Vaping has recently become increasingly popular. Thanks to its efficiency, simplicity, and fewer health risks than smoking, many people are ditching cigarettes and joints and turning to vapes.
Vaping is the most discreet and portable way to consume legal weed. However, sometimes a vape cart may get clogged or broken. There are many reasons why your vape cartridge might stop working, but just because the problem is common doesn’t make it any less annoying.
If you landed on this page looking to troubleshoot your vape cart, you’ve come to the right place. This article will reveal several tips on troubleshooting a vape cart and how to fix a cart that is not hitting. Let’s get into it if you are anxious to take the next draw.
How to Fix a Cart That Is Not Hitting
As we already mentioned, there are various reasons why your vape cart might not be working. It could be clogged, flooded, lack electricity, or have another problem.
Therefore, before you start working on the problem, you must identify it first. Take a closer inspection of your vape cart to see what could be causing the issue, then continue with some of the following steps.
A clogged vape cart
A clogged vape cart is a common problem, especially if you just started vaping. Oil cartridges can often get clogged while getting used to the cartridge and taking the first couple of hits. Regardless if you are a beginner or an experienced vaper, there will inevitably come the point when your device will build up material and get clogged.
The main indicator that your vape cart is clogged is getting vapor from the sides of the device while you cannot take a draw using the mouthpiece.
Being stuck with a clogged cart can be annoying, but there’s absolutely no reason to stress about it; it can easily be fixed. Warming up the cartridge will usually do the trick if you are dealing with a minor clog. Another thing you can do is rip the power button to open the airway.
So, why does this happen? Clogs usually occur when you overfill the cartridge. Storing the device at different room temperatures that are diverse enough to change oil consistency can also get your cartridge stuck. Leaving your cart to sit for too long may also cause the issue, so vape on.
A major vape cart clog
The chamber can easily get flooded if you haven’t cleaned your vape cart on time. However, we have a solution for that as well.
To clear a major clog, you first need to flick the cart from side to side, dislodging any excess liquid and dispersing it evenly. Then, blow through the cart to clear any liquid out of the wick and off the coil. If your cart is refillable, remove the chamber, clear the excess liquid, and wick manually before you reassemble it.
After blowing out as much excess liquid as possible, power on the vape without inhaling. Press and hold the power button so the device can vaporize the excess liquid without burning the wick. A couple of seconds should be enough to clean up the leftover liquid, after which you should be able to continue vaping. If you still experience issues, it might be time to get a new cartridge or a replacement coil and wick.
Connectivity issues
Another reason why your cart might not be hitting is loose connectivity. If you’ve taken the wrong path while assembling the device, the chances are it isn’t properly connected.
To identify connectivity issues, try looking for any device item that seems out of place or might be sitting loose. Usually, a loosely connected vape and the cartridge will not fully screw in, but there is still room for a connectivity issue even when it does.
The most common connectivity issue is having the vape battery contact too deep for the vape cartridge to reach. To troubleshoot connectivity issues, we recommend you take the vape and cartridge apart and reassemble them more carefully. If your device comes with a user manual, follow the instructions to make sure you make a good connection.
Related: How To Fix A Broken Cart
Battery issues
If your vape cartridge won’t turn on and heat up at all, the vape battery should be the next suspect. Before you get any further into the procedure, ensure the battery is powered on.
Some devices come with an automatic shut-off after some time of inactivity, so the cart might have turned off without you knowing it. Some vapes are also differently powered on, so you might need to press some button before you start drawing to turn on the device.
If none of the above alternatives seem to solve your problem, the next move is to detach the cartridge and reattach it to ensure a proper connection. If that doesn’t help either, it might be time to purchase a new vape battery, as your old one might be dried out.
Temperature problems
If you are using a device with an adjustable temperature setting, the temperature level might be the reason for the issue. If your device turns on but doesn’t produce any vapor, you should try turning up the heat.
Different cartridges require different power inputs and temperatures to deliver the dense vapor you want. Therefore, try experimenting with temperature adjustment and see whether a higher temperature will get your cart to start hitting.
Read more: How to Smoke a Cart Without a Battery
How to Troubleshoot Spitting and Popping
Sometimes, even if your vape cartridge hits, it may not work properly. Spitting or spitback is a common name for a common cartridge problem.
Spitting refers to the occasional extra-hot droplets of e-liquid that are released through the mouthpiece while vaping. It is usually accompanied by popping sounds, which is why the issue is named spitting and popping. With spitback, hot droplets spit into all directions, which can also shoot up into the mouthpiece and get to your mouth.
The spitback is simple – the vape liquid floods the coil and gets “cooked” instead of vaporized. Therefore, it starts spitting, similar to boiling water, so you can easily get an unwanted hot droplet inside your mouth when you take a draw from the tip.
The main cause for spitting and popping is a flooded coil, but that’s not always the case. If your vape cart is spitting and popping, here are some ways to prevent that.
Reduce the airflow
Drawing too hard can cause a flood inside the vape device by pulling more e-juice into the chamber. This common problem with an even simpler solution is taking slower draws.
You inhale gently and give the coil and wick enough time to do their work. If you still experience spitback, try reducing the airflow setting of the device, but don’t try to compensate for it by drawing more strongly, as that can worsen the issue.
Go easy with priming
Many users “prime” their coil to prepare the device for the first use. Priming is manually dripping e-juice onto the wicks to get them wet before the first use.
However, dropping too much juice into the chamber can cause flooding issues and produce spits and pops. Therefore, if you prime your coil, do it moderately, and give the cotton enough time to saturate.
If you start hearing popping sounds when firing up the vaporizer after you’ve primed it, you should try pressing the power button several times. That’ll allow the device to heat up properly and eliminate the excess liquid.
After a couple of pulses, the popping sounds should fade, so you can puff away without fearing you’ll get spitback or burns.
Clean the chimney
Flooding is the main cause of spitback, but if you have e-juice accumulating in the chimney, it will eventually make its way into the coil.
However, a clogged chimney can easily be fixed. Roll up a paper tissue, remove the drip tip, and insert the tissue into the chimney. The paper will absorb the excess e-liquid and significantly reduce the chance of spitting and popping.
Read more: How Many Hits Are in a 1 Gram Vape Cartridge
Conclusion
Vaping is undoubtedly one of the best ways to enjoy legal weed. However, you sometimes need to do some troubleshooting if you want to get a pleasant and smooth experience.
There are many reasons why your cartridge doesn’t hit or malfunction, but with simple ways to troubleshoot the most common issues, almost any problem can be solved within minutes.
If our guide on fixing a cart that is not hitting helped you troubleshoot your device, vape on! Otherwise, you might consider purchasing a new device, as dealing with spare parts and major fixes will cost you extra time and money.
To save yourself the trouble, consider it might be time to say goodbye to your old vape and get a new one.
