cherry bomber mech mod doesn't recognize both batteries

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Hello fellow vapers!
This is my first post so unfortunately this is the only place I can post this.

Here goes nothing!
I just picked up a cherry bomber clone by ivigo

I noticed when I went to put the batteries on the charger, that only one battery is discharging. It's the battery that is NOT directly under the atomizer that is discharging. The one under the atomizer does nothing.

Things I did to try to fix this:
Took it all apart
Cleaned every chopper and brass contact with brasso (removes tarnish and polishes metals)
When I put it all together, I made sure all pieces were out back securely.
When I put the left battery in, nothing happens, then I put the right one in and it works.

I can't figure this out and it is driving me nuts lol!

I hope that all makes sense and someone can help

For the time being, I'm playing it safe and running the device in single battery mode.

Don't know if it is needed, but I'm using the black cherry bomber with a Leno drop and a spacer to avoid auto fire contact (that scared me)

 

[dc99]

Sounds as though one battery isn't making contact. I assume you have the adjusting screws tight against the neg of the batteries?

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Thank you for replying so quickly!
I have the batteries about as tight as I can get them without feeling like I'm going to smash it. On the right side it works 100% of the time. On the left side I have to tighten and loosen several times until it makes contact. Then a few minutes later, the left one is no longer making contact. The dude at my B&M was just as stumped

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

UPDATE

I forgot to mention that I've taken all of the contacts from the right side, switching them to the left, in hope that maybe they were uneven or something. Same issue is still occurring

 

[DaveSignal]

I would test it with a continuity tester. I usually use my multimeter for this when building my own dual battery mods. You can also use the voltage meter and test to see if you get the battery voltage when you touch various positive and negative contacts. When you find out where the connection is lost, you can determine how to fix it.

That is how I would go about troubleshooting and correcting this issue.

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Hey Dave, thanks for the suggestion.
I feel dumb for saying this, but I never gave that a shot. I'll be back shortly with my findings

 

[Mooch]

Could the left side have stripped threads? Not badly enough for the screws to never tighten, but perhaps enough to allow the screw to jump a thread when it warms up or the pressure finally has an effect?

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

I know a box mod is a little different than a tube mod but I think the principal is the same. I took the positive/negative wires from my fluke auto ranging multimeter and pit it on the pin at the top and the negative contact at the bottom. Right side battery gave me a 3.97v reading and surprisingly the left side did as well. So I left the battery on the left, attached my lemo, and fired her up. Nothing happened! I'm confused because the multimeter was telling me that the current was flowing through no problem.

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Could the left side have stripped threads? Not badly enough for the screws to never tighten, but perhaps enough to allow the screw to jump a thread when it warms up or the pressure finally has an effect?

From the looks of it, it doesn't seem that the screw is stripped. Besides buying new screws, is there a way to make the threading better?

 

[Mooch]

Not really. Are the threads in the top copper piece OK?

[edit] Actually, there are, but they're not easy. You can drill out the holes and use threaded inserts or you can drill out the holes and tap them for a larger screw size.

 

[Mooch]

I know a box mod is a little different than a tube mod but I think the principal is the same. I took the positive/negative wires from my fluke auto ranging multimeter and pit it on the pin at the top and the negative contact at the bottom. Right side battery gave me a 3.97v reading and surprisingly the left side did as well. So I left the battery on the left, attached my lemo, and fired her up. Nothing happened! I'm confused because the multimeter was telling me that the current was flowing through no problem.

Since the batteries are parallel connected, if both batteries were in then you could have been reading the right batt voltage even if the left batt was disconnected.

 

[Rabbit Slayer]

Cherry Bomber box mod - may have auto-on issue | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

OK! I think I got it. I was looking at the threads really close and got an idea to try to add a copper spacer in there. Well, it works every time now so far, like flawlessly. So I figured you were right to check the threads but I was looking for the wrong reason. Turns out there is black paint in parts of the thread. Cleaning that out should do it, I hope. So my question is, what can I use to remove that paint without messing up the threading? I'm afraid to try my dremmel.

 

[Thrasher]

Wire brush or brillo

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Since the batteries are parallel connected, if both batteries were in then you could have been reading the right batt voltage even if the left batt was disconnected.

I was using one battery for each side to avoid that possibility.

 

[Mooch]

I was using one battery for each side to avoid that possibility.

Ahhh...never mind then.

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Cherry Bomber box mod - may have auto-on issue | E-Cigarette Forum

Thanks for the info rabbit, but I did my research on this a lot before picking this box up. It only happens on attys that are larger than 22mm, but I use a lemo (23mm) so I added a delrin spacer I made myself and that problem is no longer mine! also the painted cherry bombers don't the issue where metal touching the box and Atty will auto fire it in your bag/pocket. I still play it safe though and keep it in a pocket by itself

 

[DaveSignal]

but you need to keep testing with the multimeter past the battery contacts... until you stop getting readings. The whole entire box is part of the circuit. But if you already figured out it was a painted screw, I guess you are on the right track already.

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

Ahhh...never mind then.

I never pointed it out originally so it was a great tip!

 

[Dysxelic_Vepar]

but you need to keep testing with the multimeter past the battery contacts... until you stop getting readings. The whole entire box is part of the circuit. But if you already figured out it was a painted screw, I guess you are on the right track already.

Me hopes it is a painted screw. Working on getting that cleaned without damaging anything. Will let you know when I get this working because in refuse to give up on her