What is a Vape Pen Coil?
Vape pen coils are also called atomizer coils. These are heating elements that screw directly onto the battery inside a vape pen. This heating element on board also contains a wick or filament which is commonly made out of cotton or bamboo. The E-liquid from the device is fed along the coil and absorbed by the material which causes the evaporation and the vapor that you can inhale in a vape kit.
Any atomizer coil will need to be replaced when you start to experience changes with the flavor on your device or the overall performance of the device. Fresh atomizers often produce the largest vapor clouds as well as some of the best flavors from your device. When it's time for an atomizer to be replaced, you will often know because the device will not be performing at its peak. Manufacturers provide replacement atomizers which are compatible with their vapes and you can quickly change this heating element and wick out for a brand new one, enjoying the full flavors from your device again.
Why is My Vape Burning in my Throat?
If your vape tastes burnt when you take a draw from your vape there's a good chance that you can feel negatively about vaping. Burnt hits can ruin the flavor of any e juice and they can massively irritate your throat. There's a number of common reasons why a vape can taste burnt even if you've got a brand-new coil.
What is a Burnt Hit?
A burnt hit and dry hit are somewhat similar. Dry hits occur when the wick that is inside the atomizer is allowed to dry up. When this on board wick is not exposed to any of the e juice, it can actually start to burn. The wick of the coil will start to dry up and even smoke with the heat that is being added to it. This can cause your vape tastes burnt that is extremely unpleasant. If the coils have a chance to dry out or wear out there's a greater chance that the user could start to inhale some of the burning cotton inside. When a wick continues to be exposed to heat over time, it eventually reaches the point where there is exposed pieces and it will produce the same burning sensation on a hit.
The Most Common Causes of Burnt Vape with the Wick
- Vaping on high wattages: If you adjust your device to vape at an extremely high temperature, it's going to heat through the E-liquid far too fast. When the E-liquid is completely vaporized, the coils on board will start to burn the wicks. It's very important you check in on manufacturer wattage recommendations. Staying inside the recommended range for wattage is always a wise choice as this will prevent burnt hits.
- Vaping without liquid: When you activate an atomizer after just changing it out, this can often cause a burnt hit. This is because the wick has not had an appropriate amount of time to soak up the e juice for that hit. Instead of producing vapor, it's just producing the smoke from the coil as it dries the wick.
- Using High VG E-liquid: If you are using an E-liquid that is high in vegetable glycerin, there's a good chance that it might not be compatible with the atomizer and wick system that you have on your vaporizer. If you have a vaporizer that has holes with a fairly small diameter, there's a good chance that it's not compatible with VG. Vegetable glycerin is much thicker and produces much larger vapor, in order to do this however it needs to be heated at a higher temperature and that requires compatible atomizers.
- Proper priming is required: Priming a coil after replacement or after changing an E-liquid out is important. Whenever you make changes to your vape, you need to make sure that you are regularly priming your coils and getting them saturated with E-liquid before you activate your device. Priming your coils using the proper technique will prevent the burning sensation on the draw.
The Proper Procedure for Installing a New Vape Coil
In order to make sure that you can replace your vape coil and prime it correctly, you should check in on the manufacturer instructions on how to complete this action before you just try it yourself. Properly priming your coil can help to reduce wear and tear on your device and make sure you can enjoy a better flavor from your vape coil. Make sure that you are repeating this process every time you install a brand-new coil:
- Unpack your brand-new coil from the box. Make sure that it is compatible with the manufacturer that you use for your vape.
- Use a dropper to drips and E-liquid along the wicking holes. In most cases around for drops will do to start priming a brand-new vape coil.
- Assemble the tank setup on your device, fill it out completely with E juice.
- Fit the tank on the mod and let the tank and mods sit together attached for 10 min.. You can speed up the process of saturation by inhaling through the tip of your tank without turning the device on or firing.
- If you have a vaporizer with an adjustable wattage, waiting to 10 min. for saturation and then starting on the lowest recommended wattage will help you to find the area with the device that delivers the best results. Eventually you will learn your device so that you can know how to work up to this sweet spot accordingly. If you can adjust the wattage, try raising the power once every few puffs until you reach the mid range of the device. Don't try raising the power to the limit of the coil as this can often cause dry hits easily.
How to Prime a Refillable Pod System
There are some vaporizers that have pod systems that arrived with the E-liquid inside. The process for priming these coils is a little bit different. As the coils are inside the pod, it remains important for you to prime them but you won't be able to get access to them in the same way as you would a more advanced refillable vaporizer.
Priming refillable pod systems is an easy two step system.
Find the drip tank to fill up the pod with E-liquid. This is usually marked on the side of the pod and you can use the e-juice eyedropper that's available with most E juices to fill up the pod completely. Fill up the pod with the E-liquid using the dropper and then let the pod completely saturate for at least 10 min..
After the pod has been saturating with the built-in coil inside of it for 10 min., inhale a few times from the top of the pod while it isn't connected to the battery. This pushes the E-liquid into the wicking channels just the same way that drawing from your device with the power off did.
When you first turn on the device and begin vaping, begin by taking shorter puffs than you typically would. This will prime the coils in the same way that a variable wattage vaporizer would.
If you're the type of person that regularly takes really long hits from a pod style vaporizer, you will want to hold off at the start. Taking extra long hits could lead to you getting a burnt hit because the wick will become unsaturated.
How to Tell If Your Vape Tastes Burnt?
If you start to notice the flavors in your vaporizer changing or you get a really irritating hit that vape tastes burnt, it could be time for you to check in on the coil. A bit of a burnt taste vape can just be an indication of a wattage issue and sometimes it can go away after a few puffs. Once you start getting a burnt hit from the device however this shows that there's already some damage to the cotton wick inside. If the wick becomes really damaged you will only get burnt hits out of the device.
It definitely takes some experience before you can determine if it's time to replace your atomizer. As you use your device more thoroughly you'll know roughly how many hits you can get out of a coil before it's time to replace it. You'll also know the signs of when the coil is starting to turn based off of the flavors that you can start to taste too.
When do I Need to Change the Coil?
There are a few indications when it's time for your coil to be changed. Any coil and wick will have an expiration time and usually this is outlined by the manufacturer. Even if you properly primed your coil and done everything right with your device, you might experience the burning flavors of a bad hit when the coil reaches the end of its lifespan. Here are some of the top factors that may determine when it's time to change your coil:
- The amount you use your vaporizer: Most of the times the coil life from the manufacturer is suggested in weeks. If you are a heavy user of a vaporizer, it can last a short amount of time. Most coils are rated to go through a certain amount of E-juice. Some users consume up to 20 mL a day whereas others may just have 1-2. Checking in on how many milliliters your coil can typically go through will give you a good idea on when it's time to replace it.
- The ingredients in your favorite E-juice: sweeter E-juice and the sickness of VG based e-juices can often reduce the lifespan of a coil. Sweetener additives and VG blends often clogged coils and can lead to them working overtime. When a coil has to do more work, it often burns out much quicker.
- Wattage adjustments: If you are using mods or using your vape consistently at a high temperature, this can place extra strain on your coil design. Continuing to use your device on a low wattage is not ideal for the coil either as E-juice can continue to build up in a residual nature. Choosing the mid range of power options for your device is usually the best way to preserve coil lifespan.
What if your New Vape Coil Tastes Burnt even after Priming?
If you've installed a new coil and primed it properly but you're still noticing a burnt sensation, replace the coil immediately. On occasion, defects will crop up in certain coils. Given the popularity of vaping and the number of manufacturers available, different manufacturers are going to have a unique quality control standards. Small production flaws or a loose connection can be all that it takes for a coil to perform inadequately.
Some vapers even report that sometimes faulty coils can come off of the same line. If you purchased your coils at the same place or in the same starter pack, there is a chance you could see the same problems with your other coils. Making another order from your manufacturer or going to a different store could be all that's required to fix your coils.
Conclusion
Now that you know more about what can cause the burning taste in a vaporizer or a problem with burnt hits in a vape pen, you know exactly what to look out for with your own device. It is possible to prevent phenomenon like burnt hits. You should never feel intimidated by the idea of changing out a coil or gauging the lifespan of a coil either. Vaping is still a cheaper alternative to smoking and it often produces excellent flavors as well. The chances of a burning hit are quite rare especially when you are properly priming your coils and following manufacturer settings.
If you do happen to experience a burnt hit, throw out the old burnt coil as soon as you can and switch it out!
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