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How To Prime A Vape Coil
Touch of Vape FAQs
Priming a coil before first use is the most important maintenance step in vaping, and the one most often skipped. Here is a clear step-by-step guide to doing it correctly every time.
5-10 mins
Minimum Saturation Time Before First Use
Burnt Wick
What Happens If You Skip Priming
All Coil Types
Replacement Coils and Pre-Built Pods Both Need Priming
Why priming matters
What Is Priming a Coil and Why Does It Matter?
Priming saturates the cotton wick before the coil fires
Skipping it burns the cotton and ruins the coil instantly
Every vape coil contains a cotton wick that absorbs liquid and delivers it to the heating element. If you fire the coil before this cotton is fully saturated, the heat immediately burns the dry cotton. A burnt wick produces a harsh, unpleasant taste that will not go away even when the tank is filled, the cotton is permanently damaged. Replacing the coil and priming correctly is the only fix. Priming takes five minutes and prevents this entirely.
Step by step
How to Prime a Vape Coil: Step by Step
1
Add drops of liquid to the coil openings
Before installing the coil, add two to three drops of e-liquid directly into each wicking port. You should see the cotton darken as it absorbs the liquid.
2
Install the coil into the tank or device
Screw the coil into the base of the tank or insert the pod, ensuring it is properly seated.
3
Fill the tank or pod with liquid
Fill to the maximum fill line. Leave a small air gap if the device instructions require it.
4
Wait five to ten minutes
Set the device down and wait at least five minutes, ideally ten, for the liquid to fully soak into the cotton from the tank side.
5
Take gentle primer puffs without firing
Take two to three slow, gentle draws without pressing the fire button. This pulls liquid into the coil through capillary action.
6
Start at lower wattage if adjustable
If your device allows wattage adjustment, start at the lower end of the recommended range for the first few puffs.
"The number of customers who come in with a burnt taste from a brand new coil is significant. Every single one skipped the priming step. Five minutes of waiting saves the coil."
Touch of Vape teamPod devices and coil lifespan
Pods, Coil Life and Common Questions
01
Pre-built pod devices: same principle
Fill the pod, replace the fill port seal, wait ten minutes, take gentle primer draws. Identical principle to a replacement coil.
02
Sweet liquids clog coils faster
Dessert and candy profiles caramelise on the heating element more quickly than fruit or menthol profiles, shortening coil life.
03
Typical coil lifespan
Most coils last one to three weeks depending on use frequency and liquid type. Heavy users on sweet liquids may find weekly replacement necessary.
04
Keep a spare coil in your kit
A burnt coil at the wrong moment is one of the most common reasons vapers reach for a cigarette. Having a spare coil on hand eliminates this entirely.
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