Syringes and Refilling Cartomizers... Thoughts?

[mattkohl71]

Ever since I first started getting blanks, I've been using the method where you fill up one of the rubber ends and stick the cartomizer in and let it soak in. It does work pretty well and lets the liquid really saturate the polyfill.

However, it is very cumbersome and messy! I hate having to constantly take the cartomizer apart from the rubber piece, rinse off the cartomizer and dry it and blow out the excess, then have to rinse out the rubber pieces from the excess liquid. It's starting to get annoying.

I've heard of syringe filling, and it sounds pretty simple... I only have a few questions.

1. So I pull in 1 ml of fluid, press the needle against one side of the filler and slide it down, then pull it up while slowly injecting half of the fluid. Repeat this on the other side, correct?

2. Is the performance still as good? After waiting a few minutes for the liquid to soak in, it should be fine to use right?

3. Where can I order some cheap needles/syringes that work well? Blunt tip or sharp?

4. Finally, do they clean out easily between flavors? I currently have around 20 flavors, with 12 more on the way so I definitely don't want to mix them (Yet! ) and would like "clean" tastes. I just suck up a small amount of isopropyl alcohol and swish it around, blow it out and it's good to go (after it dries for a bit)?

I'll definitely order at least 5 syringes and however many needles I need, so they'll each be thoroughly cleaned every other day or so.

Thank you for any help you can provide!

 

[Spazmelda]

Well, are you using the condom method to fill every time? I can see how that would get old. From my experience, you'd really just want to condom fill the first time, then after that drip into your carto with the dripped tip of your juice bottle to top up.

You can fill from the top without a syringe in that way too. Just drip on the top of the filler, lest it soak in, then drip some more till it looks slushy at the top.

Filling with a syringe is pretty much the way you described. You can get a sharp syringe and slide it down the side and fill from the bottom. You can even use a blunt syringe and just put it on top of the filler and use the pressure of the liquid coming out of the syringe to push the liquid into the filler.

I wouldn't use isopropyl to clean a csrtomizer. Use vodka or PGA (pure grain alcohol). Safer in case all of it doesn't evaporate, but again, an atomizer is going to be better for testing flavors, IMO.

You can find needles at a local tractor supply company if you have those in your area. I got sharps there, and blunted them off with my dremel. I never did find a good option for ordering them online, although I'm sure there are good options out there.

For testing flavors an atomizer would probably be your best bet. I don't use them, but someone will probably pop in and tell you all about this.

 

[Antoly]

You can get all kinds of syringes and needles at Wizard Labs, for example. You didn't say what kind of cartomizers you use. I use eGo Mega Dual coils. Usually I use syringe for the very first fill and just drop on top of the filler then. This works for me pretty well.

 

[mattkohl71]

@Spazmelda, I have a weird obsession with getting it as full as possible... Yeah I do it every time but dripping it on top worries me. Does it really soak in that quickly and reach the bottom by just dripping? If so, I may just scrap spending even more money...

@Antoly, I use standard cartomizers from Smokeless Image. If I can just condom fill the first time then just drip fill, that would be ok. I just never wanted to risk burning the filler (And thus, making the cartomizer taste horrible forever).

 

[LucentShadow]

@Spazmelda, I have a weird obsession with getting it as full as possible... Yeah I do it every time but dripping it on top worries me. Does it really soak in that quickly and reach the bottom by just dripping? If so, I may just scrap spending even more money...

@Antoly, I use standard cartomizers from Smokeless Image. If I can just condom fill the first time then just drip fill, that would be ok. I just never wanted to risk burning the filler (And thus, making the cartomizer taste horrible forever).

I'll throw in with these suggestions as well. The first fill of a blank carto is the hardest, and condom filling from the bottom, as you have done, or injecting with a needle to the bottom, is the best way to make sure that you've gotten the liquid all of the way down.

Dripping can be tough with a blank, and can require the use of some centrifugal force or suction to make sure the bottom is wet. It works great to top off a previously filled carto, though, because the residual liquid that's still in the filling makes it accept new liquid very easily.

 

[mattkohl71]

I'll throw in with these suggestions as well. The first fill of a blank carto is the hardest, and condom filling from the bottom, as you have done, or injecting with a needle to the bottom, is the best way to make sure that you've gotten the liquid all of the way down.

Dripping can be tough with a blank, and can require the use of some centrifugal force or suction to make sure the bottom is wet. It works great to top off a previously filled carto, though, because the residual liquid that's still in the filling makes it accept new liquid very easily.

I've been doing this for the past couple of days and it's been working great! It seems like I get even better performance from drip filling (With the condom filling method it flooded it every time). It's like the filler isn't over-saturated, so it can heat the juice better and gives me great vapor!

However, the draw on my carto's is starting to get a bit tight... They've lasted for weeks so I may need to pick up some new ones!