Dry Hits & Spitback

Dry hits and Spitbacks are two things that every vaper will experience at some point. In this article we briefly explain what these concepts entail and how you can prevent and resolve them.

Spitback

A spitback is a phenomenon in which, during inhaling, hot droplets of e-liquid can come through the mouthpiece ending up in your mouth. The droplets may be so hot that they can give off a burning sensation on the tongue or lips. Spitback usually occurs when the wick material in the coil is oversaturated and can no longer evaporate all the e-liquid, the e-liquid will 'cook' and will bubble up. Fortunately, it can be prevented, below are a few of tips:

Increase the wattage

If you use a box mod where you can adjust the wattage, it could be that it is set too low. If the wattage is set too low, the e-liquid will not be heated enough causing uneven evaporation. This can result in spitback. You can try to solve the problem by increasing the wattage in steps of 3Watt.

Over-priming your coil

Some people like to prime their new coil before using it. Our advice for new coils is to place the coil, fill the clearomizer and wait at least 5 minutes before usage. If you still want to prime it, do not put too many drops of e-liquid on the coil, otherwise it will 'drown' and you will get spitback.

Fire before you inhale

Are you bothered by spitback? Press the fire button for a few seconds before you take a puff. You will hear the coil crackle (a soft sizzling sound is normal) and once this disappears you should be able to take a puff without spitback.

Adjust the airflow

First of all, it is important not to inhale too hard. If you inhale too hard, you basically pull the liquid through the wick, and the coil does not get enough time to evaporate the e-liquid. Make sure to inhale calmly, a puff should take slightly longer than you are used to with a regular cigarette. Let the coil do the work! If this does not work, try adjusting the airflow. If you reduce the airflow a bit, the vapor and e-liquid will be drawn in slower, reducing the chance of saturation.

Change to an e-liquid with a different PG/VG content

E- liquids come in different PG and VG levels. One of the differences between PG and VG is the thickness of the liquid. The more VG, the thicker the liquid and the more PG the thinner. If you use large sub-Ohm coils, we recommend e-liquids with a VG content of at least 50%. With a higher PG content, the thinner liquid will cause the coil to over-saturate faster, which can result in spitback. If you use smaller plus-ohm coils, it is recommended not to go too high in your VG. Due to the thicker substance of VG, a smaller coil cannot saturate quickly enough, which in turn can lead to dry hits, more about that later.

Dry Hits

A dry hit is a burnt taste while vaping. Dry hits taste (very) bad taste but can be prevented with proper use:

Let your new coil soak first

If you replace the coil in your clearomizer you cannot use it right away. The wick material (usually cotton) in your coil must first be given enough time to absorb the liquid. If you do not do this, you will immediately burn your wick, which gives a bad taste and makes it neccessary to install a new coil.

Refill your clearomizer in time

There are inlet channels in your coil. You recognize these as a round/square holes with white behind it. The white material is the wick material and must always be in contact with the e-liquid. If you empty your clearomizer completely, the coil will dry out and burn as a result. This is what gives the foul burning taste. So make sure you top up your clearomizer in time!

Replace your coil in time

Coils will eventually burn through, and have to be replaced once every 1-3 weeks (depending on your use). When a coil is at the end of its life, the wick material will no longer be able to fullfil its function and give a burned taste. Remember when placing a new coil, to always give it enough time to fully saturate!

A rule of thumb when using coils in electronic cigarettes: Always keep the wick wet!