It’s completely normal for a vape pen to generate some heat during use. The atomizer coil in your vape cart uses heat to vaporize the oil in the cartridge. Some of the heat will dissipate through the battery, and you’ll feel it in your hand when you use the device. If your vape battery ever feels uncomfortably hot when you use or charge it, though, that isn’t normal. An overheating vape pen is something that you need to address immediately because a hot lithium-ion battery is a potential fire risk.
So, how do you address an overheating vape pen? A vape pen can overheat during charging, and it can also overheat during use. In this article, we’ll cover both scenarios and help you to get your vape pen working properly again.
Safety Note: If your vape pen battery ever feels unusually hot – especially if touching the device becomes uncomfortable – you should stop using it or disconnect it from power immediately. Don’t attempt to use or charge the device again until you’ve given it plenty of time to cool down.
Vape Pen Overheats While Charging
One of the most important things to remember when you charge your vape pen is that it’s completely normal for any lithium-ion battery to generate a little heat during charging. If you’ve ever put your hand on your computer or phone while charging it, you probably noticed that it was warm. There’s no reason to be concerned about your vape pen overheating while charging unless the device feels unusually or uncomfortably hot to the touch.
As we mentioned above, the first thing that you should do if your vape pen overheats while charging is disconnect the charging cable immediately and give the device plenty of time to cool down. Next, you should examine the power source that you’re using to charge the device. You should always use your computer to charge a vape pen because many wall chargers – especially chargers for smartphones and tablets – use high-speed charging currents that can potentially cause a vape battery to overheat. Don’t charge your vape pen with a wall charger unless you’re sure that the manufacturer has approved the charger for use with that device.
Vape Pen Overheats During Use
A vape pen usually has an internal chipset with some built-in safety features to help prevent unsafe operation. One of those features is a guard against overheating, which causes the vape pen to cut off – and also causes the light to blink – if the device’s internal temperature exceeds a pre-set limit.
As you try to troubleshoot a vape pen that isn’t working, it’s important to remember that a blinking light on its own doesn’t necessarily mean that your device is overheating. For instance, a vape pen often has a built-in puff limiter to keep the device within a safe temperature range. If your device cuts off and blinks when you take very long puffs, it doesn’t mean that your vape pen is overheating – it means that you’re exceeding the puff time limit. Your vape pen will stop blinking if you take shorter puffs.
Unless your vape pen feels uncomfortably hot when you use it, it’s unlikely that the device is overheating. If your vape pen isn’t working – and the only apparent symptom is that the light is blinking – click the link for troubleshooting advice. If you’re certain that the device is generating an unusual level of heat, though, read on for some tips.
If your vape pen is overheating during use, the first thing to consider is the environment in which you’re using it. A lithium-ion battery works best in a temperature range that you’d find comfortable. You shouldn’t vape in an environment that’s uncomfortably hot, such as in direct sunlight. You also shouldn’t leave your vape pen in an unoccupied car. When a car is parked in direct sunlight, the passenger area increases in temperature very quickly. That’s an unsafe environment for a vape pen. If you leave your vape pen in your car accidentally, don’t use it until you’ve given it plenty of time to cool down.
If your vape pen blinks immediately when you inhale or press the fire button – and the battery feels unusually hot – it’s possible that the device has a short circuit due to a vape cartridge that’s damaged or defective. Try connecting a different cartridge after giving the vape pen plenty of time to cool down.
Vape Pen Overheats After Device Is Damaged
Is your vape pen overheating for no apparent reason, or did you begin to experience problems after the device was damaged? If your vape pen was dropped on a hard surface and is visibly damaged – and the device is now overheating – it’s possible that the device’s battery or electronic components have been damaged. In that case, it’ll probably be necessary to replace the device because there’s no way to repair those components.
If your vape pen has been dropped in water and is now overheating when you try to use it, it’s possible that residual moisture in the device is interfering with the normal transmission of power. In this case, you might be able to fix your vape pen by placing it in a bag or container with some dry rice or desiccant packets for a day or two. If the device works normally after doing that, the desiccant has removed the moisture. If it continues overheating, you’ll need to replace it.
Is Your Vape Pen Still Overheating?
Is your vape pen still overheating even though you’ve tried all of the suggestions in this article? If you’re unable to fix an overheating vape pen – and the device continues to overheat even though you’ve tried a few different cartridges – it’s likely that the vape pen has some damage or defect that you can’t fix.
As we’ve mentioned multiple times during this article, an overheating lithium-ion battery is a serious fire risk. If your vape pen overheats persistently regardless of what you do, you should stop using the device and replace it as soon as possible.