Looking out for the uneducated vaper!

[Brian L]

And by uneducated, I mean uneducated in vaping safety...

I am working with a younger, college kid at the moment. I take my vape breaks throughout the day. One day I saw him out there with his mech mod so we got talking. Turns out he builds his own coils for his atty. So I asked him what resistance he builds to. His response - "Oh I don't know, I don't have an ohm meter. I just build it so it looks right". So I'm saying "OK well the first thing we need to do is put your atty on my ohm meter and check it out. What battery are you using?". He again says he doesn't know and takes it out of the mod. Looks like a Samsung to me... a Samsung that has the wrap half melted off of it! So I'm like "dude... you really need to replace that battery. That's a disaster waiting to happen".

One should be required to pass a safety course before being allowed to use a mech, in my opinion!

 

[Kent B Marshall]

Good you took an interest. Hopefully he took your advise.

 

[Markw4mms]

That's the main reason I always encourage a new vaper to start with a regulated mod.

 

[Whiskey]

But it IS good to see in the vaping community how the number of vapers that take the time and care enough to educate the new vapers out number the ones that do not care. This is a good thing

 

[Markw4mms]

But it IS good to see in the vaping community how the number of vapers that take the time and care enough to educate the new vapers out number the ones that do not care. This is a good thing

No argument there, Whiskey!

 

[Teresa P]

I am curious as to the reading on the ohm meter.

 

[Markw4mms]

I am curious as to the reading on the ohm meter.

Same here, Teresa.

 

[sonarman]

My local vape shop won't sell a mech mod and/or rda unless the person has an ohm meter. If they say they don't and won't buy one from him (>10$) they get sent packing. I've seen a lot of butthurt people claim the owner is taking them for more money but I respect the shit out of losing costumers vice a kid getting hurt from negligence.

 

[Cloudy Peak Vapes]

I understand this fully. I deliver to an office that has tons of vapers, and I have been doing so for over 1.5 years. I'm there 3-5 days a week, and have slowly watched people upgrade gear, and more people starting to vape. Only one uses a mech, but when he showed me his new Atlantis on a Kamry mech, I said awesome man, and in the interest of safety asked what he had for batteries. It was some blue ICR 18650 no name, and I started to explain stuff to him. He didn't understand the urgency, despite me explaining things, so I brought him a battery of mine that I don't really use at all, just keeping for backup. Just a V1 2000 Mah Efest, but it's IMR, with a 10 amp limit. Safe enough for a .5 ohm Atlantis coil. I always talk to him about vaping and try to include teaching into discussions of new gear.

He actually got a new battery this week and told me, still had no clue what it was.... Sigh. Luckily, the shop sent him out with an MXJO, which I don't use, but understand they're fine for his needs. I explained the whole 35 Amp rating being pulse, and that it's really 20 Amp, and explained what all of that means. Everyone else there has regulated mods, doesn't mean their batteries are safe, but I suppose it's better. Anytime I talk to them I try to subtly inject some safety knowledge. I give links to steam engine, and ohms law basics, and just try to do what I can. You can only help those who want the help, but it doesn't prevent me from persistence in a kind manner. I don't wanna know what that blue random button top ICR would've done to him had I not passed on something safe.

This is the negative of these sub ohm tanks, IMO. People don't think anything of a tank with a head you install. They don't realize that .5 ohms is fairly demanding, and requires knowledge and safety regardless of if you build or not. If the shop, or website doesn't provide them with adequate knowledge, and they often don't, naivety rules, and naivety leads to lack of safe practices.

I just always approach it with the attitude of sharing excitement with their new gear, and go straight to inquiring about batteries. All you can do is try to educate as best you can, and if you have a situation like mine, donate a battery to potentially prevent some badness.

 

[Brian L]

I am curious as to the reading on the ohm meter.

Yeah sorry - I was at work and didn't have much time, but I wanted to get something up before I forgot. Unfortunately, a good buddy of mine, who I have worked with for 11 years, had a possible stroke very shortly after that and I never had any more down time today. Not to get on a tangent, but he tried to get in his car and drive home. I stopped him, took his keys, and had one of my guys call 911. I was a volunteer medic for a few years and have seen some bad stuff from people who waited too long to get help when they were having a stroke!

Anyways... this particular build was fine. It ohmed out to .9. He said that what happened to the battery happened while charging. The funny thing is he apparently didn't take it as a sign that his charger sucked and kept using it! He's been real lucky so far, and not had anything really bad happen. I strongly suggested/insisted on replacing the battery AND charger, AND getting an ohm meter before ever touching kanthal again! Tomorrow I'm going to inform him of steam engine and have a longer chat about safety.

I was inspired by the battery, though, and stopped by my favorite B&M to have my batteries wrapped. I have 25r's that I use in two different mods. Each set has their own spot in my vape bag, but I wanted them color-coded as well.

 

[Teresa P]

Sounds like you're a good friend to have by all who know you. Kudos to you stopping your friend from driving home, and I pray he makes a full recovery.
And very good show helping your vaping buddy. I hope he listens to your advice.

 

[Brian L]

Thank you, Teresa. I just got off the phone with his wife and he definitely had a stroke. Fortunately, it was treated quickly enough that it appears nothing should be affected permanently. He's still slurring a few words, but otherwise he appears to be OK. Looks like he might be able to go home from the hospital today.

 

[pulsevape]

personally I'm a great believer in natural selection....I think it's up to you to give a little effort in educating yourself. if you don't you probablly won't take education from others very well either.

 

[Hey! it's just Ray...]

I think my cheapest vape gadget purchase was an ohm meter. If you're gonna spend the money on the big vape toys you can't stop till you're done. But you all know that nevermind.

 

[Brian L]

personally I'm a great believer in natural selection....I think it's up to you to give a little effort in educating yourself. if you don't you probablly won't take education from others very well either.

I don't know. It would weigh heavily on my conscience if I didn't say anything and something were to happen to him.

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[Brian L]

Of course, I agree that self-education is important as well.

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[CurlyMerkin]

Hats off to you looking out for the newb, man!! Who knows..... An unlikely bond may be unfolding betwixt you and your co worker....share the love AND the knowledge!!

 

[DanRo]

That's the main reason I always encourage a new vaper to start with a regulated mod.

now you can recommend the Ego one sub ohm and no techy stuff so its easy to use

 

[DanRo]

i wish i had some one to help me when i started. i didn't know anything and bought a cheap ego twist kit, used it for 3 days then it just sat for months.

 

[DickyT]

I was lucky when I started, a friend of mine who has vaped for a couple years pointed me in the direction of an iStick 50 and nautilus mini. What he still uses only. For the first month that was fine to get off cigs, I could barely do 5 second pulls off of it.

After about a month I was bouncing off of the 10 second cut off on every pull and started wanting more from it. So I picked up an Atlantis v2 and dropped from 12mg to 3mg.

That did me good for about a week, then the tinkerer in me got bored of pre made coils and I picked up a freak mini, ohm meter, Japanese cotton, and spools of 24, 26, and 28g kanthal.

I still use the nautilus mini daily at work so I can stealth vape at my desk. My boss and colleagues are fine so long as I don't fog the room up. I also use the Antlantis in the truck, don't drip and drive!

But on my lunch break after eating I sit outside with the smokers so I can rip from the freak mini or mad hatter. And while at home RDA only.

 

[Brian L]

Fortunately, the boy got himself a new battery, and he's asked to use my ohm meter a couple of times. Maybe something got through...

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[DickyT]

Fortunately, the boy got himself a new battery, and he's asked to use my ohm meter a couple of times. Maybe something got through...

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Yay safety!