New tank user. What am I doing wrong?

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Fiamma

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My setup is Provari mini with smoktech 3.0 carto (punch 2 holes)
and a standard size (2.8 ml) Phiniac tank. Worked fine for a bit but after
A while it feels clogged and I'm getting a gurgling sound. Any ideas what
May be the problem?

Not sure how you're filling the tank but it sounds flooded. That can happen if you draw too hard on it or if you put the top cap on the tank after you fill it, forcing juice into the carto. I use a dual coil carto in tanks and even though my mix is 65VG/35PG I only use one hole in the carto. It doesn't clog and it doesn't flood. I learned the hard way not to pull too hard on the draw. Long and slow.

Tanks work with negative pressure. When you draw air thru the carto while firing the battery and heating the juice to make vapor you pull juice into the carto from the tank to replace what has vaporized.
 

LV SuzyQ

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Thank you unforeseen I think you may be right about puncturing the carto .. Actually the owner of the b&m punched them ( I didn't get my carto puncher yet) but the holes did look awfully big.. So much trial and error! I'm so anxious to use my Provari but still having trouble setting it up! Glad I still have my ecab for backup while I'm figuring it all out. Tx again happy vaping from Las Vegas!
 

LV SuzyQ

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Tx Flamma I might try a dual coil too ( haven't yet) I'm filling the carto using condom method then put it in tank dropped the carto down a bit so I had space , tilted it a little to make sure I'm not getting any juice in center then dripped juice till a little more than halfway up tank seemed fine for a while.. Took a nap picked up my Provari then bam .. Sound is not right and just gurgling noise but flavor still good .. Tx for the feedback will keep trying. Happy vaping from Las Vegas!
 

Fiamma

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Tx Flamma I might try a dual coil too ( haven't yet) I'm filling the carto using condom method then put it in tank dropped the carto down a bit so I had space , tilted it a little to make sure I'm not getting any juice in center then dripped juice till a little more than halfway up tank seemed fine for a while.. Took a nap picked up my Provari then bam .. Sound is not right and just gurgling noise but flavor still good .. Tx for the feedback will keep trying. Happy vaping from Las Vegas!

Get a tank tool and avoid ripping up your tank orings, plus it makes it easier to get them into the tanks. I needle fill mine right in the tank, no leakage into the center and I can put the needle carefully down the edge and get the filler good and wet all the way down. Then a couple of hits without firing the battery until the bubbles stop coming out of the carto and you're good to go.

I do not punch cartos I buy them with the laser cut holes already in them. Smoktech's usually.
 

Baditude

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Going only by the information that you have provided, I think two holes are too many for that consistancy of e-liquid; a single hole would likely eliminate the symptoms you setup is having. You may also be puffing too hard....slow, long 5 second drags work best.
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Flooded carto's in a tank seems to be the most common complaint for beginners when they try a carto tank. The second most common is just the opposite - dry hits or a burnt taste.

There's a common learning curve in setting up a cartotank and a fine line of getting the proper amount of e-liquid into the cartomizer. These tanks work on the principle of negative pressure within the tank enclosure. Sucking on the drip tip causes negative pressure within the tank, drawing more liquid into the cartomizer. The liquid from the tank that goes into the carto is replaced by air; hense the air bubble that you can observe coming out of the cartomizer's hole after taking a pull from the carto.

Flooding can be caused by a number of factors; most of them user related. There is always the possibility of just getting some bad cartomizers or a leaky tank, but I tend to think this is not the norm.
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Improper technique of filling the carto before it is introduced into an assembled tank is one factor. No e-liquid should be allowed to enter the center air hole in the top of the carto when drip filling. I eliminate this issue by plugging the hole with a wooden tooth pick. The carto should have e-liquid applied until the polyfill is moist in appearance like a slushy drink.

The carto at that point is ready to be inserted about half way into the assembled tank, through the bottom end cap. Drop your e-liquid through the space between the top cap and the cartomizer, again taking care to not get liquid into the top of the carto. A tank accessory or filling tool is useful for this purpose.

Fill the tank approximately 80% full. Then push the carto up through the top endcap. Remove the tank tool if you use one, and then put a drip tip on the carto. Some people do a primer pull (puff without power) to ensure the carto is wet. I tend to do a test vape first. My feeling is if you have already primed the carto properly beforehand, the primer puff is unneccesary.
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Putting the carto all the way into the bottom cap and filling the tank before placing the top cap on will disrupt the pressure in the tank causing too much liquid in the carto - leading to flooding.

I think some people use an improper method of puffing on cartotanks. I use a slow, steady 5-second puff. This allows the proper amount of juice to enter into the carto from the tank. Too hard of a puff can cause too much liquid to enter - leading to flooding.

Too many or too large of a hole in the carto can allow too much liquid into the carto. I have had great success with a single laser-drilled hole with a 50/50 pg/vg mix. More than 50% vg might require two holes. It often depends upon the individual juice and your individual vaping technique. If you are experiencing flooding with two holes, try a carto with just one hole.

Punching your own cartos can lead to issues. Punching too deeply can damage the internal air hole, causing irrepairable damage to the carto. Using a tool to punch holes invariably causes some distortion to the carto tube, causing it to become oval instead of round at that point. The distortion can make passage of the carto through the end caps difficult and cause unnecessary wear and tear on the inner o-rings. Damaged o-rings can cause air or liquid leaks in the tank or carto leading to flooding.

To see a demo/review of the recommend Slap-Yo-Momma tank tool, watch this video: A PBusardo Review - Slap Yo Mama Multi-Purpose Adapter - Big Daddy Vapor - YouTube

I recommend viewing the following demo video on priming the carto, intalling it into the tank, and filling/refilling a tank.

 
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LV SuzyQ

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Thanks Bad .. You are so knowledgeable about all this stuff! I did watch all those videos and I have been pretty meticulous in the way I'm filling my cartos.. I think the 2 holes might be the problem. Well I have a shipment of new cartos on the way ( hopefully be here tomm) and will try one hole as see if that solves the problem. How annoying! Have had my Provari mini for almost a week and can't use yet. :( angry and frustrated. Tx for all the great info and I'm sure ill have a lot more questions in the future. Happy vaping for Las Vegas!
 

Baditude

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I don't know if this will salvage your current flooded carto, but sometimes I've been able to pre-burn the carto for about 1-2 seconds before taking a gentle puff. This might vaporize a good portion of the juice flooding the absorbant stuff in the carto. Try it a few times and see. Oh, and be sure to take the tank off the Provari and blow out any liquid from the airhole into a paper towel before attempting the above.
 

chohan

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I don't know if this will salvage your current flooded carto, but sometimes I've been able to pre-burn the carto for about 1-2 seconds before taking a gentle puff. This might vaporize a good portion of the juice flooding the absorbant stuff in the carto. Try it a few times and see. Oh, and be sure to take the tank off the Provari and blow out any liquid from the airhole into a paper towel before attempting the above.

Nice tips Bad. Another I've learned is if my carto is overly saturated, take it off and blow out the air tube then screw the tank back on and replace the drip tip. Now hold it horizontally so that the carto hole is facing up out of the juice and take a few regular drags. It tends to vaporize some of the juice out of the cartomizer but won't allow anymore to get sucked in. Gives me a chance to get the carto back to normal.

Btw, vaperfexion is offering pyrex tubes now that work with the pro v caps. Wasn't sure if you were aware of that yet. I have one on order.

Also if you use a 11mm I.D. x 2mm cross section/thickness O-ring on the siam glass tubes it fits the pro v caps perfectly. Snug the way it should be. I found some on amazon but I think Fastenall carries that size also.

cheers
 

Baditude

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Nice tips Bad. Another I've learned is if my carto is overly saturated, take it off and blow out the air tube then screw the tank back on and replace the drip tip. Now hold it horizontally so that the carto hole is facing up out of the juice and take a few regular drags. It tends to vaporize some of the juice out of the cartomizer but won't allow anymore to get sucked in. Gives me a chance to get the carto back to normal.

Btw, vaperfexion is offering pyrex tubes now that work with the pro v caps. Wasn't sure if you were aware of that yet. I have one on order.

Also if you use a 11mm I.D. x 2mm cross section/thickness O-ring on the siam glass tubes it fits the pro v caps perfectly. Snug the way it should be. I found some on amazon but I think Fastenall carries that size also.

Thanks for the additional tips and info. Appreciate. :toast:
 
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