Cartos vs ZFM ?

[raydazn]

Hey guys, i was wondering if any of you guys have tried both of the above styles of mods. and which one you're currently using now and why. I'm trying to figure out the pro's and cons for each while i wait for them to arrive.

Cartomizers
Pros:
Cart and atty all in one unit
Easy to fill (using condom method)

Cons:
Carto's don't last as long (can only refill them a few times)
Cost? if they dont last too long you must buy them often

Zero Filler Method
Pros:
Simple to do, and cheap to acquire (if buying from zfmvapors)
Highly Reusable
Fill cartridge with quite a good amount of liquid (20 drops?)

Cons:
may be simple, but not as easy to make (have to get the holes right)

anymore i should know?

 

[sanfordf]

Yes. The ZFM mod is for standard carts and is a bit fussy to get the hole just right and in the end you'll have a working standard cartridge.

With cartomizers you can get more juice into each carto. Especially if you get the newer better Mega/Premium Cartos such as: Blank 510 Mega Cartomizers. So you don't have to refill as much. I have been using 3 of these in rotation since 5/4.

I got about 40 drops into the first one I tried and have refilled numerous (13+) times so far with no sign of letting up. These are the 3rd generation cartomizers that are improved.

 

[Sarlen]

.

Cartomizers
Pros:
Cart and atty all in one unit
Easy to fill (using condom method)

Cons:
Carto's don't last as long (can only refill them a few times)
Cost? if they dont last too long you must buy them often

I used the condom method for about a day before I became frustrated with it. I was wasting what seemed like 3 to 5 drops per fill and it was far to easy to over fill it and make a bigger mess then the method is already.

A much easier way of filling is get a cup of boiling hot water, dip just the tip of the carto in the water for about a minute, then using the "arm" of a binder clip pull out the cap. Make sure to clean off all of the glue from both the cap and the body of the carto and presto! just use a regular dripper bottle to fill the carto. I can usually get up to 18 drops in an empty regular carto and they so far for me last over a week each filling 2 or 3 times a day, lasting easily 2+ hours per fill with moderate vaping.

 

[raydazn]

A much easier way of filling is get a cup of boiling hot water, dip just the tip of the carto in the water for about a minute, then using the "arm" of a binder clip pull out the cap. Make sure to clean off all of the glue from both the cap and the body of the carto and presto! just use a regular dripper bottle to fill the carto. I can usually get up to 18 drops in an empty regular carto and they so far for me last over a week each filling 2 or 3 times a day, lasting easily 2+ hours per fill with moderate vaping.

So i'm guessing not all carto's are the same, in that the caps (the part you breath in and the little o-ring underneath) are sometimes glued to the casing?

All the video's i've seen have had the people using thumb tacks, pins etc to remove the caps without any trouble. i was initially turned off by carto's because the only methods i saw then were either dripping on the sides and turning or using a syringe (that would be hard for me to get a hold of) and looked like quite a hassle. that is until i saw the condom method.

but i see that its dipped into the condom from the battery end of the carto, isn't there a risk of juice getting into your battery by doing that too?

and sanfordf will the condom method work with the mega cartos as well or is there a slightly different method for refilling the mega cartos?

 

[lasttango]

I use both...

Cartomizers:
No matter how you shake it... cartomizers are just EASY to deal with...
changing flavors.
no mess.
convenient.
good vaping experience.

ZFM -
The best cart mod I have used.
carts vape better than cartomzers
messy as ^&%^%&^ juice dripping...
can't refill while driving...
Expensive at $20.00 for 5 carts... 20.00! better learn to do on your own ;-)

I use carts when I am home... or when I have time etc...
I use cartomizers for convenience...

 

[jiff]

I've never used cartos... I keep meaning to... They just seem like a bigger hassle than zfm carts are.

 

[bsoplinger]

The one drawback to cartomizers is their design flaw. Do a a search through the forum for burnt cartomizers and you'll see pictures of this. People have opened, as in taken apart, their cartomizer after 1 use. There is burnt bits of the stuffing. Which means it was inhaled while burning away. I took up vaping to get away from breathing in burning stuff.

That said, I've never tasted any really burnt flavor when using cartomizers and I do use them as easy ways to sample new flavors. And refill them a few times before tossing away. So its not like I don't use them even with my concern over their construction.

 

[cyberwolf]

So i'm guessing not all carto's are the same, in that the caps (the part you breath in and the little o-ring underneath) are sometimes glued to the casing?

Yes. All of the 510 cartos I have gotten so far have been glued in, so I've had to use the boiling water dip to loosen them up. KR808 cartos have not been glued and it is nice to simply pull them apart.

All the video's i've seen have had the people using thumb tacks, pins etc to remove the caps without any trouble. i was initially turned off by carto's because the only methods i saw then were either dripping on the sides and turning or using a syringe (that would be hard for me to get a hold of) and looked like quite a hassle. that is until i saw the condom method.

but i see that its dipped into the condom from the battery end of the carto, isn't there a risk of juice getting into your battery by doing that too?

I have also found that dripping a few drops at a time into the battery end works well. Just touch the droplet at the end of the bottle tip to the end of the carto and if it needs fluid, it will take it. If you sit the battery end on a paper towel for a few moments or even do a quick genle blow out, the excess juice won't be a problem. And most people using manual batteries, so a little excess juice won't ruin them.

I still prefer the vape I get from a regular atty, but the convenience of the cartos has me using them more and more.

 

[raydazn]

it looks like im leaning towards carto's at this moment, especially considering the 510 mega cartos can hold somewhere around 40 drops. and i feel pretty hopeless at modding right now.

the problem is i cannot find anywhere that sells the mega cartos AND ships to australia. nhaler unfortunately doesn't ship to aus. so the search continues

is there much of a difference between soft and hard tipped cartomizers? i heard hard tips hold more but is a bit more expensive.

 

[sanfordf]

and sanfordf will the condom method work with the mega cartos as well or is there a slightly different method for refilling the mega cartos?

Yes, I have used the condom method to refill. You can over fill, but I just dump the extra back into the bottle. I do this with the soft cap (no glue - you can use your fingernail to pop it out) off to keep an eye on the fluid levels. I still slip and push down too much sometimes.

With the soft cap types, it's easy to fill to the top of the filler (with the battery end condom/plug in place to prevent juice from running out), replace the cap, remove the condom/plug on the batt side, wipe the bit of juice that comes out when you 'pull the plug' and vape away. Or, I take it a bit further, and do the Taryn spin (replace the cap and condoms, attach to a lanyard near the soft cap then whirl it for a bit to force the fluids to permeate the filler) and add a coupla' more drops.

BTW isn't there some sort of ban going on in OZ?

 

[NebulaBrot]

Well, still a newb myself (just under 4 weeks) but have been watching this issue, and experimenting. Haven't tried the ZFM yet but will likely use his posted instructions to make one before considering buying.

I like the cartos but they produce less vapor (for me). I find the condom method of refilling fast and easy. But, I press in the batt end of the carto into the condom not the mouth end. Most of the refill posts I had read mentioned pushing in the mouthpiece end and a vaping vet told me to use the batt end. Haven't had any juice in mouth yet. Did try to open a carto (pulling mouthpiece) to refill and the outer cap was glued and broke - I was being VERY careful). Decided I did not want to break any more so i have been using the condo-refill since with no probs. As for price, you get 5 blanks, or pre-filled (I have not found a pre-filled that tastes good yet), for the price of a single atty. Attys certainly vape nicer but have other draw-backs too (variable life span, require maintenance, etc) so it seems a trade off. I use attys at home and tend to use cartos when heading out - just for the convenience.

As for carts mods, the one I found to be best and easiest (remember, haven't yet tried the ZFM) is cutting down the fiberfloss). It is a lengthy thread in here somewhere - sorry but I did not bookmark as it it so straight forward and easy - you just cut down the fiberfloss into 1/3rds and use only 1 piece. You leave the cart empty and fill to near the rim and then put in the 1/3 piece of floss. Add a couple of drops on the floss until it gets the look of a 'slushy" (like filling regular carts) and prime the atty with a drop or two. The other suggestion was to align the wide length of cart opening with the width of the atty bridge. This works nice and offers a pretty consistent 20 drops per fill. I do wash/rinse the fiber each night and find that after a few days the fiber loses its effectiveness (gets clumpy and won't stay in cart end as well - also loses its wicking effectiveness). But, this is no biggie cause you still have 2 more floss pieces from original cut-down and you can buy more floss cheap (the post recommended Fluval but i haven't bought that yet).

Hope something in here is helpful to someone. Happy Saturday.

 

[raydazn]

BTW isn't there some sort of ban going on in OZ?

They have made a ban on selling the nicotine juices in Australia, that is, commercial use. But it is not illegal to sell the other hardware and equipment here. Nor is it illegal to import nic juices and other related stuff for personal use.

Also i think Victoria has added vaping to the smoking ban in pubs/clubs/restaurants. But Sydney is yet to be affected and fingers crossed it never will.

Theres already laws here that we can't smoke in the car (with a child under 16 as a passenger) and recently was a 25% price increase in the price of analogues. So it's getting harder for everyone here that's not a non-smoker.

As for carts mods, the one I found to be best and easiest (remember, haven't yet tried the ZFM) is cutting down the fiberfloss).

Is that like the other mod that uses a spring, but without the spring? I suppose this could work with the blue foam filler too? I'll try it out once my liquid arrives. Unfortunately, i've sucked all my starting nic cartridges dry and i've got uni exams coming up. Hopefully they arrive before I head to a tobacconist.

 

[NebulaBrot]

Is that like the other mod that uses a spring, but without the spring? I suppose this could work with the blue foam filler too? I'll try it out once my liquid arrives. Unfortunately, i've sucked all my starting nic cartridges dry and i've got uni exams coming up. Hopefully they arrive before I head to a tobacconist.

Don't know about the spring and don't know if it will will work with the blue foam. I just received a sample of that foam but have not tried it yet. But this is really simple. if you have a prefilled that is vaped dry, just pull the filler and rinse it under gently running water. Squeeze out the excess water between your fingers, Then blot it dry with a paper towel. I usually then leave mine to fully dry overnight. When dry, cut it (short cut) into thirds (or you could use halves). Then drip into empty cart to near the top leaving just enough room to press in the fill. Get the fill so it is nearly flush with (or slightly over) the edge of the cart. Slowly add one drop at a time until it looks slushy. if you put in too much (like seeing a liquid drop on top of the floss), just dap with a tissue to remove the excess. Then put 2 drops directly on the atty replace the cart and vape away. Generally, i find about 14 drops go into the empty cart, another 4 drops to soak the fill and 2 drops in the atty = 20 drops (works out this way almost every time.

If you need to carry a couple, replace the cap on the filled cart and carry a little bottle of juice to top off and prime the atty. If I were going to carry these, I'd probably keep them in a little zip bag to protect from any juice leakage in pocket.

For what it may be worth, I find buying empty cartos a better solution for on the go. you can also refill a used up pre-filled carto this way. They don't produce quite as much vapor but they are super convenient, easily refillable, I have refilled the one I am using at least 7 times and it is still going strong. I just put about 15 drops (about half fill the smaller condom) into the condom and slowly (be patient) press the threaded connector side into the juice. It easily sucks up the juice. Pull off the empty condom and wipe all clean. Wipe out the inside of the condom and replace both condom halves to carry. You can carry as many as you want and you don't have to worry about topping off the carts or re-adjusting the fill if it gets dislodged.

Good luck on your exams and if I can help you further, shoot me a PM.
and happy

 

[LordByron]

Tried the ZFM and while I may not have done it properly, but all I could taste was something akin to burned plastic. The atty was new, clean and primed. Currently I'm using teabags as cart filler and loving it far better than the polyfill stuff. I'd like to try other cart mods though, can anyone point out the fiberfloss thing? I cannot seem to find it (this could be due to user error).

 

[NebulaBrot]

LB, it is just the fiber that comes in re-fillable carts. I find them (when new) to hold about 18 drops but that amount diminishes very quickly. After the first fill, I rinse and do as I posted above (just above your post). Works great for home where I can easily adjust if necessary but find refilling cartos MUCH more convenient for on the go. Any more Qs, PM me.

BTW, I rinse and dry them each night.

 

[vip0802]

i've used them and both of their cons and pros.

ZFM - i was lucky and got a perfect fit on the 2nd try. i thought it worked great, but i personally didn't like having to constantly refill (i'm a heavy vaper so YMMV). you can buy pre-cut ones here for $12 with free shipping. i haven't tried those myself though.

Cartos - the vendor was out of blanks so i ended up getting pre-filled ones with juice i didn't really care for. i vaped some of the juice off anyway and attempted a reverse Taryn spin so i could re-fill with my own juice. the taste of the pre-filled juice was still there, but i really liked the performance - great vapor and held a lot more juice than standard carts. i usually drip, but use these cartos whenever i'm out and/or driving. i haven't had any burnt taste and was able to refill about 5 times now with no problems, so i really like them. right now i can tell the one i've been using is dying out on me, but i can't bring myself to use another of these pre-filled ones. LiquidXpress has the blank ones on sale for $7.50 right now if you want to try them out.

 

[raydazn]

Just a little update. I couldn't find anyone who ships 510 mega cartos to australia. But i found an alternative. Vapornine sells KR808 Turbo Cartos and i'm gonna order a 510-901 adapter to try it out on my eGo. Hopefully the cone will still fit over it, if not i'll have it on my 510.

(there are vendors in australia that do stock regular 510 cartos though, which i'm also going to try)

I'm probably going to order some plugs from ZFMvapors to test it out, but probably won't lean towards it after the comments of burnt taste/smell and leakages. Always good to have variety.

just waiting for payday..

(p.s sorry i can't link as my post count is still low)

 

[NebulaBrot]

raydanz, I have the Tornado (eGo) and find the cone is snug around the cartos. The cone changes the airflow and intakes from the top of the cone. While i haven't done this completely, probably today, I see that eh cartos have a paper wrap that can be pulled away. Underneath the carto has sort of a silver(ish) coating that is still sticky from the glue on the outer wrap (mine are black paper). I plan to remove the paper and use some rubbing alcohol to get the sticky glue off. I think this should open the spacing between the carto and the edge of the cone and should improve the airflow. Just thought to share in case you want to try this too.