Disposable vapes have a reputation for being the simplest and most reliable vaping devices on the market – and when you look at famous products like Elf Bar, they’ve mostly lived up to that reputation. There’s no other type of vaping device that you can simply remove from the package and use. Today’s disposable vapes also have the benefit of lasting an extremely long time. When you can use a single vaping device for two or three days without needing to even think about refilling or recharging it, that’s an incredible level of convenience.
That’s probably also why it feels so shocking when you have a disposable vape that doesn’t work. You expect a disposable vape to be completely reliable and to just work when you want to use it. Every disposable e-cigarette fails and needs replacement eventually, but there are also some situations when a device might have a problem that you can actually fix. In this article, we’re going to help you distinguish between those two scenarios by explaining what’s happening when your disposable vape isn’t working.
Disposable Vape Blinks or Doesn’t Work
If your disposable vape is completely dead, you’ll usually find that the indicator light blinks – or that nothing happens at all – when you try to vape. If you’ve been using the device for a while, the most likely reason why it has stopped working is because the battery is dead. A few high-capacity disposable vapes do have rechargeable batteries. If you have a device with a micro USB port, you can connect it to your computer to recharge the battery, and you can continue in that fashion until the device runs out of vape juice. Most disposable vapes, however, are calibrated so that the battery will die around the same time that the device runs out of e-liquid. If your disposable vape has stopped working after a few days of normal use, it’s most likely time to replace the device.
If you have a disposable vape that’s non-functional out of the package, it’s a slightly different situation because the battery definitely shouldn’t be dead. In that case, you have two options. The first option is to simply return the device to the point of purchase if the return window is still open. Most vape shops offer money-back guarantees for devices that are dead on arrival. If the return window is no longer open, you can try removing the mouthpiece and checking for an airflow problem. A disposable vape usually has a silicone gasket under the mouthpiece that helps to direct airflow and prevent the device from leaking. In rare cases, an assembly problem can result in the hole in the center of the gasket being blocked. If you realign the gasket and clear the blockage, the device should begin working.
Weak Hits or No Flavor with a Disposable Vape
The next common problem with disposable vapes – weak hits or no flavor – is also completely normal with a device that you’ve been using for a while. In a disposable vape, the e-liquid is suspended in a fabric wick wrapped around the heating coil and air tube. As you vape, e-liquid travels from the outside to the inside of the wick until the wick eventually begins to dry out. When the e-liquid is nearly exhausted, you’ll find that the device’s flavor and vapor production will become muted. You can continue using the device until the battery dies, but there’s no way to restore the flavor quality of a disposable vape that’s nearly out of e-liquid.
If you’re not getting satisfying hits with a new disposable vape, the problem shouldn’t have anything to do with the device running out of e-liquid. In that case, it could be that the nicotine strength you’ve selected isn’t right for your needs. Many disposable vapes are available in two different strengths. If you started with the lower-strength option, you may want to switch to the higher strength. If you’re already using the higher strength and would like the warmth and intensity of the vapor to be a little higher, try using your finger to cover one of the intake vents when you vape.
Disposable Vape Leaks or Spits E-Liquid
In most cases, a disposable vape holds its e-liquid in a cotton or synthetic wick. Since the wick keeps the e-liquid in one place, it makes leaking extremely unlikely. It is possible, though, for excess e-liquid to spit out of a disposable vape’s mouthpiece when you use it. That can happen if you puff too firmly when using your device.
As a smoker, you’re probably used to taking short, firm puffs when you want a cigarette to produce hotter and more intense smoke clouds. When you vape, though, the amount of air pressure that you create when puffing doesn’t affect the device’s vapor production. That’s especially true with a disposable vape, which doesn’t give you the ability to adjust the device’s operational wattage. If you want to get bigger clouds with a disposable vape, you should extend the duration of your puffs – not the strength. Puffing too firmly will only cause e-liquid to spit into your mouth.
Disposable Vape Gets Hot or Tastes Burnt
A disposable vape should always produce vapor with a smooth, pleasant flavor. If your disposable vape gets hot during operation or produces a burnt flavor, there are two likely causes for that. The first potential cause is that the device is nearly out of e-liquid. In this case, you can potentially get a few more good puffs out of the device by letting it rest for a few minutes. The only permanent solution, though, is to replace the device.
If you’re experiencing a harsh flavor with a disposable vape that’s nearly new, the device most likely still has plenty of e-liquid left. In that case, you’re probably vaping too vigorously and should let the device rest for a moment between puffs. It takes a little time for the wick to bring e-liquid to the heating coil. If you chain vape, the inner portion of the wick could dry out while the outer portion is still wet. The wick will equalize itself if you give it a few minutes.