How To Fix a Clogged Vape Cartridge [Vaping Maintenance Guide]
Vape cartridges have become one of the most popular ways to enjoy many compounds from hemp, including Delta 8! For those of you who own a vape pen or have owned one in the past, you’ve probably dealt with clogging. For novice consumers, this has probably led to the infamous Google search, “how to fix a clogged vape cartridge.” That search probably yielded thousands of results! But remember, kids, no one looks past the first page of Google.
If you currently have a clogged vape and you want to learn from real, trained professionals keep reading! We promise we’ll provide you with a free new vape cart if we lead you astray and end up damaging your cart further. Kidding!
IS IT COMMON FOR VAPE CARTRIDGES TO CLOG?
Yes! It is common for vape cartridges to clog. This has to do with a few factors, ranging from the consistency of the oil in the vape to the way the vape was manufactured. Here are a few things to look for when first purchasing your vape cart!
Quality Airflow
We would say that airflow is a pretty important part of this equation. After all, that’s the point! A good vape cart should have the ability to change the airflow and physical design that promotes high-performance air intake. An increase in airflow creates more vapor and a cooler draw that is less harsh on the throat.
Turns off Automatically
If you’re forgetful, a vape pen that turns off automatically is a must! Look for one that turns off automatically after 15 to 20 minutes. This will help preserve your battery to prevent you from having to charge your battery multiple times. If you like to carry your vape in your purse, you won’t have to worry about pressing push button style batteries and leaving your vape on all day.
510 Thread Battery
A vape cartridge with 510 thread compatibility gives you more options when choosing a battery. This is considered the market standard! This allows you to have more choices when choosing your cart and the battery.
WHAT CAUSES A CLOGGED VAPE CARTRIDGE?
As mentioned previously, there are a few causes for a clogged vape cartridge. While there are a few things you can look for when purchasing vape carts, at times, clogging of your vape is inevitable. Here are a few reasons your cart may not be working:
Condensation Buildup
The most common cause of a clogged cart is condensation buildup in the cart’s airway. Over time, the condensation blocks the mouthpiece. This prevents the vapor from passing through as you take a hit. Instead of a robust hit of Delta 8 THC, you’ll get a mouthful of bitter vape juice. Doesn’t sound appetizing, does it?
Usually, you can notice the condensation buildup before it becomes a problem. If you’ve ever felt tiny droplets of liquid hit your tongue as you’re taking a hit, it is due to condensation buildup.
CHAMBER FLOODING
Chamber flooding occurs when a vape cart sits around for a long time. D8 distillate thickens at room temperature, and over time, the distillate will work its way to the bottom of the cart. This causes it to oversaturate the wick and “drowns” the coil.
This causes the heating element (coil) to struggle to get up to temperature and vaporize the liquid effectively. If your vape isn’t producing a thick enough vapor and isn’t hitting correctly, it may mean that the chamber has been flooded. Just as a general rule of thumb, you should stop vaping immediately if you notice a burning taste or smell.
How Do You Know If Your Vape Cart Is Clogged?
Most times, it will be very obvious to you when your vape cart becomes clogged. Your draws will not be as smooth, and you may feel like vaping is irritating your throat. If you experience a slight pull when you inhale and overall have an inkling that something is wrong, you’re not making things up. Something may be wrong!
The tell-tale sign of a vape cart being clogged is the bitter taste you may get from getting a mouthful of vape juice. Yeah, you heard that right. Though we refer to this liquid as “juice,” it definitely doesn’t taste anything like juice.
HOW TO FIX A CLOGGED VAPE CARTRIDGE?
There are a few ways to fix your clogged vape cartridge. First and foremost, you may want to troubleshoot the issue by figuring out whether a clogged cart is causing the issue. Often, the reason why your cart isn’t working can be related to your voltage, wattage, or temperature setting. It is always important to follow the settings as recommended by the manufacturer of the cart and the concentrate.
Be Mindful of the Current Temperature & Humidity
Humidity and temperature can affect the viscosity, or thickness, of the oil. Humidity is typically associated with increased heat. Therefore the combination can create differences in oil thickness. The vapor’s quality depends on the thickness of the vape juice, so managing your vape’s environment is the key to a better vaping experience and reducing clogs.
Gently Blow Into the Vape Cart Mouth Piece
Lightly blowing through your vape mouthpiece can help! One of the steps in preventing condensation buildup is to clear the mouthpiece before each hit. Gently blow into the cart mouthpiece before heating the coil to produce vapor. This clears moisture and debris out before the vapor comes through and will prevent buildup from accumulating and blocking the airflow.
Inhale Gently
Taking smaller hits and keeping them under 3 seconds greatly reduces the chances of condensation buildup. Instead of taking fewer larger hits, take smaller hits with rest times in between. This allows the mouthpiece to clear effectively. Smaller hits reduce the amount of time the vapor sits in the mouthpiece. This helps decrease the chances of condensation buildup because the cooler mouthpiece isn’t exposed to warm moisture long enough to create condensation.
Don’t Twist the Vape Cart Onto Your Vape Pen Too Tight
Filling the cart and then twisting it closed too tightly can block the airflow holes. When the airflow holes are located in the threading area, you should refrain from screwing on the cartridge too tight. This prevents airflow, as you can imagine, and causes your THC vapes to not pull correctly.
Manually Remove Whatever Is Clogging Your Vape
To manually remove the obstruction from your vape, you’ll need to remove all excess liquid from the mouthpiece. You will need a thin wire like a paper clip, safety pin, or needle. You will insert the wire or safety pin gently into the mouthpiece and scrape out the sticky residues by moving it from side to side or up and down. Be mindful not to scratch the inside of the cart. You should be able to remove most of the residue and buildup this way. Pro tip: It is best to do this while the cart is cool, so the oil has a high viscosity.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR VAPE CARTRIDGE IS STILL CLOGGED
We get it; clogged vape cartridges are frustrating. After all, this whole experience is supposed to be a relaxing one! If your vape cart is still clogged after troubleshooting it following the steps above, you may want to consider tossing it. Kidding! There are a few other things you may want to consider before calling it a total loss. Remember, this is a science, and we are trained professionals. No, we don’t have a badge to show you. Just take our word for it.
Alright, here we go. If and when you have tried all of the above to fix your clogged vape cartridge to no avail, your last resort is to take the pen apart. You will want to clean out the contact area inside your battery. You can easily do this by using a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Yes, it sounds like surgery. No, there will be no fatalities here. You want to clean the area thoroughly and then allow it to dry before trying the vape once more. With time, your battery contact piece may become clogged with debris. This is caused by normal wear and tear that comes with consistent use.
WHAT TO DO WITH A FLOODED VAPE CART TANK
Have you been taking notes? Lucky for you, this is here to stay. So you can visit us at any time with questions, comments, or concerns. Although, we’d prefer praise above all.
Here are a few steps to dealing with a flooded vape cart:
- Step 1: You want to flick the cart from side to side. This helps dislodge any excess liquid, dispersing it evenly.
- Step 2: Blow through the cart, clearing liquid out of the wick and off the coil. If you have a refillable cartridge, you will remove the chamber, clear any excess liquid from the coil, and wick manually before reassembling it.
- Step 3: Once you’ve cleaned out as much liquid as possible, you can fire up the vape without inhaling. It’s important not to overdo this, but leaving your finger on the button for 1 to 2 seconds should be enough. This step allows you to vaporize excess liquid without burning the wick.
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE VAPE CARTRIDGES
It should be common knowledge that oils degrade fast in direct sunlight. If you didn’t know, well, now you do! It is best to store vape cartridges in a dark, cool environment. We do not recommend storing these in the glove box compartment in your car. We caught you red-handed! Direct sunlight will affect the potency of your cartridge.
Lastly, keep your cartridges upright! Laying your cartridge horizontally can cause it to become backed up. What’s even worse is that if the wicks get dry, you’re more likely to burn the coil. This will give every puff a burnt, charred flavor. Charred burgers are good. As for charred vape hits? We can’t say the same.
WHERE TO BUY THE BEST DELTA 8 VAPE CARTRIDGES
You can only find the best of the best here at Exhale. We’re not just saying that because they sign our paychecks! We’re saying this because we only formulate our carts with full-spectrum hemp oil, and guess what! We don’t use any MCT, PG, VG, or PEG oil in our formulation either. This ensures that our product is as pure and transparent as we are! See these halos on the top of our heads?
We also offer disposable vape pens that are usually used and thrown out before they have enough time to get clogged. These pens are a no-maintenance option for those who don’t want to keep reusing the same battery and changing carts.
If and only if you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase from Exhale, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and an excellent, attentive customer service team here to help.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Here are our final thoughts. Are you ready for this one? If you find yourself in a situation where your vape cartridge is clogged, there are a few common reasons why this may be happening, and then there may be one-off reasons, like the battery not working correctly. Regardless of why this is happening, we get it. It’s frustrating, and all you wanted to do was kick back and relax after a long day of work. Trust us when we say we understand. With Exhale, you’ll never need to worry or stress! We got you covered. We’re professionals, remember?
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