Longevity of the ikenvape Cartos

[nbourbaki]

I'm fairly new to the ikenvape line of cartos. Most of my carto experience has been the V4L Wow cartos. Typically, I'll refill the wows over a 24 hour period and then put them in a baggy for later cleaning and drying. I use juice from a number of vendors, mostly in a 70/30% PG/VG blend. I'm using a Darwin and eGo 1000mah batteries, alternating between the two between hits throughout the day


I recently tried the KR808 LR Megas and while it holds far more juice than the wow cartos, it doesn't seem to wick very fast and I've found that I have to top it off all the time to keep it performing, which kind of defeats the purpose of using a Mega carto. Next I tried the 501 Mega LR and that seems to wick better, has better airflow and it holds as much juice as the KR808 Megas. My favorite has been the Gold V2. Wicks great, great airflow and great taste. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold as much juice as the Megas


A few questions. Do users typically clean these cartos or toss them? How long should I expect these cartos to last before, they'll need cleaning? Is longevity dependent based on carto model?


Thanks in advance for any guidance

 

[player30]

nbourbaki, I have been using these cartos for about two months. I use them until the draw starts getting harder. I have had one last two weeks, the next one last three weeks, and the third last about nine days, Currently I am using two with different flavors each for at least over a week. I use 80/20 pg/vg and the liquids I use are pretty clear. I cleaned one, but did not reaaly like the reuse, so now I just toss them. These are the best cartos I have ever used.

 

[Scorched]

these are my favorite cartos as well. I have not been using them for too long but I can usually expect one to last me about two weeks filling it once a day. I can tell you that the cartos really do not like VG juice. If you fill them with a higher PG mix you will notice you can vape them practically dry without having to top off.

I have not tossed any yet, but I keep malfunctioning ones stockpiled so I can clean them out all at once eventually. I never had a problem with a stiff draw, but I disgard them when they become leaky.

 

[Cowboysnavy]

I've used 5 of them over the past month 510LR MEGAs. I refill them about three to four time a day. I use a bunch off juice 6+mls a day. I havn't had one quit on me yet. I cleaned them yesterday because my new order from ikenvape came in. I was so impressed I bought 25 more cartos megas and goldv2's. should last me at least 6 months.
most people I have heard from don't clean em but I'm cheap.
How i clean them is by boiling them in water and vodka 50/50 blow em out and put them in the food dehydrator overnight. there bone dry when I wake up and perfom at about 95% as good as they did brand new.
I hope this helps.

 

[FranC]

They typically last a long time for me as long as I'm not using a dark juice. I had one 510 V2 gold carto last over 3 months. It was filled with a fairly clear juice.

 

[hairball]

You folks have me excited about my order. I bought 3 of Isaac's carto's due to all the reviews I've read. I'm still waiting on the 801 Fusions but will be stalking the mailman here shortly. I hope they last as long as you all said they do.

 

[Switched]

nbourbaki, I have been using these cartos for about two months. I use them until the draw starts getting harder. I have had one last two weeks, the next one last three weeks, and the third last about nine days, Currently I am using two with different flavors each for at least over a week. I use 80/20 pg/vg and the liquids I use are pretty clear. I cleaned one, but did not reaaly like the reuse, so now I just toss them. These are the best cartos I have ever used.

... and that about sums it up in a nutshell. I can get from 1 to 5 weeks with a carto (5 being an exception). I use 100% VG diluted by 20% with distilled water. Clearer less sugary liquids seem to last longer.

 

[Blueberry]

I'd say about 2 weeks on average. But the last KR808 I've used lasted a amazing 3 weeks! (PG/VG 70/30).

 

[nbourbaki]

Thanks everyone. That gives me a better understanding of how long I can expect these to last. I'll ratchet down my VG content to use on my KR808 and see if that helps the wicking and I'll save my darker, more sticky juice as I approach the end of life of the cartos.

 

[MaxUT]

...I'll save my darker, more sticky juice as I approach the end of life of the cartos.

A long life and a quick death... that's the most you can hope for.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I've been using the same LR 510 and 808 cartos for over a month now. I just give them a rinse once a week, let them dry out and use them again. I haven't had any change in flavor or vapor. These things really rock! I just ordered 10 more 808s with my UKenVape points and they'll probably be here Tuesday.

 

[5cardstud]

It depends on the carto. I have some that lasted a couple days and some that lasted weeks or even Months. But I can say this, I've never had a non-Ikenvape cartomizer come anywhere close to the longevity of an Ikenvape cartomizer. That's why in the long run they cost less than others do.

 

[Switched]

I hated cartos with a passion, now I vape 'em

 

[VaporChef]

I hated cartos with a passion, now I vape 'em

And that, my friends, is the difference IkenVape offers in a nutshell. Quality that is changing minds, one order at a time... build it and they will come.

There is a reason we rave about our Iken vapes.

 

[dearler]

I'm currently using Boge 510 LR (2 ohm) cartos which are not bad, for the first 3 or so days but after that I find I frequently get a foul taste out of them. I typically push them for a week and they're still going strong but I can't stand the flavor most of the time at that point. You mentioned that you typically get 2+ weeks out of the Ikenvape cartos, does the filler burn or get that dried out look/feel to it and does your juice still taste just the same til the end? I'd love to try them out, just a bit on the fence as they are a little spendier than my current brand but if they last longer, hold the flavor, and wick just like new for a couple weeks then I'm all over that.

I use an eGO with VSVapor juice, believe it's mostly PG although not sure on the exact ratio. Their RY4, which is what I use, is almost clear with a slight yellow tinge.

 

[MaxUT]

IKV cartos aren't magic, they're still subject to the same problems that cause lesser cartos to go bad, but: they wick better, which means you will get more puffs between fillings and less tendency to suddenly go dry enough to get a burnt taste. Better wicking also seems to help prevent old juice from remaining in place and becoming overcooked and funky tasting.

The taste is better. My wife would never use Boge or SLB cartos, saying that she couldn't stand the "filler taste" as she termed it. (she uses fruity juices and preferred a 901 atty) I filled an IKV Platinum 510 with her juice and had her try it and now she uses one everyday. Lately she's been using a new LR901 carto on her work PV and she's quite pleased with it.

Since I've been using IKVs I haven't had a single one which did not perform well. Yes, they cost a little more up front but the bottom line is, they deliver best value-- they taste better, produce better, go longer between fills and give longer usable life.

I've been vaping Vapor Station Phoenix and Tampa lately and they work very well in cartos, being thin and nearly colorless.

 

[dearler]

That's exactly what I was looking for, thank you.

 

[tigerlily]

I've heard good things about these cartos also, but have never tried them. I currently prefer the boge lr 2.0 on my eGo, but have recently placed an order for a provari. I've had folks tell me the ikenvape cartos rock on a provari, so I thought I would order some to have available. But now I'm confused. What is the difference between the platinums, the gold, the silver, the gold/black, the premium? Is there an actual difference in the vape or is it mostly an aesthetic thing?

 

[GummiBear]

I've been using Ikenvape cartos for a year now. The Fusion is my favorite. I use until the draw starts to get tight, which is 7 - 10 days. I don't clean and reuse, I toss it in the garbage. I've never had luck reusing any carto.

1 Fusion gave me trouble from the first draw. I tossed it on day 2, it wasn't worth the hassle. As with anything, you will get a bad one from time to time, it's no biggie.