Have you recently noticed that your vape pen blinks when the cartridge is in? Do you have no idea what this means? Does this worry you? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Since we don’t want you to miss out on what your device is communicating to you, we are going to talk about this in today’s post.
Why is your vape pen blinking when its cartridge is in?
Why does your new vape pen blink when the cartridge is in it?
If your brand-new vape pen blinks when you try to use it, it’s best to send it back to the seller, especially if it’s a disposable pen. This problem is commonly caused by leaking during transportation.
Because of air pressure fluctuations that can occur when your device is being delivered to you, its vape juices can leak into its battery compartment. So when you try to turn it on in this state, its protective features make it blink instead.
As tempting as it may seem to try fixing this issue at home, you can’t. Your best bet is to get a replacement or a refund. However, even this will depend on your seller’s return policy.
If you’ve been using your e-cig for a while and it’s now started blinking whenever you want to use it, it could have any of the following problems:
1. Low battery power
The most common reason for vape pen blinking is a dead battery. Fortunately, you just need to charge your e-cig to solve this problem. This is easy; look for any USB ports on the vape pen and plug it into a charger.
These ports are commonly found at the bottom of your vaping device. Keep in mind that vape pens usually take 45 to 60 minutes to fully charge. If there’s a light that came on when you plugged your device into a charger, it will go off when it’s full.
If a light went off when you plugged it in, it would come on when the device is full. Ultimately, it’s important to understand that different vaping devices have different ways of letting you know that charging is complete.
A fully charged 550mAh battery will last you a few hours before you need to recharge it. A 1000mAh one will last you longer while a 200mAh will last you a shorter time. However, 200mAh vape pens tend to be disposable and may not be able to be recharged anyway.
2. Loose battery
Another reason for blinking could be that your vape pen’s battery is not tightly fitted into its compartment. This problem is common among people who are beginners who struggle with properly attaching vape batteries.
3. Incompatible parts
This could be that you have put the wrong batteries in your e-cig or used incompatible attachments. Incompatible vape cartridges have been particularly known to come with connection issues that can cause blinking in disposable vape pens.
So before you replace any components in your e-cig, read your user manual to see if you’re getting the right thing. Also, you can consult a more experienced vaper.
4. Activation button issues
When a lot of dust or dirt accumulates on your vape pen, it can jam its activation button and cause blinking. You can confirm whether this is the issue with your e-cig by removing its battery and then checking whether the activation button works normally.
Once the issue is confirmed, wipe down the battery, place it properly in its compartment, and tightly shut the door.
5. Damaged battery/short circuit
If none of the issues listed above are causing your vape pen to blink, it could have a deeper issue such as a damaged battery or short circuit. If you suspect this is the case, stop using the device and read its user manual to learn to check for such issues.
However, there’s a chance that none of the fixes you find in your research work and you’ll just have to buy a new one. To avoid such a serious issue, always keep your e-cig in a dry place away from direct sunlight.
After all, both moisture and heat exposure can damage your device. It’s not even advisable to use a hot e-cig; you need to let it cool down first.
Why does your vape pen blink when charging?
Some e-cigarettes naturally blink when charging; that’s just how they’re designed to work. However, this can also be a sign of an issue. For one, it could be a sign that there’s something wrong with your e-cig components.
Alternatively, it could signal that your vape pen isn’t compatible with the outlet or plug that you’re using to charge it.
What does the color of the blinks mean?
Whenever the blinking light of your vape pen has a color, it’s trying to send you a message. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Vape pen blinking green: if this happens when you’re vaping, your device is at least 70% full. If it happens when charging, it’s 100% full and you should unplug it to prevent damage
- Vape pen blinking blue: if this happens when you’re vaping, your device is medium charged (not less than 30%) and you need to start charging it before it’s empty
- Vape pen blinking red: if this happens when you’re vaping the battery charge is below 30%. If it happens during charging it could just be an indicator that the process is going on well
Keep in mind that a solid red, green, or blue light has a different meaning than a blinking one. These solid colors usually indicate what voltage you are using to vape. While a solid red color means you are using 4 volts, a solid blue one means you’re using 3.8 volts.
On the other hand, a solid green color indicates you are using 3.6 volts. This setting is cooler and better for battery life than the other two. You should only use the solid blue setting when you’re vaping with a 510-thread wax atomizer.
What does the number of blinks mean?
3 blinks
When your vape blinks 3 times, it could be experiencing more current than it can handle, putting it at risk for a short circuit. Alternatively, this could mean that there’s a connection problem between the battery and the e-liquid.
If the cartridge is removed and it still blinks thrice, your battery may have a problem.
4 blinks
Your vaporizer may blink 4 times when the resistance of its atomizer coil goes higher than 2.5 ohms or lower than 0.1 ohms. This is a feature designed to deal with low-quality cartridges.
As such, using a different more compatible cart with your device usually solves the problem. Another cause of the 4 blinks is problems with the connector between the tank/pod and battery.
To solve this, you can just wipe the connector points with a cotton swab before reconnecting everything.
5 blinks
This can be a sign of a low battery. Alternatively, it can be an indication of a faulty activation button. To keep such issues from burning out your coils, some vape pens shut down after 8 seconds of this.
10 blinks
The most common reason for this is a low battery. However, low voltage can also cause this. Low voltage is usually a result of connection issues; a common side-effect of dirt build-up. 10 blinks can also be the result of improper charging.
15 blinks
This is a surefire sign of low voltage. Your e-cig will usually start doing this when the voltage gets near 3.3 volts. It will eventually shut down when it gets to that figure.
Why does your e-cig blink when you puff?
If your e-cig blinks when you puff, its battery could be improperly installed. But more commonly, this issue indicates that you have reached the vape pen’s puff time limit. This limit is usually 8 to 10 seconds.
So if you take a puff that lasts longer than that, the timer will cut you off and the e-cig will start blinking. This is a safety feature that protects your device from overheating. After all, long puffs increase heat in the battery and atomizer coil.
As such it’s best to let your vape rest for a bit when it starts flashing 15 or more times; this will help it reset. Alternatively, you can choose to take shorter/fewer puffs.
Conclusion
While it may be tempting to ignore a blinking vape pen, you shouldn’t, even if it stops after a while. Instead, you need to:
- Send it back to the retailer if it’s new
- If you’ve had it for a while, check the color that it’s blinking in, the number of times it’s doing so, and when it’s doing this
- Use the information you’ve gathered to diagnose the problem and come up with a solution; consult your user manual for this
- Take it to a professional repair service if you can’t fix it on your home
- If all else fails, get a replacement
Has your vape pen blinked before and you have managed to solve the issue? Let us know what you did in the comment section below.
