Why Tanks Leak, and What You Can Do About It

Why is my tank leaking? This is a common question that we have all asked at one point. Unfortunately, many things can factor into why a tank is leaking. Old or bad atomizers (coils), puffing too hard, air pressure, temperature change, and physically damaged tanks are all things which can cause leaking.

Old or Bad Atomizer (coil)

In a most cases, the tank leaking is often caused by an old or bad atomizer (coil) that needs replacing. On average atomizers last about 1-2 weeks each, though this time frame can vary quite a bit between people depending on use. Your vape will typically taste burnt when it’s time to replace the atomizer. If you’ve recently replaced the atomizer, it is crucial that it was primed properly. If it wasn’t, your coil can burn out almost instantly when you use it, which causes leaking. If you’re unsure, you can learn how to prime your atomizer here.

Puffing Too Hard

If your atomizer (coil) is new, and was properly primed when replaced (you can learn how to do this here), your tank may be leaking because you’re puffing too hard on your tank. It’s important to find the perfect combination of airflow, wattage, and how hard you puff to keep your tank working properly. This can take a bit of time to figure out if you’re new to vaping, or if you get a new device you’re not familiar with yet.

A lot of tanks have adjustable airflow control (AFC) on them to allow you to adjust how airy or tight the draw is. This is usually located at the base of your tank. The AFC is a ring you can turn easily to open or close the holes at the base of your tank. If your airflow is mostly closed off, it will feel more restricted as you pull through it, and you must puff more gently on it. If you puff too hard, it will cause the tank to flood. This means that you’re pulling e-liquid in too fast - faster than the atomizer can vape off, so the excess e-liquid will leak out the bottom of the tank. Another sign of a flooded tank is gurgling when puffing through it, which can also cause e-liquid to spit into your mouth.

The easiest way to fix this is to open up the airflow more. If you’re happy with how the airflow feels being more restricted, you can either puff more gently, or turn up the wattage setting a bit - if your device has adjustable wattage. Make sure you know what settings your atomizer can handle, as each atomizer is rated for different settings. Thankfully if you take the atomizer out of your tank, this information is usually written on the side of the atomizer. An example of this is “50W - 90W” “Best 60W - 80W” - meaning it can be used anywhere between 50 watts and 90 watts, but works best and most reliably at 60 watts to 80 watts. All atomizers are different, so make sure you find out what your atomizer works best at.

If your tank does not have adjustable airflow, and you do not have an adjustable battery, you will have to puff more gently. This is the advantage of choosing a device and tank with adjustable settings. While they may seem more intimidating at the start to new vapers, they have many advantages that can improve your experience.

In a nutshell, more open air flow means a more airy draw that you must puff harder on to keep the atomizer saturated. More restricted airflow requires you to puff more gently, as to not flood the tank and cause leaking. More airflow also means more vapor production and less flavour, where tighter airflow is the opposite - more flavour and less vapor. Play around with your settings until you’re happy with it and it’s working well!

Air Pressure

Air pressure differences can also cause tanks to leak. If you’re driving through the mountains, or take your filled tank on a flight (more on flying with your e-cigarette here), you will notice leaking. To avoid this, we suggest to empty your tank before doing these things. If you don’t want to empty your tank, storing your tank upside down should help minimize the leaking that will occur. It’s a good idea to keep your tank in a small baggie or container, with a paper towel or cloth, in these situations as well. In case it does leak, this will at least help contain any mess that may occur.

Temperature Change

Extreme weather changes can cause leaking in your tank - something we deal with a lot here in Saskatchewan! While e-liquid doesn’t actually freeze in cold weather, it will thicken up quite a bit (this also makes it harder to keep the coil properly saturated). When it returns to room temperature, it can start to leak out the bottom of your tank from the change in temperature. On the other extreme, hot weather will cause your tank to leak as it causes the e-liquid to become a thinner consistency. Both of these problems should fix themselves after staying at room temperature for a bit.

A lot of people like to leave their vapes in their vehicle - this is a bad idea for these reasons. You also do not want to keep the e-liquid in direct sun for extended periods as this can damage your e-liquid. It is always best to keep your vape and e-liquid at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Damaged Tank

Tanks are usually made of glass, which we all know is unfortunately quite breakable. Sometimes a small crack can form that you may not even notice without looking for it. This can cause e-liquid to leak out of the glass, rather than the bottom AFC (airflow control).

If you keep your e-cigarette in your pocket (NOT recommended), this can cause damage over time. Your tank may look like it is on your device at a slight angle instead of straight. Sometimes this can be fixed by pushing pieces back together, other times this damage cannot be fixed and you will have to purchase a new tank. This can definitely cause leaking from various spots on your tank because it’s no longer sealing properly anywhere. It can also cause connection issues between your tank and your battery. If you have a mod with a digital screen, you may see a message like “atomizer low”, “check atomizer”, or “no atomizer” - indicating a connection issue. If you have a mod / battery without a screen, the light indicator around the button will often flash numerous times indicating there is a connection issue.

If you need help with troubleshooting why your tank is leaking, please feel free to leave a comment, contact us, or stop by the store!

Email: info@4thand20.store

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Phone: (306) 979-8273

Store Location: 415 Circle Drive East, Saskatoon, SK