Chrome Vamo V2 DOA

[garyd]

Well I finally broke out my Vamo that I received from Vaporbreak on 3/6 today to fire it up, when I got it I had just looked at the overall finish, buttons, connector, battery cap spring etc. and it all looked excellent, put it back in the drawer as a spare to my SS Vamo and V1 chrome. So I got curious today, put a battery in and nothing, tried another 18650 and nothing, took off the extension put in an 18350 the same result. So now am I going to deal with having to send this thing back to China and deal with the customer service again. I'd be crazy to even try imo. So worst case scenario I have an extra extension tube, battery cap with gold spring, silicone gasket, window and buttons. I'm going to watch the video a few times and try and take this thing apart and see if I've got a bad solder or no solder on one of the 2 wires to the board, if not it's probably a bad circuit board or? Been sort of curious to try this but have had no reason as the other 2 have performed flawlessly so far. A little bummed out by this but oh well, had I bought in USA I would have sent it back. Send it back to Vaporbreak may never get anything, so might as well just take it apart, see if I can fix and if not I still have a few dollars in parts. If anyone has tried this besides Ryan let me know. I can always use the baton (stacked 18650's) for a weekend camping trip lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vgr9k4j6CnQ

 

[donesmokin]

Bummer. Can't help you there, mine's still working but I'd use the same video you posted as a guide. Wish my co-worker hadn't thrown his away when he broke it. Please report back!

 

[b34tn1k]

sad times, gl with it

 

[n4sdaq]

Aww man, that really sucks. Sorry to hear that. Now you've got me concerned about my SS Vamo that has yet to arrive from Vapor Break!

I know it's a (really) long shot, but I think you should try talking to them via chat. Since they supposedly have two new, English-speaking employees, maybe they can help you out in one way or another...?


I've had Chinese companies send me replacement products before when I got DOAs, and they didn't want the duds back. We're talking $10 items here, but still, it's worth a shot. Just express how you really don't want to send it back to China, and maybe they can offer a replacement, refund, or just store credit. Maybe you can convince them to ship a new one before you send the old one back.


If nothing comes of it, then at least you can say you tried. And then you can open it up to try to repair it!



Best of luck for whatever you decide to do!

 

[White Rabbit]

Just a dumb stupid question, since I know you already own a Vamo and have already taken one apart, BUT, have you tried to press the fire button very fast 7,8, or more times in order to even get it to show "ON"? Assuming you have and it still does not work, you might want to peer up the tube and see if the positive terminal pin is showing and is sufficiently far enough out to connect. As you know from your disassembly, these are very simple devices (except for the circuit board) an unless the board is shot, it most likely is a connection problem with a soldered joint or wire. Good Luck!

 

[garyd]

Actually, this is the first time for me trying to take one apart. I have the V1 chrome from vaporbeast, my first one,works great and a SS from Vaporbreak no problems with it either. This one was just dead on arrival. I did message them and filed one of their return claims but as usual no response. So I did try and take it apart and trust me it's no wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. The top will not budge, even tried heating it up thinking they are using some sort of glue now on the V2. I was hoping to get it off and find a bad solder and just resolder myself. I used big channel locks and a big thick rubberband on that top cap to get a good grip and protect it but no way it's coming off other than putting it in a vice and that would destroy it. So if they don't get back to me I was thinking of a paypal dispute. Involving ecigs and paypal could be tricky and could lose my account, don't know. I had threatened them a couple weeks ago with a dispute as they hadn't shipped my order after 2 weeks and they refunded my account. I don't know, it's great pricing but having to deal with the problems with them lately I think I'm done with them, just not worth the savings compared to the headaches.

 

[Kaywalsk]

Chances are you CAN fix it. I doubt there's anything wrong with the chip, if there's one thing China does right, it's chips!

You're right, though. Sending it back to vaporbreak is probably not worth it, you won't see it (or it's replacement) for a month and a half.

When troubleshooting, always think simple. If it's not powering on at all, check all the battery connection points first, and just keep working your way up.


I hope you can get it working! If not, PM me, I'd buy a dead VAMO for the right price.

 

[garyd]

Chances are you CAN fix it. I doubt there's anything wrong with the chip, if there's one thing China does right, it's chips!

You're right, though. Sending it back to vaporbreak is probably not worth it, you won't see it (or it's replacement) for a month and a half.

When troubleshooting, always think simple. If it's not powering on at all, check all the battery connection points first, and just keep working your way up.

Thanks, positive connecion looks fine like my others, used flat and button top batteries to be sure and tried different battery caps/springs, no power in any configuration.


I hope you can get it working! If not, PM me, I'd buy a dead VAMO for the right price.

Thanks, positive connecion looks fine like my others, used flat and button top batteries to be sure and tried different battery caps/springs, no power in any configuration.

 

[rver]

I agree with White Rabbit...it took me a few times to realize that you must hit the fire button very fast anywhere from 5 to 8 times. Another thing I learned the hard way was if you are able to turn it on, wait about 25 seconds to turn it back off so that the unit will have time to reset...if you do it right away, nothing will happen...at least that is the way mine is...good luck.

 

[garyd]

I agree with White Rabbit...it took me a few times to realize that you must hit the fire button very fast anywhere from 5 to 8 times. Another thing I learned the hard way was if you are able to turn it on, wait about 25 seconds to turn it back off so that the unit will have time to reset...if you do it right away, nothing will happen...at least that is the way mine is...good luck.

Thanks, from my experience as soon as you put a battery in and start screwing in the battery cap the screen will flash letting you know you have power to the device, it always has with my others. This one is just a no go, a bad one, and yes I know about the fire button. Once again thank you for the reply.

 

[garyd]

So I got on live chat with Vaporbreak and talked to Karen and explained the problem. She told me to make a video of the problem and send it to her manager (Min). Are you freaking kidding me! I went on to say I'm not doing that, told her I was a good customer, there was a problem, so after a lot of back and forth, told them I just want them to send me a working vamo or refund, they didn't know if they could, so I mentioned paypal dispute and said they would get back to me, so we will see.

 

[b34tn1k]

Hear anything yet?

 

[garyd]

Hear anything yet?

Ha, you must be kidding. Thanks for asking though. From my experience they will blow you off almost everytime or promise to do something and never follow up. Just saying. I don't know if I will do a paypal dispute or not, may be more trouble than it's worth.

 

[b34tn1k]

Not sure PP would do much anyway. I'd had a dispute over an ebay item and the only reason it'd been resolved in my favor was the seller couldn't provide tracking. Well good luck anyway. Was just hoping they hadn't left you in limbo

 

[garyd]

Thanks, just got done with a live chat there. They still want me to do a video to prove this thing is no good. I told them I couldn't and told them the truth that I could use some parts from it and asked for a $15 credit, nope, send a video and then send it back if they approve. So I'm not going to file a paypal dispute as I have some other things on order there that say they have shipped 10 days ago but the tracking # is not found when I use USPS or track 17, and so if by some reason they were out of stock and just sent me a false # to pacify me while they got the items that were out of stock, I don't know but if I file a claim I doubt I'll ever see that package if it hasn't truly shipped. I guess it's just a lesson learned. So I thought I was saving money by using them and at first I was. Now figuring everything I bought from them I didn't get any bargain at all, and if I don't get this last order they will have taken me pretty good. So good luck to all that order from Vaporbreak and I hope you have better luck with them than I did.

 

[Disconnect]

I know you probably already tried this, but I had an issue with 1 18650 where I had to tap the whole (assembled) unit on the desk a couple of times to get a clean contact. Once I did that, it did the flash-flash-flash and worked fine. (Never came unstuck, but for whatever reason that one battery always needs this treatment.)

Otherwise, good luck with them. (And you know there are north american vendors who have it fairly cheap these days if it comes to it.)

 

[Olinb]

That's why I always order from American stores. Not much more when shipping from China is added in and better for our economy.

 

[garyd]

I know you probably already tried this, but I had an issue with 1 18650 where I had to tap the whole (assembled) unit on the desk a couple of times to get a clean contact. Once I did that, it did the flash-flash-flash and worked fine. (Never came unstuck, but for whatever reason that one battery always needs this treatment.)

Otherwise, good luck with them. (And you know there are north american vendors who have it fairly cheap these days if it comes to it.)

Tried several different 18650's and 18350's single and stacked. No power. I need to get that top cap off but it's a bear. I think I may have moved it up like 1/64", and to be honest I've butchered it up a bit but nothing a little sanding and a wrap won't fix. It's gotta be a loose wire/bad solder which I can fix if I ever get the damn cap off, if the board is bad I've got some extra parts for my others cause I'm not buying a new board for it, not worth it imo. I'm just wondering if anyone else has got one of the V2's apart before. They must be using some type of glue or it's one heck of a press fit.

 

[angryguy77]

That's why I always order from American stores. Not much more when shipping from China is added in and better for our economy.

Yeah, I almost ordered from VB, but saw a couple of stories like this and decided to order from DV. It was $15 more, but it will get to my door much faster and it will be much easier to return if needed.

I'm sure many here already know, but for those that don't, Discount Vapers have the best price on a ss Vamo(at least from what I found).

 

[peraspera]

The VAMO is less than Exhale Vapors than Discount Vapors. They usually have the cheapest U.S. prices.