Carto Tank Tips

I’ve been seeing a lot of questions and suggestions regarding the use of cartomizer tanks.  Given the continued interest and maybe even resurgent interest in carto tanks, this might be a good time to list some of the suggestions I’ve heard over time.

The carto tank is a very simple concept.  A tank with volumes anywhere from 1.5ml to 5ml surrounds a fairly typical cartomizer, with o-rings waking a leakproof seal against the cartomizer.  The cartomizer has one or more holes in it that allow e-liquid to seep in as the cartomizer is vaped.  Those holes can either be punched at the factory (pre-punched) or punched by the user by using a cartomizer punch.  Pre-punched cartomizers typically also have a bottom flange that prevents them from sliding completely through the tank.

Here are a few helpful tips that will keep carto tanks performing at their best, mainly focused on keeping the e-liquid flowing.

• Prime the cartomizer – a brand new dry cartomizer will not get saturated initially by the eliquid in the tank.  It should be completely saturated with e-liquid before use by dripping onto the filler.  A typical carto take around 20-30 drops and should be filled until e-liquid starts to pool on top of the filler.  Letting it sit for a few minutes and then adding another couple of drops if necessary is the best practice.
• Test before tanking – After saturating, it’s a good idea to test vape the carto before inserting it into the tank.  That way you’ll know if you got a bad cartomizer before messing with a tank full of juice.

• Insert carefully – when inserting the cartomizer, twisting it slightly and pushing it into the tank very gently helps to avoid  damage to the o-rings that are so important to avoiding leakage.

• Fill to 3/4 – When filling the tank, avoid filling it completely full.  Air at the top of the tank helps to create the pressure needed to push the e-liquid into the cartomizer.
• Push-pull draw – As the e-liquid in the cartomizer begins to get used up, e-liquid should seep in through the hole.  If the taste begins to get weak, that may not be happening.  Sucking in and blowing out on the cartomizer without firing the battery can often speed up the process.  You’ll know it’s working when you see bubbles appear as you do it.  Remember, the air in the tank is displacing the e-liquid, so bubbles going into the tank mean liquid going into the carto.
• Hole experiments – depending on the thickness of the e-liquid used, you may need to experiment with more holes in the carto.  For my preferred 80PG/20VG juice, one hole is perfect.  Thicker juices may require up to three.

I hope these tips can be of some help.  Let me know if you have others!