E-cigarette gurgling? Here are the possible causes and how to remedy them.

Causes and remedies for gurgling e-cigs

Modified on: 03/10/2023

Here are the reasons why the electronic cigarette is gurgling and the solutions to this problem

Vaping is a favourite practice for many people, but the moment e-cigs start to bubble, it becomes less enjoyable. One problem e-cigs tend to give often—especially to novice vapers – is that of gurgling during draws.

In the following lines, I will tell you why an e-cigarette can make this annoying noise and how you can remedy it without having to buy a new one.

Electronic cigarette-burst

Noisy electronic cigarette? You can find the answers in the coil.

You know that noise you hear when you are drinking from a can with a straw and, during the last sips, you start to suck in the air because the drink has run out? Unmistakable! There, I am certain that if you have been vaping an electronic cigarette for a short time you have probably experienced pulling from your device and hearing this gurgling sound, perhaps accompanied by a few drops of e-cigarette liquid in your mouth.

Like any self-respecting novice vaper, you will have immediately thought: “But why is my e-cig bubbling?”.

Well, I want to answer you without mincing words: when this problem occurs, the causes are almost always to be found in the atomizer. To be precise, in the heating element. That annoying crackling noise you hear when vaping is caused by the bubbles that form in the liquid when it floods the vaporization chamber and ends up in the air channel.

The crucial point, however, is to understand why the liquid floods the coil. The reasons can be various, and in the next section, I will tell you which are the most common.

Read also: Complex coils: what they are and how to maintain them properly

Why does the atomizer gurgle? These are the causes of coil flooding.

As you will know, the coil is the coil of resistive wire in the atomizer head that heats the cotton impregnated with tobacco, fruity or creamy liquids (in short, those preferred by the vaper on duty). For the vape to be optimal, the liquid mustn’t go beyond the layer of cotton enveloping the coil. If this happens the vaporization chamber is invaded by the liquid, which then ends up in the air channel during vaping.

In a perfectly functioning electronic cigarette, this situation does not arise. But, then, what can trigger flooding of the coil and the resulting gurgling?

A liquid which is too fluid, for example, perhaps unsuitable for your model of electronic cigarette. Or an incorrectly assembled heating element. Often, however, the responsibility lies with an insufficient amount of cotton or its incorrect positioning on the coil. Regarding cotton, you should also be aware that its durability is not eternal; over time, its ability to absorb liquids is exhausted and not replacing it when it is worn out can lead to flooding.

In some cases, however, liquid ends up in the air channel for trivial reasons, such as a refill. When refilling from the top, liquid may pass through the cotton barrier due to the depressurization of the vapour chamber following the opening of the top cap. A few drops of liquid can also end up in the air channel when the device is left upside down for a long time, perhaps in a bag or pocket. And then, of course, the coil may be defective due to a manufacturing error.

In light of these causes, what can you do to remedy this and vape without gurgling and without the risk of hot liquid drops ending up on your tongue? In the next paragraph, I will give you the solutions.

Why the atomiser gurgles

Gurgling e-cigarette: how to get rid of this annoying noise

If the gurgling of your e-cig is caused by the consistency of the liquid, all you have to do to solve the problem is to switch to more viscous liquids. In general, if you have a lung-fuelled e-cig, you should prefer a mixture with a vegetable glycerine content of at least 70%, whereas if you have a cheek-fuelled device, a 50-50 liquid should also be fine.

An e-cig that gurgles due to an incorrectly assembled resistance requires a check on both the fixing system and the positioning of the cotton layer. Check, therefore, that the coil is screwed in tightly, that the tank’s fastening system ensures that the pressure is maintained and that the cotton is accurately positioned on the coil. If this is worn, of course, the problem will persist and the only way you can solve it is to replace it.

If the issue occurs after refilling from the top, likely, your atomizer model does not provide the correct airtightness; in that case, you can unscrew it from the bottom and refill from the bottom. Even in cases where your e-cig remains upside down for a long time, you can limit the damage caused by the presence of liquid in the air channel (including gurgling). All you have to do is wipe the drops in the drip tip with paper towels.

Nothing to do, however, when faced with a factory defect apart from replacing the coil.

Read also: What is flavour chasing and which atomizers you should use for maximum flavour?

In conclusion

In this article, I have tried to help you identify the cause of gurgling in your e-cigarette and have proposed a few solutions. If this problem occurs due to an unsuitable liquid for your atomizer, you should know that on Terpy you can find a wide availability of vaping liquids of various compositions, nicotine percentages and formats.