How to Fix a Broken Oil Cartridge - Expert Vape Help

Do Oil Cartridges Go Bad

Vaping oil has become an increasingly popular activity for a lot of people. While there are still plenty of ‘traditionalists’ – people who prefer pipes, bongs, dab rigs and other smoking accessories – more and more people are choosing to enter the vaping market. One of the more popular choices is to get an oil vape pen that uses vape cartridges to provide the power and punch that we all expect when using oil concentrates. This is a convenient, powerful, and cost-effective option for a number of people. However, with more and more people beginning to use them there is certainly a need to make sure that you are well-informed of the product and any problems you can experience with them.

A vape cartridge is basically the top of an oil vape pen as it includes the mouthpiece and the tank area that holds the oils. The vape cartridge also includes a cotton or ceramic wick within the oil chamber. An oil cartridge easily attaches to a box mod vape and you are ready to go! There are all different kinds of oils with different strengths, flavors, etc. All of these you will be able to find out when purchasing or browsing for specific oil cartridges. However, with all the varieties and expanding options, there are of course problems. In order to determine how to fix your cartridge or determine if you should replace your cartridge you are going to want to start by following through and asking yourself some of the troubleshooting questions below.

Oil Cartridge Troubleshooting Questions

1. Do the Vape and Cartridge Connect properly – this is not a common problem due to the almost universal 510 threading fitted to most vape pens, however, it doesn’t mean that this sort of thing doesn’t happen. Essentially, ask yourself if your cartridge is able to fully screw onto the vape battery or not. If not, then you are likely experiencing this sort of problem. The battery contact is more than likely out of reach whether too deep or the cartridge is too short to come into contact. This prevents proper contact and electrical transfer.
2. Is the Vape Cartridge clogged – when using any sort of oil vape pen this can be a common problem. Particularly when dealing with a substance such as oil, this is a common occurrence. When dealing with this sort of problem you are likely being affected by the particles that collect in the pathways of your oil vape pen. In order to clear those pathways, simply begin to heat your vape up. Often, this will cause the particles to loosen as they warm up. If that doesn’t work, begin to really crank up the temperature and rip the power button. This will cause even greater heat and temperature to disperse through the cartridge and dislodge whatever is clogging it. If you have vapor coming out of the sides of your vape you can rest assured this is likely the problem.
3. Is the Vape Battery charged and ON – if you don’t seem to notice your cartridge heating properly or at all, you’re going to want to make sure your battery is fully connected. Once reconnected, if you still experience these problems then there is obviously an additional issue. The simplest might be that you haven’t properly turned your vape pen back on. This is more common than you might think. Once you have turned your vape pen on try and give it another pull. If there is still no indication of your cartridge heating and hitting you will likely need a recharge on your battery. If you have an extra battery around, this would be the time to swap it out to make sure it’s just a matter of battery power. If not, allow the current one to get as close to full charge as you can allow and try again.
4. Does the Vape Battery provide enough power – this should not be too much of an issue to resolve. Simply make sure that you are providing enough power to vaporize your oil cartridge by turning up the power or wattage. There are several different kinds of oil cartridges and contain all sorts of additives to provide flavoring and to maintain the nature of the oil. All of this affects at what temperature you need to vaporize the oil at. Don’t turn it up too much too quickly as this may result in a harsher hit than you were expecting or wanting but don’t be shy about making sure you’re cranking the power up a bit.
5. Have you Given the Vapor time to form – while it is understandably easy to get excited and want to rush through your vaping session, this can be an easy problem to fix. Make sure to do a few things: first, make sure that you are not rushing to hit your oil pen. It takes a few seconds for any new or used cartridge to warm up from being left unused for an hour or more. Second, make sure to give it extra time if you are using your vape pen in a cold environment. Being anywhere near freezing will naturally need more time than a warmer temperature. Third, make sure your battery power and wattage are high enough. Sometimes when you are running lower on power you are not producing as much output and this can cause problems for your vaping experience.
6. Were you expecting smoke – This one might seem silly, but it is something to address. If you are expecting something close to smoke, you will be disappointed with an oil vape pen – they seamlessly produce vapor that is much smoother than smoke no matter the power of the hit. However, you might also be confused if your previous experiences were with a dry herb combustion vape pen. Those vape pens, while still vaporizing the dry herb, produce actual smoke within their chambers because they combust, not conduct, their herb derivative. Again, just understand that vapor is going to be much smoother than you are likely anticipating. Give it a few minutes – if you feel nothing then move into trying a new cartridge or battery.
7. Are you using a Wick-Based, or Ceramic-Based Vape Cartridge – depending on the different type of coil and cartridge you are using you may need different battery levels, types of oil, etc. This will all change depending on the variant you are using and you should always make sure that your products are going to work together before purchasing. Additionally, you will want to make sure you have your settings appropriately set to the right amounts of temperature and wattage to ensure the smoothest vaping session and that you are obtaining the vapor you want.

Reasons a Cartridge Burns Out

1. Too much power being – this is probably the most common type of issue experienced by vapers. Often, a vape cartridge overloads because it isn’t designed to handle the power surge it is receiving. This is something that is common amongst even experienced vapers. Thankfully, it means your vape pen is still safe.
2. Power button heavy – this is simply a matter of not fiending too hard on the cartridge and power button. While use limits will vary from vape pen to vape pen, make sure you’re not throttling too hard on your power button. Even if your temperature, wattage, etc is ok you will want to make sure that you’re not overloading the cartridge simply by overheating it through overuse. All in all, give it a few seconds to take a break in between really big hits (and even after a succession of normal hits).
3. Old Age– this is rather self-explanatory. If a cartridge is handled too long and isn’t used up, it has likely hit the end of the road by the time you get back around to using it. This shouldn’t cause too much surprise – most things become more sensitive as they get older.
4. Poor Manufacturing – to blame quality is usually an easy way out but we can’t ignore that this can be the case. That 200 pack of cartridges you purchased off eBay is likely not as reputable as the more reasonably priced 10 pack from a well-known distributor for oil pens. In essence, you get what you pay for.

Determining the Fate & How to Fix a Broken Oil Cartridge

All in all, the above criteria should help you determine what is at the root of your issues. However, it doesn’t necessarily tell you whether to repair or replace a cartridge. While it is certainly wise to repair whatever you can before throwing it away, keep in mind that many of the cartridges on the market (even if refillable) come with their own heating elements and other vape parts that are not easily removed or repaired by someone less than an expert. This means that although you may want to address the issue without replacing an oil cartridge, you might be better off than trying to be an amateur electrician. However, make sure to look up the specific design specs on your particular cartridge. You may be pleasantly surprised.

How to Transfer Oil from a One Cartridge to Another

Carefully. In all seriousness, however, you will want to obtain a syringe of sorts to be able to transfer the oil without any issue or mess. Most cartridges come with a removable vape mouthpiece that allows you to access the oil inside the cartridge without too much trouble. Again, the simplest way to remove the oil is with a thin enough syringe to get it inside the cartridge but also wide enough to allow the viscous oil to flow freely. Make sure you are careful, no one wants oil on their clothes and fabrics. Also, be careful about using the oil from the cartridges anywhere except a refillable cartridge that is empty. Some of the ‘filler’ in oil to produce a lighter or smoother hit from pure oil will turn to formaldehyde when exposed to an open flame. In other words, oil from a cartridge should find its way back to another cartridge instead of being used in anything else.

Where to Buy Oil Cartridges

As mentioned in our other blogs, many of these products can be found at your local smoke shop. However, for a diverse selection of products, tips, and FREE SHIPPING on all orders shipped in the USA (without minimums) make sure to check out the inventory at nyvapeshop.com!

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