How do I know when my carto is dead?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Caridwen

ECF Moderator
Senior Moderator
Supporting Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jan 15, 2011
7,984
5,521
The key to having a cartomizer last a long time is to keep it wet and top off with e-liquid frequently. The amount of time a cartomizer lasts varies from person to person depending on the type of e-liquid you use. When you really aren't getting a very good vape, it's usually time to toss them. If you get a burnt taste, definitely toss it.
 

spaceballsrules

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Dec 6, 2011
2,858
3,261
North Carolina, USA
I check my cartos by pulling the drip tip off and taking a big whiff. If it smells burnt in any way, the carto is dead or dying. I usually run 5ml through a carto before there is a noticeable drop in vapor and flavor, or the flavor starts to turn. I have made it a habit off pulling cartos apart before they hit the trash, and 9 times out of 10, the wick tube is sooty, the polyfill is scorched, and the wick is encased in what looks like charcoal dust.
 

JetSmooth

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
May 30, 2012
109
69
Baltimore-ish, Maryland
I was wondering the same thing. I've only been vaping about a month on SI Volt V2 (KR808D) with Vapedudes juice.

One juice in particular, Java mocha Drizzle with caffeine (if that has anything to do with it) started tasting "toasty" or slightly burned in the first crato I tried it in. Somewhat medicinal. I figured the carto was kicked. However, I put fresh juice in a new carto and it tasted the same almost right off the bat! It's not horrible and not overpowering. I figured the juice just steeped a bit and the flavor profile changed. My bluehoney has been in the same carto for about a month (I frequently switch and keep them well-saturated) and hasn't seemd to change at all.

Tmepted to rewet my first Java mocha Drizzle carto and fire it back up to see if it was really burning or if it was my imagination.
 
Last edited:

DaveP

PV Master & Musician
ECF Veteran
May 22, 2010
16,733
42,646
Central GA
I usually get 3 or 4 days from mine, but I'm particular about topping them off before they really start to change taste. When I go out, I have a 3ml bottle of juice in my pocket. It's small, but large enough to get me through day if my carto is full when I leave the house.

Here's a picture of one I disassembled after a few days. I slit the filler lengthwise, including the wrap cloth around the coil. Most of what you see here is burned juice that will wash out using a turkey baster and hot water. The turkey baster will clean one pretty well, but it's not like unwrapping a new carto. They seldom taste right to me after cleaning.

The cloth tube on the left is the air tube that you see when you look down into the filler.

057.jpg
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread