Reservoir Straw & Plug Mod (RSP Mod)

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a2dcovert

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I should also mention that somewhere in this thread I thought I saw someone talking about a needle(ish) type thing that you can buy at the hobby store to put the liquid in without removing the plug...

We use that very thing at work for glue, so if it can handle that I am quite confident that it can handle the "juice"

For my fellow canucks that are reading this, the juice I used with my setup was from vapables

Here is the thread I started on the subject. There are links to several choices. I recommend the needle tip bottle for refilling a plug modded cart. If you don't have to remove the plug to refill.


Kevin
 

kristin

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Ok, um...figured out my problem. I forgot to put the STRAW in the cart!! LOL :oops: Couldn't figure out why it was so bad, lol. I never thought to look into the cart for the straw!! 8-o

I think the plug center gets sucked into the straw a bit with use, which keeps it from going into the atty as it dries.

OK, I put the straw back in. I'm experimenting again, though. I cut the straw in half, lengthwise, so it looks like a "C" on the ends. Same length. Still notched the mouth end. Taking out 1/2 the straw should leave more room for additional liquid.

I'll report back!

*mutters to self...feel stupid...mumble, mumble...*
 

kristin

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Ok guys, what do you think about this for a straw mod:

strawlegs.jpg


Basically cutting a ring on legs out of the straw. Same length straw we are currently using - maybe a little shorter. Would leave the majority of the reservoir open and a ring at the top to hold the plug and secure it from being pulled into the atty.

If you squeeze the plug into it a bit, it'll hold the plug there, yet let the plug fan out above it, in the cart opening, to expand to fill the cart opening.
 
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kristin

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OK, one more that may fix the refill issue:

strawwithtab.jpg


The tab sticks out of the cart about 2mm. The total height of it is about 7mm, so the top of the straw is recessed 5mm, like it currently is.

The plug is inserted into the ring just enough to hold it and the top of the plug is flush with the top of the cart, then "fluffed out" to fill the top of the cart.

For refills, pull the tab just enough to reveal the open space in the straw below. Drip into that space to fill, slide back into the cart - never have to touch the plug itself.

What do you think?
 

pcure

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Oct 30, 2009
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Hi there, I am curious to know if any of you have tried the large buf puf sponge, I bought one thats says "regular" and it dosent seem to have any additives, the smaller ones that I assume everyone is using say to contain a cleanser that I really dont want to vape.
The link can be found at googling the 3m web page has a store where you can see the description of the large and small buf pufs.
Any thoughts?

will the blue fish tank foam work better than this, anyone tried it?
I currently vape with a M702 which ha a very small cartridge so the dimensions everyone is discussing about wont apply for mine, anyone tried this with the M702?
 

kristin

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Hi there, I am curious to know if any of you have tried the large buf puf sponge, I bought one thats says "regular" and it dosent seem to have any additives, the smaller ones that I assume everyone is using say to contain a cleanser that I really dont want to vape.
The link can be found at googling the 3m web page has a store where you can see the description of the large and small buf pufs.
Any thoughts?

will the blue fish tank foam work better than this, anyone tried it?
I currently vape with a M702 which ha a very small cartridge so the dimensions everyone is discussing about wont apply for mine, anyone tried this with the M702?
Only one person is using the smaller one with soap. I've only been using the larger one and cutting it down to size. I use the Walgreen's brand buff puff.

Yes, some people are finding success using the straw and blue foam!
 

kristin

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OK, guys, the straw cut into the "C" shape doesn't hold the plug in the cart.

Now I'm trying the other straw mod. Instead of cutting out a square shape, I cut out 2 REALLY wide and long notches - almost to the top of the straw - leaving two "legs" for the straw to stand on.

Strawtallnotch.jpg


I'll let you know how it goes!
 
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Hey all,
Long time lurker, first time posting...
I have tried a lot of the mods on here, and so far this has been the best experience I've had with vapin'. One thing tho is I've tried with the BP material and it just didn't work for me. Too much fussin' with an over sized pad trying to get dimensions right. I've found with the scotch brite no scratch pads that there are layers as described with the BP stuff. you just have to spread it apart a little and there they are. also, when you first wash out the pad and let it dry, it does tend to shrink a bit but when turned to the side like the BP its just the right size for the 510's cart. so far I've vaped all my carts dry, and its worked on thick and thin juice.

I'm gonna try the new refill mod but I really havent had too much fuss with pullin filler out. I took a Chaps male manicure set and converted it to hold some extra batts, attys, and a set of tweezers. I just take filler out set in case, fill, and put back in cart.


Anyways, I wanted to say thank you for all the work that has been done. Also on the new straw mod with just the legs and the o-ring, I would think the legs would buckle if not cut exactly to right length. I remembered back when you guys were talkin bout having just a ring in the cart and I tried that with a fast food straw. i cut maybe 2 to 3mm off the top of the straw, then snipped it so i could roll it to the size of the top of cart and so it would lay on the ledges, filled and put filler on top. it worked but after a few times it would grab on the filler and come out with it, or it would compress a lil and get shoved in the cart a bit... if it was a complete circle without the snip i think it could work or if i would glue it in place it would work... i didnt have any leaks.

well thanks again,
Marko
 

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a2dcovert

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OK, guys, the straw cut into the "C" shape doesn't hold the plug in the cart.

Now I'm trying the other straw mod. Instead of cutting out a square shape, I cut out 2 REALLY wide and long notches - almost to the top of the straw - leaving two "legs" for the straw to stand on.

Strawtallnotch.jpg


I'll let you know how it goes!

I have taken your straw shape and converted it to my dual stirring straws. I used slightly smaller straws for this mod, these are 3mm in diameter. The straws I was using were 4mm. The length of the straws is 14mm. The plug I use is the Walgreens PB material. I cut the plug at 5mm wide x 6mm long and the height is determined by placing the plug into the cart and cutting off the small bit that sticks up above cart rim.

I discovered that the "hit" factor is determined by PGA content. If you put too much in the mix the vape at 5 volts is a little too harsh. I thought I was leaning the cart out but that wasn't the case. So I am using the same cart construction for both the Protege and the Prodigy, I just use different juice mix.

The PB material does lose some of it's structure due to heat and the juice but still holds up better than the stock filler and the marineland blue foam. I'll see how this works over the next few days.

Kevin
 

Scottbee

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Sep 18, 2009
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I've been conspicuously absent from this thread because.. well... I have something that is working exceptionally well for me .. and, well, I just don't see it getting much better in the immediate time-frame. I've tried some of the recent developments, and have found myself going back to my "old faithful". Not to downplay straws, or Buff-Puffs... or blue foam.. or anything else. They are all good developments and I salute those who are forging forward. But here is what is working for me:

First off, I use a 901 whistle tip cartridge. I personally love the way it feels in my lips, and the liquid capacity is better than the 510 equivalent. This is what an empty 901 whistle tip looks like:

Img_0128.jpg

Img_0129.jpg


Note that it has a "D" shaped internal profile, only one "vent", and no ledge.

I use a spring to support my "plug". The best spring that I have found so far comes from a cheapo bank pen. Note that the spring has a flared end:

Img_0136.jpg


That end fits almost perfectly into the base of the 901 cart. I open it up just a little bit so it is an "interference fit"... you have to push it down into the cartridge... but then it stays there.

I trim the non-flared end of the spring down. The length depends on what type of liquid is going to be run in the cartridge. Thin watery PG gets a long spring.... so that the plug/pad ends up flush with the top lip of the cartridge. Thicker VG liquid (my favorite) gets a spring that is shorter. The pad ends up about 1mm below the cartridge lip.

I then "clean up" and flare the end that I just cut. This will create a larger support ring for the pad to sit on. I then insert the spring down into the cartridge. It will look like this:

Img_0144.jpg


You can tell that's an old 901 cartridge... and it has gotten plenty hot before. The edges of the cartridge have "softened" a bit before.

I have a little factory where I make tons of plug pads in advance. I've posted this pic before. I take a 5/16" punch and knock out a bunch of plugs from a blue non-scratch Scotch Brite pad. Then I take a flush-cut side cutter and knock off the edge to make the "D" shape. I knock out a bunch of these and tend to replace them every 2 days or so:

Dsc00762.jpg


I then fill the cartridge (13 to 20 drops, depending on the drop size) and put the plug on/in. The picture below shows a completed cartridge. You can tell this is a PG cartridge because the plug is flush with the top lip of the cart:

Img_0133.jpg


And there you have it! The way I know that my carts are good and that they are working right is simple: THE SIZZLE! When a 510 atty is working right, and the cart is feeding just the right amount of liquid.... you will hear that distinct sizzle and crackle. And you'll get tons of vapor!

I'm not saying this approach is right for everybody... but dayum it is working well for me!
 

a2dcovert

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The best mod is always what works the best for you. Thats why there are so many different ideas out there. I only use the 510 with the stock carts. I'd like to have something like a punch to make the plugs easier.

I'm not through experimenting and have been looking to see if I can find a spring that will work with the 510 stock carts. But haven't had any luck yet.

Kevin

PS: I like you listen to my PV for that good sizzle sound. You can tell a lot about the performance by the sound the atty makes, or doesn't make.
 
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TheBigD

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After reading through a couple of threads, i decided to try a "straw mod".

We happen to have flexi-straws here at the house, so I cut some off so it sits about 1/16 of an inch below the end of the cart (510). I then cut a plug of the polyfill that came in the cart, filled to the end of the straw, put the polyfillin, a couple drops on that, and put it into the atty.

Wow! Way more vapor production. I did this about five minutes ago, so we'll see how long it lasts, but it is a huge difference already.

Super easy, and so far it works!
 

eclypse

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I cant believe that you have not melted that straw with it that close to the coil. 1 16th below the lip sounds nuts to me. If i were you i'd check that straw. With it that low, its only about an 8th of an inch from the coil.

Ever see what a cart edge looks like if you insert it wrong? heh it will look alot worse then Scottbee's cart edge in his resent pics. The straw is alot thinner then that cart edge. If it has not happend yet.. wait till see gets near dry and the heat really pics up.
 

Scottbee

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Once again, I like all of these mods and I salute those who have taken the time to work on them and share them with all of us.

As I mentioned before, I am currently using the vertical spring with the blue Scotch Brite pad. It has another advantage that I mentioned a long time ago, but would like to redress.

The Buff Puff and blue foam "plugs" rely on "horizontal compression" of the media to control the flow of the liquid. If you are flooding your atomizer you use more material.. squeeze it, and fit it onto the cartridge opening. If you are getting a burned taste and the atomizer is "starving", reduce the amount of material. That's all good.

The "pad" style relies on "axial" compression of the material. If the atomizer is flooding, you make the spring or straw a bit longer. If the atomizer is starved, reduce the length of the spring or straw. Different mechanism, same result.

BUT.... there is a trick that you can use with axial compression that you can't do with horizontal compression. You can control the amount of compression by changing the amount of engagement between the cart and the atomizer.

Example: I make a cartridge that works perfectly with the thinnest liquid I have... some PG 555. When the cart is installed it looks like this:

Img_0148.jpg


Note that the cartridge is completely "seated" on the atomizer.

Now, if I refill that cartridge with a thick fluid like an NHaler HV or some of my VG juice.... the atomizer will starve for fluid and I'll get a burnt taste. Solution... pull the cartridge out just a bit until I get the correct flow-rate. When I start to get a nice atomizer sizzle.. it will look like this:

Img_0151.jpg


The real beauty of this is that I only have to make one cart style and I can use it for all of my liquids by just setting the "throttle" position. The other beauty is that (despite our wishes and desires), not all atomizers "wick" and perform exactly the same. By using this "throttle" idea, you can dial-in almost any atomizer and get it to work properly.

This is perhaps one of my favorite features of the "axial spring and pad" style mod.

My $.02!
 

TheBigD

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I cant believe that you have not melted that straw with it that close to the coil. 1 16th below the lip sounds nuts to me. If i were you i'd check that straw. With it that low, its only about an 8th of an inch from the coil.

Ever see what a cart edge looks like if you insert it wrong? heh it will look alot worse then Scottbee's cart edge in his resent pics. The straw is alot thinner then that cart edge. If it has not happend yet.. wait till see gets near dry and the heat really pics up.

No issue yet! I didn't measure it, of course, I just eyeballed it based on the other attempts made. It looks just about identical to the diagram earlier in the thread. The foam/polyfill, when rolled up to insert is about the size of 00 buckshot or a loose skateboard bearing from the early 80s.

Maybe the liquid itself keeps it cool? I have no clue how hot attys get--maybe no hot enough to melt the plastic?

I went to bed last night at about 4:30 and the cart was still going, and is still going as I write this. It outlasted a full battery from last night!

If I get a plastic hit I will report ASAP--if I am still alive. Fortune favors the brave!
 

kristin

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Once again, I like all of these mods and I salute those who have taken the time to work on them and share them with all of us.

As I mentioned before, I am currently using the vertical spring with the blue Scotch Brite pad. It has another advantage that I mentioned a long time ago, but would like to redress.

The Buff Puff and blue foam "plugs" rely on "horizontal compression" of the media to control the flow of the liquid. If you are flooding your atomizer you use more material.. squeeze it, and fit it onto the cartridge opening. If you are getting a burned taste and the atomizer is "starving", reduce the amount of material. That's all good.

The "pad" style relies on "axial" compression of the material. If the atomizer is flooding, you make the spring or straw a bit longer. If the atomizer is starved, reduce the length of the spring or straw. Different mechanism, same result.

BUT.... there is a trick that you can use with axial compression that you can't do with horizontal compression. You can control the amount of compression by changing the amount of engagement between the cart and the atomizer.

Example: I make a cartridge that works perfectly with the thinnest liquid I have... some PG 555. When the cart is installed it looks like this:

Img_0148.jpg


Note that the cartridge is completely "seated" on the atomizer.

Now, if I refill that cartridge with a thick fluid like an NHaler HV or some of my VG juice.... the atomizer will starve for fluid and I'll get a burnt taste. Solution... pull the cartridge out just a bit until I get the correct flow-rate. When I start to get a nice atomizer sizzle.. it will look like this:

Img_0151.jpg


The real beauty of this is that I only have to make one cart style and I can use it for all of my liquids by just setting the "throttle" position. The other beauty is that (despite our wishes and desires), not all atomizers "wick" and perform exactly the same. By using this "throttle" idea, you can dial-in almost any atomizer and get it to work properly.

This is perhaps one of my favorite features of the "axial spring and pad" style mod.

My $.02!

Scott, as the cart empties and the plug dries, what keeps it out of the atty? Does it get held between the bridge coil and the spring?

Also, does the spring get compressed when you put the cart on the atty then? Meaning, it then pushes out against the bridge when in place, basically pinching the pad between the spring and the bridge? Have you tried this on a regular 510 cart yet? (Since so many people use the 510, it'd be nice to find a consistant mod for the 510, too!)
 

kristin

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I cut the plug at 5mm wide x 6mm long and the height is determined by placing the plug into the cart and cutting off the small bit that sticks up above cart rim.
Kevin

Only 6mm long? Does that even fill the opening? I thought the interior dimensions of the cart opening was about 4mm X 7mm? I imagine there being a space left at the ends at this length? I must be picturing it wrong.
 
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