BEWARE and BECAREFUL: Melting Parts

[kryptonicrxn]

I've been vaping close to a year but this is the worst I have personally seen.

Got my Patriot clone about a month ago (sold by USA vendor, not Fasttech). This is the 3rd wrap. I unwrapped it and found the positive pin seal o-ring melted and infused into my wick. See pics. I already took out the ekowool but the black ring melted and seeped into my wick. Had to pry it out. You can see some ekowool still stuck in this plastic, see pic 3. Nasty. Just the thought of me vaping that plastic or silicone fume. eughhkkk.

So if you're running hot, be careful. My set up was a dual-coil, 4 wrap, 26ga kanthal, on 3mm ekowool running on Sony 30A battery or that famous high amp orange battery, inside either M16 or Nemesis (all cloned). Ohm meter registered .34ohm. vaping 3-5sec bursts.

The only thing I can possibly blame is I did once dry burned the coils to clean off the gunk last week. Using pulse method, i got both coils to glowing hot, then rinsed with hot water. Repeated this glowing 3 times. Perhaps this was when it melted. Who knows.

Now I gotta figure out how to replace this seal.

 

[Foodacris]

I think most drippers have delrin insulators that are pretty resistant to high heat. In fact, I've never seen a dripper that used rubber or any other material that would melt as a positive post insulator until I opened this thread.

 

[Ryedan]

I have a couple of RDAs and the center post is in white plastic in both. Neither has darkened and I dry burn and sometimes get them quite hot when chain vaping.

I see some Patriot clones have a black plastic insulator around the center post. It should be some kind of acetal like Delrin or Celcon which handles the heat it would see in there quite well. I would contact the supplier and tell them what happened. If there is some kind of rubber in there, or anything that degrades like you saw, I would consider it unsafe. I would not vape that RDA again.

 

[Craig_B]

Wasn't impressed with my chi-triot either! Had a negative post start spinning in the base. Posts in mine are brass. I have only been running around .8-.9 with mine but on the 3rd coil post gave out!

 

[Bunnykiller]

they should have used ceramic....

 

[Funk Dracula]

Well that's kind of disturbing.

I'll pay you five bucks to post those pictures in the "Show Me Your China Set-ups!" thread. (just kidding!)

 

[crxess]

Problem is not the Product but the miss-application of the Product.
First you decide what your needs will be. Then you purchase the tool to do the job.
Same for ANY APPLICATION - Vaping or Mechanical Repair, etc.

A lot of us Vape and Drip at higher ohm levels and do not need the High Cost, Heavy Duty models. Those that intend to go Deep into sub-ohm need to evaluate that Goal and Expense.

 

[Funk Dracula]

A lot of us Vape and Drip at higher ohm levels and do not need the High Cost, Heavy Duty models. Those that intend to go Deep into sub-ohm need to evaluate that Goal and Expense.

Word.

The difference "down there" is huge. .4Ω is 10 Amps of current. .3Ω is 14 Amps of current. The battery isn't the only bottleneck in the equation. Just because your positive post has such bad conductivity and won't "blow up," doesn't mean it still won't get hot as hell and melt stuff because it can't pass the load. Looks like that pin had enough resistance to it to actually vape off of. LOL

 

[olderthandirt]

Problem is not the Product but the miss-application of the Product.
First you decide what your needs will be. Then you purchase the tool to do the job.
Same for ANY APPLICATION - Vaping or Mechanical Repair, etc.

A lot of us Vape and Drip at higher ohm levels and do not need the High Cost, Heavy Duty models. Those that intend to go Deep into sub-ohm need to evaluate that Goal and Expense.

Well said, thank you.

 

[Fast and Furious]

Problem is not the Product but the miss-application of the Product.
First you decide what your needs will be. Then you purchase the tool to do the job.
Same for ANY APPLICATION - Vaping or Mechanical Repair, etc.

A lot of us Vape and Drip at higher ohm levels and do not need the High Cost, Heavy Duty models. Those that intend to go Deep into sub-ohm need to evaluate that Goal and Expense.

And this is why you are on my "read the post" list. To the point / fact / no BS.

You help "ME" a LOT.

Tom

 

[Zealous]

Problem is not the Product but the miss-application of the Product.

While I don't disagree with your premiss that low ohm vapers need to make sure their equipment can handle what they're vaping, I think in this case it might have been the product & not miss application. Above there is another poster who says they were using that same RDA @ .8-.9 which isn't terribly low and had problems with it (different problem but still a problem)

It's not ALWAYS user error. Sometimes the product is the problem. I'm glad the OP shared his experience as I'm sure it will help other vapers avoid his problem.

 

[TheReign]

Yeah.. Cheap parts, cheap outcome. It happens, i wouldn't vape that thing again even with a fix. Just keep it as a reminder to ya!

 

[crxess]

While I don't disagree with your premiss that low ohm vapers need to make sure their equipment can handle what they're vaping, I think in this case it might have been the product & not miss application. Above there is another poster who says they were using that same RDA @ .8-.9 which isn't terribly low and had problems with it (different problem but still a problem)

It's not ALWAYS user error. Sometimes the product is the problem. I'm glad the OP shared his experience as I'm sure it will help other vapers avoid his problem.

Agreed, there is always the possibility of a defect within a product. Not much we can do beyond be AWARE and vigilant in inspection and use. However, Defects aside - Design is specific to intent of use. A User needs to know what they intend to do and what is required to do it Safely.

I have 2 IGO-L originals. Both have this soft center isolator. One is often used near 1ohm to 1.35ohm. The other is currently running .86ohm. Both are well over a year old and the only change from Like New condition is the enlarged air holes.
I use them but I don't abuse them.

For Lower ohm applications I have:
18650 MNKE 30/60 Batteries
Sigelei 8w(newest updated release)
Trident Dripping Atomizer

Op should be well advised - Even a Delron insulator could be Damaged if total Resistance is to high. Connection is as critical as coil for proper performance.
It is also wise to allow the Atomizer to cool before hitting it again.

 

[kryptonicrxn]

Thanks for all your opinions and advice. My post was intended to caution users with similar products and set up. Notice I didn't mention the seller.

Anyhow, I got a silicon insulator from a shop and re-wrapped it to .46 ohms. And I'll try to minimize dry burn, especially in combination with my high amp batteries. See pics for the removed delrin (or whatever it was).

Few thoughts:
I dont think this RBA is cheap or cheaply made. Paid over 20 bucks for it, again NOT from fasttech. The logo etching is sharp and finish is mirror shine. Please dont be too quick to judge. Paying more doesn't always equate to better quality. Unless your part is labeled "Made in USA," the part is most likely made offshore and more than likely, in China. And Im the kind of guy who pushes equipment limit. There's a quote which I believe in: "If you have never failed, you have never tried anything new." Now, you can argue, there are tons of topics on here so read up to learn. Well, sometimes, you dont even know where to begin or search a specific topic to read up and learn. Only when something happens then you know the topic to search.

I have used the Chimbus from fasttech, paid 6 bucks, lasted over a year and STILL running. I have dry burned, out of laziness to rewrap, countless times. And all wraps were are .5 ohms not for "coolness" or clouds, but simply bc I want that instant hit.

 

[Top_Bunk]

I've had the same thing happen when dry burning my Fasttech Kraken clone. Was surprised at how quickly the insulator melted.

 

[zachly]

I actually have an issue with my patriot rda. I had a strange ordeal where my battery got stuck with the top pin of my no name and now the bottom post of my patriot has some black material protruding from it. I'm still using and it is working fine. Should I discontinue use?

 

[Visus]

Crispy

Never had that happen in anything other than vivi nova and it was my no use of NR wire and shorts when I first started making coils..

That .3 coil is hungry and you have to feed it mon

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

When I received my patriot clone (from FT) the first thing I noticed is that the center post screw would not make a tight connection to the coils. The screw supplied wasn't long enough and that, very possibly, would have caused the post to overheat resulting in a melted insulator. I replaced all the screws, and now have good tight connections.

It's best to closely inspect equipment before using it, clone or not.

 

[emus]

When I received my patriot clone (from FT) the first thing I noticed is that the center post screw would not make a tight connection to the coils. The screw supplied wasn't long enough and that, very possibly, would have caused the post to overheat resulting in a melted insulator. I replaced all the screws, and now have good tight connections.

It's best to closely inspect equipment before using it, clone or not.

+1.

The hot pin must have firm clean contact to batt nipple and coil leg or hot pin will literally be a hot pin.

 

[Ryedan]

Thanks for all your opinions and advice. My post was intended to caution users with similar products and set up. Notice I didn't mention the seller.

Anyhow, I got a silicon insulator from a shop and re-wrapped it to .46 ohms. And I'll try to minimize dry burn, especially in combination with my high amp batteries. See pics for the removed delrin (or whatever it was).

Few thoughts:
I dont think this RBA is cheap or cheaply made. Paid over 20 bucks for it, again NOT from fasttech. The logo etching is sharp and finish is mirror shine. Please dont be too quick to judge. Paying more doesn't always equate to better quality. Unless your part is labeled "Made in USA," the part is most likely made offshore and more than likely, in China. And Im the kind of guy who pushes equipment limit. There's a quote which I believe in: "If you have never failed, you have never tried anything new." Now, you can argue, there are tons of topics on here so read up to learn. Well, sometimes, you dont even know where to begin or search a specific topic to read up and learn. Only when something happens then you know the topic to search.

I have used the Chimbus from fasttech, paid 6 bucks, lasted over a year and STILL running. I have dry burned, out of laziness to rewrap, countless times. And all wraps were are .5 ohms not for "coolness" or clouds, but simply bc I want that instant hit.

Thanks for posting the pictures kryptonicrxn. It doesn't matter where it was made, that insulator is not safe. Plastic can have filler in it, but a properly molded or extruded part does not look like that when the surface is penetrated. I know because I spent a lot of years working around plastic molding in some form or another.

I have no issue with Chinese products. I do think I will avoid anything that has black insulators in it from now on.