Frustrated with cartomizers

[Liv2Ski]

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?

Not sure you want that answer. This hobby of our requires some work. I am happy to do that since I do not ever want to go back to the easy light it and forget it method.

I do the same cartos for when dripping just isn't realistic.....driving, meetings, public places etc.

 

[deback]

" it seems like there should be something out there that you don't constantly have to be messing with. What is it? "

Passthroughs and cartos is the best I've found so far. I got rid of the battery recharging pain in the ... by changing to passthroughs, and I've bought enough empty cartos, so I only need to sit down and refill them every 4 days or so -- and I mix up enough liquid at that time, just before I start refilling. Takes about 1/2 hour or so to mix the liquid and refill the cartos. I never have to drip throughout the day, never have to recharge batteries, just vape and vape and vape (changing cartos every hour or three, depending on how much I'm vaping).

 

[Rudforce]

^ 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!

Totally. When going out I usually carry my KR8 too (the Riva is for dripping), and we usually each have two extra cartos.

When kicking about the house, refilling a carto every other batt seems to work well enough, and each carto usually lives 4 to 7 days before it's gets... funky. Then it gets put into the "laundry" and after a good cleaning we usually get another 2 refills before it's tossed.

 

[Lyndagayle]

I share the frustration. Cartos seem to be feast or famine for me. Out of a pack of 5, I consider myself very fortunate if two of them get me through a week without starting to taste burnt or begin leaking. On the flip side, when they're good, they're wonderful. I've been trying to transition to dripping and for the life of me, I just can't find that heavenly "sweet spot" with dripping like I can when I'm running a good carto. To me, nothing matches the sweet rich flavor that comes from a good Ego mega carto when the liquid becomes concentrated and the filler gets just slightly caramelized. Dripping would be so much more economical but I just can't seem to get there. Maybe if I had started dripping from the beginning and never experienced the "ultimate" in the carto. I love hearing the crackle of a carto too. I keep hoping one day soon cartos will be perfected. Until then---I keep ordering and hoping and trying to catch the "drip" fever.

 

[deback]

"I'm a heavy vapor and I top up every hr or so.. 10+ drops each time"

I've done that several times in the last two weeks, but I've found that throat hits, flavor, and vapor are best when refilling the cartos and letting them sit overnight. When I drip into the cartos, the vaping isn't as good as using the cartos that have sat overnight. Plus, I got tired of dripping. I just don't have the time to mess with it (that is, I don't want to take the time to mess with dripping or dipping or recharging or any of that).

 

[sam12six]

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.

If you're talking about literally chain vaping (as in CONSTANTLY taking drags for hours at a time), the only way I've found to keep from burning them out is to have 3 or 4 sitting there and rotate when they get hot (that's after 5 or 6 big hits).

I don't know whether cartos burn out quickly because the absolute temperature gets to a certain point or whether the constant puffing exceeds the filling's ability to wick juice to the heating element. Either way, having several in rotation allows them a chance to both cool off and gives the juice time to wick.

Yes it's a pain, but if you're truly chain vaping any method is a pain and cartos are the least effort in my experience.

 

[deback]

"Out of a pack of 5, I consider myself very fortunate if two of them get me through a week without starting to taste burnt or begin leaking"

As long as you quit using each carto when the throat hits become less, flavor becomes less, and vapor becomes less, you won't burn them. Put those in a pile somewhere and refill them all at once, let them sit overnight, and then you can get into a routine where you're not messing with it very often...just once every few days. If you vape constantly, each carto will last about an hour. Don't try to make it last longer. Just throw it into a cup and grab another refilled carto.

 

[Rudforce]

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?

This looks cool: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/modders-forum/96580-tube-juice-feeding-30.html#post1832346 Still not entirely maintenance free, but sounds like when it's dialed in it's nigh unbeatable. I've no personal experience yet, but it's pretty high on my list o' projects to try. (link is to a how-to-build-it post, the whole thread is semi interesting if you're in a long read kind of mood)

 

[deback]

" the only way I've found to keep from burning them out is to have 3 or 4 sitting there and rotate when they get hot (that's after 5 or 6 big hits). "

I'll disagree. I take many more than 5 or 6 big hits from each carto. I can vape constantly, with the same performance, for at least an hour using the same carto. But that carto was completely refilled the day before (or two or three days before). I didn't just drip a few drops into it. I soaked it in a condom (condom = the clear rubber end cap thing that comes with the cartos when you buy them). When I can tell the carto is about empty, I just grab another refilled carto. I don't want to be messing around with switching cartos every few drags. This is just my simple way of vaping -- and it works for me.

 

[deback]

"we usually get another 2 refills before it's tossed."

You should be able to refill cartos indefinitely, not just two times before tossing them. People are refilling them for weeks and months and months.... Watch some YouTube videos to see how to refill cartos using the condom method.

 

[deback]

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

That's pretty much what I do. After an hour or two, I know that the carto is almost empty and that I should grab another one. This method's been working for me very well in the last 10 days or so. About once every two weeks, I'll soak them in very hot water (water that has boiled) for a few minutes and then use a larger syringe to push the hot water through each carto two or three times. Then let them dry overnight by a fan (that's turned on..haha). Takes more liquid to fill them after cleaning them, but it's something that should be done now and then, I think, and cleaning them like this will also get rid of any flavors you don't want.

 

[Lyndagayle]

What really gripes me is---I have yet to burn out a carto. I have to put them aside because the taste goes south, either a chemical like taste develops or it reaches a point where I can't even get a ml in them and half of that will leak out and yet it won't have a good saturated flavor. I've had quite a few DOAs but I've never had one quit working. I haven't thrown any of them away just in case someone comes up with a way to restore them (taste wise). I'm getting quite a collection! I'm speaking of the Ego mega cartos. I have a few 510s but the big fat flat tipped megas are my favorite. I keep at least 4 going in rotation because I have so many flavors I can't live without. lol

 

[Rudforce]

"we usually get another 2 refills before it's tossed."

You should be able to refill cartos indefinitely, not just two times before tossing them. People are refilling them for weeks and months and months.... Watch some YouTube videos to see how to refill cartos using the condom method.

They get tossed due to funk, or lack of attitude in re-cleaning. After the first cleaning the batting seems to get somewhat matted and they just don't hold juice well. The cartos we have now are glued-caps, so it's a PITA to get in and refluff.

We get more than just 2 refills, it's 2(ish) after the first cleaning, which comes after 7 days(ish) and possibly 20+ refills (using the condom method). The removable cap ones can be re-washed and fluffed a few times before it gets old. We also buy em in bulk from China, so at eighty cents a pop I don't mind trashing one or two a week

(and "trashing them" can be a relative term. dead carts can be sent off to recycling, though I won't promise that they actually sort them and actually recycle the metals)

 

[Rudforce]

... Then let them dry overnight by a fan (that's turned on..haha)...

Hmm... Think I'll try taping some right to the fan blades and see if they dry even faster!

 

[Sheryl]

I've not had good luck either, I try and fill once, then discard. They don't seem to ever taste the same after that, IMO.

 

[sam12six]

" the only way I've found to keep from burning them out is to have 3 or 4 sitting there and rotate when they get hot (that's after 5 or 6 big hits). "

I'll disagree. I take many more than 5 or 6 big hits from each carto. I can vape constantly, with the same performance, for at least an hour using the same carto. But that carto was completely refilled the day before (or two or three days before). I didn't just drip a few drops into it. I soaked it in a condom (condom = the clear rubber end cap thing that comes with the cartos when you buy them). When I can tell the carto is about empty, I just grab another refilled carto. I don't want to be messing around with switching cartos every few drags. This is just my simple way of vaping -- and it works for me.

Well, like everything on Earth (and especially everything about vaping), individual results will vary.

For me, 5 or 6 big hits and the carto's almost too hot to keep in my mouth comfortably. When I first tried them, I'd keep vaping and get the burn thing happening. If you aren't getting the same effect, either your cartos are radically different or (far more likely) your definition of a big hit or constant vaping differs from mine.

All I was saying was that before using the rotation, I burned a few cartos very quickly (like 10 minutes quickly). Since I've been using the rotation, I have a pack of 5 that's lasted a couple of weeks and change with no problems.

 

[Katya]

You didn't tell us what kind of cartomizers you're using, Are they kr808, 510, 4081? Who manufactures them and what kind of PV are you using. Cartomizers vary widely in quality and performance. Here's a chart we're still updating with all kinds of info and recommendations.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...cts-maam-no-chit-chat-please.html#post1687258

If you need more information, please stop by and ask:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...us-510-kr808-4081-etc-filler-type-cartos.html

The idea is to find the right cartomizer for your battery. There are plenty of decent cartos on the market and with any luck you should be able to refill (top off) your carto many times before it starts to taste bad. They are disposable; I do not wash them, but I am able to put at least 5-6 ml of eliquid through a carto before I discard it. YMMV.

We've been discussing the very subject for a very long time.

The last 100 pages would be a good start.

 

[El Dee]

I've tried it all and this is what I do. Mind you I absolutely hammer on my cartos...mercilessly... I use regular 808s and LR 510s. When they're new I fill them to absolute saturation with the condom method. I use the soft tip only and remove the tip before filling. Matter of fact I toss the tip and install a drip tip afterwards. Some cartos have a silicone washer sitting on top of the filler material. I dig that out and toss it as well. After I'm sure it's saturated I stand it upright,threads down and pushed into a condom with room left for excess to drain. If I get lots of drain I'll use it on the next condom fill. I let it sit..time depends on need...and blast away....After a good round of vaping I'll pull the tip and drip around the sides of the carto. Just get it so you can see and drip it 360* back to that "slushy" look. Then hammer down. If I get three days from one she was a champ...Come to think of it my current 808 has about three on it now. She's still going strong..When in doubt put some juice in there. If it floods wipe her down and HAMMER AWAY!!

 

[alovingmommyof3]

I did say the kind of cartos I have, but it got lost in the thread somewhere because this topic really seemed to get people talking.

I have a vapor king XL and my cartos are the Wow Cartos from Vapor 4 Life. If there are different ones I can use, I would like to check them out. I am still new so I don't know how to find out if they will work with mine.

 

[ashora]

i read a post were someone didnt like those cartos so they bought these and love them..i will go and try and find the tread http://www.litecigusa.net/product_p/premkrblankcart.htm