Ten Biggest Vape Problems & Solutions

You might have 99 problems, but a vape ain’t gonna be one after you read this article.

Vaping can be lots of fun, but if you’ve been at it for a little bit, you’ve probably experienced at least a problem or two (or three). Fear not vapers, we’re here to troubleshoot the most common snafus. The good news is, most of these headaches are easy to spot and simple to fix. Soon enough you’ll be blowing clouds again like nothing ever happened.

In this article, we’ll look at 10 common problems and walk you through how to solve each one of them. We're going to be covering predicaments related to e-liquids, tanks, and some of the more basic hassles vapers experience on a day-to-day basis.

After reading this, you’ll be equipped to handle any snags so that you can keep vaping all day long.

1. Leaky Tanks

Leaking tanks can be frustrating, messy, and worst of all, costly. This is one of the most common problems for vapers who use modern sub-ohm clearomizers. It’s especially frustrating to set down a full tank of liquid and come back to find your device sitting in a pool of its own liquid.

The most common reason a tank springs a leak is that some part of the device isn’t properly screwed in or sealed. This can be the result of worn or mishandled seals, o-rings or coils. If your tank springs a leak, give it a careful once over to make sure all the parts on your device are correctly fitted, sealed up, screwed in and where they’re supposed to be. Be careful when threading pieces of your clearomizer together as cross-threading (forcing threads to go together against their connection pattern) can ruin your components.

If you’ve ruled out all these issues and your tank is still leaking, it might be cracked or one of the rubber o-ring seals has broken. Most tanks come with a spare outer glass tube (and an o-ring kit) so you're not screwed on the first break. Be sure not to throw away a $30 tank over a $2 piece of glass. You can also often buy replacement parts directly from the manufacturer.

Over the years, companies have made design improvements to prevent leaky tanks. Some tank manufacturers have developed “anti-leaking” technology that includes larger holes for a top-fill system. This makes it harder to accidentally overfill because it’s easier to gauge how much liquid you’re putting in. It also generally makes devices easier to seal and harder for e-liquid to escape. For more information on preventing leakage, see here.

2. Not Enough Throat Hit

Ever take a hit from your favorite vaporizer and find you’re not satisfied by the throat hit? The first thing to check is your liquids’ propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) ratio as well as its nicotine percentage.

Choosing a more PG-heavy liquid allows you to feel that familiar and satisfying throat hit you’re seeking. We recommend getting acquainted with the PG/VG ratios on the labels of e-liquid bottles so that you can find one that is high in PG. Another way to address this problem is by getting e-liquid with a stronger nicotine punch, which can also up the power of your throat hit.

Another variable affecting throat hit is airflow. Most modern tanks allow users to control how much air flows through them by means of an airflow control ring on the bottom or top cap. When twisted, the ring either exposes or blocks off holes. The general rule is that cutting off airflow increases the harshness of throat hits. Therefore, for a tight draw, run the ring with the holes nearly blocked off. If that’s too much, on the next hit open it up a bit more for a looser draw. Continue this process until you find your sweet spot. For more information on throat hits, see here.

3. Too Much Throat Hit

Just as not getting enough of a throat hit can be frustrating, getting too much of one can be even worse. Too big a throat hit can result in an irritated throat and a coughing fit.

There are a couple of ways to lighten up harsh throat hits. The first is to check your PG/VG ratio and nicotine percentage. As a general rule, the lower the PG or nicotine levels in the liquid, the less powerful throat hit punch. Put another way, the higher the VG levels, the softer the throat hit.

For example, if the ratio in your e-liquid is PG/VG 70/30, then maybe you try switching to PG/VG 50/50. Additionally, if you’re vaping a liquid with 12mg or higher of nic and there’s too much throat hit, try cutting back to 3mg or 6mg.    

The other way to manage your throat hit is by choosing a model with adjustable airflow. As discussed in the previous section, some devices have a valve that increases or decreases airflow. If you’re getting too much throat hit, increasing your airflow by opening it up is an easy remedy. For information on getting a smoother vaping experience, see here.

4. Not Enough Vapor

If you’re not getting enough cloud production, you could benefit from e-liquids with higher VG concentration. VG is a thicker substance than PG, so it produces more vapor and hence, makes larger clouds. When it comes to cloud chasing and more ample vapor production, increasing VG content is definitely the way to go.  
 

Keep in mind that most low-powered devices such as pod mods generally have low cloud production. But if you have a larger device that usually produces clouds and suddenly isn’t, it could be a problem with your battery. Chances are that your device has a battery charge indicator. Check it to see if your battery needs to be recharged. If you just charged it, then it might need to be replaced.

5. Vapers’ Tongue

One of the most notorious afflictions vapers face is known as “vapers’ tongue,” which actually sounds scarier than it is. It’s a common sensation more formally known as “olfactory fatigue.” This temporary condition feels like a numbing of your taste buds, which results in not being able to taste much of anything. While it’s really annoying, the condition only tends to last a couple days at most.

The two main causes of vapers’ tongue are dehydration or repeated overuse of one flavor. Dehydration is easy to fix. Drink more water! Most of what you're seeing when you exhale a vapor cloud is water, so if you're vaping heavily or frequently you need to hydrate to compensate.

If you’ve been using the same flavor over a prolonged period of time, you might be experiencing “flavor fatigue.” To avoid this, it’s best to switch up your e-liquid flavor every once in a while. For more a more in-depth discussion on vapor’s tongue, see here.   

6. Burnt Taste

If you take a hit and recoil from a nasty burnt taste, there could be a few causes. You may have burned your wick by letting your tank run dry and firing your coil against dry cotton, which burns it. The solution is to change your coil, prime it properly, and not let your tank run dry next time.

Another reason for the burnt taste is you may have installed a brand-new coil without priming it properly (priming is making sure all the cotton gets well-soaked with liquid). An improperly primed coil gets red hot, causing it to burn the cotton. This is not a good thing, and once the damage is done to a disposable coil head your only option is replacement. For more information on how to avoid burnt taste, see more here.

7. E-Liquid in Mouth

E-liquid gets in your mouth occurs when tanks are sloppily filled and juice ends up leaking into your air tube. This could also be caused by a bad coil, an improperly installed coil, an overfill, a bad o-ring/gasket or even leaving your mod sitting on its side. Any of these scenarios can result in liquid leaking into the wrong side of the atomizer combustion chamber and getting into your mouth. This is not a pleasant sensation and easy to avoid by taking the time to properly fill your tank, storing it upright, installing your coils properly or identifying and replacing a bad coil. Basically, take good care of your device and your device will take good care of you. For more information on this and other beginners mistakes, see here.

8. Insomnia and Jitters

Another problem some vapers suffer from is sleeplessness. Vaping directly affects sleep because nicotine is a stimulant similar to caffeine and overuse can lead to jitters, anxiety, and insomnia. If you find yourself unable to sleep after chain vaping, revisit your nicotine intake levels and see if cutting back helps to improve your sleep. You also might want to switch to a lower nic liquid in the evening hours before bed. For more information on how to choose the right nicotine intake level for you, see here.

9. Vape Noises

Unwanted gurgling sounds are another problem caused by improperly filling tanks. Things get loud when you fill your tank with too much e-liquid and it gets into your center air tube. This causes the system to clog and sputter. This can be fixed easily by removing the excess juice and thoroughly cleaning your atomizer. For more information on how to clean your atomizer, see here.

10. Cigarette Cravings

Many ex-smokers and most vapers struggle with cigarette cravings on a daily basis, especially in the beginning of the vape journey. While there’s no easy way to rub out that urge, one thing you can do if it gets bad is to reevaluate your nicotine intake and, if necessary, raise your nic levels accordingly. Other strategies include changing up daily habits associated with smoking, avoiding smoke breaks at work or at the bar, and breaking up the cycles that would normally lead to smoking a cigarette. This is not an easy process and there are no simple solutions. For more tips on how to battle cigarette cravings, see here.