In case you've submerged your Elf Bar or any other disposable vape in water, it's probably best to discard it. Nonetheless, it's a disposable item designed for eventual disposal. However, there may be instances when your vape, after getting wet or a quick, shallow water dip, might still function. We'll delve into what transpires when your vape is water-dropped, possible remedies, and their appropriate times.

What's the implication of your disposable vape falling into water?

Inside any disposable vape, be it an Elf Bar, Puff Bar, Drag Bar, or other types, are several components which are not water-friendly.

Battery gets soaked: Vape devices use lithium-ion batteries. Instructions for managing rechargeable lithium-ion batteries differ from alkaline batteries. Lithium-ion batteries might still operate if briefly dropped into water and speedily and thoroughly dried. But deep or prolonged submergence can lead to corrosion and hinder their performance. Moreover, disposable vapes do not allow battery removal for drying.

Chipset gets soaked: Another electronic element in the vape is a chipset. These tiny chips regulate the device output, from the automatic draw and LED glow to the overall vaping experience. Similar to the battery, a chipset can handle getting wet if it dries swiftly. You can't remove these from a disposable vape either.

Water contamination in e-liquid: This is arguably the crucial consideration if your disposable vape gets wet. E-liquid ingredients include propylene glycol, glycerin, flavorings, and (optionally) nicotine.

The device houses an absorbent filler (akin to cotton) saturated in e-liquid. Should your vape submerge in water, the water could infiltrate the internals, mixing with and diluting the e-liquid.

Although e-liquid is water-miscible, the vaping liquid's efficacy will be impaired. Even if the dilution doesn't bother you, water's lower vaporization temperatures relative to other e-liquid ingredients will essentially cause water boiling inside the disposable, potentially resulting in popping sounds or even burns to the mouth.

Can a water-dropped vape still function?

As mentioned earlier, a chipset and battery might still work despite getting wet. Therefore, your vape could still operate if it was briefly submerged in water. The device's design limits rapid water penetration, hence, if your vape drops in water, it's ideal to remove it as swiftly as possible, particularly if it fell in clean, shallow water.

Here's what you can do to rescue it.

Immediately dry the device thoroughly. For small holes like airflow and USB ports, use a small pointed tissue piece.

Do NOT vape or charge the device until it's thoroughly dry and you've completed these steps. Activating the electronics while wet could ruin its salvageability. If your disposable is rechargeable, disconnect it from the charger and other devices until you've given ample drying time. Always ensure it's dry before attempting use.

Tightly wrap your disposable in a small tissue and place it in a rice bowl. Rice is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture. You wouldn't want to heat the wet disposable, hence passive moisture removal is preferable. The tissue around your disposable simply safeguards against potential milling powder inside the rice.

These steps are for brief, clean water dips that didn't fully submerge the device—if fully submerged, it's likely to short circuit and autofire (as the Dragbar tested for this article did). Also, if the dip occurred in sea water, a puddle, or worse still, a toilet, it's advisable to just discard it.

Conclusion

If you've followed the above steps and refrained from vaping or charging the disposable while it was wet, it could likely still work. Share your water-dropping disposable experiences in the comments. There are bound to be amusing anecdotes. It's a common occurrence.