I am new to vaping (6 weeks) - but I resolved most of the problems I encounter with my cartomizers:
On some of my carts the air flow channel was blocked - I did some research and people use straightened out paper clips to open up the centerhole. I tried using a large steel safety pin (not too large - about 1 1/2" inches long) - it has a sharp edge and can cut through the clogged polyfill quite well - first I take off the plastic cap on the cart and work my way down through the centerhole slowly - jabbing little by little till I reach the bottom - If I am lucky the safety pin comes out through the battery center post - at which point I spin the cart on the safety pin several times and move it up and down - (if it does not - then I go through the battery end up through the polyfill and out the plastic air tube) (either way works perfectly) the rounded bottom piece of the safety pin where the two prongs meet rests along the rim of the cart and gives an even spin and keeps the centerhole perfectly centered - then when I remove the safety pin and hold the cart up to a lamp or lightbulb in the house I have a really WIDE open perfectly straight centerhole and the cart vapes like a new cart.
I thought I had a problem with the carts not screwing all the way into the battery - but I also found that I can remove some of the threading on the cart with a Nicholson triangular blade that I picked up at Home Depot for $4.00. This tool is intended for reducing the thread or adjusting the threads on screws, bolts, etc. I also used just regular sandpaper on some just to try - I cut the sandpaper into strips and now the carts just glide on and off the battery - so I supposed I will not suffer a lot of thread damage on the battery.
I have 4 (older) carts that I have been using for 6 weeks - over 50 refills already - they have been cleaned several times with just plain tap water - don't boil - because boiling destroys the plastic and the plastic will release chemicals into the polyfill - never boil plastic. Anyway, I use a turkey baster - throw the cart in - mouth end facing down - battery end facing up and use warm tap water - then just suction in and out several time and the carts are as white as when they were new.
To dry the carts - I stick them all in an old kneesock - mouth end down - and put a rubberband around them - then do the Taryn Spin and they get mostly dry - then I remove the rubberband and knot the sock over the carts and then double the sock over several times till it is in a ball - then I throw it in the clothes dryer for about an hour. Then they go in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour - then they are ready to fill.
I used to use the syringe method, however now I prefer the "condom" method - I can fill 10 carts in 5 minutes - let them stand on their battery terminal ends for a little while - then I have a miniature pipe cleaner with very fine bristles and I clean out the battery ends - check the centerholes - re-cap and put the condoms on them. Perfect vaping everytime.
I also bought a $17.00 GE multimeter at Walmart to check the resistance/ohms on all my carts. Just in case one is bad or goes bad so I won't bother wasting liquid filling it.
No more problems with cartomizers - YEAH!
On some of my carts the air flow channel was blocked - I did some research and people use straightened out paper clips to open up the centerhole. I tried using a large steel safety pin (not too large - about 1 1/2" inches long) - it has a sharp edge and can cut through the clogged polyfill quite well - first I take off the plastic cap on the cart and work my way down through the centerhole slowly - jabbing little by little till I reach the bottom - If I am lucky the safety pin comes out through the battery center post - at which point I spin the cart on the safety pin several times and move it up and down - (if it does not - then I go through the battery end up through the polyfill and out the plastic air tube) (either way works perfectly) the rounded bottom piece of the safety pin where the two prongs meet rests along the rim of the cart and gives an even spin and keeps the centerhole perfectly centered - then when I remove the safety pin and hold the cart up to a lamp or lightbulb in the house I have a really WIDE open perfectly straight centerhole and the cart vapes like a new cart.
I thought I had a problem with the carts not screwing all the way into the battery - but I also found that I can remove some of the threading on the cart with a Nicholson triangular blade that I picked up at Home Depot for $4.00. This tool is intended for reducing the thread or adjusting the threads on screws, bolts, etc. I also used just regular sandpaper on some just to try - I cut the sandpaper into strips and now the carts just glide on and off the battery - so I supposed I will not suffer a lot of thread damage on the battery.
I have 4 (older) carts that I have been using for 6 weeks - over 50 refills already - they have been cleaned several times with just plain tap water - don't boil - because boiling destroys the plastic and the plastic will release chemicals into the polyfill - never boil plastic. Anyway, I use a turkey baster - throw the cart in - mouth end facing down - battery end facing up and use warm tap water - then just suction in and out several time and the carts are as white as when they were new.
To dry the carts - I stick them all in an old kneesock - mouth end down - and put a rubberband around them - then do the Taryn Spin and they get mostly dry - then I remove the rubberband and knot the sock over the carts and then double the sock over several times till it is in a ball - then I throw it in the clothes dryer for about an hour. Then they go in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour - then they are ready to fill.
I used to use the syringe method, however now I prefer the "condom" method - I can fill 10 carts in 5 minutes - let them stand on their battery terminal ends for a little while - then I have a miniature pipe cleaner with very fine bristles and I clean out the battery ends - check the centerholes - re-cap and put the condoms on them. Perfect vaping everytime.
I also bought a $17.00 GE multimeter at Walmart to check the resistance/ohms on all my carts. Just in case one is bad or goes bad so I won't bother wasting liquid filling it.
No more problems with cartomizers - YEAH!
