Off-Gassing – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

Off-gassing is the release of volatile chemical compounds from vape hardware—especially from organic cotton, wire coatings, plastics and adhesives—when they are first heated. In vaping, a brief “dry-burn” or low-power pulsing of a new coil deliberately evaporates factory residues, machining oils and protective films before e-liquid is added. This pre-use burn-off prevents unpleasant flavours and potential respiratory irritants from contaminating the vapour, ensuring a cleaner first puff and extending coil life.

Technical Details

Off-gassing occurs between 160 °C and 300 °C, well below the 400 °C-plus at which e-liquid normally aerosolises. A low-resistance (sub-ohm) coil pulsed at 10–20 W for 2–3 seconds will glow dull-orange, enough to pyrolyse organic residues without oxidising the metal. Temperature-control mods with overheating protection limit the ramp to 250 °C, avoiding excessive wire fatigue. Visible vapour or a faint “new electronics” smell signals successful off-gassing; thick white smoke indicates overheating and should be halted immediately. Variations include cold off-gassing (letting cotton sit in open air for 24 h) and wet off-gassing (briefly firing after a priming drop is added), each favoured by different open-system builders.

Usage & Tips

• Always perform off-gassing on a cleaned, un-wicked coil to avoid burning organic cotton.
• Pulse in a dim room: an even, dull glow from the coil’s centre outward shows uniform heating; hot spots suggest strumming or re-coiling is needed.
• Allow 30–60 s cooling intervals between pulses; continuous firing can anneal wire, lowering resistance and shortening lifespan.
• After off-gassing, rinse the deck under warm water or use isopropyl on a cue tip to remove ash particles, then dry-burn once more at 5 W to confirm cleanliness.
• If your mod’s OLED screen flashes “Temp Protect” during the process, raise the TC baseline or switch to wattage mode temporarily.

History & Industry Context

Early 2010s genesis atomisers often tasted of machine oil until Australian DIY vaders popularised the dry-burn clean. As mesh and ceramic wicks emerged, manufacturers began pre-sterilising coils; nonetheless, off-gassing remains standard practice among rebuildable enthusiasts to guarantee purity and satisfy Australia’s stringent product-safety expectations.