How do you know when it’s time to change your coil and wick?
It depends on a few different factors including the type of wick material you’re using, the juice that you use, and the temperature that you vape at. It also depends on your personal preference. Some people don’t mind going a long time in between wick changes (especially if they only vape one particular flavor), while others are more diligent and want to swap out their wick every single time they refill their tank. It’s up to you. In this guide we’ll cover some common signs that it’s time to change your wicking material.
Types of wick materials
The most popular type of wick material is still cotton. Cotton wicks are extremely common and inexpensive, and many people prefer using them. You can buy a bag of cotton balls at virtually any store in the world, so you’ll never be without wicking material). The second most common option is rayon, a semi-synthetic man-made fiber. Both of these are great materials to use on your coil.
Deciding which material to use is a matter of personal preference, but it’s important to note that cotton wicks will need to be replaced more often than rayon wicks. Cotton tends to gunk up a lot quicker than rayon, and you’ll end up getting those awful dry hits much quicker with cotton.
How long do my coils last?
Generally speaking, you should replace your atomizer coils every few days. This depends on how often and how hot you vape, of course. A lot of that depends on what type of vape mod you use. Some of it depends on how you adjust your settings (wattage, variable voltage, resistance, etc.) If you’re going hardcore and vaping all day long at high temps, your coil performance will degrade much faster. If you stay on top of things and clean the residue off your coils every couple days, you can extend their lifespan by another week or so.
The type of e-juice that you use can impact your coil life. Some flavors are a little bit more acidic than others and produce more residue, which will lead to you changing your coils more frequently.
The best thing that you can do is to inspect your coils on a regular basis and look for any charring or residue buildup. If you’re getting a “burnt” flavor from your vape, that’s a dead giveaway that now is the time to swap coils. Once you experience a “dry burn”, you’ll never want to delay changing your wick again.
Signs that it’s time to change your wick and coil
The first dreaded sign indicating that the end is near is that your coil and wick will start producing *significantly* less vapor. If you’re normally chucking cumulus clouds and all of a sudden you can barely produce any vapor, you know that it’s that time.
If you ignore the early warning signs, eventually you’ll start to notice a horrible burnt taste every time you take a draw on your device. Over time, as long as you’re vaping with the same mod and tank, you’ll start to notice the unique quirks in your device that let you know when it’s time to switch our your coil and wick.
If you’re using an RDA or a rebuildable tank, you’ll most likely be taking it apart on a regular basis. When you do, make sure that you inspect the wicks for any burnt ends or discoloration.
Should you change your wick when you change flavors?
The wick definitely absorbs your e-liquid, so if you’re switching out flavors you’re likely going to get a bit of residual flavor from your previous juice.
Whether or not you decide to change your wick every time you change your flavor is up to you. If you don’t mind getting hints of the previous flavor (especially if it’s a similar flavor, like switching from one cereal flavor to another), then don’t worry about it. But if getting hints of fruity pebbles when you’re vaping a rich tobacco flavor doesn’t sound appealing, than go ahead and switch wicks. Just like almost everything in the vaping world, it’s a matter of personal preference.
What about dry herb and concentrate vapes?
Dry herb vaporizers don’t use wicks, since there is no liquid to absorb. But the coil (also known as the heating element) can degrade over time. Most manufacturers sell complete heating chambers for replacement. You can replace your heating chamber whenever you notice that the vapor quality and production is declining. But since dry herbs don’t come into direct contact with the heating element, the chamber is most likely going to last much longer than an e-juice coil. Vaping the reefer is definitely a little bit easier (at least maintenance-wise) when compared to the effort you have to go through when vaping e-liquid with a tank or RDA.
For concentrate vaporizers (concentrate is also referred to as “wax”), it depends on the style of heating element that you use. Some concentrate vapes require you to place the wax directly on the coil, while others use a “chamber” system similar to dry herb vapes. If you’re melting the wax directly on the coil, you’ll need to swap it out more frequently whenever there is excessive buildup. If you’re using a chamber, it should last much longer. We recommend checking the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific device, since wax vaporizers aren’t quite as standardized as the ones you’ll find in the e-juice vaping world.
