No vape coil could ever last forever. It is inevitable that if your device features removeable coils, you will need to replace them regularly. If you have chosen a vape kit compatible with pods that boast built-in coils, you will have to replace your pod every time a coil reaches the end of its life.
Replacement coils and pods contribute to the cost of vaping. If you can lengthen the lifespans of your coils, you will minimise your costs which has to be a good thing.
So, why don't coils last forever and how do you lengthen their lifespans?
When you vape, the e-liquid that you use leaves residue behind. The popular sweetener sucralose is particularly notorious for leaving a dark, sticky residue on coils that looks and tastes like burned sugar. Sucralose is an ingredient that features in many e-liquids and certainly most candy, dessert, bakery and drink flavours.
The more e-liquid you use, the greater the amount of residue that will be left behind. Vape coils can vaporise unbelievably large amount of e-liquid, particularly sub ohm coils that reach very high temperatures.
It is also crucial to note that the hotter your coil becomes during operation, the more likely the wicking material is to burn. Today's vape coils are often designed to operate at very high wattages.
Should you allow your tank or pod to empty and then fire your device, your wicking material will be dry and will burn. Once wicking has burnt, the coil will be rendered unusable, and you will need to replace it. Your wicking will also burn if you fail to prime a newly installed coil prior to vaping.
Happily, there is much you can do to prolong the lives of your coils. Here are our top tips:
A high proportion of e-liquids are sweetened by sucralose to enhance their flavour. The artificial sweetener does not entirely convert to an aerosol when it is heated. This means that it causes sticky residue to accumulate on vape coils. That residue will eventually caramelise and burn. You will experience an unpleasant taste and your coil's performance will seriously diminish. Switch to unsweetened e-liquids and you will certainly lengthen the lives of your coils. To learn more about e-liquid ingredients, read our handy guide.
It is incredibly important to prime a new coil before vaping. Priming is the process of ensuring that the wicking in your coil has absorbed sufficient e-liquid before you fire your device. To prime a coil, simply use the tip of a bottle of e-liquid to rub a little juice into all the openings on the coil where you can see white cotton. When all the cotton looks damp, install the coil and fill the tank then wait a few minutes before vaping.
Have you ever noticed that when your vape tank starts to get a little low on juice, the e-liquid no longer completely covers the coil's openings? This is why some vape tanks have minimum fill lines. If the e-liquid doesn't cover the coil's openings, the wick cannot soak up enough liquid.
Don't wait until your tank or pod is almost empty before you top up with juice. Top up when your tank is at least half full and you will minimise the chances of burnt wicking.
If your device features variable wattage mode, you can tailor your vaping experience to optimise flavour, clouds or both. But it is important to select settings that are compatible with the coil you have installed.
A vape coil will always have its recommended wattage range etched into its side. The coil should work well if you set outputs within that range. However, the wattage range is only a suggestion. You should choose your output according to the length of your puffs. If you vape in quick bursts, it's fine to select an output close to the higher end of your coil's recommended range. If you prefer to take longer, deeper puffs, you should set your device to the lower end of your coil's suggested wattage range. This should ensure that your coil is longer-lasting.
If you feel you are spending too much of your hard-earned cash on vape coils, it is worth thinking about changing your equipment. Low resistance (sub ohm) coils heat to high temperatures and so vaporise large volumes of e-liquid every time you fire them. The more e-liquid you use, the quicker your coils will accumulate residue. If you switch to a lower wattage device, you will use less e-liquid and so your coils should last longer. You could also find that the required coils are cheaper to buy.
E-liquids that are high in VG boast thick consistencies and can quickly clog coils. Try switching to e-liquids that are higher in PG as these should ensure that your coil last for longer. You certainly shouldn't attempt to vape high VG e-liquids using high resistance coils.
Only press the fire button of your vape when you actually intend to take a puff! Holding down the button to check if the device is working will mean that you are adding to the workload of your coil, and this will shorten its life.
When you chain vape, you don't give your coil wicking enough time to absorb e -liquid between puffs. Dry wicking will quickly burn and end the lives of your coils. Wait a little longer between puffs to preserve your coils.
If you are looking to maximise the lifespans of your vape coils, you should clean them to remove e liquid residue. But this does take time and so you need to consider whether the extra effort is worthwhile. It is also worth remembering that you should only clean your coils once or twice before replacing them, as constant cleaning will reduce the absorbency of the wicking. If you wish to learn more about the cleaning process, our dedicated guide will provide all the information you need.
You should always have at least two spare vape coils to call on. This will ensure that you have a coil to hand whenever you need to replace one and that if a coil is faulty or you accidentally burn your wicking, you have another coil to use. The Vapekit range features the replacement coils you need. You will discover replacement coils from the leading brands including SMOK, Aspire, Innokin, VooPoo, GeekVape and many more. Why not stock up today for your peace of mind?
