Carto keeps flooding

[skoot]

I'm using a 25mm ibtank with a Smok carto. I punch them myself. The first one I used did lasted 4 days then started flooding so I put a new one in. On this one, I punched smaller holes to avoid this, but this time it's flooding after one day. It worked fine for a few hours last night, and again this morning. Then a few hours later I hit it and it's gurgling and sputtering.

I used Baditude's filling method- toothpick in the blowhole, then drop juice along the sides with a syringe. I slowly added juice over the course of a few hours. I'm using 100% VG.

With this setup and a Nova I've also noticed juice collects on the battery terminal of my Provari, and there is always some to be wiped away from the 510 connector.

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

 

[Baditude]

Hey, Skoot. I'll try to help you. If I recall, you are using Ikenvape cartos. I have to say this, I have never had an Ikenvape carto flood, and only had one that gave me a dry hit from the start; so I can pretty much assure you there is a user error involved here somehow.

Without being able to see what your vape technique is, could you be chain vaping or vaping to strongly? Vaping on a cartotank is not like smoking an analog. Cartotanks require a patient and slow, almost gentle puff technique. Three to six seconds of a steady, consistantly smooth pull. If your technique is too strong, too much juice is pulled into the cartomizer and results in flooding.

How many holes are you punching? One hole should be plenty if you are having flooding issues. Are you leaving about 20% of the tank space empty for air? Don't fill to the top end cap.

When you first start to hear the gurling sound, stop vaping. Remove the cartotank from the Provari. Turn the tank upside down so that the holes in the cartomizer are in the air part of the cartotank, and then blow the air hole out into a paper towel in that upside down position.

Then put the cartotank back on your Provari, and do a couple of "pre-burns". By this I mean push the 'power on' switch for a couple of seconds before doing a very gentle draw on the tank. Hopefully this will vaporize some of the extra juice that is in the cartomizer before pulling even more juice from the tank.

If the above techniques are used before the carto gets too flooded, you should be able to salvage it. I also recommend watching the PBusardo video that is in my cartotank setup guide in my blog if you haven't watched it already. He has some helpful tips for flooding cartos.

If all else fails, my only suggestion would be to try some Boge cartos in the length that you need for your tank. These can work better for some people who experience flooding issues.

 

[skoot]

I tried all the cleaning tactics to no avail. Came home to some nice vapemail from Isaac though, and am now a happy vaper. I was using Smoktech until he restocked a few days ago, and got a nice supply. The difference is night and day. Totally clear, full hits. To be fair, I do tend to hit it hard and fast. I see a future in two setups- a plain carto to hit the hell out of when I get home from work, and this perfect ibtank/ikencart/provari setup.

I suspect too that the holes I punched were too large. The Ikencarts are very small, hard to estimate but I bet there's half. Between all this and adjusting my hit, I think I'm good. Thanks!

 

[OCD]

Skoot, might also want to inspect the orings. If possible swap them and see if that helps. Air will go through a smaller gap than liquid will and if air can get into the tank then the vacuum it need to hold up the liquid is broken and can cause flooding.

Also remember the bigger the tank and lower the liquid volume in the tank the more air that is in it. Air will expand and contract quite a lot with temperature changes like going inside to a warm house on a cold day or out on a hot one. The Mrs commutes over a mountain that is about a half mile elevation change and that will flood her tank but by the time she gets down the other side it fixes itself. Same thing here where a full tank does not get affected nearly to the same degree.

Generally as Bad noted the soft draw fixes it for me. I just draw lightly for a little while, lots of button time with not so much air flow in the suction department, this prevents creating that pull that overcomes the vacuum in the tank which in turn draws in more liquid to the cartomizer. i have even used a long drip tip and slid the carto up so the hole is below the bottom oring to "dry" out a carto.

Last thing to note is sometimes cartos just seem to wet out and the odd carto will do this much quicker than the one right before it and could be the same brand from the same batch. When it gets down to it if I am not happy with a one I just swap it out. Sometimes I will only get a day or two from one though usually I will get a week. Most times when I switch for a new one is because the sizzle and pop has dropped off because I love that airy draw with loads of vapor so a carto life is probably much longer than I press it.

 

[bmrdave]

I'll just chime in to agree with Baditude about the one hole. I always start with two, but some juices and/or tanks prefer one.

 

[skoot]

I think I figured the problem out. It's with refilling- I was removing the top cap of the tank, adding juice and pushing the top back on. Pretty sure this is driving liquid into the air tube. I reviewed some videos and it seems the best way is to leave the caps on and push the tank up the carto, drip liquid in, then push the tank back down, which pushes the air out the top rather than into the air tube.

 

[OCD]

Yeah, dont want to do that skoot... creates pressure in a tank and liquid has no where to go but into the carto.

 

[Baditude]

I think I figured the problem out. It's with refilling- I was removing the top cap of the tank, adding juice and pushing the top back on. Pretty sure this is driving liquid into the air tube. I reviewed some videos and it seems the best way is to leave the caps on and push the tank up the carto, drip liquid in, then push the tank back down, which pushes the air out the top rather than into the air tube.

Absolutely. What you finally figured out I assumed you already were doing since you claimed to be using the methods that I recommend in my blog.

To refill a tank, always push the carto down through the bottom of the tank with a tank tool device like a Slap Yo Moma. Then add juice through the opening in the top cap. Then push the carto back up into place in the tank.

I don't wish to appear arrogant, but proper methods of setting up and refilling a tank are all over the web, yet newcomers disregard the info that is available and do something that is out of ordinary. Then they wonder why they have problems. Nowhere have I seen taking the top cap off a tank to refill it anywhere. Not specifically pointing a finger at you, Scooter, because you are only one of many. I guess it can be chalked up to the learning curve. I suspect you shouldn't have any more problems with your tank. Enjoy!

 

[skoot]

It's definitely the learning curve. I watched the videos, read the blogs, etc. but apparently didn't soak up all the info. Sure, nowhere do you see videos of anyone taking the cap off to fill it, but neither do I remember seeing anything telling me not to, much less explaining why not. It's a lot of info to digest. I thought I had it memorized but I guess not.

 

[Proetus]

I'm with you on the learning curve Skoot! it's alot different then the fill n go methods of the Clearomizer/Nova style tanks im used to. I just got my F16 yesterday and already been through 3 carto's. I have two AGR tanks in the mail somewhere between them and me at the moment. Hopefully that "Phil" hole will work out good!

 

[skoot]

Up and running now after a refresher video. I'm still getting a tiny bit of juice on the battery connector whenever I unscrew the tank. It's not condensation. Is that normal?