New Member - need some advice

[VapingRulz]

Vapoor, something I've been meaning to ask. If I do not use the condom method, how many "drops" do you put into the cartomizer?

It seems like a lot of newbies are burning their cartomizers lately because they are underfilling. I don't think it's wise to count the drops because no two are alike. Fill it slowly, drop by drop, until it looks like it's done - then shake it down like a thermometer and you'll probably see that it wasn't really full, so top it off.

A good way to gauge how many drops you'll need for an average fill is to buy some of the clear XL cartomizers and watch how easily you can misjudge how full it really is when you're looking at the top instead of the sides. It takes a couple of thermometer shakes to really get it full.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I agree wholeheartedly and that's why I post the PBusardo vid. Next thing ya know everyone's suggesting a new PV when the problem is not the PV but user error and under filling the delivery systems.

It seems like a lot of newbies are burning their cartomizers lately because they are underfilling. I don't think it's wise to count the drops because no two are alike. Fill it slowly, drop by drop, until it looks like it's done - then shake it down like a thermometer and you'll probably see that it wasn't really full, so top it off.

A good way to gauge how many drops you'll need for an average fill is to buy some of the clear XL cartomizers and watch how easily you can misjudge how full it really is when you're looking at the top instead of the sides. It takes a couple of thermometer shakes to really get it full.

 

[Racehorse]

DarkCityVapor has some decent flavors (I really liked their mountain 555 and peanut butter chocolate flavors) and they are really inexpensive to purchase. If you buy a 5 pack of cartos he throws in a free 5ml bottle of juice which is win. I don't think you can beat his prices

Johnson's Creek's prices are about 25% higher than DCV's from the looks of it.

Very true.

I think it DEPENDS on what a newbie is trying to learn. JC had 2 lines of juice for samples......one is PG based (Orig. Smoke Juice--you receive 10 (3ml) bottles of that in the sample pack) , the other is 100% VG (Red Oak PG free) based (you receive 7 (3ml) bottles of that.

It was really important to ME to know if I was going to have problems with PG or VG, so this answered that problem right away. I also wanted U.S. made juice.

The other thing is, I am able to re-use the rubber-tipped glass droppers, and little glass bottles, for mixing samples of juices I think will combine, so I guess it comes down to getting those.... or getting a 5ml bottle of free juice from DCV. I keep distilled water in one of them, in case I have to dilute my 100% VG juices down a little bit.

So, I have 17 (3ml) glass bottles with both plastic caps and droppers, which I also use for glycerin to soak my pine needles in for pine basket weaving, and some of my essential oils for my aromatherapy.

Plus, I got to try 17 flavors.

Juices are tobacco-y and cocoa-y and coffee-y and somewhat earthy, so if somebody doesn't like that it won't work for them.

I don't have a lot of experiences to share, since i'm new, so I'm just sharing THAT.

 

[lotsoffish]

Hi everyone!


I have been looking around this site for a few weeks and decided to buy the following from hoosierecig.


Boge 2.0ohm LR 510 cartomizers 5 pack
EGO Vision clearomizers 2.1-2.4ohm - Clear(Long Wick)
KGO kit 1100mAh by SLB


In retrospect I probably should have posted first to get some answers but it's too late.


I guess my question is how do I use the clearomizers and/or cartomizers?

That is exactly the same set up as I use. It's kept me 100% OFF cigarettes for over about 3 Months and I was a heavy smoker.

Have you filled one of the clearomizers yet?

They are pretty much straight foreword. You fill one up to the 1.6 mil mark, let it sit a few minutes, take a couple hits without pushing the battery button and then let her rip.

I had an issue with the draw on mine but those were the older ones, I think they have that fixed now.

 

[ShogaNinja]

Started with Boges but fell in love with ST 1.7 cartos. When I was using cartos I also used the Oral Syringe from WMT to clean with hot water and also to flush with air- was doing this last Oct. Just wasn't worth it as I buy my cartos in very large quantities as I supply about 100 people. Buy in bulk and wait for Super sale- last order/ sale was from HealthCabin.

Been using Stardusts for 8? weeks and no problems except had to adjust the airway tube on a couple. Now have 35 friends using the Stardusts and they love them except they eat up the juice and mute the flavor- I add extra flavor.

Those are the old version- now using the new version with unscewable heads. As for the older version I welded an 510 adapter to a rod and put in vise- off in less than 10 secs. BUT re-coiling/ wicking was a waste of time .

Newer plastic version doesn't have this prob. and the only leakage I have is when I chainvape and condensation builds up.

A few have been tight draw so I just modded them.

There's a weld material that seals the plastic and evaporates completely- silicone caulk too toxic unless a specialty caulk is used= less toxic.

That should end with IMO. The ones we're using are just fine. Also tested the Vivi Nova and found no diff between the two except that the Stardust looks much nicer. Overall I rarely buy anything until issues have been resolved and I waited until they came out with the long wicks. Whatever works for you is fine by me. 30 yrs ago owned a small fleet of Dodge Ram pickups- greatest truck ever built...wouldn't buy one today as they are not worth the $$ and there are far better buys- very rarely am I loyal to any one product or manufacturer as things change so quickly.

Yes I am aware of the new stardusts, but once again why would they sell replacement tubes if they never break?

I don't have a mig or tig welder or whatever so getting them apart (the version 1.5 I call them - the v1 came apart easy, and the v1.5 did not) was impossible through the tried and true methods that worked for everyone else with v1. The difference between v1 and the new rebuildables is measured in a few months. There have been a lot of changes in a short time and that does not suggest an overly solid original design.

I had the same silicone that's in aquarium tanks, if it was toxic fish would die. I realize that hot glue isn't non-toxic tho lol, it was just a quick fix. It comes off.

For the first couple months Stardusts do seem awesome, and then when you get to month 3 they reveal their true nature, or maybe it's just the batch I got. Due to their cheap price I will give the new rebuildable ones a try. What I am not all about is replacing things that I don't need to replace, so ordering bulk cartos and throwing them away after a few days isn't my style. I'm all about the frugal vape. Some people approach vaping with the idea that it's cheaper than smoking so they can at least spend as much as they did smoking. I am from another school of thought that I have spent more than enough money on this addiction. I enjoy going out to eat and going to movies with the money I used to spend smoking.

How did you mod them for airflow? They don't really work well on a KGO's connection and that's another gripe I have about them. I've seen videos telling you to pull the center tube down from the bottom but that didn't do jack but scrape up the inside of my juice well of my battery.

I agree that the vivi nova looks way worse than a stardust but with the bigger size it's gotta be easier to maintain. Plus they sell metal tubes for them. This of course can be improved by adding an adapter to streamline its look.

I don't think Stardusts eat up juice as much as they hide it in the bottom of the tank and also around the drip tip. Every so often just unscrew the drip tip and pull it up a little bit and the juice will run back down. I think when people see this juice trapped up there they instantly think OMG their juice goes fast.

 

[RickMc]

thanks Rick.

Drops isn't scientific, yeah.....either is the condom method ("fill it about 1/2 way, etc.")

What is the best thing to use to fill them that IS more exact? A needle? I need to start off using best method until I get the hang of the less scientific methods LOL

Well, I understand - however, there isn't a scientific method really, because how much juice a carto will hold depends on the juice, the polyfill, whether it's the first fill or a refill...you get the idea. It isn't exact. Here is my suggestion:

Leave the condom on the bottom of the carto. Remove the end cap, tip, drip 5 drops onto the polyfill while spinning the carto to distribute the juice. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. If the juice sits on top, shake it down (like shaking an old-fashioned thermometer 5-10x to get the juice started wIcking into the polyfill. Repeat with 5 more drops. Then 3 drops, then 2 more, 1 more, etc. Watch for the juice to act like it's not absorbing into the polyfill and for the surface to look like a wet Slurpee. This will probably happen around 20 drops.

Let it sit for 2-5 minutes, then remove the condom off the end and blow gently on carto while holding a napkin over the battery end. This will blow out any juice that got into the tube.

Vape away.... This isn't the only method, or maybe even the best method, it's just what I do. Experiment!

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Yes I am aware of the new stardusts, but once again why would they sell replacement tubes if they never break?

Vivi, Phoenix, Stardust, they all offer replacement tubes/ tanks.

I'm all about the frugal vape. Some people approach vaping with the idea that it's cheaper than smoking so they can at least spend as much as they did smoking. I am from another school of thought that I have spent more than enough money on this addiction. I enjoy going out to eat and going to movies with the money I used to spend smoking

I am from the same school of thought- no fancy PVs- had a Provari but gifted it to a friend cuz I wasn't using it. To me vaping isn't a hobby or about showing off my stuff...it's all about smoking cessation and nothing else. As for cheap I doubt you'll find anyone cheaper than me- delivery+ juice costing about $2.00 per week. I also have to be aware of sales and quality products as I run a vaping prog at a shelter for 49 people and all PVs, juice and accessories are paid for via donation. ST 1.7 cartos cost me .758 cents apiece. Flavors I buy in bulk from Europe, PG and VG I get a special deal from dentist's wife who's a pharmacist. 3000 glass bottles I bought at an auction dirt cheap- sealed in pharma wrappers. Mixing and testing done free in a certified lab by a friend of one of the Benfactors of the vaping prog.

How did you mod them for airflow? They don't really work well on a KGO's connection and that's another gripe I have about them. I've seen videos telling you to pull the center tube down from the bottom but that didn't do jack but scrape up the inside of my juice well of my battery.

Some merely had to pull the airway out a bit while some others had to drill a small extra airway hole. Contemplating slotting 1 of my Kgo batts. Also for ALL delivery systems had to slot the connector on my Don for better airflow- should be some sort of an adjustment for airflow on PVs IMO.

I agree that the vivi nova looks way worse than a stardust but with the bigger size it's gotta be easier to maintain. Plus they sell metal tubes for them. This of course can be improved by adding an adapter to streamline its look.

Agree but I'm too cheap. The newer smaller Vivi looks much better.

I don't think Stardusts eat up juice as much as they hide it in the bottom of the tank and also around the drip tip. Every so often just unscrew the drip tip and pull it up a little bit and the juice will run back down. I think when people see this juice trapped up there they instantly think OMG their juice goes fast.

I was measuring and the diff between clearo and carto+ tank and it was was significant. I find negative and/ or positive pressure builds up in ALL tank systems and that's why I like the mom and pop cartos tank with the side screw- easy to fill and relieve pressure. Used the one from DCV but the sponge rubber cap literally melted in my juice. Here's a note from Mom and Pop sub page:
"Quick-tip - once its half empty you can depressurize it by removing the screw for 15 sec. This alows E-liquid to flow into the carto freely to help prevent a dry hit. Another tip for a dry carto - take the screw out and vape normally until you hear gurgling, replace screw and continue vaping. This tip can lead to flooding if done too long but works great for those rare cartos that just don't want to absorb e-liquid. Hope this helps!"
Tanks - Mom and Pop Vapor Shop

Here's a repair tutorial for cracked tanks:
REPAIRING CRACKS:
Clean and dry clearo first.

Go to a crafts store, or buy online, a small bottle of Ambroid plastic solvent. This stuff is not glue; rather, it dissolves plastic so the cracks weld shut. There's no glue residue, since the Ambroid simply evaporates.
Only do this to dry and unfilled Stardusts!
Baste the cracks at the base using the brush affixed to the cap of the Ambroid bottle.
Let dry for a couple of hours. The Ambroid on the surface evaporates almost instantly, but the Ambroid deep in the cracks takes a while to percolate up to the surface. The weld dries clear.
Reassemble the Stardust, fill and vape away.

I've found that, once the cracks form, and the pressure on the push-fitted plastic is relieved, you'll only need to baste cracks a few times before new cracks stop forming. While many of my Stardusts have cracks, I haven't had to discard one after using this simple repair.
Cheers and like I say whatever works for you.