Having your disposable vape give up unexpectedly is annoying as it is. But, at Blackout Vapors, we often have users contacting us with the question – why is my Puff Bar blinking? There can be any number of reasons why that’s happening. For starters, know that electronic devices sometimes do that either because of a manufacturing defect. Or, maybe, errors in using them. Of course, the most common reason would be that the battery has died and/or the disposable has run out of e-juice. Here’s some added information you might find interesting.
What exactly is the light doing?
Most disposables have an indicator light that tells you that the device is in use. This light could turn red to indicate that the battery is running low on power. Or, it could blink, which is typically another sign that the battery is dying out. Chances are that the disposable does not respond when you inhale or take a hit. Disposables are designed and calibrated so that the battery lasts for a somewhat longer time than the e-juice. So, if you see the disposable Puff Bar blinking, expect that the charge has died out. While you can learn how to recharge a disposable vape, don’t expect any significant results. The disposable is meant to be discarded after a time.
Well, you could get some more use out of it.
If you check the label on the device, it will tell you that the device should last you up to 200 puffs. While that is technically true, how you use the vape can also affect the usage you get out of it. For instance, if you inhale deeply, the coil will remain lighted for a longer time. You’ll consume more power to keep the coil heated. In that case, the battery is likely to die quickly. Taking shorter hits and letting the battery rest in between sessions will make it last longer.
For now, if you notice the Puff Bar blinking, set it aside for a few hours. You might be able to get a few more draws out of it. But, that’s not a given. Getting a new one is a better thing to do.
Shorter sessions allow the wick to absorb e-liquid.
When you take a hit, the coil heats and vaporizes the e-juice. Continuous hits dry out the wick and do not give it enough time to soak up more e-liquid. If your device isn’t blinking but does not release clouds either, you might want to set it aside for a while. Once the cotton or fiber wick hydrates, your pen could start functioning again. Many brands carry a small window on the pen’s side that allows you to monitor the e-juice quantity. Keep an eye on the level, so you know when it’s time to get a new vape pen.
Try shaking out the bubbles in the tank.
Here’s another scenario. You can see that there’s enough e-juice in the tank and the disposable Puff Bar’s blinking or does not deliver clouds. Oftentimes, air bubbles in the tank interfere with e-liquid absorption. If that happens, tap the pen gently on a surface to release the air. Give it another minute and resume vaping.
Improper airflow and sensors can take away from your vaping experience.
If the Hyde Vape does not activate, try blocking the air vents partially or entirely with your finger. For one, you’ll prevent cold air from entering the vape, so it heats up more efficiently and starts functioning. Or, the pressure helps improve airflow and dries up the condensation buildup on the sensor. You might just get the device working again. Also, lookout for a burned taste and smell, which is another indication of the cotton wick being too dry and singeing.
Check if the device starts blinking after some use.
Think back at your vaping session. Did the device start blinking as soon as you took the first draw? Or, was the Puff Bar blinking after a few deep hits? If you’ve been taking long hits, that probably means that the vape is overheating. Set it aside and let it cool before trying again. Moving forward, take shorter hits and breaks in between each session.
Your device circuit might have shorted.
Manufacturers typically add circuit protectors to ensure that the disposable does not short. However, there’s always a possibility of short circuits. If you see the blue light at the bottom continually blinking, it’s best to discard it and get another.
What if a new disposable does not activate?
Although disposable vapes do have quality control measures, there can be instances when a new device does not activate. A faulty assembly could be the cause, and you can try examining the internal setup. Pry open the mouthpiece and check the cotton inside. If the wick is bunched up and blocking the e-juice opening, your vape may not work at all. Use a pair of tweezers to realign the cotton, so it soaks up enough e-liquid.
If the cotton does not seem to be the problem, remove it, and examine the opening in the center. If you spot any blockage, use a toothpick to dislodge it. Replace the cotton and mouthpiece and try again.
How you use the disposable can affect how well it performs.
To get the best functionality out of your vape and prevent running out of battery too soon, remember that the device has a simple circuit without any temperature control. Use it with care using precautions like shorter draws. Too much pressure has another downside. You could suck up the e-liquid instead of clouds. Now that’s an unpleasant experience. Or, the e-juice might start dripping out of the air vents.
If you need more information about your Puff Bar blinking, contact us at Blackout Vapors. Chat with our consultants, they’ll help you figure out the problem, and get it to last a good while.
Vape Pens will blink for a variety of reasons from dead batteries and severed connections, to a coil needing to be connected, replaced and so much more. And there is no universal blinking formula that you can look at to find out what is happening when a vaporizer starts blinking this or that color, this or that many times. To further complicate things, many vapes have more than one light that blinks – for example, a light behind the power button and a light below the button.
If you are experiencing a Vape Pen Battery blinking one way or another, the message you are getting depends on the exact vape you are dealing with. 3 blinks with one vaporizer can be a very different message from another. Ultimately it is best for you to consult the user manual that came with the vaporizer you purchased.
There are many vape pens that will blink a few times after they have been turned on to indicate they have been turned on, but other times, blinking will often mean there is a problem, whether you simply need to attach a coil, charge a battery, replace a coil or something else, each vape is different. Continue onto our Blinking Guide for Vapes where we list out popular vaporizers and why they blink.
A wide variety of vape pen lights will blink 3 times. There are a few possible reasons for which this can occur. Sometimes the light will blink 3 times after the after turning the vape power on or right before shutting it down. And just like pressing the power button 5 times quickly to turn the vape on or off, often when you change the voltage or temperature setting the light will blink to indicate it has been changed. Blinking 3 times can also mean that there is a short circuit or connection issue between the vape battery and vape cartridge – this typically is evidence of a vape cartridge that is burnt out or no longer working.
Vape Pen Blinking 10 Times
If a vape pen is blinking 10 times it is very likely that the PCB chip, aka the brain of the vape is telling you that the battery is dead. Eventually there will not be enough power to even see this sequence of blinking, but if you happen to come across the 10 blinks, it is time to get a new vape.
Vape Pen Blinking Guide – Find your Vape Pen Below
Is a vape pen blinking 3 times, 4 or maybe even 10 times? Vaporizers can’t talk to us, so engineers have designed the chips that operate them to communicate with us via blinking lights. With all of the different vaporizers in the market, there is no universal blinking light language. Consult the user manual and find out about your vaporizer for best instructions. However, if not possible, and for your convenience, we have compiled some popular vapes below and why they may blink this or that many times.
Yocan Evolve
Blinks 3 times for short circuit/connection issues.
Blinks 8 times if you have held the power button for too long, aka 10 seconds or longer. This is an auto-shutoff feature to help preserve the integrity of the battery and vape coil.
Yocan Evolve Plus
Blinks 4 times for short circuit and connection issues between the vape battery and coil. This typically means your coil is no longer working and needs to be replaced.
Blinks 3 times if you have held the power button for too long, aka 15 seconds or longer. This is an auto-shutoff feature to help preserve the integrity of the battery and vape coil.
Yocan Evolve Plus XL
Blinks 4 times for short circuit and connection issues between the vape battery and coil. This typically means your coil is no longer working and needs to be replaced.
Blinks 8 times if you have held the power button for too long, aka 10 seconds or longer. This is an auto-shutoff feature to help preserve the integrity of the battery and vape coil.
Why is my Vape Pen Blinking Blue or Other colors
If your Vape Pen is blinking a certain color when you try to operate it, the number of blinks is what you want to pay attention to and you can reference the user manual or use our Vape Blinking Guide above to find your vape. The number of blinks can mean a variety of things, including issues with a battery, coil or something else. The light color on the other hand, is typically used to indicate the current temperature or voltage setting of a vape.
The colors of the lights on your vaporizer and what those colors stand for are determined by how the vape’s PCB chip was programmed – the PCB chip is the brain of the vape and they can be created to show all sorts of colors or number of blinks. Most of the time, the PCB chips are made with 2 or 3 colors, but sometimes there can be 4 or 5. The color of the light more often than not, related to a temperature or voltage setting that the vaporizer is currently set to – this is common with vapes that do not have a display screen because you need some way to know whether you are at a low or high setting.
As we said above, the exact meaning of the light color and blinking sequence will vary from vape to vape. It is always best to consult the user manual to know exactly what is going on with the vape. A good rule of thumb is that the light color is likely an indicator for heat or voltage setting. And the number of blinks is usually an indicator of something else, like a battery in need of a charge, a burnt-out coil, or anything a manufacturer wants to program into the PCB chip.
The Titan Dry Herb Vaporizer is a good example of a vape without a display screen or a turn-dial to indicate which heat setting the vape is set at. It is also a good example of a vape that has two sets of display lights – one light behind the power button, and one light below the power button. The light below the power button indicates the current temperature setting and as you cycle through each setting, the light will change from color to color. The light behind the power button on the other hand, when it is Red, indicates that the Titan vape is currently heating up to the temperature setting you have chosen. And once that temperature setting is reached, the light behind the power button will turn green.
Why does my Vape Pen Blink when Charging
Ultimately it depends on the vaporizer in question so you should always consult the user manual first. If the vape is continuously blinking when it is placed on the charger, then it is likely that the vape blinks to show that it is charging. And when completely charged, that blinking usually stops or stays constant.
If the vape battery only blinks for a few times and stops when you put it onto the charger, it can mean a variety of things. For example, sometimes a vape may blink a few times to indicate that the battery is properly connected and charging.
If after two hours the vape battery is still at zero power, then the few blinks were not to tell you the battery is connected properly, but rather that there is some sort of issue. The issue may be a variety of things with either the battery or the charger, and like before, this issue is highly contingent on the exact vape pen in question.
Disposable Vape Pen Blinking
As with standard vapes, disposable vape pens also blink for a variety of reasons. There are disposable vape pens that blink a certain way or color to indicate a short-circuit, battery failure or something else. But also keep in mind that disposable vape pens die far more quickly than standard vaporizers, so if you see a blinking light, it may be time to put the name to work and dispose of the now-useless vape.
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