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How to Prime Your Vape Coil

Before you use them, vape coils need to be primed. This is a very simple thing to do, but if you don't do it, then it can cause them to burn out prematurely. With that in mind, we have a handy guide below that walks you through the best practice to prime your coil.

What is Priming?

Priming is the process of preparing your coil to be used to vape. It is important to have a fair understanding of how to prime your coil to ensure you get the best experience. Also, make sure to do this with every new coil you use.

The coil itself is what creates the vapour. Inside is either a wire or mesh metal which is surrounded by a layer of cotton. This acts as a wicking material and absorbs the e-liquid, spreading it evenly around the atomizer. When activated the metal heats out and turn the liquid into vapour.

How to Prime a Vape Coil



To prime your vape coil properly, take a look at our step-by-step video above or follow the three steps to priming below:

Locate the wicking areas on your coil; many coils have holes on the outside housing where you can visibly see the white cotton wicking material. Gently drop some vape liquid into each of these holes, rotating back to each one until they are visibly ‘damp.’

Install your vape coil as per your device instructions, fill up the tank with e-liquid and leave it alone for around 5-10 minutes.

After 10 minutes have passed, get hold of your vape kit and take 3-5 quick, sharp inhalations without pressing the button. This draws through the vape liquid and ensures the coil is fully saturated and ready to vape. Be careful not to take too many sharp draws though, as this can pull in too much vape liquid and accidentally flood your coil

Why is Priming Your Vape Coil Important?

It is important to prime new vape coils as, if you installed a new, dry vape coil, filled up your tank and then used it right away, you would likely damage your coil due to ‘dry spots’ present. This can cause either a very unpleasant burning taste, or if the damage was not severe it could still result in muted flavour and reduced vapour production.

If your coil was partially saturated, and you are experiencing a muted flavour or reduced vapour, remove the coil and revisit the 3 priming steps above to try and restore normal operation. This is not guaranteed to work however and you might end up having to replace the coil anyway.

If your coil is completely damaged, the cotton will be burnt, taste very unpleasant and will not work correctly. It is likely that you will need to replace your coil with a new one and ensure that you prime before you vape.

So, it is essential that any new vape coil is correctly primed before use to ensure you have a true vaping experience and you don’t have to repurchase a new coil before you need to.

What happens If I Flood My Coil When Priming?

It is possible to unintentionally flood your coil whilst priming if you drip too much liquid. When a coil floods, you may notice gurgling, spitting and leakage of the e-liquid. If this happens, there’s no need to worry - your coil is not damaged or faulty. You can expel any excess liquid by firmly flicking your vape kit away from you towards a tissue that will absorb the e-liquid. Continue this process until the gurgling and spitting stops.

How Often Should You Replace a Coil?

The lifespan of a coil will vary depending on a number of factors. The first being the number of times it is used. Also, the type of e-liquid will affect the lifespan of the coil. Thicker and sweeter e-liquid will shorten how long it will last.

You’ll know it’s time to swap the coil if you experience any of the following:

  • The vape tastes burnt.
  • The e-cig is gurgling when in use.
  • The flavour has turned unpleasant.

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