Penstyle will only wick from pre-filled cartridges

[testerjtester]

Would anyone have any idea why a penstyle would wick the liquid properly only from pre-filled cartridges?

I've started with a pre-filled and when it's time to top up (not too long after starting), I pop it out, wipe off any excess, add some liquid (different brands and flavors), put it back in, and it's obviously struggling to wick liquid - vapor production drops, and the taste goes metallic and plastic.

If I put in a fresh pre-filled cartridge from a completely dry atomizer, I immediately get the vapor and flavor of the stock liquid. I can pull it out at that point (1-2 puffs, max) and replace with an almost-fresh cart that I have topped off, that looks identical to a pre-filled in every possible way (where the stuffing level sits relative to the plastic cartridge casing, how much fluid is in it, the number of freaking fibers that are poking up), and vapor production drops, and I get that dry atomizer taste again.

Eventually, maybe, after some serious coaxing, I can get it to take the topped-off cartridge, and I can even get a respectable amount of vapor, but I still get that metallic plastic taste. Replace with a fresh pre-filled cart, and I can taste the new flavor immediately and vapor production rises.

Tearing my hair out on this one... since I only have one atomizer and it's flaky (waiting on a replacement, I can get it to vape for one cartridge only and when it starts to run dry, it dies, and only works again after numerous blowing-outs with mouth and air canister and a whole ritual of cleaning contacts and leaving to stand upright) where was I? Oh yeah, since I only have one flaky atomizer, I get to enjoy my new penstyle for around 30 minutes every day, and cuss at it for about 180. I'm also on my last pre-filled cart.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[Vicks Vap-oh-Yeah]

Have you tried to drip direct on the atty? Maybe it doesn't have quite enough liquid on the wick...

Other than that, I'm outta options.

 

[breakfastchef]

The cartridge is a pain in the ...., but also saves atomizers from going totally dry. Prefilled penstyle cartridges, for example, might hold an ml or more of liquid. That is approximately 20 drops or more of smoking liquid. In the factory, the stuffed carts are filled with syringe-like devices from the bottom up. Topping off is maybe only good for 3-6 drops.

During the day when you are out and about, you have a few options depending upon how much you want to be involved with the cartridge. You can do the top off every 6-8 draws with a few drops of liquid. If you carry a paper clip or tweezer, you can mash the cart stuffing to the bottom to wick up some of the fluid from near the mouthpiece and pull the stuffing back up to provide more liquid near the of top of the cart. You could carry several fully-filled carts and simply switch out as needed.

The bottom line, you will be doing well to get more than six really good draws of vapor off a filled cartridge.

 

[Rexa]

I suggested this in a different thread so see if this works. First off, the pre-filled cartridges had the liquid sitting in them for a while, hence, the material has been properly "imbibed' in the liquid. If you;re just topping them off rapidly then the liquid is sitting at the top with nowhere else to go but directly on the atomizer, hence, drowning it. I would prepare carts ahead of time so that the material soaks in the liquid. If you just add the liquid and then start puffing it immediately then it's just drowning the atomizer. Instead of constantly topping off, just swap carts.

This is only happening with my pen style as well because it's such a large cartridge.

I have no problem topping off with a 901, though.

I'm now just drip carefully and don't use carts with my pen. The carts seem to be a pain for it. I only use them if I'm taking it out with me and I prepared my refillables a day in advance.

 

[taz3cat]

Test, take a toothpick or somethnig and fluff your wool around, push it down and the pull it back up. Make sure there is no pool on top or you will flood that att. I push my pick down each side to let air in. then level wool with top of cart.

 

[Di]

The cartridge is a pain in the ...., but also saves atomizers from going totally dry. Prefilled penstyle cartridges, for example, might hold an ml or more of liquid. That is approximately 20 drops or more of smoking liquid. In the factory, the stuffed carts are filled with syringe-like devices from the bottom up. Topping off is maybe only good for 3-6 drops.

During the day when you are out and about, you have a few options depending upon how much you want to be involved with the cartridge. You can do the top off every 6-8 draws with a few drops of liquid. If you carry a paper clip or tweezer, you can mash the cart stuffing to the bottom to wick up some of the fluid from near the mouthpiece and pull the stuffing back up to provide more liquid near the of top of the cart. You could carry several fully-filled carts and simply switch out as needed.

The bottom line, you will be doing well to get more than six really good draws of vapor off a filled cartridge.

I am a dedicated 801 smoker

I only use carts - I DO NOT DRIP

I fill my carts from the little dripper bottles
that the liquid comes in,
I consistantly smoke my cartridges for 50 puffs
before refilling, or topping off.

The secret to cart stuffing, filling, topping off
is twofold......
1- not too much cart stuffing in there
2-get the consistency of your liquid right

5 months smoking 801 cartridges.

Di .......

 

[testerjtester]

Have you tried to drip direct on the atty? Maybe it doesn't have quite enough liquid on the wick...

Other than that, I'm outta options.

Well, I'm a little nervous about dripping on this particular atomizer, since the last time I did, just 2 drops, was the first time it died after depleting the cartridge. Of course, that was also the first cartridge I had in it, but it keeps dying once it gets a little dry, and it's 12 hours or more before I can eventually kick-start it again.

Long story short (too late, I know), I'm afraid to kill it completely before its replacement gets here...

Thanks!
Tim

 

[testerjtester]

The cartridge is a pain in the ...., but also saves atomizers from going totally dry. Prefilled penstyle cartridges, for example, might hold an ml or more of liquid. That is approximately 20 drops or more of smoking liquid. In the factory, the stuffed carts are filled with syringe-like devices from the bottom up. Topping off is maybe only good for 3-6 drops.

During the day when you are out and about, you have a few options depending upon how much you want to be involved with the cartridge. You can do the top off every 6-8 draws with a few drops of liquid. If you carry a paper clip or tweezer, you can mash the cart stuffing to the bottom to wick up some of the fluid from near the mouthpiece and pull the stuffing back up to provide more liquid near the of top of the cart. You could carry several fully-filled carts and simply switch out as needed.

The bottom line, you will be doing well to get more than six really good draws of vapor off a filled cartridge.

That's a great rundown of what to expect and what the options are, and I can tell you right now that my expectations were too high...

But at least that gives me a pretty good reference point for some new ones... so, thanks!

Tim

 

[testerjtester]

I suggested this in a different thread so see if this works. First off, the pre-filled cartridges had the liquid sitting in them for a while, hence, the material has been properly "imbibed' in the liquid. If you;re just topping them off rapidly then the liquid is sitting at the top with nowhere else to go but directly on the atomizer, hence, drowning it. I would prepare carts ahead of time so that the material soaks in the liquid. If you just add the liquid and then start puffing it immediately then it's just drowning the atomizer. Instead of constantly topping off, just swap carts.

That makes a lot of sense, and was actually something I was sort of doing with my previous e-cig, but for the most part I forgot to carry it over! Though I think I probably had let at least a few of the carts I've been trying with this penstyle lying around for a day or so and they had trouble too. But I'll try setting up a rotation and giving more time between filling and using again - how long do you let yours sit before using them?

Test, take a toothpick or somethnig and fluff your wool around, push it down and the pull it back up. Make sure there is no pool on top or you will flood that att. I push my pick down each side to let air in. then level wool with top of cart.

Good point, thanks Taz. I may have gotten a little overanxious with not getting the liquid to wick properly that I've lately been adding a little too much fluid, hoping that the mesh would suck it up. But it could be having the opposite effect in this case...

 

[testerjtester]

I am a dedicated 801 smoker

I only use carts - I DO NOT DRIP

I fill my carts from the little dripper bottles
that the liquid comes in,
I consistantly smoke my cartridges for 50 puffs
before refilling, or topping off.

The secret to cart stuffing, filling, topping off
is twofold......
1- not too much cart stuffing in there
2-get the consistency of your liquid right

5 months smoking 801 cartridges.

Di .......

Consistency is definitely what I'm looking for... So what do you consider just right for consistency of the liquid, and how do you get it there?

By the way, thanks to all for the tips, I do believe I have successfully navigated my first cartridge change without killing the atomizer, so I'll be able to take this thing to work with me for the first time tomorrow (can I get a "woo-hoo"?)!

 

[Tugger]

Others here have said a syringe from puresmoker or elsewhere will let you put the full ml or whatever directly to the middle or bottom of the cartridge instead of just a few drops.

If you filled a dozen or so cartridges at a time at home this seems like a good option.

 

[dirt2suck]

My 801 is on its way

But from what I recently found out about my 901 is kinda similar to whats been going on with your 801.

The 901 has a little chamber on the side of the cart to separate the liquid resevoir from the suction place. Well when I put a refilled cart on and puff a few it seems empty, so I suck until metalicc taste. AND what I found out was that the plastisc was actually burnin so I had to toss the few carts and start with another 5 pack. The thing is sucking dry with heat up the atomizer real hot and burn the cart. And I think, that syringe or leaving them sit or mature is the way to go


Dirt

 

[taz3cat]

I can puff on my pen carts for a long time before I refill. I change my carts often when I am out and about because I know I can burn up my att if I am not paying attention. The way I fill mine I can get to the bottem of the cart.

 

[testerjtester]

The 901 has a little chamber on the side of the cart to separate the liquid resevoir from the suction place. Well when I put a refilled cart on and puff a few it seems empty, so I suck until metalicc taste. AND what I found out was that the plastisc was actually burnin so I had to toss the few carts and start with another 5 pack.


Dirt

Yeah, that's along the lines of something I was wondering about, if it could have something to do with the way the sides of the cart fit against the size of the atomizer well, so I've tried to make sure any liquid on the sides of the cart is consistently dried off before putting the cartridge in - seems like those curved parts are there for a reason, and I wondered if an overfilled cart might leak liquid onto that area and ruin the suction or something...

 

[Autoevo]

I just got my Penstyle from PureSmokers and the first day was awesome. With a fully charged batt and my first pre filled cart, I went the whole day without having to refill or anything. Second day performance not so good. Still i hooked up a fully charged batt and a cart that i topped off that morning. I found it hard to draw and not much vapor. I started to notice that i was getting some leakage from where the atomizer and batt connected. I blew it out and to my surprise i had a crap load of liquid spill out on to the papper towel. I was kinda puzzled as to why it seemed like the cart was acting like it was dry (plus getting that burnt cart taste) but there was so much liquid. I guess i have been flooding my atomizer. I will try to fill my carts and let them sit for a day or so before i use them.

Have you had any problems with leakage?

 

[testerjtester]

Have you had any problems with leakage?

Nothing too obvious, but I have seen a little seeping out around the atomizer/battery connection, and not very often. But it's weird, because I always keep the battery side up when I'm not using it at the moment (in a shirt pocket, or in a kind of stand I improvised), and I don't drip with it.

I'm wondering now if there's something about the design that causes liquid to draw up to the top of the atomizer even when vertical... but I've started keeping the battery disconnected along with the connection side up when I'm not actively using it, and I haven't noticed anything coming out the top.

Hoping I'm nearing the end of at least the initial learning curve on these things... I wonder how many people never have a problem and everything just works? Might be a good poll idea, if it hasn't already been done...

 

[Autoevo]

Well, reason i got this style is because i read that it was one of the best performers. I had an NPro before and i liked it OK but i was constantly filling the carts and charging the batts. I wanted something that could go the distance.

 

[testerjtester]

I blew it out and to my surprise i had a crap load of liquid spill out on to the papper towel. I was kinda puzzled as to why it seemed like the cart was acting like it was dry (plus getting that burnt cart taste) but there was so much liquid. I guess i have been flooding my atomizer. I will try to fill my carts and let them sit for a day or so before i use them.

Sorry, forgot to mention earlier... it's actually normal that some liquid comes out when you blow through it, since the atomizer does hold on to a bunch of liquid - thought I'd mention that in case it was something you weren't sure about.

I've had 510 atomizers that weren't flooded (as far as I knew, anyway) spray out a surprising amount of liquid when blowing them out, so it makes sense that a penstyle would hold even more.

 

[seminolewind]

I agree with the maturing thing. I usually fill 2 801's, and takes turns with them, and have endless vape cause one sits in between uses and I guess the wick levels the juice out again.

 

[testerjtester]

Okay, I've been using a syringe to fill blank carts with my own liquid, letting them sit before using, but I'm wondering how long to wait to get the best benefit before diminishing returns - in other words, should it be mostly absorbed into the filler material after a day or so (for example), and waiting any longer doesn't really get you any better wicking ability?

I've been waiting at least a day, sometimes more, after filling a new cart or topping off another before using, for the most part. I've had a couple of carts now that I've filled and waited a day to use, and these have actually performed pretty well after topping off. Actually, I think I've been able to incorporate most of the advice I've read here, and now that it's getting to be habit, I feel a lot more confident.

Thanks!
Tim