Help! Hot Button Issue

[XfooYen]

I have an EA Mod which works well. I use AW IMR bats. All my bats are new (bought within the last month). I'm generally using the mod for genesis vaping. I have several AGA-T2 tanks. I use 500 mesh, 28g kanthal, and wrap 1ohm coils without issue.

My issue is this: From time to time the fire button gets hot. Hotter than it should. I'm not chain vaping and can vape pretty consistently without feeling excessive warmth from the button. Then, out of nowhere, the button will start emanating heat. I'll check the atty for hot spots or hot leads and they look fine. The vape tastes fine. The resistance checks out fine without fluctuations. The battery doesn't get hot, just the fire button (and I suspect the battery post). Once this symptom starts, it continues no matter what (low resistance coil) I put on it. The post and pin are brass and clean. I did noalox the telescoping threads as well as the end cap threads of the mod but there is none on the positive pin. I used very little, but perhaps I should not have used any. I removed the button and soaked it in rubbing alcohol to clean it which helped for about a day but the heat problem came back. I can switch three different known working gennies, all in the 1-1.2ohm range, and they all make the button hot so I don't think there's a short in the coil end. Also, I have tested this with different batteries, with a Vape Safe fuse and without, all with the same result.

What are your experiences with these type mods and what do I do to check, troubleshoot further, and fix this issue.

 

[TheSneakerHoarder]

This is normal with all mechanicals and RBAs. Clean the contacts and button, post, the firing pin.

 

[Thrasher]

yea, i would believe that the pin/button being brass compared to the rest of the body is going to offer the lowest resistance thus heating up faster.

 

[XfooYen]

This is normal with all mechanicals and RBAs. Clean the contacts and button, post, the firing pin.

Thanks for the confirmation. I was pretty sure I wasn't missing anything critical. I took everything apart and wash the thing like new. Pin gets warm. I bet if I put a 0.8ohm coil on it, she'd get hot.

 

[crxess]

Okay now that you heard the thought lets look at some facts.

The button is a slide moving inside a tube. It makes contact with the lower post to pass electrical current through the body. This function is 2 fold. Slide contacting lower pin. Slide making good contact with its outer tube.
1)Fit is a concern. This is a nice mod and the fit is probably good, but should be confirmed.
2)Natural pollutants - Films caused by airborne particles. Film build up reduces contactand motion varies its effect. Intermittent weak contact.

A good electrolytic grease in the switch and on the Pin as well as a battery spring top can reduce/stop these issues.

1.0ohm is a heavy load and reduced contact will instantly translate to high heat at the point of the problem.

 

[XfooYen]

Okay now that you heard the thought lets look at some facts.

The button is a slide moving inside a tube. It makes contact with the lower post to pass electrical current through the body. This function is 2 fold. Slide contacting lower pin. Slide making good contact with its outer tube.
1)Fit is a concern. This is a nice mod and the fit is probably good, but should be confirmed.
2)Natural pollutants - Films caused by airborne particles. Film build up reduces contactand motion varies its effect. Intermittent weak contact.

A good electrolytic grease in the switch and on the Pin as well as a battery spring top can reduce/stop these issues.

1.0ohm is a heavy load and reduced contact will instantly translate to high heat at the point of the problem.

Doesn't noalox act as electrolytic grease? It's conductive I know, but it does invite more particles since it's pretty viscous. I can pick up some electrolytic grease at the automotive shop down the road and give it a whirl. Everything is fit snugly and freshly cleaned and I'm getting considerable voltage drop under load using a tankometer. I've tested fresh bats with different attys at different resistances and the voltage drop under load is consistantly -0.9 volts. That seems to be a lot of drop. I suspect the switch and the pin are the places where the resistance is greatest and accumulating heat.

 

[rebar]

How beefy the construction and material will determine the resistance, if much, and dissipation of heat from the atty and battery.

Which tube mod has the best switch and heat dissipation? The Ikarus Hybrid by Drop Mods looks nice

 

[XfooYen]

How beefy the construction and material will determine the resistance, if much, and dissipation of heat from the atty and battery.

Which tube mod has the best switch and heat dissipation? The Ikarus Hybrid by Drop Mods looks nice

We're not talking about how good of a heatsink the mod is. We're talking about electrical current and a hot point in the build.

 

[crxess]

XfooYen,
Make sure the switch base is tight in the tube for solid thread contact. Also make sure there is no protective finish on the Slide pin end or the bottom contact pin. This could cause reduced current flow.
No matter what is suggested, The area of heat build up is the weak point and to be addressed before anything else can be properly analyzed.
Mod warming in and of itself is not an indication of a problem. Mine gets warm just from body heat.(holding the mod constantly) Localized heated area is obviously an issue.

Electrolytic Grease is a better choice for contact as it is a conductive material not a lubricant. No film is created to decrease contact.

 

[XfooYen]

XfooYen,
Make sure the switch base is tight in the tube for solid thread contact. Also make sure there is no protective finish on the Slide pin end or the bottom contact pin. This could cause reduced current flow.
No matter what is suggested, The area of heat build up is the weak point and to be addressed before anything else can be properly analyzed.
Mod warming in and of itself is not an indication of a problem. Mine gets warm just from body heat.(holding the mod constantly) Localized heated area is obviously an issue.

Electrolytic Grease is a better choice for contact as it is a conductive material not a lubricant. No film is created to decrease contact.

So when I went to get electrolytic grease, they had dielectric grease, which is used for improving spark plug connections as well as battery terminals and light bulbs. When I got home I looked up "electrolytic grease" and all the returns came up as "dielectric". The thing I'm concerned about is Dielectric Grease is non-conductive. It's the opposite, it's insulating, but it is recommended for application on electrical connections. I'm flummoxed. Is there a difference or are these the same thing. Do you have a link or a brand? This is what I bought. Permatex Dielectric Grease.

 

[crxess]

You have the right stuff - My 60yo. brain thinks in 30 year old terms at times - Sorry
Make sure everything is spotless and free of any added finish then apply and see how it goes.

You have pinpointed the problem area, now you just have to correct the issue.

Good luck

To Add: it is not so much to boost conductivity as it is to prevent loss / maintain original conductivity

 

[XfooYen]

Holding off risking a mistake using dielectric grease on the button threads. I found a product called NO OX ID talked about on the forums. It is conductive grease. Dielectric grease sounds like it would be perfect inside the 510 connector as it would prevent shorts and insulate the threads and gasket against moisture. I'll try both. Why not. I'm not going to explode and it will give me good information to pass on if there is noticeable difference in results between the two products. Thanks for the leads. See you 'round the coops.