I've been looking forward to a zero-fill system for the Joye 510 for some time now. I've previously only been satisfied with the genuine Joye cartomizers, but given the difficulty of filling them properly and the inexplicable absence of a PCC capable of holding them, my 510 has been badly neglected. Now that I've had some time to put the new 510-T system through its paces, I thought I'd share my thoughts regarding its performance.
HARDWARE
To start, I should note that I am using standard length manual batteries for this review. I am aware that there are specific 510-T batteries, but they are only available with automatic switches and are extended length, which I can't use with my PCC. If you haven't guessed yet, I vastly prefer shorter e-cigs with PCCs to the big battery styles. Call me crazy, but I prefer something that at least somewhat mimics the feel of a cigarette.
The 510-T tanks come in three different translucent colors: clear, blue and black. They are extremely simple to fill by using your fingernail to pop the flaps on the sides of the cap (atomizer side) and dripping your e-liquid of choice directly into the reservoir. The capacity is approximately 15 drops, leaving room for the cap to be replaced. Once the cap is back on, the tank is pressed into the atomizer until you hear/feel a click, indicating that the atomizer has pierced the tank.
The 510-T atomizers, like the original Joye atomizers, have a break-in period. I usually minimize this by running them under very hot water for about 10 min, blowing them out and letting them sit for another 20 min. This seems to get rid of the vast majority of the toilet water taste from the oil the atomizers are coated in from the factory.
PERFORMANCE
Vapor output (on standard batteries remember) was good, but not quite as good as with the genuine Joye cartomizers. The tank system also had a noticeably stiffer drag than the cartomizers. It wasn't lung collapsing, or even that annoying, but the difference was definitely there. The throat hit was slightly weaker with the 510-T than with the cartomizer as well, but again, not terribly so. The flavor with the tank was about even with the flavor from the cartomizer...maybe a little more pure. The advantage of the tank however, is that I can see when I'm about to run out of liquid and can switch/refill before it gets dry. Not to mention there's no fill to vaporize if I miss it.
I was concerned that the tank system would have leaking issues, but as of yet it's had none. Even when pulling a not-quite empty tank off of the atomizer, it stayed remarkably clean. The hole that the atomizer punches appears to be small enough that the surface tension of the liquids (at least the 80/20 pg/vg ones that I used) is sufficient to prevent spills/leaks. The little condom that comes with each tank can then simply be replaced and the tank can be stored in the PCC without much worry.
CONCLUSIONS
While not perfect, the 510-T system proved a welcome development. I'm pleased that zero-fill options are becoming more available and that this one in particular has gotten my 510 off of the shelf and into active duty when I leave the house. It's possible that the performance shortfalls I noticed were simply because I was using standard batteries, which (and I'm sure I'll get corrected if I'm wrong) appear to be lower voltage than the specific 510-T batteries. As stated before, the extended length and auto-switch is a deal killer for me, but I'd be interested to hear what others that have tried the 510-T battery have to say.
HARDWARE
To start, I should note that I am using standard length manual batteries for this review. I am aware that there are specific 510-T batteries, but they are only available with automatic switches and are extended length, which I can't use with my PCC. If you haven't guessed yet, I vastly prefer shorter e-cigs with PCCs to the big battery styles. Call me crazy, but I prefer something that at least somewhat mimics the feel of a cigarette.
The 510-T tanks come in three different translucent colors: clear, blue and black. They are extremely simple to fill by using your fingernail to pop the flaps on the sides of the cap (atomizer side) and dripping your e-liquid of choice directly into the reservoir. The capacity is approximately 15 drops, leaving room for the cap to be replaced. Once the cap is back on, the tank is pressed into the atomizer until you hear/feel a click, indicating that the atomizer has pierced the tank.
The 510-T atomizers, like the original Joye atomizers, have a break-in period. I usually minimize this by running them under very hot water for about 10 min, blowing them out and letting them sit for another 20 min. This seems to get rid of the vast majority of the toilet water taste from the oil the atomizers are coated in from the factory.
PERFORMANCE
Vapor output (on standard batteries remember) was good, but not quite as good as with the genuine Joye cartomizers. The tank system also had a noticeably stiffer drag than the cartomizers. It wasn't lung collapsing, or even that annoying, but the difference was definitely there. The throat hit was slightly weaker with the 510-T than with the cartomizer as well, but again, not terribly so. The flavor with the tank was about even with the flavor from the cartomizer...maybe a little more pure. The advantage of the tank however, is that I can see when I'm about to run out of liquid and can switch/refill before it gets dry. Not to mention there's no fill to vaporize if I miss it.
I was concerned that the tank system would have leaking issues, but as of yet it's had none. Even when pulling a not-quite empty tank off of the atomizer, it stayed remarkably clean. The hole that the atomizer punches appears to be small enough that the surface tension of the liquids (at least the 80/20 pg/vg ones that I used) is sufficient to prevent spills/leaks. The little condom that comes with each tank can then simply be replaced and the tank can be stored in the PCC without much worry.
CONCLUSIONS
While not perfect, the 510-T system proved a welcome development. I'm pleased that zero-fill options are becoming more available and that this one in particular has gotten my 510 off of the shelf and into active duty when I leave the house. It's possible that the performance shortfalls I noticed were simply because I was using standard batteries, which (and I'm sure I'll get corrected if I'm wrong) appear to be lower voltage than the specific 510-T batteries. As stated before, the extended length and auto-switch is a deal killer for me, but I'd be interested to hear what others that have tried the 510-T battery have to say.
