Carto Issues

[Brandon0618]

I've been using smoktek standard cartos for my 19mm IBtanked tanks and have been having issues with it not wicking up enough liquid properly ( or enough ) and prematurely killing my cartos. They are just seeming to dry up way to quickly and I hardly see any air flow (bubbles) from the side holes. Are the holes on the sides just not large enough to not wick it up properly?

IF so are there any pre punched cartos out there that you can name that are better at wicking up liquid? I vape mostly 50/50 or more VG blends, that's why I've been thinking that the liquid is to thick to properly wick up.

The liquid I'm currently using as an ADV is CLS from Nicoticket.

Thanks for any input guys!

 

[Pocha]

How many holes do they have? You might want to get more holes or slotted. Boge makes slotted and I don't know if Smoktech does. I use almost exclusively and 50/50 blends and haven't had problems with even single hole cartos.

 

[DetraMental]

I use 50/50 and Smoktech single coil 2 hole punch cartomizers. You may need to punch another hole or widen the one you have. Be careful not to warp the cartomizer or leave a rough edge this will tear your 0-rings. There's a tool called a carto-punch that will do the work for you.

I did at one time get a few bad cartomizers from IBTanked. They just didn't work properly and I had to pitch em. Have you tried primer puffs? You hit on the e-cig, without firing, several times to get the liquid up into the filler.

 

[Brandon0618]

@ pocha, They are two hole flanged 3.0 or 3.2 standard resistance cartos. I bought 10 of them from IBtanked when I ordered my last tank.

@ Detra, I have always primer puffed my cartos after I prime them, it just seems I have to hit it VERY hard to get it to send bubbles telling me thats it's actually pulling liquid into it. I'm not sure why they are acting this way, it's only after I have started using CLS when they have been dying like flies. This is just recently when I started vaping on higher VG liquids such as 50/50 when they have seemed to not be pulling liquid into them.

I'm wondering if there are just any other cartos from other vendors ( not Smoktek ) that have bigger wicking holes so I wouldn't have to bother on purchasing a carto punch.

 

[Pocha]

I agree with DetraMental...They may actually be a batch of bad cartos, though I haven't heard of SmokTech having a problem with them lately. 2 holes seems like it should be fine for 50/50. Hmmm?

 

[Rickajho]

I dunno. All carto manufacturers seem to have spastic quality control. Some times they work, some times they don't. Not a lot to over think - they just screw up building them some times.

You may want to take a look at the Ikenvape supplier forum. At least this place tries to get cartos manufactured to spec and takes some responsibility when their manufacturer screws up. As it was, they threw Boge under the bus recently because Boge could not make cartos to spec and produce the same end result twice in a row. There were so many user complaints the last time around... that was the end of things for Boge.

 

[Brandon0618]

I'm just really lost on that, it just seems like no matter how saturated I get material inside it is dry after a good ten puffs. I'm constantly having to re saturate the top.

I have to take very hard draws on it to get ANY bubbles from the holes.

Either way I just purchased ten of nitro series from ikenvape so we will see if they are any better than what I'm currently getting.

 

[txcolt]

It almost sounds like your not getting a good seal on your cartos from the tank. These things work on a vacuum and if the seal isn't good the liquid doesn't flow. Are you using a tank tool to load your cartos into the tank? If not, you may have a nick in one of your o-rings.

 

[acka]

I have to take very hard draws on it to get ANY bubbles from the holes.

I use 50/50 juice in Boge F17 tanks which don't have a very good vacuum and used to get worried about not seeing the air bubbles appearing, and end up taking a lot of long primer hits, mostly resulting in a mouth full of juice/over saturated carts. If I leave it alone after a good prime they go okay though. I still rarely see air bubbles, but the juice disappears as I vape, so they seem to be working. Also I find a cart a little on the dryer side of wet actually give me the best hit, but probably shortens the life I'm sure.

None of this is any use if you're getting dry hits/crap life from them I know.

Otherwise, locking tanks seem to create a much better vacuum than others I've found. I have the UDCT 3.5ml locking ones from Smoktek and they're a good bit of kit (but no way do they take 3.5mls, even with the cart included).