Why Do Disposable Vapes Leak? Common Causes and Solutions

For vape brands, vape device oil leakage is one of the most serious customer complaints, and most vape brands usually attribute this problem to defects in the vape devices. However, as a professional AIO vape manufacturer, during my 6 years in the industry I have encountered various oil leakage problems, and each time I was able to provide a solution. I can also responsibly tell you that the reason for CBD/THC vape leaking is not always due to the device itself.

To help more e-cigarette brand owners and ordinary consumers, I will summarize in this article the common causes of vape oil leakage that I have encountered over the years and provide corresponding solutions.

Common causes of e-cigarette oil leakage

Let me first talk about a common problem of device oil leakage caused by improper oil filling operation.

Usually, e-cigarette brand owners do not produce e-cigarette devices themselves. They purchase devices in bulk or customize them from hardware manufacturers and then send them to factories for oil filling. However, some e-cigarette brand owners do not fully understand the internal structure of the device and the precautions for oil filling, which leads to subsequent leakage problems.

Most empty devices are designed so that before the mouthpiece is sealed, the airway and the oil chamber are connected, and no stable sealed environment is formed inside. If it is left exposed for a long time after oil filling, the liquid may flow out from the airway due to gravity or air pressure difference.

Therefore, we recommend that customers, when they purchase empty devices for secondary processing and oil filling, must seal the mouthpiece cover within 3 minutes after filling.

Although most empty vape devices are now filled using automated equipment with very precise oil volumes, for some ordinary consumers or small and medium-sized businesses, manual filling may still be used. When the oil volume exceeds the maximum capacity of the oil chamber, it will cause liquid to overflow from the airway or interface. In addition, filling too quickly and creating bubbles may also cause liquid to be squeezed out.

The correct method is to leave an air buffer area, avoid filling to the top, and not let the liquid enter the central airflow channel. We recommend that customers, after bulk purchasing, first perform small-batch oil filling during the process, familiarize themselves with the oil filling procedure of the new device, and at the same time conduct random inspection tests to prevent leakage.

Disposable Vape for THC

Another important factor related to e-cigarette oil leakage is the device itself. Don't be fooled by the small size of the device-inside it actually contains many important components, including the heating coil, central column, battery, oil chamber, and so on. Any of these parts failing could lead to leakage.

We know that cannabis extract THC oil usually has corrosive properties, which can damage ordinary plastic materials and cause oil chamber leakage. Therefore, it is necessary to use corrosion-resistant materials to make the oil chamber.

For example, all of our All-in-One disposable vapes use PCTG raw materials from Eastman USA for the atomization chamber. PCTG has excellent stability and corrosion resistance. It is an inert material that meets food-grade standards, ensuring device corrosion resistance and preventing leakage.

If the coil is not tightly inserted or the threads do not match, gaps will cause leakage. Both plug-in and screw-in coils need to be properly aligned and pressed in tightly. In addition, if the oil and coil are not matched, it may cause accumulation and leakage. For example:

High VG (thick) oils need to be paired with low-resistance, high-power coils, otherwise oil supply may be insufficient, causing accumulation and leakage.
High PG (thin) oils, if used with low-resistance coils, cannot be held by the cotton and will leak out from the airway.

Inhaling too hard or for too long continuously will cause excessive liquid to enter the coil, which cannot be vaporized in time and will overflow from the airway.

Long-term high-power operation or excessive use may also cause the liquid to thin and the sealing performance to decline.

Storing the device horizontally or upside down for a long time, or placing it in a high-temperature environment, will increase the risk of leakage. It is recommended to store it upright in a cool and dry place.

Oil leakage is one of the most common problems in disposable e-cigarette devices, but the causes are diverse. It may come from improper oil filling operations, or from incorrect user usage, and of course it may also be caused by material, design, or process defects used by the hardware manufacturer. Therefore, choosing a reliable vape hardware manufacturer is very important.

ASM GROUP has more than 10 years of experience, mastering world-class e-cigarette hardware manufacturing technology, and providing high-quality cannabis vape hardware for global brands. We use PCTG material for the oil tank and mouthpiece to create a better user experience and achieve a leak-proof effect. PCTG is a highly stable material that solves the problem of internal leakage caused by THC oil corrosion in the past.

At the same time, in order to help non-professional customers, when customers have any questions or technical issues during the oil filling process, we can assign engineers from our California laboratory to directly go to the customer's site for guidance. If customers encounter defective products during use, we can immediately go to the site to provide support, find the cause, and solve the problem.

Contact us now to learn more about disposable vape problems or to request free samples.