Spit Back – What is it in Vaping?

Definition

Spit Back is the unintended ejection of hot e-liquid droplets from a vapetank or dripper into the user’s mouth during inhalation. Occurring when excess liquid pools on the coil and flashes into vapour too quickly, these tiny “spits” can taste harsh and reduce flavour quality. While not dangerous, it signals an imbalance in wicking, power or airflow and is a common nuisance for users of both Sub-Ohm tanks and Starter Kit devices.

Technical Details

Mechanism & Measurements

Spit back happens when the coil temperature exceeds the boiling point of the saturated e-liquid (≈ 150–200 °C on Sub-Ohm builds). Excess juice collects in the wicking ports or on the coil surface; rapid heating causes micro-explosions that launch droplets up the chimney. Key factors include:

• Wattage mismatch: 20–30 W over the coil rating doubles the risk.
• Poor wicking density:Cotton packed too loosely allows flooding.
• Airflow: High-velocity intakes (≥ 100 L/min) can pull liquid before it vaporises.

Variations: “Gurgle-Spit” in Squonk Mod over-squonking, “Cold Spit” in high-PG liquids with low mass coils.

Usage & Tips

Preventing Spit Back

• Prime coils correctly: 3–5 drops on wick, then 5-minute steeping time.
• Use wattage within coil rating; increase in 5 W increments until vapour is smooth.
• Install a spit-back guard or anti-spit DripTip“>drip tip; curved inner walls deflect droplets.
• Check for short-circuit protection alerts that may cause uneven firing.

Safety: Spit-back liquid can reach 70 °C—spit, don’t swallow. Persistent issues may indicate coil degradation; replace within 7–14 days for consistent performance.

History & Context

Spit back became prominent around 2014 with the rise of Sub-Ohmcloud chasing. Early RDA users noticed the phenomenon when pushing 50 W+ on clapton coils. The industry responded with anti-spit mesh screens in 2016 and redesigned chimney geometry in 2018, reducing incidents by an estimated 60 % in modern tanks.