A little Hi, a little thanks and a little help needed...

[Replaid]

Hey everyone, This post is about 1/3 a thanks to everyone on this forum for being so ridiculously helpful and informative, about 1/3 a big hi to everyone, and about 1/3 asking for help.

Being just 20 and having only smoked for about 2 years, i found myself in a love/hate relationship with smoking. I hated the fact that my brand, marlboro reds were getting more and more expensive, i hated the fact that my girlfriend always complained that she could smell the smoke on me, i hated waking up feeling like my lungs didn't like me anymore after a heavy night of smoking and i hated that feeling of dread when reaching for my last smoke at 2am.

However despite that i adored that moment when you get swamped under with work and can step outside for a cigarette under a cool night and just take a second to reign in your thoughts, or relaxing with some friends with a couple of beers and a smoke. It was these types of situations that never let me quit.

I bought my first e-cig 2 weeks ago from a local shop, A Nisa for those in the UK. It was an intellicig Evo starter kit, and from the first day i love it, despite it's little quirks. I decided to research a little bit more into it and came across this forum (especially this board) and MistressNomad's videos. There was so much information, and so many choices. That night i ordered a couple of sample bottles of flavours and some empty carts for my evo. Now 2 weeks on i have upgraded and i think i have found a new addiction.

Last week i ordered A Ego starter kit, various juices, carts, drip tips and (after hearing a lot of good things about them) some Boge cartomizers. After 4 days of mailman stalking 2 big packages came yesterday and i couldn't be happier, the ego works brilliantly, i found out i love dripping and all my juices are delicious.

(Wow, sorry for the long post, first post enthusiasm i guess. Anyway I'm finally at my question)

However after fiddling for 2 days, i still can't seem to get the cartomizers producing any decent vapour and they seem to have a very odd burnt taste. I'm filling them with the condom method which seems to be the preferred style. I'm rather underwhelmed.

Have i got a bad box of them, or have i overlooked something?

 

[dormouse]

Hi - I don't prefer condom method. I prefer the intended method, by removing the soft cap and dripping juice into the stuffing. I only buy soft-caps. I can get 4-7 days use out of a carto. I get the most so far out of Boge soft-caps - I got 2 weeks use out of one of those (a month vaping it 1/2 the time).

You need to fill them completely to start . After that I clean it up and let it lay on different sides to make sure every bit of stuffing is damp - if I don't do that I can get a singed taste and that taste will stick around - you don't want to singe them. Then I keep them damp. Any time the vapor seems light or a bit dry and I can't revive it by tilting the ecig carto down for 5 seconds, I add some juice (first taking the carto off the battery and after making sure it is clean and not dripping, including blowing out the air channel if it has a defined air channel).

BTW some cartos have a donut shape seal between the stuffing and the cap so if you are pushing juice in through the cap it may not wet the upper stuffing well.

What PG/VG is the juice you are using? Thick VG can have problems spreading throw tight carto stuffing and that could left some dry areas. And 100% PG makes lighter vapor that dissipates quicker.

 

[Replaid]

I'm using 50/50 premixed FSUSA juice. I think that you're probably right about the problem i've got. When i get back home i'm going to try to fill it how you recommend, probably with a fresh one. The singed taste you talk about seems to be what i am experiencing.

How much juice do you normally recommend i put in the cartos?

 

[brittasempire]

Hey mate - you've pointed me in the right direction! Similar story here in terms of the love / hate. I'm not too far from the NISA off Narbie Road so I'll give that a try and see how I get on with the disposable one!

 

[Vague Prophet]

I followed Dormouse's instructions on filling KR8 cartos and sofar beats any other method. I also like it more because it keeps it simple. No syringes, condoms, or other sex/drug paraphernalia lol. Not sure about the Evo but my KR8 cartos take 15-20 drops. Just work the liquid along the edge of the carto a few drops at a time until saturated. Then let it sit for about 15 min and vape.

 

[dormouse]

I won't use any more than 20% VG in my cartos any more. Just makes them sluggish too fast

How I fill Vapor4Life KR8 cartos and Boge 510 cartos

Pop out the soft cap with an unbent paperclip in the mouth hole, very careful not to catch stuffing or the wire loop.
Shake and open the eliquid
Hold a bit of tissue on the threaded end hole, tilt the carto, and add 18 drops per ml of capacity into the stuffing (Boges and most KR8 cartos are about 1ml).
Wait 15 seconds or so then see how many more drops the carto stuffing will soak in easily.
Clean up the threaded end, tilt open end down into tissue, puff into threaded end to clear air channel (Boges and the KR8 cartos I use have a defined center air channel and I want to see light through that)
Sop up any loose juice above the stuffing
Cap and let it settle - I lay it on different sides for 15-20 minutes to make sure every bit of stuffing gets damp so I won't singe the carto. if you use thicker juice than me (I use 20% Vg or less) then you may need to wait much longer.

While vaping, if the vapor gets a bit light or a bit dry or the carto is getting hotter than normal, I take the carto off the battery and add eliquid. I sometimes use a plastic or delrin drip tip as a mouthpiece on Boge and KR8 cartos (not to drip into since the juice would head for the central air channel)