Loading...
Free UK delivery on orders over £30 • Click & Collect available
This website contains products intended for adults only. By entering you confirm you are aged 18 or over.
By entering this site you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Loading...
Bubbling or gurgling almost always means a flooded coil. There is more e-liquid around the heating element than it can vapourise. Air being drawn through the excess liquid creates the bubbling sound. The fix usually takes 30 seconds.
Your coil sits in a small chamber that should hold just enough liquid for the wick to feed the heating element. When too much liquid pools in that chamber, your inhale draws air through the liquid rather than past it. That makes the bubbling or gurgling sound. Often it also leads to spitting droplets and leaking from the airflow holes.
Bubbling is not a sign of a faulty device. It is the device telling you the coil chamber has too much fluid. The fix is mechanical and quick.
01
Chain vaping
Repeated back-to-back puffs without pause. Liquid keeps flowing toward the coil but does not get vapourised fast enough. The chamber floods.
02
Device stored on its side
Gravity pulls liquid down past the coil and pools it around the heating element. Common after a device has been in a pocket or on a desk.
03
Wattage too low
Coil cannot vapourise as fast as the wick supplies liquid. Excess builds up in the chamber. Increase wattage to the middle of the coil's range.
04
Loose coil seating
Coils that are not fully tightened let liquid bypass the wick and pool around the base. Hand tight, not over-tightened.
05
Worn or wrongly fitted o-rings
The seals between coil and tank prevent liquid from bypassing the wick. Worn rings allow seepage. Check and replace if cracked or torn.
For most bubbling, the fix is quick and mechanical. No tools needed.
Unscrew the tank from the battery
Twist the tank off. Hold it mouthpiece-down over a tissue.
Flick to expel excess liquid
Three or four firm downward flicks. You will see liquid splash onto the tissue from the airflow holes at the base. Stop when nothing more comes out.
Take dry puffs through the mouthpiece
With the tank still detached, take 4 to 6 gentle pulls through the mouthpiece. This draws air through the coil and clears remaining excess liquid.
Wipe the airflow holes
Use a cotton bud or tissue corner to wipe the airflow holes at the base of the tank.
Reattach and test
Screw the tank back on. Take a gentle 2-second pull while firing at your normal wattage. The bubbling should be gone.
A one-off flood is normal. Persistent bubbling within hours of each fix indicates something structural. Work through these checks.
Check the coil seating
Remove and reseat the coil. Make sure it screws or clicks in firmly. Hand tight is enough. Over-tightening can crush the o-rings.
Inspect the o-rings
Look for cracks, splits or missing rings around the coil and tank threading. Wipe clean. Replace any visibly worn rings.
Check the wattage
If you are running below the coil's recommended range, increase it to the middle of the range. Under-firing causes chronic flooding.
Check your e-liquid
Thinner liquid (high PG) wicks faster and floods sub-ohm coils more easily. Try a higher VG mix.
Pre-puff before firing
On cold devices, take one or two gentle dry pulls before pressing fire. This clears any settled liquid from the chimney.
If all else fails, replace the coil
A flooded coil that cannot be cleared may have wick saturation issues. Replace and prime properly.
Most morning bubbling has the same root cause: the device was stored on its side overnight. Liquid pools around the coil. The first puff bubbles because there is too much liquid in the chamber.
Better storage habits
Habits that cause bubbling
Vapes make various sounds. Knowing which is normal and which is a problem helps.
Bubbling is a flooded coil
Air being drawn through excess liquid. Quick mechanical fix in under a minute.
Storage matters
Most bubbling complaints are from devices stored on their side. Keep upright.
Match wattage to coil
Under-firing causes chronic flooding. Set your device to the middle of the coil's recommended wattage range.
Part of our guide
Plain-English guides to vape kit, e-liquid and common problems for UK vapers.
Back to Consumer Guides