The Pico or the batteries?

[pganon]

Hi all, and greetings from Namibia!

I bought an eleaf Pico Dual this week. When I put it together it doesn't start. On the USB charger it shows a blinking empty battery symbol (at least that's what I think it is), a wattage, and 0.0 Ohm. The little thing (atomizer?) is 0.3 Ohm.

Thing is, there are only two shops in the whole of town, 20 km apart. I bought the batteries in one and the Pico in another. EWhich of the two should I try to exchange first?

Thanks,
Peter

(and sorry if the question is stupid)

 

[Tonee N]

Hello Peter.
Are you using an external charger or charging the batteries inside the Pico?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

 

[pganon]

I don't have an external charger and don't think I can buy one at this corner of the world.

Edit: The device was on the charger over night. No change.

 

[Tonee N]

Not stupid at all.
Have you tried different batteries? Is the USB port loose when you plug into it?

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[pganon]

No and no

The USB port must be working because away from the charger the device is dead like a dodo.

My thinking is, the null reaction from charging could mean one or both of the batteries are dead... I guess they should not be sold completely discharged, anyway.

But when I read "0.0 Ohm" it looks as if the device does not recognise the atomizer? It was one of the two from the box, so it should definitely be the correct one.

Thanks again!
Peter

 

[Tonee N]

Normally the batteries have a little charge on them. If you are getting enough power when it is plugged in for the screen to show you 0 ohms with the tank/coil screwed on then it can either be the 510 pin and the pin in the bottom of the tank are not making a connection, the coil isn't making contact with the tank pin, or possibly it's a bad mod.
There are ALOT of Pico owners on here. So hopefully they will chime in with the best idea for your situation. Sorry I could be of more help.

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[pganon]

Thanks Tonee N!

It was one of the batteries. Had it exchanged, and it is working now.

I have to say the manual for this device is not an easy read... Where can I read up on VW, TC-Ni, M1, and all this stuff?

Cheers,
Peter

 

[Tonee N]

Youtube has alot of videos on how the work as well as the folks here, I'm sure they will be sending you replies in a few hours.
Glad to hear it was just a battery.[emoji106]

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[Two_Bears]

Hi all, and greetings from Namibia!

I bought an eleaf Pico Dual this week. When I put it together it doesn't start. On the USB charger it shows a blinking empty battery symbol (at least that's what I think it is), a wattage, and 0.0 Ohm. The little thing (atomizer?) is 0.3 Ohm.

Thing is, there are only two shops in the whole of town, 20 km apart. I bought the batteries in one and the Pico in another. EWhich of the two should I try to exchange first?

Thanks,
Peter

(and sorry if the question is stupid)

The Pico.

Witg no ohms something is wrong witg the Pico. Or the atomizer.

 

[pganon]

Ja, that's what I thought, too. However, the salesman's pico was showing the same behaviour with my set of batteries, and a new set solved the problem.

 

[BlueMoods]

Sounds like counterfeit batteries, assuming they are supposed to be one of the ones suitable for vaping. I've seen a few mods do that over batteries that, though the right size do not provide anywhere close to the amps needed. (Flashlight batteries.)

And not, just because it's the right size. ie, an 18650, battery does not mean it will power a vamping device at all.

 

[pganon]

Fake batteries sounds like a good guess for my case. It says LG on the box but the battery is without any logo or imprint. But those are the only ones that I can buy from the only distributor of vaping material in the country. Mail order is also not possible (customs, air transport regulations).

Where else would suitable 18650 batteries be used? In cars? Powertools?

 

[r77r7r]

Hobby shop or possibly flashlights. There is an African vaping forum....

 

[DaveP]

Fake batteries sounds like a good guess for my case. It says LG on the box but the battery is without any logo or imprint. But those are the only ones that I can buy from the only distributor of vaping material in the country. Mail order is also not possible (customs, air transport regulations).

Where else would suitable 18650 batteries be used? In cars? Powertools?

Power tools use Ni-cad or Lithium sealed in battery packs. That's an expensive way to buy batteries and even the lithium batteries used in them aren't rated at the high amps you need for vaping. The Lithium batteries in power tool battery packs are are low amperage and dangerous for vaping. They are also spot welded together. Stay away from them.

LED flashlights also use Lithium 18650 batteries, but they are also lower amperage and not suitable for vaping. The batteries you buy depend on the wattage level you vape at. A 20A 18650 is a good choice for most wattage levels.

Since you can't mail order Lithium cells you are going to have to find a store that sells high amperage 18650's. Check out Mooch's blog and the link below for info on good batteries to look for.

18650 Battery Ratings -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Power tools use Ni-cad or Lithium sealed in battery packs. That's an expensive way to buy batteries, though. LED flashlights also use Lithium 18650 batteries. Try some home improvement stores that sell high end LED flashlights. You can easily get a couple of years out of a good 18650, more if you rotate several batteries in and out of the mod and the charger.

I am sorry but: That is just bad, even terrible advice if you do not explain that flashlights usually use low drain batteries, which are very low Amp. type.

You really need to state that if the person, should they go in such a place, they have to make certain that they get HIGH DRAIN batteries (high Amps, at least 20A to be used safely).

If a low drain type is used, that is when people end up on the news with a blown up mod and possibly their faces.

See my blog about batteries, or read up on Mooch's.

 

[DaveP]

I am sorry but: That is just bad, even terrible advice if you do not explain that flashlights usually use low drain batteries, which are very low Amp. type.

You really need to state that if the person, should they go in such a place, they have to make certain that they get HIGH DRAIN batteries (high Amps, at least 20A to be used safely).

If a low drain type is used, that is when people end up on the news with a blown up mod and possibly their faces.

See my blog about batteries, or read up on Mooch's.

Bolding isn't necessary. I feel like I'm being hollered at.

The OP explained that he was in Nambia (on the Southern tip of Africa) and there were only two shops 20 KM apart. He can either not vape or find another source for batteries. His OP asked about power tool batteries. That's not a good way to obtain 18650s, either.

He didn't say what wattage he was using in his Pico Dual. I tootle puff with my Pico Dual and bought it for dual battery life. Maybe you or I should ask him about that wattage he vapes at. I'm vaping 30Q's at 3.2A and 10W. The old AW 18650's we all used years ago were usually 5A and 10A cells. People vaped mechs with them, but they were Tootle Puffing back then. There's a good chance that he's not a cloud blower.

I edited my post. We'll see if he comes back and reads it. He hasn't posted in this topic since June 6. I just replied again to his OP.

 

[DaveP]

Hi all, and greetings from Namibia!

I bought an eleaf Pico Dual this week. When I put it together it doesn't start. On the USB charger it shows a blinking empty battery symbol (at least that's what I think it is), a wattage, and 0.0 Ohm. The little thing (atomizer?) is 0.3 Ohm.

Thing is, there are only two shops in the whole of town, 20 km apart. I bought the batteries in one and the Pico in another. EWhich of the two should I try to exchange first?

Thanks,
Peter

(and sorry if the question is stupid)

We haven't heard from you in a while. Did you find batteries that worked?

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Bolding isn't necessary. I feel like I'm being hollered at.

The OP explained that he was in Nambia (on the Southern tip of Africa) and there were only two shops 20 KM apart. He can either not vape or find another source for batteries. His OP asked about power tool batteries. That's not a good way to obtain 18650s, either.

He didn't say what wattage he was using in his Pico Dual. I tootle puff with my Pico Dual and bought it for dual battery life. Maybe you or I should ask him about that wattage he vapes at. I'm vaping 30Q's at 3.2A and 10W. The old AW 18650's we all used years ago were usually 5A and 10A cells. People vaped mechs with them, but they were Tootle Puffing back then. There's a good chance that he's not a cloud blower.

I edited my post. We'll see if he comes back and reads it. He hasn't posted in this topic since June 6. I just replied again to his OP.

Well, I am "scolding" you to an extent but it's more a question that the OP NEEDS to notice my post.

Putting members at risk is NOT a good thing, and recommending batteries that are dangerous to use it something none on here should ever do.

If being "scolded" teaches you about safety, then take it in grace and read up about such things before giving out such "advise".

 

[Oomee]

Those passing through will oft' notice me stating nothing of importance or even of point.
Glad we shared those moments!

P.S.
Don't mess with the Lithium, either Mooch or Spike Milligan will get you!
...oh and some toxic fire and stuff if you are an eejit too!

P.P.S. What happened to the true T.L.A.?

 

[DaveP]

Well, I am "scolding" you to an extent but it's more a question that the OP NEEDS to notice my post.

Putting members at risk is NOT a good thing, and recommending batteries that are dangerous to use it something none on here should ever do.

If being "scolded" teaches you about safety, then take it in grace and read up about such things before giving out such "advise".

He stated that he had almost no choice in vaping hardware. This guy is in a South African country where the local vape shop sold him batteries that didn't work. He can either vape with what he can find or go back to cigarettes.

We don't know his vaping wattage. If he's vaping low resistance and high wattage I agree that he needs to have 20A batteries. If he's vaping at levels equal to a cigarette, then he can get by with 5A or 10A lithium batteries that are used in high end flashlights, although I wouldn't recommend he tear apart power tool battery packs.

You're assuming that I'm completely incompetent about electronics and vaping hardware. I'm a retired electronics/electro-mechanical tech rep who worked for 36 years with a worldwide company. I expected him to continue the conversation where I could give him some further advice.