I think I'm staying on topic while asking this, it's more of a troubleshooting thing here, because I'm having a couple issues.
Just got my first pack of Phoenixes and I'm having a few issues: Roughly halfway through the carto, I've had a few instances of "depressurization" which result in the contents flooding out the bottom. I'm not sure why this is happening. Do I need to vape the carto completely dry before refilling? I'm filling as completely as I can (I've never been quite sure how to get rid of the air bubble that forms in the syringe, my method has been to fill the syringe partway, then empty it back in the bottle, then fill partway again, and repeat until air is minimized) but I have tried refilling while it's partially filled. Is this the wrong way? When they're working well, they're stellar (aside from being a somewhat cool vape, but the flavour, TH and vapour production make it worthwhile) but when the leaking starts, there is no other choice but to take it off. These things REALLY need a good FAQ. Any tips to avoid this would really help, as I'd love the same experience others seem to be getting from them.
I've been trying to help folks with these for several days, so my advice is kinda scattered across the forum. I'll copy it here for ya, including info on how I fill the syringe and the guidelines I follow when it comes to juice level and refilling Phoenixes that aren't vaped dry. Here ya go:
Flooding bottom coil Phoenixes happen because: (in no specific order and probably not a complete list)
1. The top rubber seal isn't sitting far enough down or is otherwise not in there right. It could even be upside down.
2. Too much air in the syringe.
3. The middle post is raised too high and is letting too much juice through the holes.
4. The wicks are thinned out too much.
5. It wasn't filled properly. Perhaps it was filled too much (I always stop at the point where the middle post widens), wasn't filled upside down, there was still juice by the wicks when you refilled it. Pushing new juice in just pushes that juice through the coil and you'll start the tank with it already flooded.
If I get flooding and it's because I screwed up when refilling it, this is what I do. Wrap a paper towel around the threaded end and turn the Phoenix upside down like you would if you're filling it but leave the drip tip on. Blow through the drip tip until it sounds cleared out, cleaning up the juice that comes out with the paper towel. You do this upside down because otherwise you're just flooding it worse. You'll want to clear out the juice from the base that might be stuck around the wicks before you do this for the same reason. Just hold it by the threaded end and flick it a few times like a thermometer.
If it floods anyway, take it all apart and put it back together. Be careful to make sure everything's sitting properly. You'll want the post to sit flush against the cup surrounding the coil. The rubber seal needs to be right up against the rim on the post that it sits on. You should be able to see the metal of the post if you look down at the seal. This wouldn't help with dry hits, but it should cover most of the bases for flooding.
Careful taking the needle out after you fill it. Take it straight out and not at an angle. It can tug the rubber seal loose.
A few really small bubbles in the syringe isn't a big deal, but you just kind of have to get a feel for how much it'll tolerate. When I load up my syringe, I clean off the tip and hold it from there then flick it like a thermometer. It helps get the bubbles to the top quicker than tapping the tube or whatever you call it. Try not to stab yourself! Then, so I don't waste juice, I put the tip of the needle into the very top of the juice cap. I have those bottles with the round childproof lids. Holding the syringe with the needle straight up and against the tip of the cap, I depress the syringe until the bubbles come out. The tip of the cap actually holds onto the juice even though it's upside down. Then, I just flip it over, suck out the tiny bits of juice and load it up. Works every time!
My mom has run into issues with them flooding on her. Well, she didn't realize it was flooding and thought that it was broken because she couldn't get hardly any vapor from it. I took it off the battery, turned it upside down and flicked it a few times like a thermometer to get the juice away from the base. Then, while it was upside down, I blew it out while I held a paper towel over the threaded end. This is THE way to clear out flooding. Always turn it upside down because you don't want to blow the juice in the tank through it! I don't remember who it was that gave me that tip, but thank you!!
So, once I'd cleared out the flood, I looked it over and figured out what was happening. When she filled it, she wasn't taking the needle out straight. So she was pulling the seal out bit by bit every time she took the needle out. It didn't even move off of the post all the way, but it was enough to cause problems. This probably has nothing at all to do with what you're issue is, but ya never know!
If I know you, you've watched the video and you're filling it properly. Are you filling it up all the way? If I fill mine really high, it will almost definitely dump. Not a full on dump, but a dump nonetheless. I try to get it just to the point where the post widens and no higher. Others fill it to the seam where the post meets the cup.
The first thing I'd do is take it apart completely, tube and all, and then put it back together and try again.
To go with the quoted material, sometimes it's a really simple user error that's causing trouble. One person was putting the seal back in backwards. If you replace the rubber seal at the top, make sure the part that slopes inward is facing you. Otherwise it'll flood for sure.
I've been thinking about taking pictures to show what I'm talking about with some of these tips. It's hard to express in text. Try not filling them so high. Some people say that you
have to, but I've only ever seen it cause trouble. My husband got 0, and I mean zero, vapor from one and he was just about ready to toss it in the trash!! Thankfully, he knows better and realizes that I'm the ecig guru in the house so he handed it over. It was flooded, of course. Seems like 90% of the time, flooding is the main issue I've helped people with and 99% of the time it's user error.
When in doubt, take it apart completely and put it back together making sure that everything is lined up properly and nothing is crooked. The .... end of the middle metal post from another phoenix is the best tool I've found for getting the rubber seal back in really securely and evenly. Make sure you can see the metal from the post in the center of the middle ring. It should be about flush with the top of the hole in the rubber seal. If it's a little cockeyed, it might work just fine but having it pressed in nice and firmly is the main thing.
Are you using the needles that came with it? A larger gauge needle can poke a hole that's too large to hold pressure. You might have accidentally poked a second hole into it or widened the first. I'm careful about not applying too much pressure when I put the needle in so I follow the same path I used when I made the first hole.
