Cart Has Airflow but No Smoke: What’s the Problem?

You’ve just put a new cart on your vape pen expecting to sit down and enjoy a great vaping session – but when you puff on your device, nothing is happening. Your vape cart seems to have airflow, but you’re not getting any smoke. So, what’s going on? If you have a cart that isn’t working, fixing the problem might not be as difficult as you think. Troubleshooting a vape pen is simply a matter of isolating the root cause – either it’s the cartridge, or it’s the device – and finding out what’s preventing that component from working. In this article, we’ll teach you how to do it.

Cart Not Hitting but has Airflow Issues

Check for a wick-clogging issue, try another cartridge to identify the problem source, troubleshoot the vape pen if needed. Ensure the cartridge is securely attached, not empty, and allow the wick to absorb oil if it’s a new fill. Adjust the cartridge’s center pin to touch the vape pen’s threading post.

Make Sure Your Vape Cart Isn’t Clogged

If your cart has airflow but no smoke, the first thing you need to do is make sure that it isn’t clogged. The fact that your cart has airflow doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t clogged because there’s more than one way for a vape cart to clog. You can encounter a situation in which the cartridge’s airflow is perfectly smooth, but the cart produces no vapor because there’s no oil in the wick. This is very likely to be the case if your cartridge produces a harsh and unpleasant flavor when you try to vape.

To get the oil to absorb into your cartridge’s wick, you need to warm the cartridge slightly. You can do that by holding your hands around the cartridge for a few minutes or by sealing the cartridge in a plastic bag and running warm water over it. Some people use low-heat hair dryers to warm their cartridges. You’ll know that it’s working when you begin to see bubbles rise from the cartridge’s wick openings. Learn more about how to unclog a cart.

Try a Different Cartridge

If warming your cart doesn’t make it start working, the next thing that you should do is find out whether the cause of the problem is the cartridge or the vape pen. You can do that by trying a different cart if one is available. If the second cartridge works, the first cart must be the cause of the problem. If neither cart works, there’s something wrong with your vape pen.

Troubleshoot a Problem with Your Vape Pen

If you tried using another cartridge – and it worked – you can skip this section because you already know that there’s nothing wrong with your vape pen. If neither cartridge worked – or you don’t have a second cartridge to try – you’ll need to make sure that your vape pen isn’t the cause of the issue. Follow these four steps to get to the root of the problem.

  • Connect the vape pen to your computer and charge the battery fully.
  • If you have a vape pen with a manual fire button, click the button five times to make sure the vape pen is turned on.
  • If you have a vape pen with a puff-activated firing mechanism, try puffing a little more firmly.
  • Remove the cartridge and see if the vape pen’s threading is dirty. If the threading is dirty, use a cotton swab dampened slightly with alcohol to clean it.

Do you need a little more help? Learn more about how to fix a vape pen that isn’t working.

Tighten the Cartridge Fully

If you used a second cartridge to confirm that your vape pen isn’t the cause of the problem, the next thing that you should do is try using the first cartridge again. It’s possible that the cartridge simply wasn’t fully tightened. Make sure that the cartridge is screwed all the way in, but don’t over-tighten it because that could crack the plastic or glass.

Confirm the Cartridge Isn’t Empty

We’ve all forgotten to refill our vape carts at one time or another – so if your cart has airflow but no smoke, you should definitely doublecheck to make sure that it still has oil in it. If the cartridge is empty, it’ll stop producing vapor. If you’re using a disposable cartridge instead of a refillable one, refilling the cart obviously isn’t an option. If there’s still a little oil in the cartridge, you can try placing the cart on its side to encourage the last few drops of oil to soak into the wick.

Allow Time for the Cartridge’s Wick to Saturate

If you’re using a cartridge that you’ve just filled for the first time, it’s important to make sure that you’ve given the wick enough time to fully absorb the oil from the cartridge’s reservoir. Although the CCELL® ceramic coil is extremely effective when it comes to absorbing thick oils, you still have to wait a little while after filling a new cartridge for the first time. After filling a new cartridge, we suggest waiting about a half hour before vaping. Learn more about how to prime and fill a CCELL® cartridge.

Check the Cartridge’s Center Pin

If you’ve tried all of the tips in this article and still aren’t having any luck getting your cartridge to produce vapor, it’s possible that the cartridge isn’t working because it doesn’t have a good electrical connection with your vape pen. In the center of your vape pen’s threading, there is a metal post that transmits power through a pin at the bottom of the cartridge.

Occasionally, you may encounter a cartridge with a center pin that doesn’t extend from the bottom of the cartridge, so it can’t touch the post in your vape pen’s threading. When this happens, it’s sometimes possible to fix the problem by pulling the pin. Using a pair of needle-nose pliers, grasp the pin at the bottom of the cartridge and wiggle it gently. If the pin moves at all, try vaping again. If the cartridge wasn’t working because it didn’t touch the post in the middle of your vape pen’s threading, the issue should now be resolved.

Cart Has Airflow but No Smoke? There’s Usually an Easy Fix

As you’ve learned from reading this article, fixing a cartridge that has airflow but no smoke isn’t usually too difficult. In most cases, there’s nothing wrong with the cartridge or with your vape pen, and the problem is usually easy to fix once you’ve isolated the root cause. Let’s recap what we’ve discussed.

  • Check for a clog that’s preventing the oil from flowing into the cart’s wick.
  • Try a different cartridge to determine whether the problem is the cart or your vape pen.
  • If your vape pen doesn’t work with either cartridge, troubleshoot the vape pen.
  • If you’ve confirmed that the cartridge is the cause of the problem, reattach the cartridge and make sure that it’s fully tightened.
  • Make sure that the cartridge isn’t empty.
  • If you’ve just filled a new cartridge for the first time, give the wick ample time to absorb the oil.
  • Pull the cartridge’s center pin slightly to make sure that it touches the post in your vape pen’s threading.