How To Know When To Change Your Vape Coil
Keeping track of your vape coil/pod lifespan is one of the most important parts of vape maintenance, but for new vapers, it's not always easy to know when it's time for a new one.
In this guide, we will explore the most common signs that your vape coil needs changing, so you can keep your vape tasting great and performing as it should.
What Is A Vape Coil & Why Do They Fail?
Vape coils or as they are also known, 'atomisers', are the part of your vape kit responsible for heating up and vaporising the e-liquid in your pod or tank.
They are typically a tightly wound coil or mesh screen of metallic wire, designed to heat up in a controlled way when the current passes through it from your vape battery.
This wire is wrapped around a wicking material, most often cotton. This material absorbs the e-liquid from the tank/pod, and releases it as vapour when the coil wire heats up.
Coils perish over time. The constant absorption and evaporation of e-liquid will degrade the cotton wick. The regular heating and cooling, as well as exposure to e-liquid, will also steadily degrade the coil wire itself.
This degradation is what leads to the warning signs we will explain below, which you should treat as a signal to replace your coil/pod.
How Long Should A Vape Coil Last?
Coil lifespan and maintenance is very easily overlooked, especially as a new vaper. You may not have even realised that vape kits have coils that need replacing, let alone how long they should actually be lasting you.
It’s difficult to say exactly when a coil should be changed because various factors affect how quickly a coil is spent. These can include the intensity of usage, ingredients in your chosen e-liquid, and even the environment in which you leave your device when not in use.
A general estimate is that an average vaper should need to change their coil every 7 to 28 days. More intense vapers or those using particularly sweet e-liquid flavours may need to change them more often.
Except in the most extreme cases, a vape coil should always last yo a week as a minimum - if you are finding that you are getting through coils faster than this, then you should look at changing your vaping setup and behaviour.
Ask yourself questions like:
- Am I using the right e-liquid for my coil/device?
- Are my device's power settings appropriate for my chosen coil?
- How often am I vaping? - Could changing nicotine strength reduce how much I need to vape?
- Am I using high-quality e-liquids?
- Am I storing my device properly and keeping it clean?
There are often simple changes we can make to our vaping habits that can help extend coil lifespan, or at least keep it within reasonable bounds.
Regardless of your vape behaviour, take note of the red flags below so you can at least know for sure when it's time to replace your coil.
4 Signs That Your Vape Coil Needs Changing
Below we will explain the 4 biggest signs that you need to change your vape coil. If you are experiencing any of the issues we cover here, then we recommend replacing your coil at your earliest convenience!
You Get A Bad Taste When Vaping
A change in the flavour of your e-cigarette vapour is usually the first and most obvious thing you will notice when a vape coil has reached the end of its natural lifespan. This change can be subtle at first, but it will become increasingly obvious if you keep using the failing coil.
An early warning sign is the flavour of your e-liquid becoming more muted. Over time, however, an unpleasant or burnt taste will dominate when you inhale vapour through a spent coil. In this case, the problem is not likely to be with your vape juice, it is with the coil you are using to atomise the e-liquid.
Either the coil wire, the wick, or both will be degraded to the point that they taint the flavour of the e-liquid as it passes through the coil and is vaporised.
If you refill the tank/pod of the device with fresh e-liquid and the bad taste remains, the coil needs to be changed.
Your E-Liquid Changes Colour In The Tank/Pod
Another obvious sign that your coil needs replacing is a change in e-liquid colour once it has been added to your tank/pod, often occurring in tandem with the bad taste issue we previously mentioned.
Most vape kits will have a clear pod or window that allows you to see the e-liquid and often the exposed wicking ports of the coil. Take note of the colour of the vape juice as well as the wicking material.
Most e-liquids are clear or light yellow in colour; however, if a coil is burnt out, then you may notice a change in the colour of the e-liquid to a darker orange or brown colour when it's in your pod/tank. This change will happen quicker the more degraded the coil becomes, and is a sign that the burnt coil & wick is tainting the e-liquid.
A burnt coil isn't always obvious at first glance. A classic sign that the coil is about to go, even when it may appear/taste fine, is fine "strands" of yellow or darker orange coming from the wicking ports. this can be a sign that the coil is internally damaged and in need of replacement asap!
More Resistance When Inhaling From Your Vape Kit
Have you noticed it getting harder to inhale through your vape kit? While this is a little less easy to tangibly define, a general feeling of resistance when inhaling or the vapour taking more effort to draw through the coil is a signal that it isn’t functioning properly.
When it becomes damaged, your coil will struggle to absorb and vaporise your e-liquid. In extreme cases, you may even notice vape juice leaking from your device. In the worst cases, you will have to inhale so hard to try and get a decent hit that e-liquid can even be pulled into your mouth.
The increased resistance can be caused by a few issues inside your vape coil - it may be that the wicking material has burned, collapsed slightly, or swelled to prevent proper airflow. Equally, a spent coil can flood as it no longer has the structure necessary to properly wick and hold absorbed e-liquid, causing it to seep into the airflow channels, obstructing them.
In either case, that coil needs to go!
Your Vape Makes Gurgling Sounds
Another classic sign that your vape coil is on its way out is hearing gurgling or more extreme crackling sounds when inhaling from the device. This issue can often occur in tandem with increased inhalation resistance.
Remember - A little sizzling or crackling is perfectly normal, especially for newer coils or if you use sweeter e-liquid flavours. The key difference to note is the gurgling alongside the crackling which indicates there is a problem with your coil.
Your vaping device may start making these sounds because the coil is no longer efficiently absorbing and atomising the e-liquid into vapour. This most often causes the wicking material to flood, leaking e-liquid into the airflow channels, which is why it gurgles when you inhale.
This makes for an inconsistent and unpleasant draw with harsh, overly wet or dry inhalation, and distinctive noisy sounds coming from what should be an otherwise quiet e-cigarette.
Listen out for any unusual sounds from your vape when you fire it up. If you hear gurgling, it's time to change that coil - just remember to clear out any leftover e-liquid residue from the airflow channels or the problem may persist.
Change Your Vape Coil Regularly For The Best Experience
Pay close attention to how your vape coil is performing as you vape - If you experience one or a combination of the issues described above, take it as a trigger to think about replacing the coil.
To recap, those 4 main signals are:
- Bad /weak flavour
- E-liquid colour change in-tank/pod
- Excessive inhalation resistance
- Gurgling sounds when vaping
Continuing to vape with a coil displaying these signs or wear and tear won't necessarily cause you any harm, but it will be a far less satisfying and often unpleasant experience.
Nothing beats the smoothness and flavour of a fresh vape coil, so keep an eye on yours and change it regularly to ensure your vaping journey is always at its best.
If you need to stock up on spare pods and coils, check out our collections below!
