To those who bought the Roughstack extension tube

[bushmaster]

I love my Roughstack with the extension tube and the 18650 batteries. It is my work pv and has served me well. However, I have noticed that my Ultrafire 3000 mah batteries get kind of beat up on the bottom end from the spring. It is highly compressed when the battery is fully seated and I've found it hard to perfectly center the top of the spring like it should be. I've tried to bend it into a correct position but without much luck.
Today it occurred to me to try the original spring from the short Roughstack. Voila! Works like a charm. It provides enough pressure to fire the Maxi-Roughstack, but without the pogo-stick pressure of the Maxi spring. The spring from the short Roughstack also has a slightly different head that centers itself better on the negative terminal of the battery. This may not work for everyone--your springs may be different, but if you've seen some abrasion on the base of your battery or are just tired of the effort it takes to compress the Maxi spring, give this a try.

 

[bushmaster]

Hmmm, its becoming embarrassingly apparent that I'm the only Roughstack owner with this issue. I guess I was the lucky guy who got the misshaped spring.
Sorry to have wasted everyone's time. It seemed worth posting at the time.

 

[keyzygirl]

All info is good info and Im sure you helped someone.

 

[Timothy Cullen]

hey bushmaster i owned both the original and the maxi roughstack. both are solid pvs and both just rock. good find on the spring i never got the chance as my 18650 arrvied doa and then i received my madvapes 5v box mod and never looked back. if they made a 5v tube mod id so be rocking one right now.

 

[hoogie76]

Never a waste of time, like keyz said, great info that will come in handy for someone, including me.. We'e always looking for ways to improve and the springs have always been a bit of a challenge.

hoog

 

[5vz]

bushmaster;

I have the same issue with the big spring in the extension. Never thought about just taking it out and putting the smaller one in there. Do I need to glue it in or just set it in there?

Thanks for thinking of it, doing it, and sharing the info!

 

[bushmaster]

bushmaster;

I have the same issue with the big spring in the extension. Never thought about just taking it out and putting the smaller one in there. Do I need to glue it in or just set it in there?

Thanks for thinking of it, doing it, and sharing the info!

No need for glue. My springs will fall out of my tubes if I tip them upside down. Glue would be a bad deal anyway as it would decrease the conductivity.

One additional point, 5vz. It works pretty slick to apply a dab of Noalox to the threads on the tube. Helps the conductivity factor which is a key deal in a tube mod and makes the tube screw together ever so much smoother.

 

[5vz]

Thank you bushmaster. I have been using Vaseline as I don't have noalox. Went to 2 hardware stores today before work, none in stock. Thanks for telling me not to glue. I know the smaller spring was not fixed and will be easy to get out. The larger one in the extension tube stays in well. I will fiddle with it this weekend. Can't thank you enough for the help, pushing those batteries in seemed a bit too hard.

 

[bushmaster]

5vz, if you have a Lowe's in your area, that's the place to get Noalox. Probably other places as well but thats the one place I know for sure.

 

[keyzygirl]

I got mine at Home Depot where the power tools are,it was like $2-3.

 

[dale1962]

how much noalox do you apply to the threads?

 

[bushmaster]

how much noalox do you apply to the threads?

Just enough. Heh, heh--I use a q-tip and put it on sparingly. You can always apply a little more later, but if you feel the threads joining with less resistance than they had before, you're probably there. You don't want to goop it on--its kind of icky in excess. Some will be pushed out from between the threads after you first screw the tube together. Just wipe that off and you'll be good to go for numerous battery changes. When you start to feel a bit more resistance a week or so later, use a paper towel (a little isopropyl alcohol helps too) to clean the residue from the threads and apply some more. It's a good idea to dab the slightest smidge of Noalox on the + terminal of the battery as well. I mean a tiny amount(what remains on your q-tip is plenty) because you don't want it to get spread over the rest of the circuit board. It sounds like a hassle but its well worth your time, the Noalox stops oxidation on the aluminum as well as being a lubricant and conductant. A tube will last you for ages. Good Luck