Why is There No Vapor Coming From My Vape?

Usually, vaping is an easy, carefree process that requires little to no thought. All you do is power up your pen and start enjoying tasty clouds of vapor! However, as with all things, your vape pen is eventually going to hit some problems you will need to troubleshoot. One of the most obvious problems you will face is when your pen is no longer producing vapor. Why is this happening and how do you fix it?

Why Is There No Vapor Coming From My Vape?

There are several reasons that there may not be any vapor coming from your vape, and those reasons will vary depending on the kind of vape device you are using. Luckily, the vast majority of problems that prevent vapor from being produced can be resolved without needing to purchase a brand-new device, so do not get discouraged!

General Problems That Prevent Vapor Production

1. Charge your battery. The most common reason that your vape pen is not producing vapor is that your battery is dead! Most vaporizers have a system of lights that will indicate if there is a usable charge in the battery. Usually, if a light shows green or blue, the device is ready to use. If the device shows red, the vape needs to be charged.

2. Swap batteries or swap accessories. If you believe that your battery is fully charged and your device still is not producing vapor, you may have a faulty battery. If your device allows for the battery to be removed, try swapping batteries to see if there is a change in performance. If you are unable to swap the battery, try using a different attachment on your device, or try using the attachment on a different vape pen. This is a good way to troubleshoot whether your battery or attachment is causing the issue.

3. Make sure all pieces are securely fastened. If you didn’t tighten a cartridge or mouthpiece securely, that may cause your device to not produce vapor. Most vape pens need all pieces to connect to complete the electrical circuit that powers the heating element. Make sure that your mouthpiece or oil cartridge is connected all the way. While checking, be sure not to over-tighten pieces, as this can cause damage to fragile electrical components.

4. Check the heating element. Whether you are using a wax vape, dry herb vape, or an oil pen, a faulty heating element will prevent the device from producing vapor. A great way to tell if the heating element has gone bad is if the device lights up as though it were powering on but no heat is being produced. Dry herb and wax vapes have heating elements that can easily be inspected, while your oil vape may or may not have an option to do so, depending on the make and model.

Problems in Dry Herb Vapes That Prevent Vapor Production

1. There is a clog in the vapor path. This is a common problem with dry herbs since loose pieces of debris can make it past the mesh filter. Use a pipe cleaner to knock away any debris that should not be present in the vapor path.

2. The mesh filter is clogged. If your vapor path is clear, you may notice that your mesh filter is completely packed with spent dry herb. This is an easy fix! Use a wire brush to knock away packed debris to allow vapor to begin flowing through the device again. 

3. The heating chamber is overpacked. If you cram too many dry herbs into your heating chamber, there will not be enough space for hot air to circulate around the dry herbs. This means that no vapor will be produced, even though the vape pen is in working order. When packing the heating chamber, lightly pack dry herbs in, but be sure not to hard pack the heating chamber.

4. The heating coil is packed with residue. This will be a problem for dry herb vapes that create actual smoke through combustion since dry herb vapes that only produce vapor will use a heating chamber. Make sure that the coils still glow red hot when powered on. If they do not, you will need to replace the coils!

Problems in Wax Vapes That Prevent Vapor Production

1. Wax has clogged the vapor path. This usually happens when your wax pen is stored on its side or you overfill the heating chamber. When heated, the wax becomes liquid and moves into small spaces in the vapor path. When the device cools, that wax hardens, preventing airflow and vapor production. To remedy this, allow the device to heat up without adding additional wax. The heat will slowly travel through the device, including the vapor path, melting the wax. Then, use a pipe cleaner lightly soaked with a cleaning solution to gently remove wax residue from the vapor path.

2. Your heating coils have gone bad. This is an especially common problem in wax vape pens. Since the wax has to be in direct contact with the heating coil to produce vapor, the coils are repeatedly subjected to wax residue. Over time, this residue will ruin the heating coil and will need to be replaced. Fortunately, most wax vape pens are built to allow for heating coil replacement.

Broken Device

If you follow these troubleshooting steps and determine that the reason vapor is not being produced is because the device is irreparably broken, you should check the manufacturer’s warranty before you invest in a brand-new device. Many vape pens have impressive warranties, and if you have not had your device for very long, there is a good chance you can get a free replacement. If you bought a vape pen from us that you believe to be faulty, contact us! We can help you with troubleshooting steps and can guide you through the warranty process as needed!

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