What's the difference between a cartomizer, atomizer, cartridge and tank?

[househippie]

I just got a VariVolt and I have several different pieces that go on the end. I know how they all attach and basically how they work but I don't know the proper names for them and how they all work.
I think the piece that screws onto the battery is an atomizer. I know that's what heats up and vaporizes the juice. For the end of that I have a couple different pieces. Some have polyfiber stuff in them and some don't. I don't know if I should be using them without the fiber or if that will ruin the battery or atomizer piece. I also have some whistle looking tips that I think are called drip tips. Am I supposed to use those without the fiber? And if so, what actually holds the juice in there? Won't it just flood?
I have watched a bunch of different videos and been searching the threads in here for a few days looking for answers and haven't been able to find them. I've been vaping for several months now, and am just realizing I think I'm doing it wrong. I had something go horribly wrong the other day--it started smoking and smelled awful and melted the cartridge piece that fits into the atomizer!! I really like my new VV and don't want to break it.
Please help me figure this out!

 

[mooreted]

A cartridge is just a tube with polyfill in it that you fill with juice and screw onto an atomizer. An atomizer screws onto the battery and vaporizes the juice in the cartridge. A cartomizer is a cartridge and atomizer all in one piece. A drip tip fits on the end of the cartridge or cartomizer for dripping or just for comfort and looks. You can use an empty cartridge and atomizer for dripping.

 

[dormouse]

battery + normal atomizer + cartridge aka cart (or drip tip on a sealed manual battery)

battery + Ego-T type tank atomizer + Ego-T type tanks

battery + cartomizer aka carto

battery + cartomizer tank (either a tank w/ CE2 carto guts or a tank a whole slotted carto slides into)

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Atty + cart is the way many learn to vape and probably the most annoying but most cost-effective method

Atty + drip tip is great for trying new juices, vaping occasional juices or juices too thick for your other methods

Tank atty + tanks - a newcomer and mostly attractive to new vapers. Some like them but I think about 50% end up switching to cartomizers

Cartomizers have limited lives but are a self-contained mostly-sealed one-piece cart w/ internal atomizer coil. Most prefer to vape with cartomizers for their favorite juices. Every carto is like a fresh atomizer. They hold more than a cartridge. They keep your favorite flavors totally separate from each other (not mixed in one atomizer). Most work best with thin clear juices that move quickly to rewet stuffing (or wicks in the case of reservoir cartos)

Cartomizer tank - increasing popularity on large models, mainly the ones that hold an entire cartomizer. It's like a cartomizer surrounded by a fish tank full of juice.

 

[Huffelpuff]

What helped me was watching videos on refilling cartomizers on UTube. If you google how to refill a cartomizer, that process is pretty simple. I'm pretty sure that I'm not alone in saying cartridges are a bit messy and less satisfying - they look like a drip tip w/ fiber filling inside w/ no coils. The drip tip goes on top of the cartomizer or atomizer. Atomizers are used to vape by screwing them into your battery, dropping some liquid directly onto the heating element and vaping. You will need a drip tip to put on top of atomizers or cartomizers to keep juice out of your mouth and also to keep you from touching the heat emitted from the cartomizer or atomizer.

Sorry - seemed simpler when I started typing. Hope that my rambling helped.

 

[househippie]

Yes, thank you to all of you. Cleared it up for me. I also saw some pretty helpful vids on youtube. Can't believe I've been doing this for almost 6 months and am still so uninformed. I thought this was a self-explanatory process, but apparently that's why I've been going through so much juice, many messy floods and a fried battery.