Discouraged already (ejuice taste/residue)

[Strigoi]

Thanks for all your replies. I see that I was probably rushing it. BTW, I didn't mention this, but what I used was a bottle cap with the blunt needle. I tried taking off the stopper thing at the top of the cartomizer, but it wasn't gonna be easy (I have RA, thus bad fingers), so just filled using the bottle cap needle thingy. For personal reasons, I cannot handle any type of syringes in my house. (unless there is a medical reason)

You need to pull the little cap off the carto. You're probably getting leaking and the carto isn't getting full because the liquid is just going into the center tube (where you don't want it). Something like a metal skewer should work for getting the cap out. Just get the tip of it in the center hole and work it out. I just use whatever's handy (paper clip, tweezers, pen, small screwdriver, etc...) if I can't catch the lip of it with a nail. Even using a fork works well (just use one tine).

 

[rickb863]

Trill...I didn't read all of the replies that you received, as there are sooo many!! But, I wanted to offer my 2 cents to you on the subject of juices. I have been vaping for 3 years now and have tried literally hundreds of different juices that are available on the internet. I have found only a handful of places that make a decent juice. I hope I can help you save some time and money by cutting to the chase and getting you to the place that I belive to be the best. Every vaper has their own opinion on who makes the bast flavors and some may disagree with me, but based on my extensive and expensive research, DIY Flavor Shack by E-Cig Smoke Store makes the be all end all best juice available. They are consistent and always give you a bottle of juice with the right amount of flavor at the rigt mixture. I Highly recommend that you place an order with them and see if you agree. The owners name is Dawn and she is great. She always includes free samples for you to try different flavors and see if you like them. I hope you try them out and save yourself a lot of frustration. I wish I had found them much sooner than I did. I am not in any way affiliated with them. Just a very happy customer Best of luck to you and whatever it takes, do not go back to cigs. Bro. You can make this work! It may cost a little more money to get you going, but the end result is well worth the cost Congratulations on finding the answer and caring enough about your health to stick it out. God Bless and have a good night.

 

[Trill]

You need to pull the little cap off the carto. You're probably getting leaking and the carto isn't getting full because the liquid is just going into the center tube (where you don't want it). Something like a metal skewer should work for getting the cap out. Just get the tip of it in the center hole and work it out. I just use whatever's handy (paper clip, tweezers, pen, small screwdriver, etc...) if I can't catch the lip of it with a nail. Even using a fork works well (just use one tine).

Oooo! Lightbulb just went on reading this post!! I can be a little dense sometimes, yeah. I didn't realize there was a center tube, which, now that I think about it, I'm having a big "duh" moment. I reckon this won't be my last, certainly isn't the first. Thanks!

 

[dragonbone]

Thanks for all your replies. I see that I was probably rushing it. BTW, I didn't mention this, but what I used was a bottle cap with the blunt needle. I tried taking off the stopper thing at the top of the cartomizer, but it wasn't gonna be easy (I have RA, thus bad fingers), so just filled using the bottle cap needle thingy. For personal reasons, I cannot handle any type of syringes in my house. (unless there is a medical reason)

Thanks for clearing up the drip tip question. My daughter and I had ordered a couple of drip tips from mad vapors but I guess we weren't paying attention and got the tiny ones that I guess work with the 510s. Anyway, that was another reason that I wanted to try the cartomizers, because I can't find anything that looks cool to go over the tank mouthpiece. Maybe I'll try the cartomizer with the citrus juice in it later, now that it's had time to saturate the filling. Sooo....I wonder if any vendor can get me a cool drip tip to my house before I hit the road! I guess I also want a...what's it called, a cuff? The thing that covers where the cartomizer attaches to the battery? Sorry I didn't respond to each of the posts, but I am reading them all at least twice, promise!!!

Love you guys!

Use an opened paper clip or a small optical screwdriver or even a dental pick or something to remove the hard silicone stopper at the top of the carto (or whatever you have in your house). No need to break finger nails etc.

 

[Trill]

I will definitely do that, dragonbone, especially now that I understand why I was leaking so badly! One question that I have left that was kind of buried in my update post is:

How do you know that you need to top off a cartomizer? I imagine with the clear ones, I'll be able to see that the filler is dry all the way down, but what about the steel ones?

 

[Gloria]

Trill....please accept my sincere condolences for the recent loss of your Mom. I'm so very sorry to hear that.

After reading through all of your posts, I feel really confident that you will succeed in getting off of the cigs with vaping. As you've already discovered, it won't be all roses. There may be a thorn or two or three along the way. Most of us have experienced some frustration with equipment and/or juice in our vaping journeys. There were times when I was really downcast and ready to throw in the towel. That's when I would come on here and get the support that I needed to move forward.

It took me almost 3 weeks into vaping before I stopped automatically reaching for a lighter. LOL

I did as Bmays suggested and went ahead and smoked for several days while getting accustomed to the vaping gear. By the time I ran out of cigs, I was getting enough satisfaction from the vaping that I didn't even have the desire to buy more cigs. It was a shock to me when I walked out of the gas station and realized that I hadn't bought any. That was over 6 months ago. I'm down to 6mg of nic now (from 18mg to start) and hope to be at zero within a couple of months. My goal is to be nicotine free eventually.

Keep plugging along. Don't beat yourself up about anything. We're all rooting for you and your success!

 

[dragonbone]

I will definitely do that, dragonbone, especially now that I understand why I was leaking so badly! One question that I have left that was kind of buried in my update post is:

How do you know that you need to top off a cartomizer? I imagine with the clear ones, I'll be able to see that the filler is dry all the way down, but what about the steel ones?

That takes a little bit of practice but very quickly learned. Firstly vapor will drop and it will feel and seem kind of dry. Pop off your drip tip and look inside. If the filler looks whitish and dry; top off by dipping drops slowly around the sides until whicking fabric looks saturated. Avoid centre air hole. Then a quick blow (incase of liquid in the air hole) and a wipe down on the battery threading side, and ready to vape! It will all be second nature to you in a little while, ie. you will just know without looking, when you need topping up.

 

[Trill]

Trill....please accept my sincere condolences for the recent loss of your Mom. I'm so very sorry to hear that.

After reading through all of your posts, I feel really confident that you will succeed in getting off of the cigs with vaping. As you've already discovered, it won't be all roses. There may be a thorn or two or three along the way. Most of us have experienced some frustration with equipment and/or juice in our vaping journeys. There were times when I was really downcast and ready to throw in the towel. That's when I would come on here and get the support that I needed to move forward.

It took me almost 3 weeks into vaping before I stopped automatically reaching for a lighter. LOL

I did as Bmays suggested and went ahead and smoked for several days while getting accustomed to the vaping gear. By the time I ran out of cigs, I was getting enough satisfaction from the vaping that I didn't even have the desire to buy more cigs. It was a shock to me when I walked out of the gas station and realized that I hadn't bought any. That was over 6 months ago. I'm down to 6mg of nic now (from 18mg to start) and hope to be at zero within a couple of months. My goal is to be nicotine free eventually.

Keep plugging along. Don't beat yourself up about anything. We're all rooting for you and your success!

This is a very sweet post. Thank you, from both my daughter and myself. I lol'd about the lighter thing, because I've always kept my lighter right beside me in my chair, and I'll have my vape in one hand and be searching my chair beside me for my lighter when I want to take a hit.

This is Day 6 for me, and I have 1 pack with 1 cig missing, and a whole carton that hasn't been opened. I thought my husband had a 4-5 pack stash hidden (he does that so he doesn't end up having to run to the store when I run out lol), but he had a whole carton stashed. I am hoping to leave the house either Thursday or Friday to go into the woods, and on my way out the door, tell him to take the carton back to the store. Our Indian friends will miss us down there. We bought mom's cigs there, too. Maybe I can get them to stock some vape supplies so we can at least have an excuse to go in there sometimes.

Anyway, thanks for that supportive post, and thank you to everyone else, too. Today's been a bad day in several ways, and you guys have really cheered me up by being so thoughtful and helpful. I hope I can give back to this community when I am more confident about some of this stuff.

 

[Trill]

YEAH YEAH YEAH! So, I used the bottom fill method on the clear cartomizer that I'd put the citrus in till the condom was empty, and the wick is all saturated, blew it out (yeah, it was quite full lol), screwed it on to the battery, after wiping both the battery and cartomizer threads off, dug the top out of it and popped the tiny drip tip that I have on there and it's working like a champ! I don't taste that polyfil taste now, and this citrus mix is great! Plus, my light saber looks awesome.

So I have one more question, which also got buried from earlier: what is the thing called that covers the area where the cartomizer and battery connect? One of those will make it look absolutely perfect. I'm ready to go in the woods.

 

[dragonbone]

YEAH YEAH YEAH! So, I used the bottom fill method on the clear cartomizer that I'd put the citrus in till the condom was empty, and the wick is all saturated, blew it out (yeah, it was quite full lol), screwed it on to the battery, after wiping both the battery and cartomizer threads off, dug the top out of it and popped the tiny drip tip that I have on there and it's working like a champ! I don't taste that polyfil taste now, and this citrus mix is great! Plus, my light saber looks awesome.

So I have one more question, which also got buried from earlier: what is the thing called that covers the area where the cartomizer and battery connect? One of those will make it look absolutely perfect. I'm ready to go in the woods.

YAY!!!! Congrats girl!! OK, not sure what all the vendors call them but at Health Cabin they are called eGo Steel Sleeve.

 

[Trill]

thanks!!

 

[WCSR]

YEAH YEAH YEAH! So, I used the bottom fill method on the clear cartomizer that I'd put the citrus in till the condom was empty, and the wick is all saturated, blew it out (yeah, it was quite full lol), screwed it on to the battery, after wiping both the battery and cartomizer threads off, dug the top out of it and popped the tiny drip tip that I have on there and it's working like a champ! I don't taste that polyfil taste now, and this citrus mix is great! Plus, my light saber looks awesome.

So I have one more question, which also got buried from earlier: what is the thing called that covers the area where the cartomizer and battery connect? One of those will make it look absolutely perfect. I'm ready to go in the woods.

YAY!!!! Congrats girl!! OK, not sure what all the vendors call them but at Health Cabin they are called eGo Steel Sleeve.

If you're using a standard size cartomizer, then you would probably want the "cone". It's a little longer than the "steel sleeve" and covers almost the entire cartomizer (leaves about a 1/4" sticking out of the top of the cone). If you're using something the same diameter or larger diameter than the batter (such as a tank), then you would want to use the steel sleeve to close the gap and cover the threads.

 

[izzice777]

One of my atomizer have burnt taste (new atomizer for my EGO-T). Open it up, adjust but still the same. luckily i have several spare atomizers available...

 

[dragonbone]

One of my atomizer have burnt taste (new atomizer for my EGO-T). Open it up, adjust but still the same. luckily i have several spare atomizers available...

Welcome izzice777,
Remember to 'cold' draw a few times after filling up a new or cleaned atomizer, without pressing the vape button, until you can kind of almost taste the flavor. eGo-T atty needs time for the ejuice to reach the coil.

 

[izzice777]

Welcome izzice777,
Remember to 'cold' draw a few times after filling up a new or cleaned atomizer, without pressing the vape button, until you can kind of almost taste the flavor. eGo-T atty needs time for the ejuice to reach the coil.

TQ dragonbone.

I did cold draw, also try drip some liquid to the needle. Good taste for about 5 vapes, then the burnt taste comes back.

Not sure what is the prob, as this is a new atomizer..

 

[dragonbone]

TQ dragonbone.

I did cold draw, also try drip some liquid to the needle. Good taste for about 5 vapes, then the burnt taste comes back.

Not sure what is the prob, as this is a new atomizer..

Sigh... I know... It brings back bad memories of me struggling with my eGo-T atties hehe... They are good when they work, but once burnt, very hard to ever get rid of the burnt flavor. I boiled my atty in a small pan for a few minutes and then blow out with an air pressure can or blow out onto a tissue and let dry for a day. Then drip some VG and test. If still burnt, try again. You have to clean off the burnt stuff off the coil...
My advice is get some cartomizers and Stardust for vaping, and keep you eGo-T atties for when you want to play...

 

[Trill]

If you're using a standard size cartomizer, then you would probably want the "cone". It's a little longer than the "steel sleeve" and covers almost the entire cartomizer (leaves about a 1/4" sticking out of the top of the cone). If you're using something the same diameter or larger diameter than the batter (such as a tank), then you would want to use the steel sleeve to close the gap and cover the threads.

I found a "shorty cone" that had a pic of what it looks like with the cartomizers I got, and it looked perfect, so I got it, but I'll probably get the bigger cones like you're talking about eventually. I gotta quit spending money for a little while lol.


about the juices (black cherry, fireball, citrus, coffee, some weird coffee rum thing that I got free):
I'm filling up several cartridges so I can try them out the next day or two so I can figure out which I'm going to take with me on my trip. Now, it's almost like everything smells the same, and I feel like I may be smelling the vg and/or pg at this time? I dunno, it's kind of like a different smell than the flavors I'm using, yet is present in all the juices. In any case, it is driving me nuts, and I need to just put it all away for a little while, because I'm a little overwhelmed. Even though I've smoked for so many years, I have ...overactive "smell buds" or whatever. I also have olfactory hallucinations off and on, so, wheeee. (IT'S PROBLY A TOOMAH!)

I honestly do think I'm feeling the nic from all the juices. I pushed some fireball too fast in the condom and got kind of "splashed," and I'm basically just still awkward with using all this juice. When I first started looking at vape stuff, I thought it would be a while before I used juices that I chose, and would use pre-filled carts or whatever mostly at first, but that went out the window when I got the ego-t. I also said it would be a while before I made my own juices, but that's probably true! Anyway, I've read that most people don't feel anything, but I should probably wear gloves. And a mask.

Thanks!

 

[bodrell]

Hi Trill - my condolences on the loss of your mom. It's so hard to lose a parent.

The metal sleeve is also called a cone but I imagine there are several terms, depending on the model and the supplier.
I smoked about the same amount as you, and handrolled my cigarettes so I'm used to that ritual and tend to top off my cartos frequently the way dragonbone suggested; I never wait until they start looking or tasting dry. They last longer that way, too. When you're ready for another toy, try one of these:
Vision EGO | Virgin Vapor | Electronic Cigarette Organic e-Liquid | Electronic Cigarettes
Available through many vendors but note they may not work with citrus or cinnamon.

I have a few juices - from good vendors and mostly 24 mg nic level - that don't work for me. I'd be more than happy to pass them on so you can experiment with flavors. Send me a PM if you want to try them! Better someone use them than they sit in my juice drawer unvaped.

 

[yummy1984]

I did not know this..the first time I filled my atomizer..I burnt out the wick...I live with the burnt taste till I figure our the wick is burnt..took a tweezer and pull at it..true enough, it came off easily, in two pieces and black all over.

Welcome izzice777,
Remember to 'cold' draw a few times after filling up a new or cleaned atomizer, without pressing the vape button, until you can kind of almost taste the flavor. eGo-T atty needs time for the ejuice to reach the coil.

 

[stumpy]

been there it is off putting keep priming and it will burn off