Ask a PIF mod or vet

[CalamityJan]

*edit: scroll down Chelle, Prism's got this*

LOL, ya know what they say about talking to yourself AND getting answers?

 

[pchela]

Okay, I've got a friend looking for a kit. He asked me about the ego-t kit but last time I tried the ego tank system I hated it. Has it improved? What kit is good right now for newish vapers? He's only had a crappy stick cig till now and doesn't want to spend "mod" money. He likes the idea of tanks but is open to other ideas. I only use my mods now so I don't know what's out there. Thoughts?

 

[markfm]

I'd avoid the -T series -- looks like they're getting a lot of votes on the worst products thread.

Perhaps just a normal Riva kit, coupled with a carto tank? Training wheels could be the Riva with a couple packs of Boge 2 ohm, see how that goes and maybe get a tank and some stainless steel cartos (prepunched or not) in a month? Another alternative would be the Riva plus some XL/mega cartos for now.

I've been very happy with my m1a1 carto tank, leak free, painless. I vape only 1 eliquid the vast majority of the time, a mix that has none of the tank cracking issues reported with some flavors.

 

[pchela]

And my second question for the day, can a mod kill batteries or is it coincidental that my batteries are dying around the same time?

 

[loxmythe]

As far as I know A short could trip the protection circuit in the batteries.

 

[pwyll]

And my second question for the day, can a mod kill batteries or is it coincidental that my batteries are dying around the same time?

What mod, what atty/carto and what batteries? Sometimes a mod can kill batteries, lox's suggestion of a short is one way. Sometimes the batteries simply die because they can't put out the amps that the device is trying to pull. And sometimes just dropping the resistance of the atties too low will kill batteries that work in that mod with other atties.


EDIT: Ooops. Sorry, I didn't realize this was the "mod/vet" thread until I'd saved. Since I am neither I will shut up now...

 

[pchela]

I welcome your advice Pwyll!

It's is a VV mod that has worked fine up till now. Only one battery in each of the two sets is bad. I'm doing 3.7-3.9 with 1.5 attys. 16340 batteries.

 

[pwyll]

Is there anything new? Have you been using 1.5's on it for a while? Also, what brand atty/carto? I've seen some atties advertised as (+/- .2) which would mean your atty could be as low as 1.3 and still be "within spec."

On the other hand, only one battery per pair going bad would suggest to me that it's a physical short pulling on a battery rather than a system-wide problem that would affect both batteries equally. I could be wrong (I'm no expert), but that's how it seems to me.


TLDR: What lox said.

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

Jinx, runnng LR on a VV mod isn't ideal. 3ohm on VV always a good bet.

And call me crazy, but I love the Volt for a starter kit...or a decent/small mod at $75 shipped is the Vari-Cool Little Sister. Lasts about 5 hours of moderate vaping, is VV and I drop the thing constantly and it's still in perfect shape. Run cartos/carto tanks on it though.

 

[pchela]

But... what's the point of vv if you can't run 3.7 with a lr atty? This vaping stuff is so confusing!!!

Also, Pwyll, I don't understand what you mean by a physical short pulling on one battery. So, it's the mod? Will it still happen if I use 3.0 at 5v?

As for the Volt, he wants something with a tank... not sure why.

 

[pwyll]

But... what's the point of vv if you can't run 3.7 with a lr atty? This vaping stuff is so confusing!!!

To get away 3.7, actually. 3.7v is the most common voltage of mod (at least at the moment, 5v seems to be rising fast), so the vv lets you try (and/or choose) other voltages without having to have a mod for each one and/or have several sets of batteries that you're constantly changing out. If you're wanting to run 3.7 all the time you'd probably be better off without the vv--but that's a point that's constantly under debate...

Also, Pwyll, I don't understand what you mean by a physical short pulling on one battery. So, it's the mod? Will it still happen if I use 3.0 at 5v?

As for the Volt, he wants something with a tank... not sure why.

I mean like two actual wires touching that aren't supposed to (the real meaning of "short") as opposed to a messed up chip or component on the vv board. A short on the board would affect the whole system the same and should kill both batts if it kills either. A flaw in the wiring could result in uneven draw on the batteries and only kill one of them. But this is all speculation. Without having the mod to examine and test, it's like trying to diagnose through email that wierd noise your car makes...

 

[pchela]

Okay, and on what is shaping up to be my worst vaping day ever, what does it mean when a separate mod (not the battery killing mod) suddenly won't fire? When I take the atty off, the voltage display comes on, when I put the atty on, it won't fire. Every atty. Not just one. Fresh 18350 batteries. And who wants to come to come collect the broken mod pieces from the parking lot of my apartment building after I throw them all off of the balcony?

(and are we saying that I can't use 3.7 on my vv mods? 3.7 on a vv is different than 3.7 on a non vv and I like it better. Also, I only have lr attys and cartos. And I'm scared to use the other mod because it may or may not be killing batteries. Damn it, I don't know what to do!)

Oh, and btw, I have been using 3.7 with lr mods on my VV's for months with no problems until yesterday and today. I'm very, very confused and very, very frustrated.

 

[pwyll]

Okay, and on what is shaping up to be my worst vaping day ever, what does it mean when a separate mod (not the battery killing mod) suddenly won't fire? When I take the atty off, the voltage display comes on, when I put the atty on, it won't fire. Every atty. Not just one. Fresh 18350 batteries. And who wants to come to come collect the broken mod pieces from the parking lot of my apartment building after I throw them all off of the balcony?

Dunno. On one, I would say the atty may be developing a problem that to which that mod is just more sensitive, but on all of them, maybe the insulator in the connector is damaged and screwing the atties in is causing a short :shrug:

Have you thought about contacting the makers to see if they might at least diagnose the problem for you? If not, maybe checking with Alan to see when he might have a bit more time to look at them for you? Just don't throw them off the balcony--iirc, you're near Bastrop; just buy a bag of unshelled pecans and beat the ever-living out of them with a brick. It works wonders for frustration, at least it does with walnuts (which is what we have here instead of pecans).

[/QUOTE](and are we saying that I can't use 3.7 on my vv mods? 3.7 on a vv is different than 3.7 on a non vv and I like it better. Also, I only have lr attys and cartos. And I'm scared to use the other mod because it may or may not be killing batteries. Damn it, I don't know what to do!)

Oh, and btw, I have been using 3.7 with lr mods on my VV's for months with no problems until yesterday and today. I'm very, very confused and very, very frustrated.[/QUOTE]

No, not at all. Therein lies the debate. And if you've been using these for months with no issues, the two things that seem most likely is that there is something gone wrong with the mod or the batteries need to be replaced. To find out for sure, someone knowledgeable really needs to look at it.

I've got a Roughstack you can borrow until you get things sorted out. It's not vv, but it should be familiar

 

[pchela]

Thanks for the help Pwyll! I think that my batteries are all giving out at the same time. I changed the batts (fresh ones) on the second mod and now it's fine. So that's at least 3 batteries so far that are giving me trouble. *sigh*

Thanks for the roughstack offer! I've got a mini reo that I decided to keep for backup since it's all mechanical. Days like this make me remember that I don't want to sell it.

 

[pwyll]

Yep. Always keep a back-up. And with this crazy stuff, make sure your back-up is simple as --that way if it develops problems you can fix it with bailing wire and duct tape.

Like a VW Beetle

 

[markfm]

If you charge the batts on the same charger, might be a charger fail rather than the batteries.

1.7 ohms on 3.7v should be trivial for any functioning vv and battery combo, as it is only a bit over 2a and 8w. The mods I use cut out at 15w, a 1.5 ohm dc could go up to about 4.7v before tripping the protection.

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

I hear what you're saying Mark, but for some mods even a tiny bit over 2amps is going to cause problems. Best bet is to get in touch w/ the mod maker and find out if over 2amps is a no no.

 

[markfm]

I only mentioned possibly charger because of post 372 -- using lr on the VV mods for months already. (though if it has a 2A limit, maybe it's just now decided to give up the ghost) You're of course correct, follow the mod vendors recommendation. (I'm going to use 2 ohm boge cartos on that little SD Key Ring I just ordered )

 

[BiancaMontgomery]

I only mentioned possibly charger because of post 372 -- using lr on the VV mods for months already. (though if it has a 2A limit, maybe it's just now decided to give up the ghost) You're of course correct, follow the mod vendors recommendation. (I'm going to use 2 ohm boge cartos on that little SD Key Ring I just ordered )

Dang it! I was JUST looking at those and they're out of stock! Is 2ohm what they suggest or are you living on the edge?

 

[markfm]

The site says they have run them with lr, so 2 ohm should be fine. Picked up a pack of boge stainless steel to go with it. If it works well, a tiny auto has its nice points.

They just got stock in today.