E-Juice and cartomizer

[artbyshan]

I am new to vaping (Started w/ a disposable Blu on 12/31/2011). Liked the disposable so well, I bought a Blu Kit at Walgreens, but was quickly disappointed due to the number of prefilled cartomizers I was using (Got really expensive). So I decided to get a KGO, and thought I'd use the Johnson's Creek VG juice (This is supposedly what Blu uses, and I grew fond of the taste). I quickly fell in love with the Red Oak line of Marcado (Clove-Cinnamon), Tennessee Cured (tobacco flavored), and Tundra (Mint) flavors. However, my cartomizers seem to quit hitting hard (Except with the Tundra - Seems to work fine with this flavor). Sometimes after the third or fouth fill. Sometimes it's like trying to suck a golf ball through a water hose to get a hit. Is this normal with this product line (Red Oak) ? I was thinking of ordering some samples of BlueMist VG (Heard they were thinner). Any advise would be welcomed.

 

[mafig]

hi artbyshan and welcome to ECF..i think yr problem is filling yr cartomizer properly..i wrote this earlier and post for U,hope it is helpful and solve yr vaping problem

placed a condom at the base of the threaded end..and inject the liquid 30-45 degree angle(make sure yr needle is half way down the tube) ..looking for the liquid to break the filler surface and then rotate to new spot and repeat..that way U can see the filler is soaked..when U have done that,fix a drip tip & removed the condom.

next is to see the tunnel(the centre hole) it is not blocked by liquid(U do that by looking through against the skylight or a light bulb)..if it is blocked,single blow from the drip-tip against a tissue and checked for the light at the end of the tunnel..if still cannot see,repeat..that is the proper way to take the guesswork of filling the cartomizer & when U vape non stop.

1st sign of burnt taste,yr cartomizer needs to be refilled..happy vaping ..regards mafig ps cartomizers do die out eventually after 1 week to 3 weeks of usage..the sign of failure when yr vape is hard to draw and the vapor poor with a permanent burnt taste..look at yr cartomizer and U will see why,the filler is all hardened and unlikely to be soaked & sign of burnt filler in evident..so good tip to have more than just 1 or 2 setups..usually 4 setups of diff flavors & rotate usage on all 4

 

[dormouse]

That's because you are using VG juice. If Blu's VG works well then it is probably well diluted with distilled water.

I use high PG juices in cartos around 80PG/20VG to get a nice thin juice with good flavor and good nicotine TH but some VG to smooth out irritation and add more vapor. And I avoid all dark, cloudy and opaque juices or any other juice that drops flavoring sediment in the stuffing because sediment clogs up the stuffing and bakes onto the coil and degrades cartos quickly. With thin clear juices I can get 7-10 days use out of a carto or about 15-20ml run through it.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

I usually recommend PinkSpotVapors.com to people (try a sampler pack) because I love their flavors. In this case, I can also say that their juices are fluid enough work well in cartos.

 

[brandontrjn]

That's because you are using VG juice.

EXACTLY! Use PG juices unless you're allergic, make sure they are as "clear" looking as you can.

Johnson Creek makes good PG juice too. Their VG juice (Red Oak) is mainly for people who don't like PG they say "made with VG and VG based flavoring" on their site. Try their normal stuff. You aren't really getting anything special going with their "Red Oak" unless you're allergic to PG.

 

[artbyshan]

Thanks for the advice. I guess I was wanting to stick w/ VG because I thought it would be healthier. Am I wrong in thinking this ?

 

[dormouse]

PG vapor is what hospitals use to deliver inhaled medications to even lung transplant patients.

I do recommend you have SOME VG in your juice because nicotine is a skin irritant and PG does little to buffer irritation and makes very thin vapor.

 

[madjack]

...try Blue Mist, I think you will like them...they offer all VG and an 80pg/20vg blend, which is great or do as I do and get a bottle of their VG juice and a bottle of their PG/VG blend and mix them 50/50 and get a blend with 60%VG...with this blend, I have avoided many of the problems of an all VG blend...it loads up well, wicks well and tops up well...there are a few folks with a sensitivity to either PG or VG but I don't believe one is any healthier than the other.......
madjack

 

[artbyshan]

Thank you for the comments. I'll give a blend a try. Any recommendations on how this noob can salvage what is left of almost two bottles of Red Oak (30ml) while I'm waiting on new stuff to come ? Should I order some non-flavored PG to mix with it (When the order comes) ? Should I mix some distilled water with it (Until a new order comes) ?

 

[madjack]

I'd try adding 3r4 drops of distilled water per ml of juice and see how that works for ya..........

 

[deach]

I got the Domestic Red Oak and it was runny as heck. One thing I did find I liked and seemed to work well in even refilling the blu cartomizers is mix their Original forumala smoke juice and then the VG tennessee cured. That seemed to work pretty well. Also if you really like tennessee cured mix their original formula and their VG formula. That seemed to flow pretty well and also just enhanced the tast of just the VG mix. I know ordering places from all different places can get costly.

 

[artbyshan]

Put a small amount of Marcado in the sample bottle I ordered first (0.5 ml). Put about three drops of Vodka in it, and shook it like crazy. Seems to have worked (Much smoother).

 

[binomialbarley7]

Here's a trick for refilling blue cartos: take a paperclip and bend one end about 1mm with some pliers to about a 90 degree angle - makes a neat hook. Use this to pull the black cap out of the end of the carto. Drip your liquid directly onto the filler. Take care not to get it into the center tube. If you do get some in the tube you can blow it out from the threaded end. Wear gloves or be careful not to get eliquid on your skin. Nicotine is absorbed through the skin.

I think Blu uses a 510 thread, so you might look into some non-Blu 510 carts or maybe a 510 tank if you like the batts. I don't think Blu wants you to refill their carts, and if the atomizer isn't made to last that might be part of the problem. Note that non-Blu 510 cartos may be wider than the battery. I don't know for sure that Blu batteries are 510 as I don't own one, but I have put Blu carts in my SD Keyring which is a 510 thread. They worked great. BTW Blu Java Jolt is rancid, disgusting, and deplorable. It is the taste and smell of an old ash tray with the hint of espresso.

 

[deach]

I think Blu uses a 510 thread, so you might look into some non-Blu 510 carts or maybe a 510 tank if you like the batts. I don't think Blu wants you to refill their carts, and if the atomizer isn't made to last that might be part of the problem. Note that non-Blu 510 cartos may be wider than the battery. I don't know for sure that Blu batteries are 510 as I don't own one, but I have put Blu carts in my SD Keyring which is a 510 thread. They worked great. BTW Blu Java Jolt is rancid, disgusting, and deplorable. It is the taste and smell of an old ash tray with the hint of espresso.

I agree about the java jolt. Some coffee burned on my burner and I finally figured out where they got it. Good to know about the SD keyring, I think that's gonna be my next purchase, just saw the link to that earlier today. Looks awesome to me. Any comments about it?

 

[binomialbarley7]

I agree about the java jolt. Some coffee burned on my burner and I finally figured out where they got it. Good to know about the SD keyring, I think that's gonna be my next purchase, just saw the link to that earlier today. Looks awesome to me. Any comments about it?

The SD Keyring is great. It's tiny, about the size of a AA battery. It comes with the batt, two prefilled 510 carts, and a charger. In my pic you'll also see a green 808 carto next to the crap Blu Java Jolt, an energizer AA (for perspective), and an 808 CE2 with 808-510 adapter and aluminum drip tip. I'm not dripping, just like the feel. BTW, I revise my analysis of the Java Jolt to "burnt toast."

The SD Keyring gives a smooth, responsive draw. A primer draw is not really necessary for this auto batt. It only lasts for about an hour of intense vaping, but it's not designed for that. It's just a great size. Takes forever to full charge. I give 9 out of 10 stars.

 

[deach]

Thanks for the info in the SD. I picked up a mod box yesterday and man it's almost "too much" got to really be careful when coming off something lighter....Burnt toast sounds about right too!!.....I do like the classic tobacco however (of the blu's) and I also like the mix of JC original smoke juice and their Tennessee Cured VG. Honestly it's a toss up between that and their Red Oak Domestic.