Cartomizer question

[NightNurse]

I'm a newbie to vaping (haven't even tried it yet!), and I'm going to be ordering a PV in the next couple of days. At first, I was looking at the 3-piece style w/atomizer (like a 501 or 902), but then I started reading about the VK and it seems that it's easier to use w/less hassle. However, I'm concerned about how long a cartomizer will last, and how many I should get with my first order if I decide to go that route. I see that the starter kits come with five of them - if I refill them myself, how long would they last me? Or maybe I should ask, how many times can you refill one before it's no good anymore? If I were to order the blank ones to fill myself, what would be a good number to purchase?


Thanks!

LP

 

[stease101]

i havent gotten mine yet but my buddy who been vaping goes through 1 a day, buy afew packs and then when you have about 20, then refill them, according to him....... i ordered 3 packs but no juice, not yet...... the vapor kings are the best and most easyist to work, clean, and refill from what ive seen. i loved it and cant wait to get my xl's kit

 

[V4Lis4me]

if your new to vaping... the 2 piece (and V4L) is the way to go.

very easy setup.

i go thru bout' 2 carts a day.

they are very easy to refill, just check out the sticky for 'taryns spin'..... it comes very easy after just a time or two.

as for carts, id go with 15 to start...
and plenty of juice... maybe, 30-50ml...

with the carts (original fill) and 50 ml of juice, saying you went thru as much as me (2 carts a day, @approx. 1ml in each cart) this will give you a total of about 33 days worth of vaping....

@ about $9 for 5 carts
and say $13 for 30ml of juice

thats around 50-53 some odd bucks for 33 days of nic....

if you figure i smoked a pak a day @ near $7 a pak....
33 days would be about..... $231 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...you'll also need a batt or 2 and a charger, etc.... but the savings are obvious!

 

[NightNurse]

Thanks for the info!

I was planning on buying a starter kit (comes w/five carts) and then I should buy ten blank carts to fill w/juice?

How many times can you refill/reuse one cart before you have to toss it out and use a brand-new one?

I also came up w/another question? Is the battery life shorter on the "shorty" than on the standard size VK?

Also, do I need the kit w/the PCC, or is that an extra that can wait (saving myself $ on the initial money outlay)?

Thanks again..

 

[jlmanno]

A little different opinion as I use a 510 as I like at times to vape with tons of vapor. I also like the convenience of cartomizers especially when I'm out and about driving etc. and can't top off or drip. I purchased a 510/901-808 adapter from goodprohets.com for a few dollars and now get the best of both worlds. Plus I prefer the 510 batteries. they have a shorter life using the 510 atomizer but you'll get twice the life using cartomizers. I really prefer the 510 batteries. I've purchased over 60 of them for self family and friends etc and only once had 2 go bad, auto ones that got juice in them. I certainly prefer genuine joye 510 batteries to the typical 808's. V4L does offer a fantastic warranty on them(808;s)but I don't want to bother with having one go down and wait for a replacement. I refill my cartomizers and even with a higher vg ratio I still get less than half the vapor production from cart'os versus the 510. Early on I preferred more vapor when I quit analogs, it seemed more realistic, now I love them both as I'm more concerned with flavor, a little less vapor from carto's is still satisfying now. Matter of preference, but IMO why not have the best of more choices. best of luck and happy vaping!

 

[jlmanno]

You can buy a no box kit of 510's for $35.00 +5 shipping, order a couple packs of blank carto's to refill and you'll be set as far as batteries the higher the mah rating the longer they will last a 280mah battery lasts about double the 180mah battery not sure about the shorty. A pcc case is convenient is available for both the standard 510 and the 808'8 I started out with carrying 3 batteries with me lasted 6-8 hours as I was a heavy smoker then added a pcc case later. I would order xtra bats to start with before the case. carts 510 can be refilled almost indefinitely may have to change the fluval filler occasionally, cartomizers for me ranged from 5 to 25= refills depends on luck and the individual cartomizer. Atomizers for the 510 cost less than 10.00 if you go that route and can last a week to several months, I'm still on my same 2 for a months, catch them on sale for about 6.00. Take some time and read the forums from experienced members and more specifically the sub forums on the 510 and kr808.

 

[Adrenalynn]

I find the 510 batteries to be absolute junk. I have a couple because I was buying a couple of everything for comparison. I don't think they're worth the price to ship them. Hardly worth the effort to toss them in the trash.

On to the actual question:

If you're careful not to let them run dry, ten to even 20 or more refill cycles are possible. I'm at 26 on one of my cartomizers, 22 on another one, and 18 on another.

The life on the "shorty" is shorter than a regular, which is shorter than an XL. Size matters.

I would never suggest a new user buy 50ml with a first order. You don't know yet what strength is going to work for you, or what flavors you'll like best.

I'd suggest the box of cartomizers, 5ml to refill that, maybe, and some blanks and a selection of flavors in 5ml that you think you might find interesting. Don't go tooo hog-wild until you find the strength or strengths that works best for you.

The PCC is a "nice to have" not a "must to have"

A pass-through is nearly a must, imho.

And a couple batteries and a charger to start. Just plan on ordering again relatively soon after you figure out what strengths and flavors are going to be your go-to.

 

[V4Lis4me]

Thanks for the info!

I was planning on buying a starter kit (comes w/five carts) and then I should buy ten blank carts to fill w/juice?

or 10 prefilled, you can refill with the same flavor or rinse/dry them with a new flavor (and right now, getting prefilled is only a buck more...good deal IMO)

How many times can you refill/reuse one cart before you have to toss it out and use a brand-new one?

as they vary somewhat, but all are of great quality.... the shortest lifespan i have gotten from a single cart so far is 2-3 refills...... i refill (from empty to full) a cart usually about 5 or maybe 6 times before its "dead".... though some are 'crazy' and have nearly 10 fills under their belt... (and i know that others on here will fill carts close to 20 times, but personally.. i havent seen that durability in mine)
I also came up w/another question? Is the battery life shorter on the "shorty" than on the standard size VK?

yes, it will be shorter .... and in theory, the vapor production will be reduced... though many love the shorties, i have yet to try one...but will be ordering one on the next purchase (now that they have a shortie manual!).... i have heard great things about the shorties, so i wouldnt shy away from them if i were you... go for it! (just no personal exp with them)

Also, do I need the kit w/the PCC, or is that an extra that can wait (saving myself $ on the initial money outlay)?

i thought the same on my first order, i didnt get one... i just used 2 reg batts for the day.. and they always got me thru... but on the second order, i got the pcc, and i'll never look bak!
i take one batt with 2 carts and a charged pcc, and im good for the day!
ie: @ work,
vape on the drive,
screw batt bak into pcc,
it charges,
break at work,
batt has full charge... and vape away!,
screw batt bak onto pcc,
it charges till next break,
etc.....

(you'll understand the greatness of a fully charged batt in time,.... and trust me, a fresh batt is the way to go.... and the pcc alows this for everytime, while on the go!)

Thanks again..

so i hope that helps some,
just my thoughts on the matter @ hand.

 

[V4Lis4me]

I find the 510 batteries to be absolute junk. I have a couple because I was buying a couple of everything for comparison. I don't think they're worth the price to ship them. Hardly worth the effort to toss them in the trash.

On to the actual question:

If you're careful not to let them run dry, ten to even 20 or more refill cycles are possible. I'm at 26 on one of my cartomizers, 22 on another one, and 18 on another.

The life on the "shorty" is shorter than a regular, which is shorter than an XL. Size matters.

I would never suggest a new user buy 50ml with a first order. You don't know yet what strength is going to work for you, or what flavors you'll like best.

I'd suggest the box of cartomizers, 5ml to refill that, maybe, and some blanks and a selection of flavors in 5ml that you think you might find interesting. Don't go tooo hog-wild until you find the strength or strengths that works best for you.

The PCC is a "nice to have" not a "must to have"

A pass-through is nearly a must, imho.

And a couple batteries and a charger to start. Just plan on ordering again relatively soon after you figure out what strengths and flavors are going to be your go-to.

good thought,
i didnt even think of that!

i took me a time or two to realize what i liked (flavor wise, but luckilly...i am still with my orig nic strngth)...... nice insight,

you likely just saved them some money that response may have squandered.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Thanks for the kind words!

I juggled mine around, strength-wise, for a couple orders. I started faaaar toooo low it turns out. Maybe because I was a 120 smoker I was underestimating how much I was needing in "one sitting"

 

[Belletrist]

i'd almost suggest picking 3 or so of the sampler pack cartos--your tastes will change dramatically (most likely). plus there's getting used to the taste of PG or VG themselves, and finding out what flavors are satisfying in that indeterminate "i feel like i'm smoking" way (for example, the cinnamon flavors are perfect when i'm really craving an actual smoke, and i'm not even a huge fan of cinnamon). other than that, i think everything else has been covered. be prepared to order again soon, and don't get discouraged if you vape a few carts too dry to be great for refills at first. once your sense of tastes starts to recover, you'll be able to detect much earlier when a cart needs to be topped off or refilled. out of my first 10 carts i probably killed 6 of them outright the first or second cycle, but since then i haven't killed any. i don't have an exact system for checking how many times a cart has been refilled, but i'm getting a minimum of 4-5 fills.

 

[jebey29]

While I realize that refilling carts is imperative to those on a budget i think its wise to remember that these are disposable units. You could very easily smoke a cigarette, save the but and then use it in a roll your own cig. But the performance of that filter is going to degrade with every use.

I think the cartomizers do the same thing. I will admit that because i use a 6V mod that my useage tends to be a little harsher on the Cartomizers. I therefore only get 2 and sometimes 3 refills before i throw them out. Also, at 6V i have killed several Cartomizers right out of the box by taking to long of a drag. I havent taken one apart but im guessing the higher heat is seperating the heating element.

But to make a long story short the cartomizers are disposable. With each use the performance is going to degrade. Even new cartomizers have performance differences.

Every now and then you will get a "super" Cartomizer. What is that? Its rare but when you get one you will immediately feel bliss. These carts almost push the vapor into your mouth versus you haveing to drag for 5/10 seconds to get the same feeling

Good luck and happy vaping !

 

[NightNurse]

Thank you, everyone!

I think I'm going to go w/the VK I don't want to deal w/the hassle of the 3-piece PVs.

I haven't smoked analogs in over 3 weeks - I've been on the patch, which is irritating the hell out of my skin - so my taste buds are pretty good. I already ordered some juice the other day from Tasty Vapor - I got a 1oz bottle in 48mg nic strength, with a 4oz bottle of 0mg doubler. I figured I could tweak the strength to suit me by cutting the nic juice w/the doubler. So I've got plenty of juice to start, and that's why I'm going to order some blank carts. I just hope that I like the flavor!

I'll let you all know when I get my VK and how I like it! (I'm either going to get the standard or XL length - I wish the XL had a cool case like the others...)

I also need to decide if I want manual or auto batteries... I'm leaning towards manual.

Decisions, decisions... this process has taken over my life for the past week LOL

Thanks again, you guys rockkk... LP

 

[Belletrist]

the XL soon will have a cool case--it's on the way.

lucky you, you'll be able to taste, haha. that's a very smart idea with the Tasty Vapor, i haven't ordered from them yet (still exhausting myself trying all of the V4L flavs atm) but i read only good things about Geoff and his product.

 

[Pugzley]

I love the xl manual batteries. They vape like a champ and last me a good several hours depending on how much I'm vaping, of course. I also like the autos, but I do refill my cartomizers and what I have a problem with is overfilling. Yeah, that is my fault, but I'm getting better at that. Overfilling cartos and auto batteries are not a good combination, so if you go with autos, make sure that you don't overfill, it can ruin your batteries. The manuals are sealed on the top and you can't get juice down into them like you can with the autos, autos have a hole in them and juice can leak inside and ruin them.

I've got all kinds of batteries except the really short shorty and my go to is always the xl manual.

Maybe you should try one of each, but I would also recommend that you have a couple of backups just in case.

My opinion is that you need at least 3 or 4 batteries and a passthrough in case of equipment failure. Of course the warranty will cover your equipment, no questions asked, but you certainly don't want to get caught without especially if you are just starting out.

 

[NightNurse]

the XL soon will have a cool case--it's on the way.

lucky you, you'll be able to taste, haha. that's a very smart idea with the Tasty Vapor, i haven't ordered from them yet (still exhausting myself trying all of the V4L flavs atm) but i read only good things about Geoff and his product.

Hmmm, maybe I'll get the XL then... What about a PCC for the XL? Probably not necessary because from what I understand, they have an awesome batt life.

Yeah, I was blown away by the amount of flavor choices V4L has! I'm still trying to decide which flavor to get with my starter kit... I'm leaning towards the holiday sampler because I loooove eggnog!

 

[NightNurse]

I love the xl manual batteries. They vape like a champ and last me a good several hours depending on how much I'm vaping, of course. I also like the autos, but I do refill my cartomizers and what I have a problem with is overfilling. Yeah, that is my fault, but I'm getting better at that. Overfilling cartos and auto batteries are not a good combination, so if you go with autos, make sure that you don't overfill, it can ruin your batteries. The manuals are sealed on the top and you can't get juice down into them like you can with the autos, autos have a hole in them and juice can leak inside and ruin them.

I've got all kinds of batteries except the really short shorty and my go to is always the xl manual.

Maybe you should try one of each, but I would also recommend that you have a couple of backups just in case.

My opinion is that you need at least 3 or 4 batteries and a passthrough in case of equipment failure. Of course the warranty will cover your equipment, no questions asked, but you certainly don't want to get caught without especially if you are just starting out.

Thanks, Pugz... You answered my battery questions! I'm 99% sure now that I'll go w/manuals.

 

[Belletrist]

+1 for the XL manual.

actually, i put the XL manual on my PCC all the time, it screws into the charger perfectly, of course; you just can't close the case all the way. i have a soft wallet i slip the whole thing into if i need to charge the XL while i'm on the go. i do have a regular length manual batt, too, that i carry in the PCC. it's almost as good as the XL but i do prefer the longer battery life& seemingly more consistent vape.

 

[keyzygirl]

I love xlong manuals!!

 

[Taryn]

The PCC case for the xl is in the works but not ready yet.