Learning how to prime a vape coil properly saves you money and prevents that awful burnt taste from ruining your vaping experience. Whether you're wondering how to prime a coil for the first time or troubleshooting why your vape tastes burnt with a new coil, this guide covers everything.
Priming a vape coil takes 30 seconds of work and 10 minutes of waiting. Skip learning how to prime a vape coil properly, and you'll burn through coils twice as fast, whilst tasting burnt cotton instead of your favourite e-liquid.
Every vape coil contains cotton wrapped around a heating element. Fire an un primed coil, and that dry cotton burns instantly. Once burnt, the coil's ruined - no amount of e-liquid will fix that taste. At £3-5 per coil or pod, not knowing how to prime a coil gets expensive quickly.
Why Does My Vape Taste Burnt with New Coils?
The number one reason your vape tastes burnt with a new coil is improper priming. When you don't prime vape coils correctly, the cotton burns on first use, creating that permanent burnt taste that won't go away.
Other reasons your vape tastes burnt with new coil installations include:
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Not waiting long enough after priming
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Using the wrong wattage settings
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Wrong e-liquid for your coil type
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Defective coil (rare but happens)
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Chain vaping a new coil too quickly
Understanding how to prime a coil eliminates 90% of burnt taste issues. The remaining 10% usually comes from rushing the process or using incorrect settings.
What is Vape Coil Priming?
Learning how to prime a vape coil means understanding the saturation process. Priming saturates the cotton wicking material with e-liquid before first use. The cotton inside your coil needs to be completely wet before you apply heat.
Think about lighting paper - dry paper burns instantly, wet paper doesn't. Same principle when you prime vape coils. Dry cotton exposed to a heating element at 200°C burns immediately, creating that awful taste that makes you wonder why your vape tastes burnt with a new coil.
Every device needs proper priming - from basic refillable pod kits to advanced sub-ohm tanks. The only difference in how to prime a coil is access to the cotton and saturation time.
How to Prime a Vape Coil - Complete Step-by-Step Guide
How to Prime Replaceable Tank Coils
Understanding how to prime a coil starts with identifying your coil type. Standard sub-ohm coils from Vaporesso , Geekvape and VooPoo all follow this method.
Step 1: Prepare a Prime Vape Coil - Remove your new coil from packaging. Look for cotton visible through the wicking ports - usually 2-4 white spots. This is where you'll prime the vape coil cotton directly.
Step 2: How to Prime a Coil with E-liquid - Add 3-4 drops of e-liquid to each visible cotton port. Watch the cotton darken as it absorbs. If you see cotton on top, add 2-3 drops there too. This direct application is crucial for how to prime a vape coil effectively.
Step 3: Install Your Primed Coil - Thread the coil clockwise until hand-tight. Don't overtighten - this damages O-rings and causes leaks. Proper installation is part of learning how to prime a coil correctly.
Step 4: Fill and Wait - Fill your tank to just below maximum. Now comes the crucial part of how to prime a vape coil - waiting. Leave it for 10-15 minutes. This prevents your vape from tasting burnt with a new coil.
Step 5: Start Low - Begin at your coil's minimum wattage. Take 5-6 gentle puffs, increase by 5W, repeat until you reach preferred power while also sticking within the recommended wattages of the coil. This gradual approach is essential when you prime vape coils properly.
How to Prime a Coil in a Reusable Pod Vape
Pod Vape Kits need a different approach for how to prime a vape coil since you can't always access the cotton directly.
For Fixed Coil Pods:
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Fill the pod to the maximum line (usually 2ml in the UK)
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Insert the pod and wait 15 minutes
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Take gentle draws without firing (helps prime vape pods faster)
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Start with short, gentle puffs
This method works for OXVA Xlim , Vapaoresso Xros and Uwell Caliburn pods.
For Replaceable Coil Pods:
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Remove old coil (pull or twist depending on design)
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If cotton is visible, add 2-3 drops directly (optional but helps)
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Install the new coil until flush
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Fill the pod and wait 10-15 minutes VooPoo Drag pods and similar systems benefit from this hybrid approach to prime vape coils.
How Long to Prime Different Coil Types
Knowing how to prime a coil means understanding different timing requirements:
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Standard Wire Coils: 10 minutes minimum
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Mesh Coils: 15 minutes (larger surface area needs more time)
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Ceramic Coils: 20+ minutes (porous material takes longer)
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MTL Coils: 10 minutes with 50/50 e-liquid
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Sub-Ohm Coils: 15 minutes with high VG
When learning how to prime a vape coil, remember that thicker e-liquids need longer. High-VG e-liquids add 5 minutes to standard times.
Prime Vape Coils for Different E-liquid Types
High VG E-liquids (70/30+)
Thick liquids take 15-20 minutes to prime vape coils properly. These work best in sub-ohm setups designed for direct-lung vaping. Using high VG without proper priming guarantees your vape tastes burnt with a new coil.
50/50 E-liquids
Standard 50/50 Vape juice make learning how to prime a coil easier. Follow normal 10-15 minute timing. These work on any device when you prime vape coils correctly.
Nic Salt E-liquids
Most nic salts e-liquids come in 50/50 ratios. Standard priming applies - the nicotine type doesn't affect how to prime a vape coil, only the VG/PG ratio matters.
Why Your Vape Tastes Burnt with a New Coil - Troubleshooting
Immediate Burnt Taste
Stop vaping immediately. If your vape tastes burnt with a new coil right away, you didn't prime properly. Try adding more e-liquid directly to the cotton and waiting another 15 minutes. Sometimes this saves a coil that wasn't primed correctly.
Burnt Taste After a Few Puffs
This means partial priming - outer cotton wet, inner dry. Your vape tastes burnt with a new coil because the e-liquid didn't fully penetrate. Wait another 10 minutes before vaping.
Persistent Burnt Flavour
If your vape tastes burnt with a new coil after proper priming, check:
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Wattage too high for coil rating
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Wrong e-liquid ratio for your device
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Defective coil (try another from the pack)
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The tank needs cleaning from the previous burnt coil
Common Mistakes When Learning How to Prime a Coil
Rushing the Prime Vape Process
The biggest mistake is when learning how to prime a vape coil. Those 10-15 minutes feel long but burnt cotton is permanent. Set a timer - don't guess.
Over-Priming Issues
Too much e-liquid when you prime vape coils causes gurgling and leaking. Cotton can only hold so much. If over-primed, blow through the mouthpiece onto the tissue to clear excess.
Wrong E-liquid Match
Using 70/30 in MTL coils or 50/50 in cloud-chasing setups causes issues regardless of how well you prime vape coils. Match ratios to your device.
Ignoring Wattage Ranges
Running a 40-60W coil at 80W burns cotton even when you know how to prime a coil perfectly. Stay within the recommended ranges printed on the coil.
Advanced Techniques to Prime Vape Coils
Vacuum Method
After learning the basics of how to prime a vape coil, try this: Cover airflow, take 3-4 strong draws without firing. Creates a vacuum that pulls e-liquid through faster.
Pulse Priming
Fire at 5-10W for 1-second bursts, 4-5 times with gaps. Gently warms the coil for better saturation. An advanced technique for how to prime a coil thoroughly.
Specific Brand Guides for How to Prime a Vape Coil
OXVA Coils
OXVA coils wick pretty fast - fill your OXVA pod and leave for around 5 minutes, but you will gain more benefit from 15-minute wait times.
Vaporesso Coils
Vaporesso coils prime relatively quickly - 10 minutes usually enough. XROS pods need a full 15 minutes since coils are sealed.
GeekVape Coils
GeekVape Zeus and Boost coils need standard priming despite excellent wicking. GeekVape pods allow direct cotton access for easier priming.
VooPoo Coils
Voopoo Coils, like the PnP Coils prime efficiently. Start 10W below the recommended wattage for break-in when you prime vape coils from VooPoo.
Aspire Coils
The Aspire coils for example, the Nautilus Coils prime quickly with 50/50 liquids - 10 minutes suffices. The way to prime a coil varies by design.
Making Coils Last After Learning How to Prime a Vape Coil
Maintain E-liquid Levels
Never run tanks dry. Refill when e-liquid drops below wicking ports. Even perfect knowledge of how to prime a coil won't help if you let tanks run empty.
Avoid Sweet E-liquids
Sweeteners caramelise on coils, reducing lifespan regardless of how well you prime vape coils. Expect more frequent changes with dessert flavours.
Proper Storage
Keep devices upright. Sideways storage causes uneven saturation, even after learning how to prime a vape coil correctly.
Regular Cleaning
Clean tanks weekly. Residue affects performance no matter how well you know how to prime a coil.
Cost Impact of Proper Priming
Not knowing how to prime a vape coil costs money:
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Properly primed coil: £3.50 lasting 2 weeks = 25p daily
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Burnt coil replaced every 3 days: £3.50 = £1.17 daily
That's 5x more expensive when you don't prime vape coils correctly. Annual difference: £186 saved by learning how to prime a coil properly.
Factor in wasted premium e-liquids when your vape tastes burnt with a new coil, costs multiply further.
Conclusion: Master How to Prime a Vape Coil
Learning how to prime a vape coil properly transforms your vaping experience. No more wondering why your vape tastes burnt with a new coil, no more wasted money on premature replacements.
Whether using mesh coils, standard wire, or a rechargeable pod kit, the principle remains: saturate cotton before heating. Master how to prime a coil and coils last their full lifespan.
The UK market offers hundreds of options - from SMOK TFV coils to simple pod systems. All need proper priming. Take time to prime vape coils correctly and save money whilst enjoying better flavour.
Remember: those 10-15 minutes learning how to prime a vape coil saves pounds and prevents that dreaded burnt taste. In vaping, patience literally pays.
