Smokestik . . . how do I tell if this thing is empty? And do I have to vape the carto to empty it?

[Lilavati]

Hello, new member here. I bought a Smokestik Hendu Elite about 2 days ago, and I'm delighted with it. After 19 years of pack a day smoking, I'm down to 2 analogs a day, and when this pack is gone, I hope it is the last one. (I could probably toss it now, but I'm sentimental).

However, I'm still on my first Cartomizer, and I don't know how to tell when it runs out. I've got eliquid on the way, so I can refill when it gets here (and I can't wait). I used to smoke about a pack a day of Ultralight 100s . . . anyone have any idea how long a carto will last? And how do I tell if its empty? I keep hearing that there will be less vapor and a burned taste, but the vapor seems pretty variable to start with (maybe I'm not good at vaping yet) and I'd rather avoid burning anything.

Also, is there a way to clean out the Cartomizers without vaping them (or if they aren't quite empty) so I cen refill them with a flavor more immediately appealing that what someone termed "nutty ashtray?"

 

[Nightseer]

Not sure about smokestik cartos, but kr8 and 510's you can pop off the mouthpiece with a bent paperclip and run under water......you can look up cartomizer cleaning around here for videos etc...

 

[Lilavati]

Would that just be regular water, or does it need to be boiling or something? And can I do that if it is not empty?

 

[trouble2k]

I can't believe you've only used one carto in 2 days. Either you're not vaping very much, or you're sucking on burnt filler. One basic rule of thumb is to not let your carto go dry and burn the filler. Once that's happened, it's nearly impossible to get the burnt flavor out and they never seem to work properly after that.

You can blow out and clean old juice from them. Usually what I would do is remove the top white cap and blow out as much of the old liquid as possible. Then, I would run hot water through it several times blowing it out each time. Then, blow it out until you can't get anymore liquid out of it, and set it in a well ventilated area (preferably near a fan) to dry overnight. You can also boil them (low simmer for 10-15 min) if there's a flavor you just can't seem to get rid of. Otherwise, I've had good luck with just hot water.

Don't try to refill or use it until you are certain it is dry.

 

[CES]

Hi Lilavati,

Welcome to ECF. I get a drop in vapor production, but if you can't quite tell yet, a decent rule of thumb is to refill with every couple of battery changes. The SS cartos are pretty burn resistant if you keep them topped off- so you might not get much of burned taste immediately. You can remove the carto from the battery, pop off the cap and remove the rings inside the carto, then drip new e-liquid right onto the filler, then replace the rings (optional) and the cap. You should blow through the carto to make sure that the airhole is clear, then carefully wipe off the carto threads before replacing it on the battery. The Hendu battery is unsealed, so is very vulnerable to dripping juice

The consistency in the vapor will improve as you get used to it. Longer, softer drags work better for me.

Here's a link to the smokestik subforum SmokeStik - a great place to ask questions once you can post outside of the new members forum.

 

[texasgranny]

Lots of good information on cartomizers in another section here at ECF. How long the juice lasts in a carto, depends on how much you inhale. There are many, many videos on YouTube about cleaning them as well as many opinions as to whether it
works or is worth it. Many clean, many toss them. Unless you have a very strong type of juice such as cinnamon that will
linger, you can still add another juice and get a basic idea of the taste. Yes, the last juice will somewhat effect the taste.
Many people use the drip method (do search here and at YouTube) and only use a couple of drops and get several draws to
really taste the different juices.
So basic answer is to really spend more time reading about cartomizers and watching YouTube videos. They are very helpful
in your learning process.
Good Luck!