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Smok TFV16 leaking.

I fear I may be doing something wrong, vaping on the wrong ratio or something but this is becoming a real issue.

SMOK TFV-16 Mesh Tank, which I bought only a few weeks ago, leaks. After only a day or two of a new coil, it will start to dribble out. Only when tilting the device mainly. But this has led to a few times when I've leaned back in my chair and vape (like I've done many times on other devices) and I feel a drop of brownish liquid on my shirt. Brilliant. Into the wash with that one.

Many tanks I've owned have done this. I end up wrapping some tissue around the tank and blowing into it, saturating the tissue in brown liquid. I thought the brownish liquid would mean the coil is on its way out. But these coils can be only a day old and do it, plus there are no harsh hits, no bland taste and nothing to tell me it needs changing.

This liquid pools up towards the airflow holes. This can be solved somewhat by opening it up fully, but I don't like to vape like that, I want a tighter draw.

My juice is normally 70/30 VG/PG sometimes higher on the VG.

Is this normal for vape life? Or am I doing something, using something wrong?
 

SnapDragon NY

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I do not own this tank, but have the Smok TFV8 Cloud Beast- which can leak too.
I close the air flow when filling- and turn upside down for a few minutes to try to create a vacuum- remember to open the air flow when you vape.
Make sure you are vaping at the minimum- if wattage too low, will not vaporize the liquid.
Make sure the top is snapped on correctly too.
Many of the reviewers are vaping these coils around 80w- the 120w best or higher watts is too high going to burn out that coil quickly.
 
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5150sick

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Next time you do the thing when you blow through the tank with the tissue after you are done try and blow through one airflow hole while holding the tissue over the other airflow hole.
upload_2020-4-8_13-46-55.png

Also you could shape a piece of a paper towel or napkin and slide it into the airflow holes to clean them.
 

Just Frank

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So far both I've used. Only been through two coils so far.
Is there something special I should be doing when cleaning/putting a new coil in? I've tighened the coil hard as possible.
You can try an old TFV8 trick. Fasten the coil to the chimney first. Then put on the glass section. Lastly put the bottom part of the tank on.

I've had a TFV16 for about 6 months. Mine has always been completely dry. I've even left it full of liquid for a few days without hitting it and no leaky issues.

You don't happen to purge do you? That's when you blow outward (while firing it) before inhaling. When you do that so many times at high wattages, condensation accumulates in the bottom of your tank causing leaking-like problems.
 
Thanks all.

I tried most of what was suggested here.
I tried to old TFV8 trick mentioned.
I filled it with airflow closed and then kept it upside down and I made sure everything was screwed in. This was on Sunday.
Today I'm noticing the build up again. Nothing dripping out, but it is there.

Surely I don't need to fill with the airflow closed and leave upside down every time I top it up with juices?
I haven't been doing that currently.
 

nadalama

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Thanks all.

I tried most of what was suggested here.
I tried to old TFV8 trick mentioned.
I filled it with airflow closed and then kept it upside down and I made sure everything was screwed in. This was on Sunday.
Today I'm noticing the build up again. Nothing dripping out, but it is there.

Surely I don't need to fill with the airflow closed and leave upside down every time I top it up with juices?
I haven't been doing that currently.

Every time you break the vacuum, you need to do the upside down thing, so if you open the top, yes.

You don't have to continue to hold it upside down for long, just for a couple seconds plus long enough to open the airflow. Turn it over slowly, then reattach to the mod.

Works very nearly every time for me, anyway.
 

Bigrick

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I have no experience with the tfv 16. I do have a bb, bbb, cloud king, and Prince. I have had leaks from air flows a plenty. One hundred percent of the time it was the top fill seal. My bb leaked right out the box and it was the top fill seal. This is just my experience with my Smok tanks, which I use often. Everytime I leave the house often and they perform well for me.
 
Every time you break the vacuum, you need to do the upside down thing, so if you open the top, yes.

You don't have to continue to hold it upside down for long, just for a couple seconds plus long enough to open the airflow. Turn it over slowly, then reattach to the mod.

Works very nearly every time for me, anyway.
I've been doing that this morning. About an hour in I picked up the device to liquid dribbling down the machine. Covered.
Most frustrating, it just won't stop. The only respite I get is the 24 hours after a new coil.

I have no experience with the tfv 16. I do have a bb, bbb, cloud king, and Prince. I have had leaks from air flows a plenty. One hundred percent of the time it was the top fill seal. My bb leaked right out the box and it was the top fill seal. This is just my experience with my Smok tanks, which I use often. Everytime I leave the house often and they perform well for me.

I fear I'm going to have ditch this. If I take it out and there a lot of movement, it leaks even worse.
Today more brown liquid pissed out over my top as I sat in my chair. Infuriating.

I will prob make another thread at some point asking for advise on a replacement. Out of interest, what would you suggest?
 

nadalama

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I've been doing that this morning. About an hour in I picked up the device to liquid dribbling down the machine. Covered.
Most frustrating, it just won't stop. The only respite I get is the 24 hours after a new coil.



I fear I'm going to have ditch this. If I take it out and there a lot of movement, it leaks even worse.
Today more brown liquid pissed out over my top as I sat in my chair. Infuriating.

I will prob make another thread at some point asking for advise on a replacement. Out of interest, what would you suggest?

I surely don't blame you - I'd get frustrated with that, too. The only other thing I can suggest, before you spend more money, is to check your o-rings to be sure something isn't crimped up and letting juice flow past. Sometimes if you over-tighten parts, the o-rings between them will buckle up and cause leaking. They can also have weak or worn spots that don't seal properly.

I have not tried this myself, have only a very few sub-ohm tanks (I use rebuildables), but general experience with RTAs tells me that the most leakproof tanks you'll find are top-airflow. The Geekvape Zeus sub-ohm tank is top airflow. All of the Zeus RTAs are good, so just out of general experience with the maker and the product line, the Zeus sub-ohm tank would be my choice.
 

MyMagicMist

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Sometimes if you over-tighten parts, the o-rings between them will buckle up and cause leaking.

That was about the only way I had Smok evod style tanks leak on me. Otherwise they never leaked.

the most leakproof tanks you'll find are top-airflow.

Can agree, not that I use tanks much now. Still experience with RDAs tells me top airflow works out best in most cases, the Kennedy RDA being a shining exception but those are built damn sharp.
 

Bigrick

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I've been doing that this morning. About an hour in I picked up the device to liquid dribbling down the machine. Covered.
Most frustrating, it just won't stop. The only respite I get is the 24 hours after a new coil.



I fear I'm going to have ditch this. If I take it out and there a lot of movement, it leaks even worse.
Today more brown liquid pissed out over my top as I sat in my chair. Infuriating.

I will prob make another thread at some point asking for advise on a replacement. Out of interest, what would you suggest?
All of my subohm tanks have rba decks. The one that I like and use the most is Og Crown. It is outdated, ugly, and wierdly tall for the diameter. It also is easy to find coils for. It is a solid performer with long lasting coils, great flavor, big clouds. So I like it.
 

Just Frank

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I've been doing that this morning. About an hour in I picked up the device to liquid dribbling down the machine. Covered.
Most frustrating, it just won't stop. The only respite I get is the 24 hours after a new coil.



I fear I'm going to have ditch this. If I take it out and there a lot of movement, it leaks even worse.
Today more brown liquid pissed out over my top as I sat in my chair. Infuriating.

I will prob make another thread at some point asking for advise on a replacement. Out of interest, what would you suggest?
Switch out all the seals/o rings is my advice. There might even be one missing if it's continually leaking. Make sure the coils have o rings in the proper place as well.

I never have leaks with anything. I used to with older tanks but all of my newer tanks have been fine. It all stopped coincidentally around the time I started making my own liquid. I make 70/30 about 90% of the time. I thin it out some for smaller devices.
 
All of the Zeus RTAs are good, so just out of general experience with the maker and the product line, the Zeus sub-ohm tank would be my choice.

Nice. Just looked into it and it does seem great actually.
Shame also, since I love the look of Aegis X but my current mod, Uwell Evdilo 200W Box Mod, I'm using 21700 batteries. Going down to 18650, would I really notice a big drop is usage do you think?
 

nadalama

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Nice. Just looked into it and it does seem great actually.
Shame also, since I love the look of Aegis X but my current mod, Uwell Evdilo 200W Box Mod, I'm using 21700 batteries. Going down to 18650, would I really notice a big drop is usage do you think?

Battery life, if both mods are dual-battery, you'll see a difference in the length of time between charges. That's easily remedied by keeping a backup set of charged 18650s. But performance? Not in a regulated mod, no. You would definitely notice the difference if you were running a single-battery mechanical.
 
Nice, thanks. I've (perhaps impulsively) purchased the tank and some juice. See how it goes. I will report back if it works out.
Again, thank you all for your advise and suggestions, very helpful.
 

Bigrick

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Nice, thanks. I've (perhaps impulsively) purchased the tank and some juice. See how it goes. I will report back if it works out.
Again, thank you all for your advise and suggestions, very helpful.
I was very serious about the top fill seal. It has been responsible for all my Smok tank leaks. There is a new one in your parts baggie. It is also the easiest seal to replace and not requiring disassembly. Before you ditch the tank please try it. It may turn out to be a great tank as I have heard good things about it. Good luck and please try my suggestion.
 
Well, it seems better the devil you know I guess.
I got the new Zeus sub-ohm tank yesterday. A few things, my god that coil is tiny, but it works well.
My first complaint was the fact that even after a few puffs, the tank seems to run dry, so I bought a bubble tank to help.
However, a major issue this morning. I woke up (after filling it before bed) and noticed it was near empty. Odd.
I filled it up took a puff and took loads of juice right in the mouth. It seems to have gone into the well at the bottom?
Outrageous, brand new.

Back to the Smok UFN it seems.
 

Bigrick

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I have a gold Big Baby Beast with rba deck and one coil with replacment glass, maybe a parts bag if I can figure out which one goes with it. A box of some kind idk if it goes. But the real of it is a good tank with RBA (sold separately) and a new random coil, probably a single or double. It works as well as most of my rta"s and better than some. Let me know and I will send it out. Peace and love to you and yours.
Rick
 

Just Frank

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Well, it seems better the devil you know I guess.
I got the new Zeus sub-ohm tank yesterday. A few things, my god that coil is tiny, but it works well.
My first complaint was the fact that even after a few puffs, the tank seems to run dry, so I bought a bubble tank to help.
However, a major issue this morning. I woke up (after filling it before bed) and noticed it was near empty. Odd.
I filled it up took a puff and took loads of juice right in the mouth. It seems to have gone into the well at the bottom?
Outrageous, brand new.

Back to the Smok UFN it seems.
Wow, you're having terrible luck. Might be time to try a RTA. Those will leak too but usually from poor wicking technique. Once you learn how to use any certain RTA, you can set it with out leaks just about every time. Some people use top airflow only tanks. But those will flood out and gurgle like your Zeus if set up poorly. But like I said, if there's a leak, you can go in there and fix it.
 

MyMagicMist

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Well, it seems better the devil you know I guess.
I got the new Zeus sub-ohm tank yesterday. A few things, my god that coil is tiny, but it works well.
My first complaint was the fact that even after a few puffs, the tank seems to run dry, so I bought a bubble tank to help.
However, a major issue this morning. I woke up (after filling it before bed) and noticed it was near empty. Odd.
I filled it up took a puff and took loads of juice right in the mouth. It seems to have gone into the well at the bottom?
Outrageous, brand new.

Back to the Smok UFN it seems.

You might also consider dripping with RDA. You can get roughly 1.5 to 2 mL of juice onto the wick and in the "juice well" in a lot of RDA decks. That may not sound like a great amount, it can get you from 8 to 15 or so drags though. If you don't like the carrying an extra bottle you could try squonking using a bottom feed RDA. This is what I do and enjoy it.

Just yet another suggestion. Hope you soon get sorted. :)
 
Just posting an update. Better the devil you know it seems.

The new Zeus tank I bought it frankly awful.
It is smaller, holds far less juice (even with bubble glass) so needs refilling it feels like every 15 minutes.

However, one night I filled the tank, went to bed. Got up and noticed the juice was nearly gone. Maybe I didn't fill it.
Filled it, took a puff and my entire mouth was filled with liquid.

After a clean, new coil etc it happened again later in the day.
So I yeeted that into the bin in disgrace and ended up going back to my Smok which actually, isn't that bad. The occasional drip is worth everything else and this Zeus tank (£40 down the toilet) has given me pause. Maybe top airflow is a solution to my problem, but not from this tank.
 

mtwhickory

Member For 3 Years
I just purchased the TFV16 and had the same problem. Figured out that I wasn't closing the top hard enough. You have to close the top hard until you hear the button click then check to make sure it won't swing open. After ensuring I do this, it hasn't leaked a drop. I assume its something to do with vacuum.
 
Sorry to necro. but had to drop info... I've been using the SMOK Mag P3 Kit, which comes with the TFV16 tank for over a year now. I've had numerous SMOK products and either I get VERY lucky, or I'm doing something differently. I've never had any leak for a reason that wasn't user error...

Case in point, just tonight while cleaning, new coil, and refilling I noticed that I developed a leak. Hmm I thought this is odd, never had a problem before, I've ran the dual coil to over 4K puffs, and it's worked amazingly... I emptied the reservoir, cleaned, looked EVERYTHING over really well and lo if I didn't find something odd... So I don't know if it was a design flaw, or even how this happened, but the 510 pin in the inside had depressed and slid a little sideways. I depressed and slightly angled it, looked really hard and now it's fully "sealed" and voila fixed. I'm dropping a picture here to help explain...

-ships-from-hongkong-authentic-smoktech-smok-tfv16-sub-ohm-tank-atomizer-standard-edition-gold...jpg
Also, on a side note, if you have issues getting it to seal properly after cleaning and drying. I've used a drop of juice to lubricate the ring so the glass seats a little easier but VERY rarely do I ever have to go to that extent... Hope this helps someone else out.

On a side note. Before I went back to SMOK I was running a RDTA. The ijoy Combo RDTA 2, and that was a different experience, but after I learned to do everything it was really enjoyable. So X_E_N if you read this stuff drop me a line if you're still using the TFV16 and having issues. I'd love to take a look at everything and see if there's not something I can see that could help you out.
 
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I have a tfv16 Beast tank and am experiencing incredible amount of leaking is there any way you could take a look at mine jlingg87
I have tried everything listed here dealing with the tank and it still leaks. It is a year old though so only worth a shot.
 

Chum

Member For 5 Years
I use the V12 Prince and here are a few pointers that I learned from past mistakes.
Never fill before going to bed without vaping on it a couple of times.
If your e liquid is turning brown fast then you are not using the recommended wattage for the coil.
Always check your O-rings. (there is a reason they give you spares)
Following these rules I use for myself I can lay my mod sideways and get no leaks whatsoever.
 

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