Frustrated with cartomizers

[alovingmommyof3]

I am the type of person that loves convienance espeically when I am away from home. Dripping isn't always going to be good for me unless I am home. So I have burned through 4 cartomizers in 3 days. I had hoped they would last longer than that because if they don't I will be spending more on this than analogs.

Could I be burning them out and not notice it? I was using Kamel Wow flavor with them which has a burning type of a hit even when using a carto for the first time. I don't notice a difference in vapor when I have used a carto for awhile so I can't use that clue. I am wondering if my taste buds are fried and that is why the flavor difference isn't a clue for me.

I saw some Doctor Vapor videos and have used his methods. He says he can refill cartos many many times. I haven't had true success with it yet.

 

[PGVG]

I'm having the same problems with not knowing when or IF I am using up carts. How do you know if it's burnt up? It stops heating up (that could be a battery or switch, or what??)

And what lasts longer, a cart or an atty?

 

[Sanat]

I used to refill cartomizers by dripping through the top (the screw side). I would drip about 5-10 drops and let it sit a few minutes (although some claim it works better if you let it sit overnight). I tried refilling through the bottom but I seemed to never get enough in the deep parts and it would burn the fiber. The only true success I had was through the top, but it won't last forever. I got mine to last around a week and a half. Hope that helps some. If not, I'll be glad to (try) and help you more.

 

[Rosa]

I have that problem too. Everything seems fine and then all of the sudden it tastes like burn. Another ruined cartomizer. They just aren't for me.

I can tell you though, that you should have used WAY more than 4 in the last 3 days. That's my problem at least, I don't switch them out because they seem fine (until it's too late) but I think they are only supposed to last a couple of hours, not all day. hehehehe.

Maybe you could just put yourself on a schedule where you switch cartomizers every 2 hours or something?

 

[Sanat]

@PGVG: The best way in my opinion is not to go by taste to decide if it's empty. Sometimes the essence of the flavor can linger. Just take a hit (maybe 3-5 seconds) and don't inhale. Keep it in your mouth for a second and blow it out. Because it doesn't absorb in your lungs that way you can easily identify how much is actually coming out. If you get a burnt taste, you might as well throw it away. That means the fiber is burning in the middle. I think attys are much better than carts (although I'm super surprised by the flavor from the carts...it seems to be stronger and richer even if you fill it yourself). Cartos will last me about a week to a week and a half before burning up whereas, if you take care of your atty, it can last way longer. Some report a month or more, but I still have an atty from about a year and a half ago that still works (although I feel the life is draining with every puff now lol)

 

[Sanat]

@Rosa: The key to making a carto last is keeping the bottom of the 'wick' moist. If it gets too dry the wires can burn it (do a simple autopsy on one of your bad ones and you'll see what I mean). Maybe, and I haven't tried this by the way so do it at your own risk, one could take the fiber and cut off the part that is burned to the end, roll it back up (like it comes) saturate it and place it back inside. I don't know if that would work. Hmmm...I might have to try that later

 

[Rosa]

@Rosa: The key to making a carto last is keeping the bottom of the 'wick' moist. If it gets too dry the wires can burn it (do a simple autopsy on one of your bad ones and you'll see what I mean). Maybe, and I haven't tried this by the way so do it at your own risk, one could take the fiber and cut off the part that is burned to the end, roll it back up (like it comes) saturate it and place it back inside. I don't know if that would work. Hmmm...I might have to try that later

How often should I have to refill them? If I chain vape, how long should one cartomizer last me until I have to refill it? Because if it's a top-off-as-you-go thing like the carts, I don't want it.

 

[Liv2Ski]

Not all cartos are created equal. I had many of he same problems. Switched to LR 510 megas (2.0 ohms) and life is good. I can not say how long they last but I have two in rotation and going on eight days. I switch between them and LR atty's. I never let them run empty and top off after about 40 drags.

 

[Tehec]

Which cartomizers are you using? Are the ends silver or gold?

 

[deback]

I go through four to eight cartomizers each day. Each one will last an hour to three hours, depending on how much I'm vaping. If I'm vaping constantly, a cartomizer will last about an hour or so, and then I can detect that it's time to take it off and put on another one that's been refilled. Vapor is less, throat hits become less, and flavor gets a little dull. I've only burnt one cartomizer, and that was on the first day I started vaping over two weeks ago.

Cartos can be refilled indefinitely, if you change them often. Refilling a carto is easy. Use a syringe to add some of your mixed liquid into one of those clear rubber condoms that are on the cartomizer when you buy them. Fill the condom up at least halfway, but I usually fill it almost full, because I'll fill several cartos at the same time. Then insert the mouth end of the carto into the condom slowly. Stop when you see a drop of liquid at the top at the threaded end. I usually let it sit for a few seconds to make sure the filter inside is saturated. Then I pull out the carto, wipe it off, and then put a condom on each end and store the refilled carto threaded end down. The refilled carto works best when left to sit overnight. When I use a refilled carto, I'll blow quickly into the threaded end, holding a kleenex at the mouth end, to make sure any extra juice is not left in the carto when I stick it into my mouth.

 

[Rudforce]

How often should I have to refill them? If I chain vape, how long should one cartomizer last me until I have to refill it? Because if it's a top-off-as-you-go thing like the carts, I don't want it.

The wife says, on her KR8 it's roughly every other battery change that she needs to top off a carto with 15-20 drops. She ends up doing that 6-8 times a day then, with three KR8 batts in rotation, two of which are shorties.

 

[deback]

I've been using 510 Boge Soft Cap empty cartos from litecigusa.net and have been satisfied. They are $7.95 for a box of five.

510 BOGE SOFT CAP Blank Cartomizers

 

[Vidi]

Ive found that when I used cartomizers, I went through one a day> They arerefillable though so as long as I was careful not to vape it dry, I could reuse it several times.

 

[alovingmommyof3]

I am using the vapor king wow carts the threaded end is gold.

 

[Liv2Ski]

Which cartomizers are you using? Are the ends silver or gold?

If this was for me "silver" LR 510's from NHaler:

NEW 510 Mega Low Resistance Cartomizers

Currently out of sock but he should have more within a few days. I already sent him an email and reserved 4 boxes. Thinking I should up that.

 

[Rosa]

Well, I think that's the problem then. I've been asking too much of them - even switching them every couple of hours is too much to ask IMO. Now I just drip and use a carto in the car.

I think I'll give them another try, but it seems like there should be something out there that you don't constantly have to be messing with. What is it?

 

[Warped3k]

I have moved this to the cartomizer issues sub-forum for you

 

[Joyimui]

The wife says, on her KR8 it's roughly every other battery change that she needs to top off a carto with 15-20 drops. She ends up doing that 6-8 times a day then, with three KR8 batts in rotation, two of which are shorties.

^ This... the thing with using cartos is always bring more than 1 with you. I'm a heavy vapor and I top up every hr or so.. 10+ drops each time. All my cartos last more than a week with countless refills ^.^

oops forgot to say I'm always using 5V+ so if you are using a stock battery you probably won't burn through juice as fast!

 

[deback]

"How often should I have to refill them? If I chain vape, how long should one cartomizer last me until I have to refill it?"

Probably an hour per cartomizer. I just throw them into a little container when I put on another carto. Then when I have just a few refilled cartos left, I'll refill all the ones that are empty or almost empty -- using the method I just posted in this thread. I've bought 35 cartos so far, so I'm refilling most of them about every four days, because I vape almost constantly (which is dumb, I know, but it's still new to me).

 

[Sanat]

How often should I have to refill them? If I chain vape, how long should one cartomizer last me until I have to refill it? Because if it's a top-off-as-you-go thing like the carts, I don't want it.

I mainly drip now (to avoid the whole top-off thing lol). Honestly, I can't really give you a good answer. Just because many variables take place such as which "brand" carto you have, how long your puffs are etc... I can't really say. I use smokestik's (a 4081) carto's and it's really a hit and miss kind of thing. Some of their cartos just don't seem to last long while others will go for weeks. But when I use every one of theirs straight out the package, they tend to last a good 12-13 hours (almost non-stop vaping, I'm used to snus so I don't seem to ever put it down); however, on the refillls they seem to last a few hours.