How to Fix a Disposable CBD Vape

Disposable vapes are undeniably convenient, and filling a disposable with CBD extract is an entirely sensible way to offer this cannabinoid for inhalation. Anyone who has used disposables, however, knows that these vapes have their fair share of inherent issues — many of which can easily be overcome by following a few simple steps.

In this guide, learn the five main reasons CBD disposables might stop working, and discover easy fixes for each. Then, absorb more info that might be useful when your disposable CBD vapes start acting up.

What are disposable CBD vapes?

A disposable CBD vape is a disposable vape pen with a tank full of CBD-rich hemp extract. Disposable vapes are among the easiest inhalable CBD products to use: Simply placing the mouthpiece-end of the vape in your mouth and inhaling is all that’s required in most cases.

Despite their ease of use, CBD disposables are nonetheless susceptible to clogs, user error, and mechanical breakdown. Manufactured and used correctly, disposable CBD vapes can offer the potent benefits of CBD more potently and straightforwardly than any other product type.

What do disposable CBD vapes do?

Without needing to attach a cartridge or (usually) fiddle with a charger, high-quality disposable CBD vapes deliver potent clouds of CBD vapor directly into your lungs. CBD disposables usually don’t have any buttons, but they often feature indicator lights that turn on when the coil activates. Disposable CBD vapes offer near-instant effects that last around 30-60 minutes, and an average 1g disposable contains around 100 hits of CBD vapor.

How do you fix a CBD disposable vape that won’t hit?

The most common reason a disposable vape won’t hit is that its airway has become clogged with CBD extract. Ironically, the more purified CBD extract is, the more likely it is to leave residue behind in airways that gradually leads to a clog. It’s also possible for vapes to leave the manufacturing floor clogged.

There are lots of reasons your CBD vape might not be hitting, though. Assuming the problem lies in a clogged airway might lead you to take the wrong type of action for the situation, so make sure to assess your disposable’s issue properly before proceeding.

Why isn’t my CBD disposable hitting?

There are five relatively common reasons CBD disposable vapes stop hitting. We’ll cover each scenario below and provide fixes for all 5 eventualities:

1. Clogged air passageway

A clogged airway is the most common reason a CBD disposable might go haywire. Thankfully, there are a few different ways to resolve this issue, and they all involve the application of heat. Whichever method you use, just keep in mind that you’re trying to slowly and gently heat the oil in the airway, allowing it to become liquid and return to the tank without causing the entire cartridge to leak.

How to fix it:

• Some users recommend holding the disposable by the base and heating it with a hair dryer. This method certainly works, but it’s tedious.
• Another option is putting your disposable up against a heat source like a radial heater. This option requires close monitoring, though, to avoid overheating your oil or melting the disposable’s plastic housing.
• As a third option, you can prop up your CBD disposable and place it in your oven at the lowest heat possible. Make sure to place a surface under the pen to catch any oil that might leak out.

NOTE: It’s common for clogs to recur in disposable vapes. Some users resort to simply heating cloggy disposables for a few minutes before hitting them simply for convenience.

2. Dead battery

Disposables are, well, disposable. That means their batteries are designed to eventually be depleted and replaced. If your CBD disposable still won’t hit even though you’re sure a clog isn’t the issue (i.e. air is passing effectively through the disposable), a dead battery should be the next issue you check for.

How to fix it:

• Some disposables have batteries that can’t be recharged. If your CBD disposable doesn’t have a charging port, this is the end of your journey together.
• If your disposable does have a charging port, simply find a matching port (usually microUSB), and plug it into a powered receptacle. A light should come on somewhere on the disposable to indicate that it is charging.
• For CBD disposables that can be recharged, it’s recommended to keep them as close as possible to full charge for the best results.

3. Empty tank

There’s no clog, and your CBD disposable’s battery is full — or close enough. Could it be the case that your disposable’s tank has simply been depleted due to natural use?

How to fix it:

• Most CBD disposables have viewing windows on the side that allow you to see how much extract is left in the tank. If there is no visible extract or the coil is completely exposed, your disposable is empty or close to it.
• CBD disposables are not designed to be refilled, and doing so could waste good extract. If your disposable’s tank is empty, it’s time to move on to the next one.

4. Faulty coil

The tank is full (or close enough to it), and you’re sure none of the other problems are plaguing you. In that case, we’re sorry to say that the most likely culprit is your coil, which is entirely impossible to replace in a CBD disposable.

How to fix it:

• If the coil inside your CBD disposable is broken or faulty, there usually won’t be any visual indication.
• Instead, you’ll simply be forced to assume that the coil is the culprit via process of deduction if no other options make sense.
• Since it would be entirely unreasonable to try to remove and replace the coil inside a full tank of CBD extract, consider a CBD disposable with a faulty coil to be broken beyond any further hope of repair.

5. Physical damage (drops, etc.)

Like any other object, it’s also possible to physically damage a disposable CBD vape. Some forms of damage, such as breaks in the plastic surrounding the battery or mouthpiece, can be overcome. Others, however, indicate that there’s no more hope for your disposable.

How to fix it:

• It usually isn’t possible or desirable to replace physically broken disposable vape hardware. Simply move on to the next unit if your vape is broken beyond repair.

What do you do with a broken CBD disposable?

Especially if there’s still juice in the battery and CBD in the tank, it can be understandably hard to part with a CBD disposable that failed before its time. If you’re truly serious about extracting any possible utility from your broken disposable, there are a few steps you can try.

Remember the oven trick we mentioned earlier? Time to take it into turbo mode. Look at your disposable for small holes on the side near the middle of the pen. That’s where oil will come out as your pen is heated in the oven, so devise some sort of catchment system that also keeps the pen at an angle at which oil will come out of one or both of the holes.

Keeping a close eye on your project, continue heating the disposable until all the oil has run out. Then, allow the extract to cool, and use it for dabbing or topping bowls of CBD flower.

Fixing CBD disposables FAQ

Still stumped on fixing your disposable CBD vape pen? Check the FAQ section below for further tidbits of wisdom:

How do you fix a CBD vape that won’t smoke?

If your CBD vape won’t hit, the most likely culprit is a clog in its airway. Use the hairdryer trick or otherwise gently heat your vape, allowing the oil inside to melt and return to the tank. Other potential issues could be a dead battery, empty tank, or faulty coil.

How do I fix my CBD vape?

Some CBD vapes are easier to fix than others. With CBD vape cartridges, for instance, batteries can never be the problem since it’s possible to simply screw on a new one. CBD disposables, however, can suffer from drained batteries along with the other issues that commonly plague vapes.

How do you fix a clogged CBD pen?

The best way to fix a clogged CBD pen is to gently apply heat until the clog melts and runs down into the tank. Don’t simply heat the pen until you can hit it — make sure the clog has completely melted, or it will come back.

How do you clean a disposable vape?

Any type of sanitizing substance will do for cleaning the surface and mouthpiece of a disposable vape. As far as the interior goes, heat will “clean” any oil that has adhered to the pen’s airways, and that’s the only type of cleaning you should be doing on the inside of a vape.

How do you make a disposable vape work after it dies?

If your disposable vape’s battery has died but it’s rechargeable, a simple recharge is all you need. You can also remove any leftover extract from the inside of a disposable vape that can’t be recharged by applying heat.