How to Fix Check Atomizer/No Atomizer On Your Vape Mod & Pod Vape

It’s the message that no vaper wants to see: the dreaded “Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer”.

All vapers will experience this problem at some point in their journey, and it can happen suddenly and without any apparent cause. Thankfully, while a bit frustrating, this is an easy problem to fix.

“Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” will appear when your vape mod or pod vape isn’t reading your coil correctly. This can be due to the 510 connector not reading properly (where the tank screws onto the mod), the coil not making proper contact inside of the tank, or possibly a short.

Simply put, if your mod can’t read your tank and coil resistance properly, it won’t be able to deliver power and therefore won’t work. In this quick guide you’ll learn how to fix this common annoyance and you’ll be back to vaping in no time!

How to Fix Check Atomizer/No Atomizer with a Vape Tank

1. Try Another Tank/Mod

This is the best way to know if there’s truly a problem. If you have another tank handy, you can try doing a switch. Take the tank off of your current mod and replace it with another tank. If your mod is reading the new tank correctly, it could be a problem with the coil on your other tank. You might also want to clean the contact points on the tank that was giving you the error.

If your mod is still reading “check atomizer” with a new tank, it’s probably a problem with your mod.

You can also see if your tank reads “check atomizer” on another mod. If you put the tank on another mod and it gives you the same error, it’s almost definitely a problem with the contacts on the tank or the coil inside. See our next two tips.

2. Clean Your Contact Points

Over time, dirt, dust, and ejuice can collect in your 510 connector and this can cause your mod to read Check Atomizer/No Atomizer. Start by removing the tank from the mod and inspect the threading where the tank screws in for dirt, dust, or ejuice. Do the same with the 510 connector on your mod.

Clean out the contacts with a paper towel, and screw your tank back onto your mod. Ensure that your tank is on firmly, but take care not to overtighten it. Check to see if this fixes the problem. If not, try our next solution.

3. Check the 510 Pin on your Tank

If the 510 pin on your tank is damaged (where it connects to the mod) then this will cause a “Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” error. This is because your tank isn’t making a proper connection with your mod. Fortunately, sometimes it’s an easy fix.

If you can unscrew the base of your tank then do so. Inside the bottom section of the tank (usually the airflow control ring) there should be a plate. Push this plate down from the inside so that the 510 pin is sticking out again from the bottom of the tank. If it doesn’t push down then you might have to turn the plate to screw it back down.

Reassemble your tank and check to see if this fixes the error.

4. Check the 510 Connector on your Mod

Just like the 510 pin on your tank being damaged, a damaged 510 connector on your mod will also cause a “Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” error for the same reason: the tank isn’t properly connecting to the mod.

Unscrew your tank from your mod and take a look at the 510 connection. If it looks like it’s pushed in too much then this could be the issue. Most 510 connectors are spring loaded and sometimes they can get stuck.

Take a screwdriver and gently push down on the 510 connector inside of the mod. This can help ‘reset’ the pin and allow it to spring back up. But if this doesn’t work there isn’t much else you can do.

You have four options at this point:

• Send it in to the manufacturer if you’re within the warranty period
• Take it to your local shop for help
• Try to fix it yourself and risk damaging the mod even further
• Buy a new mod

5. Reseat Your Coil

Sometimes a check atomizer error can be caused by your coil. If cleaning your contact points didn’t work then you can try reseating your coil. You’ll want to take apart your tank as if you were changing the coil. Unfortunately, this can be a little bit messy and isn’t always convenient to do if you have a considerable amount of ejuice left in your tank.

Once you’ve taken apart your tank, unscrew your coil from the base of the tank. Now, you’ll want to clean the bottom of the coil where it screws into the tank and makes contact. You’ll also want to clean your tanks contact point with the mod as well. Once done, reseat your coil, and reassemble your tank. Check to see if this fixes the “Check Atomizer” error. If your tank still reads the same error after following the previous steps, it might be time for a new coil. If the coil is relatively new then you may have received a dud. It sucks, but it does happen.

How to Fix Check Atomizer/No Atomizer/Atomizer Short with an RDA/RTA/RDTA

If you’re using an RDA and your mod is displaying a “Check Atomizer” or “Atomizer Short” error then you should first follow steps 1-4 from the previous section. If that doesn’t help then you can try the following to get it working again:

1. Did you Build Too Low?

If your build resistance on your RDA is too low some mods will deliver an error message. This is a safety feature on some mods and it’s there to keep you safe. You should always be using an Ohm reader or regulated mod to build your coils. But more importantly, you should always know Ohm’s Law and practice proper battery safety.

Make sure that your build isn’t too low for your mod and try again.

2. Check for Loose Pieces of Wire

With an RDA there could  be left over pieces of wire stuck in the build deck. Loose pieces of metal on the build deck will cause your mod to display “Check Atomizer” or “Atomizer Short”. Even very small pieces or trimmings of wire can cause a short or a check atomizer error on an RDA/RTA/RDTA.

First, inspect the build deck closely for loose pieces of wire or other foreign objects. If you find something, remove it and test your RDA/RTA/RDTA on your mod. If it’s still reading “Check Atomizer” or “Atomizer Short” then move on to the next step.

3. Make sure your Coils are Installed Properly

This might seem obvious but it’s always worth checking. You might think that you installed your coils properly into the build deck but some rebuildable decks can be confusing. You might have installed the coils into the wrong terminals. Make sure that your coils are installed with one leg in a positive terminal and one leg in a negative terminal. This small oversight can often cause the dreaded “Check Atomizer”, “No Atomizer”, or “Atomizer Short” errors.

4. Are your Coils Touching the Build Deck?

If your coils are touching the build deck then this can lead to error messages on your vape. Be sure that your coils are installed properly and that only the legs are in contact with the build deck. Reposition your coil using a screwdriver or coiling rod if it’s touching another part of the build deck.

How to Fix Check Atomizer/No Atomizer On A Pod Vape

If your pod vape isn’t firing, has a blinking LED and won’t fire, or says Check Atomizer or No Atomizer, you can follow a few of the same steps listed above for tanks:

1. Clean Your Contact Points

The first step you should try if your pod vape isn’t firing or says check atomizer is cleaning out your contact points. Take the pod out of your pod vape and check the bottom of the pod for any dirt or ejuice. Also check inside your vape where the pod attaches to it. If you see any ejuice or dirt, clean it out with a paper towel then reinsert the pod and try again. 

Dirt or ejuice can prevent a proper connection between your pod and the device and this can cause the device to not fire or to throw a check atomizer/no atomizer error. 

In addition to dirt and ejuice potentially causing a bad connection, ejuice can also get into the circuit board of some pod vapes and cause them to malfunction. If you see a lot of ejuice under the pod in your device, this could potentially be the reason it’s no longer working properly. 

If cleaning your contact points doesn’t resolve the issue and your pod vape still isn’t working then move on to step two.

2. Check Your Contact Points for Damage

If cleaning the contact points doesn’t fix the check atomizer error on your pod vape, you’ll want to carefully examine the contact pins/plates on your pod vape and on your pod for damage. 

Some pod vapes have spring-loaded pins that can become stuck in a pushed down position. You’ll want to check and see if this is the case with your pod vape. If you see a stuck pin, you can try to lightly push it down with a small screwdriver to get it out. If this doesn’t work, using a paper towel to try to clean out around the pin may get it to pop back up.

Other pod vapes have solid pins or contact plates that can be bent or otherwise break. Check to see if any of your contact points are bent, worn out, or broken. If a contact point is bent you may be able to carefully bend it back into its correct position. If you see a broken contact point, this usually isn’t salvageable and the device will have to be replaced or repaired through your manufacturer’s warranty (if the device is still within the time-frame).

3. Reseat your Coil/Pod

Sometimes the most simple fixes are the most effective. If your pod vape uses replaceable coils you can try removing the coil and reinserting it into the pod. Ensure that you’re lining up the coil properly if there are any notches that need to be lined up and that the coil is snugly, firmly, and properly seated in the pod.

If your pod vape uses a replaceable pod then you can try removing the pod, rotating it 180°, and reinserting it into your device. Sometimes this can fix the issue. Also, make sure that your pod is completely inserted into your pod vape. Some devices have pods that magnetically attach, but also need to be pushed down to ‘click’ into place properly with the device.

4. Try Another Coil/Pod

If you’ve tried all of the above steps and nothing is working, the problem could be that your coil or pod has an issue. Try using another coil/pod.

Summary

Getting an error message on your vape is frustrating. Hopefully the steps up above have helped you get back to vaping. If this guide helped you, share it with your friends who vape! They’ll probably experience a “Check Atomizer” or “No Atomizer” error at some point in their vaping journey so why not give them a heads up.

If this helped you, we would love to hear from you! Leave a comment down below and let us know about any additional tips that you think might help!