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All vape coils die after a certain period of usage, it’s just a simple fact of life. What you may not realize, however, is that you actually have a degree of control over the longevity of your coils; it’s not as simple a matter as just waiting for them to taste burnt or feel clogged up. While coils are one of the less-expensive accessories in a vaper’s arsenal, wouldn’t you prefer to change your coils half as frequently if given the choice? Of course you would – and here’s how to do it.
Prime Your Vape Coils Properly
“Priming” coils is an important process you should be going through every time you install a new coil head. We all know it’s tempting to just dive right in and get that fresh new coil flavor, but your patience will be well-rewarded in the form of longer-lasting coils. First, make sure you place a drop of e-liquid on each of your coil’s visible wicking ports. Then, depending upon the coil, you may want to put a single drop down the actual barrel of the coil. Take care with this step, however, as this can cause flooding in certain smaller coils. After this, let it sit for about 10 – 15 minutes before taking five or six hits without pressing the fire button. This helps fully saturate the wicking material of the coil before you get into vaping and it can add significant longevity to your coils. Then, start vaping with a few shorter puffs before getting into longer, full draws.
Avoid Dry Hits
This might seem like a no-brainer – after all, nobody intentionally goes for the dreaded “dry hit”, but are you really taking every precaution to avoid them? As you’ve probably experienced, a single dry hit can burn the coil, irreparably damaging its flavor, and requiring you to change it out. Make sure your tank is always at least a quarter full and be sure to check your juice levels frequently. You also want to take care to let your coils cool down and re-saturate in between puffs. After a hard day at work, you may want to just chain vape like crazy, but do your best to give your coils some room to breathe.
Clean Your Vape Coils
This is more of a tip for DIY vapers, but certain pre-made coils can be cleaned as well. If you’re using a pre-made, check manufacturer specifications and follow their instructions for cleaning, if applicable. With pre-made coils, you’re going to disassemble your build by removing the wicking and blowing out any residual e-juice. Then, go ahead a fire the coils until they get warm, but no longer than that. This process of “dry burning” will remove a large amount of the excess gunk and build-up which reduces your coil life.
Use High-Quality Coils
It can be tempting to use inexpensive, off-brand coils, but it’s almost never actually worth it. These less-expensive knockoffs will often end up costing you money in the long run as they burn out more quickly and you experience a higher percentage of “duds” per package. Always rely upon trusted manufacturers and vendors. As you gain more experience vaping, you’ll also learn which brands are more well-known for crafting high-quality coils and which manufacturers have more lax quality control standards.
E-Juice Selection
Coil life is significantly impacted by your choice of e-juice, as well. Sweeter, thicker e-juices like dessert flavors or max-VG juices are colloquially referred to on the scene as “coil-killers”. That’s because the additional sweeteners and thickness tend to leave a great deal more residue on coils, reducing their lifespan. This isn’t to say, of course, that you can’t enjoy the sweet flavors of Glas Basix Banana Cream Pie from time to time, just be aware that it may kill your coils. You can also try to use higher-wattage devices for these sweet flavors, since the additional power can help burn through some of the sweeteners and additives.
Good Vaping Habits
There’s some basic rules of thumb to practice as well, just in regards to your general vaping habits. For one thing, limit your chain vaping. Putting this kind of strain on your coils can dramatically reduce their life, as well as increase your risk of dry-hitting. You should also try to take medium length hits. Super long hits are also hard on your coils, as they remain heated up for extended periods of time. Most coils also include a wattage range. Do your best to use only as much wattage as you find to be strictly necessary. Lower power will keep your coils going longer, so don’t unnecessarily over-power your coils.
