So far in our Easy Breazy series, we've covered what pod mods are, what types of pods exist, where to go to get them, and what to expect from certain flavors. So the next question is: how often do you need to refill or replace your pod?

While the obvious answer would seem to be ’when it's empty,’ there are various other ways to gauge whether or not your vape needs a refill.  

As a tip, it's generally recommended to never wait until your pod is completely empty to top it up if it's refillable, as the lack of fluids inside could actually end up damaging your vape pen. We’ll explain that further in a moment.

Closed System Pods

This is a pretty easy system to address, and the answer truly is: replace your pod when it's empty. Since you can't refill your pods, there's no risk in vaping them all the way to bone dry to make use of as much liquid as possible.

You may notice a harsh, burnt taste combined with an overpowering throat hit when you get down to the end of your liquid. This generally means there's not enough liquid left to wet your wicks and coil, meaning the pod is toast. Conversely, a dramatic decrease in both flavor and vapor production could be indicating the same 'nothing left in the tank' condition.

Open System Pods

These are a little trickier. Remember how earlier we mentioned not running out of liquid at risk of damaging your equipment? That's because once you've taken a 'dry hit' and burned your wicking, there's no way to un-burn it.

Refilling at this point is likely going to result in a whole tank of burnt-tasting, unpleasant liquid. Open system pod mods are designed to be refilled four or five times before they're thrown away, making them a more economical choice than pod systems designed to be trashed after every use. To reap that cost-savings benefit, though, you're going to need to keep an eye on your liquid level and stop to refill when you've vaped through about two-thirds of the tank.

How do you know when it's time to replace, rather than just refill, your pod? Again, if the wicks burn or the coil gunks up (which can happen after a few tanks of using heavily-flavored or highly-sweetened liquids), you'll start getting the same symptoms of an empty tank even when full. These could range from an off or harsh taste to a noticeable decline in flavor and vapor production, even when you're using a freshly charged battery.

One of the interns we have here has a simple phrase: ‘If you can’t feel the hit, it’s time to quit’. Keeping an eye on your liquid level, and having a refill bottle or spare pod on hand will go a long way toward solving your low-liquid blues.

Check out Breazy’s vast library of vaping resources here.