Atomizer and cartridge v. Cartomizer

[hrtim]

I think I may change my user ID to Question mark since I have so many.

I used the full names of the devices because this is, after all, is the newbie section and I know that not everyone is up to speed on the abbreviations and acronyms. It took me a few days to sort them out.

Not that I'm an old hand by any means. I have been vaping going on three weeks.

After the first two days, I put down my analogs and have not touched one since. For me, this is nothing short of a miracle. I was a three PAD smoker and had smoked for 45 years.

I tried it all. The gum, the patch, hypnosis, witch doctors, shamans, and acupuncture. Hell, I would have tried nicotine enemas if I thought they might have worked.

vaping did and I couldn't be happier. As are my family, my friends, my doctors, etc., etc.

Did I mention that I'm ecstatic about vaping? Or that I can be a bit long winded about things?

Ok, my question(s), what do you vets see as the main differences between attys and carts as opposed to cartos?

I started on a gift eGo-T with attys and through this forum have learned how to use them efficiently enough to satisfy my needs. I found the low resistance type are best for my purposes.

I decided to try a couple of cartos because some claim they are the cat's pajamas with footies. So, I did my due diligence and picked up a couple of dual coil cartos from my local purveyor (Value Vapor) here in Austin, watched the U-tube vids on how to feed and care for them and decided to give them a go.

Of course, I over filled one, got the lovely tasting juice in my mouth, spent a few minutes making unpleasant noises, cleaned up the spittle off the floor, and learned from my mistake. (Ahem), the sign of true genius.

I got it working, cut the hole in the condom (sounds dangerous) for a mouth piece and went along my merry vaping way.

My impressions and observations:

It's hard to tell when it's filled to the correct level;

I have to hold the button down much longer and draw harder and longer for the same amount of vapor. Seems odd to me me because of the dual coil thingie. Dual carbs and dual cams always got me more horsepower!!;

The length of time before I have to reload seems about the same;

There are a LOT more gyrations to go through fill them. Condoms, dripping, syringes, and maybe even sump pumps as opposed to just dripping (I suppose you could use a syringe) the cart full to the top.

So, to me, it doesn't seem to be worth the extra trouble. I don't seem to be gaining a thing except some arcane knowledge of how a corto works.

Gasp! Could it possibly be that I'm doing something so wrong that I may tear a hole in the space time continuum?
I really wouldn't want that. Really.

So, please, tell me if my technique is flawed or in actuality, the whole thing just boils down to what you like best.

Folks, this is a wonderfully supportive and informative magic place we call a forum. The best on this danged ole internet. Believe me, I'm belong to a ton of them.

Thank you all for being here and sharing.

 

[vmdoug]

Do you like the Ego-T? I'm considering it for around the house use. I have a 510 starter system now

 

[stahrman]

I have absolutely no experience with attys. I've only been vaping for about a month and all I use are pre-filled cartos. They work perfectly for me. When the flavor is no longer there, I toss the carto in a bag and put on another. All together I probably have around 120 cartos. When they all get used up.......I'll start refilling them.

 

[Plumes.91]

I got it working, cut the hole in the condom (sounds dangerous)

I'm sorry, got what working again? lol.

Have you tried the condom filling technique? This is where you fill by filling a condom with the liquid and then pushing your cartomizer's battery connection end into the condom slowly? This will ensure that the bottom of the cartomizer (where the atomizer is) is getting wet. This is first and foremost for me. (Make sure if your condom is more than 5cm, then only fill it half way because you've got one of the larger condoms. NICE!) Then what I do, is I drip 5 drops into the mouth end of the cartomizer, and i wait for the liquid to sink into the polymer filling. Then I repeat, 5 more drops. Then what I do is I'll gently blow the liquid down from a distance of about 5-6 inches, like we used to blow our nintendo cartridges to get the dust out. This helps the liquid settle toward the middle of the carto. You can also shake the cartomizer violently, like an old fashion thermometer. After all this, if the top is still dry, (not shiny) then go ahead and drop 3 more drops. This is really all you need.

The advantages of going through all of this is that you will not have to constantly drip 2 drops into the atomizer after every 4-5 puffs. (which is good for while you are driving) You wont have to go through tasting that dry burn every 4-5 puffs either.

You were using carts for your atty? I wasn't aware anyone still used those? I mean, carts are probably OK for while driving but if you've only got atomizers, no cartomizers, then whenever you are sedimentary, dripping is your best bet to flavor/vapor town.

 

[ctourtelot]

I've used just about everything out there and stuck with the clearomizers for about a year. I recently stumbled across the Vision Ego Stardusts and fell head over heels in love with these things. They look great on the Ego, are super easy to fill and perform fantastically. I believe Litecigsusa still has them in the LR version on their site. EgO vision Clear-o-mizer

 

[Plumes.91]

The EGO T has received good reviews and bad reviews. The proprietary atomizer and tank system fail in some ways but are nice in others. If I had the money to buy all of the e-cigs and supplies I've ever wanted, I wouldn't get the Ego-T. And I have spent the better part of the last 3 weeks watching videos and reading these forums, so everything is fresh in my mind and I know what works well and what people complain about. The Ego-T is low maintenance, that is where it succeeds. There is a "Tank" that is "Pierced" by a "Spike" above the atomizer component, and slow draws force liquid out of the tank, down the spike, in to the atty. But there is nothing wrong with regular 510 attys and cartos. I would say if you truly want a "tank system" then GET a TANK SYSTEM. Buy yourself an ego kit and a dual coil and/or low resistance cartomizer tank and be done with it.

 

[dearme]

Cartos do work wonders.

I would suggest ditching the tank on the EgoT and getting Boge single coil cartos LR 2.0 and a carto tank. You can buy the cartos prepunched to try out. Fill your carto with about 1 ml eliquid using a syringe (easiest) by inserting the syr down the side to the bottom of the carto in 3 different places, then put a little on the top avoiding the middle hole. Slip the carto into a carto tank, fill the tank, put a drip tip on the top for comfort, put the whole thing on the Ego and take a couple of dry pulls to start the wicking process, and then vape all day carefree. No more muss or fuss.

 

[hrtim]

I'm sorry, got what working again? lol.

AH, someone who's brain works like mine. Greetings fellow smart a**.


Have you tried the condom filling technique? This is where you fill by filling a condom with the liquid and then pushing your cartomizer's battery connection end into the condom slowly? This will ensure that the bottom of the cartomizer (where the atomizer is) is getting wet. This is first and foremost for me. (Make sure if your condom is more than 5cm, then only fill it half way because you've got one of the larger condoms. NICE!) Then what I do, is I drip 5 drops into the mouth end of the cartomizer, and i wait for the liquid to sink into the polymer filling. Then I repeat, 5 more drops. Then what I do is I'll gently blow the liquid down from a distance of about 5-6 inches, like we used to blow our nintendo cartridges to get the dust out. This helps the liquid settle toward the middle of the carto. You can also shake the cartomizer violently, like an old fashion thermometer. After all this, if the top is still dry, (not shiny) then go ahead and drop 3 more drops. This is really all you need.

The advantages of going through all of this is that you will not have to constantly drip 2 drops into the atomizer after every 4-5 puffs. (which is good for while you are driving) You wont have to go through tasting that dry burn every 4-5 puffs either.

You were using carts for your atty? I wasn't aware anyone still used those? I mean, carts are probably OK for while driving but if you've only got atomizers, no cartomizers, then whenever you are sedimentary, dripping is your best bet to flavor/vapor town.

Hmm. Maybe my terminology is wrong. What I'm calling a cart is basically a mouth piece with the poly fill inside.

I fill er to the brim and can vape for at least an hour. That's if I'm heavy vaping, like right now.


I worked a show last weekend and did semi-stealth vaping. I only topped off once.

I DO like the idea of a tank but, I read so much about leaking that I haven't made the decision to try one out.

The last thing I need is some incontinent device in my pocket.

 

[dearme]

Carto tanks do not leak. I've tried Chibi, Lil Mama, and my favorite, M1A1 tank with a filling port. The T tanks on the EgoT have had leaking problems, but that is a whole different type of tank.

 

[Plumes.91]

So.. You enjoy using carts with your atomizers? Is there anything you dislike about using carts? Basically, cartomizers are carts and atomizers combined so really all you need to do is treat the cartomizer as a cart and atty. I think they create much more vapor than using carts, and they are less long usually. I think you should just, use whatever you find works best, really. But, using cartomizers is just as easy, if not easier, than using a cart + atty combo. Maybe you just need to get the hang of them. Right now I'm really enjoying dripping strait onto my atty, but when I go to work tomorrow morning, I'm going to want a nice, full cartomizer because I can't stop scanning clothing in the middle of scanning a rack and take out my juice bottle and drip and then vape while I smile at my manager, lol. So, cartomizers are a lot better in this situation. I can rely on them to have enough juice to get me through the day non-stop, without dripping.

 

[dormouse]

You have gyrations because you are using big cartos with 2 coils and it's hard to get juice into botht he bottom and top without multiple methods. As for how to know when it is filled - you find out the capacity of the carto in ml and you put that much juice in. With 1ml cartos like Boge 2 ohm (most popular cartos on 450mah+ 510-threaded devices) or the Kanger horizontal coil 2 ohms, if you are dripping the juice in figure 20-28 drops is usually an ml.

 

[hrtim]

Do you like the Ego-T? I'm considering it for around the house use. I have a 510 starter system now

I though I replied to this earlier. I guess I didn't hit the post tab.

I have nothing to compare it to. It was a gift along with some juice.
I have since bought a couple of extra batteries and some low resistance attys. Plus juice, too much juice.

It works for me just fine.
Do I like it?
From an emotional standpoint, I love it. It is a miracle device that literally changed my life.
I really can't stress that enough. Two days after getting it and finding this forum, I totally stopped smoking those stinking, messy, expensive death sticks.

From a technological view, I think there are better made, more efficient devices in the marketplace.
One day, I'll do some exploring and try one out. But, for now I'm perfectly satisfied.

 

[hrtim]

So.. You enjoy using carts with your atomizers? Is there anything you dislike about using carts? Basically, cartomizers are carts and atomizers combined so really all you need to do is treat the cartomizer as a cart and atty. I think they create much more vapor than using carts, and they are less long usually. I think you should just, use whatever you find works best, really. But, using cartomizers is just as easy, if not easier, than using a cart + atty combo. Maybe you just need to get the hang of them. Right now I'm really enjoying dripping strait onto my atty, but when I go to work tomorrow morning, I'm going to want a nice, full cartomizer because I can't stop scanning clothing in the middle of scanning a rack and take out my juice bottle and drip and then vape while I smile at my manager, lol. So, cartomizers are a lot better in this situation. I can rely on them to have enough juice to get me through the day non-stop, without dripping.

I can't say that I enjoy filling my carts but I don't find it a chore. I'm not married to my carts. They just are what came with my gift. I do like the experimenting around and will eventually change to something else.

Let's face it, vaping is very similar to smoking a pipe. You have to have the tools. Rather than toting around a pipe, tobacco, a tamper and a lighter, we carry our batteries, attys/cartos, and juice.

Do you enjoy that?

I don't mind at all. I like toys and things to fiddle around with.

I work out of my house so it's easy. I don't have to worry about my vaping much. But, when I leave, I have my set up and a little pouch for an extra battery, atty and my juice.

I really like the tank idea. I don't know know if it will be any more convenient or not.
If all you have to do is fill the tank and screw it on the battery without any special tools for filling and it lasts all day with no problems, count me in.

Which one? And where do I get them?

Right now, I find the carts reliable enough and easier to use than the cartos that I bought. Probably because it's so much faster for me.

Thanks to all for the input. I do appreciate it.

 

[Plumes.91]

You can get a tank that you can fill without anything from madvapes, with a low res dual coil cartomizer within it. Or, alternatively, you can buy either an acorn type tank, or a tank that requires a syringe or pipette. The pipettes are usually only 30 cents and you will be fine with just one. You can get one for your carrying case as well for on the go filling, however on the go filling isn't usually necessary if you fill your tank at home. You can buy the screw top acorn style tank from parkesvaping.com, they also have the pipette style with pipettes. The tanks from madvapes have cartomizers with holes punched into their sides, which allows the juice within the tank to slowly seep and get sucked into the cartomizer. The tanks from parkesvaping are known as CE2 type tanks and they contain a lkind of loose atomizer, with wicking material. Both are replaceable componants.The tanks at madvapes and parkesvaping are some of the cheapest tanks available. Madvapes also has some of the cheapest tanks I've seen. You can alternatively buy a relatively higher quality tanks from sites such as: cloudsofvapor.com, vaporescense.com, vapor-age.com, electronicstix.com, NHaler.com, bigdaddyvapor.com, notcigs.com, cigtechs.com, madvapes.com, or parkesvaping.com. Each website sells a different tank, so check out which styles you think you'd enjoy.

 

[elfstone]

I'm using J-tanks from electro-nic-stix for now, and it's really easy. They work really well. There's nothing to it. I understand people wondering, but it's almost funny to see that - there's nothing at all to worry about.

I just fill the carto as I usually would (I use a syringe), and then I put on a drip tip and slide the carto into the tank. It goes easier with the drip tip on. I then use the syringe to fill the tank as well - I don't have to, but why mess around with a big bottle and a small hole? It's a 30 second job.

Anyway, there's also this Slap-Yo-Mama adapter, that makes filling tanks even easier. I don't have one, I don't think I'll need one, but by all means get one if you want to be able to fill your tank literally with your eyes closed...

 

[hrtim]

Thanks guys.

I will definitively check them out.

If I don't get some work done today, I will have some unhappy customers.

 

[Envithyx]

Thank you Plumes.91 and elfststone, the last part of this thead hit my needs perfectly. A good starting spot for researching what type of tank I would like to get. Now on to the fun of more research while I vape.

 

[Oneida]

Big time congratulations on quitting!! I'm also a new vaper that finally managed to quit a 45-year habit about 3-1/2 weeks ago with a cheapo e-cig kit from the local smoke shop. Like you, I'm way beyond thrilled to have finally managed to quit after trying just about everything you tried (except for the shaman . However, things with the cheapo kit quickly got to the point where it seemed like I was constantly charging batteries and filling the cartomizers, so after a lot of research on ECF, youTube, etc., I got -

1. eGo-T passthrough battery in the 1000 mA size
2. cylinder style eGo mega atomizer
3. empty cylinder style eGo mega cartridges
4. 1000 mA AC-to-USB adaptor
5. lots of juice samples

I know a lot of people swear by cartomizers and tankomizers but even though I'm thinking of building a shrine to the guy that invented e-cigs, vaping is really not something I want to spend a lot of time fiddling with and so I've been put off by all of the cleaning and tinkering that cartomizers and tankomizers seem to need to not leak/work reliably/last longer. Thus my decision to try the eGo mega atomizer-cartridge combo as my first venture into serious vaping gear. I love it. All in all, I've found this combo to be simplicity itself and a great performer. The battery lasts me all day even when used as a standalone. The cartridges are listed as holding 2.5 ml of juice but realistically hold about 2 ml (about 75 drops on the first fill), but that is still long enough to last me 4-6 hrs (as a new non-smoker I'm still in the chain-vaping stage . Filling them is super simple and quick and doesn't require syringes. Vapor production is excellent with both PG and VG juices, to my eye comparable to the billowing clouds you see in the youTube reviews of high-end gear even though my lung capacity sure ain't that great anymore. Flavor also seems pretty good to me considering that my taste buds are pretty much fried from 45 years of smoking (Djarum Specials for the last 5 years). I haven't noticed any crummy filler taste like I did with cartomizers and I've also had no leaks or dry/burnt hits unless I let the cartridge get too dry. (I've since learned to listen for the little crack-snapple-pop sounds that the eGo atomizer makes when I drag that seem to be the sign of an adequately-filled cartridge properly wicking to the atomizer and refill when I don't hear anything during a drag).

Anyway, maybe it's just a case of not realizing what I'm missing out on but so far I'm very happy with the simplicity, reliability and performance of the eGo mega cylinder atomizer and cartridge combo and at this point can't imagine what would "better." However, that of course is just the 2 cents of a brand new vaper.

 

[Shortstuff116]

To the original poster (OP) hrtim a big Congratulations to you for quitting after only 2 days of vaping, especially after 45 years at 3 packs a day. I started out using the old KR808D-1 e-cig well over 2 years ago, which was a simple automatic battery with a cartomizer - it worked. After my first week I ordered a Joye 510 starter kit which used the push-button battery, atomizer and cartridge. Then just like so many others back then, the modding began. I made a few "Nico-Sticks" which were simple 2AA battery boxes with a 510 connector, push button, LED(s), on-off switch and held a standard 14500 rechargeable L-ion battery. Then I made a 5v mod that held 2-14500 batts, then a couple of Eclipse Mint tin and Altoids Mint tin mods which carried the larger and much longer lasting 18650 batts.

For well over those first 2 years I used nothing but 510 attys and carts. And of course there were many different mods to try (different filler materials) for the carts too. I had always had the best luck with (and always used) the Lipton Pyramid Tea Bag mod for my carts. For so long I thought I was in vaping heaven and pretty much had using the attys and carts down to a science. Then a couple of months ago a friend asked me when was the last time I tried a cartomizer and of course it had been over 2 years. He encouraged me to try them once again and wow - what an improvement! I then realized what I had been missing for so long. Then he talked me into getting a Provari, which I did and now I really know what vaping BLISS is.

My suggestion to you is to stick with single coil cartomizers, preferably 2.0 ohms. Any dual coil carto on your e-cig is just asking a bit too much from your battery. If you get yourself a single coil 2.0 carto and fill it properly (excellent video here) the very first time, you may do what I already have done - put the attys in a drawer and forget about them. Oh and definitely get some drip tips which makes it so much easier to refill/top off your carto.

Again, Congrats on your progress so far!

 

[hrtim]

Thanks to everyone for their input and recommendations. And, thanks for the kudos and support. It really does mean a lot to me.
As I said upfront, I an still very much a neophyte to the scene. Through this forum, I've discovered some darned interesting juices ( heck, one kind gentleman in CA. sent me 10ml for free! Thanks Mike) and a drawing technique that now makes perfect sense but was eluding me at the time.

Oh btw, my wife confiscated the bottle of free juice from Mike and has her personal flag planted firmly in the top and it's heavily defended.

As I write this, I have a condom on my carto, trying it out again. I will be happy if it works out. I am anxious to see if it lasts much longer than my atomizer/cart method. If it does, I'll change over, maybe.

For the folks struggling with their eGo-Ts and carts, let me splain my method.

On a new atty, I drop 2-3 drop directly in it and just puff a few time to burn off the packing grease and get some juice in the wick.
Then I started filling my cart. As it get up to the top, I take a dental pick and poke a few holes in the top of the polyfill and add more juice till it's full. That's about 20-25 drops total. Put the cart on the atty and I'm ready to vape.

I do store and keep my rig upright, sitting on the battery. I'm thinking (dangerous) that gravity is your friend ( unless you drink a wee too much) and keeps the juice flowing toward the wick. It lasts me a good long while. YMMV

Now, all that said, I know me pretty well and I'm going to be learning, thinking and tinkering around pretty quick.

Just like in juices, I am going to make some mistakes, shrug them off and go on searching for the perfect personal set up.

I'm just hoping that it doesn't involve backpacks, liters of juice and car batteries

Any way, thanks mucho again and please keep posting ideas and suggestions.

I might be old and crotchety, but I'm still open minded and have a spirit of adventure.