Top Common Vape Problems and Solutions

The Most Common Vape Problems and How to Fix Them

Vaping is one of the newer ways of taking in nicotine, and it has spread widely over the last few years. As it has grown more popular, users keep running into the same handful of problems, and every one of them takes something away from the experience.

In this article we go through the most common of those problems and give you a fix for each one, so you can get back to a better vape.

You Can No Longer Taste Your Flavor

This is one of the most common vaping complaints of all. These fixes tend to work:

1. Stop vaping that particular flavor for at least a day or two.
2. Switch your usual flavor for a different one for a while. Mint or ice flavors work best here, because vaping something different helps your palate reset and start picking up taste again.
3. Rinse your mouth thoroughly with mouthwash.
4. Drink water regularly, and enough of it.

A Burnt Vape Coil

The coil is what generates the heat inside your tank. It needs resistance to keep it insulated from direct heat, which is why cotton is packed around it as a protective wrap.

When not enough e-liquid reaches that cotton, it dries out and the temperature climbs well above normal, and you end up with parts of the coil burnt from the excess heat.

The fix is simply to replace the coil and leave the other parts in place if they are still in good condition. Do that and the burnt smell disappears, and the flavor comes through properly again.

If you use a pod system or an electronic cigarette-style device, do not wait until the pod runs completely dry. Top it up as soon as the e-liquid gets near the halfway mark.

E-Liquid Spitting Into Your Throat

Another very common problem, and it has more than one cause:

1. Using the same coil or pod for too long. The cotton inside wears out and loses its ability to absorb e-liquid, so droplets get flung up into your throat instead. Change the coil or pod on a regular schedule.
2. Poor quality e-liquid, or liquid that has been stored badly or exposed to high temperatures. E-liquid is made to a particular viscosity; the conditions above thin it out, the cotton can no longer absorb it properly, and the odds of it going straight to your throat go up.
3. A coil that is not fitted correctly. Always make sure the coil is seated properly, and fall back on the user manual in the device box whenever you are unsure.

Your Vape Running Hot

Keep the device from overheating, which usually shows up as the battery getting hot. It should not go past about 45°C, because beyond that you risk burning or otherwise damaging the device. Keep it somewhere ventilated and out of direct sunlight. Also check that the coil resistance suits the device, and that the device is reading that resistance accurately.

Your Flavor Tastes Different

1. The e-liquid may not be genuine. It is worth confirming whether what you have is the real thing or a copy, which is exactly why we recommend buying from Nicotine — every product we sell is authentic and comes from its official source.
2. Leaving the tank open while it is full is one of the biggest causes of a flavor turning. The liquid reacts with air in what is known as oxidation, and that has a marked effect on both the taste and the color.

How Long E-Liquid Lasts

Every e-liquid has an expiry date, and you may well find that a recently produced bottle beats one made two years ago. Glycerin keeps for more than six years, but propylene glycol and nicotine can both expire in under two if they have been stored badly. Replace older e-liquids with fresher stock to be sure of a good experience.

How to Fill a Pod

There is a difference between pre-filled pods and empty refillable ones. Washing a pod or spraying it with alcohol to sterilise it, as some people do, is a mistake. The pod should be replaced outright, on a schedule set by how often you use it.

What you can do is wipe or occasionally clean the mouthpiece, or give it a light spray of alcohol, and wipe the outside of the device with a tissue or an antiseptic wipe to clear off any residue.

How to Clean a Vape Coil

There is no fixed method for cleaning a coil or extending its life. What helps is buying e-liquids that are not heavy on sweeteners, since sugar residue burns onto the coil and builds up.

Do not try to run the device hotter, either. Using the wattage the coil is rated for is the best fix there is, and never exceed the maximum wattage listed in the device manual.

A Crackling or Popping Sound

1. If you hear crackling or popping along with droplets of liquid reaching your mouth, that points to damage or a manufacturing fault in the coil or pod. Check whether those droplets are hot — if they are, the device is running far too hot. Switch it off straight away, or stop charging it, until it returns to normal.
2. Try not to draw too hard or too long on the device, so the liquid never reaches boiling point. That is what produces the crackling, and often the spitting into your throat along with it.

Your Vape Burns Your Throat

1. This one comes up a lot, and the main culprit is nicotine, which is what creates that burning feeling in your mouth, tongue and throat. This is why we do not recommend high-nicotine e-liquids.
2. Do not use e-liquids that are wrong for your coil, which can produce something close to a burn in the throat and mouth. In practice that means knowing whether your device is a sub-ohm device or a pod system, and whether it suits high-nicotine liquids at all.
3. Vapor that is too hot will also irritate your throat and sinuses.

Working Out the Right Wattage

In practice there is no single wattage that gives the best flavor. What we do recommend is running the wattage the coil is rated for. Many newer devices regulate wattage automatically, in line with the voltage and the resistance.

If you use RDA or RTA tanks, work your wattage out from your coil resistance and voltage rather than guessing.

How to Tell a Pod Has Burnt Out

1. On a newer digital device you may get a flashing indicator telling you the pod needs replacing, either because it has burnt out or because heavy use has worn it through.
2. When the liquid changes color, stop using the device and change the pod. This is especially common on shisha-style devices.
3. If you get a strong smell of e-liquid right after filling, the pod needs replacing.

Does E-Liquid Have an Expiry Date?

Yes. It is printed on the back of the box or on the outer packaging, the same as cigarettes. We also recommend buying your e-liquids from a source you trust, rather than the unofficial and counterfeit ones that can do you real harm.

In short, vaping comes with a set of common problems, and this article has laid out the clearest fixes for getting past them. Buy your products from a trusted source, follow the guidance that comes with your device, and remember that we are here around the clock if you run into a problem or want advice.