How to Prime Your Coils for Optimal Performance
If you’ve ever experienced a burnt taste from your vape, chances are your coil wasn’t primed correctly. Properly priming vape coils is essential for a smooth, flavorful, and satisfying vaping experience. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned vaper switching to a new device, understanding how to prime your coils can save your e-liquid, protect your coil, and maximize performance.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about priming vape coils. You’ll learn what priming is, why it matters, and how to do it the right way — all backed by expert knowledge and best practices from the vaping community.
What Is Priming Vape Coils?
Priming a coil means saturating the cotton inside the coil with e-liquid before using it. Vape coils contain a cotton wick wrapped inside or around a heating element. If this cotton is not properly soaked, it burns when you fire up your device. This is known as a “dry hit,” and it’s something all vapers want to avoid.
Priming helps avoid dry hits, extends the life of your coil, and ensures that your first puff tastes as great as your last.
Why Is Priming Vape Coils Important?
Priming your vape coils is not just about taste — it’s about protecting your hardware. When a coil isn’t properly primed, the dry cotton gets scorched. Once that happens, no amount of e-liquid can fix the burnt taste. You’ll be forced to replace the coil much sooner than necessary.
Beyond preventing dry hits, proper priming:
- Delivers consistent flavor from the first puff
- Increases coil lifespan
- Reduces e-liquid waste
- Enhances vapor production
- Protects your device from overheating
Whether you use a sub-ohm tank, pod system, or rebuildable atomizer, priming is a must.
How to Prime Vape Coils
Install the Coil into the Tank
Before priming, make sure the coil is installed securely in the base of your tank or pod. Ensure it’s aligned properly to avoid leaks and ensure proper airflow.
Saturate the Wick Manually
Look for the visible cotton holes or openings around the coil. Use a dropper or nozzle to drip e-liquid directly onto the cotton in these exposed areas. Add a drop or two at a time and give it a second to soak in before adding more. Be gentle — oversaturating can cause flooding.
Add E-liquid to the Tank
After saturating the wick, fill your tank with your chosen e-liquid. Always fill it below the maximum fill line to avoid leaks and pressure issues.
Let It Soak
Now that your coil and tank are filled, let the device sit upright for at least 5–10 minutes. This extra time allows the cotton inside the coil to fully absorb the e-liquid, ensuring complete saturation.
Take Primer Puffs
Before pressing the fire button, take a few gentle draws on the mouthpiece. This pulls more e-liquid into the coil without heating it up, helping it become fully primed.
Start at a Low Wattage
Begin vaping at a lower wattage than the coil’s recommended range. Take a few gentle puffs and gradually increase the wattage to your desired level. This prevents sudden heat exposure that could burn any dry spots in the cotton.
Common Mistakes When Priming Vape Coils
Skipping or rushing the priming process can cost you. Here are a few common errors to avoid:
- Not waiting long enough: Impatience often leads to burnt coils. Even five extra minutes can make a big difference.
- Over-saturating the wick: Too much e-liquid can flood the coil and restrict airflow, resulting in gurgling sounds and spit-back.
- Dry firing before priming: Never press the fire button until you’re sure the coil is fully saturated.
- Using the wrong e-liquid: High VG e-liquids (thicker) take longer to soak than high PG liquids. Match your e-liquid to the coil type.
Priming Tips Based on Coil Type
Different coils have different needs. Here’s how to prime based on the kind of coil you’re using.
Sub-ohm Coils
These large coils are designed for direct-to-lung (DTL) vaping. They usually have wide wicking ports and require more e-liquid to saturate properly. Be extra thorough when applying juice to the wick and let them soak longer.
Pod Coils
Pod system coils are smaller and often built into the pod itself. You still need to wait after filling the pod, even if manual priming isn’t possible. Give it at least 10 minutes before vaping.
Rebuildable Coils (RDA/RTA)
If you’re building your own coils, saturate the wick with a few drops, pulse gently to check for hotspots, and top it off before closing the cap. Proper wick trimming also plays a role in performance.
How Often Should You Prime Your Coils?
You only need to prime a coil when it’s brand new or after cleaning and re-wicking a rebuildable coil. Once the coil is primed and in use, you don’t need to repeat the process until you change the coil.
Signs it’s time to change and re-prime:
- A persistent burnt taste
- Reduced flavor or vapor
- Gurgling or spitting noises
- Visibly dark or gunky cotton
What Happens If You Don’t Prime Your Coil?
Not priming your coil can ruin it before you’ve had a chance to enjoy it. Firing an unprimed coil causes the cotton to burn, and that scorched flavor will linger even after saturation. It also stresses your device’s power system and may lead to hardware damage over time.
How Long Should You Let a Coil Soak?
The average recommended soaking time is 5 to 10 minutes. Thicker e-liquids with high VG content may need closer to 15 minutes, especially in colder environments. If you’re unsure, take primer puffs and wait a bit longer.
How to Tell If a Coil Is Properly Primed
A well-primed coil should:
- Produce flavor right from the first puff
- Feel smooth when inhaling
- Have no burnt taste or dry sensation
- Show visibly saturated cotton through the ports
If you’re not getting these signs, stop vaping and give it more time.
FAQs
How do you prime a vape coil properly?
Apply e-liquid directly to the exposed cotton parts of the coil, let it sit in a filled tank for 5–10 minutes, then take a few dry pulls before vaping.
Can you vape without priming the coil?
Technically, yes — but you risk burning the cotton and ruining the coil immediately. Always prime to prevent dry hits and extend coil life.
How long should I wait after priming my coil?
Wait at least 5 to 10 minutes. For thicker e-liquids, give it up to 15 minutes to fully saturate the wick.
Why does my new coil taste burnt?
If your new coil tastes burnt, it was likely not primed correctly or not soaked long enough. Stop vaping immediately and try re-priming if possible.
Do I need to prime mesh coils differently?
Mesh coils have larger surface areas but follow the same priming process. Just make sure every bit of cotton is saturated before use.
Can I speed up the priming process?
While primer puffs help, there’s no safe shortcut. Rushing can lead to a ruined coil, wasted e-liquid, and a bad vaping experience.
