If you’re already enjoying e-cigarettes, you might want to save some money by refilling the cartomizer yourself. Preloaded cartridges can get costly in the long run, so learning to refill them is a good habit to adopt. It’s easy to do if you have the right equipment.

Tools Needed

With tank systems, depending on how you plan to refill your e-cigarette, you don’t need any tools.

To refill other e-cigarettes, you will need a dripper or syringe to draw the e-liquid from the bottle. You’ll also need a toothpick, tweezer or jeweler’s screwdriver to remove the rubber cap and pad so you can access the filling.

Methods

• To refill your e-cig with the drip method, you need to open the cartridge. Then remove the filling with the toothpick or screwdriver. Drip a small amount of e-liquid into the cartomizer. Replace the filling. When the filling has absorbed the e-liquid you dripped into the cart, drip a few more drops onto the filling to fully saturate it. Don’t add too much e-liquid. The filling should be saturated without any e-liquid pooled above it. Then close the cartridge and your e-cigarette is ready for action.

Some vapers prefer to drip without the cartridge, but be careful, as this can lead to a hot atomiser – and burnt lips!

• The injection method of refilling requires an injector or syringe. The syringe’s needle can penetrate the filling, allowing you to directly place the e-liquid into the filling without having to wait for it to be absorbed. First you need to draw out about 5 to 10 ml of e-liquid from the bottle. Then remove the cap and rubber grommet at the back of the cartomizer. Stick the syringe’s needle into the filler material at the upper-most or North position and deposit a small amount of e-liquid. Then repeat this step at the bottom of the filler and on both sides. Once again, be careful not to overfill the cart. You can also use the syringe to add flavor to your e-cigarette. Replace the cap on the end of the cart and wipe it clean if you spilled any e-liquid on the surface.

• With the tank system, refilling your e-cigarette can be as simple as opening the cartridge, squeezing e-liquid directly into the cartridge, replacing the cap and inserting the cartridge into the atomiser.

After you’ve filled your e-cigarette, squirt any leftover e-liquid back into the bottle. Then cleanse the syringe with cool water and enjoy your e-cig.

Many smokers across the world are switching to electronic cigarettes to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use. Most e-cigs use a rechargeable battery, and the nicotine is delivered through a cartridge or cartomizer. The cartridges can be refilled with e-liquid, and the cartomizers contain pre-filled e-liquid with varying amounts of nicotine. Because nicotine can be harmful, it is important to follow some safety guidelines regarding the usage and handling of e-liquid.

Storage Temperatures

Users should store e-liquid at or below room temperature for best results. E-liquid should not be stored in places that could reach high temperatures. Many e-cigarette users store their e-liquid or unused cartomizers in the refrigerator to keep the solution fresh.

Usage Guidelines

When filling electronic cigarettes with e-liquid, it is important to only fill cartridges that are approved for this use. Users should not try to add liquid directly to the battery or any other component that is not meant to hold e-liquid. Adding the right amount of e-liquid may take some getting used to. Experts recommend adding only a few drops at a time to better estimate how much liquid the cartridge can hold. It is important to avoid overfilling the cartridge as this could lead to the liquid leaking out or clogging the device. Many e-liquid bottles come with easy-to-use droppers that help the user control the amount of liquid dispensed. Those who do not wish to deal with the refilling of cartridges may find the use of pre-filled cartomizers preferable. With these components, the user puffs on the e-cigarette until it is dry and simply replaces the cartomizer with a new one.

Warnings

E-liquid should be kept away from children at all times. Nicotine is a dangerous chemical and can be fatal if swallowed. E-cigarette users should keep their e-liquid and unused cartomizers in locked cabinets or drawers out of reach of children. Discarded cartridges and cartomizers should also be kept away from children as they may be inclined to chew on them or put them in their mouths. If children accidentally ingest the nicotine solution, paramedics should be called immediately.

When handling e-liquid, it is possible for the solution to spill, and the nicotine can seep into the skin. If the e-liquid comes into contact with the skin, users should wash it off immediately with soap and water. Safe handling of e-liquid requires proper storage away from children and a solid knowledge of nicotine’s harmful effects.

In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes contain another principle ingredient. The ingredient will be either propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerine (VG). The classification “generally recognized as safe” applies to both. Research to date indicates either e-liquid presents less risk than smoking tobacco cigarettes.

Long-Term Effects

Inhalation of PG and VG in this manner is new. As a new method, the long-term repercussions of e-juice inhalation are unknown. The use of both in food, pharmaceutical and hygiene products is long-standing. Negative impact of the liquid in these other forms of consumption and use is negligible.

It deserves mention that asthma inhalers containing PG show no significant long-term harm. The amount of PG inhaled with asthma treatment is vastly different from the amount inhaled with e-cigarettes. The difference disallows using studies of PG in asthma inhalers as a basis for e-cigarette use, but those studies do show potentially low risk.

The known long-term effects of tobacco cigarettes are numerous. Heart disease, stroke and COPD can result from cigarette smoking. There are possible links to macular degeneration and cataracts. Considering the carcinogenic properties of up to 60 tobacco ingredients, the high cancer risk associated with cigarette smoking is not surprising.

Side Effects

The effects of PG relate to discomfort rather than health. A few PG users report dry throats leading to sore throats. It may also cause muscle aches and cramping. There have been rare reports of diarrhea. A switch to VG relieved almost every user’s discomfort. There is minimal reporting of side effects from VG usage.

The side effects of tobacco cigarettes are numerous. Shortness of breath, increased pulse and reduced immunity to illness are a short list of hazards to health. Some side effects are purely superficial. These include wrinkles, stained teeth and fingers, and clinging odor. The remaining hazards are too many to continue listing.

Choosing an e-juice is a matter of personal preference. VG offers a sweeter taste. PG offers more of a hit to the throat. Choosing either one over smoking tobacco cigarettes appears to have less risk. There is a lack of conclusive, long-term studies of the liquid component of e-cigarettes. Despite the lack, research suggests e-liquid at its most harmful will not come near the level of harm caused by smoking tobacco cigarettes.