Why is my Novo 4 spitting and not hitting?

Vapour that’s not been inhaled will condense back into e liquid, and this can happen in your tank’s centre post or in the mouthpiece.

This then runs down the post, into the centre of the vape coil. To stop this from happening, take a small piece of kitchen roll, roll it up, and then poke it down the centre post of your tank to clean out any excess e liquid.

3. Fire your battery before inhaling

This tip works well in conjunction with the flicks mentioned previously. Simply hold down the button on your device to fire it, without inhaling, and do this a couple of times for a few seconds each time until you stop hearing any popping.

This will vaporise that excess liquid without the risk of inhaling any spitback.

Flooding and gurgling usually arise when the coil is oversaturated with e-liquid, resulting in an excess amount of liquid within the coil. In such a situation, the amount of e-liquid is overwhelming to the coil, and the heat is incapable of vaporising all of the liquid that is present at that time. This flooding, then, results in a gurgling sound that is often accompanied by leaks and spit-back. Here are some general steps that you can take to help reduce and eliminate flooding and gurgling of your coils and tanks.

One of the most common causes of flooding and gurgling is a bad coil. Luckily, this is also the easiest problem to resolve, as simply switching out your coil could do the trick. If a coil is old and has been used for a period of time, it can lead to flooding, gurgling, and spit-back if it is not replaced. Likewise, sometimes a brand new coil can be a dud that lasts a fraction of the time you expect it to or can be faulty right from the start. Try replacing the coil to see if it helps eliminate the problem. If your coil has already been flooded, blowing air through it and drying off the excess liquid with a paper towel will help soak up the excess e-liquid.

Another widespread cause of flooding and gurgling is the output wattage your device has been set to. The resistance of your coil and the output wattage/voltage have an inverse relationship. That is, the lower the resistance, the higher the wattage should be, and vice versa. Each resistance tank will have a range that is considered the “sweet spot.” If your power output is set too low to properly heat the coil, it will result in flooding and gurgling. Try increasing your wattage/voltage to a level that is within the recommended range—this may resolve the flooding and gurgling you are experiencing.

Issue 3 - Check e-liquid Level:

Some vapers, particularly beginners who have recently quit cigarettes, often tend to take extremely long and forceful hits. This is commonly due to the way in which the individual user to take drags from a cigarette, which tends to be rather vigorous. It can also be the result of the airflow control valve being set too tightly, which causes the user to take more powerful draws. Try taking softer hits with a slightly loosened air intake. This can greatly help reduce or eliminate flooding and gurgling.When beginning to vape, remember to draw from the mouthpiece as you hold down the fire button (not before or after pressing the button) Take smooth 1-2 second draws, to begin with until you find the best sensation for you. Also, experiment with the airflow of the tank allowing as much air as comfortable for you to produce a smooth spit free vape.

In the event that your airflow valve is adequately loose and you still find yourself taking too forceful of drags, then your tank’s air holes may be clogged due to residue or some sort of build-up that is restricting proper airflow. In this case, disassemble the entire tank so that all of the various components are detached from one another. Then, use a small object, such as a toothpick, to clean out the various air holes, nooks, and crannies. Then, run all of the parts underwater, shake vigorously, and dry with a paper towel. Ensuring unrestricted airflow within your tank can substantially help with flooding.

Priming a new coil is an essential step to take for your overall vaping enjoyment. A properly primed coil will result in a much richer and tastier flavour, thicker vapour clouds, and a longer-lasting head. Taking the necessary steps to prime a new coil will also help you avoid dry or burnt hits. However, if too much e-liquid is added to a new coil, this can result in flooding and gurgling. The amount of e-liquid necessary to properly prime a new coil greatly depends on the specific coil being used. A small coil, such as the Aspire BVC Coils, will require substantially less liquid than a much larger one, such as those used with the SMOK Cloud Beast Tank.

In the event that you accidentally added too much e-liquid during priming, simply remove the coil and shake it to help dispose of some of the excess liquid. Then, wrap a paper towel around the coil tightly to help absorb more of the excess juice. This should be sufficient; however, if the coil is still flooded, you may need to blow air powerfully through the coil to expel any excess e-liquid.

All tanks, irrespective of the make or model, function using vacuum pressure. In order for the vacuum effect to function appropriately, the tank needs to be well-sealed and air-tight. Check the assembly of the tank’s various components to ensure that everything is connected properly and securely. In addition, inspect the various parts for cracks or gaps that could potentially allow excess air to enter the tank. This can also contribute to flooding and gurgling.

Hot-pops, spit-backs, and leaking might sound like names from some kind of hip-hop crime-fighting cartoon team, but they are the names of phenomena that, if you have spent any time vaping (particularly with higher-powered mods), you will have undoubtedly encountered. But what do they mean? What are the root causes of these common and sometimes infuriating occurrences? And can anything be done to prevent them?

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or have just started your vaping journey, or if you prefer tank mods, drippers, or anything else, keep reading this article for the ultimate guide in ensuring a smooth, pleasurable, and stress-free vaping experience.

What does leaking mean in vaping?

Leaking, as the name implies, is a broad term that, when used in the context of vaping, describes any situation where the e-liquid (“juice”) escapes from somewhere it is meant to be and ends up somewhere it isn’t, such as the airflow system, the inside of your coat or all over the work notes that were in your bag…

Like all calamities, leaks can vary in severity from a few drops that you may not even notice, to a full-scale deluge that ends up[ leaving everything in its wake sticky and smelling like a perfume truck has slammed into a French bakery.

Often it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of the leak, and this can lead to some frustrating (and messy) situations.

Fortunately, if your vaping device does spring a leak, there tends to be a few common offenders, some very easy steps you can take to remedy the predicament.

How to stop Leaks from Happening

Verify your seals

More often than not, leakage from your vape is attributable to user error. The most common error that can cause your e-liquid to make a break for freedom is simply not screwing your tank back together properly., The thread between tanks and their lids tends to be very fine, and even a slight misalignment of the grooves can result in an imperfect seal.

Store your tank vertically

Some tanks, particularly older models, suffer from a flaw in their design that means that they leak if stored horizontally for extended periods. Normally this is because of back-flow through the wick and into the airflow.

Fortunately, this sort of leakage is easily avoided by changing your practices. As long as you remember to keep your vape from being on its side as much as possible, you should be fine. Or just buy a newer tank that doesn’t have these particular sorts of issues.

Check your grommets

If your tank has rubber grommets or O-rings around the seals it’s a good idea to check the integrity of these as well. Rubber degrades over time, and micro-perforations can result in leaks that are very hard to detect. 

Modify your vaping technique

Occasionally, leakage is not caused by any structural problem with the vaping apparatus itself, but instead through the habits of the user.

Inhaling too forcefully can cause numerous problems. Puffing too hard can lead to an overabundance of juice in your coil, which can in turn result in leakage from your device.

Avoid overfilling your vaporizer

Do not fill your tank all the way to the top. Leaving a small gap for air at the top can help prevent e-juice from escaping from the seals, mouthpiece, or air holes. If you experience leakage while filling up your tank, slowing down can help alleviate that.

Examine your vape for damage

Cracks in the glassware are usually one of the most obvious causes of leakage from your vape. Occasionally though, very small hairline cracks can develop over time that can escape detection. Be sure to inspect your vape thoroughly now and then to check for any signs of damage.

As well as cracks to the glassware, it can pay dividends to keep a close watch for any bent pieces of metal, particularly around the joints. Even small deformations in the body can, over time, cause vape juice to leak out (and probably all over your belongings!)

Make sure your juice ratios are right!

Cloud-chasing is the term used to describe vaping with powerful devices that can, as the name suggests, put out very large quantities of vape. The benefits (aside from looking badass) reported by vapers include a better mouthfeel and flavor profile.

Cloud-chasing uses coils that require a lot of power, and using any e-liquid with less than 70% vegetable glycerine can easily result in some leakage due to its lower viscosity.

Take care when making your coils

If you are deep enough into vaping that your method of choice is an RDA (rebuildable dripper atomizer) or similar, you are probably already aware of the importance of getting the quantity of cotton just right. If you use too much cotton you are liable to have a very restricted airflow and find it hard to vape at all. If you overdo it on the cotton front you may even experience dry and burnt hits.

On the other hand, using too little cotton can result in leakage of e-juice from your vape. Unfortunately, only trial and error can give you a feel for how much cotton is “right”. If you’re just starting with RDAs, resign yourself to the fact that you will probably smell like e-liquid for at least the first few times you make a new coil.

What is spitback?

If you’ve ever taken a nice deep drag on your vape, and instead of a satisfying hit of vapor, you were treated to a mouth full of ultra-hot droplets of e-juice that may well have left you gasping. If you’ve had this experience, then congratulations! You’ve encountered the painful world of spitback.

What Causes Spitback?

Fortunately, spitback has a fairly straightforward cause. When the cotton wick inside a vape becomes oversaturated with e-liquid, some of the liquid can begin to pool around the metal part of the coil itself. When this happens and the device is fired, heat isn’t transferred evenly to all of the e-liquid, and some of it remains in liquid form rather than turning into an aerosol. Similar to the way a hot frying pan will spit like crazy if water is introduced to the surface, these superheated drops can make their way through your mouthpiece and onto your unfortunate palate.

What Is Popping?

The gentle popping and crackling as you fire up your vape is an experience that many people (including myself) find quite relaxing. Reminiscent of an open fire, or maybe the sound of a burning cigarette, popping can add a pleasant soundtrack to an already pleasant moment.

Popping can be thought of as a milder form of spitback, and often comes along with it. The cause is the same as with spitback, but instead of making its way up through the mouthpiece, the super-heated drops of e-liquid either strike the sides of the chamber or transform into vapor entirely.

How to Minimize Spitback and Popping

Unless you settle for a very low-powered vaping device, such as a pen or stick vape, it is unlikely that you will be able to eliminate spitting and popping from your life. Fortunately, however, there are many steps you can take to at least minimize popping, and more importantly, spitting.

To avoid a mouthful of burning hot e-liquid:

Don’t overdo “priming”

Priming should be done any time you change your coil. Essentially, priming a coil involves manually dripping e-juice onto the cotton wick of your coil before fully installing it and filling up your tank for first use. The idea is to make sure the wick is fully coated, which can help create a wicking effect that speeds up the absorption process and gets you vaping down those delicious flavors faster.

Slow and steady wins the race

When you take a puff on your vape, ensure your inhalation is gentle and consistent. Putting too much force into your in-breath can result in flooding of your chamber. If you practice soft inhalations and still encounter issues with popping or spitting, try adjusting the airflow valve (if your tank has one).

Crank up the volts

If your coil doesn’t get sufficiently hot to rapidly transform the e-juice into an aerosol, spitbacks and popping can quickly follow. Fortunately, the kinds of vaping devices that are most likely to experience these phenomena also usually come equipped with variable power. Simply crank up the power by a few watts at a time and see if this resolves your issue.

Down with the thickness

PG and VG are both used in varying ratios to form the base of all e-liquids. VG is a lot thicker than PG at room temperature, and this higher viscosity means it is less able to seep through small gaps. If you are having issues with spitting, switch to an e-liquid with a higher ratio of VG to PG.

Stick with regular coils

As well as the standard round wire, there are some different coil styles available, such as twisted coils and Clapton coils. Many users report worse popping and spitting with these types of non-regular coils, so your best bet is to stick with the tried and tested round kanthal and cotton combination.

Switch up your drip tips

The drip tip, also known as the mouthpiece, provides a buffer between your breathing parts and any rogue drops of super-hot e-liquid that try and escape. If you use a drip tip and still encounter spitback, you could try using a drip tip that is specifically designed to counteract spitback.

Good drip tips to use if you want to avoid spitting come in a few different designs. Many will have a steep bend, curve, or angle to them. Others rely on their extremely long length to achieve the same spitback-reducing effect.

Keep everything clean

By far and away the leading cause of spitting is due to excessive amounts of e-liquid entering the coil from the reservoir. However, if your chimney is particularly gunked up, juice can collect and roll back down into the chimney which causes a similar pooling effect. The solution to this is thankfully simple: Using a wad of kitchen roll (toilet paper can shed fibers into your device – Not ideal!) remove your drip tip and clean down into the chimney. As well as removing any residue, using a kitchen towel can help soak up any excess e-juice that might otherwise linger.

When all else fails, fire away

If you think you may have over-primed your coil or sucked on the mouthpiece a little too hard, there’s an easy solution that will prevent any unpleasant and potentially painful spitback. Simply fire up the device a few times by “pulsing” the power button until you hear the popping sounds diminish entirely.

Conclusion

Vaping technology has come a long, long way since it first became a thing. Nevertheless, some degree of customization and trial and error is usually required to achieve your perfect vape. Most of the causes of spitting and popping are eminently avoidable by taking the steps outlined above. However, if you work through all of the troubleshooting points we highlighted and still experience issues, you may need to purchase a new tank.

As the technology inside vapes continues to evolve and develop, spitback may become a non-issue in much the same way that many of the problems associated with the earliest vapes no longer exist. Until then, the occasional pop or spitback is a small price to pay for the myriad benefits that come with making the switch from smoking tobacco to using an electronic cigarette.