Why Is MY Coil Burning Out So Fast?
Any experienced and seasoned vaper would have at least once experienced the dreaded taste of a burnt coil. It's a taste that's very distinct and very far from an enjoyable one! And most time it's unavoidable and can happen at any time. But if you're a new vaper reading this, you might be asking the question of why is your vape coil tasting burnt or burning out so fast?
Which is why we've written this guide to explain all you need to know about a coil, what they are made from and go over the reasons as to why the dreaded burnt taste from your coil may happen.
Understanding your vape coil
A coil to a vape device is like what the heart is to a human body. It's the thing what keeps it running as it should and if it's not looked after or well maintained, then chances are your vape isn't going to function properly! Despite their small size, they are complex little things and we'll explain all about them below;
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What Is A Vape Coil?
This is the heating element of a vape device and despite being referred to as a coil, it's official title is an Atomiser. The atomiser head is made of metal and inside every atomiser head is a small wire coil, made out of a specific type of wire like Kanthal or Nickel which has been wrapped a specific amount of times to create the coil shape and this is what gives the ohms resistance reading.
This is what gets heated up from the power of your vape battery and turns the e-liquid into vapour which you then inhale and exhale. -
What Is A Vape Coil Made From?
There are two different types of vape coil which are commonly used in vape tanks or vape pods. Either the traditional wire coil or a mesh coil, which instead of a wire coil has a small strip of metal with holes punched through to make the mesh design. This is then made into a cylindrical shape and the wick threaded through the middle and serves as the coil for your vape device.
The wick is a small piece of cotton that's threaded through the middle of the coil and this is what your vape juice absorbs into.
What Causes A Coil To Taste Burnt?
The burnt taste that you get from your coil is infact the cotton wick within the coil being burnt out. This can be because your vape pod or vape tank has ran out of vape juice thus making the cotton wick dry and unsaturated, so once heat is sent to it, it's naturally going to dry burn.
The other reason for this happening could be because your coil has started to reach the end of it's life. Unfortunately there isn't such a thing as an everlasting coil and they do all eventually burn out. The reason for this happening is the cotton wick just begins to degrade over time as this gets heated up alongside your coil so over time it just naturally begins to wear down.
How To Prevent Your Coil Burning Out Quickly
Whilst burnt hits can happen at any time, including when you've even got a full vape pod or vape tank, there are some things you can do to reduce the risk of the dreaded burnt coil taste from happening.
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Prime Your Coil Before Use
Burnt coil hits are most common when a new vape coil is being used whether that be a replacement coil that goes into your vape tank or vape pod, or a vape pod with an integrated coil. Priming your vape coil before use is an essential thing to do whenever your using a fresh new vape coil or vape pod. You can prime your coil by dabbing a few drops of e-liquid on any exposed cotton on the atomiser head itself, or if you're using a vape pod that has an integrated coil, simply fill it up with e-liquid and leave it to sit for around 5-10 minutes. In this time, the e-liquid will properly absorb and saturate the cotton wick and hopefully eliminate any chance of burnt hits happening!
Another thing we advise is that if your vape kit has adjustable wattage, bring the output right down to the lowest recommended wattage within the range of your coil for the first few puffs with a brand new coil in as this will give it a good chance to properly activate and the e-liquid to absorb in the cotton. -
Ensure You're Using The Right E-Liquid
Different coils are designed to be used with different e-liquids and if you use the wrong e-liquid for your coil, then chances are it's going to cause it to burn out quicker than normal. Coils which have a higher ohms resistance such as 0.8ohm or higher are designed for mouth to lung vaping which 50/50 e-liquid is best suited for like our EDGE Core or EDGE Elite ranges. If you use a thicker e-liquid with these coils, they won't heat the thick e-liquid enough to turn into vapour and you'll likely flood the coil and render it useless.
If your coil has an ohms resistance that is lower, around 0.4ohm or lower, then these coils are suited for sub ohm vaping which requires the thicker High VG e-liquid to be used. Lower ohm coils require more power to heat up properly and have a larger wicking surface for e-liquid to asborb into, so if you use a thinner consistency e-liquid, this will cause your coil to not function properly and you'll likely end up burning it out quickly. -
Set Your Device To The Correct Wattage
Every coil has a specific wattage range for what they are to be used at. Normally this range is printed on the outer packaging for them and some coils even have the wattage range etched into the coil itself. It's crucial that you keep your device wattage output within the recommended range if your device has adjustable wattage settings.
Having your wattage too low will result in the coil not getting enough power to heat up correctly and you'll end up flooding the coil with excess e-liquid that hasn't been able to be turned into vapour.
And having your wattage set too high will throw far too much power to your coil than what it is designed for and this will then cause your cotton wick to become instantly burnt and ruin your coil. -
Keep Your Vape Tank/Vape Pod Filled Up
This goes without saying really but you must ensure that your vape tank or vape pod is well topped up with e-liquid at all times. Don't let your e-liquid volume run right down to the bare minimum as this will mean the cotton of your coil will not be properly saturated and you'll end up dry burning it which will ruin the coil completely.
It can be tricky to know when your e-liquid levels are running low, especially if you're using a pod vape kit as these commonly will have a design where the pods sit inside the device and it's not easy to see your e-liquid levels within the pod without taking it out of the device. Just get into the habit of frequently checking your e-liquid content in your pods. Try and not overfill your pods or tanks as this can cause flooding!
What Should I Do If My Coil Tastes Burnt?
If you do experience the burnt coil taste, the only thing to do is change your vape coil for a fresh new one. And if you're using a vape pod with the coils preinstalled in the pods, then throw that pod away and replace with a new one.
Don't forget to prime your coil before use like we mentioned above!
How Often Should I Change My Vape Coil?
There is not set specific time frame on when or how often you should change your vape coil. It ultimately comes down to the condition of the coil and whether or not you're still getting a true taste of your e-liquid as opposed to any burnt tastes.
It's estimated that a vape coil should last for around 7-10 days, providing you have followed all of the steps correctly that we listed above like priming your coil, using the correct e-liquid and having the correct wattage settings on your vape device. This obviously can differ based on frequency of use, wattage settings and what type of e-liquid you use as sweeter e-liquids are known for causing coils to burn out quicker.
One tell tale sign that your coil is on it's way out is you may notice the colour of your e-liquid in your vape tank or vape pod becomes discoloured and turns a darker brown colour. This is down the cotton wick inside your atomsier is beginning to become burnt and this will then cause your e-liquid to turn a different colour. If you notice this, it's time to change your coil!
