Storing Cartomizers

[IceMaiden101]

Hi Everyone!

I'm pretty much a newbie to vaping as I just started doing it less than a month ago. However, I smoked my last real cigarette yesterday and so far... not feeling the inkling to get a new pack. I love this forum and I have gotten so much information that I didn't even know existed before! If this is a question that has an answer somewhere else, I apologize. I didn't see anything thus... my first thread....

Because I was planning ahead to quitting smoking analogs period, I bought quite a few boxes of V4L cartos of varying strengths. Once you buy them, is there a certain amount of time in which you really need to get them used? I'd hate to think that I bought a bunch that will get wasted before I get to them and should have asked that question BEFORE stocking up for nuclear war. I was just wondering what's the best way to store and really, what is the shelf life like? Right now, I have them in a wooden box, standing up, still in the boxes.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I'm still learning....

 

[susieque]

welcome icemaiden-sorry i can't help in how long the prefilled carts would last. i've had some here for 7 months and they seem to be working fine.. but in regards in storing them, i havea tin box and i have them standing also... i'm sure someone we'll come along to give you the answer that you are seeking... keep up the good work, we are here for you in your journey of not smoking... happy vaping!

 

[mwa102464]

Nic has a shelf life of 2 years once PG/VG is added to it, so cartos will last this long, or they should.!

 

[IceMaiden101]

Thanks to you both for the info! My nuclear war supply probably won't last two years or seven months even at the rate I'm vaping so now I have a little peace of mind!! And thanks for the encouragement. So far so good!!

I guess I just got worried because I did start out with Green Smoke which, since I started with V4L, has gotten little to no use. Their website mentioned that once opened, you should use a carto within two weeks. It started me wondering whether the carto would "dry up" even with the caps on if left stored too long.

Guess it is all trial and error. I may experiment and come back in a year with a couple of cartomizers that weren't my favs and see how they stack up!

 

[sooperdrave]

Thanks to you both for the info! My nuclear war supply probably won't last two years or seven months even at the rate I'm vaping so now I have a little peace of mind!! And thanks for the encouragement. So far so good!!

I guess I just got worried because I did start out with Green Smoke which, since I started with V4L, has gotten little to no use. Their website mentioned that once opened, you should use a carto within two weeks. It started me wondering whether the carto would "dry up" even with the caps on if left stored too long.

Guess it is all trial and error. I may experiment and come back in a year with a couple of cartomizers that weren't my favs and see how they stack up!

they can dry up, but it takes a long time, and they would have to be opened. i think the reason that they need to be used in 2 weeks once open, is so that they dont oxidize or grow bacteria.
as far a storing them. put them in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight, and they will last long while.nicotine in PG has a shelf life of 18months to 2 years. if its nicotine in VG then the shelf life is clsoer to 18 months. with flavor added (depending on the brand and the flavor) 6 months (for most hand mixed usa stuff) and up to 2 years with chinese stuff. (ie V4L). once the juice is in the cartos, it is harder to determine because PG can breck down the cotton batting. i think 6months to a year is what they would last and still taste and perform properly.
btw, if you find a particular flavor that you really like, save yourself some money and buy blank cartos and 30ml bottles of juice. fill the cartos yourself. it is MUCH less expensive that way.

 

[Juantwizzle]

I'm not sure why, but I prefer the taste of loaded blanks. Don't get me wrong. I think prefilleds are great and I use them like crazy but there is a bit of a difference there when you fill them yourself. It kind of tastes fresher.

Maybe I'm crazy

I love using prefilleds to find the flavors that I like though.

 

[IceMaiden101]

I agree about buying the liquid and filling myself in the future. Part of the reason I got so many was because I really wanted to try out the flavors and find the right strength nicotine. Flavor is also the reason why I think that real cigs just haven't held their luster. I'd much rather inhale and exhale a nice tasty cola than burnt ashes and who knows what else! I deal with people all day long so I'm excited to go to work and not always be advertising what I just did on my break... and lunch... and another break.

I have ordered the blanks and can't wait to try it out. Now that everyone has helped me to understand the shelf life so much better, step two will be to check out the threads on proper filling/refilling of cartos.

 

[wonderboydd]

I'm not sure why, but I prefer the taste of loaded blanks. Don't get me wrong. I think prefilleds are great and I use them like crazy but there is a bit of a difference there when you fill them yourself. It kind of tastes fresher.

Maybe I'm crazy

I love using prefilleds to find the flavors that I like though.

I agree 100 %

I think theres a good amount of logic to this:

When you fill it yourself, freshness time is cut down down drastically. Which is hours, minutes, days - maximum. Even after refilling, its probably only going to be a week or two maximum, if you refill that long on a cart.

Compare that to - from the factory prefilled: it is filled in China, probably stored awhile before its shipped to the US, stored in IL for awhile before its shipped to you, stored by you for awhile and then used. I would venture to say, it could be months from fill to vape on some of these. Maybe 5 or 6 months on a closeout. I would say they are very fresh from the factory, BUT not as fresh as filling your own.

I have been filling my own now for the same reason. I really dont buy many prefilled anymore. Ive taken a few chances on 30 ML bottles. I figure, if I dont care for it, Ill save it for a pinch, or find something to mix it with to fix it up a bit. So far I havent found anything unbearable. The one I have cared for the least is WOW Cappuccino, cuz it seems to just have no bang in the flavor, throat hit or vapor. May mix it to see what I can do. I like it okay though.

 

[sooperdrave]

there are some vids on youtube on how to fill them as well. you can also look up the "condom filling method" on youtube.

I agree about buying the liquid and filling myself in the future. Part of the reason I got so many was because I really wanted to try out the flavors and find the right strength nicotine. Flavor is also the reason why I think that real cigs just haven't held their luster. I'd much rather inhale and exhale a nice tasty cola than burnt ashes and who knows what else! I deal with people all day long so I'm excited to go to work and not always be advertising what I just did on my break... and lunch... and another break.

I have ordered the blanks and can't wait to try it out. Now that everyone has helped me to understand the shelf life so much better, step two will be to check out the threads on proper filling/refilling of cartos.

 

[wonderboydd]

I found primarily three methods for filling, all are on youtube as sooperdrave mentioned:

1. The Drip method, with the Taryn Spin. I believe Leaford had a good video of this on yourtube
2. The Condom method, I think this might be in the same video as above.
3. THe Syringe method - I found this video from somone on the forum here, cant remember who it was, but it was on youtube as well. He didnt take the white end off his cart in the video, which I usually do when I do it this way.

1. Drip method: Great method - fills them up pretty full. My Cats love when I spin the carts!

2. Condom Method: Easy, but it can sometimes get a little messy if rubber stopper gets broken, which mine seem to sometimes.

3. Syringe: This is the one I use alot. BUT some people are self concious with this. You do have to get some sort of needle to use. If you use a sharp one, you have to be careful not poke yourself. So far no casualties, lol. If you can get them, a medical needle from a pharmacy (if legal in your state) or a blunt needle for refilling a printer will work. This makes for the quickest refills Ive seen. You dont have to spin or wait after filling.

 

[Juantwizzle]

I use the condom method. I don't use a stopper but when I see a liquid dot coming out the battery end, I stop.

I have only found this on V4L cartos but after doing the condom method, I can still drip 4-5 drips in there. I'm not sure why. You'd figure when you have juice coming out the battery end that the carto would be full but not quite.

Either way, mixing those two methods a bit works for me. Once you've done the condom method once, it's easy to top off later by dripping as well.

 

[sooperdrave]

I use the condom method. I don't use a stopper but when I see a liquid dot coming out the battery end, I stop.

I have only found this on V4L cartos but after doing the condom method, I can still drip 4-5 drips in there. I'm not sure why. You'd figure when you have juice coming out the battery end that the carto would be full but not quite.

Either way, mixing those two methods a bit works for me. Once you've done the condom method once, it's easy to top off later by dripping as well.

look up the "taryn spin" on youtube. youll get more juice in your cartos with it. i regularly get 35 to 40 drops in a carto. ive gotten almost 60 in a coolcart without flooding it, using the tarynspin.

 

[Twilight]

I use the condom method. I don't use a stopper but when I see a liquid dot coming out the battery end, I stop.

I've found that when using the condom fill method, that when liquid starts appearing from the battery end, it's because air is being forced out and pushing some of the juice out. If you slightly pull the cart up and down in the condom when juice starts to appear, it will help drain the air from the cart and give more room for liquid. Lots more juice will go in this way.....or you can do the Taryn spin.....I'd just rather not....trying to keep the refill process quick and simple.

 

[IceMaiden101]

First, just have to say that you all are awesome!

With the tips and tricks you all have provided, I may start doing some experimenting until my blank cartos arrive - just to get the hang of the process. I'm going to check out the videos too since both methods seem to be well liked. I assume that its just a matter of trying out and seeing what works best for you.

One side question though... I've heard that you aren't supposed to get pure nicotine on your skin so do you have to be as careful when filling or is the quantity small enough in juice that it's not an issue? I saw a couple of videos involving gloves and warnings so, being clutzy, I will get a hazard suit if necessary. lol Hopefully this won't be my last post.

Hope everyone had a great Monday and a wonderful rest of the week!!

 

[Twilight]

Some people are more sensitive than others when it comes to getting e juice, even the lower mg., on their skin. I, along with others have gotten I'll after getting it on their skin......some have no reaction.

 

[IceMaiden101]

Only thing I've sort of noticed is a tingling/burning on my lips if I see that a bit of the juice got out. If that's the worst, then I'm ok but I wasn't sure about cumulative effects. Duly noted though and I'll probably go at the refilling with more care than I might have before. Thanks!!

 

[Twilight]

Getting small amounts on my lips has not bothered me. I got ill after spending an hour and a half filling carts and getting it on my fingers the entire time. It was only 8mg, 11mg and 18 mg juice.

 

[GiMante]

No ill effects here filling up my cartos with 36mg juice for over an hour.
Everyone is different. Better to be cautious.