@YouShouldTap_Shatter I wish that you had posted about your problems here a long time ago, because a little information would've saved a lot of unnecessary frustration! You are correct that you cannot and should not attempt to hold down the button of the Persei with a KISS cart at 7.4V for more than 2 seconds. If you take a look at how quickly the wire heats to a hot, glowing red when you push the button, this might help to understand how to use the 7.4 KISS a little better. Your username is amazingly appropriate as the 7.4V KISS require tapping the button for proper use.
I personally find the best results to be about a half second on, half second off. Letting off the button not only cools the wire, ceramic, and oil ensuring better flavor but lets the oil 'run' back towards areas now devoid of oil, that were just vaporized- So the next button tap has oil to vaporize and the oil also keeps the wick cool which prevents them from breaking constantly like you've been doing.. Several seconds of continual 7.4V power can kill cartridges fast, as you have discovered. The correct technique will make the carts last a long time.
If you want to be able to hold down the button for a few seconds continually, I would highly recommend the 3.7V KISS. A single 18650 or 18350 battery with a shorty tube would let you run one of those, or the Globe. I can hold the button for 20 seconds straight with the 3.7v, Ti KISS Globes. And I often do, and haven't broken a single Ti coil yet.
I am curious what battery configuration you used with the Globes that "arrived defective" and I am curious if you have tried to use the Persei in the lower voltage 3.7V mode. I'm very sorry to hear that you have has such problems, and I'm here to help you out.
The cart rebuilds require the use of a DVOM / multimeter to verify it's done correctly or it could indeed short out your vaporizer. If you aren't familiar with the usage of one of those, the rebuild kit is not for you. I think the rebuild kits are geared towards electronics enthusiasts and those with experience building coils for e cigarettes and rebuildable atomizers. If you were to go purchase the parts inside the rebuild kit from somewhere like rtdvapor or kidney puncher they would not come with any instructions either. However simply emulating what already exists (as far as number of wraps on the wire and the way the wire is crimped) and just putting it back together the opposite way it comes apart is usually the way these things go. I have only rebuilt carts with Kanthal wire and have not used the UP Tech rebuild kit, yet. I did find
DieHard's rebuild tutorial to be a helpful resource when rebuilding.
Let me know if you are in need of an 18650 battery, I have plenty extra, and could send you one if you need it.