Reusing Cartomizer's

[Mohamed]

I have only been vaping for 1 and half weeks. I have 5 assorted cartomizer's that came with my eblu starter kit and 5 regular tobacco cartomizers that I purchased separately. Very early on, soon after buying the starter kit, I watched a few youtube video's on how to refill these with eliquid for much cheaper than buying and disposing. The videos said you could refill them maybe 3 times. I'm not organized but I think most of them are approaching that point of 3 times maybe even 4.

My question is how do I know when I can't refill them? Will the atomizer quit working? Does that just mean that it will no longer be able to produce vapor? Will it ruin my battery if I refill them too many times?

Once the atty quits working is it broken for good or is that the point I can try and rescue them by either boiling or soaking in vodka?

I have an ego-c on they way and I've been told those atty's last 4 weeks or so. Again how do I know when it's dead and can I boil or vodka soak those as well?

 

[Thunderball]

I would use them until they either dont vape any more, the vape is very hard to pull through it, but more importantly, does not taste good (having a burnt taste). There is no time line to this. Just keep soaked with juice. Dont let them run dry.

I personnaly do not soak/clean these as I do with all of my other bottom or top feeders. I just go until dead. Some may last a few days, the better ones may last a few weeks.

 

[cyberwolf]

The most likely clue that they should be disposed of will be a decrease in flavor and vapor and a maybe a tighter draw. Cleaning them may help at this point, but it may also be a lot more trouble than it's worth.

If they fail completely and don't heat up at all anymore, then they're probably ready for the trash. The only way to know for sure is to test resistance with a multimeter. I would also highly recommend testing with a multimeter after cleaning. Cleaning will often kill a carto and nothing is worse than filling a carto and then finding out it's bad.

The only way that they're going to damage a battery is if they have a dead short.

 

[sawlight]

3 times? I used to get 20-30 times out of mine! You don't need to do anything if you are staying with the same juice, just refill and go, if you are changing flavors then you will need to wash them in hot water, or boil them, then let them dry out for a few days then refill with the juice you want.
They will taste burnt and if you look at the top of them it will have a dark brown of black color on the top of the filling when they are done.

 

[Mohamed]

3 times? I used to get 20-30 times out of mine!

I'm just going off of what the internet and youtube tells me Video I saw think said you could do 3/4 times and I knew I was getting to the point and wondered if I shouldn't go get some more. I wasn't horribly impressed with eblu flavors and would just smoke them to empty them so I could refill. I hope I get 20-30 times out of mine.

I'm also not sure if it damages them but my first couple of attempts I got some down the inner tube where atty is and not supposed to I hear. I'm also learning how much to use. Sometimes when I screw on to battery juice leaks all over the place.

 

[Kenavides]

The only real answer for you is to try and fail and learn from it. Otherwise, keep researching and draw your own conclusions. There are too many variables here - juice color, thickness, ohms, voltage, pg/vg ratios, brand of atty's (and the factor of mass-production) - to get a straight answer. Good luck!

 

[sawlight]

The only real answer for you is to try and fail and learn from it. Otherwise, keep researching and draw your own conclusions. There are too many variables here - juice color, thickness, ohms, voltage, pg/vg ratios, brand of atty's (and the factor of mass-production) - to get a straight answer. Good luck!

I agree with this for sure!
After filling them, don't put the cap on and lightly blow from the battery end into a paper towel. This will get the excess juice out of the air tube, this will help keep juice from getting into/onto the battery.

 

[chellemakepeace]

I reuse mine way more than 3 or 4 times. I am probably approaching 10 on some, perhaps even more.

If I get a burnt taste, I toss them, or if they stop working.

 

[Gixxerman]

I suppose like a lot of people I started the same way although in my checking the net I soon came across the world of flavours & rejoicing e go type cartomisers.
But I wanted to try things out before getting too involves so I bought a pack of disposables & an extra battery.
I also quickly read up on how to refill the starter e cigs as if you use them as supposedly disposable they work out pretty expensive compared.
I just refill & use them until the flavour goes & the slightly burnt taste appears, but that's just me being a scrooge as I quickly moved on to CE4 & 5 cartomisers (and am awaiting a dual coil 6ml tank to try out )

 

[dormouse]

I can use a good quality cartomizer for a week or more (for me that is 2 weeks, vaping that carto 1/2 the time, because I use 2 models at once). I vape (I think) maybe 3-4ml per day of thin (around 80PG/20VG) light-colored clear juice with no particle residue (cloudy or opaque juices often have particle residue that clogs up cartomizers). Thin clear light-colored juices help cartomizers not get clogged up.

Sweet juices (even light thin clear ones) still have a tendency to need a fresh cartomizer sooner. I think the sweetener may gunk up the carto a bit quicker. But the main reason is sweet juices won't taste sweet if they aren't in a clean carto or if the carto has been even slightly singed by dragging it too dry. Singe is bitter and that cancels sweet. With clear non-sweet juice I can often get twice as much use out of a carto as long as I keep it damp (and the non-sweet juice can even coexist w/ a bit of singe)

I keep my cartomizers damp all the time. I do not "reuse" cartomizers - I continue to use cartomizers. I use a drip tip instead of the cartomizer endcap so I can easier pop that off to look in and see if the top of the stuffing has gone white i.e dry-looking. I can also judge how low the carto is on juice by the weight of the carto alone (off battery, no drip tip). When I add juice I do it with carto off of the battery and I make sure the carto isn't leaking and doesn't look like it will leak (if it looks too wet I gently stick a soft bunch of tissue in, tilt the open end down and puff lightly into the threaded end to get excess juice out.

Alternately you can run the cartos down to almost dry and try to avoid singeing them, then do a big refill at your convenience with whatever filling method you want.

Re cleaning - I don't try to clean cartomizers. When I start a new cartomizer I want it to be clean and work like new. Re cleaning atomizers. I used to use atomizers but they seemed to degrade despite frequent cleaning, and atomizer cartridges generally need to be filled more often than cartomizer. I prefer cartomizers for vaping my all-day vapes. I use a drip tip and atomizer to try new juices and to vape rarely used juices at home.

I would use cartomizers on that Ego - I like these on my Ego-type devices and they also don't seem to hurt my slim 510 manuals (3.2v batteries) - they may be OK on Blu too: Smoktek 2.5ohm Single Coil http://www.madvapes.com/smok-tech-510-2-5-ohm-cartomizers-single-coil.html

3.0 ohm Boge cartos will be fairly cool on an Ego
2.5 ohm Smok Tek are in between
2.0 ohm Boge cartos will be much warmer on an Ego (and use the charge up faster)

Notes re Blu
1. I don't know about now, but Blu previously used very thick juices (VG or high in VG).

2. Blu is not a 510 (and in fact will fry on a 510 charger - reverse polarity) BUT it can use 510 cartomizers that are suitable for slim batteries (i.e. 2.5 to 3 ohm single coil cartomizers)

3. I am guessing you have automatic batteries. Refilling cartomizers is more tricky with auto batteries because they can more easily be shorted/killed by a juice leak out the threaded end of a carto. So you need to be extra careful that a carto is NOT going to leak after you add juice to it. And ALWAYS take the carto off the battery when adding juice. Carry tissue with you too. And I recommend you get a spare battery if you will be refilling the Blu's cartos.

 

[bosun]

I use cartos and clearos. I'll vape for a bit, then pop the top and drip in some more liquid. Blow through the device before attaching to the battery to get rid of any excess. I 'think' that if you keep the liquid level up these devices will work for quite awhile. The two I've been using since I started (wow, a long time vaper? HAH!) are still working well with no burnt taste or draw change.

 

[Rickg]

Thanks for all the useful tips. I'm experimenting to see how long I can make my EVOD last before I need to add in a new coil. Right now I'm adding in some (about .5ml) plain (unflavored) 36mg Nic 67%PG/33%VG in between flavors while I experiment with new flavors. The original purpose of this was just to make sure I'm not mixing flavors. However, I'm finding I actually enjoy vaping on unflavored juice.