How Do You Know When to Change a Coil on a Vape?

If you are beginning to notice that your vape isn’t performing at it’s usual standard, it may well be time to change your coil.

aspire coil

On average, a coil should last anywhere between one to four weeks. A coil does not have a set lifespan due to other vaping components playing their parts, such as, the VG (vegetable glycerin) content in your choice of vape juice, the sugar content of that juice, your usage of the vape itself, and even the way you vape.

How do you know when to change the coil on a vape?

So how do you know when it’s time to change the coil on your vape? Well for starters, you may begin to notice a change in flavour, or lack thereof, this is due to a build up of residue sticking to the coil and instead of getting the full flavour of your vape juice, you’re getting a boring, bland and almost burnt taste.

You may also become aware that your tank seems to be leaking, this may occur when the coil has become too saturated and can no longer hold the vape juice.

How do you know when your vape coil is burnt out?

More onto the burning of the coil, you will start to feel that rather than getting that smooth, satisfying hit, you are subjected to a harsh, dry, burning sensation at the back of your throat.

Once you have experienced this, it’s definitely time to change your coil.

How can different vape juices affect my coil?

There are a plethora of factors that can have an affect on your coil, good or bad, particularly vape liquid.

Your choice of vape liquid will play a fairly big part in the length that your coils last. Every bottle of vape liquid will contain a percentage of vegetable glycerin, and you need to make sure that you have just the right amount to go perfectly with your coil.

For instance, if you are using a sub ohm tank, it’s recommended you use a high VG vape juice, with at least a 70% VG content, this will give you a more flavoursome vape, denser clouds, and a smoother inhale.

If you were to use a fairly low VG juice, it’s likely to just seep through your coil and cause leakage, this is because the coil is not designed to deal with such thin liquids, therefore it will heat up a lot quicker, and in turn will burn it at a much faster rate, as opposed to the preferred high VG.

Not everyone is into sub ohm devices, some prefer the more discreet vapes, or if you’re just starting out, what we like to call “quit kits”.

These devices use a coil that is a lot more compact, designed for holding the low VG juices, it allows them to sit comfortably in the tank with no leakage.

Ideally, you would want to use anything below 60% VG for the coil to reach its full potential.

If you were to use anything above that, the vegetable glycerin would soon cling to the coil and in some cases crystalize to form a sticky residue that’s sure to burn your coil out a lot faster than expected.

Another component of any vape juice is the sugar content.

No matter which type of vaping device you use, the sugar content of your chosen vape juice will affect your coil. For instance, if you are using a juice with a high sugar content, your coil will more than likely burn out a lot faster.

This is down to the coil being exposed to high temperatures, causing the sugar to caramelise onto it, thus eventually giving you that bland flavour once again.

Unfortunately, there are many intense, delicious flavours that will have a high sugar content, flavours such as donuts, custards, candy and even some fruits.

So if you’re a fan of the sweeter vape liquids, just be aware that some may cause your coil to burn out faster. Some vapers prefer to stick to simple flavours to avoid this scenario, perhaps something with notes of menthol to keep it refreshed.

In some cases it’s a choice between having a super sweet flavour, or increasing how long your coils last.

How can i make my coils last longer?

We all like to make things last as long as we can, and that includes our coils! There are a few minor changes you can make to your vaping routine that will allow you to get the most out of your coil.

1. Prime your new coil the correct way

Seems simple enough right? Well there may be a few steps you’ve missed. In general, most people just like to pop the new coil in, fill up the tank and leave it to sit for 10 minutes. There is a more efficient way of ensuring your coil is ready to go.

Before installing it, you’ll want to saturate the wicking material by adding a drop of vape juice to each exposed area. Once the coil is in place and the tank has been filled, try having a few gentle drags without touching the firing button, this will help the liquid to be pulled through the coil to confirm it is fully soaked all the way through.

Another great tip is to start off on a lower wattage and gradually work your way up, this gives the coil time to expand with the heat.

2. Give your coil a break

A coil is more or less consistently exposed to high temperatures, so you always want to allow your coil to cool down every now and then, so try not to chain vape.

Increased and constant heat is a definitive way to decrease coil life drastically, not to mention burning your vape juice a lot faster, so just allow some time for the coil to rejuvenate and soak up a decent amount of juice.

3. Don't fire a tank when it's empty

Probably the most obvious tip is to never fire a tank on empty!

There’s nothing like a dry hit to destroy a coil, so be sure to keep that tank topped up with vape juice. A great tip is to never let it get below the wicking holes that are visible on each coil.

Follow these simple steps and we can assure you it will improve the lifespan of your coils. 

Replace your coils at Tidal Vape

Know you know how when to change the coil on your vape, it's probably time to buy something new. At Tidal Vape we have a large range of replacement coils at great prices. Shop our range of coils here.

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