AHHHHH MY LAVATUBE V.1 DIED!!!! help?

[Plumes.91]

AHHH I have no variable voltage PV right now and I'm going INSANE! The button broke last night right after I had over filled a cartomizer (while on the device) So I was stuck with three 3.2ohm cartomizers, 2 eGos and a Bolt? Hahaha I tried it and it was like vaping flavored air. I had to go to the mall and buy a $21.99 five pack of 2 ohm cartomizers from a VERY rude woman that seems to seriously dislike me for my use of "mods" shes never heard of. She's even made me tear up and almost cry in the past... UGH.

So I guess I'm here to ask... Do any of you know if I could crack this thang open and possible clean the switch? It was literally firing every other time I'd push it... Then every 3rd time I'd push it... Then I needed to apply more and more pressure, and eventually it just stopped working all together. Do any of you think its salvageable? The LCD screen still lights up and the voltage +/- still work.

Do any of you think I could clean the insides out, or maybe even salvage the board and create a mod with it? Anyone? Anyone? lol... ugh. UGH. UGH! UGH!UGH! UGH! UGHHHHH! UGHHH!!!!! UUUUUUGHHHHHHH!!
This sucks. I'm gonna have to order a Lambo now and I wanted to save up for a Zmax or something better -____-

 

[ruet]

You could try some no residue electronic/contact cleaner on the LT switch. Make sure it's no residue or you will certainly draw cleaner through the 510 and ruin whatever atomizing device you are using.
Speaking from experience, you have a rough road ahead of you if you attempt to repair the unit. First, you are going to have to remove the top cap. The solder points on the 510 connector Take care not break the leads or dislodge the solder points as they are quite thin and weak. Once the cap is hanging out of the way there is a metal sleeve press-fitted and then glued inside the tube. The sleeve keeps the electronics in place on the top side of the tube. Removing this sleeve is difficult, at best, and will probably result in the 510 leads breaking. Next is the removal of the electronics. The problem point here is that the PCB is soldered to the tube to create ground. It is not a lead but the ground point on the PCB itself. Next is that the PCB and switch are housed in two piece plastic sleeve that is very difficult to remove without breaking.

I know it's not what you want to hear; but at this point I would start saving for new mod and use your other batteries with low-res atomizing devices.

 

[Plumes.91]

Ok thats not bad news at all ruet. I just wanted a true and detailed answer. I'm fine with soldering but if the tube is glued, screw this! I'll get a new lavatube. Probably a mini. I've realized that I really don't need the large mods. Plus, lavatubes are so cheap these days. I may put the broken switch lavatube up for sale in the classifieds section and see if anyone would like to purchase it to fix or for mod purposes. Hopefully someone would like that. This is not a total loss. It gives me the excuse to buy something new, and better. (which I was just about to do anyway) the only thing that kinda stinks is that I was in the middle of visually modding this lavatube and now its unusable. So if I do put it in the classies i'll post a picture because it IS sanded and the caps are gold leafed. DO NOT contact me until I have put it in the classifieds section if you are reading this and you are interested. I don't want a forum infraction. Thank you. And thank you ruet for helping me with this.

I knew it was going to die. It was my learning PV. I've flooded cartomizers while screwed into it many times so I kind-of figured that the insides might of been getting leaked juice coming through.

 

[Plumes.91]

UPDATE: Well, it seems to be working again? haha. Though I'm not sure how long it will last. Its only working when I press the button in a specific way, with a specific pressure. The top, right, and bottom of the button seem to work when I press very hard on it. However its not firing at all no matter what pressure I use on the left side of the button. I think I may have freed some debris when I blew into the button right before I gave my last try at it. Pretty funny huh? It worked right as I was going to give up on it. Now I'm sort-of ...... I ...... away $10 on the $20 five pack of 2ohm mall booth cartos I was forced to buy last night. Ah well, guess I'll stick with them instead of buying my usual 1.5-1.7ohms until they all die out. I'm probably still going to purchase the mini lambo I've found for cheapish online so that should be fun to mess around with. I don't think I'm going to save up for a vw device now. I'll be happy with a mini lambo until the new lavatube comes out. I can't wait for that. Its got EVERYTHING I want in an $80 package from what I've heard.

 

[BGabe]

Plumes, check this out.

Vari-Tube 18350 APV

Most of the new metal LT have a 4 amp limit and the ability to display atomizer/carto resistance! LiteCig has a mini and the normal size, both for under $50! MVS also has a similar setup for the LT.

 

[zapped]

Save the 50 bucks and buy the Provari.If something goes wrong then at least you can send it in, knowing that the pure hell youre going through is a temporary thing, and get it fixed.Provape has awesome customer service and great turn-around time.

This more than anything else is what convinced me to buy a Provari over a cheap Chinese knock-off because I didnt want to be stuck up crap creek without a paddle.

 

[Plumes.91]

well I mean, if you know me, you know I am all for "chinese knockoffs" because, well, they aren't all knockoffs. SmokTech for example has some good quality products and they are cheap because of the cheaper labor. I don't particularly love the provari company simply because they price gouge and they advertize their devices as "water vapor cigarettes" which is against my personal beliefs as to what a vendor should be calling their wares. If I were to save up I would probably buy a Zmax. But I think I'm just going to get the new lavatube lambo direct for china, for $30 s&h included See I don't care where my mod is made as long as I feel I got my money's worth out of it. This lavatube served as my 1st mod, and I messed it up plenty of times. I've learned a lot by using it. I've flooded cartos and had juice sinking into it's battery connection more times than I can count on 2 hands. I visually modded it, sanded the button down, etc. I'm sure it broke either due to liquid sinking into the chip compartment, or, dust from sanding the black paint down to the aluminum finish. Simple as that. I don't like Provari for many reasons... And I'd rather buy something that costs the price of Provari's warranty than buy a provari for $175 plus the $25 warranty. lol. If my lavatube breaks, at least I know I only paid the price of Provari's warranty. I can buy a new one and beat it to hell till it breaks, or, probably keep it and if I seriously care for it, I'll for many years to come. I've had my lavatube for 2 years. I think I got my money's worth and I learned what not to do with an electronic mod

If I had the money, of course I'd buy a provari. I don't have the money now, and I wouldn't have the money for it if I saved up for a month. I mean, sure, I might be able to raise 200 dollars, but I wouldn't want to spend 200 dollars on a provari.. I'd get a mod with vari-wattage or a beautiful stainless steel mechanical mod with a kick. There is no doubt that the provari is a well made workhorse, but these are just the thoughts that go through my head when I think about buying a new mod. I'm just not a provari guy at this point in time. I'd rather play around with cheap mods and not really mind if they break 1st. Maybe someday I'll have a job, and I'll be financially secure enough to afford a Provari... Maybe even then, I won't buy one until they take down the page on their website that advertizes the provari as a water vapor e-cigarette. Until then, I like the lavatubes and they have served me well.

 

[Robert T]

Since you're already in the modders forum, you could look around at some of the tutorials and build your own VV or VW mod. It's very satisfying to vape a device that you made yourself.

 

[Plumes.91]

Robert, are you suggesting I could salvage the insides and build a vari volt device with them possibly? Actually, I'm extremely interested in salvaging the tube itself, I spent over 8 hours visually modding it out... Is there any tutorials on building a 3.7 fixed tube mod here? Does anyone think I could make something work in the lavatube? ughhh.

 

[Robert T]

I wasn't speaking of modding the Lava Tube but yeah, it should be easy to make it an unregulated device and it may be possible to replace the switch or use the circuity in a box or something. Depends on your skill level and desire to do something like that. An unregulated 3.7v device is a simple DC circuit. Battery, switch and 510 connector. You have the tube. Just do some reading here and see what you want to do. I don't have nor have I ever seen one in RL so I can't say what will fit in one, how hard it would be to take apart and salvage the components or if it could be repaired.

 

[MadmanMacguyver]

yes it can be dismantled...carefully... it will usually destroy the tube as far as putting back together tho...you can start by CAREFULLY using a vise and a pair of channel locks and prying of the top plastic cap... there is a metal cap underneath that WILL be a pain to remove... it is sonically pressed into the tube...that will take some creative and careful pressing from the inside w a long thin screwdriver and much viewing the inside w a flashlight to avoid damaging the board inside...there are solder drops also using a sonic means for insertion to both hold the board in place inside the tube and provide ground but the tube is aluminum so the solder is not fused to the tube...simply deformed against the side of the tube by the insertion method......real PITA but it can be done...

 

[Plumes.91]

actually the airport security popped the top cap off of my lavatube. I had it in my clothes bag and they popped the cap off to check for explosives. from what i remember from looking into the tube while it was still off there was no metal cap, just wires and the circuit board.

 

[classwife]

Moved to APV Discussion - Lavatube from the Modding Forum

 

[Plumes.91]

Well I'm going to continue visually modding the tube and once I'm finished I may either keep it as a vaping trophy.. since it was my first variable voltage device... Or, I may rip the insides of it out and stuff the insides of a cheap 3.7 or 5 volt box mod kit into it. Do any of you think this is possible? I mean, in theory, in my mind, it sounds like it would work perfectly easily.. Maybe I would have to use a shorter battery in it and put the battery connector deeper into the tube to fit everything in? UGH. I guess I just need to search the modding forum to fully understand what I'm getting myself into lol. I should have never messed with the center pin, over dripped with the carto/atty screwed into the device, and I definitely should of been more careful when sanding around the firing button lol. o well. ya live ya learn.

EDIT- Classwife, I love the quote in your signature. "You can change the world with your words" I absolutely love that. I hope I can apply that to my life now and well into the future. I'm sorry that I posted this in the wrong area but I figured I would eventually be steering the discussion from bare bones talk of the lavatube itself into talk of using it as a modding tube or using the insides. I apologize.

 

[indisent]

But I think I'm just going to get the new lavatube lambo direct for china, for $30 s&h included See I don't care where my mod is made as long as I feel I got my money's worth out of it.

What site would you buy the Lambo from? I'm seriously considering a Lavatube or Lambo. Thanks.

 

[LeftCoastVaper]

Don't dismantle the thing 'cause you're just gonna break it and ultimately throw it away. My old one came apart after a severe fall and believe me, there are no user serviceable parts inside. I mean yeah, you could probably solder the cap connectors or something but that's about it.

Just do what a previous poster suggested - get some contact cleaner and spray the switch from the inside and out. Really blast it. Should make it good as new.

 

[Plumes.91]

jontpt, where would I spray the switch from the inside and out though? I've tried spraying the little crack between the button and the mod itself, but it hasn't helped. Where would I spray to get the button's insides clean. indisent, I'll PM you in a bit.

 

[LeftCoastVaper]

Just spray inside the body cavity. If you take out the battery you can see the switch up by the positive contact post. Use the plastic tube that usually comes with the spray can to direct the stream onto the switch. A few good blasts followed by rapid button clicks should clear it up.

 

[Plumes.91]

Interesting, interesting. I'm gonna have to take my Lavatube to the store along with my can of air, and use 1 of the tubes from 1 of the bottles on the shelf while I'm in the store, then put it back on the bottle it was on, because i lost the tube on my can of air haha. I'm sure the store employees won't mind that too much ;D

 

[Chrispixx]

If all you need is the tube Zainy has the V2 for $26.00

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Zainy - LavaTube V2