Cartridge anatomy for dummies?

[redraven]

Hiya all -

I've now got a 510 & a 901 & like them both. I've got a couple of cartridges where the filler has reached it's breaking point, so I'm ready to try some refilling methods. However, I'm a little confused on how the carts are built. There was a picture somewhere of one cut in half, but I can't find it again. People tend to use "mouthpiece" & "cartridge" to mean the same thing, but on at least some models, the filler is in a separate tube inside the mouthpiece...

On my previous PV, which was a DSE103 type, there were 2 plastic dealies inside the mouthpiece - one to support the tube with the filler & then the actual filler compartment. (See photo...) With that model it was easiest to pop that little plastic tube out for filling, because it is so small. And juice tended to get stuck between the inner & outer tubes, etc. Taking it out allowed for more precision & getting the juice all the way to the bottom of the filler. Then I could just stick it back in once I was satisfied with the amount of juice.

I've been looking at tutorials on refilling 510s & 901s. Most appear to just take out the filler & stick more directly in the mouthpiece, but I saw one where it looked as if the person popped something out from inside. So, I'm wondering what exactly is inside the mouthpieces of 510s & 901s. Are there separate little plastic pieces like above or is it all one piece? When I'm replacing my filler, do I just need to stick it directly in the mouthpiece & that will be fine? Or is there a little tube inside that holds the filler that I can remove & play around with? I've poked at one of my empties & nothing has come out, but I can't tell for sure.

Any clarification is much appreciated - Thanks - RR

Edit: Also, since it's somewhat of a related question: When I was using the 103, I started putting a couple drops or juice into the cartridge, then inserting the filler, & then adding more juice to the top. Especially with those tiny carts it just wasn't getting the filler evenly saturated otherwise.

The 510 & 901 do a lot better with it, but I did notice when removing old filler the very bottom didn't seem to have gotten much liquid. (The liquid I'm vaping atm is colored so I can see exactly where it is & is not). Is there any reason with 510 and/or 901 that I couldn't put a couple drops directly into the cart before adding my filler? Or does it even matter if the filler is saturated all the way to the bottom since it's so far from the atty at that point?

Thanks - RR

 

[redraven]

Excuse the bump, but I'd really like to know about this, if anyone can help me out. Thanks- RR

 

[Wireguy]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecigarette-technical-issues/51818-anatomy-510-cart-atty.html

There was a real cutaway but that member took their toys and went home.

The tube is an integral part of the cart/mouthpiece. The cart consist of main body with juice holder and air passages all in one piece, the filler (polyester stuff) and 2 separate plastic (baffle and cover) disc at the top.

For your purposes it's all one piece

 

[DC2]

I don't have a 901 but the 510 is a one-piece deal and there is nothing to pop out like your DSE103 model, which I have also used before.

 

[DC2]

The 510 & 901 do a lot better with it, but I did notice when removing old filler the very bottom didn't seem to have gotten much liquid. (The liquid I'm vaping atm is colored so I can see exactly where it is & is not). Is there any reason with 510 and/or 901 that I couldn't put a couple drops directly into the cart before adding my filler? Or does it even matter if the filler is saturated all the way to the bottom since it's so far from the atty at that point?

You might want to look into different cartridge fillers after you read this...


Dry atomizers, flooded atomizers, and wicking
Basically, you want to keep your atomizer happy with plenty of juice, but not too much as to flood it.

A good sign that it's flooded is that it gets a little harder to draw on and you get little or no vapor.
Flooding it, however, won't hurt it at all, and you can just blow out the extra juice.

Letting it get too dry, on the other hand, is not good for the atomizer supposedly.
But regardless of whether it is bad for the atomizer or not, you still don't want to do it.

You can tell it is too dry when it starts to taste like crap.
A nasty sort of burnt plastic type of taste.

One reason it might get too dry is if you burn through the juice faster than it can wick up more.
That is why people experiment with different kinds of filler materials to use in their cartridges.

If you take only a drag or two every now and then, you should be fine.
But if you use these like a cigarette, the wicking process will have trouble keeping up.
There are ways to deal with this, and people have different methods that work better for them.

And of course, when the cartridge is running low on juice, it needs topping off for this reason.

 

[redraven]

Ah, thank you all. That's just the information I needed. Thanks for the link & your comments here. I'm getting ready to try out fluval with the wee straw beside it for better airflow. Just wanted to make sure I didn't need to take anything apart before doing so.

*hugs*

RR

 

[Chatty Cathy]

I am going to try and fill my carts myself. I have some polyester stuffing, it reads virgin polyester on the bag and states it melts at 450 degrees. Does anyone know if this ok to use as a filler? Tha name is the Original Buffalo Snow, I must have gotten for my christmas village or something.