Can you repair a gravity-dependent switch?

[Frankie]

I bought 2 USB passthroughs. One of them seemed to be DOA, but then I found out it worked in certain orientation - meaning horizontal or variously tilted in normal smoking fashion, but one part of the tube must be facing the ground and not the other.

Now, these things were rather cheap - $15 apiece versus $10 shipping for both - so I am sort of reluctant sending it back to America. Is there a way of correcting the problem so that the switch (it must be the switch - what else can go wrong this way?) would not have to be held one way only?

Thanks in advance.

 

[vapors]

try using a paperclip to lightly poke inside the battery, seems to fix it sometimes.

 

[katink]

Sounds like a partially broken wire... have had it on several occasions.
It will probably be at or near the point where the wire enters the cig; smaller chance is at the other end where it enters a usb-port.

What you could do to make it's working life a bit longer (it will eventualy go anyway, once it's broken - unless you can open up the cig and renew the wire yourself) is:
make a small loop under the cig of the wire, then lead the wire up again, against the cig. Keep the loop small so there is tension on it, but not so small that the wire folds. Get yourself a small elastic band before doing this. Now find a position in which the cig is still working while doingthis (might have to fold it a number of ways before findingthat position). Once you have found a working position, hold the wire firmly in that position against the cig; and now use the elastic-band (of course tape would work too, but harder to handle on your own with one hand) to fasten the wire against the cig in that position.
That should keep you going a bit longer.

Edit: And when you get a new one... do this same thing right away when it comes in; then everything is still fine, and handling it this way will probably be keeping it fine for a much longer period then when you don't do this. Works fine for me at least, don't have broken wires anymore since I have gone to doing this.

 

[Frankie]

make a small loop under the cig of the wire, then lead the wire up again, against the cig. Keep the loop small so there is tension on it, but not so small that the wire folds. Get yourself a small elastic band before doing this. Now find a position in which the cig is still working while doingthis (might have to fold it a number of ways before findingthat position). Once you have found a working position, hold the wire firmly in that position against the cig; and now use the elastic-band (of course tape would work too, but harder to handle on your own with one hand) to fasten the wire against the cig in that position.
That should keep you going a bit longer.

I did this as the very first thing. Also tried tricks with cables, bending, streching, trying different ports on different notebooks, this and that, but nothing changes the non-working status - only orientation of the tube itself does, over and over, still the same repeated results notwithstaanding the position, loops or knots on the cables. As there is the loop on the faulty battery, I already know which part goes up and it is usable, but a nuisance anyway.

I seem to remember somebody having similar problem with normal battery, but I cannot find the post.

By the way the USB gets me to vaper´s heaven I use it for no-nic juice; otherwise I would have ODed long before typig the post...

 

[katink]

Pity that handling the wire didn't get any results Frankie. I do remember my very first usb-passthrough (from e-cig China, long ago) had the fault inside the device: one of the two wire-halves was simply not soldered well enough and kept coming loose. And with that one it was very difficult to get it working again 'from the outside'. But well... looks like it might be something else for you then indeed...

I don't know if it does anything at all for you with this situation; but I did hear that using a magnet you can put the switch on or off from the outside (with this other kind of switch: doesn't work with the switches in most cigs mind you; but does in at least some cigars, perhaps all).
Maybe if you can find the spot where this works, and you do it a number of times, you could get the switch back in good working-order again?
(Doesn't sound like a big chance to me... but well, it won't hurt trying I guess)

Good luck on solving this

 

[Frankie]

Aha. It did not occur to me and it can be the reason. As the batt is working in one position, I will probably experiment with it a bit bedfore opening it up. I fear that would be autopsy rather than real operation

Funnily enough, when I use it and turn it the wrong way up to experiment, it still works for one drag and only then it stops. Turning it back, though, means it works from the first drag on. I susspect some technological woodoo

 

[Kate]

I realise you think it's not a connection problem Frankie and unfortunately I can't think of any suggestions but since Katink mentioned protecting the wires on USB cables I thought I'd post a picture of what I do with mine.

This is a Janty Kissbox USB battery cable. You can see in the first picture that there are weak points where the wire leaves the battery box and where it joins the metal case that replaces an ordinary battery. I had one die on me because the wire was worn at the metal case joint:

Good old duct tape

 

[Jaaxx]

Kate, that is incredibly ghetto fabulous. Didn't know you rolled like that.

Check this song. Johnny Roquemore is fellow I worked with once upon a time. Great tune. http://www.ducktapeclub.com/contests/roll/2003/audio/104.mp3

 

[Kate]

Hi Jaaxx, thanks for the song, unfortunately my computer won't let me listen to it

I love duct tape, it comes in very handy for all sorts of stuff. Who needs a tool box when you can have duct tape

 

[Frankie]

I just used a loop to protect the other one, and debated with the vendor who refunded me for the faulty one, so I do not complain. The gravity-depended will now lie somewhere for the case everything else fails and even half-time working battery comes handy.

 

[Jaaxx]

Here's the lyrics Kate. Duck Tape Club - Rock About the Roll

 

[Kate]

Ha, very funny '... Why would I fix anything right when Duck Tape's just as good ...'

Thanks Jaaxx

 

[nicowolf]

Hi Jaaxx, thanks for the song, unfortunately my computer won't let me listen to it

I love duct tape, it comes in very handy for all sorts of stuff. Who needs a tool box when you can have duct tape

I once had a button that said "All you need is duct tape to make things stop and WD40 to make them go." So why do we spend so much moncy on Immodium and Metamucil? just kidding. Duct tape really is a handy little helper. I swear the idea must have originated from that pasteurized processed orange cheese substance we affectionately call American cheese slices - the stuff turns to some wicked glue when it is heated and left to set for an hour or two.

 

[Ripley]

Didn't you know that Duck Tape is "The Force"? It has a light-side, a dark-side and holds the universe together!