- Prefilled vape carts aren’t designed to be taken apart, but refillable carts can be easily opened by the user.
- To disassemble a prefilled cart, disconnect it from the battery and use pliers: needle nose to twist off the mouthpiece and vise grip to hold the base.
- Hollow syringes can be used to extract leftover oil from a broken or damaged cart.
- As they’re built for short-term use, prefilled carts can only be refilled once or twice, maximum.
Knowing how to open your vape cart safely is useful for maintaining and refilling the device. It’s even possible to extract the remaining liquid from a broken THC, CBD, or delta 8 cart, saving you some cash.
When it’s possible, refilling disposable carts can save even more money. It might be tempting to toss empty carts and start fresh, but some are designed to be refillable. Just make sure you’re listening to the manufacturer’s recommendations before doing so.
Most CCELL and other standard 510 threaded weed carts (sometimes mistakenly called dab carts) can be taken apart. Here’s how to accomplish this without injury or issue.
How can I open a weed cart without breaking it?
When you take apart a THC or CBD cart correctly, you can minimize the risk of it breaking. However, doing it the wrong way can lead to permanent damage or even injury to the user.
Keep in mind that most prefilled carts are not designed to be taken apart. Refillable carts, however, are built to be opened by the user—often feature a mouthpiece that can be unscrewed. Opening prefilled carts is more challenging and should be done with care, particularly if you’re looking to reassemble them for use later.
But if you follow our instructions, use the right tools, and avoid taking shortcuts, you can open a weed cart without breaking anything.
How to open a THC or CBD cart: the basics
First, let’s cover some of the basic steps. These are important to perform prior to taking apart a weed cart.
Disconnect your weed cart from the battery
Make sure that your cart has been removed from your device. Never attempt to open a THC or CBD cart that is hooked up to a 510 thread battery or any other power source. This can result in burns, combustion, or a cart that’s damaged beyond simple repair.
Try twisting off the cart’s mouthpiece
Next, try twisting the mouthpiece counterclockwise. In some cases, this will be enough to remove the mouthpiece and get to the oil. This is also a sign that the cart was designed to be refillable, since disposable carts usually lack twist-off mouthpieces.
Remember that twisting too hard on a disposable cart’s mouthpiece can cause the cart to crack. If it isn’t removable this way, don’t force it. All you need to do is follow our next steps.
How to refill a vape cart
Now that your vape cart is open, it’s time to refill it.
First, you’ll want to pick up cannabis distillate—emphasis on distillate. You shouldn’t refill 510 thread carts with waxy concentrates since the atomizer isn’t built to vaporize them, even if it’s the best top-shelf extract you can get your hands on. All you’ll get is a clogged cart, a burnt coil, and no vapor to show for it. Don’t use an oil-based tincture, either.
Cannabis oil can get messy. Use tools like a syringe and needle to handle the refilling, and consider warming the oil before transferring it. You can hold the syringe under a hair dryer for a minute or two (stick to the lowest setting) or put it in a plastic bag, then submerge that bag in warm (not boiling) water. For optimal precision, a 14-gauge or 15-gauge blunt tip needle should do the trick.
If you’re having trouble holding the cart steady while you refill it, try attaching it to the battery. Just make sure to keep that battery turned off. Finally, reattach the mouthpiece.
How to open a prefilled cart
Just because a cart comes to you already filled with oil, doesn’t mean that the oil isn’t directly accessible. Even if the mouthpiece can’t be removed by hand, you can use tools to take apart your cart.
Gather needle nose and vise grip pliers
Together, these common tools are everything needed to take apart your 510-threaded weed cart. Needle nose pliers are ideal, but if you don’t have any lying around, dull scissors can be used in their place.
Use the vise grip to secure your cart at the base
Latch the vise grip diagonally around the base of your weed cart. It will be easier to disassemble the cart if the grip is tight enough to prevent any wiggling. Still, make sure not to go too tight—this could crack or damage the cart, especially if the vise grips slip onto the glass tank area.
Unscrew the mouthpiece with needle nose pliers
Once you have the cart secure, use the needle nose pliers to gently twist the mouthpiece off. Stay patient as you work apart the cart. On many non-refillable carts, the mouthpiece and tank are not connected with threads. You’re loosening press-fit parts, and they’re very tight—so go slow! Yanking or twisting hard will lead to avoidable damage. Instead, jostle it apart with small, firm movements.
Use a hollow syringe to extract the oil (optional)
If the cart is broken or damaged, you can insert a hollow, blunt-tipped needle to extract the oil. With or without a syringe, removing weed oil can be easier if you warm the liquid and lower its viscosity. A reliable method involves holding the cart under a hairdryer at low heat.
Refill your cart
If your goal is to refill a disposable cart, once it’s open, you can do that using a blunt syringe. Fill it very slowly to avoid air bubbles. Avoid overfilling. Make sure to use the same firm but gentle approach when putting the cap back on the cart.
Remember that, even though a cart intended for a single use can be refilled, it still has a limited life. If you try to refill it more than once or twice, you may be pushing your luck.
How to open a CCELL cart
Compared to a standard cart, CCELL carts reduce the risk of overheating or leaking. This doesn’t mean that these carts are indestructible, though—especially if you’re planning to take one apart.
Assuming the CCELL cart you’re opening has a 510 thread, you can follow the same steps as above: use needle nose pliers and a vise grip to disassemble, and (if necessary), a syringe to extract the oil. If you’re refilling it, do it very slowly and take care not to overfill.
Know your cart and open with care
To avoid breaking or damaging your cart, consider learning more about its many parts and how they function together. Understanding how your cart is constructed is helpful when you want to take it apart.
It all boils down to treating your carts with care. No brute force necessary, even when you’re opening a prefilled THC, delta 8, or CBD cart. And just like that, you can begin refilling your carts and conserving oil—and saving money!
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