How to Prime a Vape Coil? A Complete Guide
If you’re using a fresh coil for the first time or have noticed a burnt taste, it’s important to understand how to prime a vape coil. Priming vape coil ensures the cotton wick is fully soaked with e-liquid, which prevents dry hits, enhances flavour, and extends the life of your coil or pod. This process is simple and only needs to be done when installing a new coil. Skipping priming vape coil can lead to a poor vaping experience and reduce the coil’s lifespan
Understanding Vape Coils
The vape coil or atomiser is one of the essential components of vaping kits that heats the e-liquid within the tank and converts it into vapour that you inhale. When you fill the pod with the vape juice, the cotton wicking material absorbs the e-liquid inside the coil.
Additionally, the spiral-shaped coil wire heats this liquid using the battery's power and converts it into vapours. The connection between the coil wire and the wick is crucial for transforming vape juices into vapours, delivering a pleasant vaping experience from the very first puff.
Quick Comparison
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Regular/Standard Coils |
Mesh Coils |
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The single wire wrapped in coils around the wick |
Large mesh strip with honeycomb or grid pattern |
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Moderate surface area to associate with e-liquid |
Maximum surface area for the heating process |
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Gradually increases heat-up time |
Fast heat-up time |
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Consistent performance across different output wattages |
Offer better at producing more vapour and giving a rich flavour taste |
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Widely available at an affordable price |
These coils last longer than regular coils |
The next section gives comprehensive information about the commonly asked questions, how to prime a coil, with a brief overview of coil priming and its complete procedure.
What is Coil Priming
The priming of a vape coil is actually the process of saturating the cotton wick with enough e-liquid inside the coil before starting to vape.
Although the priming time can vary depending on the coil’s resistance (measured in ohms), coils with lower resistance usually produce more heat and vapour. Because they use more power, the wicking material must stay fully saturated otherwise, dry spots can form on the cotton, increasing the risk of burning.
This is one of the key reasons for the prevalence of high-resistance coils like Uwell Caliburn G Replacement Coils; they can last longer than lower-resistance coils. The others are the smaller surface area of the coil and the amount of Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and Propylene Glycol (PG) used in the e-liquid.
Why is The Coil Priming Important
Priming a new vape coil is critically important to experience an adequate vaping journey. If you install a dry coil, fill your tank, and start vaping right away, the dry spots on the cotton can burn. This can ruin your whole vaping experience by causing a severe burnt taste or, if the damage is mild, give you a weak flavour and less vapour.
If your coil is improperly primed or only partly saturated and you notice tasteless flavour or low vapour, remove it and repeat the appropriate priming steps to fix the issue. However, this may not always be effective, and you might still need to replace the coil
If the coil is fully burnt, the cotton will have a strong burnt taste and won’t perform properly. In this case, replace it with a new coil and make sure to prime it before vaping.
In short, it is recommended to always prime vape coil before use to enjoy the best flavour, smooth vapour, and longer coil life.
How to Prime A Vape Coil
Here are simple steps to properly prime your vape coil for the best flavour and smooth vaping experience.
Drip the Vape Liquid onto the Coil
Unlock the device packaging and take out the pod (integrated coil) or external coil, and notice the small ports. Use the desired e-liquid bottle to drip liquid onto each juice hole.
Install the Coil Properly into the Tank
Once the cotton is saturated, push the atomiser into the base of the compatible tank, according to the design.Ensure a close fit without excessive force to prevent thread damage
Fill the Tank or Cartridge with the Desired E-liquid
Attach and tighten the whole cartridge and fill it with the required e-liquid until the wick is fully saturated. The filling process is critical as some tanks can be filled from the top and some from the bottom.
Let it Stand & Wait
After filling, let the tank stand upright for 5–10 minutes (or up to 15 minutes for 70VG/30PG) to allow the cotton to fully absorb the e-liquid.
How to Prime Mesh Coil
Here are simple steps to properly prime your mesh coil for optimal flavour and an excellent vaping journey.
Saturate the Cotton Wick
Generally, mesh coils come with a larger surface area and a longer cotton section. Depending on the coil size, you may need only 4-5 drops of e-liquid. They quickly soak, which doesn't mean only a few drops are enough.
Fit the Coil into the Tank or Pod
Attach the atomiser properly into the Tank or pod (if replaceable). It is important to ensure that the coil is fully seated to avoid leaks.
Fill the Pod and Let it Soak
Put the nozzle of the desired e-liquid bottle onto the cartridge and fill it till the required level. Let the coil be soaked and wait for 10-15 minutes.
Take a Few Unpowered Draws
Take a few puffs without activating the device. It allows drawing more e-liquid into the wick through the built-in airflow control.
Start Vaping at Low Wattage
Place your mouth at the mouthpiece and start inhaling at low watts, 5-10 watts, below the range. You can gradually increase the wattage level to enjoy satisfactory vaping. Pay attention to taste and vapour; if it still feels dry, give it more time.
Best Practices and Mistakes to Avoid
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Should Do |
Should Avoid |
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With the device turned off, take a few dry puffs with the airflow closed to let the wick soak up the e-liquid |
Overfilling the vape coil with the desired vape juice |
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Flick the tank or pod with the coil inside, away to remove any extra e-liquid from priming. |
Direct dripping of e-liquid in the coil. It may cause the coil to flood. |
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Soak the coil for a few minutes, at least five minutes. |
Priming the coil is required each time you go to vape or fill with vape juice. Only when it’s a brand-new coil. |
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If you want to fill the tank or pod with high-VG e-liquids, saturate coils for longer. |
When to Replace The Coil
It has been commonly observed that while enjoying a flavoured vaping journey, vapers start noticing the immediate change of taste, or they may experience a burnt throat hit. When this happens, it is time to replace the vape coil. Replacing a vape coil is essential and depends on several factors.
- How often you use the coil (frequency of use)
- The type and thickness of e-liquid (VG/PG ratio)
- Sweetened e-liquids, which can gunk up the coil faster
- The coil type itself (mesh, wire, or ceramic)
In short, if you notice any of the following, it’s time to replace your coil with a fresh one.
- When you start having a burnt taste
- If the e-cigarette produces the gurgling sound when in use
- The flavour has turned unpleasant.
Wind-up Lines
To conclude, priming your vape coil is a crucial step that greatly enhances your vaping experience. Proper priming ensures optimal flavour and vapour production, making your vape enjoyable rather than disappointing. It is essential to understand the process of how to prime a vape coil.
There are two main types of coils on the market: regular coils and mesh coils. While the priming process differs slightly between them, the steps are straightforward. This guide is designed to help beginners and experienced vapers alike understand how to prime a coil effectively.
