Problem with refilling cartos

[nahuelarg86]

Hi, so I'm having some problems with refilling the Smokeless Image blank cartos I got. My problem is that no matter what juice I use, from what seller, I get very poor vapor. This didn't happen with the pre-filled cartos I got from SI, or with the CE3s I'm trying right now, which they are effing great!
I use the condom fill method for the blank cartos, and use the MrOutlaw system of filling with the condom, spinning it on a "device" and then add a few more drops. I do this with the blank ones, and the ones that came pre-filled I just add drops until saturated. But I still get very poor vapor. I get flavor, but not vapor.
Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks!

 

[Imagine]

sounds like they are either really high in PG or they are overfilled...is there gurgling?

 

[drummerskey]

Imagine, do you sleep?

Since I saw that you have the CE3s as well, I would suggest using the syringe to measure the juice you are adding to the blank cartos. I refilled some for a friend of mine who I got into vaping and I liked it that way as opposed to the condom method. I filled the syringe with .8ml of juice, kept the needle on the side of the carto and filled it until it was saturated, used the spinning method deal and then rinse and repeat.

I have had some of SI's juice in an SI carto that I got flavor from but not a lot of vapor but as it turns out, there was a breeze or something and I just didnt see the vapor. The only other times that I got flavor was when the bat had some juice and wasnt getting a connection or the coil wasn't working. You can taste the flavor (it's muted but you can taste it) when you simply take a drag off of a clearo, carto or CE3 without the battery on or working.......I do this fairly often when I use my manual because I forget to push the button.

 

[nahuelarg86]

sounds like they are either really high in PG or they are overfilled...is there gurgling?

So the juices I'm trying are all from different sellers. As far as I know I'm trying juices from the range of PG 80/20 VG to PG 75/25 VG. I have only one that is 50/50 and is the same as the others. So if you overfill the cartos they will make less vapor? I thought that the problem with overfilling was just leaking. So, I hear a gurgling but not all the time, may be like once or twice.

Imagine, do you sleep?

Since I saw that you have the CE3s as well, I would suggest using the syringe to measure the juice you are adding to the blank cartos. I refilled some for a friend of mine who I got into vaping and I liked it that way as opposed to the condom method. I filled the syringe with .8ml of juice, kept the needle on the side of the carto and filled it until it was saturated, used the spinning method deal and then rinse and repeat.

I have had some of SI's juice in an SI carto that I got flavor from but not a lot of vapor but as it turns out, there was a breeze or something and I just didnt see the vapor. The only other times that I got flavor was when the bat had some juice and wasnt getting a connection or the coil wasn't working. You can taste the flavor (it's muted but you can taste it) when you simply take a drag off of a clearo, carto or CE3 without the battery on or working.......I do this fairly often when I use my manual because I forget to push the button.

I'll try the syringe method too. So you put 0.8 ml, spin, and another 0.8 ml? How much eliquid can a carto hold? I'm sure there is no breeze because I'm in my house or in my car with the windows closed. I did notice the "breeze factor" one day, it looked like there was no vapor at all, but this is a different situation.

 

[Imagine]

yep over filling floods the wick and does not let it get hot enough

So the juices I'm trying are all from different sellers. As far as I know I'm trying juices from the range of PG 80/20 VG to PG 75/25 VG. I have only one that is 50/50 and is the same as the others. So if you overfill the cartos they will make less vapor? I thought that the problem with overfilling was just leaking. So, I hear a gurgling but not all the time, may be like once or twice.



I'll try the syringe method too. So you put 0.8 ml, spin, and another 0.8 ml? How much eliquid can a carto hold? I'm sure there is no breeze because I'm in my house or in my car with the windows closed. I did notice the "breeze factor" one day, it looked like there was no vapor at all, but this is a different situation.

 

[drummerskey]

no, just .08ml total...........but I do it a little at a time and slowly to avoid overflow. Once it is satuarated, I spin it and then add more. There are cartos and XL cartos to my understanding and the cartos say they hold 1ml but I try not to push anything, you will be adding more to "top off" when you change a battery or at the end of the day either way.

The reason why I didnt like the condom method personally is because my idea of "half" of the condom and yours may be off but as Imagine pointed out, if they are overfilled, they may not work correctly. Plus, the condom method of "wicking" is messy, there was always juice at the bottom of my carto which in my opinion is just a waste.

 

[nahuelarg86]

Thanks for the help! On a side note, I forgot to add that besides the poor vapor problem I don't know why, I'm getting also very harsh throat hit. And again, I get this regardless of what juice from what seller or the PG/VG ratio. I was reading some post that had the same problem as me, poor vapor harsh hit, and people seemed to advice to fill even more the cartos. This hard TH it almost tastes like if I was vaping alcohol...

 

[Imagine]

what level nic are you using?

Thanks for the help! On a side note, I forgot to add that besides the poor vapor problem I don't know why, I'm getting also very harsh throat hit. And again, I get this regardless of what juice from what seller or the PG/VG ratio. I was reading some post that had the same problem as me, poor vapor harsh hit, and people seemed to advice to fill even more the cartos. This hard TH it almost tastes like if I was vaping alcohol...

 

[nahuelarg86]

what level nic are you using?

1.8% on all

 

[Imagine]

it may be too much nic for you... or you have an issue with PG.

1.8% on all

 

[nahuelarg86]

it may be too much nic for you... or you have an issue with PG.

Hmm, I was wondering that maybe the problem was the sellers liquid and what they put in it. I think I'm fine with the nic percentage and PG, when I got my Volt, I got the smooth sample pack at 1.8% too, and it vaped fantastic! I think I read that SI uses 90% to 80% PG, so I don't think that could be the problem.
If I adjudge the problem to the sellers, then how come that I get the same results from 3 different vendors? I'm intrigued about this.

 

[drummerskey]

..........and dont take this the wrong way but if you get the same result from three vendors, it would be you.

If you didnt have a harsh throat hit from SI's 80%pg but now you are having issues, you are still the only factor that remains the same. It could be a reaction to PG but the nic levels may not have anything to do with the levels you buy but the frequency in your vaping. If you don't put down 6% nic for hours straight, you are still getting a lot of nic. Unless you are buying 100% vg from one of the three vendors, there is still a possible reaction to the PG. If you vaping habits are 18% nic and once an hour or so for say, 20 puffs then it would be the PG. If you started a vaping frenzy because you like it so much and you are vaping more than when you got your smooth sampler, it could still be the PG but also the nic.

I would suggest buying a 100% vg, dont change your habits and if you still have an issue, lower your nic levels. If your join date was your quit date, perhaps this will help. I started with 24% completely, then used 24% in the mornings and during the day; then bought a lot of 16% juice for the evenings. I now mix my 24% with 16% for the day and I switched all of my 24% stuff with 18% and I could go hours without vaping anything and not get any nic fits. I read about PG reactions and bought 100% VG and I dont feel any different either way so now I am buying 50/50 where I can.

Sorry so long, hope that helps.

 

[cindycated]

I know blanks are harder to get started than prefilleds. Maybe it just needs to sit for a bit? I usually let the liquid pool a little on top, let it sit for a few minutes (overnight is best), then shake it off into a condom (like a thermometer, pulled out about halfway)...harsh TH could also be the innards getting too hot from not enough liquid down there, right?

Once it gets going, it behaves just as good as the prefilleds.

 

[nahuelarg86]

I know blanks are harder to get started than prefilleds. Maybe it just needs to sit for a bit? I usually let the liquid pool a little on top, let it sit for a few minutes (overnight is best), then shake it off into a condom (like a thermometer, pulled out about halfway)...harsh TH could also be the innards getting too hot from not enough liquid down there, right?

Once it gets going, it behaves just as good as the prefilleds.

I was wondering the same thing at first, but I got mixed opinions. Some say that this happens when the carto is not full enough, but some others suggest is happens because you put too much liquid.
I think I can discard the idea of me being the problem factor, mostly because I didn't have any problems neither with SI prefilled cartos nor with MaddCatt juices. But I get a very harsh, dry, peppery, alcohol-like hit with juices from thevaporstore.com and from Awesome Cloudes. Perhaps it could be something that these vendors are putting into their mixes? My only idea is to let the harsh juices steep, I don't know.

 

[Imagine]

they could very easily be adding alcohol to their liquids... many vendors do this is it is a cheap way to create added throat hit...use some alcohol only solvent flavorings etc... you may want to check with them.

I was wondering the same thing at first, but I got mixed opinions. Some say that this happens when the carto is not full enough, but some others suggest is happens because you put too much liquid.
I think I can discard the idea of me being the problem factor, mostly because I didn't have any problems neither with SI prefilled cartos nor with MaddCatt juices. But I get a very harsh, dry, peppery, alcohol-like hit with juices from thevaporstore.com and from Awesome Cloudes. Perhaps it could be something that these vendors are putting into their mixes? My only idea is to let the harsh juices steep, I don't know.

 

[cindycated]

Also whenever I see "peppery," it tells me that the nic's too high. Like Imagine said, some vendors do things to their mixes without you asking, probably in response to a majority of their customers complaining about "not enough TH," or what have you. Upping the nic and adding ethyl alcohol increases TH for those that want it, but for the few that don't (haha like me), it can kinda suck. And yes, steeping often helps to mellow things out. Some flavors are really harsh at first (I have that problem with citrus) - that could be what you're tasting too.

Cartos can underperform when you underfill (not enough liquid making it down to the coil) AND when you overfill (coil getting flooded). When you're spinning them after filling, does the excess liquid have a way to escape? That's why I do my thermometer shake thing. The excess liquid neatly escapes into a condom (pulled halfway out), ready for the next fill. And with blank cartos, sometimes you have to do the process a couple of times to get it going, because the liquid can get suspended in the top half of the filler.

 

[bill63304]

I will be attempting to fill cartos for the first time this weekend. I have been reading watching everything on them, but I'm a little nervous that I will screw it up. One thing maybe you could clarify- in the videos, I saw them being filled by dripping the juice in while slowly spinning and then also by filling the cap and dunking the carto in the cap. I am not sure if these are two different methods or are they meant to be two steps in one method. So should I drip it in first then dunk, or just one or the other. thanks

 

[drummerskey]

Good luck!! You know, I was so very nervous when I filled the cartos for the first time and ended up being relieved by how easy it was.

What you saw was two different methods (the dripping and filling the cap). For me, I have done three: one was the condom method, one was dripping and spinning and one was syringe (so that I know how much is going in because I found it impossible to count drops). I am sure that after this weekend, you will be a carto refilling machine.