WARNING

Flooded coils happen when the coil inside your vape device becomes oversaturated with your vape juice.

You generally learn you have a flooded coil when you take a draw and e-liquid ends up in your mouth instead of vapour. You may then also notice bubbling and gurgling sounds, and if you do happen to see vapour, there is very little of it and certainly not enough to experience any satisfaction.

Flooded coils can be frustrating, not least because you may not know what causes them and how to fix them. You can learn all this information and more below.

NOT DRAWING CORRECTLY

Adjusting to vaping after being a smoker can be challenging since you may need to change your drawing habit to suit your specific device. Sometimes, depending on the device you have, drawing too hard can lead to flooding because the coil is exposed to too much e-liquid.

Generally, vaping requires you to draw a little longer than you would on a cigarette, and adjusting how you inhale might be how you prevent coil flooding in the future.

NOT REPLACING YOUR COILS OFTEN ENOUGH

It can be tempting to replace your coils as infrequently as possible to save money. However, using an old coil has many drawbacks, including reduced absorbency that leads to flooding. Aside from flooding, you may notice a burnt taste with an old coil, leaking in your device, strange-tasting e-liquid, and poor vape production.

Coils are much more affordable than you might think, especially when you compare them to the price of a packet of cigarettes. What’s more, you may just be able to avoid flooded coils in the future by replacing them as soon as you notice any of those signs above.

YOU’VE FILLED YOUR TANK WRONG

Some of the older vape devices that people own still have centre tubes. These can sometimes end up with e-liquid inside them when you refill your tank.

Fortunately, most new vape products today have special filling ports to avoid this problem. However, if you still have a vape device with a centre tube, you may flood your coil by accidentally getting e-liquid inside it. We recommend upgrading to a new device to prevent this from being the cause of a flooded coil in the future.

YOU’VE OVER-PRIMED THE COIL

Careful priming can be required when you replace your coil. You need to make sure enough of your vape juice saturates the cotton in the coil to avoid burning the coil out prematurely. However, you can over-prime your coil, which is relatively easy to do if you have high resistance MTL tanks with high PG e-liquid.

THE TANK IS LOOSE

Some vape products have so many components that you don’t always rebuild them perfectly. For example, it’s entirely possible not to tighten your tank enough sometimes. Tanks need to be completely sealed to prevent a mess and to stop your coil from flooding.

HOW TO FIX A FLOODED COIL

There is no single way to fix a flooded coil. Instead, several potential ways might work for you. If you don’t have any luck or you keep experiencing this problem time and time again, you can always contact the experts for advice.

FLICK THE DEVICE

Perhaps one of the messiest ways to clear a flooded coil is by flicking the device. However, this method may allow you to remove excess e-liquid. Just make sure you have paper towels nearby to help clean up the mess.

BLOW THE TANK

If you can, blow through the tank to remove excess e-liquid. Some people also find it easier to remove the tank and coil, then blow through the coil to remove the e-liquid.

REMOVE THE TANK

Depending on the tank you have, you may be able to remove the tank and leave the coil attached to the battery. You can then absorb some of the e-liquid on the coil without worrying about a full tank.

REMOVE THE COIL

If you remove the coil, you can leave it to dry on a paper towel to remove excess e-liquid.

GENTLY FIRE UP YOUR DEVICE

You may be able to burn off excess e-liquid by firing up your device. Don’t overdo it, and don’t inhale it during this process.

GET TO THE BOTTOM OF FLOODED COILS

Fortunately, with the vape technology we now have at our disposal, instances of flooded coils are few and far between. However, they can still happen, and it helps to be aware of what causes them and how to fix them.

If you’re still having problems or have decided now’s the time for a vape upgrade, you’re not short of options to make your vaping experience a far more convenient one.