First mech - voltage going in and out during vapes

[Jbryant705]

I just got my first mech mod. I picked up a slightly used authentic Vanilla copper mod. I've been noticing voltage seems to be dropping almost completely mid-vape and sometimes barely pushes any volts at all. It almost feels like a connection issue.

It seems like sometimes it gets fixed if I reposition my finger on the firing button. I don't really remember this happening before cleaning it the other day for the first time so it's hard to say if it's related to that, a connection issue or what.

Any ideas?

 

[Ryedan]

Is it that you're noticing a reduction in vapor production mid vape, or do you have an inline voltmeter and you're actually seeing the voltage dropping?

It certainly is possible for the switch to have resistance that is variable according to how you hold the button, specially if there is no spring in the switch. I have never experienced this in mid vape issues, but have at start of vape. Cleaning the switch and all other contact surfaces always eliminated that for me. It's possible that you didn't clean it as well as you thought and you may have actually made things worse. I don't have a Vanilla mod, so I don't know how that would probably happen with it. Hopefully someone who knows the mod will help out here. You could also Google cleaning the mod and see what you get.

Good luck with it!

 

[Jbryant705]

Heat and vapor drop to almost nothing. I don't need a voltmeter.

I did look around and things seem clean for the most part. There may be some cleaner still stuck in the threads though. I need to take a qtip and see what I can do I guess.

The firing button does have a spring but I'm wondering if I need a new one or if I should try magnets.

 

[VXZ1995]

I had a similar problem with my Nemesis, and for the longest time I could not figure out the issue. I would disassemble your mod and make sure that the pin and the 510 connection are solid. Also make sure that your firing button is making a good connection. I noticed a huge difference after doing this

 

[duc916]

If nothing's obviously loose/dirty/tarnished in the mod, start looking at your atty (which one are you using?). Is the center screw tight? Are the coils tight? Do other atty's behave the same on that mod? Invest in a 510 ohmmeter to eliminate the atty as the culprit.

 

[Jbryant705]

It was across all attys and batteries and was spotless from what I could tell. Turned out I just needed a better spring on the firing button. I build one with some 22 gauge kanthal and it's been great all day.

 

[duc916]

Doesn't that mod have the option of magnets in the switch? If so, your spring is providing a workaround ground path to a failed ground path that you have yet to address. The workaround likely isn't going to last very long.

 

[DaveSignal]

If you just noticed the problem after you cleaned it, then the issue must be related to the cleaning. Either something is not put back together correctly, or the switch has water in it and is shorting or failing to make connection. You need to take the switch apart and make sure it is clean and dry.

 

[93gc40]

It was across all attys and batteries and was spotless from what I could tell. Turned out I just needed a better spring on the firing button. I build one with some 22 gauge kanthal and it's been great all day.

I would suggest you replace that kanthal COIL you are using for a switch spring with a spring BEFORE you light your battery on fire.

 

[Jbryant705]

Doesn't that mod have the option of magnets in the switch? If so, your spring is providing a workaround ground path to a failed ground path that you have yet to address. The workaround likely isn't going to last very long.

It's been fine for several weeks now. Not one issue. You can install magnets but it came with a spring so that's what I put in there. How is that a workaround?

 

[Jbryant705]

I would suggest you replace that kanthal COIL you are using for a switch spring with a spring BEFORE you light your battery on fire.

I was told by someone to use kanthal as a spring. Is that a bad idea? What would I use for a spring?

 

[Jbryant705]

Also if I shouldn't use kanthal should I order a replacement spring (https://www.vapingwalrus.com/parts/mechanical-mods/vanilla/vanilla-spring) or get a magnet. What's better?

 

[DaveSignal]

A spring is just a coiled up wire. It doesn't matter that its kanthal. Its not going to set your battery on fire. That comment was ridiculous. It may, however, lose its springyness much more quickly than the wire used for a traditional spring. Magnets would probably be a smoother throw than a spring, however.

 

[cstone1991]

A spring is just a coiled up wire. It doesn't matter that its kanthal. Its not going to set your battery on fire. That comment was ridiculous. It may, however, lose its springyness much more quickly than the wire used for a traditional spring. Magnets would probably be a smoother throw than a spring, however.

Since Kanthal is resistance wire, it would actually work well under normal conditions because electricity will flow in the path of least resistance. The problem is that if something is not connecting correctly, it could change and allow the Kanthal to become the lower resistance path in which case it will become hotter than steel would making the button uncomfortable and exposing the battery to potentially extreme temps.

 

[duc916]

It's been fine for several weeks now. Not one issue. You can install magnets but it came with a spring so that's what I put in there. How is that a workaround?

Let me clarify, if the magnets don't make contact during firing (by design), then it doesn't rely on the spring either. Likely your normal ground path is the shaft of the button sliding up against the bushing, which is all ground path. As another poster said, if that normal ground path gets degraded (oxidized), your kanthal spring will start to pass current and could become hot. My clone Private V2 (HCigar) is a perfect example of this... a POS mod to avoid.

 

[drippaboi]

I get this problem occasionally as well across multiple mech mods. I solve it by pushing the button to the side as I press the switch to ensure the the shaft connecting the button to the battery is getting a good connection with the rest of the mod.

On a related note if you ever feel heat on your button (heat as is HOT not warm) immediately after pushing the switch it's because the button made contact to the battery before coming into contact with the mod which can result in an arc current in sub-ohm builds (generally only a problem for switches with extremely short throws).

Everyone's fingers are different and some people just push straighter than others.