Tank Maintenance & Priming Coils

Starting off on the right foot is instrumental to a long and rewarding relationship. After unboxing your new tank, take all the pieces apart, set the coil aside, and scrub everything with hot, soapy water. Some people like to soak the parts in alcohol overnight before rinsing in order to ensure any residual manufacturing materials have been washed away. Alot of us skip this step as most equipment comes out of the factory pretty clean these day, but every now and then you will get caught out with a funky flavoured new tank and you'll wish you had not skipped this step.

That first wash suggested above isn't a one-time-only event. Use coil changes (hopefully coming around the same time you empty your tank) as a time to clean your tank and its components. Hot, soapy water is probably sufficient this time around, but make sure to wash all the soap residue out. Cotton swabs can be handy to scrub and clean out nooks and crannies – they're also handy to clear out residue from your drip tips or chimney (center tube) between cleanings

Priming coils

Once you have reassembled and filled the tank, attach it to your battery. The next step in priming your coil is to take 4 – 5 primer hits. A primer hit simply means to take a drag without activating the fire button of your battery. Simply tighten the airflow valve (if your tank has one), cover the air intake holes with your hand, and take four or five normal drags. By doing this, you will syphon e-juice from the tank and into the cotton. However, be sure not to take too deep or strong of hits, nor take more than five of them, as it could cause the coil to flood.

Another method of priming a coil is to  saturate the cotton with e-juice di rectly. Depending on the specific atomizer coil you are using, the amount of e-juice necessary to adequately saturate the wicks will vary. Smaller atomizer coils, such as the Aspire Nautilus, will require a drop or two of e-liquid, whereas the substantially larger heads that operate with the tanks, such as the Freemax Mesh, will require much more to accomplish this. You will know when you have added enough e-juice when the cotton stops immediately absorbing it. However, make sure not to over-saturate, as this may cause flooding and allow for liquid to get into your mouth. Remember, your goal isn’t to drench the coil, it is solely to saturate the cotton.

Although the most important factor in priming coil is to saturate the wicking material, it is also significant to properly break-in the new wire. Since the wire expands when heated and contracts when it cools, it is good practice to gradually break the wire in as well. To do so, start using the new coil at a lower wattage than you normally do. After a few hits, you can gradually increase the wattage until you reach your normal power setting. It also helps if you take shorter hits for the first 10 drags, so that the wire is not excessively heated at first. This steady increase in wattage and puff duration will ensure that the coil is properly primed along with the cotton.

A great video on priming a coil can be found here.


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