cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/40404782
EDIT: oh, I realized I have a question for you, too - so, I bought this like disposable USB-chargeable vape pen, and it has a lot of juice left, but I’ve noticed when I suck to get it started, it just won’t “hit” or heat up … it’s like there is oil clogging something that is necessary to get it started?
Sometimes I have to suck really hard for minutes to get it going (there is no button as far as I can tell to get it started).
Any suggestions on how to get it to work more reliably? Am I supposed to be cleaning or maintenance-ing this pen in a way I don’t know about?
Thanks!
Like the other user said, it’s almost definitely a clog. This happens all the time with weed vapes. A good suck is normally enough to break through. If it’s extra clogilicious hit the button for like 10 seconds to soften the resin before pulling.
If it’s a recurring problem, a straightened paperclip is normally a good size for getting gunk out. Just keep in mind that the wire coil heater is normally exposed, so you’ll want to make sure it’s off and be gentle. Avoid stabby motions, just insert it gently down the center until you meet gooey resistance, then lightly scrape the paperclip against the inside. If you’re too aggressive or stabby, you can break the coil, which will render the cart completely dead.
Clogging is pretty common with cartridge vapes but especially so with auto draws. A trick that works with 510 carts is to seal the cart in a zip top bag with as much of the air removed from the bag as possible, then submerge it in warm/hot water long enough for the heat to thin the oil. Maybe you can figure out a way to do something similar with your disposable? You can use a blow dryer or something too but that’s harder to do without accidentally burning yourself or overheating the oil. Once the oil has thinned you should find it much easier to clear the clog with normal hits, but beware you may get a mouth full of the oil that was clogging the chamber when it clears.
Depending on the type of vape you have the orientation might be important too. Thinning the oil will cause the chamber to flood even worse if you aren’t careful how you hold it when you try to clear the clog and while heating it up. You might need to heat it while it’s inverted to encourage the oil to flow out of the mouthpiece rather than flowing into the coil.
As a general rule you need to be careful not to let the vape get too warm in a car, pocket, etc because it makes the oil more prone to running. Some of them are even prone to flooding depending on how you carry or store them.
disposable
I mean, I couldn’t use it even when it had like 75% of the oil left, it didn’t seem like it was intended to be thrown away that quickly
Sounds like the tube is clogged, which you can usually suck clear enough to get it moving again.
There’s not much you can do about it other than to suck slower and longer to let the heat melt the clog back down to the wick, imo.
If it’s bad, it might require preheating which can be done with a blow dryer. Very inconvenient for pen use on-the-go. A lighter can work if used very gently and you’re patient enough to let the heat sink in slowly.
I only buy batteries and carts and never disposables for reasons like this. I have one cart that’s clogged so badly I have to run the 10 second preheat cycle three separate times over the span of a minute to get it flowing enough to hit. Even then it’s challenging to hit, and it gurgles.
