If your vape blinks when you try to use it, your device has encountered a problem that prevents normal operation. That sounds more severe than it really is, though, because you can have your device up and running again very quickly in most cases. Troubleshooting a blinking vape is often surprisingly easy, and this guide will walk you through it.
Check the Screen or Instruction Manual for More Information
Whether you’re using a vape mod with a full screen or a simple disposable vape with nothing but an indicator light, your device has the ability to communicate what type of problem it’s having when it blinks. You can use that information to determine how to proceed.
- If you’re using a vape mod, you’ll see an error message like “check atomizer” or “atomizer short.” The error message tells you the source of the problem.
- If you’re using a vape with a blinking light, the number of blinks – and sometimes the color – will tell you the source of the problem. You’ll need to check the instruction manual to determine what the blink code means.
If you don’t have your device’s instruction manual handy, that’s not a problem. We’ll discuss the different reasons for a blinking vape and how to fix them, starting with the most common situations and proceeding to the rarer ones.
Your Vape’s Battery Is Dead
If your vape blinks as soon as you puff on it or press the button, the most likely reason is that the battery is dead.
The solution for this problem is simple: Connect the vape to your computer using the charging cable included in the package. If you bought a vape without an included charging cable, you can use any USB cable that fits.
To ensure that your vape is fully charged, you should leave it connected until the light changes color or turns off.
Read More: How Long Does It Take for a Vape to Charge?
You’ve Exceeded Your Vape’s Puff Limiter
If your vape blinks and cuts off during a long puff, you’ve exceeded the puff limiter and need to take shorter puffs.
If you have a blinking vape, the problem that’s causing the device to blink will usually prevent it from working at all – but there’s one exception. If your vape blinks and stops working while you’re in the middle of a puff, it means that you’ve tripped your device’s automatic cutoff feature.
Every vape has an automatic cutoff that shuts the device off when the current puff exceeds about 7-10 seconds. The cutoff helps to prevent your vape from overheating, which we’ll discuss at greater length in the next section. Suppose you had a vape with a stuck puff sensor, and the device was auto-firing in your pocket. That’s a potentially unsafe situation, which is exactly why the puff cutoff exists.
Smaller vapes tend to have shorter cutoff times, whereas a full-sized vape mod will usually let you take longer puffs before blinking. Either way, though, the solution for fixing the issue is the same: You need to take shorter puffs.
Your Vape Is Overheating
If your vape blinks while you’re vaping outside in direct sunlight, it’s probably overheating. Move the device to a cooler location and wait a while before vaping again.
Most vapes have temperature sensors because of the heat that lithium-ion batteries generate during operation. It’s a potentially dangerous situation if a battery gets too hot, so your vape will shut down automatically if the internal temperature exceeds a certain level. Here’s how to avoid that problem.
- Don’t vape outdoors in direct sunlight.
- Don’t leave your vape in front of a window where the sun is likely to shine on it.
- When you exit your vehicle, don’t leave your vape in it.
If your vape blinks while you’re vaping outside on a sunny day – or you’ve left it in your vehicle, and it’s now blinking when you try to use it – the device’s internal temperature is probably too high for safe operation. Move it to a cooler location and give it plenty of time to cool down before you try vaping again.
Your Pod or Tank Is Leaking
Read More: Why Is My Vape Leaking?
Leaked e-liquid can prevent your device from properly detecting the installed pod or coil, and this issue is especially likely to happen if you’re using a pod vape. Remove the pod and check under it. Do you see a large amount of vape juice? Here’s what to do.
- Remove all of the visible vape juice using paper towels and/or cotton swabs.
- Blow firmly through your vape’s air intake vent.
- Do you see e-liquid in the chamber where the pod would normally go? Dry it and continue blowing through the intake vent until no more e-liquid comes out.
Once you’ve removed all of the leaked e-liquid from the device, your vape should work normally again.
It’s not normal to have a leaking vape, and you can prevent this issue from happening in the future. Here’s how.
- Don’t puff so hard. If your vape is making a gurgling sound when you puff on it, you’re puffing too hard.
- Don’t overfill your pod. If you fill it all the way to the top, the stopper will push some of the e-liquid out when you close the pod.
- Install the coil correctly. If you’re using a pod vape with a replaceable coil, confirm that the coil is oriented correctly and pushed all the way in. If the coil sticks out at all, the pod will leak.
Your Coil Is Installed Incorrectly
Your vape can only detect the coil if it’s installed properly.
Read More: How to Change the Coil on a Geek Vape
If you’re using a vape mod or a pod system with a replaceable coil, installing the coil incorrectly doesn’t only cause leaking; it can also make your vape blink because it can’t detect the coil at all. If you’ve been unable to fix your blinking vape by trying the other tips in this article, you should examine your tank or pod to confirm that the coil is installed properly.
- If you’re using a pod system or vape tank with a push-in coil, the base of the coil might have a tab or flat side on the bottom that needs to align with a specific area on the bottom of the pod or on the chamber in the middle of the tank. If the coil isn’t aligned correctly, you can’t push it in fully.
- If you’re using a vape tank with a screw-in coil, remove the coil and screw it back in carefully, ensuring that it’s tightened all the way and isn’t cross-threaded. With some tanks, you need to screw the coil in very tightly, or it won’t register.
Your Tank Isn’t Making Solid Contact
Your vape can only detect the installed coil if the contact point at the bottom of the tank solidly touches the contact point in the middle of your device’s threading. It’s standard for modern vapes to have spring-loaded threads, but some older vaping products – and many 510-thread batteries for vape cartridges – do not. Here’s how to ensure that your vape makes solid contact with the tank or cartridge.
- Push the contact point at the center of your vape’s threading with a pencil or toothpick. If it moves, it’s spring loaded. Clean your device’s threading with a cotton swab and a little rubbing alcohol to ensure that the pin isn’t stuck.
- Check the pins on the bottom of your tank and in the center if your device’s threading to see if either one has an indentation for a screwdriver. If so, the pin is manually adjustable. Raise it slightly and see if your device begins working.
- If you’re using a 510-thread battery and vape cartridge, try pulling the pin at the bottom of the cartridge slightly using a pair of tweezers. You will likely only need to move the pin a tiny fraction of a millimeter.
Your Coil or Pod Is Faulty
If you’re unable to get your vape to stop blinking, you’ll most likely need to identify and replace a faulty component.
If your vape is still blinking even though you’ve followed all of the advice in this article, it’s fairly safe to conclude that there’s a faulty component somewhere in your vaping setup. The next step is to determine what that component is, so you can replace it.
- If you’re using a vape tank or pod system with a replaceable coil, set the current coil aside and install a new one. If the new coil works – and you’re certain that the old coil was installed correctly – the old coil is faulty and should be replaced.
- If you’re using a pod system with a built-in coil, install a new pod. If the new pod works, the old pod is faulty and should be replaced.
- If your vape continues blinking when you pair it with multiple pods or coils, something is wrong with the device. It may require replacement.