Ordered some smok tech XL cartos from Altsmoke, but I've only managed to get a couple of em to work so far and I don't wanna waste the rest of em; I put around 25-30 drops into em and the last two I've filled without flooding seem to either get very little vapor or none at all, even after blowing em out and making sure there's no overflow still on the battery contact. Is this a case of bad cartos, or am I just not filling em enough before using them? I don't want to waste liquid or cartos on trial-and-error if it's a couple of bad cartos in the batch. The first two are working great as long as I keep them topped off and wet, but the second pair just don't work properly so far. Would anyone recommend trying to clean those two out and try again, or should I just ditch em and order another batch?
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I use those on a daily basis. They are easy to underfill and torch on the first hit. Here's how I fill them.
1. Remove both condoms and the mouthpiece plug.
2. Take the condom with the small nipple inside and nearly fill about 3/4 with juice.
3. Slowly press the carto into the liquid THREADED END DOWN till it hits the bottom of the condom.
4. Repeat this process two more times. You will see a lot of liquid come out of the air tube on top on the third press. This is good.
5. Let is sit a minute or two in the condom. Then remove the carto from the condom. Gently blow the excess liquid. Top off the carto(if needed.
6. vape.
1. Remove both condoms and the mouthpiece plug.
2. Take the condom with the small nipple inside and nearly fill about 3/4 with juice.
3. Slowly press the carto into the liquid THREADED END DOWN till it hits the bottom of the condom.
4. Repeat this process two more times. You will see a lot of liquid come out of the air tube on top on the third press. This is good.
5. Let is sit a minute or two in the condom. Then remove the carto from the condom. Gently blow the excess liquid. Top off the carto(if needed.
6. vape.
Hi and welcome! I use those cartos too, but in tanks. Off the top of my head, my guess is that you're not filling them enough. It does take practice, I was changing one out last night and flooded it. I just let it sit for awhile on paper towel to drain out, then vaped on it VERY slowly, listening to the gurgles. I didn't inhale anything at that point, just drew into my mouth and exhaled. I'm sure other people have their own methods, but that's what I do. I was trying to copy PBusardo's video on filling cartos from the bottom, but it didn't work for me.
I mostly use this guy's method, although a experiment at little each time: How To Fill A Cartomizer Tank - YouTube
If it was me, I would fill up the ones that didn't work and try again. I wouldn't bother trying to clean them.
I mostly use this guy's method, although a experiment at little each time: How To Fill A Cartomizer Tank - YouTube
If it was me, I would fill up the ones that didn't work and try again. I wouldn't bother trying to clean them.
i tried that method last night after watching PBusardo's video. It could be that the juice I was using was too light to see coming up the filler, but I found it to be a pain. I was using the condom method from the top (I didn't know it was wrong
), and then dripping down into the filler; works for me.
I second this. I've been using the "condom method" recently and it works better than I thought it would. I thought it might cause flooding problems, but it didn't. It's a great way to prime the carto and it basically forces the liquid fully into the carto, versus just dripping through the top and hoping it absorbs evenly. I should've started doing this months ago.
Thanks for the tips; I've been considering using a tank, but I'm not sure which one would be best for the standard eGo 650 batteries. I'll probably stick to the regular cartos when I'm on the go, but I'd like to use a tank at home.
The way I fill my cartos DOES FLOOD THE CARTO. I let is sit in it's flooded state for a few minutes to make sure the packing is good and saturated, then I gently blow the air tube out.
I don't like the taste of burnt ni-chrome wire. Ask me how I found this out.
I don't like the taste of burnt ni-chrome wire. Ask me how I found this out.
I'll definitely try that method. I know cartos are relatively cheap, but a coupla bucks here and there on wasted cartos can add up over time.
Oops! I forgot to add that I was trying it on a Boge. The Smoktek cartos I use have a flanged bottom and wouldn't fit in the condom.
As Off Topic posted above, I flood mine too most of the time. I just let them sit for awhile. I rather have a little gurgling that a dry carto.
As Off Topic posted above, I flood mine too most of the time. I just let them sit for awhile. I rather have a little gurgling that a dry carto.
I'm a super big fan of IBTanked glass tanks. I'm like a broken record on ECF, but I really do love them. I have three. This is what one of their 19mm XL tanks looks on a regular 650mah eGo. It's what I take when I go out:
ETA: It has a Smoktech XL inside.
If you don't want to use the condom method- (and it is a great method).
- Hold the cartomizer on an angle, drip about 10 drops of liquid into the filler avoiding the center channel
-Give several thermometer shakes to get the liquid to move down the cartomizer
-Add 10 more drops, shake and repeat until full.
You usually know it's full when you get a drop out of the bottom of the cartomizer and you can see the liquid pool slightly on top.
It's better to add too much than too little. You can blow liquid out of the center channel and if you add too much liquid you can dab the carto with a q-tip so you don't get liquid in your mouth.
Roll the carto on it's side to avoid dry pockets within the carto.
Standard cartomizer hold about 1 ml which is 25-30 drops. I'm assuming the XL cartos hold more.
- Hold the cartomizer on an angle, drip about 10 drops of liquid into the filler avoiding the center channel
-Give several thermometer shakes to get the liquid to move down the cartomizer
-Add 10 more drops, shake and repeat until full.
You usually know it's full when you get a drop out of the bottom of the cartomizer and you can see the liquid pool slightly on top.
It's better to add too much than too little. You can blow liquid out of the center channel and if you add too much liquid you can dab the carto with a q-tip so you don't get liquid in your mouth.
Roll the carto on it's side to avoid dry pockets within the carto.
Standard cartomizer hold about 1 ml which is 25-30 drops. I'm assuming the XL cartos hold more.
:Nice one. A bit big for me to use at work, but very nice all the same.
I just filled one of the Smoktech/Smoktek (whichever is correct) a few minutes ago. It's flanged on the bottom, so I can't do the bottom condom method, but it works fine upside down - I've done that before. I slowly put the top down into the condom, then flip it over and watch the bubbles rise to the top. I did it a couple of times, then dripped some down the sides from the top to make sure it was soaked. After blotting the excess juice from the bottom, it vapes perfectly! I think it comes down to whatever works for you.
I figured I'd try the 1ml syringe from GotVapes, they fill nicely enough with less mess, but one of these cartos I know beyond doubt I filled enough (it was flooded big-time) still seems kinda dry. I may go with the regular 1ml cartos on my next order until I'm a bit more skilled at filling them. It may be a bad batch of cartos, but it may also be my inexperience.
Meanwhile, I've developed the dreaded loss of taste I've been reading about; I'll try some tea and double up on taking zinc to see if that fixes it. This was happening before I started vaping, but at this point I'm just doing it for the nicotine fix. Not being able to taste it takes the fun out of it. Kinda takes the fun out of eating too.
Check resistivity !! i got few smoktek, 2- months ago, they had to be 2.5 Ohms and they were way more resistant !! around 7 Ohms
Check resistivity !! i got few smoktek, 2- months ago, they had to be 2.5 Ohms and they were way more resistant !! around 7 Ohms
AFAIK, they're supposed to be standard resistance, I'll see if my old multimeter is around and check. That hadn't occurred to me, thanks for the tip.
finally tried the condom method, using the fill syringe to measure out the 1.5 ml needed to fill the XL cartos, and I blew out the tube in a way that allows me to "catch" the excess in the condom, so I can use it to top off the carto. It works great, I'm sold. I just wish I'd figured all this out before wasting a lot of the buttered rum flavor from Highbrow, but I can (hopefully) always order more.
Now I gotta figure out how to reclaim the juice from the cartos that didn't work.....lol!
I just wish I'd figured all this out before wasting a lot of the buttered rum flavor from Highbrow, but I can (hopefully) always order more. Now I gotta figure out how to reclaim the juice from the cartos that didn't work.....lol!
If your looking into tanks, Vivi Novas, ce9, and ce5 tanks work very well. On all, the heads can be replaced easily and cost approx. $2/pc from most suppliers. Very easy to assemble, disassemble, and clean/fill. The tanks are rather inexpensive as well at approx.$11-$17/pc.
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