How to use a Wax Pen (aka Dab Pen)

What is a Wax Vaporizer Pen?

Wax vaporizers, also known as wax pens or dab pens, are relatively new to the market and many new buyers are unsure how to work them. While there are many different wax vaporizers out there, they all follow the same functionality - heat a concentrate high enough to change its state from liquid to gas (vapor). Wax vapes vary in size and quality and each works a little different. However, follow these steps to avoid running into common problems with wax vaporizers.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using Your Wax Vaporizer Pen

Here are the basic steps you should follow to getting the most out of your wax vape. After this quick-guide, we’ll get into more details on each step and go over some basic troubleshooting.

First off, charge your battery completely. While you think this might be obvious, it’s a common issue with wax pens. They require a lot of energy to heat up their coils and a low battery might still heat a bit, but not enough to achieve the best results. Make sure your battery has a good connection with the charger and the indicator light is solid when plugged in (usually red when charging and green when full). Once your battery is charged, firmly connect the heating chamber (with the coil) to your battery. Open the heating chamber up, and load a dab about the size of a grain of rice onto or near the coil. However, try not to touch the coil directly with your dab tool as it can be damaged easily. Once loaded, you can close up the heating chamber and put the mouthpiece back on. At this point, your wax vape should be in one piece again. Note that these instructions are for standard wax pen designs. If you have a different variation, you may need to modify these instructions slightly.

Once your wax vape is loaded, charged and ready to go, simply turn it on. With many vape pens, this means clicking the power button 5 times in quick succession. Some pens will just require that you hold the button down while you hit it. If neither of these options work, refer to the user manual that came with your pen. Take long, smooth pulls to get the best vapor out of the pen. Start with smaller drags as wax concentrates can be potent, then move up to filling your lungs more as you get a feel for your vape.

Making Sure the Wax Atomizer Works

It’s a good idea to make sure the wax atomizer is working before you start vaping. Vape coils will last at least a couple months (it could be much longer if you are a light user) so it’s a good idea to check the coil every few days before you start vaping. You don’t want to load a new batch of wax into your heating chamber and discover that you need a new coil. Connect your heating chamber to the battery and turn on your vaporizer. You should see the coil heat up within a few seconds. You should also feel the heat coming off it, but be careful not to touch the coil itself as it could easily burn you. Now that you know your coil is working, you can load the pen and use as normal.

Packing your wax vape

Packing a wax vape is very different from packing a dry herb vaporizer. Each time you load the pen, you only need a dab about the size of a grain of rice. Any less and you’ll be reloading it right away, any more and you will have too much wax on your hands. This makes the vaporizer less efficient and it can create a sticky mess if you really overpack it. Use a dab tool to grab a chunk of wax from your dab container (yes, you should be storing your wax in a dab container) and drop it lightly onto the coil or near it. Vape coils can get damaged easily so try not to make direct contact with the coil or push down too hard. Using a dab tool will make this process easy and keep sticky wax off your fingers.

Choosing The Right Temperature For Your Wax Vape

Most wax pens don’t have a temperature control so you can just heat and hit. However, variable voltage batteries are now available that allow you to adjust the coil temperature. This is great for those users who really want to hone in their personal favorite vape temp.

The ideal wax vape temperature is between 420°F and 550°F. The lower end of this spectrum will result in smooth, flavorful hits but you might not get the full effect of all the compounds in your wax. Lower temperatures are perfect for the wax connoisseur.

The higher end of this spectrum will vaporize everything, resulting in thicker, more potent clouds. If the vapor is getting too harsh, try turning down the temperature slightly.

Maintenance and Cleaning a Wax Vaporizer

If treated right, wax pens don’t need much maintenance or cleaning. Like I said before, overpacking can create a mess and it’s an easy problem to avoid. Otherwise you can wipe down the exterior of the pen with a wet wipe or alcohol. Never use water and be careful around the electrical components. The residue build up on the sides of the heating chamber can be scraped and reused but be careful not to damage the coil in the process.

Also, the coil will need to be replaced from time to time. This really depends on usage - heavy users will usually get a couple months out of a coil and light users could get up to a year. Vape Coils are easy to replace. You can find replacements at a local vape shop or on our website. If you have trouble finding the correct coil, contact our team and we’ll sort you out. Other than replacing coils, there isn’t much maintenance required on a wax vaporizer. To protect the battery, never charge it overnight and don’t leave it sitting dead for weeks on end. If you care for your vape, it can last years.

Wax Pen Vape Tips

ALWAYS keep wax pens upright, but especially right after use. Wax gets liquid-like when hot and will leak out of the heating chamber if the pen is left on its side, creating a sticky mess not to mention losing whatever wax was left in your pen. Cleaning up melted wax is time-consuming so it’s best to keep your pen upright at all times. If you’re taking the pen somewhere, just make sure you’ve vaporized all the wax in the heating chamber and let your vape cool before transporting it. At this point, having it on its side is fine.

Wax Vape Pen Replacement Parts

As I mentioned before, coils will burn out eventually and there are replacements available. Also, if your vape just isn’t tasting as good anymore, you might want to replace the coils early. Changing the coils can often feel like getting a new vaporizer and will provide the best flavor possible. Additionally, there are different types of coils so you may just want to try out something new. Contact our team if you are unsure which coil or coils are compatible with your vaporizer.

Charging your wax vape

To charge your wax vape, make sure you have a good connection between battery and charger. Many wax vaporizers will have a red light when charging and it will turn green or off when fully charged. I recommend charging your battery first thing in the morning and it should be good to go for the rest of the day. NEVER leave your battery charging overnight. This can damage the battery and will reduce its lifespan. 

Where to find Information about Wax Vapes

• Check out our Vaporizer Learning Center for helpful how-to articles and product reviews
• We have Vaporizer Buyer's Guides that can help you have more of an in-depth understanding of the specific wax vape pens for sale in online vape shops.
• Our customer service team is always here to help you out with all your vaporizer needs.

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