Curious about some cartos - busted? Different mfg?

[Shadzi]

Today was carto-cleaning day, and when I was loading mine up into a sock for a spin-dry, I noticed something odd and wanted to ask after it.

The six WOW Vapor cartos I washed came out fine but two didn't: the questionable ones were two out of a 5/pk Clove 11mg that I'd picked as my bonus carts with my kit order. The problem is that there is a space between the wire's bend and the batting level; one by 1-2mm and the other by a full 3-4mm. I don't know if these are toast now, and if they are, that's okay. These things are not meant to last forever.


I guess this is what I was wanting to know:

1) Are these pre-filled carts different from the WOW Vapors? I assume they may be cheaper models, or a different mfg; it looks like one end comes up through the sock cylinder and then hooks back down into the batting, where the WOW Vapor cartos seem to be sandwiched next to the sock somehow. (No magnifying glass, and I don't want to dissect anything quite yet.)

2) I shook them around lightly pre-rinse. I haven't seen any instructions to not do this in reading up on carto cleaning. Could this have knocked something loose? The WOW cartos came out perfectly fine, so I'm not certain if the light shaking was a bad idea or not.

3) Is it a batting issue - less batting, different type? I'm going back and looking at the three unused Clove prefilleds, and I'm noticing the same issue, where the bend in the wire isn't snug up against the batting.

4) Is it okay to use these despite the gap between the wire bend and the sock/batting? If they can't be fixed, is it possible to mod one of these potentially busted cartos into a drip tip? I know I won't want to drip while the tip's on the battery; leakage is bad.

Thanks muchly for any insight, tips, or info!

Shadzi

 

[SnowDragon]

First and foremost welcome to the V4L forum,

I don't have such an elaborate process to clean out cartos for reuse so I can't speak much on that subject.

If the cartos in question are hard caps, then they do have a little different design but in the end they either work or they don't.

As for direct dripping with no filler the answer is Yes. Take a safety pin or one side of a pair of tweezers and work the polyfill material back and forth against the housing to break it away from the wick sock. The slowly pull the material out, leaving the wick sock in place. Place a few drops down the side of the housing and you are good to go.

I am curious, it seems that you are using a lot energy just to reuse your cartos, in energy I mean electricity. There is no need for all of that at all, if you have forceps or needle nose pliers hold them under the faucet with the hot water running. No need to have the faucet running hard, just enough to have a steady stream no wider than the carto housing impacting the into the mouth piece opening with the cap removed.

After a minute or so, place the carto in bowl, then pour some boiling water into the bowl and let soak for a couple of minutes. Remove carto, and with a downward motion shake excess water out of the carto into the sink, then rinse again under hot water.

Again using a downward motion remove excess water, blow thru the mouthpiece end to remove moisture thru the batt hole. Take a couple of puffs, if you can't taste the previous flavor you are in business.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mabbo]

Shadzi

Welcome to the family again.

There does seem from time to time some variance on the manafacturer process on the carts, some times, the wires are more visable and so on. I think this is just the nature of working within such fine details. But even with the differences, they all seem to work just fine. If you look through the carto as long as there is a good see through, you should be ok. if not, you can take a paper clip and put it in the middle and clear the hole.

I have a few recommendations for ya.

1. The best method I have found for cleaning carts is to use a turkey bastor or something like it, and cut the end off a condom and use it to make the connection between the ends of the baster and the mouth end of the carto. boil some water, and flush each cart 2 times or so. All clean.

2. I have tried several methods for drying the carts, and none seem to work as well as just letting them air dry. I have damaged to many of them trying other methods. Air drying just takes more time.

3. A lot of us refill carts, but its generally best to refill prefilled carts with the same flavor or one that will compliment the orginal.

4. If you plan on filling yoru own like most of us do and you buy blank carts, make sure you get the cool carts, they hold more juice and do not get as hot. The also seems to last me 8 refills before i need to chuck em.

Anyway, hope that in some way helps.

Mabbo

 

[Shadzi]

No elaborate method here - just hot water soak, rinse, blow out extra, then spin them dry in a prescription bottle topped off with paper towels (which gets put into a sock).

I'm just wondering if those carts with the space are defective, or if I should even use them.

Shadzi

 

[Desertfremen]

No elaborate method here - just hot water soak, rinse, blow out extra, then spin them dry in a prescription bottle topped off with paper towels (which gets put into a sock).

I'm just wondering if those carts with the space are defective, or if I should even use them.

Shadzi

The carts with the space are not defective. I have gotten some like that before; I do remember that for sure. In fact, a few times I was the one who accidently pulled it up trying to remove the cap. :::le sigh::: (I still wasn't used to the soft caps yet. lol)

I've only ever ruined 1 cart by doing that; all the ones that came like that function just fine. I've even gifted those cartos to a friend of mine and they're still working for her.

 

[Shadzi]

Awesome. Thanks muchly.

Shadzi

 

[SnowDragon]

hahaha...hilarious! When I saw the words "sock, spin-dry, pre-rinse" I thought you putting your cartos in sock then placing them in the washing machine and dryer!

It sounds strange, but people have gone to stranger methods than that and I didn't want to be rude.

too funny

 

[Shadzi]

hahaha...hilarious! When I saw the words "sock, spin-dry, pre-rinse" I thought you putting your cartos in sock then placing threw them in the washing machine and dryer!

It sounds strange, but people have gone to stranger methods than that and I didn't want to be rude.

too funny

Oh, lol, that's great. I know there's at least one person in here somewhere who uses a jewelry cleaner filled with vodka, but when someone's got 200+ carts, maybe the dishwasher or washing machine's the way to go. (Just kidding, I really hope no one actually tries it!)

Shadzi

 

[5cardstud]

I got some cartos that the little tube the wire goes through is sideways instead of in the middle where it's supposed to be. As long as they still work good then they're good. Yes there are members that use the washer. Put the cartos in a sock or bag or something.

 

[mwa102464]

Glad I use my cartos once refill them while in use until they are shot and chuck them, I'm surprised people actually wash these out and reuse them, they are so dam cheap

 

[lonercom]

Could be a case of batting shrinkage. Go ahead and refill it should work. If it doesn't, you spent $.42 to find out it's a goner. Still cheaper than $2.00 to replace it if it was OK anyway.

Just made a quick note about cleaning cartos here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/vapor4life/126865-refilling-carts.html#post1985952

 

[yano_jl]

Glad I use my cartos once refill them while in use until they are shot and chuck them, I'm surprised people actually wash these out and reuse them, they are so dam cheap

Agreed. Is seems like a lot of effort to save 2 bucks (or so).

 

[Jeff78]

Agreed. Is seems like a lot of effort to save 2 bucks (or so).

Per cartomizer I would agree, but I have cleaned over 100 of these things 4 times so that would be a savings of $800 (or so). It doesn't take much time once you do it the first time and see how it is done. I usually wash them out and then I spin dry them while watching TV.

 

[SnowDragon]

I do the same thing with dishes, glasses, utensils, pots & pans along with my clothes. I just wash them after I use them and it's saved me a lot of money.

 

[Shadzi]

I do the same thing with dishes, glasses, utensils, pots & pans along with my clothes. I just wash them after I use them and it's saved me a lot of money.

+1 for the lol. Thank you.

Shadzi