How to hit cartomizers and make them last.

[CaptJR]

I am about a month into vaping and man did I get into it! Very enjoyable at this point but there was a definite learning curve. A couple of the things I think I have learnt are, how to take a hit and how to make a cartomizer last. I have seen a couple posts on these things here but I have not seen anyone get into as much detail as I think there could be. So I'm going to make this post.

If the detail is out there in a post I missed, I apologize for the redundancy. Also, maybe some of you more expenienced vapers could comment on what I say, I think that would be good.

Topic 1
How to take a hit and get the most enjoyment out of it.
I think I need to say first that 'throat hit' is the least important thing to me. The first week it was more important, certainly more than it is now. Now flavor and vapor are more import and in that order.

When I first got my e-cigs, I sucked hard and big. For some reason I thought this was necessary to get a lot of vapor, taste and nicotine. As it turns out, the exact opposite seems to be the case. As far as taste and vapor are concerned anyways. Not sure about nicotine, but I like what I am doing now so I'll just let the nicotine take care of itself.

(the detail that I mentioned that I haven't seen here) - When I draw into my mouth I move my tongue back in my mouth just slightly and slowly. That is all that is necessary to get enough of a hit to enjoy it. I don't immediately draw the hit down into my lungs, keep it in the mouth for a split second to get the taste. I keep the mouth open slightly and smell the aroma of the vapor that escapes. I don't hear much about the smell on here but the juice I am using definitely has a pleasant aroma. I have seen videos on vaping where the person took a big hit. It looked like they suck right straight into the lungs. Like they were breathing the vaper rather than drawing it into the mouth and then into their lungs. I just don't see how you could get pleasure out of that. To each their own, I guess. Taking a smaller hit like this allows you to hit the ecig two or three times consecutively without getting that burnt taste in your mouth. The burnt taste issue leads me to my next topic.

Topic 2
How to make your cartomizer last.
These are the impressions I am getting and I would like confirmations or 'your all wet' comments from more experienced vapers.
I think big draws not only can cause the burnt taste but likely shorten the life of the cartomizer. I am sure about the burnt taste part but not so sure about the 'life' part. Other than the fact that if you get it burnt too much, the cart is done for. You won't get the burnt taste out of it.

To avoid this burnt taste I do a couple other things also. I carry two ecigs and rotate between them and I never take a chance on the cart running out of juice. My little case holds 4 extra carts so when I think a cart might be getting down a little bit, I change it. I see talk on here about dripping. I don't know if I'll ever get into that if you have to put drops in that often, but I don't mind changing carts before they get even half empty and then the next time it is convenient I top them off. I think keeping carts moist help extend the life of the cart also.

So there you have it. Some of the things that I have learnt over the learning curve of starting to vape. It seems to be working for me.

Happy Thanksgiving. (I am looking forward to sitting down for a vape after Thanksgiving dinner, no cigarettes, GREAT!)

CaptJR

 

[H Niemand]

Pretty much what I do except I do top off my cartos. I use a drip tip with the little white plug removed from the carto. I just pop it off, look and top off as needed.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

I'm using the Boge cartos, and what Ive found for me is that filling is the most important part of making a carto last. If I fill slowly and carefully, one drop at a time, they last longer. The first time I fill too quickly and it overflows into the center tube it starts to degrade, and it goes downhill fast from there.

When I fill I put in one drop at a time, wait until it soaks into the filler material, then put in the next drop. I can get a carto to hold 15-20 drops each filling this way, and it lasts a good long while between. As soon as I get even a hint of a dry vape, I refill.

 

[Beans]

Scott nailed the Carto degrading issue so I'll add just a few for the hitting.

For me....... how I learned is when you initially take that first draw I point my tongue at the opening...This allows for stronger flavor at first...Then I make sure my draw last for at least a 5 second count. When that's done I inhale into my lungs and blow out through my nose and mouth..This kicks up the flavor once again. For those who don't vape high voltage.....Holding the button down for 2 seconds prior to hitting is also recommended to heat your juice better.

Great post!

 

[nosmokie]

I'm a four week noob and just moved from the cheap (and I now realize lousy) 21st Century e-cigs (from the gas station down the road) to the Volt. Through trial and error, I came to most of the conclusions that you did. Before moving to cigs I smoked a really nice Peterson pipe, and the aroma of the tobacco is something I have always missed. Vaping has been a natural transition to me because of my pipe smoking days. I now enjoy the big throat hits on the first several drags off of a fresh cart\battery combo, then shift gears to a more pipe-like smoking method. Turns out I was moving my tong as you describe and did not even realize it.

My next step is to start topping off the cart (thanks, H Niemand).

 

[nosmokie]

Scott nailed the Carto degrading issue so I'll add just a few for the hitting.

For me....... how I learned is when you initially take that first draw I point my tongue at the opening...This allows for stronger flavor at first...Then I make sure my draw last for at least a 5 second count. When that's done I inhale into my lungs and blow out through my nose and mouth..This kicks up the flavor once again. For those who don't vape high voltage.....Holding the button down for 2 seconds prior to hitting is also recommended to heat your juice better.

Great post!

Thanks for this tip!

 

[AJT]

CaptJR and nosmokie welcome to ECF! Thanks for sharing some good ideas that get overlooked here among all the technical jargon and sales! Keep on vapin'!

 

[mynameisrob]

Nice post it def sounds like your getting the hang of it.

I def agree that filling your cartos correctly really helps extend the life of a carto. If your dripping into a carto, make sure you give it plenty of time for the juice to settle to the bottom or you risk singeing the wick/polyfill, especially if your using a juice with a high amount of VG. Thick juices take even longer to settle.
You can also use a syringe or the condom method to fill cartos and with both of those ways you dont have to wait as long. I fill all my cartos with a syringe and its really quick and easy. I use the Ressurector cartos which hold 2ml of juice. I find dripping into them takes too long bc their so big. With a syringe you push the needle all the way to the bottom and fill from there. It requires no waiting and ensures they are filled correctly. I get on avg about 2-3 weeks on one carto, but my longest so far is 6 and a half weeks with one Ressurector. Def getting my moneys worth and never clean them once .

Topping off is def a good idea too. It will ensure they never get too dry and you wont risk singeing them

 

[dormouse]

1. People get the best hits easiest with manual batteries. You press the button in early, 1-2 seconds before the start of your drag, so there is now nice vapor ready and waiting as you start dragging. Drag slowly, let up the button just before the end of your drag, then inhale. On the inhale make sure your nose occasionally gets the aroma - I sometimes french the vapor which is to let it out of your mouth and inhale through your nose. Some exhale through their nose (aroma is a it reduced that way). Don't do either too much or you may get dry skin patches around your nose.

2. I use thin clear juices. If a juice drops flavoring sediment, I find another juice. Flavoring sediment clogs cartos and accelerates baked on residue on coils (atomizer and cartomizer). I use PG w/ 20% VG or less. I fill the carto to capacity, clean it up, then let it settle on different sides for 15-20 minutes (and on its tail too if a horizontal coil carto). Then I vape it. I generally use a plastic or delrin drip tip as a mouthpiece so it's easy to pull out to look at the stuffing or all juice. With no sediment my stuffing goes white when it could take more juice. I also pay attention to the flavor and vapor - if either decreases or if the flavor isn't right, I add juice. If the carto is getting unusually warm that is also a sign it needs juice.

I can get 7+ days out of a KR808D-1 carto (at 2-2.5 ml of juice per day) and 10+ days out of a Boge 510 carto. (for me, since I alternate vaping one of each, that is 2 to 3 weeks using 1 to 1.25 ml per day in each of the 2 cartos)

 

[jameswing]

Holding the button down for 2 seconds prior to hitting is also recommended to heat your juice better.

I figured that out at the end of yesterday, big advantage over autos.

 

[Roland007]

Interesting and helpful stuff. Thanks!

 

[Peezy]

a tank is the easiest was to never burn out a carto IMO... and its less mess/maintenance having a tank

 

[Peezy]

I'm using the Boge cartos, and what Ive found for me is that filling is the most important part of making a carto last. If I fill slowly and carefully, one drop at a time, they last longer. The first time I fill too quickly and it overflows into the center tube it starts to degrade, and it goes downhill fast from there.

When I fill I put in one drop at a time, wait until it soaks into the filler material, then put in the next drop. I can get a carto to hold 15-20 drops each filling this way, and it lasts a good long while between. As soon as I get even a hint of a dry vape, I refill.

i just bought boge carto's for the first time... best carto's Iv ever used so far and the cheapest Iv seen

 

[celestmark]

I agree on the manual batteries as I just went to the Halo G6s and don't care for the auto batteries anymore.

It's taking some time getting used refilling my cartos. It seems that the material in the Halo G6 cartos is really dense and it takes some time for the juice to fully saturate. I just ordered another set of cartos (5 for $10) and will be rotating 5 at a time and ensure they are soaking for a day or so to get a better experiece!

Great forum here!

1. People get the best hits easiest with manual batteries. You press the button in early, 1-2 seconds before the start of your drag, so there is now nice vapor ready and waiting as you start dragging. Drag slowly, let up the button just before the end of your drag, then inhale. On the inhale make sure your nose occasionally gets the aroma - I sometimes french the vapor which is to let it out of your mouth and inhale through your nose. Some exhale through their nose (aroma is a it reduced that way). Don't do either too much or you may get dry skin patches around your nose.

2. I use thin clear juices. If a juice drops flavoring sediment, I find another juice. Flavoring sediment clogs cartos and accelerates baked on residue on coils (atomizer and cartomizer). I use PG w/ 20% VG or less. I fill the carto to capacity, clean it up, then let it settle on different sides for 15-20 minutes (and on its tail too if a horizontal coil carto). Then I vape it. I generally use a plastic or delrin drip tip as a mouthpiece so it's easy to pull out to look at the stuffing or all juice. With no sediment my stuffing goes white when it could take more juice. I also pay attention to the flavor and vapor - if either decreases or if the flavor isn't right, I add juice. If the carto is getting unusually warm that is also a sign it needs juice.

I can get 7+ days out of a KR808D-1 carto (at 2-2.5 ml of juice per day) and 10+ days out of a Boge 510 carto. (for me, since I alternate vaping one of each, that is 2 to 3 weeks using 1 to 1.25 ml per day in each of the 2 cartos)

 

[Traver]

I can get 7+ days out of a KR808D-1 carto (at 2-2.5 ml of juice per day) and 10+ days out of a Boge 510 carto. (for me, since I alternate vaping one of each, that is 2 to 3 weeks using 1 to 1.25 ml per day in each of the 2 cartos)

Interesting. I am still using CE2 I bought a year ago. Seem to last forever with clear juice.

dormouse you always give good advice but I couldn't resist throwing that in.