Rechargeable vapes are some of the most popular vaping devices on the market, and much of that has to do with how economical they are. Unlike with disposable vapes, there’s no need to replace your entire device when it runs out of e-liquid. Instead, you can recharge the battery and simply replace or refill your tank or pod. A rechargeable vape typically lasts many months – whereas a disposable vape only lasts a few days – and that’s better for your wallet and for the environment in the long run.

The one crucial thing about using a rechargeable vape, though, is that you need to know how to charge it safely because lithium-ion batteries store a great deal of power in their tiny packages and can be potentially dangerous if they’re used incorrectly.

This article is your complete guide on how to recharge a vape. In it, we’ll cover:

• How to recharge a vape with a built-in battery
• How to recharge a vape with a removable battery
• How to recharge a disposable vape

You’ll also learn how to handle spare vape batteries safely and what you should do if your vape isn’t charging. Let’s dive in!

Charging Your Vape Safely: Things to Know

Before you recharge a vape for the first time, there are a few basic safety tips that you need to know. We’ll cover those before discussing the charging process in greater detail.

• You should always use your computer’s USB port to recharge your vape. Don’t use a mains adapter because it may have a higher charging amperage than the current for which your vaping device is designed.
• Although most vaping devices have USB ports for charging, a few have proprietary chargers that connect directly to their threading. If your vape has a proprietary charger – and the charger stops working – you should only replace it with an identical charger from the device’s original manufacturer. A generic charger might look the same, but it may not deliver an identical current. If your vape charges through a standard USB cable, it’s okay to use any compatible cable as a replacement.
• If your vape feels extremely hot to the touch or emits a foul odour during charging, stop charging the device immediately and move it to a fireproof location. When the device has cooled completely and is safe to touch, recycle it. Note that it’s completely normal for any battery-powered device to become slightly warm during charging.
• If your vaping device has a removable battery, don’t use the battery if it shows evidence of physical damage such as warping or bulging. Physical deformation is a sign that the battery has internal damage, and you’ll need to recycle it. If a battery has a torn wrapper, you must replace the wrapper or recycle the battery.
• Don’t carry spare vape batteries in your pocket because there’s a high risk of fire if a bare lithium-ion battery touches other metal objects. Use a padded battery carrier when transporting spare batteries.

How to Recharge a Vape with a Built-in Battery

To recharge a vape with a built-in battery, connect the device to your computer’s USB port using the USB cable included in the package. When you do this, the device’s display or indicator light will turn on. If your device has a display, it’ll show the charging status as an image or a percentage. When the display shows that the charging process is complete, you can disconnect your vape and resume using it.

If your vape has an LED to indicate its charging status, one of three things will happen when it’s finished charging.

• The LED will change colour, usually from red to green or white.
• The LED will turn off.
• The LED will change from pulsing to solid.

How to Recharge a Vape with a Removable Battery

If you have a vaping device with a removable battery, you have two options for recharging it. You can either recharge your vape by connecting it to your computer as described above, or you can remove the battery and charge it in an external battery charger. If you want to use an external charger, you’ll need to make sure that the charger is compatible with the type of battery that you’re using – usually 18650 – and with the battery’s chemistry. A charger for standard household rechargeable batteries may not work with a vape battery.

How to Recharge a Disposable Vape

In order to satisfy consumer demand for devices that don’t require such frequent replacement, it’s become increasingly common for disposable vapes to have rechargeable batteries. With a rechargeable battery, a disposable vape can have a much larger supply of e-liquid while still being small and pocketable. If you have a disposable vape with a USB port, you can recharge it by connecting it to your computer as described above. Watch the indicator light to know when the device is done charging.

Vape Isn’t Charging? Here’s What You Should Do

When you connect your vape to your computer, the light or screen should immediately turn on to let you know that the charge cycle has begun. If your vape doesn’t light up – and the battery isn’t fully charged already – a problem exists. Here’s what you should do to troubleshoot the issue.

• Make sure that you’re charging your vape according to the instructions put forth in this article. Remember that you should always charge your device by connecting it to your computer and not to a potentially incompatible mains charger.
• Replace the charging cable. It’s common for USB cables to stretch or fray internally after many months of constant use, and that’s probably what has happened in this case. If you have a vape that isn’t charging, replacing the USB cable will most likely fix the problem.
• Clean your vape’s charging port. If you carry your device in your pocket every day, it’s likely that lint and dust will eventually collect in the charging port – and that can prevent the charging cable from delivering power to the device. Use a toothpick to remove the debris from the charging port.