Do you have a vape that sometimes keeps hitting after you stop puffing on it? This problem is more common than you might think, and the members of the vaping community have given it the nickname “auto firing.”
At best, a vape that won’t stop firing is a massive inconvenience because it’s disconcerting to listen to your device sizzling away when you aren’t using it. An auto-firing vape also wastes e-liquid, which can be expensive – especially if you’re using a disposable vape and can’t refill it.
At worst, an auto-firing vape can be dangerous. Although virtually all of the vapes on the market today have built-in puff timers to limit long puffs and prevent overheating, there’s still a chance that your vape might overheat if it simply begins auto-firing again as soon as the puff limiter clears.
In short, if your vape keeps hitting after you stop, it’s a problem that you need to take care of right away. In this article, we’ll explain how to do it. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, let’s discuss the things you need to do right away if your vape is auto-firing.
What to Do if Your Vape Won’t Stop Firing
If your vape is auto-firing, the first thing that you want to do is disable it to prevent overheating.
- If your vape has a removable battery, remove the battery and set it aside.
- If your vape has a fire button, press the button five times to turn the device off.
- If your vape has a pod or tank, remove it. Although this won’t turn the device off, it will prevent it from firing.
- If you’re using a disposable vape, try blowing firmly through the mouthpiece to turn the puff sensor off. If that doesn’t work, plug the mouthpiece with your thumb or a piece of tape. If the device still won’t stop hitting, place it in a fire-safe container such as a bucket of sand or dirt and wait for the battery to die. When the battery is dead, recycle the device.
Now that you’ve hopefully stopped your device from hitting by itself, the next step is to figure out why it’s auto-firing and correct the issue. Let’s examine the most common causes for an auto-firing vape and discuss what you can do to fix it.
Your Vape May Have a Dirty Fire Button
If your vape uses a manual fire button, it may develop an auto-firing issue if the button is dirty because the button remains stuck down after you press it. Try cleaning the button by taking a toothpick and running it over the crack around the edge of the button to remove lint and dust. You can also try cleaning the button with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. If you do this, you’ll need to leave the device out for a while to dry before using it again.
Is your vape still hitting by itself after you’ve cleaned the fire button? In this case, it’s possible that the spring or membrane under the button is worn out and no longer functions properly. You’ve probably been using the device for a while; it’s time to replace it. Read about the best vape mods on the market today.
Your Vape May Have a Leak
If your vape uses an automatic puff-based firing mechanism, it’s likely that you’re using a pod system or disposable vape. Your device may have experienced a leak. Leaks are especially problematic for vapes with puff-based firing because the e-liquid can get inside the device and contaminate the puff sensor, which then becomes stuck in the “on” position.
If you’re using a pod system, here’s what you should do.
- Remove the pod and hold the device upside down.
- Place a paper towel over the chamber that normally holds the pod.
- Blow hard through the device’s air intake hole. If e-liquid is inside the device, it should come out through the other end.
- Dry the pod chamber thoroughly and repeat the process until no more e-liquid comes out. If you’re successful in removing the e-liquid, your vape should stop hitting by itself.
To prevent your pod system from leaking in the future, always do these three things.
- Puff more gently when you vape. Puffing too firmly is the most common reason why pod vapes leak.
- Don’t overfill the pod. If you put too much e-liquid in the pod, the rubber stopper will push some of the vape juice out when you close the pod.
- Check periodically for condensation under the pod and dry it thoroughly.
If you’re using a disposable vape, follow the instructions at the top of this article. There isn’t much that you can do to stop a disposable vape from auto-firing if e-liquid has contaminated the puff sensor, but you can make the problem less likely to happen with future disposable vapes by puffing more gently when you use your device.
Your Vape May Be Damaged
Did your vape begin hitting by itself after you dropped it in water or on a hard surface? If the device is damaged, it may not be possible to fix the problem. However, you might be able to remove water from the device by following these steps.
- Make sure that the device is off.
- If you’re using a pod system, blow through the air intake hole as described in the section above to remove some of the excess water. If your device doesn’t have an intake hole, skip this step.
- Seal the device in a plastic bag with desiccant packets or unscented cat litter for a few days. This may remove enough of the moisture to get your vape working again.
Your Vape May Be Defective or Fake
One of the problems with disposable vapes is that even the best ones like Elf Bar and Lost Mary vapes are made very cheaply, and they’re also the most popular vaping products on the market. That means they’re the ideal targets for counterfeiters. There are probably millions of fake vapes in the world today, and you’re not going to have a good experience at all if you buy one of them.
Almost every popular disposable vape on the market today has a verification code on the box. Go to the manufacturer’s website. Type the URL manually rather than using the QR code because some manufacturers of counterfeit devices use fake websites to “verify” their products. Enter the authentication code to confirm that the device is real.
If you’ve confirmed that your vape is authentic – and it’s still auto-firing – it’s possible that you’ve purchased a defective device. It’s worthwhile to complain to the seller about this, although it might be difficult to get the issue resolved since it isn’t safe to drive with an auto-firing vape or ship it by mail. You should make a note of the brand, though, and consider buying a different brand in the future – especially if the problem keeps happening.