You’ve just unwrapped a new disposable vape, and you’re looking forward to sitting down and enjoying a session. Maybe you’re trying a new flavor, or perhaps it’s one of your usual favorites. When you puff on the device, though, nothing happens. Your brand-new disposable vape isn’t working and maybe isn’t even blinking when you try to use it. What could be happening here?
In this guide, we’re going to cover the topic of fixing a disposable vape that isn’t working from every possible angle. Although disposable vapes are some of the simplest and most reliable vaping devices on the market today, it’s still possible for things to go wrong with them. Thankfully, it’s also possible in many cases to fix a new disposable that isn’t hitting.
It all begins with making sure you’ve unpacked your device properly.
Make Sure You Unpacked Your Vape Properly
A disposable vape typically holds at least 2 ml of e-liquid, and some devices hold significantly more than that. With such a large volume of liquid in the device, it’s important to ensure that it won’t leak. It’s also important to prevent the device from activating while it’s in the package, which would potentially cause overheating.
Most disposable vapes are packed in airtight pouches to help prevent leaking and accidental activation, but many manufacturers don’t stop there – they also use additional stickers, covers or plugs to block the airflow holes. Before you use a new disposable vape, check the top and bottom for any plugs or stickers. Remove and discard them.
Check Your Vape for a Leak
Despite the manufacturers’ best efforts, it’s still possible for a disposable vape to leak in the package, perhaps due to accidental overfilling or a change in air pressure during transportation. If the liquid floods the interior of the device, it could potentially contaminate the internal electronics and cause a short circuit. If you have a brand-new disposable vape that doesn’t work – and you see signs of a leak – you can probably skip the rest of the troubleshooting steps in this guide because your vape is most likely dead. In this case, you should return the device to the vendor if you can.
Check the Way You’re Holding Your Vape
If you’re trying to use a new brand of disposable vape that you’ve never purchased before, it’s worthwhile to look at the layout of the device – especially if you’re having trouble pulling air through it. Where are the air intake holes located? It’s important to pay attention to how you hold a disposable vape, because it won’t work if you’re covering the intake holes with your hand. In most cases, a disposable vape’s intake vents are on the bottom. Occasionally, though, you may find devices that have side-positioned vents to help encourage the formation of bigger clouds.
Try Puffing a Little Harder
Most disposable vapes are designed to create vapor automatically when you puff on them. An airflow sensor does that job, causing the device to turn on when air travels through the device. If you have a brand-new disposable vape that isn’t generating vapor – and isn’t blinking or lighting up when you draw air through it – it’s possible that the airflow sensor isn’t as sensitive as it should be or that the device’s airflow is blocked by a clog.
Try puffing a little harder to force air through the disposable vape. If the device is clogged, you may have to puff very firmly to break the clog. When that happens, you’ll hear a “pop,” and the device should begin working normally.
If your disposable vape isn’t clogged – but it does work when you puff more firmly – the airflow sensor in your device probably doesn’t work quite right. You’ll need to continue puffing more firmly than normal to make the device function. You might also consider covering one of the airflow holes partially with your finger when vaping to increase the air pressure.
Rechargeable Vape? Try Charging the Battery
Does your disposable vape have a USB port? If it does, the battery is rechargeable. Although a disposable vape should always come out of the box with a fully charged battery, there is a small chance that the device you’re using may have self-discharged while it was in the package. The probability of self-discharge increases the longer the device is in storage. In this case, the disposable vape won’t work and won’t light up when you try to use it. Try connecting the device to your computer and see if it lights up. Learn more about how to recharge a disposable vape.
If the disposable vape does light up when you connect the power cable, wait a while and see if the battery charges fully. When the device is fully charged, the light will turn off or change color, usually from red to green. At that point, the device may work normally. If your disposable vape never finishes charging – or it doesn’t work after you’ve charged the battery – the device is probably faulty, and you should return it to the vendor if you can.
Does the Vape Have Adjustable Airflow? Try Opening It
Have you noticed that disposable vapes with adjustable airflow are becoming more common these days? As disposable vapes have become more popular, they have begun to attract the attention of more experienced vapers who are often very picky about the airflow characteristics of their devices. With a tab or dial for airflow control, a disposable vape can deliver a cigarette-like mouth-to-lung hit or a looser restricted direct-to-lung draw.
With a disposable vape that has adjustable airflow, though, it may be possible to close the airflow completely. If your device’s airflow is closed, you’ll notice that drawing air through it will be extremely difficult. The device also probably won’t work when you try to use it. In this case, the way to fix your disposable vape is actually very simple – you just need to open the airflow.
Can’t Draw Air Through the Vape? The Parts Could Be Misaligned
In some cases, it’s actually possible to remove the cap from a disposable vape and see what’s happening under it. If you have a brand-new disposable vape that isn’t working, it might be worthwhile to check this because if the device’s internal components are misaligned, you may be able to fix the problem.
Before trying to open a disposable vape, it’s wise to pause and think about what you’re going to do with the device if you can’t get it working. A good vape shop should always allow you to return a brand-new vape that has never worked, but you won’t be able to return a disposable vape after you’ve disassembled it. If you have a non-functional device that you can return or exchange, you should do that instead of trying to open and fix it.
If you can’t return your non-functional vape, though, you really have nothing to lose – so in this case, you might as well pop off the top if you can and see what’s happening under it. Under the mouthpiece, a disposable vape will often have a pad and a soft gasket to help control condensation and prevent e-liquid from coming out of the mouthpiece. If those items aren’t aligned properly, you’ll have difficulty drawing air through the device. Try realigning the gasket and replacing the mouthpiece, and you may find that your disposable vape works perfectly afterwards.
Brand-New Disposable Vape Tastes Burnt? Here’s What Could Be Happening
Do you have a brand-new disposable vape that tastes burnt? Although you can’t exactly say that a burnt-tasting disposable vape isn’t working, it certainly isn’t providing an enjoyable experience. If you’ve never gotten a good flavor from the device, try tapping it gently against your hand a few times. It’s possible that the device has a few air bubbles preventing the e-liquid from saturating the wick fully. If the device is producing a burnt flavor intermittently, try waiting a bit longer between puffs.
Check to Confirm that Your Disposable Vape Is Authentic
You might be aware of the fact that fake vapes exist, but what you may not know is that there are probably millions of counterfeit devices on store shelves around the world today. If you have a brand-new disposable vape that doesn’t work, you should check the device’s box to see if has an authenticity code on it. Visit the manufacturer’s website and enter the code to confirm that the device is genuine. View the device authentication page for Innokin products.
If All Else Fails, Return the Vape to the Retailer
Even the best vapes fail sometimes, and that’s a particularly strong possibility with disposable vapes because the devices are produced in such enormous numbers. Across the world, millions upon millions of disposable vapes are purchased every week. With numbers like those, it’s inevitable that a few devices will end up being faulty. If you’re unable to get your new disposable vape working after following the tips in this article, you should return it to the point of purchase. A good vape shop will always accept returns or exchanges of new devices that don’t work.
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