Flooding – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

Flooding occurs when too much Nicotine“>freebase nicotine or nic-salt e-liquid oversaturates a vapecoil, seeping into the airflow chamber and producing gurgling sounds, spit-back, or weak flavour. It is an operational state—usually unwanted—in which the wicking material cannot vaporise liquid as fast as it is supplied. Flooding is most common in rebuildable tanks and pod systems after refilling via the Port“>fill port, but it can affect any atomiser if the cotton is over-dripped or the wattage is too low.

Technical Details

How It Works

Inside an atomiser, capillary action pulls e-liquid from the tank or fill port into the cotton wick. When the supply exceeds the coil’s vaporisation rate, excess liquid pools in the deck or chimney. This surplus can be measured by the volume of e-liquid that escapes the wick—typically 0.1–0.3 mL in sub-ohm tanks. Flooding is more pronounced with fused clapton coils because their larger surface area holds more juice, and with high-VG liquids (70 %+ VG) that flow more slowly through dense wicks. Variations include “cold flooding” (after overnight storage) and “hot flooding” (during chain-vaping with low wattage).

Usage & Tips

Practical Solutions

  • Fire the device for 1–2 seconds without inhaling to evaporate excess liquid (known as a “purge”).
  • Use a paper towel to blot the coil and chimney if flooding persists.
  • Close airflow before refilling to reduce pressure changes that force juice into the coil.
  • Increase wattage by 5–10 W or switch to a faster-wicking cotton such as KGD for high-VG liquids.
  • Avoid over-priming new coils; 2–3 drops on each cotton window is usually enough.

Safety Note

Spit-back from flooding can deliver concentrated nicotine to the tongue—rinse mouth with water and lower nicotine strength if this occurs frequently.

History & Context

Flooding became a recognised issue in 2012 when bottom-coil clearomisers replaced top-coil designs, improving flavour but exposing users to oversaturation. The rise of rebuildables and exotic wire types like fused clapton coils has kept flooding relevant, prompting manufacturers to add adjustable juice-flow control and larger wicking ports to manage e-liquid saturation more effectively.

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