V3 Pin Rubber Grommet Replacement Mod

Trayce;11311469 said:

Sadly, Vamos use the same stinky-a@@ rubber grommet used in heads, as a gasket for the positive pin. So after going to all the trouble to replace the rubber grommet in my heads with silicone tubing, I could still detect a faint taste of rubber. When the pin gets hot, I believe it heats the rubber grommet enough to release fumes that get sucked up the airhole in the head pin.

Long ago I read the "Vamo OHM Fix" thread about a different problem whose fix calls for replacing the rubber grommet. In that case the problem is the top collar of the grommet tears away from the rest of the grommet, allowing the pin to be pushed down below the grommet, which leads to a poor connection and/or low ohms errors. Lifting the pin is only a temporary fix. The permanent fix is to fish out the torn/detached grommet collar, and replace it with a black rubber oring available from local hardware stores: Danco #60.

I did go purchase the oring (my local Lowes and Home Depot no longer carry Danco so got another brand, same size), but I really didn't want to put something rubber under there again. Silicone would guarantee no weird tastes.

So took a carto mouthpiece (the silicone plug you use in place of a drip tip) and cut it down to size. It's tall, so first took scissors and made it shorter by cutting half the bottom away. The circumference is also too big, but it has an inner delineated circular depression (you can see in the pic) that is the perfect size, so just cut it to that point all the way around. Then shaped it from there... the plug is thick and sort of 'cone shaped' and wanted to keep as much of that as possible but you can't make it too thick or the pin won't seat far enough down inside the cup (not enough threads above to screw stuff on if that happens).

I used a dental tool to lift the pin up from the grommet, then pulled the grommet up. In my case the collar did tear free or was already torn free, and easily came up. I left the rest of the grommet in there as it wasn't going to hurt anything. Gently pulled the pin up far enough for the top to clear the cup then pushed the new silicone gasket down over the pin. It fit perfect. Carefully put the pin back, using the dental tool again to press the silicone down past the threads and into place.

And finally... not a trace of rubber taste in my vapes.

View attachment 279122

The o-rings I bought alongside the removed collar from the rubber grommet, and a carto mouthpiece like the one I carved up and used.

View attachment 279123

The Vamo pin with new silicone gasket under it.

Click to expand...