Brown Cartridges

[Cuando]

My carts are starting to get brown. Mind you, they aren't old, and it only takes a matter of a couple hits for them to look a nasty brown.

Could this be because I'm topping off w/ random juices? Or is my atomizer dirty?

This is barely week 2 for me, and the first I've seen of this. Any tips?

 

[Jaaxx]

Same here, but only when I switch flavors a bunch. When I have a fresh cart and I stick to one flavor, no problem. When I start mixing it up, BAM! Brown cart.

If I paid closer attention I might be able to put 2 + 2 together and find if there is one combo that does it, but I've found no correlation yet.

Letting your cart get too dry can cause it to scorch and brown up a bit, but it's not as immediate or drastic as what I just described.

 

[Sun Vaporer]

My carts are starting to get brown. Mind you, they aren't old, and it only takes a matter of a couple hits for them to look a nasty brown.

Could this be because I'm topping off w/ random juices? Or is my atomizer dirty?

This is barely week 2 for me, and the first I've seen of this. Any tips?

Cuando--surprised you got that long out of the cores in the cartridges. The poleyster core can only wick for so long--usually 3 days before it can no longer absorb and turns color. Take the core out of the cartridge with a tweezer, and boil the cores in water for about 10 minutes, then let dry, and place the core back in the cartridge. Now you have a brand new blank that you can refill with a syringe or ink jet printer cartridge filler. Topping off is not as ideal as filling with a syringe because you want to fill from the bottom up to get maximum absorbtion. Hope that helps--Sun

 

[Cuando]

Cuando--surprised you got that long out of the cores in the cartridges. The poleyster core can only wick for so long--usually 3 days before it can no longer absorb and turns color. Take the core out of the cartridge with a tweezer, and boil the cores in water for about 10 minutes, then let dry, and place the core back in the cartridge. Now you have a brand new blank that you can refill with a syringe or ink jet printer cartridge filler. Topping off is not as ideal as filling with a syringe because you want to fill from the bottom up to get maximum absorbtion. Hope that helps--Sun

Well, honestly, I've been alternating between about 10 different carts. I've taken the cores out and washed them in warm water a few times, but I can tell they are getting beat up a bit. I'm ordering a bunch of blanks tomorrow, and I have the JC starter kit coming, because for the price, it's a decent value and will keep me in juice and supplies for a while, I imagine. Still, even with the excessive use I've put these carts/cores through, they are still wicking and performing pretty darn well.

I am also getting another penstyle kit tomorrow, just because I want the extra charger and batteries, and that'll give me 3 atomizers and 4 batteries to work with, as well as a couple extra carts. I looked, and really, PS's starter kits are a great deal for the price, overall. I imagine from there I'll only have to buy a battery or atomizer every few weeks/months. I'm having great luck (knock on wood) with my entire kit as it is, and therefore I've decided to stick with my pen for the forseeable future.

But again, thanks for the info. I'll try and note what flavors I'm using and see if I can't come up with something a little more concrete regarding the browning (it's not burnt, btw, just 'juicy brown').

 

[Sun Vaporer]

Well, honestly, I've been alternating between about 10 different carts. I've taken the cores out and washed them in warm water a few times, but I can tell they are getting beat up a bit. I'm ordering a bunch of blanks tomorrow, and I have the JC starter kit coming, because for the price, it's a decent value and will keep me in juice and supplies for a while, I imagine. Still, even with the excessive use I've put these carts/cores through, they are still wicking and performing pretty darn well.

I am also getting another penstyle kit tomorrow, just because I want the extra charger and batteries, and that'll give me 3 atomizers and 4 batteries to work with, as well as a couple extra carts. I looked, and really, PS's starter kits are a great deal for the price, overall. I imagine from there I'll only have to buy a battery or atomizer every few weeks/months. I'm having great luck (knock on wood) with my entire kit as it is, and therefore I've decided to stick with my pen for the forseeable future.

But again, thanks for the info. I'll try and note what flavors I'm using and see if I can't come up with something a little more concrete regarding the browning (it's not burnt, btw, just 'juicy brown').

Cuando--No need to buy blanks--just go to any fabric store or Walmart and buy a roll of Polyester Batting for 7 dollars--comes in a 5 foot roll and will last you a year. It is the exact same thing as the cores in what you buy--100% polyester batting--there is no difference--it is the same stuff by all accounts. You just cut a piece and stick it in your cartridge---there is no need to ever buy blanks. Many of us here have used it for quite some time--so save some money and time. A lot of these blanks that are being sold are too loose a fit in the atomizer--Hope that helps--Sun

 

[Cuando]

Thanks, Sun, I think I'll do just that. I do have to say, though, I wish there was something more organic that we could use for wicking material, though. I'd love to see somebody come up with a good wool blend that would match/increase the batting's ability to wick juice.

 

[Sun Vaporer]

Thanks, Sun, I think I'll do just that. I do have to say, though, I wish there was something more organic that we could use for wicking material, though. I'd love to see somebody come up with a good wool blend that would match/increase the batting's ability to wick juice.

Cuando--We tied just about everything but 100% polyester seems to be the one with no issues. Wool can be toxic, rope has some toxic properties, some use the polyfill at fish stores till we found the 100% polyester batting which is what the factories send us to begin with. The quest will continue for sure. Those blank cart of are causing a lot of issues with loose fit which we addressed earlier today---Happy Vaping--Sun

 

[Cuando]

Yeah, I'm aware of the loose carts and their fix. I'll call it the 'sun method', in your honor.

I can't say my batting is being burnt in any way, it's just a juice discoloration, so I'm not entirely worried about using it. Again, I'll look into buying some of this stuff next time at the very evil, very hard to resist Wally World.

I did a little research on wicking materials the other day, actually, and ran across some mention of a 'glass wool'. I'd love to look into that more, and will let you all know if I can actually acquire some at some point.

 

[OutWest]

I did a little research on wicking materials the other day, actually, and ran across some mention of a 'glass wool'. I'd love to look into that more, and will let you all know if I can actually acquire some at some point.

From my understanding, glass wool is essentially the same as fiberglass. I'd be concerned about inhalation of particles, myself.

 

[Liberate_Yourself]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried hemp as a medium for their cartridges? It seems like it could be pretty absorbent, and it is natural so I wouldn't be too worried if a little bit of it burnt away. Of course I am talking about the stuff that people make clothes/necklaces out of and not the stuff that people smoke. Just a thought.

 

[karenrcg]

I've been washing the polyester fibre in my carts and it was getting a bit crappy and flat looking, I got one of those little mesh bags that you get to put the washing powder tablets in put my collection of polyester squares in it after washing and tumble dried them, it fluffed them up great and brought back the absorbancy.

 

[Denni]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried hemp as a medium for their cartridges? It seems like it could be pretty absorbent, and it is natural so I wouldn't be too worried if a little bit of it burnt away. Of course I am talking about the stuff that people make clothes/necklaces out of and not the stuff that people smoke. Just a thought.

Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's harmless. Tobacco is natural as well, and the tar produced in tobacco smoke is the major culprit in causing lung cancer.

 

[trog100]

i think its colouring from the fluid.. nothing else.. i also think the colouring is connected with the taste factor.. different tasting fluid has different colours some is very brown..

i have been using flue cured from bestecig for months.. it looks like water (clear) and does not cause the wool or go brown even with using the same carts for well over a week.. i dont measure exactly when i go to a new cart and its more down to it becoming loose than anything else..

this is in an SD with lots of heat and lots of use.. i simply but in a normal cart and keep topping it up as required.. the wool does not discolor or go brown..

so i think its purely down to the liquid (taste) used.. nothing else..

trog

ps... u dont smoke the wool ether u smoke the fluid..

 

[Cuando]

From my understanding, glass wool is essentially the same as fiberglass. I'd be concerned about inhalation of particles, myself.

Ah, yeah, that doesn't sound like such a hot idea. I'm actually fine w/ the cores, just curious to any alternatives that might be out there.

 

[katink]

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried hemp as a medium for their cartridges? It seems like it could be pretty absorbent, and it is natural so I wouldn't be too worried if a little bit of it burnt away. Of course I am talking about the stuff that people make clothes/necklaces out of and not the stuff that people smoke. Just a thought.

It has been tried. Bit of a messy job getting the carts filled well enough. Not sure how it performed, but I think it was discarded due to just too much of a job using it.

 

[Cage]

Same here, but only when I switch flavors a bunch. When I have a fresh cart and I stick to one flavor, no problem. When I start mixing it up, BAM! Brown cart.

If I paid closer attention I might be able to put 2 + 2 together and find if there is one combo that does it, but I've found no correlation yet.

Letting your cart get too dry can cause it to scorch and brown up a bit, but it's not as immediate or drastic as what I just described.

I agree. I used 555 liquid exclusively in one cart for over a month.
Was tempted at first, to wash or change it due to discoloration.
I found by keeping the cart fiber damp it reduces or prevents the scorching.
That same cart still looks brand new and wicks perfectly.

 

[Liberate_Yourself]

Just because it's natural doesn't mean it's harmless. Tobacco is natural as well, and the tar produced in tobacco smoke is the major culprit in causing lung cancer.

Well that could be true, however I'd rather take my chances there than with a synthetic fiber made from plastic..

It has been tried. Bit of a messy job getting the carts filled well enough. Not sure how it performed, but I think it was discarded due to just too much of a job using it.

Aaah... Yeah, I can see how that would definitely be a problem. It is already quite the job to vape, adding to the mess would just be annoying.

Hmmmm.... Back to the drawing board

 

[Terraphon]

look for the thread about restuffing carts in the tips & tricks section.

I have a vid in there about just how to make this happen.

 

[Keef]

Is it only the penstyle that has this problem.

I swap different liquids during the day and dont change the cart for new ones.

My 901 type carts never discolour apart from when I tried coffee but that was to be expected.

I do chuck them in a box after about 4 days if I remember.

Longest I have used one is 7-8 days straight and it did not discolour just started to taste pretty disgusting.