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MTL, RDL or DL: Which Draw Style Suits You?
MTL, RDL or DL: ohm, watts, airflow, e-liquid and nicotine strength compared by draw style, and which pod system or tank suits your draw.
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Pod Tastes Burnt: Causes and What Helps
A burnt taste arises when the cotton in the coil has too little e-liquid and is heated dry. Usually the pod is almost empty, freshly filled, overloaded or the coil is used up. Scorched cotton does not recover: you replace the pod or the coil.
In this article11 chapters
- Why does a pod taste burnt?
- Causes at a glance
- Empty or almost empty pod
- New pod: wait five to ten minutes
- How many watts can the pod take?
- Which e-liquid suits the pod?
- Pods and coils in pictures
- When is the coil used up?
- Burnt, scratchy or no flavour?
- What applies to prefilled pods?
- Frequently asked questions
Why does a pod taste burnt?
In the coil, also called the vaporiser head, there is a heating wire or a fine metal grid (mesh), surrounded by cotton. The cotton draws up e-liquid, and the wire vaporises it. If less e-liquid flows in than is vaporised, the wire glows on dry cotton. That is the dry hit: it tastes burnt and scratches your throat.
Once the cotton has been scorched, the taste stays. Then only a new pod or a new coil helps.
Causes at a glance
The table shows the common triggers, how to recognise them and what to do about them.
| Cause | How to recognise it | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Pod empty or almost empty | E-liquid level at the window below the coil's openings, less vapour | Refill before the level drops that far; replace a prefilled pod |
| New pod used immediately | Burnt already on the first puffs | Wait five to ten minutes after filling |
| Chain vaping | Flavour turns after several long puffs in a row | Pause for 15 to 30 seconds between puffs |
| Power too high | Wattage is above the range stated on the pod or coil | Start at the lower end of the range |
| E-liquid too thick | E-liquid with a lot of VG in a small MTL pod with narrow e-liquid openings | Use e-liquid with 50 per cent PG and 50 per cent VG |
| Coil used up | Dark e-liquid, flat flavour, less vapour | Replace the coil or pod |
Empty or almost empty pod
At the bottom of the coil there are small openings through which the e-liquid reaches the cotton. If the level falls below them, the cotton runs dry. So refill a refillable pod when about a quarter is still left. With a prefilled pod, you change it as soon as the contents are used up; refilling is not intended.
Hold the device upright when drawing. That way the remaining e-liquid stays at the openings.
New pod: wait five to ten minutes
Fresh cotton is dry. After the first filling, it takes a few minutes until it is fully soaked. If you draw straight away, you scorch the cotton, and the pod tastes burnt from the start. Let a newly filled pod stand upright for five to ten minutes.
With a replaceable coil, you put a few drops of e-liquid onto the cotton in the side openings before inserting it. This is called priming the coil. Afterwards you fill the pod and wait all the same.
How many watts can the pod take?
Every coil is built for a power range. The resistance in ohms and usually also the range in watts are printed on the pod or the coil. The resistance alone does not determine the wattage: the coil design and the specific model approval count as well. If the setting is above it, more e-liquid is vaporised than the cotton can supply.
| Specific pod | Intended power | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| XROS Mesh Pod 1.2 ohm, 2 ml | 10 watts | This XROS pod only; not a specification for other coil series |
| XROS Mesh Pod 1.0 ohm, 2 ml | 12 watts | This XROS pod only; not a specification for other coil series |
| XROS Mesh Pod 0.8 ohm, 2 ml | 16 watts | This XROS pod only; not a specification for other coil series |
| XROS Mesh Pod 0.6 ohm, 2 ml | 21 watts | This XROS pod only; not a specification for other coil series |
These model examples do not apply to Caliburn, Luxe X or other pods with the same resistance. For your pod, the printed range or the instructions for the specific model count.
Start at the lower end and go up in small steps until flavour and vapour are right. Devices without a wattage setting regulate the power themselves; here only the right pod counts. What MTL and RDL mean is explained in the article MTL, DTL and RDL.
Many long puffs directly in a row also dry out the cotton. Give it 15 to 30 seconds between puffs.
Which e-liquid suits the pod?
PG is thinner than VG. Many small MTL pods with narrow e-liquid openings work with 50 per cent PG and 50 per cent VG. With these pods, a high VG share can slow the wicking. More powerful RDL pods often have larger e-liquid openings: there, a mix with 70 per cent VG can also suit, if it is intended for the specific pod.
Read the PG/VG ratio on the bottle: nicotine salt and a 10-ml bottle do not determine the mixing ratio. You will find them under e-liquids. When it is cold, every e-liquid gets thicker: let a device from the car or a jacket pocket warm up first.
Window
On the transparent pod you can see the e-liquid level.
Coil in the pod
At the bottom of the coil are the openings for the e-liquid.
Watts and ohms on the display
The power must match the pod's resistance.
Pods with a fixed coil
When the coil is at its end, you replace the whole pod.
When is the coil used up?
A coil is a wearing part and usually lasts one to three weeks, depending on use. Residue from the e-liquid builds up on the wire and cotton, faster with very sweet flavours. The flavour turns flat, the e-liquid in the pod darker, the vapour less. When it starts tasting acrid, the coil is at its end.
With pods with a fixed coil, you replace the whole pod; with replaceable coils, only the coil: pods with vaporiser and vaporiser coils.
Burnt, scratchy or no flavour?
Not everything that tastes unpleasant is a burnt coil. You tell the fault patterns apart by these signs.
| How it tastes or sounds | Cause | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Burnt, harsh, on every puff | Cotton scorched | Replace the pod or coil |
| Scratches the throat, flavour is normal | Nicotine strength too high or power too high | Use a lower strength, reduce the watts |
| Hardly any flavour, vapour normal | Taste buds used to one flavour | Drink water, change flavour |
| Gurgling, e-liquid in the mouth | Too much e-liquid in the coil or condensation in the air channel | Take the pod off, wipe the contacts and mouthpiece dry, draw more gently |
| Musty, dull, dark e-liquid | Coil used up | Replace the pod or coil |
What applies to prefilled pods?
You do not refill prefilled pods. If such a pod tastes burnt, it is empty or the cotton is scorched. In both cases you insert a new pod; the device with the battery stays.
If even the first puff from a new pod tastes burnt, the cotton may not yet be fully moistened; a defective pod is also possible. So let a freshly inserted pod stand upright for a few minutes and do not draw it down to the last drop. The selection is under prefilled pods; the difference from refillable systems is explained in the article Prefilled or open pod.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my vape taste burnt?
The cotton in the coil has been heated without enough e-liquid. Common reasons are an almost empty pod, a freshly filled pod without waiting time, too many watts or a used-up coil.
Does the burnt taste go away again?
No. Scorched cotton gives off the taste permanently. You replace the pod or the coil.
How long should a newly filled pod stand?
Five to ten minutes, upright. During this time the cotton soaks up e-liquid.
How long does a pod or coil last?
Usually one to three weeks, depending on use. Very sweet e-liquids clog the coil faster.
Which e-liquid should I use for a pod system?
For many small MTL pods, 50 per cent PG and 50 per cent VG suits. With suitable RDL pods, 70 per cent VG can also suit. What matters are the e-liquid openings and the specifications for your specific pod.
Can I refill a prefilled pod if it tastes burnt?
No. You do not refill prefilled pods. Insert a new pod.
About the author
Philip
Vape veteran
For this article
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