510 Mega battery problems

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macquitter

Full Member
Feb 2, 2010
19
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london
Hi all,

I have an ever growing graveyard of 510 mega batteries (about 20).
I seem to be going through 3-4 batteries every two weeks.

these batteries light up, and they seem to charge fine too, but when connected to an atty they produce no vapour (have tried different atties).

I clean them the best i can (qtips/alcohol)

If you have any tips on how I could bring them back to life, they would be appreciated.

i keep thinking something is breaking the connection between the atty and the batteries, do you think the staple mod I saw on a forum would help (the v shaped staple inserted into the atty)

please help!

thank you
 

Papa Lazarou

Ultra Member
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Nov 15, 2008
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UK
It sounds like that is what is happening but it shouldn't be. Can you test them, e.g. with a volt meter? I've personally never had this happen with any 510 battery (I've got some that are still functional that are over a year old). 3-4 batteries every two weeks is pretty expensive too... Yes something like a staple mod would help if that is indeed the problem. Its probably best to get to the bottom of why its happening though. Are you putting them on to the atty very tightly?
 

Luvs5rugrats

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Sep 15, 2010
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The Lowcountry
Do you happen to be switching your atomizers between different size batteries? I was using one, going from my eGo to my standard 510 and found the atties won't work on a 510 after being on my eGo, for whatever strange reason. I thought I killed my 510 batteries, too but that wasn't it. They light up but the atomizer doesn't activate. Sticking on a new atomizer works and the one that doesn't work on the 510 batt works fine with the eGo.
 

macquitter

Full Member
Feb 2, 2010
19
0
london
Hi,
thanks for the replies

i dont think I am putting them on the atty tightly.. but just curious.. how would that harm them? and what would fix the problem?

all my attys come from the sam eplace, are the same type, so havent switched them around at all.

also, I dont have a volt meter, could try and get one though.
is there a tutorial on how to test them?

cheers
 

Papa Lazarou

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Nov 15, 2008
1,429
231
UK
Hi,
thanks for the replies

i dont think I am putting them on the atty tightly.. but just curious.. how would that harm them? and what would fix the problem?

all my attys come from the sam eplace, are the same type, so havent switched them around at all.

also, I dont have a volt meter, could try and get one though.
is there a tutorial on how to test them?

cheers

I was thinking that overtightening the battery onto the atty (or maybe more likely onto the charger) could push the batteries centre contact in, so it doesn't make a good connection any more. Really, finger tight is all is needed.

To read the voltage you touch the battery's centre contact with the meters' positive probe (red) and the battery's thread with the ground probe (black) and then activate the battery.
 

Maast

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Oct 2, 2010
143
20
Anchorage, AK
Ah ha! Finally, a question I can actually help with - I even have a 510 mega as well.

If you're going through that many batteries it has to be a charging problem, bad charging is the most common way to destroy a battery. Batteries prematurely die for 3 reasons:

1. Consistant over discharge - they're drawn down totally flat, this damages the anode and cathodes and chemically changes the electrolyte so its not available. Genuine Joye 510 batteries have circuitry in them to prevent that (they blink), knockoffs may not have that protection but you still wouldnt do this because you wouldn't have been getting much vapor from them - so this isnt likely.

2. Consistant over charging - the charger applies too much voltage to the battery and destroys the electrolyte, anodes and cathodes. Mainly its the electrolyte that goes on this scenario.
If this was the case when a battery is new you'd get really good vapor from it for the first week or so before the battery cooked. From what you describe this isnt likely either.

3. Consistant under charging - the charger is either not supplying enough voltage to the battery to charge, or its cutting off the charge cycle way too soon. The battery just never gets a good charge and soon (yes even lithium-ion) it develops a memory and it CANT get a good charge, regardless of putting it on another charger.
USB chargers are notorious for this, and they dont produce much amperage either. I've noticed that I dont get nearly as good battery life if I've been using one particular USB charger of the two I've got. Also, the usb charger should be warm (not hot) to the touch at the completion of a charge cycle. In general wall chargers do a MUCH better job of charging - unless you just happened to get a bum charger (it happens).
In this scenario you wouldnt get very good vapor production, even from a new battery, and the battery would start blinking and shut off within just an hour or so of use if you're lucky. My 510 mega gives me a good 4-6 hours of near constant vaping.

So, your most likely problem is your charger sucks :)

If you'd damaged the connection you wouldnt be getting any charge at all. Most battery chargers use the batteries internal resistance to tell when the battery is charged up, when the internal resistance goes up the battery is charged. Its possible that you have corrosion problems causing a highly resistive contact, but you said they're clean.

BTW, when you get a good charger you might be able to recover some of your old batteries by leaving them on the charger for a few days, draining them down, and then letting them soak again.

Also, if you're using automatic batteries (dont know if they make 510 mega automatics or not) then the most likely culprit is that you're overfilling the carts and getting juice in the battery and damaging the batteries circuitry. These batteries are remarkably complex, I got curious and took one apart on the electronics bench at work after I dropped it in mudpuddle :(
 
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