Hard Draw/ Refilling Carts.

[jgrubb]

I am fairly new to refilling the cartos and was curious if anyone else notices the draw gets much harder after just a couple refills? I do not think i am overfilling them and even move the "hole" back to center and I check thru the battery hole to make sure i can see light thru the top. I just notice the draw gets REALLY hard... Any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it... Thanks guys...

 

[LastOutlaw]

I have noticed the same thing on some carts of mine. I also noticed that they don't last as long as a new cart. I think this may be because anytime you vape a cart some residue is left in the batting or even burnt residue. As the batting becomes more and more saturated with burnt or cooked residue it makes sense that the cart would begin to lose it's capability to produce as well as become harder to draw through and last shorter and shorter time spans.
Nothing scientific, just my considerations on the matter.

 

[jgrubb]

Mine doesn't last as long either. I also notice the flavor is not very strong compared to an brand new cart. If i refill a 555 cart with 555, vapor production is pretty good but there isn't much flavor. Since they ARE disposable units this is fine... I'm not trying to get more than a day out of a single cart... I've tried letting them sit overnight so the wick gets nice and wet but no noticable difference in performance compared to refilling and immediately vaping... I've also tried cleaning with warm water, still a hard draw. Tried using a toothpick to "fluff" the batting, no luck either... lol... help me guys

 

[Pawpaw]

I've noticed that on a few of my refills, but not many. I assumed I had overfilled them after rinsing.

When it happens, I just use them at 6 volts for a few minutes and it solves the problem.

If I stop at 20 drops, I haven't noticed it happening.

 

[JenJen]

Are you topping off the cartos or rinsing before refilling? I find that rinsing, blowing them out and then refilling makes them vape pretty damn close to the new cartos. They only last about half or 3/4s as long, but the taste and vapor is there for several hours so it is all good.

 

[jgrubb]

Most of the time I am just refilling. So by rinsing them it will improve flavor instead of dripping, for example, 555 on top of 555?

 

[JenJen]

I have found that to be the case. Refilling by topping off either with the same flavor or with a complementing flavor was ok, but just ok. I find that by removing the cap and the o ring, then holding under warm running water for about 30 seconds then blowing through the mouth end, then holding under for a few more seconds, blowing again, blowing onto a paper towel until no more water comes out, then tapping on the paper towel, drying off the battery connection end really well works great. Then just tip slightly and refill by letting the drops run down the side onto the filler and then rotating to get it to another place. I usually go 3 drops, turn, 3 drops, turn until the filler doesn't suck the juice up quickly - usually between 16 - 20 drops. Then I peek through the hole and make sure no fluid is in the hole, if there is, I blow out gently and dry the battery connection again. Then plop it on and vape. Takes about 2 minutes all in all, but vapes for hours with this method. Not as long as a new carto, but pretty well. Often I after a few hours I will top off about 10 drops without rinsing to refresh it.

Some people simply refill and have good success, but for some reason this method works best for me. I think you just kind of have to try different things and see which style works best for you.

 

[LastOutlaw]

I have always rinsed mine like Jen does with warm water. I have been putting different flavors in different carts and not noticed any bleed through of flavor. My taste buds may not have healed yet from smoking analogs though. I've pretty much let them all dry overnight. I did try a rinse and reload but I didn't feel it worked as well as drying overnight.

 

[JenJen]

I have never let them dry, I might have to give that a try! lol

 

[DanF]

I don't let them dry overnight, just blow the everloving .... out of them(as bad as that sounds) My wife worries I'm going to pop a blood vessel one of these days...lol

 

[SMILIN]

I am fairly new to refilling the cartos and was curious if anyone else notices the draw gets much harder after just a couple refills? I do not think i am overfilling them and even move the "hole" back to center and I check thru the battery hole to make sure i can see light thru the top. I just notice the draw gets REALLY hard... Any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it... Thanks guys...

You need to be careful refilling as the heating element is flexible, not solid, and if you get it too close to one side, the cart can get overly heated. As for the hard draw, sometime you pack the filler too tight, take a tweezerss, and pull filler up so you get even distribution

Steve

 

[keyzygirl]

I just refill and go for it.My coffee carto has been refilled like 8 or 9 times.

 

[jgrubb]

I'm gonna "mix & match"...LoL...Project for this evening.... Rinse with warm water (jenjen)... Blow the you know what outta it til i pop a blood vessel (danF)... Check the heating element is not close to side and pull filler up for proper distribution (Smilin)...Let it sit over night (Outlaw)... If that dont work darnit I will join keyzygirl and just go for it... Lots of good advice, all my "ISSUES" are hopefully being taken care of here. Flavor, heat, and hard draw.... You guys are awesome... Thanks a million!!

 

[Scottbee]

Some may not believe it.. but the following really, really matters for your cartomizer overall life:

After you refill your cartomizer, do not use it immediately. Let it sit for a bit.. the longer the better.

The reason is kinda simple. It takes a bit of time for the liquid to migrate and wick down into the filler. Right after you fill it (dripping from the mouthpiece end) you will have a concentration of liquid at the top, and a deficiency of liquid at the bottom. The coil element is located toward the top, so this is not horrible.. but none-the-less, your distribution of liquid isn't anywhere near uniform. This can cause the top (mouthpiece end) of the coil to run cold and flooded.. and the bottom of the coil to run hot. You might even get an excess of liquid through the mouthpiece..... or filler/wick burning at the bottom of the coil.

By allowing the fluid to migrate you will get a "fill" that more closely resembles the "factory" condition... and will increase the lifespan of your cartomizer.

$.02

 

[~Gazoo~]

I just refill and go for it.My coffee carto has been refilled like 8 or 9 times.

I have a blank with grape that has been very good to me...I think I am on my 6th time. I just keep topping them off whether they need refilling or not. Usually the draw does get a bit harder but I know these were made to be disposable. Still I am very happy with refilling them which of course ends up in substantial savings.

 

[jgrubb]

Would that still be true Scottbee if you used a needle and injected on the lower end of the filler?

 

[Scottbee]

Would that still be true Scottbee if you used a needle and injected on the lower end of the filler?

That will give you the opposite concentration problem.. but still a problem.

Let the carto catch its breath and get its guts all nice and homogeneous. It will thank you for it!

 

[dohsma]

Some may not believe it.. but the following really, really matters for your cartomizer overall life:

After you refill your cartomizer, do not use it immediately. Let it sit for a bit.. the longer the better.

The reason is kinda simple. It takes a bit of time for the liquid to migrate and wick down into the filler. Right after you fill it (dripping from the mouthpiece end) you will have a concentration of liquid at the top, and a deficiency of liquid at the bottom. The coil element is located toward the top, so this is not horrible.. but none-the-less, your distribution of liquid isn't anywhere near uniform. This can cause the top (mouthpiece end) of the coil to run cold and flooded.. and the bottom of the coil to run hot. You might even get an excess of liquid through the mouthpiece..... or filler/wick burning at the bottom of the coil.

By allowing the fluid to migrate you will get a "fill" that more closely resembles the "factory" condition... and will increase the lifespan of your cartomizer.

$.02

I couldn't agree with the more. IMO letting them sit after a refill is important.

 

[jgrubb]

I know what i've been doing isn't working, lol, so i'm very happy i have a new way of trying...

 

[leeshor]

I've been using the "Scottbee" methodology and it has been flawless.

No fluid in the mouth.

I will add one thing. After a refill I stand the cartomizer upright battery end down. Since I drip 5-8 at a time they tend to sit for quite a while but I'm getting fantastic results.