It's harder to draw on my cartomizers after a couple of days. Why???

[kblush]

low resistance is anything below 2.5ohm...standard or regular is 2.5 to the low 3s and above that is considered high resistance...you should NEVER vape a carto dry...I actually top mine up every couple of hours max...it keeps the coil good and damp and lessens "gunk" build up on/in them and keeps them from burning the filler...that is why the carto-tanks are becoming so popular.......
madjack

Thank you madjack!!! I appreciate the resistance info! I'm totally understanding now that I shouldn't let them get dry, but how do you decide when to top them off because if i just go by the color of the filler, don't they lose the slushy look and go back to white pretty quickly?

 

[Duekster]

I guess I'm a bit different. I think a carto tastes better about day 3. For me, they can last about two weeks, but at the week and a day or so is when the flavor goes, the draw is going, time to toss. I keep them moist, a few drops every hour or two, or when flavor is going down. You can tell by looking in the top - if it is dry and white or not the color of your juice, it is time to add juice. Flavor is your first signal. If you look at the top and it is gross gray/blackish - it is time to toss it.

However, PGA will wash a lot of that out which is why I wonder if I should clean them daily. Again, I am not sure if my taste issues are my washed out taste buds, or the watts I am running on my 6v bullet.

I am strongly considering going to LR @ 3.7v..... as a test... Mad Jack I think suggested that to me a few days ago.

Now I am DIY I can play with % of flavors and PG/VG

 

[kblush]

I guess I'm a bit different. I think a carto tastes better about day 3. For me, they can last about two weeks, but at the week and a day or so is when the flavor goes, the draw is going, time to toss. I keep them moist, a few drops every hour or two, or when flavor is going down. You can tell by looking in the top - if it is dry and white or not the color of your juice, it is time to add juice. Flavor is your first signal. If you look at the top and it is gross gray/blackish - it is time to toss it.

Hi! before i read your post I typed this to madjack: " how do you decide when to top them off because if i just go by the color of the filler, don't they lose the slushy look and go back to white pretty quickly?" It sounds like that isn't the case. I guess I should watch one of my cartos as i use it to get an idea of what the filler looks like as it changes. Thank you!!

 

[Duekster]

I realize that I have been burning them because when i get that taste, that's when I know to re-fill them! that's terrible! But when I re-filled them I didn't taste the burned taste anymore so I'm not sure if I actually burned them or not? The carto tank sounds useful, especially since I let them go dry but I don't think they are really used on pen-style e-cigs?

TJ somebody post a picture of his ego with a carto tank all the time. But I am not that hard ware savvy yet to know for sure.

I think you should play around with what you have some before you run out and by expensive EQ, or try to buy EQ that could work on other eq if you go that route.

 

[kblush]

However, PGA will wash a lot of that out which is why I wonder if I should clean them daily. Again, I am not sure if my taste issues are my washed out taste buds, or the watts I am running on my 6v bullet.

I am strongly considering going to LR @ 3.7v..... as a test... Mad Jack I think suggested that to me a few days ago.

Now I am DIY I can play with % of flavors and PG/VG

If you can wash them with Pure Grain Alcohol, can you wash them with isopropyl alcohol? that's all I have at the moment! lol P.S. Good luck with your 3.7v test! Also, DIY must be fun! The possibilities are endless and you can make juice exactly to your tastes!

 

[markfm]

For newer people, particularly, there can be blah days where no eliquid has much taste. These can last a day or two. Your taste buds really have an interesting time when you first stop smoking and take up vaping. The good side is that those periods are fairly short, and get less frequent. A strong menthol or cinnamon can still often be tasted, but just about everything else may taste totally flat.

No isopropyl for cartos. Do a search on carto cleaning and you'll find lots of writeups. I did several rounds in boiling water, followed by a thorough rinse and then about an hour on a paper towel in the oven, set to 200F. (If you go much higher, towards 300, you can get shrinkage of the plastic wrapper) Remove the rubber mouth tip first.

 

[kblush]

TJ somebody post a picture of his ego with a carto tank all the time. But I am not that hard ware savvy yet to know for sure.

I think you should play around with what you have some before you run out and by expensive EQ, or try to buy EQ that could work on other eq if you go that route.

Good ideas!! Thank you!!

 

[5vz]

You can wash them in iso alcohol, then rinse in water and let dry. I don't suggest doing so every day. I experimented with washing them, it just made them taste so much worse and they tended to die a day or two afterward, but the taste was just awful to me. Just experiment with a used one and see how it works for you.

 

[Duekster]

For newer people, particularly, there can be blah days where no eliquid has much taste. These can last a day or two. Your taste buds really have an interesting time when you first stop smoking and take up vaping. The good side is that those periods are fairly short, and get less frequent. A strong menthol or cinnamon can still often be tasted, but just about everything else may taste totally flat.

I have been told this before... I also know that in the morning my vaps are best.... I am often still running the same batteries from the night before.

I suppose I should start writing things down...

 

[madjack]

...first off, let me say, I have never used an 808 based PV...my advice is for Boges or Smoktech cartos only...AND, I vape around 5ml/day...having said all that, the Boges hold around 1ml and last 2+ of vape time...I don't like to let them get more than 50% used before topping them up(for best flav)...that means, after an hour, I will add 10-15drops of juice or until I get that slushy look...once filled or topped up, I give it a little blow to clear the center air channel(vertical coils), wipe the threads, (re)attach and vape...the Smoktech's I use are XLs and hold about twice the juice so the times I gave can be doubled.......
madjack

p.s. all times I gave are "vape" time and subjective to how you vape............mj

 

[kblush]

For newer people, particularly, there can be blah days where no eliquid has much taste. These can last a day or two. Your taste buds really have an interesting time when you first stop smoking and take up vaping. The good side is that those periods are fairly short, and get less frequent. A strong menthol or cinnamon can still often be tasted, but just about everything else may taste totally flat.

No isopropyl for cartos. Do a search on carto cleaning and you'll find lots of writeups. I did several rounds in boiling water, followed by a thorough rinse and then about an hour on a paper towel in the oven, set to 200F. (If you go much higher, towards 300, you can get shrinkage of the plastic wrapper) Remove the rubber mouth tip first.

Ahhhh!!!! That may be a part of my problem!!! My tastebuds may be uncooperative today!!!! Thank you for telling me no isoproplyl for cartos! I wasn't going to try it unless I got an ok on it! I'm going to boil my cartos and then stick them in the oven for an hour at 200 degrees. The paper towel in there doesn't get on fire? Thank you for your help!! I appreciate it!!

 

[kblush]

You can wash them in iso alcohol, then rinse in water and let dry. I don't suggest doing so every day. I experimented with washing them, it just made them taste so much worse and they tended to die a day or two afterward, but the taste was just awful to me. Just experiment with a used one and see how it works for you.

Hi!! Maybe they tasted bad because of the isoproply alcohol??? I'm new to this so I don't know. Right now I'm going to wash my cartos and give thenm a last chance. it was totally my fault in vaping my cartos all dry!

 

[madjack]

...the best results I got cleaning cartos came from boiling for 10, thoroughly rinsing and repeat twice more(in clean water)...lay them on a paper towel on a cookie tray in an oven set at 150-175 for about 2hrs....turn oven off and allow cartos to sit overnight...personally, I would never use iso-alchy in a carto(it is poisonous yano)...this seems to get virtually all the old flav and gunk out of them BUT, they never did perform upto original after cleaning and after a couple of attempts, I gave up trying and just toss 'em.......
madjack

p.s. be sure to blow out all excess water before attempting to dry or it may take a looooonngggg time to dry...........mj

 

[kblush]

...first off, let me say, I have never used an 808 based PV...my advice is for Boges or Smoktech cartos only...AND, I vape around 5ml/day...having said all that, the Boges hold around 1ml and last 2+ of vape time...I don't like to let them get more than 50% used before topping them up(for best flav)...that means, after an hour, I will add 10-15drops of juice or until I get that slushy look...once filled or topped up, I give it a little blow to clear the center air channel(vertical coils), wipe the threads, (re)attach and vape...the Smoktech's I use are XLs and hold about twice the juice so the times I gave can be doubled.......
madjack

p.s. all times I gave are "vape" time and subjective to how you vape............mj

Thank you so much for the advice! I totally understand you on the "vape" time. I'm going to try the Boge and Smoktech cartos so I thank you for their recommendation. Thank you for the other info too!!

P.S. If you fill a carto and set it out to absorb into the wick, do you stand it battery connector side up or down?

 

[kblush]

...the best results I got cleaning cartos came from boiling for 10, thoroughly rinsing and repeat twice more(in clean water)...lay them on a paper towel on a cookie tray in an oven set at 150-175 for about 2hrs....turn oven off and allow cartos to sit overnight...personally, I would never use iso-alchy in a carto(it is poisonous yano)...this seems to get virtually all the old flav and gunk out of them BUT, they never did perform upto original after cleaning and after a couple of attempts, I gave up trying and just toss 'em.......
madjack

I have a feeling that cleaning cartos may not be my answer, but rather I should be keeping my cartos in good moist condition while I use them! Besides the possibility of burning them, do you think that using them till they are totally dry could shorten their life?

 

[markfm]

200F is fine. "Fahrenheit 451" is accurate -- paper flash point is up at about 450F, 200 is fine for a normal piece of paper towel. I tend to put the towel on a small pan or dish, cartos on the paper towel. It probably isn't really necessary, just something I've done all along.

 

[Duekster]

I have a feeling that cleaning cartos may not be my answer, but rather I should be keeping my cartos in good moist condition while I use them! Besides the possibility of burning them, do you think that using them till they are totally dry could shorten their life?

Again some luck with PGA only. I might try cleaning nightly to see if that improves.

I also found some carto's last and last and some don't. Some do not work from the get go.

 

[madjack]

I just lay them on their side and give 'em a turn every now and then...if I am in a hurry, I set them on the batt end for a short and go ahead and use...at this point in my vape career, I know when I will need a new one and have it ready way in advance............

...burning the fill is the biggest danger...PROBABLY popping the coil, would be next............
madjack

 

[madjack]

Again some

I also found some carto's last and last and some don't. Some do not work from the get go.

...yep they are meant to be disposable and if you believe the copy from the manufacturers, they are only meant to be used once...remember, these things are MASS produced, in a foreign country, known world over for quality control issues.......
madjack

 

[kblush]

200F is fine. "Fahrenheit 451" is accurate -- paper flash point is up at about 450F, 200 is fine for a normal piece of paper towel. I tend to put the towel on a small pan or dish, cartos on the paper towel. It probably isn't really necessary, just something I've done all along.

Thank you! You're pretty smart to know that about the flash point of paper! P.S. I only traded something once the other day on Pay It Forward but I love the threads on there and think it's wonderful! Do you think it would be ok if I did my signature like you did with the PIF name and link?