Lots of questions, tami... I'll try to provide some answers. How many drops it holds depends on the consistency of the liquid. Thin liquids make smaller drops, thick VG liquids make huge drops. 20 large drops is equal to about 40 small ones. If you're talking in terms of drops, I assume you are dripping into the metal end, which is a fine method, if it's done with a little care. Also keep in mind that the first fill-up is going to take more drops than subsequent fill-ups because the fiber-fill inside needs to absorb the liquid and it will always retain part of the liquid... but even though it may seem full with 25 drops on the first fill, part of that liquid is not yet absorbed. It's like a flash flood, where rain comes down faster than the ground can absorb it. Once the filler absorbs that first fill-up, you may only half it at half capacity. That's why it's always recommended that you fill new cartos and let the soak overnight, then fill again. So the first fill-up may take 40 drops and subsequent fill-ups may only hold 20-25.
The question you didn't ask is "how do you know when it's full?" Most people think it's when you see liquid coming out the other end, and that's partially true, but it may not full when that happens. It could be that the juice found it's way into the air tube running up the side inside the cartomizer and ran out the mouthpiece, while the fiber-fill is not yet saturated. This might mean that only 15 drops made it to the fiber and 5 drops ran out the mouthpiece. This usually happens if you are going too fast when you fill it, not giving drops enough time to pass through and get absorbed. If you place one drop at a time on the metal tip, about one second apart, it should flow through OK. But sometimes it stops going in, and some people say that's when you know it's full. Not necessarily so. Sometimes an air bubble will form and stop the liquid from flowing inside. Make sure one drop has flowed through before placing the next drop, and if it stalls, give it a few gentle taps on the table to break up bubbles. And to clear the passageway to the filler, I wipe the metal tip with a tissue then put it in my mouth like a whistle and gently blow into it to push the liquid past the atomizer and into the filler. If I see liquid at the mouthpiece before I think I should, I will wipe the mouthpiece and gently blow through it, pushing the liquid back toward the atomizer.
If you fill with a syringe, it should take about 1.2ml on the first fill, and about .7-.9 subsequently.
A fully filled cartomizer should last an average of two hours of vaping time, whether done all in one session or spread out over a day. How many puffs is like how many drops... depends on how big they are. I've never counted puffs.
You should be alert to when the flavor starts getting less pleasant and the vapor less productive. Be careful to not burn them up by vaping them until dry. Stop at the first bad taste or lack of vapor.
If you don't burn them up, they can last for months. But they are not intended to be long term, so sometimes they die for unknown reasons after only a few fills, maybe less. They are not juice hogs. Not like the ego-tank, which is a juice hog. Not all liquids are equal. Some high quality juices last a long time, others burn up quicker. If one particular juice provides a lot of vapor by dripping onto the old-fashioned atomizer, but not so much in a cartomizer, it might be because the atomizer is burning more efficiently. Sometimes I notice vapor production is less even with cartomizers. They are not made to the same standards as atomizers. They are considered disposable. The manufacturers hope you buy them prefilled and toss them when empty to start a new one.
I love my Joye cartomizers. There is a small learning curve to getting the most from them, but I think it's worth it.
If you're not opposed to using a syringe, here's a tip: Take a small sharp tool and pop the mouthpiece cap off with a gentle lift. Then you'll see a barrier piece with two small holes in it about 1/4" down inside. Find something sharp and pry that out and toss it. Then puncture the tube in the middle. That's the fill port. Put the mouthpiece cap back on. Use a blunt syringe to go right through the mouthpiece hole and into the fill port. Like I said, about .8ml to fill before you see a drop forming at the metal tip. Pull back a hair on the plunger and that drop gets sucked back up. Withdraw your syringe and vape away!
I guess it means I overfill them, but I cannot understand how can I tell it's too full and it's time to stop?? If I use mouthpiece end, I just put 5 drops and the juice is not even coming from the metal end yet. If I use the metal end (which I mostly do now), I do like you said: put 1 drop, wait 2 seconds, put another one, until it stops going down the hole easily. Now I even don't wait until that point: just put 4-5 drops and that's it. Still end up with jucie in my mouth!! And I try to puff very carefully and slowly, I don't suck on it hard. Not sure what am I doing wrong???
