When to change your pod or coil | Blog | Vanilla Vapes
25th Aug 2023
How do I know when my pod or coil needs changing?
The Short Answer
What are coils and why do they need replacing?
An atomiser coil is a small wrapped length of wire. It is surrounded with a wicking material (usually cotton) and then placed into a metal casing ready to be fitted to a vape tank. Replacement pods already have the coil fitted and instead of replacing the coil, you replace the entire pod. For the rest of this article, assume we mean both pods and coils when we refer to coils.
When you press the fire button on your battery, it puts an electrical current through the coil, causing it to heat up and vaporise your e-liquid. Over time the constant heating and cooling of the coil, along with the small residue left behind by vapourised e-liquid, clogs the cotton, it loses efficiency and wears out.
Keeping track of your coil’s performance and replacing it when necessary is the most important maintenance you can do to ensure a satisfying vape
What are the main signs my coil needs changing?
Loss of performance
You’ll find it just doesn’t feel as satisfying as it used to. It doesn’t feel as strong, and doesn’t have the same amount of throat hit. It’ll also not produce as much vapour and generally just feels wrong.
It tastes burnt
Over time, you’ll notice your e-liquid is starting to taste a little burnt. This can happen if the wick is just too dry, either through the tank being empty or ‘chain vaping’ faster than the wick can soak up new liquid. However, if it’s tasting burnt on every puff and there’s plenty of liquid in the tank it’s a sign the coil needs changing. It’s likely the burnt taste will get stronger until it totally overpowers the e-liquid flavour.
It's leaking or gurgling
If your tank has started leaking and you’ve followed all the steps in our ‘Why is my tank leaking’ guide, then it may be time to bite the bullet and change your coil. It could leak for a number of reasons, but if you’ve tried everything, the best next step would be a coil change.
Loss of flavour
If your e-cigarette doesn’t taste as strong as it used to, this could be a couple of things. Over time, the cotton wicks get over saturated and aren’t able to wick the e-liquid as well. If you’re noticing a lack of flavour in combination with the other factors above it may be your coil to blame. If you’ve just changed to a fresh coil and you’re still struggling to taste your e-liquid, you may be suffering from ‘vapers tongue’ – a loss of taste sensation caused by tasting the same flavour over and over. Stay tuned for our upcoming article on vapers tongue!
It's been a while
If you’re new to vaping, you may not even notice the subtle changes that indicate coil change time. After all, they tend to change gradually so you might not notice. If it’s been several weeks since your last coil change, you might find a fresh coil breathes totally new life into your vape kit.
Is there any way I can make my coil last longer?
There certainly is! The main way to make it last, is to be aware of the e-liquid you’re using in your tank. Not all e-liquids are made equal as far as coils are concerned. E-Liquids that use large amounts of sweetener give coils a beating and it won’t last as long. Some super-sweet e-liquids have been known to burn out a fresh coil in a matter of days, so if you’re vaping deep-fried, candy floss filled donut flavour (ok we made that up) all day long you’ll need plenty of spare coils!
We’ve developed a few liquids that are designed to be kind to coils. Take a look at our EasyMix Classic and Signature Collection ranges for e-liquids that contain little to no sweetener and have a noticeably positive effect on coil life.