Reservoir Straw & Plug Mod (RSP Mod)

[a2dcovert]

OK, guys, the straw cut into the "C" shape doesn't hold the plug in the cart.

Now I'm trying the other straw mod. Instead of cutting out a square shape, I cut out 2 REALLY wide and long notches - almost to the top of the straw - leaving two "legs" for the straw to stand on.



I'll let you know how it goes!

I have taken your straw shape and converted it to my dual stirring straws. I used slightly smaller straws for this mod, these are 3mm in diameter. The straws I was using were 4mm. The length of the straws is 14mm. The plug I use is the Walgreens PB material. I cut the plug at 5mm wide x 6mm long and the height is determined by placing the plug into the cart and cutting off the small bit that sticks up above cart rim.

I discovered that the "hit" factor is determined by PGA content. If you put too much in the mix the vape at 5 volts is a little too harsh. I thought I was leaning the cart out but that wasn't the case. So I am using the same cart construction for both the Protege and the Prodigy, I just use different juice mix.

The PB material does lose some of it's structure due to heat and the juice but still holds up better than the stock filler and the marineland blue foam. I'll see how this works over the next few days.

Kevin

[Scottbee]

I've been conspicuously absent from this thread because.. well... I have something that is working exceptionally well for me .. and, well, I just don't see it getting much better in the immediate time-frame. I've tried some of the recent developments, and have found myself going back to my "old faithful". Not to downplay straws, or Buff-Puffs... or blue foam.. or anything else. They are all good developments and I salute those who are forging forward. But here is what is working for me:

First off, I use a 901 whistle tip cartridge. I personally love the way it feels in my lips, and the liquid capacity is better than the 510 equivalent. This is what an empty 901 whistle tip looks like:




Note that it has a "D" shaped internal profile, only one "vent", and no ledge.

I use a spring to support my "plug". The best spring that I have found so far comes from a cheapo bank pen. Note that the spring has a flared end:



That end fits almost perfectly into the base of the 901 cart. I open it up just a little bit so it is an "interference fit"... you have to push it down into the cartridge... but then it stays there.

I trim the non-flared end of the spring down. The length depends on what type of liquid is going to be run in the cartridge. Thin watery PG gets a long spring.... so that the plug/pad ends up flush with the top lip of the cartridge. Thicker VG liquid (my favorite) gets a spring that is shorter. The pad ends up about 1mm below the cartridge lip.

I then "clean up" and flare the end that I just cut. This will create a larger support ring for the pad to sit on. I then insert the spring down into the cartridge. It will look like this:



You can tell that's an old 901 cartridge... and it has gotten plenty hot before. The edges of the cartridge have "softened" a bit before.

I have a little factory where I make tons of plug pads in advance. I've posted this pic before. I take a 5/16" punch and knock out a bunch of plugs from a blue non-scratch Scotch Brite pad. Then I take a flush-cut side cutter and knock off the edge to make the "D" shape. I knock out a bunch of these and tend to replace them every 2 days or so:



I then fill the cartridge (13 to 20 drops, depending on the drop size) and put the plug on/in. The picture below shows a completed cartridge. You can tell this is a PG cartridge because the plug is flush with the top lip of the cart:



And there you have it! The way I know that my carts are good and that they are working right is simple: THE SIZZLE! When a 510 atty is working right, and the cart is feeding just the right amount of liquid.... you will hear that distinct sizzle and crackle. And you'll get tons of vapor!

I'm not saying this approach is right for everybody... but dayum it is working well for me!

[a2dcovert]

The best mod is always what works the best for you. Thats why there are so many different ideas out there. I only use the 510 with the stock carts. I'd like to have something like a punch to make the plugs easier.

I'm not through experimenting and have been looking to see if I can find a spring that will work with the 510 stock carts. But haven't had any luck yet.

Kevin

PS: I like you listen to my PV for that good sizzle sound. You can tell a lot about the performance by the sound the atty makes, or doesn't make.

[TheBigD]

After reading through a couple of threads, i decided to try a "straw mod".

We happen to have flexi-straws here at the house, so I cut some off so it sits about 1/16 of an inch below the end of the cart (510). I then cut a plug of the polyfill that came in the cart, filled to the end of the straw, put the polyfillin, a couple drops on that, and put it into the atty.

Wow! Way more vapor production. I did this about five minutes ago, so we'll see how long it lasts, but it is a huge difference already.

Super easy, and so far it works!

[TheBigD]

So far, an hour and fifteen minutes of almost constant vaping and still haven't dried out!

I am using a stock 510, both cart, battery and atty. No liquid in the moouth, no drip out the atomizer either. I can't believe it.

[eclypse]

I cant believe that you have not melted that straw with it that close to the coil. 1 16th below the lip sounds nuts to me. If i were you i'd check that straw. With it that low, its only about an 8th of an inch from the coil.

Ever see what a cart edge looks like if you insert it wrong? heh it will look alot worse then Scottbee's cart edge in his resent pics. The straw is alot thinner then that cart edge. If it has not happend yet.. wait till see gets near dry and the heat really pics up.

[Scottbee]

Once again, I like all of these mods and I salute those who have taken the time to work on them and share them with all of us.

As I mentioned before, I am currently using the vertical spring with the blue Scotch Brite pad. It has another advantage that I mentioned a long time ago, but would like to redress.

The Buff Puff and blue foam "plugs" rely on "horizontal compression" of the media to control the flow of the liquid. If you are flooding your atomizer you use more material.. squeeze it, and fit it onto the cartridge opening. If you are getting a burned taste and the atomizer is "starving", reduce the amount of material. That's all good.

The "pad" style relies on "axial" compression of the material. If the atomizer is flooding, you make the spring or straw a bit longer. If the atomizer is starved, reduce the length of the spring or straw. Different mechanism, same result.

BUT.... there is a trick that you can use with axial compression that you can't do with horizontal compression. You can control the amount of compression by changing the amount of engagement between the cart and the atomizer.

Example: I make a cartridge that works perfectly with the thinnest liquid I have... some PG 555. When the cart is installed it looks like this:



Note that the cartridge is completely "seated" on the atomizer.

Now, if I refill that cartridge with a thick fluid like an NHaler HV or some of my VG juice.... the atomizer will starve for fluid and I'll get a burnt taste. Solution... pull the cartridge out just a bit until I get the correct flow-rate. When I start to get a nice atomizer sizzle.. it will look like this:



The real beauty of this is that I only have to make one cart style and I can use it for all of my liquids by just setting the "throttle" position. The other beauty is that (despite our wishes and desires), not all atomizers "wick" and perform exactly the same. By using this "throttle" idea, you can dial-in almost any atomizer and get it to work properly.

This is perhaps one of my favorite features of the "axial spring and pad" style mod.

My $.02!

[TheBigD]

I cant believe that you have not melted that straw with it that close to the coil. 1 16th below the lip sounds nuts to me. If i were you i'd check that straw. With it that low, its only about an 8th of an inch from the coil.

Ever see what a cart edge looks like if you insert it wrong? heh it will look alot worse then Scottbee's cart edge in his resent pics. The straw is alot thinner then that cart edge. If it has not happend yet.. wait till see gets near dry and the heat really pics up.

No issue yet! I didn't measure it, of course, I just eyeballed it based on the other attempts made. It looks just about identical to the diagram earlier in the thread. The foam/polyfill, when rolled up to insert is about the size of 00 buckshot or a loose skateboard bearing from the early 80s.

Maybe the liquid itself keeps it cool? I have no clue how hot attys get--maybe no hot enough to melt the plastic?

I went to bed last night at about 4:30 and the cart was still going, and is still going as I write this. It outlasted a full battery from last night!

If I get a plastic hit I will report ASAP--if I am still alive. Fortune favors the brave!

[kristin]

Once again, I like all of these mods and I salute those who have taken the time to work on them and share them with all of us.

As I mentioned before, I am currently using the vertical spring with the blue Scotch Brite pad. It has another advantage that I mentioned a long time ago, but would like to redress.

The Buff Puff and blue foam "plugs" rely on "horizontal compression" of the media to control the flow of the liquid. If you are flooding your atomizer you use more material.. squeeze it, and fit it onto the cartridge opening. If you are getting a burned taste and the atomizer is "starving", reduce the amount of material. That's all good.

The "pad" style relies on "axial" compression of the material. If the atomizer is flooding, you make the spring or straw a bit longer. If the atomizer is starved, reduce the length of the spring or straw. Different mechanism, same result.

BUT.... there is a trick that you can use with axial compression that you can't do with horizontal compression. You can control the amount of compression by changing the amount of engagement between the cart and the atomizer.

Example: I make a cartridge that works perfectly with the thinnest liquid I have... some PG 555. When the cart is installed it looks like this:



Note that the cartridge is completely "seated" on the atomizer.

Now, if I refill that cartridge with a thick fluid like an NHaler HV or some of my VG juice.... the atomizer will starve for fluid and I'll get a burnt taste. Solution... pull the cartridge out just a bit until I get the correct flow-rate. When I start to get a nice atomizer sizzle.. it will look like this:



The real beauty of this is that I only have to make one cart style and I can use it for all of my liquids by just setting the "throttle" position. The other beauty is that (despite our wishes and desires), not all atomizers "wick" and perform exactly the same. By using this "throttle" idea, you can dial-in almost any atomizer and get it to work properly.

This is perhaps one of my favorite features of the "axial spring and pad" style mod.

My $.02!

Scott, as the cart empties and the plug dries, what keeps it out of the atty? Does it get held between the bridge coil and the spring?

Also, does the spring get compressed when you put the cart on the atty then? Meaning, it then pushes out against the bridge when in place, basically pinching the pad between the spring and the bridge? Have you tried this on a regular 510 cart yet? (Since so many people use the 510, it'd be nice to find a consistant mod for the 510, too!)

[kristin]

I cut the plug at 5mm wide x 6mm long and the height is determined by placing the plug into the cart and cutting off the small bit that sticks up above cart rim.
Kevin

Only 6mm long? Does that even fill the opening? I thought the interior dimensions of the cart opening was about 4mm X 7mm? I imagine there being a space left at the ends at this length? I must be picturing it wrong.