Constant dry hits no matter what carto I use

[poof]

I've been using DCTs for over a year now, and I love them, but just recently I started having some trouble.
My usual setup is a Smoktech tank with a 1.7 ohm DC carto on a 3.7 eGo batt, used with 50/50 juice. All the batts and tanks I'm using are only a few months old, and have been working fine up to this point, so I wouldn't expect it to be an issue with them. Same goes for the juice- I've been buying the same stuff from the same suppliers all this time, and none of them seem to have changed their recipes.

Last month I was out of the country, and didn't bring the majority of my kit with me. When I came back I loaded fresh new Smoktech cartos into every tank, filled them up with brand new liquid, and... all dry hits. Topped them all off, still kept getting dry hits. I always wait for the juice to soak in after priming (this is the method I use, it's never failed me) and checked them all for flooding, but as far as I can tell, I hadn't done anything wrong. They just kept giving me dry hits until they burnt.

So, throat raw and eyes watering, I decided to order cartos from Ikenvape and borrowed some kit from a friend in the meantime. The IKV order arrived, I set everything up, making sure to prime them the way others have recommended, and... nothing but dry hits! Every carto burnt or flooded eventually. Incredible.

Picked up some Smoktech Resurrectors and even XL Boges, and those all gave dry hits too. Every single one. I've been through 40 cartomizers at this point and I have absolutely no idea what's wrong. Have the QC people at every factory been laid off? Are carto manufacturers starting to use liquid-resistant batting? Do I just have insanely bad luck? Or, more likely, could it be something to do with my equipment and not the cartos themselves?

Hopefully this problem has an easy solution or a simple answer. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Baditude]

I've seen that video before, and I have to admit that I got some enjoyment watching her suck on that carto to prime it...probably a little too much, but let's not go there.

There's a lot of ways to prime a carto and to set up a tank. The best way is the way that works for you.

If I may, I suggest you take one of those great Ikenvape cartos and try my method. Follow the instructions to the letter and see what kind of results you get.

Cartotank Setup

 

[State O' Flux]

1. Have the QC people at every factory been laid off?
2. Are carto manufacturers starting to use liquid-resistant batting?
3. Do I just have insanely bad luck?
4. Or, more likely, could it be something to do with my methodology and/or equipment and not the cartos themselves?

I'm voting for #4. Priming a carto can be a real source of troubles for some. It's not that you're a dummy, it just may be a fundamental misunderstanding. I've screwed the pooch exactly once on a carto prime... thankfully, so I know what it's like, and I don't ever want to do it again. Follow Bad's advice on the prime... if you still have problems, then maybe the answer is, unbelievably... #3. ;-)

Good luck... I'm rooting for you.

 

[Vapolith]

Excellent blog post, Baditude!

 

[State O' Flux]

Excellent, blog post, Baditude!

First time read huh? Handy ain't it... great for first timers who don't know a carto from a can-o-tomatos, as well as quick reference for experienced "tankers".

 

[Vapolith]

First time read huh? Handy ain't it... great for first timers who don't know a carto from a can-o-tomatos, as well as quick reference for experienced "tankers".

Indeed! I use the condom method, because I learned from the Pbusardo video, but this is an excellent collection of literally everything one needs to know!

 

[poof]

That's the thing, though. I did follow your instructions to fill my IKV cartos, Baditude, and they still gave dry hits. I've been using cartos and tanks successfully for months before this- I know how to prime them correctly. I've even pulled apart some of the duds to check, and the batting's been completely saturated. I'm at a loss right now.

 

[Vapolith]

That's the thing, though. I did follow your instructions to fill my IKV cartos, Baditude, and they still gave dry hits. I've been using cartos and tanks successfully for months before this- I know how to prime them correctly. I've even pulled apart some of the duds to check, and the batting's been completely saturated. I'm at a loss right now.

Are you vaping any other systems right now, clearos, etc? The reason I ask is that every now and then I get a muted taste from all my carto tanks, and I found that it was my taste buds, not the cartos.

 

[MaxUT]

When I first tried using a tank I burnt the majority of home-slotted cartos within the first few puffs. Almost gave up on tanks.

Here's what I do these days with my old Electronic Stix J Tank, using Boge XLs with (1) 2.3mm hole:

Insert the new carto part way into the tank
Tilt the carto slightly to the side and push it in farther until it touches the underside of the top cap
Tilt the carto as far to one side as possible
Fill the tank with eliquid
Push the end of the carto into the top cap
Load a 1mL syringe (with 18g x 1.5" sharp needle) with eliquid
Slide the needle down between the filler and the inside of the metal carto tube (needle bevel turned toward the filler)
Inject 0.5mL near the bottom of the filler
Repeat injection on the other side of the carto

This doesn't soak all of the carto's filler but incoming liquid from the tank normally never does either. It's only critical to saturate the filler near the coil when starting a new one.

Using the syringe, you know exactly how much you added and where it was placed.

No sucking, no condoms, no waiting and never a dry hit.

 

[poof]

Are you vaping any other systems right now, clearos, etc? The reason I ask is that every now and then I get a muted taste from all my carto tanks, and I found that it was my taste buds, not the cartos.

Yes, I've been using my friend's clearos without any issues. Might have to switch over to clearos if I can't solve the carto problem, but it bugs me that I've dropped a couple hundred bucks on tanks and cartos, just to have them all fail on me.

The issue isn't muted taste, but dry hits.

Here's what I do these days with my old Electronic Stix J Tank, using Boge XLs with (1) 2.3mm hole:...

I've used this method too, and I still end up getting dry hits. I usually let my cartos sit for a couple hours after priming (no matter what method I've used) and top them off with a couple drops before trying them, but I still keep getting dry hits.

I really do appreciate all the suggestions you've been giving me, though, guys. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

 

[BardicDruid]

When I first tried using a tank I burnt the majority of home-slotted cartos within the first few puffs. Almost gave up on tanks.

Here's what I do these days with my old Electronic Stix J Tank, using Boge XLs with (1) 2.3mm hole:

Insert the new carto part way into the tank
Tilt the carto slightly to the side and push it in farther until it touches the underside of the top cap
Tilt the carto as far to one side as possible
Fill the tank with eliquid
Push the end of the carto into the top cap
Load a 1mL syringe (with 18g x 1.5" sharp needle) with eliquid
Slide the needle down between the filler and the inside of the metal carto tube (needle bevel turned toward the filler)
Inject 0.5mL near the bottom of the filler
Repeat injection on the other side of the carto

This doesn't soak all of the carto's filler but incoming liquid from the tank normally never does either. It's only critical to saturate the filler near the coil when starting a new one.

Using the syringe, you know exactly how much you added and where it was placed.

No sucking, no condoms, no waiting and never a dry hit.

That would work if cartos were built like attys, but there not, all the cartos I've taken apart the coil is about half way up the tube. What I use is a sharp 18ga, 1.5" needle and syringe from SmokTek.com. I get about 2.5ml of eliquid and push it all the way to the bottom, then I pull it out slowly while depressing the plunger all the way out. Then I go a 180 degrees from the first spot and repeat, then blow out the carto from the batt end and fill the tank, have never had dry hits.

PS. Have the carto in the tank, this method will cause liquid to come out of the holes.

 

[Baditude]

Yes, I've been using my friend's clearos without any issues. Might have to switch over to clearos if I can't solve the carto problem, but it bugs me that I've dropped a couple hundred bucks on tanks and cartos, just to have them all fail on me.

The issue isn't muted taste, but dry hits.
I've used this method too, and I still end up getting dry hits. I usually let my cartos sit for a couple hours after priming (no matter what method I've used) and top them off with a couple drops before trying them, but I still keep getting dry hits.

I might have missed something, but are these single coil or dual coil cartos? I know the Resurectors are low resistance single coils. What about the others?

You may not be liking the low resistance cartos. I know I can't stand them, they taste either harsh or like a dry hit to me. Nearly the same thing with dual cartos. They might be fine initially, but before long they taste burnt.

Since I've switched to single coil cartos of standard or high resistance (first Smoktech 3.0 ohm, the either Ikenvape Platinum SR 2.5 ohm, or Ikenvape 510 Fusions SR 3.0 ohm) I've very rarely had the dry hits or harsh vapor. Using a standard or high resistance coil is called preferring a cooler vape. People who use low resistance and prefer that prefer a warmer vape.

So this whole issue may be all about resistance.

 

[poof]

I usually stick to 1.7 ohms or thereabouts, never had a problem like this before, but here are the cartos that I've tried so far and had issues with:

Smoktech dual coil, 1.7 ohm
Smoktech single coil, 2.5 ohm
Ikenvape Fusion LR Punch, 2.0 ohm
Boge XL LR, 2.0 ohm
Smoktech Resurrector, 1.7 ohm - one of these is actually working for me, hallelujah! Had to go through 9 duds to get to the good one in the batch, but one is better than nothing.

All of these are pre-punched and used with 50/50 juice from a variety of suppliers.

Baditude, are you using your SR/HR cartos on a standard eGo (3.7v)? I haven't tried switching to higher resistances yet, so that might be something.

 

[Vapolith]

I'm getting great results from the Boge XL LR Laser Slotted cartos.