How to fill a vape tank without flooding it, every single time

The central tube running up the middle of your tank is the chimney. Vapour travels up it from the coil to your mouth. If liquid goes down it, it lands straight in the coil, pools there and then escapes through the airflow, often all over your hand.

The other common cause is overfilling. A tank packed to the very top has no air gap, so when you close the cap you push liquid down through the coil under pressure. Again, out it comes through the airflow.

Both are easy to avoid once you know where the chimney is and where the fill line sits. Find them on the diagram first.

Nearly every modern tank fills from the top, through a sliding, hinged or screw-off cap. This method works for all of them and takes about thirty seconds.

Fill slowly. A quick squeeze from a stiff bottle can overshoot the port and splash into the chimney. Many liquid bottles have narrow nozzles designed to fit fill ports, and taking your time with them pays off.

If your tank has a bottom airflow ring, close it before you start. That stops liquid escaping through the airflow while the pressure settles. Open it again once the cap is back on.

If your tank is leaking despite careful filling, where the liquid appears tells you why. Liquid around the airflow usually means flooding. Liquid around the top cap means a seal problem. Liquid at the base threads often means a coil not seated or an O-ring out of place.

Choose the spot below for the most likely fix. If nothing helps, check the coil is the right series for the tank. A coil from the wrong family can sit loosely enough to leak no matter how carefully you fill.

Thin liquid can also be a factor in sub-ohm tanks. A 50/50 in a tank built for 70/30 will seep through big wicking ports, especially when the tank warms in a pocket.

There is a surprising amount of conflicting advice about filling tanks. Some of it comes from older tank designs, and some is simply wrong. Flip the cards to see which is which.

A common one is that you should fill to the very top to get the most from your 2ml. In practice, that last fraction of a millilitre is the reason many tanks leak. A small air gap lets the cap seal without forcing liquid down through the coil.

Another is that leaking means a faulty tank. Most leaks come down to filling technique, a misplaced O-ring or liquid that is too thin for the coil.

These small habits stop most leaks before they start. Run through them next time you refill and you should find your tank stays clean on the outside.

Temperature plays a part too. Liquid expands slightly when warm and the air inside a tank changes pressure on a flight or in a hot car, which can push liquid out. Store your kit upright and avoid leaving it in direct sun.

When you replace glass or seals, use the parts made for your tank. Our spare glass and spare parts sections list them by model.

Filling is one of those skills that becomes automatic after a week. The key points are where to aim and when to stop.

If you are filling a new coil for the first time, remember to prime it before you fill, and wait before your first puff. Our guide to priming a coil covers that step in detail. For pods, the same principles apply, just on a smaller scale, and our pod changing guide walks you through it.

One question to make sure the main rule is clear, because it is the one that prevents the vast majority of leaks.