Did you just get hot e-liquid in your mouth? Learn why your vape is spitting and follow our quick vape spitback troubleshooting guide to fix a flooded coil.
It is one of the most unpleasant surprises in vaping. You take a drag from your device, and instead of smooth vapor, a drop of hot, unvaporized e-liquid shoots straight onto your tongue. In the vaping community, this is known as "spitback."
If your vape is spitting juice into your mouth, your device isn't necessarily broken. It usually just means your coil has taken on more liquid than it can handle. Fortunately, clearing it out is simple. Here is a straightforward guide to vape spitback troubleshooting, why it happens, and how to stop it right now.
What Causes Vape Spitback?
Spitback happens when excess vape juice pools inside the center of your coil. Because the cotton wick is overly saturated, the heating element can't vaporize the liquid fast enough. Instead of instantly turning into vapor, the e-liquid essentially boils. It bubbles up and pops—just like water hitting a hot frying pan—launching hot drops of juice up the mouthpiece.
Why Is My Coil Flooded? (4 Common Causes)
To stop the spitting, you first need to know why the coil flooded in the first place. Here are the four most common culprits:
1. Your Wattage is Set Too Low
This is the leading cause of spitback. Every coil requires a certain amount of heat to efficiently vaporize liquid. If your wattage is set too low, the coil will draw in juice from the tank, but it won't get hot enough to vaporize it all. The unvaporized liquid simply pools in the center until it boils over.
2. Over-Priming a New Coil
When you install a new coil, you have to prime it by dripping a little e-liquid directly onto the exposed cotton. However, if you add too much juice during this step, you flood the coil before you even take your first puff. A device left sitting unused for several days can also slowly flood due to pressure changes in the tank.
3. Pulling Too Hard on the Mouthpiece
A vape device requires a different draw style than a traditional combustible cigarette. If you take short, sharp, aggressive drags, the suction pulls more e-liquid into the coil than the battery can heat. Essentially, you end up sucking the juice up like a straw.
4. Using the Wrong E-Liquid Ratio
Vape juices are made of Propylene Glycol (PG) and Vegetable Glycerin (VG). PG is very thin and watery, while VG is thick and syrupy. If you are using a high-powered sub-ohm tank with massive wicking ports, but you fill it with a thin, high-PG liquid, it will flow into the coil too fast and flood it.
Vape Spitback Troubleshooting: How to Fix It Immediately
If you currently have a flooded coil and a gurgling tank, you don't need to empty your juice to fix it. Use these quick troubleshooting steps to clear the excess liquid:
| Troubleshooting Step | How to Do It | When to Use This Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The Flick Method | Wrap a paper towel around the mouthpiece. Grip the device firmly and flick your wrist sharply downward a few times (like shaking a glass thermometer). | When the device is heavily flooded, gurgling loudly, or has been sitting unused for a while. |
| Clean the Chimney | Twist a piece of tissue paper into a fine point. Remove your drip tip and gently feed the tissue down the chimney to absorb the pooled juice. | When you can visibly see juice coating the inside of the mouthpiece or central airflow tube. |
| Turn Up the Wattage | Increase your device's power by 5 watts at a time. Take a test puff until the spitback stops. Check the side of your coil for the recommended wattage range. | When vapor production is weak, and the spitback is minor but persistent. |
| Pulse the Fire Button | Press the fire button for one to two seconds without inhaling. You will hear a sharp "pop" as the excess juice vaporizes. | As a quick fix to clear minor pooling right before you take a draw. |
How to Prevent E-Liquid in Your Mouth
Once you've cleared the flooded coil, you can adjust your daily vaping habits to ensure you don't get another mouthful of hot juice:
- Adjust your draw: Take longer, smoother, and gentler pulls. Let the heat of the coil do the work of creating vapor, rather than relying on the force of your lungs.
- Check your juice viscosity: If you use sub-ohm coils, stick to e-liquids with at least a 70% VG content. Save the thinner 50/50 VG/PG juices for smaller pod systems.
- Stay within the recommended wattage: Look at the tiny text printed on your replacement coil. It will list a range (e.g., "50W - 70W"). Make sure your device is set somewhere within those numbers.
- Consider an anti-spitback drip tip: If your specific tank is prone to popping, look for an angled drip tip or one with an internal mesh screen designed specifically to catch flying droplets.
A Quick Takeaway
Getting e-liquid in your mouth is annoying, but it is rarely a sign of hardware failure. A gurgling tank and a burnt tongue simply mean your coil is overwhelmed with juice. By turning up the wattage, clearing the chimney, and softening your draw, you can usually clear out a flooded coil in less than a minute.
If you have tried all the vape spitback troubleshooting steps above and your device continues to leak, gurgle, and spit relentlessly, the cotton inside your coil may be degraded. When the cotton breaks down, it can no longer hold back the liquid in the tank. At that point, simply swapping in a fresh replacement coil will get your vape back to delivering smooth, clean flavor.