Why Is My Vape Auto-Firing?

There's nothing better than bringing your vape to your lips, pressing the manual fire button or simply inhaling and triggering the activation process that way, and inhaling a beautiful plume of vapour.

There's also nothing worse than your vape malfunctioning in your pocket and auto-firing of its own accord. Learn why vapes auto-fire and what you can do to prevent the worst from happening.

What Is Auto-Firing?

There are two ways to activate your vape. You can either bring it to your lips and press the activation button to get the coils to heat the e-liquid into vapour, or you can activate that process by simply inhaling.

Because most modern vapes are designed with this second option, in which the activation process can kick off without any clear and decisive trigger, vapes sometimes auto-fire. Auto-firing is when the vape activates without being specifically made to.

Auto-firing used to happen quite often in the early days of vaping, before the major kinks were worked out of the manufacturing process. Vapes have evolved tremendously over time, but auto-firing is still a hazard. If you use a vape, learn how and why auto-firing happens so you can avoid it to the best of your ability.

Is Auto-Firing Something To Worry About?

Most of the time, auto-firing doesn't lead to anything dangerous. Yes, a combustion reaction was set off without anyone there to monitor its progress. There's danger there. But modern vapes have been designed so that the ignition process is relatively calm and controlled. 

Modern vapes also normally come with an automatic cut-off feature. This enables the battery to automatically cut power from the coils if there's no input after several seconds. The worst thing that usually happens is you waste some e-liquid, and the coils can sustain damage. But there is the risk of vape fire and even battery explosion.

What Causes a Vape to Auto-Fire

Condensation

You need to regularly clean your vape. Gunk can build up around the coils and cause all sorts of problems. One such problem is a tendency to auto-fire. This is called “condensation,” when there is a build-up of gunk around the coils. 

Debris from your pockets can also fall into the device through the mouthpiece and become the source of auto-firing accidents.

Faulty Coil

If you don't clean your coils regularly enough, they can malfunction and cause an auto-fire. This can also happen if your disposable vape comes with a set of improperly installed or faulty coils. You'll need to buy a new vape if this is the case.

E-Liquid Leak

If you know how to clean your vape device properly, you'll have discovered how close the e-liquid tank is to the battery. Vape manufacturers design these little devices so that there's the smallest risk of e-liquid leak possible. But e-liquid leaks do happen, and they invariably leak onto the battery.

If you leave your vape lying on its side, it's more likely that if e-liquid leaks, it'll drip onto the battery. Remember that the next time you put your vape down. Keep it situated so that the e-liquid will safely pool at the bottom of the device in case of a leak.

Poor Connection

Sometimes the internal parts of your vape are defective or go haywire. Wires can be crossed, or a connection can flare out. In that case, you'll need to take your vape to a technician for fixing.

Firing Button Malfunction

Auto-firing often happens when the vape senses you're trying to inhale but actually aren't. But it can also be caused by a faulty firing button.

If the firing button gets stuck in the “on” position, your vape will kick into the ignition process without you asking it to. It's usually easy to un-stick a firing button after it gets stuck. But then you're more likely for the button to become stuck again, and you don't want that happening off your watch.

Overheating

You may be wondering what causes your vape to get hot,and the answers vary from the effects of chain vaping to faulty batteries to coil gunk and the voltage settings being turned too high. 

Whatever the cause of overheating, the result is that your vape may auto-fire. Even if you leave your vape out too long in the sun, the ignition process can activate on its own and start auto-firing.

How To Prevent Your Vape From Auto-Firing?

1. Turn Your Vape Off

If your vape starts auto-firing, the first thing you should do is simple: turn it off. You need to give it a chance to cool off and revert to factory settings. 

Refer to your vape's user manual if you're unclear on how to turn your device off.

2. Do a Deep Clean, Focus on the Contact Points

Vapes need to be cleaned on a regular basis. The reason your device is auto-firing may have something to do with internal cleanliness. Open up your vape and clean the coils and the contact points. 

Use a clean piece of tissue or cloth, not a cotton ball, because its microfibers can cotton off and become wrapped up in the coils. Don't use any chemical cleaner, just a light spritz of water to clean.

3. Inspect the Coils

When you have your vape open, give the coils a good look. Your coils are the metal wires that burn hot whenever you press the activation button. They are what heats the e-liquid to the point that it becomes vapour. 

Your coils don't have an endless lifespan. They will eventually reach maximum capacity. Check your voltage setting while you're at it. If you have the voltage set too high, you may have prematurely burned your coils out. 

4. Let Your Vape Cool Down

Make sure your vape gets regular downtime. Think of it like a person; it needs its daily rest. 

If your vape tends to auto-fire, try giving it more cool-off time than you normally allot it. 

5. Remove and Inspect the Battery

The last thing you want is a battery problem. Battery leaks are dangerous because battery acid is highly damaging to human skin. And it's often the battery that is at the root of problems with vapes. 

Most people who vape aren't battery experts, so forgive yourself for not knowing what to look for. But before you call in an expert, you can do a quick check yourself. If you see any noticeable signs of degradation or decay, get a new battery.

6. Re-Assemble and Retry

The tried and true method of troubleshooting electronic devices: turn it off, wait, and turn it back on. You can do this with your auto-firing vape, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Fix an Auto-Firing Vape?

You can usually fix an auto-firing vape easily. Whether the problem is with the battery or the coils, or it's an overheating issue, there's a good chance you'll be able to diagnose it yourself. If you can't, go ahead and get yourself a new one. 

Final Thoughts

For all your vape needs, check out RELX. We believe that design enables self-expression. That's why all our vapes are beautifully designed without sacrificing any performance power. Get your dream vape today at RELX!