Riva 510 disaster.

[tj99959]

Unfortunately most of the videos are getting dated, and there have been several improvements.
First with most good cartos the little white rubber disk at the mouth piece end is no longer glued in, and can easily be removed. This IMHO solves a major problem. Placing that hot metal carto tube against your lips is lip cancer in the making. Throw that little disk away and use a drip tip.
Next there simply is no way to fill a carto without getting juice in the center hole. The old way was to just blow that juice out, and let it go to waste. WELL DON'T! Instead, without power give the carto several quick draws. This will draw that juice into the batting so that you can use it.
Thirdly, even tho' cartos don't have the problem as badly as atomizers, some leakage is bound to happen. Again, why let that juice go to waste, or live with the mess? Drip shields have evolved to where that is totally unnecessary.

 

[GIMike]

I just fill to the point of almost leaking, and take a long and very light draw to get it started after refill. After I do this a few times and the gurgling noise turns into a frying noise, I know I'm good

 

[Uncle Willie]

gotta love that frying noise ..

 

[Uncle Willie]

Placing that hot metal carto tube against your lips is lip cancer in the making.

Really .. ??

 

[mrkipp]

Honestly I feel your pain. I got lucky and started with a fairly simple KR808D-1 and didn't run into much in the way of equipment failures. I could see the promise in it, so I kept up with trying different cartos, fiddling with them, trying different ways to fill them, learned to clean them a couple of different ways etc....
I will say it is totally worth it. I truly felt that after twenty years of two packs a day I would be smoking cigarettes until I died. Six months without a cigarette now. About a month in, my wheeze went away and about two months in my sense of smell came back.
I agree, both the industry and the equipment are a little short of ready for prime time, but if you think of it like a hobby and like to tinker you realy can be sucessful with the stuff that is out there now. Won't be long untill you are metering your batts, modifying your cartos, mixing your own liquid, and helping a friend try vaping.
Best of luck to you!

-mrkipp

 

[GIMike]

...two months in my sense of smell came back....

That's not always a plus

 

[woolgrower]

Total beginner here, just bought an off the shelf version (Metro traditional by Nicotek) this afternoon and I'm sitting here puffing away with my cuppa joe. Had a little fun with it before I left work too, might have a few converts if we can all figure these things out.

Reason I went with the Metro, even after having read about all the other options, was I wanted something very simple and easy to try it out..and ok, instant gratification . I think I made a good choice because this thing worked perfectly right after the full charge (only 1.5 hrs). I'm glad I didn't go with my first choice to buy the Riva 510 because I'm afraid I would have had the same experience as the OP and I really wanted this to work. Now that I know I like it, I'm ready to start "making this a hobby" as Mrkipp suggests...not that I need another hobby.

I do have a question though and I think I already know the answer but what the heck. I watched the video on filling and I'm wondering, can I do that with the cartridges that came with my Metro? I asked the guy at the smoke shop where I bought it if they were refillable and he hadn't a clue. I'd like to get as much out of this e-cig as I can and the prefilled carts are something like 5 for $10 and the only flavor is tobacco. Dying to try chocolate and coffee.

 

[NicLiq]

I do have a question though and I think I already know the answer but what the heck. I watched the video on filling and I'm wondering, can I do that with the cartridges that came with my Metro? I asked the guy at the smoke shop where I bought it if they were refillable and he hadn't a clue. I'd like to get as much out of this e-cig as I can and the prefilled carts are something like 5 for $10 and the only flavor is tobacco. Dying to try chocolate and coffee.

If they are actually cartomizers (two piece system), and you can't get the top off of the mouthpiece to fill it, often you can add drops of e-liquid to the silicone covering that it came in (don't know for sure if they are packaged that way for you) by pushing the threaded/battery end down into the e-liquid. You can maybe extend each of them about a week that way. You don't want to overfill them, and make sure you wipe them off well if you have an automatic battery (don't push a button to activate it).

 

[MTV]

pick up a syringe...it makes filling cartos really easy

 

[swedishfish]

Total beginner here, just bought an off the shelf version (Metro traditional by Nicotek) this afternoon and I'm sitting here puffing away with my cuppa joe. Had a little fun with it before I left work too, might have a few converts if we can all figure these things out.

Reason I went with the Metro, even after having read about all the other options, was I wanted something very simple and easy to try it out..and ok, instant gratification . I think I made a good choice because this thing worked perfectly right after the full charge (only 1.5 hrs). I'm glad I didn't go with my first choice to buy the Riva 510 because I'm afraid I would have had the same experience as the OP and I really wanted this to work. Now that I know I like it, I'm ready to start "making this a hobby" as Mrkipp suggests...not that I need another hobby.

I do have a question though and I think I already know the answer but what the heck. I watched the video on filling and I'm wondering, can I do that with the cartridges that came with my Metro? I asked the guy at the smoke shop where I bought it if they were refillable and he hadn't a clue. I'd like to get as much out of this e-cig as I can and the prefilled carts are something like 5 for $10 and the only flavor is tobacco. Dying to try chocolate and coffee.

I think the OP's issue is that they didn't put enough juice in the carto. It needs to be full, especially the first fill. After that it's the simpliest thing in the world.

The good thing about the ego or KR808 or any of the standard brands recommended on this site is that parts are readily available and reasonably priced.

Maybe if you can figure out the type of battery on your pv, you may be able to order blank cartos and fill them yourself.

Edit: Doing a search, a post said it might be a RN4081. If that's the case, here are blank cartomizers.

http://www.vaporkings.com/RN4081-NP...old-Atomizer-4081-p/4081-cartomizer-blank.htm

Double check first to see if it is a RN4081.

 

[woolgrower]

Thanks swedishfish, I'm pretty sure they are RN4081 so I'll give those a try.

 

[swedishfish]

Now you have to get yourself some coffee and chocolate juice.

 

[woolgrower]

Now you have to get yourself some coffee and chocolate juice.

Already done !

 

[mrkipp]

Edited for lack of quote

 

[mrkipp]

That's not always a plus

Yeah,
I guess I always thought I was stealth farting. Turns out the folks around me were just really polite!

 

[mrkipp]

I didn't like the few carto's that I tried, now only use clear Ce2's, Easy to fill, no waiting. Gotvapes has some of the new ones that shouldn't crack or leak. give them a try.

One more vote for the ce2's but they will require fiddling. Syringe mod for durability. They are my go to now, taste clean and super easy to fill with a syringe. Again, none of this is without the fidling.

 

[hairball]

To fill a new cartomizers...hold at a 45 degree angle. While counting your drops, turn the carto in your fingers. When you hit 20 drops, stop and sit in on the threaded end for 20 minutes. Now top off with 5 more drops. Screw onto battery and vape.

It sounds as if you aren't getting enough liquid in it. I hate the condom method because you don't get all of it into the carto.

 

[bmwjen]

I'll agree, there needs to be SOME sort of instructions when purchasing an electronic cigarette. I purchased my first in 2009 & was told things in person by the vendor, but then was left on my own to find refills/replacements/juice/etc. I was overwhelmed & stopped vaping. This happened a 2nd time & again I stopped vaping. This 3rd time, thankfully I was able to find ECF & the people here not only taught me how to vape, but I've learned alot of other things along the way.

 

[bmwjen]

To fill a new cartomizers...hold at a 45 degree angle. While counting your drops, turn the carto in your fingers. When you hit 20 drops, stop and sit in on the threaded end for 20 minutes. Now top off with 5 more drops. Screw onto battery and vape.

It sounds as if you aren't getting enough liquid in it. I hate the condom method because you don't get all of it into the carto.

Thanks hairball, I never could figure out how to fill a carto. I just stuck to the pre-filled menthol ones.

 

[anew]

Hello! I understand your frustration... With new devices, I think there really is that learning process, and there's a lot of trial and error involved too...I've tried different e-cigs before I found the ones I love and am very comfortable with. The eGo model from Janty works amazing for me... Hope you'd want to give e-cigarettes another go. There really is a lot of helpful info online and a supportive community of vapers! Personally, I find it interesting and fun to experiment with e-liquids, try and compare e-cig models, and research on e-cigs and visit informative sites like www.allecigs.com and learn about the innovation behind these devices. It's actually a fun learning process I've come to love.