Modern vapes are designed with the idea of convenience, ease of use, reliability, and extreme safety in mind, but even so, occasionally problems can occur.
For example, when a vape starts to perform what is known as auto-firing, we answer this question in this article to provide you with all the information you need on the subject: Why does a vape continue to fire after I stop using it?
What is Vape Auto-firing?
Let’s start at the beginning so we all know what we’re talking about.
Vapes are designed to release vapor when you smoke, which can be activated by pressing a button or simply vaping – but when you’re not smoking, nothing happens.
However, sometimes, if the vape is defective, it can release vapor even when you’re not smoking, causing it to “go off” in your hand, pocket, or even stored in a drawer or elsewhere – obviously, this is not an ideal situation.
When this happens, it’s known as auto-ignition, which was a relatively common phenomenon in the early days of vape development, as the technology involved was still in its infancy and quite immature.
Today, modern vapes have come a long way and so has the technology. Fortunately, automatic ignition is not as common anymore.
Nonetheless, it can still happen in some cases, so now let’s discuss the causes of automatic vape ignition and what you can do about it.
What Causes Electronic Cigarettes to Auto Ignite?
There are several reasons why vapes ignite automatically. While modern vapes are designed to minimize risk, it can still happen. Here are some of the most common causes:
1. Dust or dirt inside the vape
If there is dust or dirt inside your vape, it can lead to faulty connections or other malfunctions, which can lead to a range of problems, sometimes including auto-ignition.
2. Residue or condensation
Similarly, if vape residue builds up inside your vape, it can also cause connection faults and other problems, as well as auto-ignition.
The same can happen with water vapor that condenses in the vape liquid. vapes should be constructed to minimize this possibility, so if this happens, it means that another component in the vape is also faulty.
3. Poor connection of the cartridge to the mouthpiece
Dust, dirt, residue, or condensation can cause connection failures, but connection failures can also occur for other reasons such as damage. – Any type of connection failure can lead to spontaneous combustion.
4. Damage
Another possible cause of auto-ignition is overall damage to the vape. For example, if you drop it and damage one of the parts, this could cause the vape to auto-ignite.
5. Worn coils
If the coil is old and worn out, that might be the culprit you’re looking for.
6. Chip malfunction
When you smoke with a vape, the vape is controlled by a chip. If the chip is malfunctioning or damaged, it may cause the vape to become unstable, including automatic ignition.
7. Extreme heat or cold
Exposing the vape to extremely high temperatures (for example, placing it in direct sunlight on a hot day) may cause an auto-fire.
The same may happen at extremely low temperatures, but it is highly unlikely.
8. Poor construction quality
Despite the high quality of most modern vapes, unfortunately, there are still some manufacturers who produce substandard products.
That said, if you buy a poorly designed or assembled product of inferior quality, – or even a counterfeit – you may still find that it will ignite automatically.
Which types of vapes are most likely to self-ignite?
While it is theoretically possible for any type of vape to self-ignite, certain types of vapes are more prone to this than others.
Generally speaking, modern mods are the most expensive, high-quality devices and the technology has advanced to this point, vapes are the least likely to have this problem.
Another reason is that these vapes are unlikely to self-ignite because they usually require you to press a button to activate the vape device. If you don’t press the button, they won’t produce vapor, so it’s hard for them to auto-ignite unless there’s a major problem.
However, modern pod vapes are easier to auto-ignite because they often use a system that activates when you take a bite. There are no buttons to push, and while this system may be more convenient, it is more likely to malfunction.
Also, this is usually not the case with most high-quality disposable vapes.
This is because, while they use an automatic activation system when you take a puff, they are usually emptied and discarded before a problem arises without the need to press a button.
Nonetheless, some disposable vapes are designed to last much longer than regular disposable vapes.
Why do automatic vape ignition problems occur?
While it’s clear that auto-igniting vapes is undesirable, it’s worth clarifying why you don’t want this to happen.
First, if a vape starts to auto-light or produce vapor unpredictably, it could cause the vapor to overheat, which could cause you to burn your mouth or throat when you inhale the vape.
Automatic ignition can also cause the vape to heat up if you keep it in your pocket, which can lead to leg burns.
Eventually, auto-ignited vapes can even catch fire or explode, which can cause serious burns if this happens while carrying. When left unattended, vapes can cause fires when left on a table or in a drawer.
How can I prevent vapes from automatically igniting?
As we’ve seen, the likelihood of a modern vape igniting automatically is very low. But what do you do if it happens?
The first thing you need to do is turn it off and turn off all the power. Next, after it has cooled down completely, you can inspect it and see if you find any problems.
Check inside for dirt, dust, residue, leaks, condensation, or any other obvious cause of the problem. If this seems to be the source of the problem, simply cleaning the vape will solve the problem.
Next, check the coils to see if they need to be replaced. This is another obvious quick fix if you notice that the coils no longer look their best.
After that, check the connections for problems. Depending on what you find, this may be something you can fix on your own, or you may need to take it to a vape store to have a professional look at it.
If it auto-ignites when left in the sun, let it cool down and retry carefully. Be careful, but it may return to normal function when it returns to a more normal operating temperature.
If you can’t find an obvious problem, it may be due to a faulty chip or some other issue, in which case.
What About Disposable Vape Auto-Fire?
On the other hand, if you have an auto-fire disposable weapon, there is very little you can do about it because they are not designed to be detachable weapons, so you can’t fix them.
In that case, all you can do is discard it and buy another one.
How to prevent vapes from auto-igniting in the first place?
Although vapes that auto-ignite are becoming less common nowadays. The problem can still happen, so you need to do everything you can to prevent it from happening.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that your vape is kept clean and adequately maintained. Regularly check for dust or dirt buildup in your vape and make sure there is no residue in your vape.
If you find any residue, make sure you remove it as soon as possible.
Be careful with your vape and try not to drop it. Some vapes are particularly durable, but even so, you should avoid throwing them into a table or drawer, just as you would with your smartphone or any other electronic device.
Ultimately, avoid using vapes in direct sunlight or extreme temperatures because, as we’ve seen, this can also be the reason why vapes start to auto-ignite.
Luckily, this problem is not common in modern vapes
Fortunately, auto-fire is now no longer a common problem and most people don’t have to worry about it.
However, if this problem does occur in your vape, you should now be able to find out why this is the case and what can be done about it with the details in this article.
