When you turn on your vape, the occasional popping sound is to be expected. For example, you may notice a soft crackling as your vape heats up. This is perfectly normal and is usually attributed to the e-liquid, which is changing into a vapor. You know how boiling water crackles? It’s a similar scenario.

However, popping may indicate a problem with your device. If the sound is intense or you experience spit back (when hot e-juice ends up in the mouthpiece), you should investigate.

Coil Design

If you’ve got a popping vape, your coil may be the culprit. Coils come in a variety of sizes and shapes, some of which are more prone to trapping vape juice than others. For example, twisted and braided coils usually have crevices in which e-juice can gather and “cook.” When it heats up, these pockets may produce a popping sound.

When coil design is to blame, it’s a relatively easy fix. You can manually tighten the coils to reduce the number of crevices, or you can install smoother coils to eliminate the issue.

E-Liquid Choice

Is the intensity of the popping inconsistent? If you find your device pops during some uses and not during others, it may not be an issue with the vape. Instead, it may have something to do with the e-liquid you’re using.

Some e-juices are more prone to noise due to their ingredients. E-juice that contains sugar is usually noisier because it contains cellulose, which can generate a popping sound as it breaks down during vaporization.

Vape juice with higher PG concentration may also be more likely to pop; since it’s thinner than VG-heavy e-juice, it’s more likely to flood the coil.

Voltage/Wattage Level

One thing you should check when troubleshooting vape device is the voltage/wattage level. When your wattage is insufficient, the proper temperature for vaporization can’t be reached. Instead of vapor, you get a lot of hot e-juice, which is when popping and spitting become a problem.

If you sub-ohm vape, you may need to rework your setup with a higher wattage. If you use an above-ohm device, there may be something wrong with your battery or your vape may need a part replaced.

Replaced RTA Parts

Many vapers enjoy customizing their devices to achieve the perfect experience. If you’ve built your vape from scratch or if you’ve replaced any parts, you may have more intense sounds. This stems from how the pieces fit together, as e-juice can get into spaces between the coils and tank if pieces aren’t flush. You should also ensure you’re not over-priming your wick, as this can lead to e-liquid getting into places it shouldn’t.

Condensing Vapor

The problem may not be in coils at all. If you have a narrow drip tip, vapor can condense along the inside, leading to warm a coat of vape juice that may pop as you inhale. This is also a common cause of spit back, as you may inhale this condensed e-liquid. Fortunately, you can solve this issue by installing a wider drip tip.

Vaping Technique

Popping isn’t always caused by a device issue; how you vape can intensify the sounds. If you’ve checked for the above causes and haven’t found any problems, you may need to alter your vaping technique.

As it turns out, long, deep inhales can exacerbate noises. You can test if this is the source of your troubles by trying shorter hits and comparing the sound to your usual vaping technique.

Need to repair your device? Wickedly Hot Vapors has everything you need to fix a popping or leaking vape:

• Batteries
• Atomizers
• Wicks
• Cotton
• Tank kits

You can check out our stock online. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 972-422-4446 for our Plano location or 972-231-4446 to reach our Richardson location.