Cartomizer Flooding

[djdeity]

I've been vaping now for just about 2 months. So far I've enjoyed it, but it has taken a bit of a learning curve. After reading a lot on here and getting recommendations, I've settled in with the following set-up:

eGo-C Twist w/ 1000 mah battery - usually running @ 4.0v
IBTanked 19mm tall tank, using smoktek XL 510 LR cartomizers (w/ 2 laser punches)
Liquids usually at 50/50, 12mg nicotine

Baditude turned me on to the IBTanked set-up, and I find that I get the best results using it. Not only for the taste and vapor I get from it, but also because it can handle the cinnamon and fruit juices I've been enjoying lately. I've been using an iClear16 clearomizer for all other juices. However, I have noticed that after about 3-5 days of using the cartomizer, they tend to flood on me pretty regularly. It's this problem that has me irritated.

When putting in a new carto, I always use the "play with your thingy" method to make sure the carto is filled with juice before first firing. But like I said, I'm finding after just 2 cartos that I get the gurgling liquid problem after just 3-5 days. When it floods, I blow it out into a paper towel as recommended here. That seems to take care of the problem for about 1-2 hours of vaping. But it floods right back again very soon afterwards. Again, I just get the liquid coming into the draw - no burning.

My question is if there is a way to avoid this and help extend the life of the carto. Would it help to not fill the tank so much? What about cleaning out the carto using a connection between the carto and a syringe to draw distilled water back and forth thru it? Is it possibly caused by the force of the draw?

I'd appreciate any helpful feedback so that I can enjoy my carto set-up longer.

 

[Lopaka79]

That's the norm for cartomizers. I really enjoy cartomizers myself and have a "circle of life" thing going for them. I'll try to explain and hope it helps you.

I own roughly 25+ cartomizers at any given time. It helps to carry 2 ziplock bags. One bag should have all your clean cartomizers. The second bag should have dirty/plugged cartomizers. Once a cartomizer starts flood (over saturate with the medium/ejcuie) stop trying to make it work and put that carto into your dirty bag. Replace it with a carto from your clean bag. Collect about 7+ dirty cartos and boil them in water for five minutes. Stir them around while boiling to help remove the medium. Strain the cartos and blow excess water out of them after cooling. Set the cartos aside for 24 hours to dry. After drying put them back into your clean bag.

If one of your "cleaned" cartos leak immediately then throw it away and mark it up as a loss. If they feel plugged then you can either toss it or pull it apart and do some DIY fixing. I advise pulling it apart and looking on how they are designed to aid you in understanding what goes on inside those little tubes.

Hope this helps you out. I normally don't recommend cartomizers to someone new to vaping. Their a pita, but the vape and high notes on LR cartos are too good to just give up on.

GL and happy vaping.

 

[Baditude]

Hi, djdeity. Thanks for the recognition.

I don't recommend inserting any mechanical object into the air hole of the carto, it could only damage the carto more. I've never tried flushing the hole out with water. If simply blowing through the air hole doesn't clear it, I suspect the "sock" that contains the coil and wires is somehow inadequate to function adequately and the carto is already ruined.



Could your vaping technique be the issue?

Vaping too strong and hard can cause too much liquid to enter the carto and cause it to flood. The same would be true of a "pipe smoker" type of draw of several short, hard puffs. (This second puff technique can actually be used to "kick start" a slow-wicking cartomizer, but only then.)

A relaxed, patient draw works best with cartotanks. Slow consistant draw 3 -6 seconds.

If the above vaping technique isn't successful, my only suggestion might be to switch brands of cartomizers for your tank. Smoktech and Boge have different densities of their filler material. Smoktech's is a looser filler which is easier to fill and wick during vaping, but more likely to flood for the same reason. Boge's is more densely packed which can be slower to fill and wick, but less likely to flood. Boges are available in the XL length and a list of vendors that carry them is in one of my blog articles that can be accessed in the link below my avatar.

 

[djdeity]

I don't recommend inserting any mechanical object into the air hole of the carto, it could only damage the carto more. I've never tried flushing the hole out with water. If simply blowing through the air hole doesn't clear it, I suspect the "sock" that contains the coil and wires is somehow inadequate to function adequately and the carto is already ruined.

Just for reference, the way I was thinking of "cleaning" it was with this plunger kit. It would not attach to the air hole of the carto, but to the bottom screw element. After reading several different takes on how to clean cartos, or even if you should clean cartos, my thought is it may be worth a shot.

Could your vaping technique be the issue? Vaping too strong and hard can cause too much liquid to enter the carto and cause it to flood.

This thought occurred to me as well. I'll try to cut down on the strong draws.

If the above vaping technique isn't successful, my only suggestion might be to switch brands of cartomizers for your tank. Smoktech and Boge have different densities of their filler material. Smoktech's is a looser filler which is easier to fill and wick during vaping, but more likely to flood for the same reason. Boge's is more densely packed which can be slower to fill and wick, but less likely to flood.

After a lot of hunting, I did find some Boge cartos that will work, and I've ordered a bunch to try. I'm currently waiting by the mailbox for their arrival.

Thanks for the advice thus far.