Flooding Cartomizer on a DCT tank

[KayVapes]

Hi All,

I bought a tank a few weeks ago and set it up and filled it. The first tank full vaped very well for me. However, when the tank got low on juice, I refilled it and put it back together just like I had when I originally vaped it before.

My problem is that now when I try to draw on it ... it gurgles and starts flooding. I didn't change the juice that I had originally put into it. But it is flooding the cartomizer now. If I blow it out.. it will vape for about one draw then it goes back to being flooded.

I did not vape the cartomizer dry before I refilled the tank would this be the issue?

Also, I took the tank completely off the battery I was using and put it in a container just to see if it was leaking any where else and have not noticed it leaking at all.

Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks all,
Kay

 

[solardrgn]

how did you fill it? i noticed that if i take the top part off and fill the tank, then put the top back on the air pressure forces juice into the carto since the tank is sealed.

 

[KayVapes]

The tank came with the carto already inserted.. I pulled the top (drip side) back into the tank and moved it so that it gave a gap and filled it with a syringe to a 2/3rds level.
Smoke for Penny's has a video out on how to fill a dct tank. I followed that procedure. I did this for both fills. The first one with no issues and the 2nd one with issues.

 

[DummyMe]

I'll be watching this thread. Same thing happened to me. I ended up emptying the tank & replacing the carto, then refilled the tank. It's working fine. I keep the carto I original had in the tank. It is still flooded & you can't even draw on it at all. I've been using this tank for a month & a half, with replacement carto as needed & never had a problem, until this last one. If I did something wrong, I don't know what I did.

 

[donnah]

The only time a carto in a tank floods (for me) is when there is an air leak or too much air pressure inside the tank. You can stand in front of a mirror and vape to see if there are any air bubbles coming from the top or bottom seal. If, while you are filling the tank and reseating it, there is any excess air inside the tank, the excess air pressure will force the juice into the hole in the carto and flood it and leak out the bottom of the carto. While filling the carto, you must allow the displaced air inside the tank to escape.
I drill fill holes in my tanks to make it easy to fill and eliminate the problem of leaving too much air inside the tank. I had this problem with the chibi, it was difficult to fill it while letting the displaced air escape and much of the time the carto flooded and dumped it's juice. I added o-rings around the grommets and drilled a fill hole and it works great now.

A couple weeks ago I had a carto that kept wanting to gurgle and leak out the bottom. I couldn't see any air coming in from the seals or from around the screw in my fill hole. I sucked the juice out and took the tank apart a couple times but it kept flooding. I figured something was just wrong with the carto and left it out of the tank.. I vaped it by cutting the condom and sliding it around the punched hole but it never did want to act right so I finally threw it away. Other than that, I've had no problems since I figured out the air pressure thing.

Here is a pic of my DC tank that I modded with a fill hole.

 

[Jagellpuff]

Another thing I have noticed is how you vape. Two things happen when vaping. First is as you vape the carto warms up, and eventually warms the juice making it more fluid. Thus flooding is more likely to happen, so I learned to feel the tank and if it starts to get warm put it down to rest. Second thing is your draw/breath strength. You should suck slowly for long relaxing vapes. The harder your draw the more likely it is to flood as you are sucking juice in. I stress technique everyday to friends who vape, and to others that hang out at the local vape shop.


Jeff "Jagellpuff" via iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jagellpuff]

Oh and one more thing, manufacturing errors/inconsistencies in making cartos. Every once in a while I get a few cartos that flood or not suck up juice. Some cartos snap crackle pop, which I prefer, and others just a slight sizzle. I ohm check 95% of all cartos I use.


Jeff "Jagellpuff" via iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[KayVapes]

You can stand in front of a mirror and vape to see if there are any air bubbles coming from the top or bottom seal.

Ok.. I checked for "leakage" on the tank when I took a vape and I am not noticing any bubbles from the outer rings. I am not getting a good vapor on the exhale.. so it might be how I am vaping that is causing this.

Second thing is your draw/breath strength. You should suck slowly for long relaxing vapes.

It might just be me and the learn factor on the strength of the draw. For when I took a slow drag it doesn't seem to flood as quickly as before.

Thank you for your insight and help Jagelpuff and Donnah

 

[cloudsofnic]

Hi All,

I bought a tank a few weeks ago and set it up and filled it. The first tank full vaped very well for me. However, when the tank got low on juice, I refilled it and put it back together just like I had when I originally vaped it before.

My problem is that now when I try to draw on it ... it gurgles and starts flooding. I didn't change the juice that I had originally put into it. But it is flooding the cartomizer now. If I blow it out.. it will vape for about one draw then it goes back to being flooded.

I did not vape the cartomizer dry before I refilled the tank would this be the issue?

Also, I took the tank completely off the battery I was using and put it in a container just to see if it was leaking any where else and have not noticed it leaking at all.

Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks all,
Kay

put your finger on the bottom of the carto, the part with threads, fill the tank, put a few drops in the carto.
when you put on the drip tip, put your finger over the hole, works for me, 9 months now.
that gurgling, you will have to put something that absorbs juice, quick, on the connector of the carto, the part with threads, you can see the overflowed juice., just soak it up.

 

[cloudsofnic]

Hi All,

I bought a tank a few weeks ago and set it up and filled it. The first tank full vaped very well for me. However, when the tank got low on juice, I refilled it and put it back together just like I had when I originally vaped it before.

My problem is that now when I try to draw on it ... it gurgles and starts flooding. I didn't change the juice that I had originally put into it. But it is flooding the cartomizer now. If I blow it out.. it will vape for about one draw then it goes back to being flooded.

I did not vape the cartomizer dry before I refilled the tank would this be the issue?

Also, I took the tank completely off the battery I was using and put it in a container just to see if it was leaking any where else and have not noticed it leaking at all.

Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

Thanks all,
Kay

put your finger on the bottom of the carto, the part with threads, fill the tank, put a few drops in the carto.
when you put on the drip tip, put your finger over the hole, works for me, 9 months now.
that gurgling, you will have to put something that absorbs juice, quick, on the connector of the carto, the part with threads, you can see the overflowed juice., just soak it up.

this is common.

 

[Princessdee]

let me add to this.

In a tank with hard ends, like the smoke tech or that type as opposed to soft end with a chibi, if when you're filling, you don't push the top down enough that the holes are on the outside of the bottom, you're forcing liquid under pressure into the hole.

I take the bottom off (the threaded end) and fill only to the just below the holes. Don't cover them with liquid. Then put the bottom back on.
I've had no leaking at all doing it this way.
Try it.

 

[Mark C.]

let me add to this.

In a tank with hard ends, like the smoke tech or that type as opposed to soft end with a chibi, if when you're filling, you don't push the top down enough that the holes are on the outside of the bottom, you're forcing liquid under pressure into the hole.

I take the bottom off (the threaded end) and fill only to the just below the holes. Don't cover them with liquid. Then put the bottom back on.
I've had no leaking at all doing it this way.
Try it.

little confused on what you mean there, but i also tried something different...i emptied my tank, took it apart and made sure the seals were connecting properly, blew the carto dry into a paper tower. put the bottom cap back on, left the top cap off put the carto into the tank and put a very small amound of liquid into the tank... didnt put a top cap on, so theres no pressure in the tank at all, and still within no time there was liquid forming at the bottom.

Its almost as if the they put that hole straight threw to the center air hole and the filler does not get to do anything at all

 

[sumoman25]

I experienced this for the first time yesterday, and fixed it very easily. I assume it's a smoktech DCT, one of the relatively cheap tanks that are mass produced. They are designed to work from suction, not from the holes constantly supplying juice. Every time you take a drag, you're providing suction that pulls juice into the cartomizer, effectively "charging" it for the next vape. Here's some pointers so you don't muck up your experience with them.

Use an extender if possible, unless the connection on your pv is raised. If the tank is sitting flush with your pv, it will cause too much suction and flood. This is what happened to me. I put it on an extender and it hasn't happened since.

I don't recommend blowing cartos out, I'd say you should only use a syringe to suck juice out. Cartomizers are full of absorbent material, blowing on it won't do much but move e-juice around imo, but if it works for you then do it.

I refill my tank while it's on the pv. I screw the tank clockwise (Holding onto every piece of the tank itself) and pull it off the carto slowly while twisting. Once I've got enough room I tilt it a bit and pour juice down the side, works every time and never causes me issue.

If you hit dry spots, point the holes in the carto towards the ground while you vape. Maybe take a few hits without pressing the button and watch the air bubbles come out of the cartomizer. You'll know your cartomizer is full when you stop seeing bubbles. I don't recommend doing it until you stop seeing bubbles, as that might cause flooding, just do it until there are only a few bubbles coming out.


Quite wordy, but I love the smoktech DCT. Hope I helped some people who were having issues.

 

[donnah]

one thing I've learned with the dctank.. don't try to blow out the carto while it's in the tank full of juice! I learned this the hard way, only forced excess air into the tank and then that excess air pressure inside the tank forced the juice back into the carto... flooding and leaking out the batt end. From what I've seen, all tanks work pretty much the same way, whether they're the cheap dctanks or the chibi or the sub tanks or the M1A1 on up to the expensive decorated glass tanks, using suction to draw the juice through and up into the carto through the punched or slotted holes. Ce3 tanks (I have one and like it some times... when it works) rely on wicks that go down into the juice and wick the juice up into the atty.

As much as I love using tanks, they can be frustrating at times. It's all about air pressure inside the tank.. too much and it floods and dumps it's juice.. too little and (if the carto isn't wicking for some reason) you get dry hits. I've used a (same) carto in a tank a week or more, everything was fine, wicking good, no flooding, no dry hits, everything perfect.. and true to form, just when I think I've gotten over the hump, just when I think I've got everything figured out and it's smooth sailing from here on out... the carto floods. No leaking seals that I can find. It just floods. Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed that morning...maybe the wind was blowing a certain way, maybe a butterfly flew just the right way in china. Maybe it's the carto, maybe it's the tank, maybe I'm nuts.

It's the same way with juice. I'll be happily vaping a juice that I love for weeks, months and then one day, all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, right in the middle of a bottle, my juice starts tasting bad or stops tasting at all. Put it in a new carto, a new tank, a new atty, try another voltage.. nothing helps. Whats even worse is when my suddenly bad (or no) tasting juice starts to flood my carto in a tank. Thats when I feel like I've hit bottom LOL.

Fortunately, I can always (somehow) fix the problem. When my favorite juice starts tasting bad or not tasting at all, I can go back to vaping unflavored for a few days and then I can taste it again. It was bad back when I was using pvs that I had no idea what they were actually doing. At least the provari has saved me in that area.

 

[Princessdee]

little confused on what you mean there, but i also tried something different...i emptied my tank, took it apart and made sure the seals were connecting properly, blew the carto dry into a paper tower. put the bottom cap back on, left the top cap off put the carto into the tank and put a very small amound of liquid into the tank... didnt put a top cap on, so theres no pressure in the tank at all, and still within no time there was liquid forming at the bottom.

Its almost as if the they put that hole straight threw to the center air hole and the filler does not get to do anything at all

Take your tank with carto in it and hold it threaded side up. (Toward the ceiling) Take that end off.
See the hole you punched in the carto? Fill to just below the hole you punched. Do not get liquid in the hole. Put the tank end back on.

Or, if you prefer to just pull it out a bit to fill, pull the bottom part out and make sure the holes are outside the tank, then fill and push it back up.

Either way, don't put the liquid in the tank where the punched holes are.

Hope that's more clear.

Once the carto gets older (a couple tanks have been through it) you probably will get some leakage. It's time to toss or clean the carto.

 

[Princessdee]

maybe a butterfly flew just the right way in china. Maybe it's the carto, maybe it's the tank, maybe I'm nuts.

This made me smile. I've been there, too.

 

[Jagellpuff]

One thing to ad. The inside of cartos are hand assembled. Thus you can have inconsistency, too much material, too less, wound to tight or to loose will result in issues.

I get a run of cartos that perform fine, then I will get one that sucks. Sometimes I get several in a row that act funny, one floods, another don't absorb.

I have just learned the odds are in my favor, so I always have extra cartos. These little issues seem to be more noticeable with tanks as you have a constant juice feeding in, or sometimes not.


Jeff "Jagellpuff" via iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mark C.]

Well, im done with carto tanks.... it floods no matter what, took the pressure stuff and tried it out. no pressure in the tank and it floods, pressure in it and still floods, seals are fine i just dont get it... just going to order a vision stone tank, and deal with the inconsistancy, because any kind of liquid coming out of the connector bugs the hell out of me, i can't stand e-liquid even a drop getting on my pv's and its just a hassle to deal with carrying paper towels around with me everywhere just to clean up my tanks mess.

 

[Mark C.]

Take your tank with carto in it and hold it threaded side up. (Toward the ceiling) Take that end off.
See the hole you punched in the carto? Fill to just below the hole you punched. Do not get liquid in the hole. Put the tank end back on.

Or, if you prefer to just pull it out a bit to fill, pull the bottom part out and make sure the holes are outside the tank, then fill and push it back up.

Either way, don't put the liquid in the tank where the punched holes are.

Hope that's more clear.

Once the carto gets older (a couple tanks have been through it) you probably will get some leakage. It's time to toss or clean the carto.

I did that, and it did keep it from flooding (when just sitting around) but as soon as power was applied to the carto the tank started flooding, even before trying to pull the vapor into my mouth, i just dont understand why im getting this issue, and its been both carto tanks i have, not just one (mind you both were bought at the same time, from the same place, but the place i bought them has never failed me and allot of people swear by them and honestly i dont think its something they caused anyway) could be a quality control issue, or i just have really bad luck so far with tanks. either way i think the vision stone is going to be my next attempt at a tank, even if i have to charge the wicks its better than constant leaking/flooding which has caused me to lose way more e-liquid from trying to get the DCT's to work than i am willing to except.

 

[knivesout]

In my experience, the flooding will happen if the holes/slots in your carto are too large for the juice you're using. If you're using something thinner with more PG, I'd think you'd want a pretty small hole in the carto, and a larger one for thicker, more VG based liquids. Getting the right sized hole where it will wick well and keep the carto wet, but doesn't flood is tricky. I'm vaping Boba's Bounty which is a really thick VG juice, and I went through a few cartos trying to get the holes right. I've got it close now, but it still requires some "priming" puffs every once in a while to keep the carto fed.