Why is My Vape Tank Leaking and How Do I Fix It?

A leaking e-cigarette is one of the unpleasant experiences of vaping. If you haven’t experienced a leaking vape tank yet, it is relatively one of the worst things that can happen. How is that so?

Imagine you are hanging out with your friends. You want to show off a new vape mod you bought the other day or some vaping tricks. You reach into your pocket and encounter a sticky goo that stains your hands and your favorite pants.

“Oh no! My vape tank is leaking. What do I do?”, you wonder.

Not to worry though. A vape tank leaking, popping, or spitting is all part of vaping, and thankfully you can do something about it.

Hang on as we explain what e-cigarette leaking is, how to fix it and how to get rid of the sticky stains.

What is E-cigarette Leaking

A leaking vape tank is unpleasant, but it is not like it will cause much harm. Apart from stained fabric and hands and some sort of inconvenience, there isn’t anything that is too much of a big deal.

The worst thing that can happen is if the vape liquid catch fire. It is highly flammable. Some cases of vape explosions happen when there is spillage, overheating and faulty or poorly stored batteries.

An e-cigarette leaks when some or all of the e-juice in the vape tank spills out, typically through the airflow system. Vape tanks can leak due to design flaws by manufacturers or mistakes made by users. Leaking is a common problem with some types of vape mods, even some from reputable brands.

Why vape tanks leak

Loose connections - this is a common problem with rebuildable atomizers. When reassembling, the user might leave some loosely fitted connections, hence causing leaks.
A faulty coil - your coil might not be heating all the e-liquid as it should or needs cleaning.
Wrong vape juice - using the wrong e-liquid with the wrong device can cause leaks. High PG e-liquids are thin and should never be used with sub-ohm tanks, lest they will leak.
Vape juice in the airflow system - leaking might occur when you accidentally spill over e-liquids through the airflow system or overfill your vape tank.
Worn-out rubber O-rings - rubber O rings are used to prevent the vape liquid from leaking into various components of an e-cigarette. Worn-out or torn rubber O rings can cause leaking.

What is popping and spitting in vaping?

Popping and spitting happen when vape liquid floods into the coils and is cooked instead of vaporized, usually accompanied by a popping sound. The hot droplets from spitting or spitbacks might accidentally sneak through the mouthpiece into your mouth.

Popping and spitting are normal in vaping, but when the vape tank is overfilled, it might become a problem, giving you an unpleasant vaping experience.

Cleaning Sticky Stains from Vape Tank Leaks

Vape liquid is made of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) in varying ratios, among other ingredients like flavorings and sometimes nicotine.

When a leak happens and spills on your fabric, clean immediately to prevent staining for good.

PG and VG are easy to clean, usually with soapy water. Use a damp piece of cloth to remove as much spill as possible. Then apply soap and continue to clean until all the stain goes away. Clean quickly before the spilled-over area dries to prevent staining.

How to fix a leaking vape tank

As stated earlier, leaking in e-cigarettes is a common phenomenon. Most of the causes of leaking vape tanks come from user errors that are fixable.

Here is how you can fix a leaking e-cigarette:

Fix loose connections
Check your coils
Fill the vape tank correctly
Use the right e-liquid
Leave the tank upright
Replace worn-out O-rings
Wick your RBA correctly
Empty your vape tank before storage
Improve your inhalation

1. Fix loose connections

An e-cigarette comprises different sections placed together and used as a unit. Loose connections, especially around the vape tank, can cause leakage.

When using the device, you might need to open the seals when refilling the tank or servicing the coils. Always ensure that you fasten the connections and that they are tight enough to prevent leakages.

Check if the threads are crossed and screw them back correctly, and fit the top cap correctly. Check the seals and ensure that they are fastened correctly to prevent your device from leaking.

2. Check your coils

Your vape tank is leaking probably because your coil is dud. Just like mass-produced items, some products might escape the quality control check and end up in your regular vape store.

When you get leaks, check your coil to find out whether it is the source of the mess. When it is a manufacturing flaw, there isn’t much you can do than replace it. Consider buying a coil head with a different batch number from what you purchased to avoid a recurring problem.

Sometimes it could be that the coil is not fitted properly. Screw it properly and see if the problem goes away.

A dirty coil can also cause leaks. Simply unscrew it from the e-cigarette and wash it with soapy water. Dry it and fix it back.

3. Fill the vape tank correctly

Watch out for two things; overfilling and filling too fast.

When filling your vape tank, make sure that you leave a small space at the top without the vape liquid. Overfilling the tank results in spills and leaking.

Filling too fast will also cause vape leaking problems. Fill slowly to prevent flooding the tank and avoid spilling the e-juice over other components of the e-cigarette.

Tilt your tank at 45 degrees angle and pour the liquid slowly. Gradually straighten up as the tank fills. Take caution not to pour liquid into the airway tube (chimney).

4. Use the right e-liquid

Every device has the ideal type of e-liquid it should use. High-power and lower-resistance e-cigarettes should use high VG e-liquids with a concentration of 70% (30% PG) and above.

MTL devices will work well with a PG concentration of up to 70%. Always ensure that you are using an e-liquid with the proper PG/VG ratio.

Generally, high-PG devices will leak more than high-VG ones.

5. Replace worn-out rubber O-rings

Worn out or missing O-rings could cause your vape tank to leak. O-rings are circular rubber rings fitted in various connections in e-cigarettes. They act as air seals.

Problems with O-rings occur because of the following:

Over-tightening when fastening connections
The usual degradation
Moving out of position

The solution is replacing the worn-out rubber O-rings or adjusting those that are out of position. Rubber O-rings are cheap. Ensure that you get the right size for your device.

6. Leave the tank upright

Some vape tanks are not built to resist spilling when handled or stored in a horizontal position, which leads to e-liquids seeping out. This usually happens when the e-cigarette is left lying horizontally over long periods, say overnight.

It is inevitable to tilt the e-cigarette when vaping, and that is okay. The e-liquid doesn’t leak immediately.

Store the device vertically or empty the vape tank to avoid leakage.

7. Wick your RBA correctly

Wicking is only possible with rebuildable atomizers (RBA). Wicking can be tricky, especially if you are a vaping beginner. How much of a wicking material (usually cotton) you use depends on the atomizer.

You need enough cotton around your coil without stuffing it. Too much wicking material will block airflow and take up most of the e-juice, where little or none reaches the coil. That leads to dry hits.

Inadequate wicking material means there will not be enough wicking to hold vape juice in the dripper or RTA, causing leakage.

Use trial and error until you get it right.

8. Empty your vape tank when storing

If you cannot store the vape vertically, consider emptying the vape tank before storage. When traveling, maintaining the vape tank in an upright position is difficult. Emptying the tank could be the only solution. That saves you from the embarrassment of wetting and staining your pants or other fabrics.

9. Clean your chimney

The chimney is the center tube that allows consistent airflow when vaping. Some e-juice may spill into the chimney when refilling the vape tank.

Besides spills, condensation builds up of liquids, which end up in the chimney.

Condensation happens when the excess vapor from inhalation eventually liquefies and might end up in the chimney or mouthpiece. That is usually not a problem at first, but when too much condensation happens gradually, it might end up dripping into the chimney and finally leak out.

To avoid too much condensation, you should inhale immediately after firing the vape and release the power button after ending inhalation. That ensures minimal liquid build-up.

Clean the chimney regularly to remove any vape juice leaks and other liquids.

Summary

Vape tanks leak because of a faulty manufacturing process of different components of the e-cigarette, or a common user mistake.

You can fix a leaking vape tank by replacing the faulty parts or following the usage tips shared in this article. If none works, consider replacing your e-cigarette.

Vape Lab online e-cigarettes store, brings you the best vaping devices, rebuildable atomizers, and vape accessories. If your vape tank is leaking, you can buy different vape components at our shop to replace the faulty parts.

Besides vaping devices and accessories, we also have the best quality e-liquids available in various PG/VG ratios, flavors, and strengths.

We offer vape and accessories delivery in Nairobi and other parts of the country. Order today at the best e-cigarette prices in Kenya.

Tips for Fixing a Leaking Vape Tank