Why Your Vape Is Lighting Up But Not Hitting and How to Fix It

The lights are on, but nobody’s at Ohm. Few things are more frustrating to a vaper than a kit that indicates it’s working, but your tastebuds, airways, and nicotine craving tell you nothing’s happening when you puff or press.

Your vape kit may have started malfunctioning for a few reasons, and I’ll break down the most common causes to help you troubleshoot your way to a fix. Worst-case scenario: You may need a new vape kit. But let’s try everything else first, eh?

Cause#1: Low Battery Power

How to Fix It

It may be possible that your device has enough whiffs of charge to glow the indicator light, but it’s not charged enough to send an optimal surge of power into the coil to begin atomising your e-liquid.

This is the most common cause and, fittingly, has the most straightforward solution: plug your vape in! Turn it off, give it a good solid charge for at least 15-20 minutes, then turn it back on and try vaping again. Much of the time, this will solve the problem.

Cause#2: Dirty/Loose Connections 

How to Fix It

Okay, so a recharge didn’t sort it. Don’t worry; let’s try something else.

1. Remove the tank/pod from your vape battery.
2. Under good light conditions, examine closely the connection points between the device and tank/pod.
3. If there is dirt or detritus, such as pocket lint, give it a good, firm wipe down with a kitchen towel.
4. If e-liquid pools in the connection point of your vape battery, soak it up with a kitchen towel or cotton swabs and then clean the connector with some rubbing alcohol, leaving it a few minutes to evaporate.
5. When attaching your tank/pod, ensure it’s flush with the device and firmly attached, though don’t over-screw it.

Often, bits of pocket nastiness or escaped e-liquid can create a hurdle that causes the electrical charge of your battery to have trouble getting past. Cleaning your connectors and ensuring they’re firmly in place can often resolve the lights-on-no-vapour issue.

Cause#3: Draw-Activation Blockage 

How to Fix It

This point is related to the e-liquid leak issue above. Pod devices that fire using draw activation often have visible airflow detectors in the pod connector area.

Can you tell if it’s windy while you’re underwater? No, you can’t. Similarly, your vape’s airflow detector can’t tell you’re puffing when submerged beneath an e-liquid droplet.

Wipe the connector area with cotton buds and a kitchen towel, and try puffing again.

Cause#4: Airflow Problems 

How to Fix It

It may not be the battery at all; your airflow pathways have gotten blocked up with lint and dust. And you wouldn’t be the first person to come to me with a ‘broken’ vape with the airflow closed shut…

• Check that your airflow slider is open.
• With an empty tank or pod, blow a short, hard breath INTO the mouthpiece and see if anything pops or pokes out of the airflow holes.
• If the airflow ports are large enough to permit it, use a piece of kitchen towel rolled up into a tight needle to snake into the ports and try to dislodge anything stuck.

Cause#5: Coil Problems 

How to Fix It

If your vape battery can’t read the battery, it won’t fire. While devices with screens often give a “No Atomiser” or “Check Atomiser” message, devices that rely on simple LED indicators can’t give you helpful hints like I kindly am right now.

1. If your pod/tank takes replaceable coils, remove the fitted one
2. Check it for blackened cotton, an acrid smell, or signs of wear-out. If it seems dead, replace it.
3. If it seems healthy, reinstall it, being careful to line up the threading on screw-in coils. For pods, ensure the coil is absolutely flush with the pod base.

Cause#6: Power Up

How to Fix It

If you have a vape with adjustable wattage, one issue might be that you’re trying to fire your device at a low power range for the inserted coil. Without adequate power when firing, the juice won’t atomise.

1. Check which coil you have installed and its listed ohmage (0.8ohm, 1.7ohm, etc.)
2. Ensure your device is set within the correct firing range for the coil you’re using. Increase the power and try firing it again.

Lights, Vapour, Action 

I hope that following these steps resulted in your vape kit firing once again! It’s always annoying when you aren’t quite sure what the problem is, but in vaping, most problems are a quick, easy, and cheap fix!

In the worst-case scenario, you have a busted battery on your hands. But worry not; here at the MIST online vape store, we have all the vape hardware you need to get back to vaping quickly and cheaply!