick, a smoker as well, and I found Vaping. Since the day i received my Joye 510, 6 months ago, I can honestly say…..I have not smoked since. I love to Vape and will continue until….forever and a day…I now love to mix vapor cocktails. It is so much fun, and by the way my father is vaping now and is making a full recovery.
P.S. Can you give us all an easy way of cleaning our atomizers, and proper cleaning of the e-cig it self.
Thanks again,
kim
The e-cig is truly a miracle for those of us that have been smart enough to have an open mind and give one a try. It’s not exactly the same as a cigarette but it’s darn close! Of course, getting the right one is 90% of the battle and, like me, you lucked out by picking a good one right off the bat (mine was a Joye 510, too!).
I have tried every method I’ve ever seen on any forum and have concluded that there truly is no way to effectively clean an atomizer that always works. I do know that mixing electronics and liquid is a recipe for disaster, so these things are designed to fail. I mention this because so many people advocate doing insane things like soaking them in liquid (Coca Cola, lemon juice, Everclear, etc.). NOT A GOOD IDEA, FOLKS! Would you clean your television by throwing it into the swimming pool?
I hold a paper towel on one side of the atomizer and blow through the other, collecting the old juice in the paper towel. Then I reverse ends and do it again through the other side of the atomizer. It helps very temporarily. A can of compressed air can also be used for this.
I replace mine about every three weeks just because the new ones work better. I have some customers who change theirs every week! In the end, I think once we put things into perspective and realize that many of us spent more than the cost of an atomizer PER DAY on cigarettes, buying one or two atomizers per month becomes a little more palatable.
I tried an E cig today for the first time.
This was a model that had a button on it, though I don’t know which model it was, and I was amazed.
I have been smoking since I was about 13 years old (I know) and am now 46. All it took was the one “hit” or “vape” to see that this could actually get me off smoke (and the smoke off me!)
Even though I have been smoking a “natural American” (i.e:chemical-free)brand-it’s still SMOKE I have been breathing.
I’m about to try it for myself by purchasing one (or two) and see if I can’t give up the smoke completely.
Obviously I have had little experience with these devices (3 hits in total), but I’m kind of excited.
When you consider that I spend nearly $60 a carton on my “preferred” brand, this seems like a worthy investment, even if it doesn’t work out for me.
I’ll try to report back after I get some experience and let you know how it goes.
I am really very happy that I found this Web Site !. Many great items to choose from & great quality & variety and best of all, Very Good Customer Service !. I first purchased 4 E-Cigs from a place in Canada, that was 3 years ago. They were the first to be able to sell them. Finally !, then they were allowed to be sold in the United States. Glad of that.
This was great, informative and so funny! Thanks for all! A quick tip… Keep the tip that comes with the kit the first time, cut it out or the bottom off and use as a drip tip! Thanks again, love the monkeying around!
I recently purchased a Joye 510 and love it! Can you please tell us how many times a filter can be used – i.e. how many times you can “fill” the filter, vape and then have to replace it? Do you have an estimate of how many “cigarettes” you would be smoking versus vaping method per filter? Thanks.
Some people discard their cartridges every few days, every week, every two weeks … Personally, I use the same one for about a month. It’s usually about then that they get ratty and don’t hold the liquid as well based upon how often I use my e cig. I know people who use the same one for many, many months. When it gets gunky, they rinse the gauze under tap water for a couple of seconds, squish it in a paper towel until it is dry and pop it back in their cartridge tube again.
This is not the same as a cigarette filter. There is no tar building up. Use them until you feel like changing them. It’s a highly individual decision. At under a buck apiece, it’s not exactly going to break the bank no matter when you decide to change them.