No matter how long you’ve been vaping, there’s one thing that never changes: the enjoyment that you feel upon buying and opening a brand-new device. Even if you have been vaping since the very beginning, buying a new vape simply never gets old.
At the other end of the spectrum, there’s almost nothing in vaping more annoying than unwrapping a new device only to find that doesn't work. That’s especially the case if the device in question is a disposable vape. Unlike most other types of vapes, disposables don’t really have anything for you to configure or set up – so you might feel at a loss when it comes to figuring out how to troubleshoot problems. That’s why this guide exists.
Safety Note: We strongly recommend against ever attempting to open a disposable vape for troubleshooting purposes. Modern disposable vapes are designed to be as difficult as possible to open. In addition, the components inside the device are so complex and so tightly packed that you might end up breaking something. Did you purchase your device here? Get in touch, and we’ll do our best to make it right.
So, you have a brand-new disposable vape that isn’t working? In this guide, you’ll find the solution – or if the problem isn’t fixable, we’ll at least help you figure out what to do next. Let’s dive in with the first potential fix: Are you sure you unboxed your device correctly?
Make Sure Your Vape Is Unboxed Correctly and Ready to Use
A disposable vape won’t work unless the airflow channel is clear and the device is turned on.
Even if you feel like you’ve unboxed a million vapes before and are sure that you know exactly what you’re doing, it’s still worthwhile to take a moment and confirm that the device you’re using is set up and ready to use because it sometimes seems as though disposable vapes are becoming more complicated by the day. Specifically, you should check for a silicone plug in the mouthpiece and a sticker covering the device’s airflow opening. Since those items stop air from flowing through the device, they’ll prevent the vape from working until they’re both removed.
It's also worthwhile to know that many recent disposable vapes – the Geek Bar Pulse and Geek Bar Pulse X are two notable examples – actually have airflow sliders that double as on-off switches. If that’s the case with your vape, moving the switch away from the closed position turns the device on.
Don’t forget that even if you’ve unboxed a disposable vape correctly, the airflow vent still needs to be open when you use the device. Make sure you’re not holding the vape in a way that causes your hand to block the air intake.
Use a Little More Air Pressure
Using more air pressure can sometimes fix a disposable vape that isn’t working because of a problem with the puff sensor.
Assuming that you’ve unboxed the device correctly, a brand-new disposable vape that isn’t working might have an issue with its airflow sensor that causes the device not to respond when you puff on it. This could happen, for instance, if the airflow sensor has a sensitivity issue or if a little e-liquid has leaked on the sensor and caused it to get stuck.
The reason why the puff sensor in a disposable vape might sometimes fail to work is because it’s a very simple component that’s usually little more than a flexible membrane with a metal contact on it. When air flows through the device, the membrane moves and completes a circuit – unless it’s stuck or isn’t positioned quite correctly. To fix it, try inhaling through the vape a bit more firmly. You can also increase the air pressure inside the vape by partially blocking the airflow vent with your finger.
Make Sure the Battery Is Charged
If your disposable vape isn’t working because the battery is dead, charging the battery may resolve the issue.
A charged lithium-ion battery should last in storage for a very long time – much longer than the e-liquid in the vape would be expected to last before going bad. Nevertheless, a battery does experience a slow rate of self-discharge in storage, and a vaping device that doesn’t have an on-off function also draws a small standby current when the device isn’t in use. If you have a new disposable vape that isn’t working, it’s possible that the device has been stored long enough for the battery to die.
To check your vape’s battery, connect the device to a power source with a USB cable. If the indicator light turns on, the battery is charging. Wait for the light to change color or turn off and try using the device again. If it works, the problem is fixed. Learn more about how to charge a disposable vape.
Make Sure You’re Using a Name-Brand Vape
The best disposable vapes on the market are popular because of their high reliability. You’re less likely to end up with a dud if you buy a device made by a recognized top brand.
It might be difficult to wrap your head around how popular disposable vapes really are. In the United States alone, it’s estimated that tens of millions of the devices are sold each month – so obviously, they’re manufactured in truly enormous numbers. Manufacturers generally test disposable vapes before packaging them to confirm that they work, but it’s still possible for a handful of the millions of devices produced each week to be duds.
If you have a new disposable vape that isn’t working – and you’re unable to fix it no matter what you try – it’s possible that the device simply isn’t functional. That’s one reason why it’s so important to buy your vapes from a reliable vape shop that cares about your satisfaction; we’ll discuss the other reason next.
A good way to avoid buying a disposable vape that ends up being dead on arrival, though, is by buying devices made by a brand that’s well known and recognized for being reliable. Although it might feel like you’re saving a little money by buying an off-brand vape, you’re not really coming out ahead if you’re more likely to get a device that doesn’t work.
Make Sure You’re Using an Authentic Vape
Fake vapes are more common than you might realize and can have a wide variety of problems including not working at all.
It’s a little-known fact that fake vapes are produced by the millions and are bought by unsuspecting consumers every day. The makers of counterfeit devices always target popular brands like Geek Bar, Lost Mary and Raz Vape because the demand for those companies’ products is so high – and they’re seldom caught because most people don’t bother to check the authenticity codes on their devices. It’s inconvenient to type a long code, and a disposable vape only lasts a few days anyway.
Why is it bad to buy a fake vape? You’ve probably already guessed the first reason – it’s because the device is more likely to be faulty than an authentic disposable vape would be. That, however, isn’t the only reason.
- Even if a fake vape does work, there could be aspects of the device that aren’t correct. The flavor won’t be the same as it would be in an authentic device. It’s possible that the device will be underfilled and won’t deliver the correct number of puffs. The nicotine strength could be wrong. You can expect a counterfeit vape to have poor quality control.
- News reports have suggested that fake vapes are often made in dirty or unsafe conditions, with garbage strewn about the facilities and workers actually puffing on the vapes to test them. The unsanitary manufacturing conditions could cause a wide variety of issues ranging from microbial contaminations to the transmission of illnesses.
- A fake vape could use a cheap battery that wouldn’t have met the quality standards for inclusion in a real device. The battery could be more prone to overheating than the battery in a legitimate vape. Even if the battery does work normally, you might need to recharge it more frequently than you would if the device was authentic.
Shopping at a dedicated vape shop like VapeJuice.com is the best way to avoid fake vapes. We source our vapes only from the original manufacturers and authorized distributors and guarantee that all of the products offered on this site are authentic. Here are two additional tips.
- Check the quality of the packaging and the device’s fit and finish. It’s common for fake vapes to have issues with their appearance such as blurry print on the outer box or parts that don’t quite line up on the device itself.
- Go to the brand’s official website and check the authenticity code on the box. Type the website’s URL manually. Don’t use the QR code on the box because it’s very common for fake vapes to have fake QR codes. If the authenticity code passes the check, your device is most likely authentic.