The Billet Box FAQ:
By Vapian, Version 1.3, May 2014
Graciously reviewed/edited by Drunk_J & Katdarling
DRIP TIP/BRASS RING QUESTIONS
Q. Can I use my own drip tips on the Billet Box?
A. Yes.
Most standard 510 drip tips should fit inside the brass ring.
If the tip is slightly too small, it can be made to fit with larger replacement O-ring or by removing the O-ring, wrapping a bit of unflavored dental floss around the O-ring slot, and replacing the o-ring.
If the tip is slightly too large, it might be made to fit by sanding down the diameter. Do this at your own risk.
Q. What should I use to back out or tighten the brass ring?
A. A standard U.S. quarter or nickel coin is ideal. These will fit right into the slots on the brass ring and provide more than enough leverage.
Q. What if I don't have the required coinage?
A. Some folks have found that their drip tip fits in tightly enough to loosen or tighten the brass ring with no coin required.
It is possible to use the door of the Billet Box itself, but this is NOT RECOMMENDED as it could deform the door making it EXTREMELY difficult to install or remove later.
Q. How much should I tighten the brass ring?
A. The brass ring should be tightened down just enough to make contact with the cartomizer body.
Too loose, and the cartomizer will not fire.
Too tight, and the cartomizer might damage the silicon gasket around the cartomizer positive pin.
It is worth noting that there have been two production Brass Rings.
The first version simply "sat" on top of the cartomizer establishing the ground path. Later testing indicated in some cases this may have led to liquid condensation inside the Billet Box tank compartment.
The second version has a small extension that fits inside the cartomizer with a O-ring to provide a seal. This greatly reduces incidents of condensation in the tank compartment.
BATTERY QUESTIONS
Q. What kind of batteries does The Billet Box use?
A. The Billet Box is designed to use 3.7 volt, AW ICR 123 / 16340 (Black w/silver label), protected, button-top batteries.
The use of unprotected batteries of any kind is NOT recommended.
Q. How long do those batteries last in the Billet Box?
A. Short answer: until they die.
Long answer: Most users report anywhere from 1/2 to a full day of vaping with a freshly charged pair of batteries and a 3.0 ohm cartomizer. Depending on your atomizer or cartomizer resistance and how you vape, YMMV.
Q. How do the batteries die - do they peter out, cut off, or...?
A. The Black AW ICR 123's tend to keep their output and performance constant almost to the very end with only the last two or three vapes being weak.
Q. Can I use other brands or types of battery?
A. The Billet Box battery compartment is very specifically designed for the physical size of the AW ICR 123 / 16340 batteries and has very tight tolerances.
But, any 16340 or 123-type battery that is button top, no longer than 34.2 mm or larger than 16.6 mm in diameter should fit.
If you MUST buy a different brand/model of battery, CHECK IT AGAINST THESE DIMENSIONS.
Beyond the size, performance may or may not be as good as the recommended battery type.
Remember also that Billet Box Vapor recommends the use of protected batteries.
Q. Can I use <brand/model> batteries?
A. See above.
There are many CR123 / 16340 batteries on the market that may or may not fit, and may or may not work well.
Anything other than what is recommended in this FAQ or on the Billet Box web site, is up to the user.
Bottom line: The recommended AW ICR 123 batteries are ALWAYS a safe bet.
Anything else is beyond the scope of this particular FAQ.
Q. Where can I get the recommended batteries?
A. Recommending vendors is beyond the scope of this FAQ.
An internet search for "black AW ICR 123" should find a number of dealers.
Online forums are also a good place for up-to-date dealer recommendations.
Q. The batteries fit in there awfully tightly. How do I get them out?
A. The recommended method of removing the batteries from the Billet Box is to remove the back plate and smack the battery compartment over the open palm of your hand.
Yes. Smack it on your hand.
Done properly, at least one battery should drop out allowing easy removal of the remaining battery.
Prying them out with a tool is not recommended as it could damage the battery.
Also, recommend removing any rings from the hand you are slapping into, as rings can make dents in the Billet Box chassis.
Some users recommend wrapping a bit of tape around the batteries to create a handle to pull them out. Thin tape is recommended due to the tight clearances inside the Billet Box.
Q. Can I charge my batteries inside the Billet Box?
A. No. Batteries must be charged in a dedicated battery charger.
Q. What battery charger should I use?
A. Any charger capable of charging 3.7 volt CR123 / 16340-sized batteries should work.
Recent widely used brands include Intellicharger i2/i4, EFest LUC and XTAR chargers.
POWER QUESTIONS
Q. What is the voltage range of the Billet Box?
A. The Billet Box has an adjustable voltage range of 4.0 volts to 5.5 volts.
Q. What is the amp limit of the Billet Box?
A. 3 amps.
Q. What kind of power protection does the Billet Box provide?
A. The Billet Box is protected against over-voltage up to 12 volts, current over 3 amps and reversed polarity. If this internal protection is tripped the user is protected against catastrophic failure, but the Billet Box may have to be returned to Billet Box Vapor for repair.
Also, in the event of a major battery failure the body of the Billet Box is designed to vent gas through the air intake holes(on the side) and the seams of the back plate.
Q. With the tank on the inside, are the power components of the Billet Box protected against liquids?
A. Yes, to some degree.
The compartment containing the power regulator is sealed with a gasket material.
However, it is still possible for liquid to get in via the voltage selection dial, in the event of a large spill or leak.
Q. Does the Billet Box have variable wattage (VW)?
A. No. You cannot set a specific wattage for the Billet Box.
Q. My Billet Box won't fire! What do I do?
A. Common causes of Billet Box misfires include:
- One or both batteries are not fully charged.
- One or both batteries are not fully or correctly installed.
- One or both batteries may have protection circuitry that is not be compatible with the Billet Box.
- Cartomizer is faulty.
- Rebuildable atomizer coil has opened or shorted.
- Atomizer or cartomizer center pin is not contacting the atomizer pin in the tank compartment.
- Center pin in tank compartment is dirty or oxidized and needs to be cleaned or scraped.
- Brass Ring is not fully seated on top of or in the cartomizer or atomizer.
- Brass Ring may be dirty or oxidized and requires cleaning.
- Atomizer or cartomizer is not long enough to properly mate with the Brass Ring.
By Vapian, Version 1.3, May 2014
Graciously reviewed/edited by Drunk_J & Katdarling
DRIP TIP/BRASS RING QUESTIONS
Q. Can I use my own drip tips on the Billet Box?
A. Yes.
Most standard 510 drip tips should fit inside the brass ring.
If the tip is slightly too small, it can be made to fit with larger replacement O-ring or by removing the O-ring, wrapping a bit of unflavored dental floss around the O-ring slot, and replacing the o-ring.
If the tip is slightly too large, it might be made to fit by sanding down the diameter. Do this at your own risk.
Q. What should I use to back out or tighten the brass ring?
A. A standard U.S. quarter or nickel coin is ideal. These will fit right into the slots on the brass ring and provide more than enough leverage.
Q. What if I don't have the required coinage?
A. Some folks have found that their drip tip fits in tightly enough to loosen or tighten the brass ring with no coin required.
It is possible to use the door of the Billet Box itself, but this is NOT RECOMMENDED as it could deform the door making it EXTREMELY difficult to install or remove later.
Q. How much should I tighten the brass ring?
A. The brass ring should be tightened down just enough to make contact with the cartomizer body.
Too loose, and the cartomizer will not fire.
Too tight, and the cartomizer might damage the silicon gasket around the cartomizer positive pin.
It is worth noting that there have been two production Brass Rings.
The first version simply "sat" on top of the cartomizer establishing the ground path. Later testing indicated in some cases this may have led to liquid condensation inside the Billet Box tank compartment.
The second version has a small extension that fits inside the cartomizer with a O-ring to provide a seal. This greatly reduces incidents of condensation in the tank compartment.
BATTERY QUESTIONS
Q. What kind of batteries does The Billet Box use?
A. The Billet Box is designed to use 3.7 volt, AW ICR 123 / 16340 (Black w/silver label), protected, button-top batteries.
The use of unprotected batteries of any kind is NOT recommended.
Q. How long do those batteries last in the Billet Box?
A. Short answer: until they die.
Long answer: Most users report anywhere from 1/2 to a full day of vaping with a freshly charged pair of batteries and a 3.0 ohm cartomizer. Depending on your atomizer or cartomizer resistance and how you vape, YMMV.
Q. How do the batteries die - do they peter out, cut off, or...?
A. The Black AW ICR 123's tend to keep their output and performance constant almost to the very end with only the last two or three vapes being weak.
Q. Can I use other brands or types of battery?
A. The Billet Box battery compartment is very specifically designed for the physical size of the AW ICR 123 / 16340 batteries and has very tight tolerances.
But, any 16340 or 123-type battery that is button top, no longer than 34.2 mm or larger than 16.6 mm in diameter should fit.
If you MUST buy a different brand/model of battery, CHECK IT AGAINST THESE DIMENSIONS.
Beyond the size, performance may or may not be as good as the recommended battery type.
Remember also that Billet Box Vapor recommends the use of protected batteries.
Q. Can I use <brand/model> batteries?
A. See above.
There are many CR123 / 16340 batteries on the market that may or may not fit, and may or may not work well.
Anything other than what is recommended in this FAQ or on the Billet Box web site, is up to the user.
Bottom line: The recommended AW ICR 123 batteries are ALWAYS a safe bet.
Anything else is beyond the scope of this particular FAQ.
Q. Where can I get the recommended batteries?
A. Recommending vendors is beyond the scope of this FAQ.
An internet search for "black AW ICR 123" should find a number of dealers.
Online forums are also a good place for up-to-date dealer recommendations.
Q. The batteries fit in there awfully tightly. How do I get them out?
A. The recommended method of removing the batteries from the Billet Box is to remove the back plate and smack the battery compartment over the open palm of your hand.
Yes. Smack it on your hand.
Done properly, at least one battery should drop out allowing easy removal of the remaining battery.
Prying them out with a tool is not recommended as it could damage the battery.
Also, recommend removing any rings from the hand you are slapping into, as rings can make dents in the Billet Box chassis.
Some users recommend wrapping a bit of tape around the batteries to create a handle to pull them out. Thin tape is recommended due to the tight clearances inside the Billet Box.
Q. Can I charge my batteries inside the Billet Box?
A. No. Batteries must be charged in a dedicated battery charger.
Q. What battery charger should I use?
A. Any charger capable of charging 3.7 volt CR123 / 16340-sized batteries should work.
Recent widely used brands include Intellicharger i2/i4, EFest LUC and XTAR chargers.
POWER QUESTIONS
Q. What is the voltage range of the Billet Box?
A. The Billet Box has an adjustable voltage range of 4.0 volts to 5.5 volts.
Q. What is the amp limit of the Billet Box?
A. 3 amps.
Q. What kind of power protection does the Billet Box provide?
A. The Billet Box is protected against over-voltage up to 12 volts, current over 3 amps and reversed polarity. If this internal protection is tripped the user is protected against catastrophic failure, but the Billet Box may have to be returned to Billet Box Vapor for repair.
Also, in the event of a major battery failure the body of the Billet Box is designed to vent gas through the air intake holes(on the side) and the seams of the back plate.
Q. With the tank on the inside, are the power components of the Billet Box protected against liquids?
A. Yes, to some degree.
The compartment containing the power regulator is sealed with a gasket material.
However, it is still possible for liquid to get in via the voltage selection dial, in the event of a large spill or leak.
Q. Does the Billet Box have variable wattage (VW)?
A. No. You cannot set a specific wattage for the Billet Box.
Q. My Billet Box won't fire! What do I do?
A. Common causes of Billet Box misfires include:
- One or both batteries are not fully charged.
- One or both batteries are not fully or correctly installed.
- One or both batteries may have protection circuitry that is not be compatible with the Billet Box.
- Cartomizer is faulty.
- Rebuildable atomizer coil has opened or shorted.
- Atomizer or cartomizer center pin is not contacting the atomizer pin in the tank compartment.
- Center pin in tank compartment is dirty or oxidized and needs to be cleaned or scraped.
- Brass Ring is not fully seated on top of or in the cartomizer or atomizer.
- Brass Ring may be dirty or oxidized and requires cleaning.
- Atomizer or cartomizer is not long enough to properly mate with the Brass Ring.
