A flashing disposable can disrupt your vape experience. Learn about the most common reasons, such as battery issues and faults, and learn how to solve them with our handy guide.
Ever wondered why your disposable vape starts flashing unexpectedly?
We’ve all been there: you’re enjoying a nice vape sesh, and suddenly, the power cuts and the LED indicator light starts blinking. Ruh-roh.
This is a common issue that many vapers encounter, and it’s typically a signal from your device indicating a problem. Possible causes include a battery issue, the device reaching its usage limit, or even a faulty disposable.
Fear not: let’s dive into the causes and fixes for a flashing disposable vape.
Reasons for Disposable Vape Pens Flashing
A blinking light on your disposable vape pen can be caused by a variety of issues, such as battery failure or other malfunctions.
Disposable vape pens, designed for convenience, have a shorter lifespan compared to standard refillable e-cigarettes due to their 2ml liquid limit. When they start to blink, it’s usually an indication that they’ve reached their lifespan and it’s time to replace them.
Dead Battery
The number one cause of a blinking disposable vape is simply a drained battery. Unlike other hardware, disposable vape bars are designed for single use and cannot be recharged. When the battery dies, it’s time to replace the device.
We do not recommend cracking open your disposable device to try giving your disposable battery a jump-start, as this could expose you to possible hazards from the battery and exposed wiring. Puff bars are not meant to be recharged, so attempting to do this could be seriously dangerous.
What If Your Brand New Disposable Vape Is Flashing?
Finding your brand-new vape blinking can be disconcerting, and rightfully so.
If you’ve just opened your brand new disposable vape kit and it’s already flashing, this is considered “Dead on Arrival,” or DOA. This is uncommon, but not unheard of. In fact, in many brick-and-mortar vape shops in parts of the US, it’s common for the seller to request you open and test the vape at the counter to ensure it works at the time of purchase before you leave the shop.
For almost all disposable vape manufacturers, faulty disposables are covered by a DOA warranty, though you’ll need to reach out to the seller you bought it from within a short time frame (usually 48 hours) to ensure you can get a refund or replacement.
Make sure that you hang onto the packaging so that you (or the seller) can report the fault to the manufacturer. And remember: because disposable vapes are consumable and tend to last most vapers about a day or two, trying to get a refund or replacement on a disposable more than two days after purchase will make it difficult for you to prove that the vape was DOA. Most sellers will request that you submit evidence of the fault within a specific time frame.
Basically, time is of the essence in these situations.
And, as always, it’s important to refrain from attempting to disassemble the device, as it could lead to potential hazards.
My Disposable Vape Is Not Firing
Sometimes, a disposable vape may not produce vapour due to an auto-firing issue, which is typically a result of an internal fault with the auto-draw sensor. This is often fixable, though not always.
If your disposable vape is not firing straight away, one thing you can try is to “reset” the internal sensor. You can do this by trying the following.
First, place your finger over the airflow vent. This is usually a very small hole located on the bottom or side of the device. Once you’ve covered the hole with your finger, try inhaling on the mouthpiece. This alone may reset the sensor.
If this doesn’t work, you should try to lightly blow into the airflow vent. If you do this and vapour comes out of the mouthpiece, the auto-draw sensor should be fixed.
If none of the above fixes solve your issue, you should reach out to the seller about the fault. You may need to provide evidence for them to investigate.
Why Is My Disposable Vape Auto Firing?
Auto-firing of a disposable vape is often an indication of an internal malfunction with the auto-draw sensor due to damage. This is essentially the opposite of the previous fault, where the sensor does not recognize your inhale. In this instance, the sensor believes you are inhaling on the mouthpiece when you are not.
However, this issue is very uncommon and is generally only found in cases where the vape has been badly damaged or dropped in water (too many people have dropped theirs in a toilet; we know). It’s also more likely to occur in rechargeable disposable vapes sold outside of the UK.
Unlike refillable vape kits, disposables aren’t designed to be serviced, so you may need to simply replace the device.
A disposable vape auto-firing continuously can be dangerous, as the battery is constantly heating the coil. If you cannot stop your disposable from auto-firing, you should leave it outside and away from flammable materials. You can go back and retrieve it at a later time when the battery has died, but until then, you should treat it as a potential fire hazard.
How Do I Stop My Disposable Vape Auto Firing?
If your disposable vape is auto-firing, you can try the same steps as above: inhaling with your finger over the air vent, and blowing lightly into the airflow hole.
If neither of these steps work, you can also blow sharply into the mouthpiece. This may work to reset the sensor. However, as mentioned above, if you cannot get your disposable to stop auto-firing continuously, you’ll need to keep it outside and away from flammable materials to ensure that it does not pose a fire risk.
Again, a disposable vape continuously auto-firing is extremely rare. It’s far more likely in places where you can purchase rechargeable disposables, such as the US. In the UK, this problem only tends to happen if the vape is extremely damaged or dropped in water.
Why Does My Disposable Vape Taste Burnt?
A burnt taste from your disposable vape is usually a sign that the device has run out of E-Liquid and has reached the end of its lifespan. This is due to the wick inside the device getting overused and burnt. Slowing down your vaping pace can sometimes help mitigate this issue, but ultimately, a burnt-tasting vape will need to be replaced.
Summary
In conclusion, understanding the causes and solutions to these common disposable vape issues can help get you back to enjoying your disposable vape in no time.
If you continue to have issues, don’t hesitate to seek further advice or consider switching to a new device. Remember: you can only get help from the seller you purchased the disposable from, and most of the time, you’ll need to contact them right away if you require a replacement device. This is because disposable vapes are consumable and are generally only covered by limited warranties.