Stop Making Such a Mess!

[rainkeltoia]

I know i'm kinda necroing this thread, however I was searching for condom fill method and how to do it, and dear lord this is close to what i'm doing but cleaner (just drip filling in the top of my carto) and I'm happy that this is something easy that can be done! So yeah, bump for an easy method! (and blarg on the search engine not finding me what I wanted in the first place lol(

 

[oldjoe]

I went from the condom filling to drip filling to drip fill/spin but now I use a syringe to fill 5 or 6 at a time. No mess and fast.

 

[Vapian]

The condom method generally leads to uneven or incomplete filling and if you soak the inner tube too much, it will expand and choke off the air tube.

I've done a lot of fill testing with various methods and clear cartomizers to see how the fill progresses. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the end cap fill method, done properly I've yet to see a fill that I would call uneven or incomplete compared to any other method. I'd say that it's better to fill this way from the battery end rather than the mouthpiece, but beyond that it's mostly just a matter of not rushing the process or quitting before it's finished (which can admittedly be hard to tell with standard cartos). A Taryn spin in between cap/fill cycles does help a lot. In testing with clear cartomizers it only takes about 2 seconds of spin to pull most of the liquid toward the bottom.

I've never seen a tube expand in a way that I would associate to a given or specific fill method. I have seen a few cartos with tubes that seemed expanded or collapsed but they had been refilled several times with a variety of methods. I think they were really cheap 510's which I simply don't buy anymore.

But that tube in the center is the weak point in just about any fill method other than dripping or syringe filling. It's a "path of least resistance" and diverts nicquid to the top or bottom rather than the fill material. That's not insurmountable but it is inconvenient.

Some try blocking the tube with a Q-Tip stick or something similar, but in testing I've managed to damage vertical coils and horizontal coils/wicks and/or the tube itself that way.

A couple of fill methods I've played with benefit from either flushing nicquid through the entire carto 2 to 3 times or temporarily blocking the top of the cartomizer so pressure directs nicquid out to the fill rather than directly to the top of the tube.

All of that said, I must say that the drip method tests out very well for consistently and completely filling a cartomizer (it's actually kind of fun to watch with a clear cartomizer). The only real drawback is that it's time consuming (for bigger cartomizers) or at least feels that way (for smaller ones).

I would love, love LOVE to see or come up with an inexpensive, thorough and automated way of cleaning and filling cartos. With some of the newer, better cartomizer systems that are out now, the time it takes to clean and refill cartos is just about the biggest obstacle left that most new vapers will face.

 

[sheidh]

If you want to fill your clear dc's easy, I have found a method that works great for me. I take a cartridge that is used for atomisers ( every Riva kit I have came with 10 and I can't through anything away). I cut about 1/4 " off the atty end and remove the mouthpiece and inner piece (with the small hole in it) with a paper clip. Then I insert this modded cart into the open end of the carto until it stops. I then drip 10 drops at a time into the end , blowing VERY gently into the mouthpiece to clear the chamber and force the eliquid into the batting. I can get 50 drops in there in about 30 sec. If it gurgles, you put too much in at a time or its full. If that happens, I flip it over and VERY gently blow into the batt end until no gurgling. I stress the gently because I have found if you blow too hard, the liq tends to siphon into the center tube. I have used this on 510 cartos, and g4's, but i didn't know how good it worked until I got the clear dc's. WOW. It filled the whole thing clear to the bottom with NO MESS. You may have to cut a hair more off the cart for boge cartos, so the end doesn't touch the batting, or you won't be able to blow in it. For someone who hasn't seen a cart, the reason this works, is becase there are two channels that run along either side that are used for airflow when you are using it with a atm. My way forces the liq to run down those channels into the outer edges of the carto automatically.
Try it...you'l love it. I hopes this helps somebody

 

[dfc]

If you want to fill your clear dc's easy, I have found a method that works great for me. I take a cartridge that is used for atomisers ( every Riva kit I have came with 10 and I can't through anything away). I cut about 1/4 " off the atty end and remove the mouthpiece and inner piece (with the small hole in it) with a paper clip. Then I insert this modded cart into the open end of the carto until it stops. I then drip 10 drops at a time into the end , blowing VERY gently into the mouthpiece to clear the chamber and force the eliquid into the batting. I can get 50 drops in there in about 30 sec. If it gurgles, you put too much in at a time or its full. If that happens, I flip it over and VERY gently blow into the batt end until no gurgling. I stress the gently because I have found if you blow too hard, the liq tends to siphon into the center tube. I have used this on 510 cartos, and g4's, but i didn't know how good it worked until I got the clear dc's. WOW. It filled the whole thing clear to the bottom with NO MESS. You may have to cut a hair more off the cart for boge cartos, so the end doesn't touch the batting, or you won't be able to blow in it. For someone who hasn't seen a cart, the reason this works, is becase there are two channels that run along either side that are used for airflow when you are using it with a atm. My way forces the liq to run down those channels into the outer edges of the carto automatically.
Try it...you'l love it. I hopes this helps somebody

Hey, I tried this and it really works! The only thing I couldn't quite do correctly was get that inner piece with the small hole out. It seems to be glued in there. But no problem...I just filled my e-juice into the chamber above that piece, and then blew gently as you described. No mess, got plenty of juice in there! Thanks for the great tip!

 

[sheidh]

You're welcome...was beginning to think no one had tried this ...I found the inner piece was a little hard to get out. I used a pair of sharp tipped manicure scissors poked in that little hole, then pryed it out.

 

[Pega]

I went from the condom filling to drip filling to drip fill/spin but now I use a syringe to fill 5 or 6 at a time. No mess and fast.

Fully agree, I've tried it all and the syringe method is impossible to beat in terms of Time vs Fill quality vs Mess

 

[Jammin]

Throughout the day, I check on the "new posts" link. I am astounded by the number of people getting e liquid all over themselves, their possessions and their living space trying to fill cartomizers. As a veteran (I've been at this longer than I've been a member of ECF), let me offer some advice.

First off, the "condom method" is the second worst way to fill a cartomizer next to opening a bottle and dumping it down the center hole.

Your standard cartomizer can hold 20-30 drops. The XLs usually take 30-40. Some take more, some take less. It depends on the density of the filler and the quality of the cartomizer.

Instead of pouring nic liquid all over the place, set aside some time to fill your cartos. Drip three to five drops around the circumference of the tube. Avoid the air hole! Let the first ring of liquid soak in. It takes a few seconds because the fill was previously dry and needs to get wet in order to fill the carto. If you're using the condom method or just dumping your juice in, the filler never gets a chance to really start absorbing liquid and you won't get a quality fill (compared to slow dripping).

Once the first ring is absorbed, turn the carto at a slight angle and start dripping two to three drops at a time on to the thickest part of the fill (there's always one side that is a bit thicker). Let the liquid absorb. Repeat. Continue to repeat while keeping track in your head. When you get to 30, STOP. Look at the liquid and confirm that it is still being absorbed. If you have a small pool at the top that isn't going down, YOU ARE DONE. Don't put anymore in because chances are it will start coming out of the bottom. If it is still absorbing, add one drop at a time until your reach the top.

Yes, it is time consuming. Three minutes versus 30 seconds. Do it right and you won't lose a single drop of juice. There will be nothing to clean up and those "condoms" will end up in the trash or a box.

Cartomizers are a great option. Not the best, but darn good. Save yourself, your stuff and anyone that touches your stuff from juice exposure and save yourself a few bucks in the liquid you didn't waste.

Oh, and one more thing - prefilled cartomizers are a scam! They may be convienient but they are a waste of money. Buy a bottle of your favorite juice, stock up on your favorite cartos when they're on sale (or join a co-op) and don't waste your money. That is unless of course money is not an object.

I buy the prefilled carts from cignot. Have been since almost the beginning. BUT, when they are empty, I refill them. I refill one prefilled cart about 10 - 15 times I'd guess. I do it until it no longer really draws right, or until the metal part comes off of the plastic part. LOL That always works as an indicator I have used it one too many times. I could technically reassemble it, but I don't bother as that is when they are becoming worn out anyway.

One five pack of prefilled carts lasts me quite a good while. Several weeks. So they aren't a scam if you refill 'em.

I have been using the top method very slowly, as you describe since I started. I refuse to bother with a syringe, and i nixed the condom method after the first couple of weeks as like you said, its a darn mess!

 

[Jammin]

I've done a lot of fill testing with various methods and clear cartomizers to see how the fill progresses. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the end cap fill method, done properly I've yet to see a fill that I would call uneven or incomplete compared to any other method. I'd say that it's better to fill this way from the battery end rather than the mouthpiece, but beyond that it's mostly just a matter of not rushing the process or quitting before it's finished (which can admittedly be hard to tell with standard cartos). A Taryn spin in between cap/fill cycles does help a lot. In testing with clear cartomizers it only takes about 2 seconds of spin to pull most of the liquid toward the bottom.

I've never seen a tube expand in a way that I would associate to a given or specific fill method. I have seen a few cartos with tubes that seemed expanded or collapsed but they had been refilled several times with a variety of methods. I think they were really cheap 510's which I simply don't buy anymore.

But that tube in the center is the weak point in just about any fill method other than dripping or syringe filling. It's a "path of least resistance" and diverts nicquid to the top or bottom rather than the fill material. That's not insurmountable but it is inconvenient.

Some try blocking the tube with a Q-Tip stick or something similar, but in testing I've managed to damage vertical coils and horizontal coils/wicks and/or the tube itself that way.

A couple of fill methods I've played with benefit from either flushing nicquid through the entire carto 2 to 3 times or temporarily blocking the top of the cartomizer so pressure directs nicquid out to the fill rather than directly to the top of the tube.

All of that said, I must say that the drip method tests out very well for consistently and completely filling a cartomizer (it's actually kind of fun to watch with a clear cartomizer). The only real drawback is that it's time consuming (for bigger cartomizers) or at least feels that way (for smaller ones).

I would love, love LOVE to see or come up with an inexpensive, thorough and automated way of cleaning and filling cartos. With some of the newer, better cartomizer systems that are out now, the time it takes to clean and refill cartos is just about the biggest obstacle left that most new vapers will face.

These posts are a refreshing change from the majority I read when I first started coming here. Most of the 'veterans' seemed to scowl at this top refilling method and swore by syringes only. I would watch the vids some folks here made to demonstrate, and perhaps I am just not that patient because if i had to go through all of that to fill a cart, I'd probably just quit altogether. The pre-filled Joye carts from cignot are the tastiest and most satisfying Vape I have had since I started a year ago, and when I refill them using this method (into the battery end) my refilled cart is just as tasty and satisfying as when I got it fresh, so I know this method of filling is doing something right.

 

[hmm]

I don't know what condom filling is (I don't think I will find out either from everyones thoughts on this thread) but the specific directions on post #1 do not work for me. I think it might just be a defective carto. The Go-go carto is so massive, but it wont fill all the way for me. I will have to try this again when I get frustrated enough to throw this one out and get another one.

In the mean time its drip-city for me. Thanks for the details on proper filling though!

 

[past master]

being a pistol shooter i save the empty plastic tray that the bullets come in and i use them to hold the carts while filling, no chance of tipping over.

 

[Paul McCoy]

I agree with you that to something correctly it takes a little time. I sometimes use the condom method when I want to temporarily "recharge " a joye 510 cart and I don't feel like messing with a syringe. I minimize waste by slowly drawing back on the condo and letting the excess drip into the condo. I have a specific place where I keep the partially filled condo so I can reuse it and/or dump it back into the bottle.

Paul

 

[oldjoe]

I use a syringe or drip method.

 

[DoubleHelix]

I actually do not own a syrnige (yet) but I find that the condom method, and an extra few drops work just fine for me, and the mess is minimal if any.

 

[Torrentula81]

I'm new to cartomizers and loving it. I think the condom method is old and out dated. At least that's the impression I get when looking at cartomizers available now vs a year ago. Most are pop off top with ease, no tools needed. Fill and recap. If a cartomiizer requires a syringe or Modding its time to explore newer types available.

Tanks sound great but i read to many problems. Maybe a year from now they will have come as far as cartomizers to where I will give them a try as well. To expensive to be buying products that "may" work. Hit or miss.

 

[wutzthedeal]

If you don't use condoms, don't come crying to me when your carto gets pregnant. Oh, they'll say they took the pill, but they'll be laughing all the way to the child support check.

 

[luvinit]

I started by using the condom method,, it was very easy to do, but yes it wastes a lot of juice and it's messy! Dripping does take a bit longer, but well worth it in the end. I have about 100 carts since I'm a noob and was buying the pre-filled.. lurking around here has taught me that it's kind of silly to keep buying them. Way too many yummy flavors out there to try! The whole dripping thing has become a nice little hobby!

 

[Keekers]

I just finally mastered the spinning/drip method, thanks to some patient veterans who I PMd a bunch of times to get it right. I'm not sure if this has already been posted but I take the old school hangers that you usually get from the dry cleaners, take off the white tube, cut it to a shorter size, make a hole in it with a nail or something sharp that pokes through the other side, took a shoelace, put it through the hole and tied it off, put the buttplug and condom on, filled about 5 or 6 drops at a time, stuck the cart in the open end of the hanger tube (mouthpiece off) threaded end sticking out, spin it around and repeat. Perfect!

The condom method is a disaster.

 

[MFToms59]

I've been vaping ~4 weeks now, tried the Condom Fill Method once and found it wasteful. I now drip into the mouth-piece end, ten drops and let it sit ~10-15 minutes, filling 4-5 Cartos in the evening for the next day. After the 10-15 minutes pass I'll re-fill another 7-12 drops or until the top remains slushy and let them sit overnight. Most of my bottles are dropper-topped, for those that aren't I use a plastic pipette which work fine, picked up 100 for $10.00.