Burned Brand New Wick

It doesn't hurt anything to flip them over, you get a little more mileage out of it before replacing it again.

1. Why not fill it up while the cover is off to get a better sense of how much is enough. Every dropper is different, an accurate measure is hard to do once you add/subract 18-20 small variables. Try a syringe.
2.   The wick does two things, delivers fluid up from the well, and stops.fluid sloshing or to some extent spillage while being oiled etc., but for filling, sloshing is the main concern as it mimics overfill.
3. So ideal, fill lower than the air passage or other "notches" and hopefully barely touching the element, and covering(soaking) the wick. Wet wick is hard to burn.  Now at least run until safe enough to tip&oil or whatever.(10min?)
4. All wick burns eventually because you can't stay topped off forever. You could maybe go with a cooler, higher ohm element. A trade off of less smoke for longer wick life.
5. That one looks like you could almost use a "dipstick" to check it (as long as it doesn't push the wick down. Make a spot/hole in wick for it? 
6.  These list numbers turned on and won't clear the way they used to, lol.