Cartomizers, condoms, and batteries, oh my!

[ThankU4Vaping]

I received my starter kit 1 week ago and today I'm so happy (and SMILIN') to have received a replacement for one of the two auto batteries today. I will send the under-performing battery back to V4L. The draw was extremely hard, regardless of which pre-filled cartomizer I used. I had Cowboy-18 in my first order plus a tobacco shop sampler#2 freebie.

I started with the "good" battery#1 (unknowingly) and the Cowboy carts. When I switched to the "bad" battery#2, I noticed a harder draw with the Cowboy carts and blamed it on inexperience.

When I used any of the tobacco shop sampler#2 freebies with #2 battery, the draw was really hard but improved just a little when using the #1 battery.

What makes a cartomizer a premium cartomizer?

Observations
I noticed that the Cowboy carts have the nipple-less condoms with a ....-plug in the battery end. They also have a soft cap

I noticed that the Tobacco shop sampler#2 carts have built-in nipples on their condoms. They also have a hard cap.

The ....-plug from the Cowboy carts are too big to use in the Tobacco shop sampler#2 carts, therefore the hole is smaller than the Cowboy cart hole, causing a tighter draw.

Replacement Auto Battery
is an auto V4L with single logo (& with 2009 stamped by the battery hole).

Battery Replaced
is an auto V4L with single logo and "Vapor-King Vapor4Life" on it.

Looking inside the batteries with a flashlight and a double-magnifying glass, I see that they don't look the same inside. I can clearly see the inner post on the replacement but the "good" battery#1 is hard to describe. It doesn't look the same and I wonder about its lifespan. I don't know if I should replace that one as well. I don't want to be a difficult customer and never have been, but I have that nagging little voice in my head saying I should exchange "good" battery#1 as well. It might be psychological - or not. I will say that the replacement is quieter. I don't get the bacon-frying noise that the "good" battery#1 makes.

Should I replace "good" battery#1? Are there any good pictures available showing what the center post should look like?

I "heart" V4L!

 

[keyzygirl]

Why would you want to replace a perfectly working battery?

 

[ThankU4Vaping]

Why would you want to replace a perfectly working battery?

It works. It's not really "perfectly" working.

Which is normal?
A. I am supposed to get a sizzle noise
B. I am not supposed to get a sizzle noise

My underlying concern is what to say to someone when they ask "is it supposed to sound that way" as far as the sizzle noise, or the "snap-crackle-pop" noise. I want all the smokers I know to start vaping, and I want them to be V4L customers as well. I don't want to turn anyone off to any aspect of it. I just want to know what is considered normal or acceptable operation. If the noise is "normal", I can live with that. If the noise is not "normal", I shouldn't have to. I am much too new to know what is considered "normal". Regardless of this battery issue (if it is an issue), I will purchase at least two more batteries from V4L - no question about it!

 

[Adrenalynn]

Whether it sizzles and pops or not is cartomizer dependent. If it does - that's normal. If it doesn't - that's normal too.

 

[bornagainst]

The sizzle/pop is from the cartomizers. They are supposed to sound like that. The sizzle/pop can die down from refilling, but premium cartomizers are supposed to have that.

The regular/clearance cartomizers NOT marked as premiums will not have that pop/sizzle.

 

[ThankU4Vaping]

Thanks Adrena & Born.
I get the sizzle on the good original battery, but barely on the replacement battery. I know I now have two different generations of batteries - no biggie. You guys say it's normal, so I'm good with that.

I have not re-filled anything with juice.

Anyone know why the different condoms are being used? When I do start refilling carts (condom method), I'll have to save all the flat-inside condoms because those nubby ones are not going to do the trick.

 

[Adrenalynn]

Just different manufacturers. The nubbys work ok for refilling with the carto-trick. The long attached-plug type don't.