Not very new.....but very confused.

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Coffee Addict

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I think I am going to make a long story long trying to understand this.
I think by now I know "how" to use my e-gigarette.
(batteries charged, good atomizer, good cartridge)
I think I may even be getting the juices down right.

My problem.....
I can take about 10 puffs from a new cartridge but then I have to constentially drip (either on the cart, or on the atomizer).
I need to drip 2 drops for about every 5 puffs I take.

If I do not do this, it tastes like I am inhaling some sort of plastic flavor.

My batteries are charged and it is not the primer from the atomizer.
It does it with all my e-cigarettes (DSE901_..Pilot...Penstyles).
Seems I always have to have a bottle of liquid close by because I need to drip or top off way too often.

I clean,drain and shake my atomizers, but with no difference.

What am I doing wrong????
 

Programmer

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Mar 4, 2009
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I need to drip 2 drops for about every 5 puffs I take.

Sounds just about spot on with my experience. (Ok, I get about 7 puffs.) With TW's 36mg coffee I find I can get a few more puffs, but not _that_ many more. A lot of it has to do with how long I let the thing sit between puffs.

But I sure wouldn't go anywhere without the liquid, I know what you mean. I don't know how some of these folks can get by with 1 cart for multiple cigs worth.
 

SMOKING DRAGON

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Mar 15, 2009
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Perhaps you're only filling the top of the cart. Have you tried using a syringe to fill the cart from the bottom? I find that makes all the difference to how long a cart lasts before it starts cooking.

now this maks sense sounds like the answer to why it only lasts 5 puffs as it takesonly 3 drops as aposed to the6-7 people say it takes...
have you heard of any reasons why an atomizer over heats:confused:
 

TribbleTrouble

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now this maks sense sounds like the answer to why it only lasts 5 puffs as it takesonly 3 drops as aposed to the6-7 people say it takes...
have you heard of any reasons why an atomizer over heats:confused:

I believe that nasty plastic/burning taste comes from an atomizer wick that is not soaking up the juice consistantly, and it starts burning the wick material. The wick is made of silica, so it is not suppose to burn, but I truly believe it is. It is hit or miss on atomizers that have that problem, but you will notice that the ones that kick out that bad taste will be the ones that go cold the quickest.
 

strayling

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now this maks sense sounds like the answer to why it only lasts 5 puffs as it takesonly 3 drops as aposed to the6-7 people say it takes...
have you heard of any reasons why an atomizer over heats:confused:

I can't help you with other reasons for overheating other than having it run on empty - if there's no liquid to take the heat away then the element will get far too hot and start melting/carbonising stuff. If you're only getting 3 drops then you're definitely not filling the cartridge completely so that's where I'd look first.

Try filling with a syringe from the bottom up, or if you don't have a syringe pull the batting out a little with tweezers and make a small gap on one side so you can run the liquid down the side and give the air a chance to escape. There are a few videos somewhere on this site which show exactly how to do it. Here's one.
 

chokmah

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Not sure if this helps but when I refill my carts they last a while but when I just top off or drip I need to do this more often. (I was a heavy smoker of analogs 2 pks or so a day full flavor) I tend to puff fairly often even. My atomiser gets warm but cools after every puff. Been using the same components since 2-5-09. I have at times tasted the burnt taste or maybe its more of a stale taste but cleaning the atomizer seems to clear that up. It could be fibers from the filler burning down near the wick of the atomizer as this could cause a burning taste as well.

Hope you figure it out.
 

Vince1

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Hi Coffee,
It could be that you are just taking larger puffs then before. When I started I took small puffs because of getting used to vapor instead of smoke. Now that I'm used to it I take some pretty big puffs and dry out a cart quick. If I stick to small puffs I can make a cart last. But where's the fun in that.
The burnt taste could be from the heat caused by the longer puffs.
 
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dc2k08

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I get the same problem with some carts/devices and not others..(even with a popular expensive one that is raved about on the forum) not sure why..the bridges press into the cartridge fibre proper on all...it is a serious design flaw of these devices in general but some seem to be able to cope..maybe it is the bridges, maybe it is the fibre, maybe the liquid..i really don't know for sure...can't wait till someone designs a better model..batteries have been done to death.
 

Nicfits

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I found that a new blank cart on my pen style will hold about 20 to 22 drops from a dropper, If I take a new blank cart and open up the filler just a bit, It will hold considerably more. I now use a syringe to first loosen the filler just a tad, and then fill from the bottom with the syringe.
I tend to hold my pen style battery down and I don't hot box my e-cig. I take one or two small primer puffs then a normal 3 or 4 second drag. I don't take another drag for 30 seconds to a minute or more. By doing it this way I can get a lot of vaping out of one cart's worth of juice. I gave up trying to fill carts on my minis. If I use one, I just drip. For the most part, the pen style stays with me where ever I go. I do carry a small bottle of juice and an extra battery in my pocket though.
I am vaping zero nic and have been nicotine, and smoke free for 17 days now. :)
 
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]v[icr0-kn0x

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I can get roughly 11-12 drops in my pilot carts. Given that I take out the filter, put about 5 drops before I put the filter back in and putting in another 4-5 drops. I so put a or two on the atomizer before I put the cartridge back on. The evo carts are suppose to hold a little bit more since they have a large cup then the pilot carts. If you got a 901, try getting some dura carts. They are suppose to hold about 2x more the amount and should fit without any problems.
 

Walrus

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Sorry if I repeat anything, I haven't read all the posts here.

It might be that the cartridges aren't wicking as fast as you are vaping. If you vape quickly your atomiser can dry out before the filler gets to wick eliquid.

Have a go at slowing down between puffs and see if that helps.

Yep, I had that problem. If I'm using my 901 (it has the problem more then my pen-style because it holds less liquid) I sometimes give a small gentle blow into the mouthpeice to push some fluid down. Seems to work.
 

jimgman

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welcome to the world of e-smoking:D on most models i have used, only getting about 3-6 drops on top is normal, and will give 1-2 cigs worth. you arent crazy or doing anything wrong...you probably have half a ml "trapped" in the cart. it is possible to get them to work like they should with some messing around and experimentation with the carts. yesterday i got near half a pack out of a cart that i dripped from the top. i pulled out the cart material(it is the polyester "batting" type), removed like 25%-50% of it, fluffed it all out, and worked it back in carefully, working from the bottom(if you push it in from the top, you will compact it, and undo your "fluffing").then, using a syringe, i slowly worked it down the middle till i hit the bottom of the cart, and "stirred", working a hole down the middle of the material for the juice to channel. as i filled, air bubbles would come out of this hole on the middle, and i got about 12 drops in(its a miracle!!!). this cart lasted me half a day, but when i went to refill, the hole had closed up for the most part, so im still playing around with this. the idea here is to get the "trapped" liquid to flow, and im sure a lot of people are working on methods. one guy drilled a hole in the cart near the mouthpiece hoping air would push the liquid through... the mfr.'s packing the carts too tight with material is one problem, and the material tends to get bunched up at the top of the cart creating a barrier at the top of the cart that liquid cant pass.
p.s.- i did this with the new em-901 if anyone is wondering. the carts are pretty large, but work pretty crappy as they are out of the box.
 
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snap6cat

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I noticed the same thing, you should always carry one or more bottles of juice with you to keep the vapor flowing! I like the Johnsons Creek sample bottles, they are small and don't seem to leak. They hold enough for quite a while. Also it helps to have a battery or two on charge.
It would be nice not to have to fuss with these things, but for me it is SO MUCH better than cigs, I will gladly do this!

David
 
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