Is your vape pen not charging? Don’t panic. We’re here to help.

Vape pens, although extremely portable and convenient, also tend to have issues when charging or producing vapor, especially when they’re older or made out of budget-friendly materials.

Here, we’ll show you how your vape pen works, where problems can arise, and what to do if your vape pen won’t charge to get it working again. Let’s get started!

Anatomy of a vape pen

Here’s a quick look at what’s inside your vape pen:

• Battery: Although there are some powered by replaceable batteries, your vape pen likely comes with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The battery generates the energy to heat up your atomizer.
• Charging port: Simple plug in port, usually a micro-USB or USB C, although there are some proprietary options too.
• Atomizer: The small heating element that heats up your juice or chamber into airborne droplets to inhale.
• Sensors and buttons: Depending on the vape pen, it’ll have sensors to heat up when detecting a draw, buttons to customize the vaping session, or a combination of both.

With just four main parts, vape pens are simpler than they look like. If you focus on figuring out which one isn’t working, you’ll get your vape pen to charge again.

Fixing your vape pen

Now that we know the parts of a vape pen, let’s get it charging again. Here are a few potential fixes you can try.

Unblock the airflow

One of the most common reasons for a vape pen not working isn’t the lack of charge, but a blockage in the airflow. This happens when users take too long in between cleanups. Each time you’re vaporizing oils and waxy concentrates, you’re leaving behind a small amount of material. This material can quickly build up, especially when using multiple cartridges with the same mouthpiece.

How to fix it: 
Look inside your mouthpiece for any debris. If there is any, remove the mouthpiece from the vaporizer. Then, you can try and remove it with a toothpick or a small cotton swat soaked with isopropyl alcohol. Once your mouthpiece is clean, you can reattach it to your vaporizer and try taking a hit.

Fix the battery connection

If your vape pen is just refusing to turn on, the battery may not be making a connection. This can be due to multiple reasons. If you’re using a vape tank or cartridge, the cartridge itself may be defective and may not be making a connection. Some pods may get dirty, or the vape may have some other debris preventing the battery from connecting.

How to fix it: 
If you’re using a cartridge, try switching it. If the vape pen works with other cartridges, the issue may be just with the one cartridge, not your vape pen.

If you’re using a pod or if the problem doesn’t resolve, check that the round centerpiece from your pod or cartridge is aligning perfectly with the battery. Are you seeing a crook forming? Then you can very gently push the coil back into its position with a toothpick. Wipe off any debris that may be interfering with the connection. Then, try taking a hit or turning on your vape pen.

Replace the battery

Finally, if nothing works, your vape pen may not be charging due to a bad battery. It may have gotten wet, dropped, or simply worn out. Unfortunately, since the battery is usually the main part of your vape pen, replacing it may not be an option.

This tends to be the case with cheap vape pens without any warranty, since the batteries in those tend to die after just a few months of use. High-end vape pens, however, usually come with a battery warranty and, although it can be a hassle, you can get yours fixed then.

How to fix it: 
Look up your warranty card. Most reputable vape pen manufacturers include at least a two-year warranty on their batteries. If you have the warranty card, you can simply fill it out and follow the process to get it replaced.

If you don’t have a warranty card or your battery is no longer covered, you may need to buy a new vape pen.

Need a new vape pen?

Our Staff recommends:

From cheap and simple rechargeable vape pens to dry herb vaporizers/concentrate hybrids, if you’re looking for a vape pen, we have it.

The Rubi vaporizer, for example, comes with a lifetime warranty at a very attractive price, so you don’t have to worry about vaping pens not charging ever again.

Check out our vape pen collection and get a new and better vape pen today!