I'm more confused than ever!

[kellogg]

Exactly how long will a cartomizer lat? Yes, I know YMMV, but one person will says theirs lasted two weeks and another will say theirs lasted two months. Does that mean they cleaned the carto at the end of that time or does that mean they threw it in the garbage?

How many should I buy to begin with? How often should I replace them(throw them away) and how often should I boil (clean) them?

It seems like this is going to get expensive real quick.

 

[prawdaeh]

Exactly how long will a cartomizer lat? Yes, I know YMMV, but one person will says theirs lasted two weeks and another will say theirs lasted two months. Does that mean they cleaned the carto at the end of that time or does that mean they threw it in the garbage?

How many should I buy to begin with? How often should I replace them(throw them away) and how often should I boil (clean) them?

It seems like this is going to get expensive real quick.

YMMV. When someone is talking about how long their carto lasts it's generally talking about the life of the carto..meaning it died so i had to replace it. There are some things you can do to ensure longer lifetime such as limiting your button presses to 5-6 seconds... other than that i'm hoping some other people chime in with you because im new to e-cigs and haven't tried carto's yet.

 

[D4rk50ul]

I've read so many different opinions, yet have never used one since I'm still a rook. I remember seeing somewhere that they last between 5-8 refills. I also remember someone saying the better ones can last much longer but they do require maintenance to get the longer life spans.

 

[Vini]

kellogg, if you can provide what kind of ecig you are using and other details, people would be able to help you.

For example, in my experience, V4L premium cartos last for 6-7 smokes (each smoke = 15 puffs) and than have to be refilled. There are different opinions on how many times cartos should be refilled and how often they have to be cleaned...

 

[kellogg]

How do you know when they are dead?

 

[Nomoreash]

There is no way to give exact figures, to many variables come into play, for instance basically everyone says they get just a few hours or less from a 510 in between charges, I got almost 2 days, depends on how and how often you use them. I'm sure those that are getting months off a carto though do so with some maintenance involved.

As for how many to buy at first. If you want a number to put on it I would say a months supply given they aren't that expensive. Worst case senario let's say you use one a week which I'm being very safe here, you should get much longer then 4 would last a month, in reality though 4 will probably last you much longer.

 

[kellogg]

I have a kr808d-1. I have had it for a little over a week and am pretty frustrated. It produces little vapor so I am ordering cool cartos from V4L to see if that improves things.

 

[Vini]

How do you know when they are dead?

Cartos are dead when they are burnt - you can fill it in you mouse/throat and can smell it.

But you don't want to vipe till carto is burnt, have to stop earlier.

I have a kr808d-1. I have had it for a little over a week and am pretty frustrated. It produces little vapor so I am ordering cool cartos from V4L to see if that improves things.

About vapor - it depends where you bought your 808 and what cartos you are currently using.

About correct usage of cartos, today I've got an email from V4L customer service, hope it helps:

Hello,

I always recommend the following for optimal cartridge life with prefilled cartomizers. When you receive them put one battery end down in a battery pouch or lanyard. Spin for about 20 seconds or so and then pull off the white cap and add about 5-7 drops. Let sit for about 5mins and your all set for one long lasting cartomizer. The factory filling method only allows 1ml to be filled in there but spinning forces liquid to the bottom and allowing room for another .25 - .5 ml.

Regards,
Robert

 

[kellogg]

So as long as I don't taste or smell something burning I can keep using them?

How do I know when to clean them?

 

[cyberwolf]

Cartomizers will likely last "last" for several weeks to months if you are committed to cleaning and drying them routinely. Whether that is worth the effort and whether they perform to your satisfaction for that length of time is another matter altogether. I easily get 3-5 refills out of them before noticing a decrease in performance, meaning that a few cartomizers could last me a week with no further fuss if that was all I was using. I typically clean them once or twice to extend that time to a couple of weeks, but I am not always satisfied with the vapor and throat hit for that long.

My recommendation would be to try a pack or two (two will get you free shipping at Litecig, for instance), and see how you like them. If they work for you, order some more when you are down to your last couple.

 

[markfm]

I don't see how someone gets weeks or months out of a single 808 carto. I'm probably using about a carto every day or two. Hard to tell, since I am using multiple at any time, with different liquids.

Then again, at a bit over a day per carto, using empty ones, that's only around $1/day. Another $1 or so for liquid, and maybe 40 cents/day depreciation on batteries.
That puts me, a full PAD smoker, spending only about $2.40/day for vaping.
I've been spending more than that, but only a couple $/day -- picked up a couple pass-throughs for work and my car, etc. My equipment needs are now zero -- I've got base stuff, spares, really should be at that $2.40/day or so.

Any other $ I spend now isn't related to basic cigarette replacement, but rather hobby/play.

Living in loverly NY, anything less than about $9/day means I'm saving compared to what regular cigarettes cost.

If you're getting good throat hiit, and nicotine, but want vapor, try for liquid with VG in it.

 

[cyberwolf]

So as long as I don't taste or smell something burning I can keep using them?

How do I know when to clean them?

Search the forum for "cleaning cartomizers" and you will find a wealth of information. I usually just run mine under hot water or sometimes boil them. Drying them thoroughly is the most important and difficult part IMHO.

 

[kellogg]

The kit came from good prophet and the cartos are the ones that came with the kit.

It sounds like I should have already cleaned them. Maybe that is the problem.

 

[firefox335]

I can usually get about 2-3 days out of a single carto. Then the vapor production starts to drop off and it goes into the "I will boil all of these someday" pile!

 

[kellogg]

I think I will go boil mine right now, let them dry over night and report back tomorrow.

 

[TexasT]

Kellogg, this is your second thread about not getting any vapor. In your first thread I recommended the V4L WOW cartos. Apparently you didn't get them. The Cool cartos are okay too. The cheap cartos don't do much, but follow the V4L recommendation about spinning the carto on a lanyard and adding a few more drops of juice. It will do a lot better.

It appears you are refilling your cartos, but are you using a VG or VG/PG mix? If your using a straight PG juice you won't get as much vapor.

Do some reading in here about refilling cartos. Go down to a local feed store and you can get a needle and syringe that you can use to fill the carto from the bottom up. Its better than the condom method in my opinion.

When the vapor in your carto drops off - refill it. If you wait until you get a burnt taste either toss the carto or clean it. I personally think cleaning them is a waste of time and effort and you'll seldom get the filler material back in there right.

Cartos are designed to be disposable. They can be refilled. Sometimes I can refill one three times but I really don't keep count. Just refill them until they don't work any more and toss 'em.

Like I suggested in your first thread, get a thinner e-liquid. But get a VG/PG mix - I use 60/40 and get tons of vapor. FreedomSmokeUSA and VaporBomb (for example) seem to have "thinner" e-liquids.

The KR808D-1 you have will give you a lot of pleasure and a lot of vapor if you'll follow the suggestions in this thread and the information available to you here on ECF.

 

[willbeein2003]

I have had a cartomizer last for two weeks and another last only two days. The one that lasted two days didn't seem to work right from the beginning so I think is was defective. I don't clean mine because I have had no luck with that at all. They always seem to be too hard to get a vape off of once I clean them. I try to constantly top off so they never dry out. I toss mine when it feels like I am vaping with all my might and getting very little from it.

I get a much better and economical vape from atomizer and cartridges. The cartomizers are easier, but blank cartridges can be reused forever and atomizer will last for months.

I use a 510 if that matters.