What Does No Atomizer Mean?
This message will appear on your device if it cannot detect a connection between the battery (the mod) and the coil in the tank. For some devices where no screen is installed the light may flash or the device simply won’t work.
Usually this is a simple fix;
- Make sure the coil is properly installed and secure and the tank itself is not loose.
- Replace the coil.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of these products it’s not unusual to get a dodgy coil out of a pack. Coils are produced by the thousands and rolled off conveyor belts so it can be expected there are a few bad apples out there.
It’s the message no vaper wants to see “Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” and it will stop you vaping in your tracks.
“Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” will appear when your mod (the battery unit) or pod can’t read the coil correctly. This can be down to the connector point on the coil (where it screws in), where the coil makes contact in the tank or pod or possibly a short within the coil.
In simple terms the two parts of your device can’t talk to each other, won’t be able to deliver power and therefore won’t work. In this guide we’ll show you how to fix this annoying little issue and you’ll be back to vaping in no time.
Vape Tank
- Try Another Tank or Mod
This is the easiest way to figure out where the problem is and is our first port of call when someone comes into one of our stores with this issue. Try taking the tank of your mod and screwing on a different tank, if your mod can read the new tank correctly it could be an issue with the original tank.
If the mod is still showing the “check atomizer” message with the new tank it is likely a problem with the mod.
If your tank shows up with “Check Atomizer” on a different mod it’s almost certainly a short in your tank somewhere, in which case…
- Clean the Contact Points
This is a regular part of maintenance with a vape device, the contact points on all devices can get clogged up over time with dust, dirt and e-liquid. This build up of gunk can interfere with the connection between the mod and the tank/pod. This is an easy fix, simply, tank the tank/pod off the mod and give the connector points a wipe down with a paper towel. If this fixes it for you, happy days, if not continue down.
Check your 510 Pin On The Tank
If your 510 pin (The screw part of the tank) is damaged, it may cause your device to throw the “Check atomizer” message. This is down to you tank being unable to make a proper connection with your mod. Thankfully 9 times out of 10 this is an easy fix.
Unscrew the bottom of the tank where it contacts your coil, in the bottom section of the tank (usually where the airflow ring is) there should be a metal plate. Push this plate down from the inside to force it into the 510 pin fixing the connection. If it can’t be pushed down it may be a screw fit, screw it back down for a firm connection.
Put the tank back together and give it another go.
Check your 510 Pin On The Mod
Just as you have a 510 connector on the tank, you’ve got the 510 on the mod which the tank screws into. If the tank is all ok, you may have a faulty connection on the mod itself.
The first step is to unscrew the tank from your mod, have a look at the connector pin inside your mod, if it looks like the pin is recessed or pushed in then this could be causing the issue. Most 510 connectors are spring loaded so should pop back up, if yours isn’t give it a gentle push with a screwdriver and try to ‘reset’ the pin allowing it to spring back up. If it doesn’t we’re limited to a number of options. Check the warranty period with the manufacturer, they may be able to cover you and send you a new one.
If the device is out of warranty, you can either try and fix it yourself by opening the device up and pushing the pin out (be careful of batteries, if it’s an external battery mod take the batteries out first.) or take it down to your local shop and see if they can sort anything for you.
If nothing else works, the last resort is to buy a new mod.
Coil Issue?
Just because you’ve got a check atomizer message doesn’t mean you’ve got to go out and buy a new mod. Sometimes it can be as simple as a coil issue. The first thing we’ll check for is whether your coil is seated properly, take the tank apart and remove the coil (try not to throw e-liquid everywehere).
Once the coil is removed, clean the bottom of it. Right where it contacts the base of your tank, clean all of the contact points in the tank as well. Once this is all done, throw the tank back together and retest.
If it works, fantastic. If not, might be time for a new coil. If it’s already a new coil you may have gotten a dodgy coil, unfortunately this does happen.
Check Atomizer on a Pod System
Pod systems work very similarly to a traditional mod and tank system, just in a more compact body. Unfortunately, this means it is also liable to the same issues. Your pod system may not have a screen with a “Check Atomizer” message, it may just have blinking lights or just not work altogether.
If this is the case, follow the steps below to get vaping again.
- Give the contact points a clean up
The first thing to try if your pod vape isn’t firing is to clean out the contact points the pod sits on. Remove the pod and check the bottom of it for any dirt, e-liquid or any gunk that’s built up. Give it a clean-up with a paper towel and try it again.
It’s important to keep these components clear of any debris or e-liquid as it can interfere with the connection to the rest of the device. If this still doesn’t work do the same to the connector pins in the vape where the pod sits.
On some devices we’ve found that the connector pins can go black, this is where e-liquid has hardened over the pins, give them a bit of a scrape with some tweezers and wipe it down until it’s that shiny golden colour, give it another go!
- Check for any damage.
If giving the pins a good clean-up doesn’t work you’ll want to check the contact pins/pods for any damage.
Some pod systems have spring-loaded contact points, if your pins are pushed down and isn’t coming back up, give it a gentle push with a screwdriver or tweezers to get it to pop back out. This can be caused by leakage from the pod where the liquid has seeped into the device, give it another clean out.
Other pod systems have set pins that won’t move or compress, check to see if these contact points are bent, broken or worn out. If it’s bent out of place you may be able to (very carefully) bend it back into position, however, these are very fragile pins so don’t force it. If the pin is broken or missing, I hate to inform you, but the device is broken.
- Pod Issue.
Most of the time the simplest solution is often the best, if you’ve checked everything and all looks good, chances are you have a dodgy or burnt-out pod/coil.
Make sure the pod is properly seated within the device and firmly in place, if it is and still not working, switch the pod or coil out for a new one and see if that works.
If none of these steps have helped and your device still isn’t working, it may have had its day. The last resort is to get a new device.
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