Vapes leaking are one of the most common issues that people encounter, especially when they are new to vaping. There are some tanks on the market that are less susceptible to leaking, but any tank can leak under the “wrong” circumstances. 

No matter the cause of a leak, nine times out of ten there is an easy fix for it, and today i'm going to try and help you identify what the issue is, and hopefully fix it.

Most of the time, you will only notice a leak in your tank when the juice makes its way out of the airflow, but juice does not appear out of thin air, it has to come from somewhere. Depending on the reason behind it, leaking can range from a few drops of e-liquid to having your entire tank empty all of its contents all over your vape in the messiest fashion possible.

There are a few common things that can cause leakage,the following is a good starting point of what to check if your vape is leaking:

Keep your tanks upright

No tanks are built to be on their sides for extended periods of time. Whenever possible, try to keep your vape positioned upright. This can be difficult at times but it's one rather common cause of leakage

I’ve found if I’m going to be storing my vape in my bag emptying the tank is the best way to stop the leakage if there isn’t a pocket in the bag to keep it upright

Check your o-rings

Over time, o-rings are inevitably going to get worn out and/or go stiff and brittle or even get torn up from taking the tank apart to change the coils. Make sure when you are troubleshooting a leaking issue that you remember to check the seals.

When pulling a tank apart to change a coil or clean it, it is rather common that some people accidentally misplace a seal or o-ring. Make yourself familiar with where seals should be in the tank when you get a new product so that if there are any leaking issues, you can assess if there may be one missing and/or damaged.

Check your airflow

Is your airflow port open? A lesser known cause of vapes leaking, is people drawing as hard as they can with the airflow shut right down to try and simulate the “cigarette draw” they are after with the wrong device. Doing this can cause you to basically suck juice straight through the coil, and flood it with liquid. If you find that you do like the airflow shut down more because you want more restriction, have a look at our blog HERE about MTL vs DTL vapes and see if maybe you have the wrong kind for you.

Use the right e-juice for your tank

For coil heads that require a lot of power, anything lower than 65%-70% VG stands a good chance of leaking due to the thin viscosity of PG.

A good rule of thumb is that most modern devices do well with 65% VG (only 35% PG) and above, and MTL devices are generally good up to 70% VG. 

Always look at your e-juice label to determine its PG/VG ratio. If you are ever unsure of what juice is right for your device, feel free to contact us directly or pop into one of our stores and have a chat to one of our friendly team members.

Check your coils

As with most mass-produced products, there will always be a few duds. In some cases, the coil may have manufacturing flaws that stop it from holding the juice properly, causing the tank to leak.

First, ensure your coil head is installed correctly and if it is, simply replace the coil—preferably with one from a different batch to the one you’re currently using. If the problem remains, the complication is likely down to one of the other issues addressed here.

How Old Is Your Coil?

A very common misconception about coils and vaping is that they are only worn out then they completely stop working, this is incorrect. The main indicator that a coil is ready to be changed is the flavour produced from it. When you have a nice fresh coil you will get full and clean flavour of what you are vaping. Over time as the coil degrades, the flavour can shift in a multitude of different ways including but not limited to a lack of flavour, or a burnt taste coming through. Another indicator is the colour of the cotton/juice. As a coil starts to burn out, the cotton surrounding it and the juice in the tank can become rapidly discoloured giving another indication that it might be time to change it.

Incorrect Wattage

Another thing that can cause a coil to burn is running a coil above or below its recommended wattage range. If you run a coil above the specified range, it can cause the coil to dry out faster than  it can replenish the juice through wicking. If it is run below the wattage written on the coil, the juice may not be vaporised as fast as it is soaked into the coil causing it to run “wet” and leak various amounts of juice.

Heat

Hot weather and direct sunlight can also affect the quality and consistency of your E-liquid. Certain E-liquid may lose flavour if exposed to high temperatures and sunlight. When left in the sun E-liquid will get much thinner and this can cause leaking and spit back in tanks and pods. Running E-liquids with a higher Vegetable Glycerine percentage can help with leaking tanks throughout the warmer months but the main help is trying to avoid the heat in the first place where possible. 

Pocket Firing

If you have accidentally left your device on in your pocket/bag and it has fired for a period of time accidentally, this can cause your coil to overheat and burn out. If you havent noticed this happen, your first indication may be that your vape is starting to leak for “no reason”.

Cracked Glass

It is very common when using a vaporiser with a glass tank that in the case of accidental droppages that the glass can crack/shatter. Sometimes the crack can be rather hard to see, so make sure to check it thoroughly. 

 

 

Just remember that your tank leaking is far from the end of the world. Most of the time it will be a simple fix and you'll be on your way vaping in no time at all.

Keep vaping legends.