Topping off too frequently?

[bogeyjim]

When Im on the computer I tend to chain vape

I find that after 10 or so drags I need to top off with 2 or 3 drops, is this normal?? After about 7 drags, the throat hit goes away and I know its time to top off soon, just wondering if this is right, as Ive heard people going 50-75 puffs on one top off???

Im NOWHERE near that!

Oh, Im using the 510

Jim

 

[Remie]

You sound totally normal to me. I sometimes top off after less than 7 drags. I'd actually like to see someone vape 50 draws from a cart (I mean actually watch them do it).

At first I thought maybe I was just a "power vaper" who took draws that are way too big - or maybe my draws were too long...

After a month, I realized - I vape the way I vape, and I've learned that "topping off", or refilling carts is just part of the routine now.

I do find though, that when I started filling my cartridges with Fluval (the white Water Polishing Pads) I was able to take a lot more drags - and I can actually vape a cartridge virtually dry now.

I still don't get nearly the 50 draws off a cart though! I can get 10 -12? Maybe a bit more - I'll have to actually keep track...

My 510 is in my mouth constantly. If I'm working, or at my computer I just don't put it down

So, to me - you are totally normal

Have you played around with re-stuffing your cartridges? What are you using as cartridge filler material?

 

[SuZamme]

I keep several "going" and just switch from one to another. Seems to give the wicking time and also I get to use different flavors.
I also have found that it makes a bit of a difference which juice I am using.
Vape On!!!

 

[bogeyjim]

Thanks Remie!

OK, thats awesome, so its normal huh? I too thought I was taking too long of a drag and I was concerned that I was wasting too much juice.

I bought some fluval, but havent really messed around with it yet, Ive just been washing this poly fill and reusing it. Probably should change it out huh, same cart for 2 days, is that bad??

OH, and when I wash out the polyfil, there is a lot of juice left in there, that I cant seem to vape, so I just wash it out and dry and refill, is this normal with the filler that comes with the carts? Seems like its impossible to vape them dry.

I have only "refilled" a cart twice, (after washing the poly fill) and what has happened both times, is I fill about 14 drops, then I put it in a little case I made, in about 5 minutes, there is juice all over my e cig and I have to wipe it down really well before I can smoke it. This is why I havent messed around too much with the filler and carts because I make a mess.

I just basically have been topping off now.

Thanks for your help!

Jim

 

[Wireguy]

The most frequent mistake by beginners is not topping off enough. So yeah you got it right in 1.

 

[Wireguy]

I only washed my carts when I changed flavors and I use them for weeks. At that point I quit using them altogether. Now it's drip and cart mods.

 

[Remie]

I found that the polyfill that came in the pre-filled carts didn't last long at all. They seem to compress and get boggy. So, if you are still using the original cart-filler - toss it. Yeah - I wasted SO much juice in the beginning trying to get the cartridge thing right!

I didn't quite understand your explanation - you are putting e-liquid into an empty cartridge, then keeping it in a case? If so - I'm not surprised it's leaking

Give the Fluval a try, it's really easy and there are even a few videos on youtube that demonstrate how different people do it.

I found a way that works just fine for me. I use my Fluval-carts for about 2 days max. It's cheap enough so I don't feel bad tossing it, and re-stuffing carts is actually kind of fun for me. Once you get the hang of it - you'll be on a roll and won't even think twice about it.

A couple of things I always keep with me - Tweezers and Paperclips. A paperclip with one side pulled opened is what I use every time I top off. I re-fluff the stuffing at the top of the cartridge. I also insert it down into the cartridge in one of the corners... and drip the e-juice right there. It makes an air channel that allows you to get more juice through the cartridge.

The tweezers just come in handy for lots of things. I can pull the stuffing out a little, then kind of rearrange it when I top off if it starts to look boggy.
Also, when I re-stuff my carts, I use the tweezers to insert the Fluval into the cartridge. I always leave a little room at the bottom of the cart. I don't stuff the Fluval all the way to the bottom. When you do it the first time you'll know what I mean - when you insert it with the tweezers you'll feel a point of resistance - that's where I stop. I hold the filler with my fingers and pull the tweezers out - then give it a hair cut


So- yeah - toss the polyfil that came in the carts. I couldn't wash it out and reuse it either. I even tried just rolling it in a paper towel to clean it, but it just didn't re-stuff into the cart the same, and didn't hold juice as well.


Oh - what you can do before you toss the pre-filled poly stuff - use it as a gauge to know how big to cut your Fluval. It's easy to eyeball - but when you first start making your own, a visual guide can be handy.

You're off to a good start!

I just realized that most of what I just typed - really didn't make much sense

Vape on!

 

[doots]

When Im on the computer I tend to chain vape

I find that after 10 or so drags I need to top off with 2 or 3 drops, is this normal?? After about 7 drags, the throat hit goes away and I know its time to top off soon, just wondering if this is right, as Ive heard people going 50-75 puffs on one top off???

Im NOWHERE near that!

Oh, Im using the 510

Jim

thats about what I get. If some people are getting 50 hits it must be using a cartomizer.. lol

 

[bogeyjim]

Thanks everyone, glad to see my research is "somewhat" paying off

Remie, I refill *with* a filler in the cart, but for some reason, it leaks like hell. I really dont know why, I guess the polyfill is not holding the fluid??

What did you mean about the fluval not hitting the bottom of the cart? The one cart I did with fluval, I pushed all the way down. And something just didnt seem right so I havent used it since..... Why shouldnt I push it to the bottom?

Great tips there too, thanks, I use a toothpick when I refill, and just let the juice drip down the toothpick. When I top off, I usually dont do anything except put a few drops in. Why do you bring the filler back up to even with the cart? The bridge on the atomizer usually just pushes it right back in no??

Great stuff here, thanks!

Jim

 

[Remie]

Jim,

I leave the space at the bottom for the exact reason you described. I found if I pushed it all the way to the bottom of the cart, it was overstuffed and there was not enough air to let the juice flow through the filler material.

If you take your Fluval and cut a strip as wide as the cart, and taller than the cart - use tweezers to pinch one end of the now ready strip. Insert it into the cartridge with the tweezers and you'll feel "resistance" don't push further than that first point of resistance. Put your fingers over the fluval that's now sticking out of the top of the cart and remove the tweezers (doing that insures you won't pull the filling out when you pull out the tweezers).

Then give it a hair cut I find that by doing it this way - there is a little space at the bottom of the cart and the air lets the juice flow through the fluval, and flow better. I think it even wicks better doing this.

Yeah, I take my paper clip pokey and just gently poke around the top of the fluval when I refill or top off...

I've found that if the material is pushed down too far into the cart, I get a dry harsh taste - really quickly... yuck. So, I don't know if what I am doing serves a logical purpose, but it's working for me.

Ohhh.... yeah... toss that old poly crap! If you are having leaks like that, I am sure it's boggy and not holding liquid anymore. You are probably adding e-juice and it's just pooling in there and not distributed through the filler...

I have wasted SO much e-liquid trying to figure out what works - lol

I was so frustrated one night that I took a syringe (from children's medication, a dispensing syringe) and put all of the juice filled poly fill from my carts into it - and squeezed out all the juice into an empty bottle

I ended up with the nastiest concoction of e-juice, but I was sick of wasting it!

Let me know how you make out re-stuffing your carts! You'll get the hang of it in no time