box mod kits

[fizil]

There's a few things about this latest batch of box mods that I'm not liking:
* The wire included with the box seems to be smaller gauge, but that could just be that the shielding is thinner. [I'm not sure that this is an issue; it just feels cheaper.]
* The battery tab for the positive doesn't make connection with my 14550 like the old boxes did. I spent an hour wondering why i had 2 boxes in a row not work >.< Is there a simple way to fix this that's pretty? Preferably not a glob of solder. I don't want a point that's gonna wear down over time.

On a side note, does any body have any tips on how to fix a not firing horn button? I think my soldering iron fried one

Also, I'm starting to notice the matter switch housing isn't propperly fused to the box very well on 2 of the 6 i got from this batch about 1 week ago. I haven't run through all of them yet, but I know on the box mod i made my bro from the first set I bought about a month ago, the master switch was funky on his too.

 

[jjandbjvapr]

get a new one

 

[fizil]

get a new horn button? That's what I'm figuring. I have 4 more, but i'm holding off to see what sort of fate these boxes have with the messed up positive connector are gonna have first.

 

[hoogie76]

positive connector tabs are the problem. they hit the edge of short button version of the button top battery. Blob of solder works awesome to fix it otherwise you can carve off the tabs and use epoxy to hold the tab in. Unfortunately the style of the boxes vary with each batch and this is a fix that some need.

hoog

 

[msqun]

So is this the quality that is to be "expected" or should there be some type of quality control that doesn't allow ones that have this problem to be sent out to begin with? I'm not sure I understand. It's kind of like a totally unrelated problem that another vendor knew of with cartomizers that had to be filed down in order to fit on the batts to be used....NOTHING was disclosed beforehand, nothing in the order, no discount, NOTHING...needless to say, when UN-named supplier said "you just have to file them down to make them work" and this was about pre-filled cartomizers for a newb....NO thanks, won't do business with them again. Just seems like when vendors KNOW of such type of problems that maybe they could include it in the product discription or discount "problematic" batches of things or something...I don't mod so this really doesn't affect me in any way, in fact I don't even own a mod, just stumbled across it and it reminded me of the aforementioned circumstance and my thoughts about that situation then. Why oh why do vendors not disclose "problems" or extra steps that must be taken before you buy? Why not discount "less than ideal quality" products...just my .02

 

[Lazerrred]

msgun - I think in the box mod kit world, the modder/ assembler expects to "fit and finish" the mod. Did you ever build model cars, boats, or any remote control kits ? It is never a simple solder, glue and snap together deal....Just my .02

 

[msqun]

In all honesty I think the "kit" idea is one that is expected by some to be a snap and go deal. Otherwise you'd just start with the parts individually divided up. I always looked at the "kits" as a puzzle type to be honest....LOL To answer your question concerning my experience with any of the other types of kits, No I did not. I also think fitting and finishing is one thing but this sounded to me like more than just a simple "fit and finish" this sounded like parts were not up to par. I mean right down to different wiring? I'm no pro, or even a tinkerer I pretty much had considered one of these ONCE UPON a TIME for myself and I personally would have expected it to have been a "piece it together, glue/solder and go" not make adjustments, work with bad switches, undo and redo....but having said that... I still have NO experience and I suppose I am Glad I did NOT attempt this..NOT for the one who expects to just "snap and go". (which would have included, YOURS TRULY!) I definitely WOULD have expected "a simple solder, glue and snap together deal" HA See why I don't tinker?

 

[jerry2111]

modding batt box's, there is always some things that have to be adjusted. thats why we call it mod. short for modify.

 

[fizil]

I bought these kits because the first set went swimmingly. I didn't have to redesign any part of the box at all, and I didn't have quality issues.
This batch has:
* the same wire gauge but thinner insulation [finally found some of the old wire to double check]
* 4 of 6 have defective master switch housings
* positive connector issues
* 1 has a chip around the led hole, and i feel this should have been caught and not shipped

I have one box that doesn't have a chip in it or a master switch connection issue.

I'm with msqun: I bought these boxes for the solder/glue and go aspect. The first batch had these great qualities.

 

[msqun]

Wow! So this IS NOT just a I got this ONE time and it wasn't what I thought, this is I got this and it was WONDERFUL and I got it again, NOT so wonderful. See, that is what sets the whole "kit" thing apart. I mean I know someone here at ecf, a mod even, who was making some wooden box mods....That is the TRUE "MOD" short for modify that you speak of. To me though the kit is that in a nutshell all the more challenging aspects already done for you. OK, I'm done here I THINK now. I have juice that needs makin'. That is something I "mod" and DIY! Soooo without further delay.....

 

[asdaq]

This is about a slight design variation in a 2 dollar part of a 8 dollar kit. The parts concerned here are ABS molded plastic and tin sheet. These are intended for use with AA batteries that I'm sure fit 99% of the time. A 14500 is not 50mm and the button contacts are shorter as protection circuitry, added as a revision, cramps the available space limitations. People who mod these already deal with this added length by trimming the battery spring, so something else can be expected. They are simply cheap boxes.

Fizil, if you don't want to blob solder on the contact, you could take it out, bend a slight convex arc with needle nose pliers just enough that it makes contact and still fits in the tabs, reseat it and pack the area behind with epoxy for added reinforcement. Or do nothing to it and use a magnetic spacer.

 

[hoogie76]

* 4 of 6 have defective master switch housings

Hi fizil, what does this mean? We test all the switches before drilling to make sure we don't have defective switches. The master switch tends to float and all you need to do is push them out from the inside if the switch is recessed.

In our completed mods we'll sometimes hit the back of the switch retainer plastic with the soldering to secure them in place.

hoog

 

[Jim211]

I suspect it may be just the horn switches the last one i got was doa and I tested it b4 soldering and 2 out of 5 I bought were bad. What do you expect for a cheap switch and besides that MadVapes replaced them for me free of charge

Battery connectors not quite reaching are easy to fix also. I take them out and pound a small hole with a nail punch. I fixed one a month ago that way and its still working.

 

[jjandbjvapr]

WOW.....

I mean come on people,,,,,,,,,,First of all if you dont know what you are doing(as in sticking some pieces in pre-cut holes) then you probably ought to go ahead and scrape up some quarters and buy it ALREADY ASSEMBLED!! Anyone who has ever put ANYTHING together, wheather it be a 5000 piece "kit" car or a 5 piece tape dispenser knows that something ALWAYS do not go right as you think it should...!! Maybe in a perfect world, but not in this lifetime........ I mean really if you cant figure out that hummmm, this dang thang aint touchin' the little square piece of shiny stuff with the wire hooked to it,,,,i mean its theres gotta be at LEAST space enough for two human hairs between them, guess it just dont dang work!! better just throw it away and and be mad that it dont work........i mean,,,am i EXPECTED to say "hey, I bet i could bend that a touch with my pinky nail or, GOD FORBID, rip a tiny piece of aluminum foil and stick it in there???!! Heck no!!! I spent enough time in the couch cushion and car seats getting the quarters together for a whole 5 minutes and went ALL OUT and bought this precious, end-all piece of high technology........Dang it, I'll show em'........ill just do without and tell all my buddies you suck!!! HA.....

Anyway, I personally appreciate you hoog and everybody else at MADVAPES that ALWAYS treat me right and ALWAYS fair and honest, even when you probably shouldn't!!!! I LOVE the prices and for that matter, I still haven't seen such a "kit" with basically nothing to do but a little glue all the parts already there so i don;t have to look for them seperate,,,,,and it is STILL cheaper that you can waste your time and money on anywhere else trying to figure out what you need!!!! Cause face it,,,,,,if you KNEW what you needed, you would already have it!!!;-)

PEACE AND LOVE
......"and now back to your regularly scheduled program......."
See you in therapy
JJ

 

[Zapp and Roger]

-.- Poster above completely missed the point....disregard

 

[jjandbjvapr]

me?


contrary

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND!
Pay no attention, as I do not most of the time either....just a rant, not my first, wont be my last ;-)

 

[fizil]

Well, I guess it's too much to expect quality to be the same from order to order. It's a sad sign to see users bash others. Yes, I did expect to get this mod to solder/glue and go. No, I don't have money to throw around to buy the premade mods. I'm not comfortable with the rework on the boxes I received from madvapes, nor do I think that they should need it based off the first batch I got.

 

[Lazerrred]

^ LOL jj. I got it. ^ But there will always be some among us that will never get it.
Edit: Actually, I don't understand why was this even brought up in a public forum. But, whateverz.

 

[jjandbjvapr]

My point exactly!

**NOTE***

PLEASE DO NOT view or hold any of my comments in any way against MADVAPES or hoogster'!!!

And no dude, it's not "bashing",,,,it's simple reality!! I know as far as myself and other customers, if I had a real problem, this would be the last place I would come to express my concern for a true problem........I believe they have "tickets" and cs for that........but anyway,,,,,,,,none of my business,,,,,,I just get REALLY tired of the negative, overblown statements about truely HONEST AND QUALITY suppliers and members for nothing more than to attempt to smear their credibility.......But those who really appreciate the honesty and quality of good service don't waste their time reading it anyway.....it's hard enough to find honest people and business these days already............anyway..............
nothing personal, just annoying.....okay, i'm done for the next few months.......God I feel better.....

 

[acezzz]

Ive encountered the same problem you describe with boxes from different sources and the fix is really quite simple. You take some hot glue and glue the contacts to the box from the backside. Then you use your dremel (im assuming you have a dremel as it is almost as important as a soldering iron when modding plastic boxes) and you grind out the little plastic tabs that hold the battery contacts so the battery can move forward when inserted and make contact. About a 1 min job. Seriously though if you are gonna mod things you should always be prepared to do whatever it takes to make it work.