AR Mod button gets hot. Any fixes?

[MikeJones]

I bought my black with red spatter AR mod by TAC mods about a month ago. I am running a .16 parallel 24g build. Before I built it the first time, my button never got hot. But now if I try and really rip on it, it gets hot quick. Sometimes feels like a quick shock it gets so hot.

I was discussing the issue with some fellow vapers and machinists and we have come to the conclusion that the shaft between the button and the copper contact is touching the walls of the bottom cap. This causing a short. We discussed it and thought if I used alittle nail polish to insulate the walls then that should fix it. I haven't done this yet b/c I wanna do more research.

Anyone else had this problem and does anyone have any fixes? FYI my AR has the magnet assembly in the button assembly.

Thanks for any help.

 

[State O' Flux]

I was discussing the issue with some fellow vapers and machinists and we have come to the conclusion that the shaft between the button and the copper contact is touching the walls of the bottom cap.

Mech mod "hot spots"... usually in the button, are the result of poor continuity from the button, when pressed, to the button collet, and in turn to the tube. This is called "resistive heating" or "joule heating".

A simple inspection and testing with a DMM should reveal the area of resistance.

In lieu of testing (if you don't have, or don't have access to a DMM)... a light buffing with scotchbrite to remove any corrosion from current path surfaces (not to mention paint removal if need be), and a very good cleaning may reduce or eliminate the issue.

 

[MikeJones]

I keep it very clean. I just don't have any polish for the copper. It is looking quite dull so I need to stop being lazy and get some.

Now I forgot to mention that the button doesn't move straight up and down. It does wobble when being pressed. Would that be another contributing factor?

 

[State O' Flux]

I keep it very clean. I just don't have any polish for the copper. It is looking quite dull so I need to stop being lazy and get some.

Now I forgot to mention that the button doesn't move straight up and down. It does wobble when being pressed. Would that be another contributing factor?

I wish I had an AR to disassemble and inspect... I could tell you right away where the weak continuity points are.
As it is, I don't know the current path of your mod (there are several methods), so all I can say is that a wobbly button isn't necessarily a bad thing... but angled contact is never a good thing - if the design is best served with 360 degree contact.

Addendum: Pending anyone familiar with the AR coming along, who understands the issue... if you could disassemble the button, and take a few pictures, I might be able to see the problem, or at least get a sense of where you need to focus your attention.

 

[MikeJones]

I wish I had an AR to disassemble and inspect... I could tell you right away where the weak continuity points are.
As it is, I don't know the current path of your mod (there are several methods), so all I can say is that a wobbly button isn't necessarily a bad thing... but angled contact is never a good thing - if the design is best served with 360 degree contact.

Addendum: Pending anyone familiar with the AR coming along, who understands the issue... if you could disassemble the button, and take a few pictures, I might be able to see the problem, or at least get a sense of where you need to focus your attention.

 

[Despraci]

Like State of Flux mentioned. Poor conductivity is usually to blame. Recessed switches that float and rely on minimum contact to complete the circuit tend to exhibit this condition more often. My Atomo mods have the same issue. Magnets only make this problem worse because you eliminated the spring that would help improve conductivity for the switch to the body.

To fix my Atomo I used an old Nemesis spring and with some tweaking improved surface contact from the button to the body when the switch is pressed. It also improve performance of the mod and decreased voltage drop.

 

[State O' Flux]

Thanks for the great photos Mike!

Despraci sees exactly what I see in your mod, Mike. You have plenty of potential conductive paths, but if there's enough lateral clearances between them - in combination with a layer of corrosion and assorted schmutz - and the apparent lack of a continuous path (spring)... you get inconsistencies.
When your mod was new, clean and free of wear - the chance for conductivity was good - now... perhaps not so much.

If (a big 'if') the magnets (good quality, nickel plated neodymium?) come in hard contact at the exact same time as the negative pin comes in hard contact with the battery... you have a good chance for conductivity... if not, then what you have are the button shaft to bore contact and the secondary lateral contacts... all which are more likely to occur with a side-pressed or 'cocked' button.

Mike... you can scotchbrite and clean all the contact parts, including the button shaft,, button collet ID, contact pins and button shaft bore. As the button seems to have paint on it's octagonal circumference... I might even go so far as to say remove the paint, to offer another electrical path if/when the button cocks to the side of the collet. (I can't see the 'fit' between button shaft and bore)
If none of that works... the only other method that is near sure-fire (no pun intended), is to toss a good conductor spring in it, as either a supplement to the magnets, or as the primary source of button opposing force.

Good luck...

 

[MikeJones]

Thanks. I am usually the one at our local vape shop who diagnoses and fixes issues. So when I have one there aren't many people I can ask and learn from. I will look into all this and see what works. I did loosen the copper connect and the button shaft slightly last night. It did seem to improve performance and conductivity. Maybe the release of tension on the magnets allowed for an easier distribution of the repelling forces from the magnetic fields, which in turn, caused the button to be pushed up evenly.

I still need to run it through its paces but I hope I am on the right track with my own investigation and everyone's help. I've got a cloud competition to train for! Lol

 

[Loopy1224]

This is the kind of thread that makes us all better vapers. Thanks for passing on your knowledge State of Flux and Despraci! I love learning about this hobby

 

[classwife]

Moved to APV Discussion from General Vaping Discussion