Question for you refillers out there...

[uzzaperez]

My refill attempts have not been very succesful, not so much because of my method - I've tried both methods, but because I burn the batting in the cartos. I can't seem to get away from this, even when I try to be careful. It's like I have to choose between either being excessively tender with the carts or vaping them until I taste the batting and then tossing them out.

Topping off with five or so drops in the battery end extends the cart life, but judging when to do it is guess work and I see people talking about multiple refills and washing the carts out for reuse, etc. I don't get it. I don't understand how you are making that work. Either I have to be so careful that it is not convenient, or I end up burning the batting. What gives? What's your method for achieving success with multiple refills?

I wish they'd wrap the fillament in a more heat resistant material like the fiberglass hairs in the Greencig cartos.

 

[uzzaperez]

Oh yeah, let me go ahead and save a some anti-refillers from making this comment by just going ahead and making it for you:

The cartomizers are designed to be disposable. Use and toss.

I know this, but many folks out there are claiming great success with their refills. How? It's not happening for me

 

[JLeigh]

There is no way I'm going to toss cartos after one use lol. I simply couldn't afford to use this model if I had to do that, so I'm completely pro-refilling.

With that being said, I had some trouble at first because I did vape them too dry and because my technique wasn't down pat. It does take a little bit to figure out when that cut-off point is. What exactly is happening? Are they tasting burnt when you refill them, or is there no flavor, or no vapor?

 

[uzzaperez]

What is happening is generally I top off through the battery end to try and extend the cart life. Sooner or later I get that burnt taste. A couple of times I've gone ahead and pulled the guts out of the carto to see what I'm burning and it is always the filament burning through its wrapping and usually also burning the batting.

It looks like I've found some good new advice to try here:

forum/vapor4life/43224-dead-dying-carto

& here:

forum/vapor4life/43352-cartos-getting-hot-passthrough

In one of those threads the man who knows said:
you are puffing too hard, soft....long, and NO issues then, you will also get much better vapor, as welll
Steve
Treat the VK like a women(man)soft, and gentle, you will be rewarded

Looks like I'll be trying out some new draw technique and refilling strategy.

 

[DanF]

I havent babied ANY of my cartos, and get at least 3 refills from each one, plus some topping off in between. Any by not babied, I mean I get some of them really really hot on the passthrough(chain vaping or whatever).
The minute the flavor diminishes/changes, I take it off and either refill or put aside to be refilled later.

As JLeigh asked, what exactly is not working for you?

Edit: posted simultaneously, ignore above question.

 

[JLeigh]

Have you watched the refilling videos at the top of this forum? I'm not sure if that's what you meant when you said you tried both methods.

 

[crashtestjeep]

look up refilling cartomizers on youtube, there it shows u to use a paperclip in the mouth end to poke out the polyfilll holder and resoak in juice or add drops. or look up dripping and remove the filler, drop direct on the mesh on the atty and drop n vapew/out the filler. that method requires dripping every time u use it. refilling -considering they hold such a small amnt, id say refill every third time using it heavily.... I dont use carto style anymore so there may be more helpful info out there, searching the threads will help u to learn almost anything, I think this forum will soon invent the vaporizing time machine! lol!

 

[bornagainst]

I can't explain it better than:

I use my cart for a while, and then toss it in the Coffee Mug on my desk.

Once every couple of days, I refill a bunch of the same flavor, and toss them in the box with the full carts.

All I can do, really. I don't vape to bone dry anymore, thankfully.

 

[AZAndy]

I don't think I'd drip into the hole on the battery side. That juice isn't going to know where to go and some will get trapped between the cap and the o-ring. Better to get the cap off, pluck the o-ring out, and either drip or inject into the batting. When the very top of the batting is still dry but you can see the juice underneath, put it all back together. If the top of the batting is soaking wet, you're going to get leakage.

Forgot to mention: put the plug and cap on the bottom before refilling. I kept forgetting to do this and made messes.

 

[JenJen]

I have tried just refilling with a complimentary flavor, and that works ok. What really seems to work best for me (and I just tried it on a whim because I was really in the mood for banana) is to remove the endcap and ring, hold it under warm running water for about 45 seconds, blow it out a few times, tap it on a paper towel a few times and blow again, dry off the battery end with paper towel, tilt the carto and drop 18-20 drops into the batting (3 drops at a time, then rotate and drop on another section) put the ring and cap back on, pop on a batt and vape away.

I have to admit, I was sceptical, but this has been working great for me, and takes 2 minutes.

 

[cr12]

jen thats what i do as well, so far ive been vaping for 3 wks or so, havent burned up but one cart, ive refilled a couple 4-5x with no problems so far.

 

[PhoenixRising]

I also refill from the mouth piece end. I use a dental pick to remove the white cap and the translucent O ring. Then I drop about 18 drops in while holding the cartomizers at a slight angle. I add a final drop or two to the side that still looks white. I also use the plunger method to be sure I get the juice all the way into the cart. With the endcaps still off, I take one of the rubber condoms and place it over the mouthpiece end. With my fingers just below where the condom ends (to hold the condom from sliding down on the cartomizer) I then use my other hand to push the condom up and down a few times. This "plunges" the the juice in and seems to also do a great job removing any juice from the center hole if it splashed in during refilling.

Basically I use KC's method (Cartomizer refilling: the movie) and add the plunger method to it.

I don't bother rinsing mine out first, I just do the complimentary flavor thing. The example I always use: Start with a Pineapple Cart, refill with Banana Juice, refill with Banana Split, Refill with Banana Cream Surprise, Refill with Blackberries and Cream (note my juices come from several different places but they all taste better in Cartomizers).

As you can see from this example, BlackBerries and Cream would not taste good with Pineapple, but by the end of the refill process I have followed a trail of tastes, no rinsing required. Another benefit to this method is I don't have to keep up with a can of empty carts to refill, I just use one all day and then I can toss it while still getting several refills out of it. For me this is easier and requires a lot less planning!

 

[keyzygirl]

Have you ever tried adding 5 or 6 drops while the carto is on the manual battery? I did it yesterday with a coffee carto and it lasted a few more hours.I just popped off the cap and o-ring and added.Put it back on and vaped.Is this a bad idea?

 

[leeshor]

Have you ever tried adding 5 or 6 drops while the carto is on the manual battery? I did it yesterday with a coffee carto and it lasted a few more hours.I just popped off the cap and o-ring and added.Put it back on and vaped.Is this a bad idea?

It's not a bad idea until the juice gets into the battery. Then it's a really bad idea. Even if by accident it will not make you very happy with the results.

 

[HaploVoss]

It's not a bad idea until the juice gets into the battery. Then it's a really bad idea. Even if by accident it will not make you very happy with the results.

I think that was the point though in being sure to mention the *manual* battery.... there is no opening in a manual battery for juice to leak down into.

 

[leeshor]

I think that was the point though in being sure to mention the *manual* battery.... there is no opening in a manual battery for juice to leak down into.

Missed that, my bad!

 

[keyzygirl]

So is it okay?? cuz its quicker and easier,When Im busy And running around.I dont want to do the wrong thing.

 

[keyzygirl]

Nobody wants to answer me?? How sad.I guess its okay then?

 

[Panda04]

Nobody wants to answer me?? How sad.I guess its okay then?

Kezy,

On a manual battery it's fine. It shouldn't be able to get into the battery if you over fill because the battery is plugged.

Now if the plug isn't in tightly some might be able to leak in to it. So check your plugs.

Andy

 

[Scottbee]

Nobody wants to answer me?? How sad.I guess its okay then?

If you're going to go that route (and I personally don't see anything wrong with it as long as the batteries are sealed) you might want to try and locate a 901 whistle tip cartridge. Pull out the filler and cut down the extension (the part that goes into the atomizer) by about 1/8". That will now fit into the cartomizer where the white cap used to go.

You'll end up with a whistle tip, which many people prefer over the round cartomizer tips... and it's really easy to pull the tip off in order to add your drops. It's a lot harder to lose too!

But... it makes your PV about 3/4" longer!