Dealing with Burnt Coils & Pods

Don't you hate it when you take a puff off your vape and immediately you can feel a burning sensation?  It tastes like charred newspaper and the burnt vapor cloud sputters out of your mouth while burning everything in its path including your throat and tongue.  It's just bad vibes all-around if you ask us.

When you experience a burnt coil or pod, you should immediately stop vaping and take steps to fix the problem; but what are the steps needed to fix said problem?  Sure, you can easily just replace the pod or coil, but there could be other factors at play.  So, that's what we'll focus on today.  What could cause burnt coils and pods and what are the steps you need to take to ensure this happens as infrequently as possible.  Let's dive in!

WHY DOES MY VAPE TASTE BURNT?

Whether you're on a mod with a tank, a rebuildable atomizer, an open-pod system, or even closed system disposables, at some point or another you will experience a burnt coil.  What happens is that the wick, which is the part of the atomizer that soaks up e-liquid to then be vaporized by the coil, dries up.  This leaves the coil to heat up a dry wick thus causing the burning sensation upon inhale.

WHAT WOULD CAUSE A BURNT COIL AND HOW TO FIX IT

While experiencing a dry hit due to a burnt out coil sucks, understand that this is a normal occurrence.  It doesn't matter if this is your first time trying a vape or you're entering into your 10th year of habitual vaping, everyone goes through a burnt coil or two at some point in their vaping lives.  And since this is such a common occurrence, it is important to know the average lifespan of a coil.  All coils fail eventually, and some coils can burnt out faster than others particularly as it pertains to your own unique habits.  On average, the typical coil lasts between two to three weeks - and sometimes longer.  Once you start noticing the flavor in your e-liquid is off and/or the vapor produced is starting to lessen, it might be time to switch out that coil!

Is there anything that can be done to extend the life of your coils?  Absolutely!  Two of the most notorious ways to kill a coil at records speeds are: chain vaping and not priming your coil.

Chain vaping, as the name suggests, means you're hitting puff after puff over and over again.  When you do that, you are effectively forcing your wick to soak up more e-liquid to be vaporized.  But as you take each subsequent puff, you are not allowing the wick to re-soak the e-liquid, thus causing the coil to burn a drier and drier wick.  To avoid chain vaping, simply wait about 30 seconds before taking another hit.  At the end of the day, you are still consuming nicotine, so whether you take 10 small hits or 6 slightly larger hits, you are still experiencing a delicious flavor and your nicotine to satisfy any craving!

The next most notorious way to deliver an early grave to your coils is skipping the step of priming them!  Priming your coil means preparing the wick and heating element through soaking it with e-liquid.  That way, when you fire up the device, the wick and heating element vaporizes e-liquid, and nothing else.  Most open-system tanks and atomizers have input holes to add e-liquid to the coils.  Apply two or three drops of your BLVK e-liquid into those holes, stopping when the e-liquid starts spilling over.  Once you've soaked the coils, let it sit for a few minutes.  From there, inhale the device WITHOUT firing it.  This will pull e-liquid onto the wick and towards the coil while simultaneously setting you up for the tastiest possible first puff!

OTHER FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO BURNT COILS & PODS

While chain vaping and not priming your coils are public enemies 1 and 2, it's still possible to burn out your coils and pods if you're not careful!  One of the most common ways to burn out your coil is simply not having enough e-liquid in the tank.  Letting your tank, pod, or atomizer run dry or nearly dry can leave your wick without enough e-liquid to soak up.

And we get it - if you're the type of vaper to rotate through several e-liquids at a time, running your atomizer down to the last drop of e-liquid can set yourself up for an "almost-new" environment for the next round of e-liquid.  However, if you overdo it, you also run the risk of sending your coil into the trash.

Another common factor to be aware of that might lead to an early grave for your coil or pod is the quality of e-liquid you are vaping.  Now, we don't mean to come off as condescending, but even in 2022 with a smaller industry due to FDA regulations and state bans, there's still a good amount of low-quality e-liquid out there!  By low quality, we mean e-liquids with incredibly high VG content and those that contain a good amount of sugar.  Both VG and sugar are more viscous than the PG-based flavoring contained in your e-liquids.  And higher viscosity means it's harder for coil wicks to absorb, thus causing it to fail.  To avoid this, you can opt for e-liquids with a VG concentration of less than 70%.

Luckily for you, all BLVK e-liquids, whether it's freebase, salts, or our Ello Disposables do not exceed 70% VG.

ENJOY VAPING ONCE AGAIN!

Now that you know what can cause a burnt coil or pod, and the steps you can take to experience this common problem less frequently, you are now on a path to enjoy vaping with as little problems as possible!  We wish you best on your vaping journey, whether you're using our products to quit cigarettes or looking to just replace the unhealthy habit, BLVK will be with you every step of the way!