7 Reasons Why Your New Vape Cart Is Not Hitting & How to Fix It

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Simple repairs for your vape whether or not it has a clog

Co-authored by Lauren Forsch and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: December 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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Fixing a Cart with No Clog

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Unclogging a Cart

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Why Carts Won’t Hit

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Warnings

Are you trying to use your new vape but there’s no smoke when you take a hit? It’s a bummer when a cart you just bought isn’t working properly, but it’s a pretty common issue that’s easy to solve. If you can easily inhale through your new cart, then you’re dealing with a battery or connection issue, but no airflow means you’re dealing with a clog. Whether you have a CBD, Delta-8, or THC cartridge, we’ll help you fix it with supplies you already have at home. Keep reading to find out how to make your vape cart hit again and what may cause it to stop working in the first place.

Things You Should Know

Charge your battery and screw the cart on just until it’s finger-tight if your battery is low or has a connection issue.
Adjust your battery to the settings recommended for your cart to fix vape oil that’s too cold or thick to hit.
If your cart has thick oil, try warming it up in your hands for 5 minutes or blowing it with a hair dryer on low for 2–3 minutes.

Section 1 of 3:

Troubleshooting a Cart That’s Not Clogged

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1
Charge your battery completely. If your cart has air flow but no smoke comes out, then the issue could be a weak battery. Plug in your vape pen into a USB charger and then connect it to a wall outlet to charge it. Vape batteries take different times to charge based on their size, but they’ll usually have a light that blinks or shuts off as soon as they’re full. After they charge, try screwing your cartridge back on and taking a hit.^{[1]
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- Try connecting your vape cartridge to a different battery. If your cart hits, then you know the original battery was causing the issue.
- Most times, you’re able to recharge disposable vapes, but some models may not have a charging port.
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Try loosening your vape cartridge. Unscrew the cartridge from your battery completely. Slowly tighten the cartridge back onto the battery just until it feels snug and doesn’t jiggle around. After your cart is finger-tight, avoid forcing it any farther.^{[2]
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- Screwing the vape cartridge onto the battery too tightly prevents it from working properly.
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Pry the cart’s center pin out with a paper clip. Take your vape cart off the battery and hold it upside-down. Unfold a paper clip and stick the end under the edge of the pin in the center of the cartridge. Gently pry the pin up until you meet resistance. Work the paper clip around the pin until it’s completely raised up. Gently screw the cart back into your battery until it’s finger-tight.^{[3]
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- There may also be a pin on the battery where the vape attaches to it. Use the paper clip to pry up the edges so the pins can make a solid connection.
4
Adjust your vape’s voltage or temperature settings. Check on the vape cart’s packaging to find out the recommended heat or voltage the manufacturer recommends. Most vapes have multiple heat or voltage settings, but how you change them depends on the battery. Since each battery is different, check the manual to learn how to make the adjustments for your vape.^{[4]
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- If your vape has a voltage dial at the top of the battery, twist it until it points at the recommended reading for your cart.
- If your battery has a button, usually pressing it 2 or 3 times will adjust the temperature. The light will typically flash green for low, blue for medium, and red for high.^{[5]
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- If you have a vape with a digital screen, use the arrow keys to raise or lower the temperature.^{[6]
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- If your vape battery doesn’t have different voltage or temperature settings, then use a different battery that matches the recommended settings for your cartridge.
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Clean the battery and cartridge threads. Unscrew your cart from your battery to expose the threads. Wet the end of a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and gently clean the vape threads. Rub the cotton swab around the threads a few times. Then, clean the threads on your new cart the same way.^{[7]
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- Residual oil from other carts could have leaked onto the threads and prevented them from making a good connection with your vape.
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Warm up your cartridge before taking a hit. Hold the cart tightly in your hand for about 5 minutes to warm up the oil inside. If you want to heat up your vape a little quicker, turn a hair dryer to the lowest setting, hold it 1 foot (30 cm) away from your cart, and let it run for 2–3 minutes. After that, attach your cart to your battery to see if it hits.^{[8]
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- Avoid leaving vape cartridges in direct sunlight since the oil could get too hot and leak out.
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Open the cart’s airflow collar if it’s adjustable. If your vape doesn’t have any airflow but you don’t see a clog, check the bottom of your cart to see if it has a metal collar that spins around. Turn the collar until the airflow holes are completely open, and then try hitting your vape again.^{[9]
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- Airflow collars are more common on modular vape batteries with refillable carts, but some pre-filled carts may have them too.

Section 2 of 3:

Unclogging a Vape Cart

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1
Preheat the battery before taking a hit. Many batteries come with a preheat function so it’s warm enough to melt the oil in the cart. If your battery has a button, press and hold it down to start preheating the oil and melt away the clog. After about 5 seconds, let go of the button and try taking a hit.^{[10]
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- If your battery doesn’t have a button, then inhale through the end of the battery that attaches to the cartridge for 2–3 seconds to preheat it. Breathe in 3 times to fully heat the battery before taking a hit.^{[11]
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Try inhaling slowly until the cart becomes unclogged. Breathe in slowly through the vape without trying to force the oil through. If you feel airflow, then keep breathing in and holding in the button (if your battery has one) so it activates and melts away the clog. If you don’t feel the clog pop out of place within 10 seconds, stop breathing in to prevent the battery from overheating.^{[12]
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- Avoid using excessive force when you inhale since you could get some of the vape oil into your mouth, which could have a really unpleasant flavor.
Hold the vape to your mouth like you’re about to take a hit. Rather than breathing in, hold the button down and gently blow into the cartridge to move the clogged oil out of the airway. Keep trying for about 10 seconds before letting go of the button.^{[13]
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Scrape oil out of the mouthpiece with a paper clip. Straighten out a paper clip so it fits inside the end of your cart’s mouthpiece. Stick the paper clip into the top of the mouthpiece no further than ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm). Gently scrape residual oil off the sides to clear out the clog. Then, flip the cartridge over and stick the paper clip into the central hole on the bottom of the cart.^{[14]
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- Try inhaling through your cart without attaching it to the battery to check if the clog is removed.

Section 3 of 3:

What stops a cart from hitting?

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When your battery doesn’t have enough power or doesn’t make a good connection with your cart, then it won’t be able to heat up the oil inside. If your battery has a flashing light when you try using it, it could mean that it has a low charge or that there’s an issue.^{[15]
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When you screw your cart onto the battery too tightly, it prevents the connection pins from touching. Since the pins aren’t connected, they won’t heat up the oil when you try taking a hit with your new cart.^{[16]
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Incorrect temperature settings When your vape battery doesn’t heat up to the temperature recommended for the cart, then the oil will stay thick and cold. Since the oil hasn’t heated up enough to turn into vapor, your vape won’t hit even if it has good airflow.^{[17]
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- Trying to force cold oil through your vape could cause “chamber flooding,” which is when the wick inside gets oversaturated and makes it more difficult to heat up.
If your vape has airflow settings or has an obstruction, then it could prevent air from moving through your cart. If you feel resistance when you try hitting your vape and it’s difficult to breathe in, then it could mean there’s an airflow issue.^{[18]
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The oil inside your vape cart can leak out or cause clogs for a variety of reasons. If the oil sits for a long time, the oil could surround the coil inside so it can’t heat up properly. If you use your vape without letting it cool down in between or if moisture builds up in the mouthpiece, more oil could pull out of the cartridge and clog the airways.^{[19]
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Factory defects Very rarely, you might get a vape that’s damaged or has a defect right out of the box. If you’ve tried all of the fixes and still aren’t able to get your vape to work, contact the store where you bought the cart and let them know about the issue to see if you can do an exchange or get a refund. If the store is unable to help, check the cart’s packaging for a support line number to contact and they may be able to help you.^{[20]
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- Save the packaging for your cart since the manufacturer may need to reference batch or lot numbers to determine if they were defective.

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Tips

Only use vape cartridges from verified stores and sellers. Carts from unknown suppliers may not have gone through the same safety clearances and could contain unsafe chemicals not found in store-bought ones.

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Warnings

Just like smoking, vaping has known risks and side effects. Vapes with nicotine are highly addictive, and any vape cartridge could irritate your lungs.^{[21]
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services

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Marijuana or THC vapes may be illegal in your area, so check with your state laws before purchasing or using one.^{[22]
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