Creative way to kill a tank cartomizer

[The Ocelot]

Happy little vaper vaping away on a carto tank. Vape, vape, vape. But my carto started gurgling. Just a little gurgle, not a huge flooded gurgle and there was a little liquid on the battery connection. Hmmm... gently blew out cart, wiped off the battery: vape, vape, vape. Switched to another battery & tank set-up: vape, vape, vape. Later, went back to the first set-up: gurgle, drip. I blew it out again and wiped off the battery. This went on for quite some time. The carto wasn't burned or flooding, just leaking a little tiny bit and driving me bat doo doo.

I finally figured it out. I usually don't fill a carto using a syringe, but earlier in the day I had been in a hurry and gave it a try. Well obviously I wasn't careful enough and poked a tiny hole in the sock. Doink.

 

[Susaz]

jaja I learned that back in my KR 808D times... I'd rather do the spin.

 

[cocacola31173]

Is it normal for the top of the cartomizer to always look dry? I have a smoktech 1 hole dual coil one and Im using 65 pg 35 vg juice. It seems to be feeding ok and Im not flooding or anything. But it does seem to taste dry.

 

[The Ocelot]

Is it normal for the top of the cartomizer to always look dry? I have a smoktech 1 hole dual coil one and Im using 65 pg 35 vg juice. It seems to be feeding ok and Im not flooding or anything. But it does seem to taste dry.

Even if a carto is in a tank it should be topped off periodically, especially when there's only one hole.

 

[The Ocelot]

jaja I learned that back in my KR 808D times... I'd rather do the spin.

I use carto tanks almost exclusively and fill cartos all the time, that's why I was so puzzled.

 

[Baditude]

Is it normal for the top of the cartomizer to always look dry? I have a smoktech 1 hole dual coil one and Im using 65 pg 35 vg juice. It seems to be feeding ok and Im not flooding or anything. But it does seem to taste dry.

​(click to enlarge image)

You should always adequately pre-fill a cartomizer prior to assembling it into a tank. After a few vapes, the suction produced by your vaping will draw the liquid down to the bottom of the cartomizer where the heating coil is. At the same time, the suction will draw liquid through the carto's holes from the tank. The above diagram represents the movement of both air and liquid in the carto during vaping.

So, it is normal for the top of the filler material to look dry as soon as you begin vaping. I often will "top off" the carto when refilling the tank, however it is not generally required to do this before tank refills.

Are you sure that when you say that it seems to taste "dry", that you don't mean harsh? If you are using a low resistance cartomizer or a dual coil cartomizer in the tank, you might find that you would prefer a standard resistance cart and one that is single coil for a "cooler" vape.

 

[Susaz]

I use carto tanks almost exclusively and fill cartos all the time, that's why I was so puzzled.

Why not the condom method? if you don't use flared cartos is a foolproof way of filling!

 

[anavidfan]

I dont use the condom method any more. I found that I wasted so much of my "precious" juice. I punch my carto (2 small holes) and then I take a syringe and start dropping the juice into the holes and to hurry the process I inhale on the top of the carto, similar to doing the dry priming hits. I fill my syringe with a tad over 1 ml, since thats the average amount that a carto holds. I do this till the its half a ml , shake it like a thermometer, add some more and then top it off and let it saturate for a few minutes and add more into the holes till I see that the drop of juice I place on the holes no longer seep in. Top it off with any left over juice in the syringe. Pop it in the carto and vape.

 

[The Ocelot]

Why not the condom method? if you don't use flared cartos is a foolproof way of filling!

Thanks for the tip. I don't have a problem filling cartos, I was just in a hurry and thought I'd try the syringe method. Obviously it's not the best method for me.

 

[babyk1352012]

Yeah thats pretty normal, just reprime it buy sucking the liquid back through, or top it off with a syringe.

Is it normal for the top of the cartomizer to always look dry? I have a smoktech 1 hole dual coil one and Im using 65 pg 35 vg juice. It seems to be feeding ok and Im not flooding or anything. But it does seem to taste dry.

 

[tnt56]

Have to giggle at the OP. Best way to destroy a carto is to try and slot it with a dremel. Works really well when you have bad eyesight and can't tell when you cut through the outer case untill you see the inner air hole. (Great way to find out what they look like inside though).
I always use the thermometer shake to fill mine. Great way to work off the stress of the day. Buy the time I'm through my arms are to tired to even raise em up to choke someone.

 

[windozehater]

allways be carefull blowing out a carto that is in a tank, you can buildup pressure in the tank(as opposed to the suction pulling in liquid) and if you ever have pressurized a capri-sun pouch.... if you have to blow it out take out the drip tip and slide the carto down into the tank a little to equilize the pressure just takes a second, if you listen close to it, if it has pressure you can here a pressure change

 

[Baditude]

Why not the condom method? if you don't use flared cartos is a foolproof way of filling!

I know a lot of people do use the condom method to fill. It wasn't for me. Too messy and it takes way too long. With my method I can fill a carto in 5 minutes and fill the tank in 1. Ready to vape immediately, no need to let the cartomizer "settle". No need to put my mouth on the tank to blow it out.

My method is in my blog, in the link under my avatar.

Not saying my method is the best or the only one. Everyone has their favorite way, and if it works for you, keep on. I do like to learn what others are doing in that I might pick up a neat little tip here or there.

 

[Susaz]

I know a lot of people do use the condom method to fill. It wasn't for me. Too messy and it takes way too long. With my method I can fill a carto in 5 minutes and fill the tank in 1. Ready to vape immediately, no need to let the cartomizer "settle". No need to put my mouth on the tank to blow it out.

My method is in my blog, in the link under my avatar.

Not saying my method is the best or the only one. Everyone has their favorite way, and if it works for you, keep on. I do like to learn what others are doing in that I might pick up a neat little tip here or there.

Thanks! learning is always useful. I'm no longer a carto tank user, I don't like filler material. But who knows?