To Carto or not to Carto that is the question...

[Bassnorma]

I have been glued to Clearos but I think I may be robbing myself of the Carto experience so I am hoping Carto fans might be able to answer some noob laden questions.

1) What is your favorite tank? Why is it a favorite?
2) So, prepunched or punched? Is it merely a point of getting the holes just the right size or where you want them?
3) Only two holes? What happens if you punch more?
4) Is there such a thing as carto quality or are they all pretty much the same vape experience?
5) Carto over clearo? I realize this is subjective and subject to personal taste and preference. But why would you choose one over the other?
6) Single or dual coil. Huh? Why would two be better or worse? Isn't only one coil doing the heating?
7) Do I have to preload if the punched carto is in a tank? Can I just let it sit and soak up juice or is that a bad idea?

Thanks vaper peeps!

 

[suspectK]

1- Really I like polypropylene tanks..even though I'm not going to drop my mod...if I did, I wouldn't shatter it. Glass would have to be phinac and IBTanked. IBTanked probably takes the glass tank cake though. You can customize them a lot with the color of the glass.
2- Pre-punched..I don't know of a good punch tool that will always punch a perfect circle that won't cut your O-rings.
3- I use 3-hole cartomizers sometimes, but the VG used in one of my liquids is fussy. It's only 65% VG, but I don't have as bad of wicking problems with 85-100% VG as the 65% liquid brand.
4- Boge, Smoktek, and ikenvape cartomizers really only differ by how dense the polyfill is in the tube. I use smoktek 2 Ohm with 2 or 3 holes pre-punched. Boge doesn't wick properly with my liquid, and ikenvape is never instock when I need them...and won't e-mail me when they are instock..
5- Cartomizers give me a more flavorful, consistent, and denser hit. Clearo's give me a milkier cloud.
6- I go back and forth between 1.5 dual coils and 2 Ohm single coils. Dual coils allow you to increase your Energy output without adding excessive heat, but normal operation of them will require more voltage than a single coil. A 1.5 dual coil consists of 2-3 Ohm resistors in a parallel circuit.
7- You need to prime the cartomizer before putting it in the tank. I've seen one person on this forum that doesn't prime before putting it in a tank and just takes dry pulls till they think it's ready.

E-Cigarette Forum - Baditude - Blogs
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-5-baditudes-cartomizer-tank-setup-guide.html

Second time that I've referenced his blog, today... They should just make a FAQ and use it..

 

[BardicDruid]

1- Really I like polypropylene tanks..even though I'm not going to drop my mod...if I did, I wouldn't shatter it. Glass would have to be phinac and IBTanked. IBTanked probably takes the glass tank cake though. You can customize them a lot with the color of the glass.
2- Pre-punched..I don't know of a good punch tool that will always punch a perfect circle that won't cut your O-rings.
3- I use 3-hole cartomizers sometimes, but the VG used in one of my liquids is fussy. It's only 65% VG, but I don't have as bad of wicking problems with 85-100% VG as the 65% liquid brand.
4- Boge, Smoktek, and ikenvape cartomizers really only differ by how dense the polyfill is in the tube. I use smoktek 2 Ohm with 2 or 3 holes pre-punched. Boge doesn't wick properly with my liquid, and ikenvape is never instock when I need them...and won't e-mail me when they are instock..
5- Cartomizers give me a more flavorful, consistent, and denser hit. Clearo's give me a milkier cloud.
6- I go back and forth between 1.5 dual coils and 2 Ohm single coils. Dual coils allow you to increase your Energy output without adding excessive heat, but normal operation of them will require more voltage than a single coil. A 1.5 dual coil consists of 2-3 Ohm resistors in a parallel circuit.
7- You need to prime the cartomizer before putting it in the tank. I've seen one person on this forum that doesn't prime before putting it in a tank and just takes dry pulls till they think it's ready.

E-Cigarette Forum - Baditude - Blogs
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-5-baditudes-cartomizer-tank-setup-guide.html

Second time that I've referenced his blog, today... They should just make a FAQ and use it..

I agree with everything but the Boges, I've had nothing but trouble with them since they came out, I stick with the Smok and with 80%PG/20%VG, they last me 2 or 3 weeks. I always get the pre punched that way the hole is always the same size, and definitely read Baditudes blogs and you save yourself a lot of grief.

 

[sawlight]

I have been glued to Clearos but I think I may be robbing myself of the Carto experience so I am hoping Carto fans might be able to answer some noob laden questions.

1) What is your favorite tank? Why is it a favorite?
2) So, prepunched or punched? Is it merely a point of getting the holes just the right size or where you want them?
3) Only two holes? What happens if you punch more?
4) Is there such a thing as carto quality or are they all pretty much the same vape experience?
5) Carto over clearo? I realize this is subjective and subject to personal taste and preference. But why would you choose one over the other?
6) Single or dual coil. Huh? Why would two be better or worse? Isn't only one coil doing the heating?
7) Do I have to preload if the punched carto is in a tank? Can I just let it sit and soak up juice or is that a bad idea?

Thanks vaper peeps!

1)In my humble opinion, a tank is a tank is a tank! If you use acidic juices, get a glass tank, other than that, get what you like, it's what's inside that counts!
2)Pre-punched, it's just easier! I've punched them, it's not that hard, but for the same price, why bother?
3)I like two. It can flood or become to airy.
4)NO! One word, Ikenvape!
5)I don't like the muted flavor I get from clearo's, I don't like that I have to be uber careful with the wattage/voltage or I burn the juice/coil, not a fan at all!
6)Single, duals put the second coil too high for me and I get hot juice on my tongue. I don't like that!
7)Yes, you will have to prime them, it's not that hard, you can drip into them and let it soak, you can use a syringe or so on, to do this.

 

[v1k1ng1001]

I use bcc tanks because it's hot here and my favorite juices are mentholated fruits. The cool, airy draw is awesome and I add extra flavor shots to compensate.

If i vaped rich tobacco and dessert flavors more regularly, a carto tank would be a better choice for sure.

 

[puchox]

1) I use the Pyrex DCT tanks you can get at Fasttech(around $5), i like them because i can use them with either flanged and normal cartos
2) I used prepunched cartos, much easier for me.
4) There is a great difference imho, the ones that come with the DCT cartos from FT are awful while the boge cartos i got from hoosiervapes are great.
5) I like my i16's and 30's but i'd rather use my cartotanks anytime of the day

 

[Rocketpunk]

Paging Baditude!! Paging Baditude!!

Cartos take a little trial and error before you get them down. No where NEAR as insane as far as research goes like rebuildables. But once you get it down, the flavor and the vapor production and the consistency of the hit are phenomenal.

My favorite tanks are the cheap, piddly, affordable polypropylene Smok DCT tanks. I have a few glass Smok tanks, but I dislike the aluminium shell and you almost HAVE to have a Slap Yo Mama or Tank Refilling Drip Tip Tool with those (but even so, if you're dabbling into carto tanks, a tank refilling tool is one of the best investments you could possibly make). I have an IBTanked on the way. Pumped. But those piddly cheap ones will suffice. I have almost twenty of them, both the slim and the fat versions.

Most "dct cartos" will come with either a single or double-hole, laser punched. The holes are small. I prefer the single hole. I've found that they are just fine with any pg/vg ratio up to 50/50. Anything over that, I suggest either two holes or punching a second hole yourself. There are many tools out there that will do this for you. All are relatively cheap. NOTE: The more holes, the likelier it is to "flood". Especially if you're using low-vg juice (a popular example would be MBV -- they automatically do 80/20 pg/vg unless you select otherwise, and it WILL flood a carto with more than one hole. 60/40 pg/vg is a pretty good ratio as far as "flavor" and "vapor production" goes.)

I prefer single coil. If you're using a fixed battery (one that only fires at 3.7 volts -- i.e., anything NOT variable voltage) you might want to choose single coil. Dual coils will allow you to up the voltage on your VV device, but it will most definitely drain your battery faster and could possibly consume more of your juice than you're used to. Otherwise, there aren't many other differences between the two.

There is a difference in carto brands. Boge and Ikenvapes seem to have a much more tightly-wrapped polyfill than, say, Smoktech cartos. The tighter the wrap, the more difficult it is to use with thicker juices, such as Boba's Bounty, which is 100% vg. I've found Smok cartos have a "looser" polyfill wrap than Boge and Ikenvape. They allow quicker and more thorough saturation with thick, viscous juices. But choosing a brand of cartos is PURELY preferential. No one can definitively say, "[X] brand is superior to [Y] brand" as far as cartos go.

Yes, 199% carto over clearo. You can chain vape a carto like a mad man, and if it's submerged in a tank, the hit will be consistent almost 100% of the time. I can vape faster than clearo wicks can wick, and this leads to many burnt or dry hits. I'm over those. No longer have the patience for most of them. I ditched clearos the moment I figured out carto tanks (however, the new iClear series of clearos has changed my opinion on clearomizers).

The biggest issue you will encounter will be properly priming the carto first. There are all sorts of ways to prime a carto, but the easiest and least hassle free (to me) is the drip/flick method. Hold the carto at an angle and drip about ten to fifteen drops into the polyfill, avoiding the center hole, and rotating the carto N E S W with each drop. DON'T rush the process. Give each drop a second or two to soak in. When it starts to pool up a little bit, flick it hard like a thermometer. I mean HARD. Then continue dripping ten to fifteen drops. Flick hard. When you finally see juice come out of the little hole on the side of the carto (if it is a flanged replacement carto with a hole), then the carto is sufficiently primed.

If you encounter flooding, there is a way to fix this. Take the carto completely out of the tank (if the tank is full with juice, pour the juice out of the tank and back into the bottle.) Take the flooded carto, cover the hole with your finger, stick the connector end into a paper towel, and BLOW through the top of the carto. This will force out excess juice. Hold the carto up to a light like a telescope. If you can see clearly through the air-channel, it's not flooded anymore. If you hold it up to a light like a telescope and the air-channel is clear, but becomes dark and you can't see through it anymore, continue blowing into the paper towel. You should always be able to hold a carto up to the light and see directly through it (until it's toast and dead).

Hope this helps, but I understand if it confuses you even more.

Baditude, peer review this. If I got anything wrong, please correct it.

 

[Baditude]

Paging Baditude!! Paging Baditude!! Baditude, peer review this. If I got anything wrong, please correct it.

You did well, young Rocket. You learned well. I agree with all that you spoke.

1) What is your favorite tank? Why is it a favorite?

I have tanks from at least six different manufacturers. I have 12 made by IBTanked. These offer the most value to quality, with the widest selection in diameter (4) and length (3) of any tank manufacturer. IBTanked pyrex tanks review

2) So, prepunched or punched? Is it merely a point of getting the holes just the right size or where you want them?

This depends upon personal preference from past experience. I've hand-punched my own and slotted my own with a powered dremel tool. Tool punched cartos inevitably deform the carto tube from round to oval, which when passed through the tank endcaps' round holes can cause unnecessary wear-and-tear on the rubber o-rings. The o-rings are responsible for sealing liquid & air, keeping the tank from leaking, and keeping the tank from sliding off the cartomizer during use. Slotting causes sharp metal edges and shavings which can also injure the o-rings.



Laser-drilled holes do not cause any harm to the o-rings. I have found that they allow proper passage of e-juice from the tank to the cartomizer polyfill as well as hand-punched or slotted carts.

To further protect these fragile o-rings, I strongly recommend a tank tool. The end of the carto is sharp, and passing the carto through the o-rings can damage them. The Slap Yo Moma tank accessory tool from Big Daddy Vapors is the best I have used.

Slap Yo Moma tool PBusardo demo

3) Only two holes? What happens if you punch more?

Two laser-drilled holes are a nice place to start out with. These work well for the majority of e-liquids. If you use high PG liquids (thinner liquid), one hole might work best for you. If you use high VG liquids, three holes might work best. Too many or too large of holes can cause the carto to become flooded.

4) Is there such a thing as carto quality or are they all pretty much the same vape experience?

My experience has been Ikenvape cartos are the premium carto available. They are produced by an un-named China manufacturer to US vendor Isaac @ Ikenvape's strict specifications with higher quality metal tubes, polyfiller, and heating coils. This manufacturer limits the number of cartos they will make for Ikenvape, so they are in high demand and limited quantity. Superior flavor production and longer lasting.

Boge has a denser polyfill which some find difficult to absorb liquids while filling, and sometimes don't wick as well.

Smoktech has a less dense polyfill which absorb liquids easier while filling, wick well, but also may flood more easily.

Any dissatisfaction with cartotanks can generally be determined to be from using very cheap or poor quality tanks, or from user error. If one brand of carto doesn't work well for you, don't give up on cartos entirely. Switch to another brand which may work better to your vaping habits.

5) Carto over clearo? I realize this is subjective and subject to personal taste and preference. But why would you choose one over the other?

Most definitely carto > clearo. Better flavor, more consistancy, less fussy, no leaking or juice into the mouth.

Clearos use strings to wick juice to the heating coil = small surface area; less efficient.

Cartos use a big wad of pollyfill to wick juice which completely surrounds the heating coil = large surface area; more efficient.

6) Single or dual coil. Huh? Why would two be better or worse? Isn't only one coil doing the heating?

A minority prefer dual coil carts. The majority prefer single coil. Dual coils were a good idea on paper which didn't work out to be practical in real life. There's a story behind this, but I won't go into it here.

7) Do I have to preload if the punched carto is in a tank? Can I just let it sit and soak up juice or is that a bad idea?

Properly priming the carto is the absolute most important step in setting up a cartotank, and will determine how well that carto will perform and last for its life in the tank. There are different methods to accomplish this, and the best method is the one that ends up working best for you. Here is the method that I have used successfully: Baditude's Cartotank Setup Guide

 

[Rocketpunk]

These guys will 110% deform your carto and make it almost impossible to easily slide your cartos into and out of your tank:



Forged in failure flames.

However, this carto punch tool works a lot better:

Bullet Cartomizer Punch - Avid Vaper

 

[Rocketpunk]

If there's one thing Baditude and I will adamantly encourage, it's getting either one of these:

Triple V Tank Tool

or one of these:

Anodized DCT Refilling Drip Tip, Black

Just trust us. They are worth their weight in gold.

 

[Boognish]

I'm all for the consistency and quality of the vape that goes with carto tanks over clearos as well. I gave up on fighting for IKV. I buy Smok and Boge in bulk and notch with a Dremel in bulk. The notches depend on the carto and the juice that I plan on putting in them. I keep trying different clearos from time to time and rebuilding them as well. They always have a greater chance of being finicky though. I'm pretty tired of rolling mesh also. I just tried the Aspire dual coil clearo tank from NHaler recently and they are as close to the carto tank experience in a clearo I have found yet. Keep an eye on them....Cheers!

 

[Vwls]

1) What is your favorite tank? Why is it a favorite?
I prefer rebuildable dripping atomizers (like the Trident) to any tank system, but when I leave the house, I do still take a carto tank or a rebuilt Protank )or Davide) mini.

Why? Carto tanks are so easy once they are filled, so great for on the go. On the other hand, a rebuilt Protank vapes almost as well as an RDA, and obv once it's put together, is easy as pie to maintain. Personally, I won't use anything that's made of plastic or top wicking. Even a Protank with a straight from the package head in it is better than a clearo.

However there's more to consider. Protanks do mute flavor (though less once rebuilt), so I tend to use them with strong flavors like ice menthol. No such problem with carto tanks, but cartos do impart a slight taste of their own to a discerning palate. It's not a bad taste, but it's not as pure as an RDA.

2) So, prepunched or punched? Is it merely a point of getting the holes just the right size or where you want them?
If you don't mind paying a little more, laser punched are the best. When you punch yourself, you push in the sides a little, and this impacts the way it slides through the grommets or o-rings into the tank. If you alter the shape enough, it can impact the performance.

3) Only two holes? What happens if you punch more?
One hole for thinner juices, and two holes for thicker.

4) Is there such a thing as carto quality or are they all pretty much the same vape experience?
I've hear people swear by their brand, but to date, I haven't noticed enough difference to worry about it. Boge and Smok are both good brands - buy a multipack to save money.

5) Carto over clearo? I realize this is subjective and subject to personal taste and preference. But why would you choose one over the other?
Oh yeah - anything over a clearo. Clearos are made of plastic and the wicks are at the top. They require lots of tilting and rotating and shimmying and other acrobatics to keep the wicks wet. Annoying little things.

6) Single or dual coil. Huh? Why would two be better or worse? Isn't only one coil doing the heating?
No opinion - single coil cost less and they vape just fine. Maybe someone else can weigh in on this.

7) Do I have to preload if the punched carto is in a tank? Can I just let it sit and soak up juice or is that a bad idea?
You always have to fill (prime) the carto before you vape, regardless of what's in the tank. Once the carto is filled one time though, you can continue to just refill the tank (not the carto itself) until it's time to dispose of that carto.

 

[Vwls]

Note - if you buy your carto tank from IBTanked, it comes with a small plastic bottle that makes priming your carto easy as pie. Here's a link to the instructions: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...s-forum/339809-do-you-fiddle-your-thingy.html.

Once I tried fiddling with my thingie, I never went back to any other method of carto filling. It's just too dang easy!

 

[stevegmu]

I swore off cartos a while ago, but got some Kanger XL horizontal cartos on a whim with an order from SunVapers. Used the Magnum condom method. Screwed onto Provari and was shocked at how good the taste and vape was. Looks like a tank is in my near future...

 

[Bassnorma]

OK Cool!

Shortly after I posted this I found Bad's Blog.

Based on the above, when I get some cha ching. I will be ordering a couple of IBTanked beauties (because I also am a multi flavor person and swap two to three times a day). I agree with the old adage, "Variety is the spice of life"

I will prime, still trying to figure out the thingy method but I have seen PBusardo's condom method. Suffice to say, I will prime and order pre-punched cartos. I want to thank you all for your opinions and advice.

I will say my T3S clearo is not at all fussy and I haven't had to do Clearo Gymnastics to get it moving. It is a bit tricky to fill without getting a little in the center tube, so juice mouth?...yeah that has happened....pittoo blech. I have Protank 2 clearos coming with the Provari. But beauty, functionality and a rich vape are hard to turn away.

Oh, so IBtanked has a fill tool, should I go with that or is SlapYoMama infinitely better?


(((hugs))) and thanks to the never disappointing E-Cig community!

 

[serenity21899]

1) What is your favorite tank? Why is it a favorite?

IBTanked
Complete Tanks

I have all 3 sizes for different mods. 22mm looks best on a ProVari with a Pro Ring. My favorite for its price. You can customizer it too.

Phiniac
The Phiniac Tank - Phiniac Rugged Pyrex Glass Tanks

Nice, customizable, but expensive. I have an set of anodized end caps and the color is starting to come off. Disappointed to say the least.

LokiLabs SS1
SS1 Pyrex & Stainless Steel Tank | Loki Lab

Nice tank, no issues.


Valley View Vapes.
SD Triple V Pyrex 7ml Tank Frosted

Got this one for my Silver Bullet. Like it alot.

Fluid Flask
Fluid Flask

Expensive, but worth. Finally, a quartz glass tube is available for it.

2) So, prepunched or punched? Is it merely a point of getting the holes just the right size or where you want them?

I use prepunched. I got the idea for a member here to practice punching cartos on old, used ones. That did not end well. So, prepunched.

3) Only two holes? What happens if you punch more

2 works well for me. I use 70-80% PG juice so that is best for me. More would probably flood my cartos.

4) Is there such a thing as carto quality or are they all pretty much the same vape experience?

Bad luck with both Boges and Smoketech. So, now it's Ikenvape Mega Fushion

5) Carto over clearo? I realize this is subjective and subject to personal taste and preference. But why would you choose one over the other?

Carto tanks are less work and less fussy IMO.

6) Single or dual coil. Huh? Why would two be better or worse? Isn't only one coil doing the heating?

Single coil never tried dual coil.

7) Do I have to preload if the punched carto is in a tank? Can I just let it sit and soak up juice or is that a bad idea?

I have done it both ways, but really it works better if you fill it first. Less chance of dry hits.

ETA: I also learned carto tanks from bad, so just save yourself some trouble and do it his way

 

[Bassnorma]

Hey SusieQ60002

Thanks for linking more tanks to look at and your real experience with them.

 

[suspectK]

Honestly, stick with this method:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-5-baditudes-cartomizer-tank-setup-guide.html

The whole point of priming a cartomizer is to get the wick saturated well, but you have to keep the center hole as dry as you can. The little paper like tube that's in the center hole keeps your wick from compressing down and pretty much disabling your cartomizer. You can't turn back time if you get that hole too saturated.

I don't use a tool to actually fill my tank. I haven't found it necessary. I typically pull 5mL of liquid out with a syringe, prime the cartomizer, and then, I fill the tank. I don't own 30+tanks yet, so I don't want to fill it up all the way, mostly anyways. It can be a helpful tool though.

 

[serenity21899]

OK Cool!

Shortly after I posted this I found Bad's Blog.

Based on the above, when I get some cha ching. I will be ordering a couple of IBTanked beauties (because I also am a multi flavor person and swap two to three times a day). I agree with the old adage, "Variety is the spice of life"

I will prime, still trying to figure out the thingy method but I have seen PBusardo's condom method. Suffice to say, I will prime and order pre-punched cartos. I want to thank you all for your opinions and advice.

I will say my T3S clearo is not at all fussy and I haven't had to do Clearo Gymnastics to get it moving. It is a bit tricky to fill without getting a little in the center tube, so juice mouth?...yeah that has happened....pittoo blech. I have Protank 2 clearos coming with the Provari. But beauty, functionality and a rich vape are hard to turn away.

Oh, so IBtanked has a fill tool, should I go with that or is SlapYoMama infinitely better?


(((hugs))) and thanks to the never disappointing E-Cig community!

From IBTanked, the complete kit comes with a tool. See if you like it. You can always get a SYM if you don't.

 

[Baditude]

Oh, so IBtanked has a fill tool, should I go with that or is SlapYoMama infinitely better?

Having used both, I definitely prefer the SYM tool. It is much slimmer and allows more space for when you are filling the tank. Both will work, its just easier and faster with a SYM.

With the IBTanked tool also doubling as a drip tip, its wider in diameter and takes up more space when filling the tank. More likely to waste juice. Try it first before purchasing the SYM, and if you have the same experience as I do then get a SYM.