Welcome to Coil Priming 101

Welcome to Coil Priming 101

In order to enjoy the most satisfying vape possible, you have to be willing to put in some effort.  The quality of your vaping experience largely depends on little details like mild wattage adjustments, adjustments to nicotine strengths and altering your VG/PG ratio.

The coil that you use with your vaping setup also deserves a good amount of attention.  One of the most overlooked steps to the vaping experience is priming.  If your coil isn’t primed, it’s likely that your experience will lead to a lot of frustration and disappointment.

So, what exactly is priming, and why does it matter so much?  We’re going to walk you through the priming process while helping you understand why this relatively simple practice makes such a massive difference in terms of your vaping satisfaction.

Why Does a Coil Need to be Primed

Why Does a Coil Need to be Primed?

To put it bluntly, if you’re not priming your coil, you’re committing a huge crime in the vaping world.  Without a properly primed coil, you’re likely going to deal with dry hits, spitback, a poor flavor and a weak vapor production.

You see, every vape coil, whether it’s made for a pod system or a standard sub-ohm tank, has a wick in its center.  This wick is made up of a material that’s good for absorbing your e-liquid.  When you fire your mod, the battery heats up the coil so that the liquid that’s absorbed in the wick can evaporate, creating luscious billows of yummy vapor.

However, that wick must be fully saturated with e-liquid in order for your vaping experience to work.  If your coil’s wick is dry, there won’t be enough e-liquid to be turned into vapor.  Instead, you’ll end up tasting the flavor of a burnt piece of cotton or another type of fiber.  

If you continue firing your device without a properly saturated wick, you’re going to end up burning out your coil beyond repair.  That’s why people who don’t prime their coils end up spending way more money on replacement coils during their vaping career.

It’s a shame that priming is such an overlooked step because it really isn’t that complicated or time-consuming.  Priming a coil takes just a few minutes.  This easy process can extend the life of your coils tremendously while ensuring that each hit delivers a delicious flavor and glorious, fluffy clouds.


What are the Differences Between Pod Coils and Sub-Ohm Coils_

What are the Differences Between Pod Coils and Sub-Ohm Coils?

Whether you’re using a sub-ohm setup or a pod mod system, you’re going to have to take care of your coils.  While these two types of coils look very different, they have basically the same needs.


Because everything component of a pod system is smaller than a standard box mod setup, the coil is smaller as well.  The coil is usually positioned inside the pod cartridge, sitting on its base.  If you’re used to using a sub-ohm system, you’ve probably been amazed by the size difference.  After all, sub-ohm coils are fairly large and cylindrical, boasting huge pieces of cotton in the middle and large airholes.


The wick inside of a sub-ohm coil is almost always made from high-quality cotton.  This cotton wick is large and thick.  It has to be so that it can absorb a good deal of vape juice.  Because box mods are high-wattage devices, a lot of power is going into heating your coil.  To accommodate all of that heat, your wick needs to be holding a good amount of vape juice so that it doesn’t burn out.

Meanwhile, the wicks inside of pod cartridges don’t need to hold as much e-juice.  That’s because pod mods are low-wattage devices that don’t heat your coil up to the high temperatures that box mods do.  So, pod cartridge coils tend to be made of thin synthetic fibers that are far less visible.  


How to Prime Your Coil for a Flawless Vape

How to Prime Your Coil for a Flawless Vape

Now that you know the differences, it’s time to get into how to prime a coil properly.


Priming Sub-Ohm Coils

Priming Sub-Ohm Coils

For starters, it takes a bit more time than priming a pod coil, but still absolutely worth it if you want to have a happy vaping experience.  

1. Take the coil out of its package.  
2. Hold it in one hand while your other hand is holding your bottle of e-liquid.  
3. Locate the holes around the coil that show the cotton wick that’s on the inside.
4. Place a drop or two of e-juice directly onto these exposed cotton pieces.  
5. Pour a couple of drops of juice into the top of the coil where the top of the wick is exposed.
6. Now that your wick is saturated with juice, put it down and allow it to sit for about ten minutes.  This will ensure that the liquid makes its way to the center of the wick.
7. Install your coil into your vape tank and fill the tank with e-liquid.  
8. Without firing your device, take several large hits to suck all of that liquid further into the wick.  
9. Fire up your unit and vape away.


Priming Pod Coils

Priming Pod Coils

Priming a pod coil is a bit simpler.  All you must to do is:

1. Pour your e-liquid into the pod cartridge.
2. Then, allow it to sit for ten minutes so that the wick gets saturated.  
3. Lastly, place your fingers over the airholes on the bottom of the cartridge and gently blow into it about five times.  This will help distribute the salt nic e-liquid evenly throughout the wick.




Keep in mind that you can over-prime your coil.  In other words, you might think that more e-liquid saturation automatically means a better vaping experience.  However, letting your coil’s wick absorb too much vape juice can result in a flooded coil that leaks juice everywhere.  It can also lead to a poor vaping experience as the wick is so drenched that the heat doesn’t evaporate enough of the vape juice.


 A Primed Coil Leads to Some Satisfying Vape Sessions

A Primed Coil Leads to Some Satisfying Vape Sessions

Priming your coil is crucial if you want to have a smooth and satisfying vaping experience.  So, as long as you do it properly and take your time of course, you’ll be vaping up a storm in no time.

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