Filling a Pod Correctly: Step by Step Without Leaks

A leaking pod is a nuisance: sticky fingers, liquid in your pocket, a bad taste. Most of the time it is not the device that is to blame, but the way it was filled. With the right technique you fill pods from the SKE Crystal Plus, the ELFX and the like cleanly and without a single drop. Here is how.

What you need

• The right pod for your device.
• Your e-liquid, ideally with a fine or pointed nozzle.
• A piece of kitchen roll to hand, just in case.

Which nicotine strength and flavour suit you is covered in the e-liquid guide. Here it is all about clean filling.

Step by step: filling the pod

1. Take the pod off the device. Never fill while the pod is in the battery, otherwise liquid runs onto the contacts.
2. Find the fill port. Usually on the side, under a rubber flap or a plug. Open it carefully, do not tear it out.
3. Angle the nozzle. Place the liquid bottle against the inner wall of the pod, not into the central channel. The middle shaft is the airway, no liquid belongs in there.
4. Fill slowly. Let it run down the wall so no air bubble forms. Air bubbles later cause gurgling and a weak draw.
5. Stop before the mark. Fill to just below "max", never right to the brim (more on this below).
6. Close the plug again and dab off any excess liquid around the opening.

Priming: so the first puff works properly

On a new pod the wick in the coil is dry. If you draw straight away, it scorches and tastes burnt. Here is how to avoid that:

• Wet it directly: before filling, put a drop or two of liquid onto the visible wick on the coil.
• Keep to the resting time: after filling, let the pod stand for 5 to 10 minutes so the wick soaks through.
• Start gently: the first two or three puffs light and short, then carry on as normal.

If your pod has a fixed built-in coil and scorches after a short time, it is spent. When it is due for a change is explained in the changing the coil guide.

Avoiding overfilling

Filling to the brim achieves nothing and even does harm. The pod needs a small air chamber so the vacuum works when you draw. If it is filled right to the top, it pushes liquid into the air channel, and it gurgles or leaks. So always fill only to just below the mark and leave a little room.

The pressure difference plays a part too: on a plane or up a mountain the air in the pod expands. Before a flight it is better to fill only halfway and to carry the pod upright. More travel tips are covered separately.

Troubleshooting

Pod leaks right after filling? Probably liquid in the central air channel. Shake the pod out over a cloth, dab the outside and the contacts dry.

Gurgling when you draw? Too full or a trapped air bubble. Remove a little liquid, gently tap the pod on a cloth, then try again.

Burnt taste on the first puff? Priming or resting time forgotten. Let the pod stand briefly, draw gently.

Weak draw, little vapour? Check that the pod clicks in properly and the contacts are clean. You will find new pods and containers at Pods & refill containers.

In short

• Always fill the pod outside the device, liquid down the wall, never into the air channel.
• Do not fill to the brim, the air chamber is needed for drawing.
• Prime a new pod and let it rest for 5 to 10 min., otherwise the wick scorches.
• If it gurgles or leaks: shake it out, dry the contacts, try again.

Nicotine (up to 20 mg/ml in many products) is highly addictive. For adults aged 18 and over only. Not medical advice.