Arcing?

[Ed Brown]

I'm using an I-Joy Ultra mod. It's super simple - no spring, no magnets. When you push the bottom button, the battery slides up to contact the pin on the atomizer, and then the weight of the battery brings it back down when the button is released.

I've noticed some markings on the top terminal of the 20700 batteries. Could there be a momentary arc before the battery terminal makes full contact to the pin? the markings can be somewhat polished off with a pencil eraser, but this would seem negate the advantages of such a simple mod. Haven't noticed any signs of abrasion on the side of the battery.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[mimöschen]

The lower you build, the more arcing you get. Some materials like nickel plated copper seem to be a lot less prone to arcing though.
That's the reason why constant contact switches are so popular nowadays.

 

[r77r7r]

Iirc, folks were using DeOxIt dielectric lube often.

 

[mimöschen]

Iirc, folks were using DeOxIt dielectric lube often.

I don't know if it's a good idea to have grease all over your 18650s though. Especially on the positive contact.

 

[zoiDman]

I'm using an I-Joy Ultra mod. It's super simple - no spring, no magnets. When you push the bottom button, the battery slides up to contact the pin on the atomizer, and then the weight of the battery brings it back down when the button is released.

I've noticed some markings on the top terminal of the 20700 batteries. Could there be a momentary arc before the battery terminal makes full contact to the pin? the markings can be somewhat polished off with a pencil eraser, but this would seem negate the advantages of such a simple mod. Haven't noticed any signs of abrasion on the side of the battery.

Thoughts anyone?

I would make sure that all your Contacts are Flat and Smooth.

What type of Amps are you using when you take a Hit?

 

[zoiDman]

I don't know if it's a good idea to have grease all over your 18650s though. Especially on the positive contact.

I Don't use Mechs really anymore.

But when I did, DeOxit Gold was part of my Routine Maintenance. I never noticed any DeOxit on the Batteries I used.

https://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT-Mini-Brush-Applicator-Contact-Conditioner/dp/B07PB4L4XG

Just an every so slight Film on the Contacts, a little rubbing with a Fine Scotch Brite Pad or a Cratex Stick, and then a gentle wipe with a Paper Towel is all you need.

 

[zoiDman]

I Don't use Mechs really anymore.

But when I did, DeOxit Gold was part of my Routine Maintenance. I never noticed any DeOxit on the Batteries I used.

https://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT-Mini-Brush-Applicator-Contact-Conditioner/dp/B07PB4L4XG

Just an every so slight Film on the Contacts, a little rubbing with a Fine Scotch Brite Pad or a Cratex Stick, and then a gentle wipe with a Paper Towel is all you need.

BTW - A 1/4" Cratex Rod and a Minuscule amount of DeOxit Gold can work Wonders on a Mods 510 Connector.

 

[r77r7r]

I don't know if it's a good idea to have grease all over your 18650s though. Especially on the positive contact.

The REO forum I believe is where I got the info early on. I use it all around the house . I think they ended up favoring the Red version which is a light lube and has cleaning properties.

 

[zoiDman]

The REO forum I believe is where I got the info early on. I use it all around the house . I think they ended up favoring the Red version which is a light lube and has cleaning properties.

DeOxit works Great on Stereo, RCA, and USB Connectors.

In Fact, that is where I 1st heard about in. On a Audio Forum.

 

[Ed Brown]

I would make sure that all your Contacts are Flat and Smooth.

What type of Amps are you using when you take a Hit?

Assuming 4.0 volts, it would be at 22 Amps

 

[zoiDman]

Assuming 4.0 volts, it would be at 22 Amps

At that type of Amps, I could see so Arching with certain types of Mechs.

Like I said, give your contacts a check for High Spots and Alignment. And maybe even a Light Polishing and then DeOxit-ing.

 

[Ed Brown]

I'll order some DeOxit and try it, but I've put this mod away for now. The positive ends of the batteries are getting damaged to the point that they don't reliably make electrical contact any more to the end of the 510 pin. The contact area is so small that everything is concentrated in one spot. The batteries still work fine in other mods that don't use the battery terminal as a switch contact. I guess that there's something to be said for real switches and spending the money for better equipment.

 

[sonicbomb]

This sort of sparky shenanigan is one of the reasons I hardly every use mechs anymore. Good luck finding a solution Ed

 

[mimöschen]

I've had very good experiences with nickel plated copper constant contact switches.
Even at resistances below .15 arcing and corrosion inside the switch seem to be non-existant compared to pure or silver plated copper, brass and SS contacts.

 

[Pigs]

Arcing is a big reason I use my REOs and other mechs much less often than I used to. Even cleaning all contacts with de-oxit red and leaving a light film of de-oxit gold it's hard to avoid. I don't have any mechs with constant contact switches but they seem the obvious solution.

 

[zoiDman]

I'm using an I-Joy Ultra mod. It's super simple - no spring, no magnets. When you push the bottom button, the battery slides up to contact the pin on the atomizer, and then the weight of the battery brings it back down when the button is released.

...

Just a Quick Question. You said that your Mech Doesn't have any Magnets.

Is this the Mech Mod you have?



Because at 4:28 in the Video it shows how the Magnets works. Are your Magnets Missing?

 

[zoiDman]

Arcing is a big reason I use my REOs and other mechs much less often than I used to. Even cleaning all contacts with de-oxit red and leaving a light film of de-oxit gold it's hard to avoid. I don't have any mechs with constant contact switches but they seem the obvious solution.

I used a Coppervape BF daily for about a Year n' Half. Never had any Arcing. And the Switch it used was a Basic Contact/Non-Contact type.

I always wondered if the Battery Casing plays a role in Contributing/Preventing Arcing? Meaning could some Battery Casing have maybe a Higher Carbon percentage Steel causing then to be More susceptible to Arching? Whereas some Battery Casing have a Lower amount of Carbon making them Less Susceptible to Arcing?

The Only other Mechs I used were a Windrose and Caravela. I never Noticed and Arcing with them. But I didn't use them all that much. So I couldn't tell if my Battery Casing theory made sense or not.

 

[Pigs]

I used a Coppervape BF daily for about a Year n' Half. Never had any Arcing. And the Switch it used was a Basic Contact/Non-Contact type.

I always wondered if the Battery Casing plays a role in Contributing/Preventing Arcing? Meaning could some Battery Casing have maybe a Higher Carbon percentage Steel causing then to be More susceptible to Arching? Whereas some Battery Casing have a Lower amount of Carbon making them Less Susceptible to Arcing?

The Only other Mechs I used were a Windrose and Caravela. I never Noticed and Arcing with them. But I didn't use them all that much. So I couldn't tell if my Battery Casing theory made sense or not.

Intetesting thought . I always use Sony VTC5as, VTC6ds (Vapcell re-wraps), or Samsung 20s in mechs. Never noticed a difference but just had a look and the 6ds have the most marking (pitting from arcing ) on the pos. Might be a usage thing but an experiment with brand new batteries could be fun

 

[zoiDman]

Intetesting thought . I always use Sony VTC5as, VTC6ds (Vapcell re-wraps), or Samsung 20s in mechs. Never noticed a difference but just had a look and the 6ds have the most marking (pitting from arcing ) on the pos. Might be a usage thing but an experiment with brand new batteries could be fun

It also be that for a given Battery, that there can be Variations in the Casing Steel used due to OEM's using Different Suppliers? Or that when Battery Demand is High, OEM's rely on more Suppliers than Normally?

Dunno?

But the Arcing has always intrigued Me. Because I have Never seen it 1st Hand. And given the Simplicity of Mech Mods, it should be something that can be easily Traced Down.

But it Doesn't Seem to be that way. Some Get Arcing and Some Don't. And I have read threads where people post about Arcing and others reply that they are using the Same Mech and the Same Batteries and have Never had any.

That's what got me Thinking that maybe the Variation(s) could be in the Battery Casing themselves. Verses the Mech Switch.

 

[Ed Brown]

Just a Quick Question. You said that your Mech Doesn't have any Magnets.

Is this the Mech Mod you have?



Because at 4:28 in the Video it shows how the Magnets works. Are your Magnets Missing?

Yes that's the one. I was mistaken in the initial post as there is a magnet. Not sure what the magnet does though, except it holds the battery in the top half when you unscrew the bottom half. Are you going to tell me to read the directions?