Question after question!

[Kathibg57]

Hello again!
More questions:
What is the purpose of/for dual coil cartos? Why would one use dual over single coil cartos and anything else you can think of info-wise along the lines of these questions?
thanks as always,
kathi

 

[Baditude]

Theoretically, two coils should produce twice the vapor of a single coil. Theory doesn't always work out in real life situations. The following addresses cartomizers only, not clearomizers which use a different wick system altogether from cartomizers.

I started out using dual coil cartomizers in my cartotanks. After a short time in use, I would often notice my flavors getting a burnt taste after initially tasting great. I had seen that many had switched over to single coil cartomizers in their DCT tanks, so I thought that I'd give them a try myself. I did, and I've never gone back to a dual coil carto.

I get better and consistant flavor with no burnt taste. I get just as much vapor production. And since my batteries are only powering one coil instead of two, I get longer battery life.

MY THEORY is that the upper coil in dual coil cartos doesn't get enough juice to the coil because the wick holes in the carto are placed low where the first coil is. The top coil would be in the mid/upper half of the carto. When initially primed, the upper coil has plenty of juice surrounding it, but after vaping for a while the juice level in the carto settles down to the level of the bottom coil where the wick hole is, leaving the top coil dry and prone to burn the filler resulting in that burnt taste I so often experienced.


Cut away of a punched cartomizer; red arrows show the direction of juice flow in the carto. (click image to enlarge)

 

[John_]

Carto's don't wick well, you're relying on the materials ability to pull the liquid against gravity usually with small holes to let liquid in as well. The bigger the holes the more juice you will get (often flooding if the holes are too big) and the thinner the liquid (usually higher percentage of PG). Dual coil cartos make this problem worse because there is a second coil which is higher and farther away from the juice holes. If you don't hit a dual coil carto very hard or have a high pg liquid the poor wicking will not affect you as much.
With 2 coils (dual coil) you have two heating coils instead of one, if your battery is supplying the same voltage you will get about double the vapor, provided the carto is wet enough.

 

[Kathibg57]

Theoretically, two coils should produce twice the vapor of a single coil. Theory doesn't always work out in real life situations. The following addresses cartomizers only, not clearomizers which use a different wick system altogether from cartomizers.

I started out using dual coil cartomizers in my cartotanks. After a short time in use, I would often notice my flavors getting a burnt taste after initially tasting great. I had seen that many had switched over to single coil cartomizers in their DCT tanks, so I thought that I'd give them a try myself. I did, and I've never gone back to a dual coil carto.

I get better and consistant flavor with no burnt taste. I get just as much vapor production. And since my batteries are only powering one coil instead of two, I get longer battery life.

MY THEORY is that the upper coil in dual coil cartos doesn't get enough juice to the coil because the wick holes in the carto are placed low where the first coil is. The top coil would be in the mid/upper half of the carto. When initially primed, the upper coil has plenty of juice surrounding it, but after vaping for a while the juice level in the carto settles down to the level of the bottom coil where the wick hole is, leaving the top coil dry and prone to burn the filler resulting in that burnt taste I so often experienced.

View attachment 284268
Cut away of a punched cartomizer; red arrows show the direction of juice flow in the carto. (click image to enlarge)

Ok...first, thank you for all of your help in clearing up so much of my confusion! Next, of course, comes another question...
I definitely find that I'm burning through cartos pretty quick and have found (yes, all by myself) that I believe the top of my carto definitely appears to dry out (due to my heavy vaping?)...do you think I might do better with a clearo? Any suggestions?
Thanks again,
Kathi

 

[devauto]

Well, I use clearos exclusively (Protank 2 and iSmoka BCC) and have no issues with them. I made the switch after finally getting tired of burnt cartos (what a FOUL taste BTW) about 8 months ago.

That said, if you like the carto system, then I would recommend keeping the carto topped off with juice, which should help alleviate the problems with the drying out. However, with heavy vaping, that may be difficult to do, both from a timing perspective as well as a wicking perspective.

I would suggest that perhaps you could pick up a clearo and give it a try, this is really the only way for you to decide if it will work for you. Even with nothing but glowing reviews and recommendations, if YOU don't like it, then it just doesn't matter.

HTH

 

[Kathibg57]

Well, I use clearos exclusively (Protank 2 and iSmoka BCC) and have no issues with them. I made the switch after finally getting tired of burnt cartos (what a FOUL taste BTW) about 8 months ago.

I would suggest that perhaps you could pick up a clearo and give it a try, this is really the only way for you to decide if it will work for you. Even with nothing but glowing reviews and recommendations, if YOU don't like it, then it just doesn't matter.

HTH

So true, so true...guess I have to just bite the bullet and try one (after paying for the Xmas season!).
Thanks!

 

[Baditude]

I definitely find that I'm burning through cartos pretty quick and have found (yes, all by myself) that I believe the top of my carto definitely appears to dry out (due to my heavy vaping?)...do you think I might do better with a clearo? Any suggestions?
Thanks again,
Kathi

I personally like cartomizers over clearomizers as I feel they make better flavor, but I put them in a cartotank where I can easily see when the tanks need to be refilled with juice. The cartos used in cartotanks are pre-punched with wick holes, so as you vape the carto pulls juice from the tank to refill the carto. Cartotanks will have a liquid capacity of 2 - 6 ml, so you won't have to refill them as often as a cartomizer used alone.



CARTOTANK SETUP GUIDE


One downside with cartomizers used solo (not used in a cartotank) is most use steel tubes so you can't see the juice level to know exactly when to fill them. Your observation of the top of the filler material appears to be dry is common and actually normal. Even a fully filled carto will soon look dry on top once you have been vaping for a few minutes. The juice gets sucked down to the bottom of the cartomizer where the heating coil is located. (see image provided in my first post in this thread) The solution is to frequently "top off" the cartomizer as you vape. Allowing the filler to get too dry will allow the heating coil to scorch the filler leading to a burnt taste that will never go away once it occurs.


There are products which are clear which allow you to see the juice level and more easily know when to re-fill them.

Clear Cartomizers: These are larger capacity cartomizers, and are available in a clear plastic to be able to see your juice.

Nano Clearomizers: These are clearomizers which are the size and shape of a cartomizer. They only hold 1 ml of liquid. Many people carry a few of these around and keep different flavors in them; others use these to sample new flavors before commiting a flavor to an entire tank. These are filled by removing the mouthpiece. They can be re-used; but are considered to be disposable after about 2 - 3 weeks steady use.

Clearomizers: These use an entirely different wicking system than cartomizers. A cartomizer uses a big wad of polyfill which totally surrounds the heating coil. Clearomizers use silica string wicks to draw liquid to the heating coil. There are many models to choose from, and they have a capacity of 1.5ml to 3 ml. Simple to fill by either removing the top or the bottom, depending upon the model.

There are two types of clearomizers: top coil and bottom coil. Top coil are filled from the top and may produce a warmer vapor. Bottom coil are filled from the bottom (turned upside down) and may produce a cooler vapor.

Some clearomizers have replaceable coil heads which can be used to prolong the use of these tanks. After 2 - 3 weeks of use, the coil heads eventually stop wicking or producing good flavor/vapor and it is then time to replace the coil head, available wherever you purchased the clearomizer.

IS IT A CARTO, A TANK, OR WHAT?

Nano clearomizers

top-coil clearomizer showing the replaceable coil head

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Ok...first, thank you for all of your help in clearing up so much of my confusion! Next, of course, comes another question...
I definitely find that I'm burning through cartos pretty quick and have found (yes, all by myself) that I believe the top of my carto definitely appears to dry out (due to my heavy vaping?)...do you think I might do better with a clearo? Any suggestions?
Thanks again,
Kathi

Two weeks after starting to vape I discovered carto tanks and never looked back or had to worry about dried out/ burnt carto filler.
My cartos in a carto tank last:
dark juice- 50-60 ml
light juice- 80-90 ml
YMMV