Hot button issue

[ThePendulum]

So, I still consider myself pretty new to the whole rebuildable scene of vaping, so you'll have to excuse any ignorance or misinformation I have, but, as you can guess from the title, I have a hot button issue. As I've said, I've only been doing this a short time--about 8 months--and I've never come across this problem until now--ever.

I'm using a doomsday clone mod with a purple efest 18650 2500mAh battery with the CLT v2 by Infinite RDA. At first, I thought maybe it was just something to do with my coils (as in, perhaps they were shorting on the RDA) so I'd take them out, rebuild a new coil (as far up to 1.4 ohms for a single coil) with no help. I keep getting a warm/hot button. What's strange, is the battery never gets hot, or even warm, just the button. I've done some digging around the web and come to the conclusion that I have no idea where to even start. I've read something about checking the insulation? But I have no idea what these ideas were talking about, or even how to do that.

Any help would be much appreciated, as I don't want to vape anymore on this thing until I can fix this problem, for obvious reasons.

Thanks again,

Oh, also, and this may be totally unrelated, but, when I was building single coils to try and figure out the problem, I noticed (very quickly) that no matter what guage kanthal I was using, my coils would heat up WAY too fast. As in, I would start "burning" cotton within the first two seconds of a draw. What gives? I've never had this issue before either.

My typical coil build is 7/6 wraps on a 2mm screwdriver with 28 guage in dual coil, or, if I just feel like building one coil, I'll do a 8/7 wrap with 24 guage on the same diameter, and these were the coils that were getting way too hot. Now I know I'm no expert at "rolling" coils, but this shouldn't be happening. Thanks again.

Forgot to note, when this starting happening all of a sudden (and I took my coils out to re-do new coils, I ended up pulling out little bits of Kanthal (little pieces that had broken off of older coils inside the negative lead post). Yeah, I know this is bad (believe me, this wasn't my intention), but I find breaking the negative leads with these screws way to effing easy.

 

[nclay]

As far as the button getting hot... it sounds like a problem with the mod, especially if the button material is a part of the mod that is used to complete the circuit. It could be that there is a bit of resistance in the button. On that note i would try a different mod and see if you have the same problem. It could also be that the battery you are using is prone to heating up at the negative connection.

 

[State O' Flux]

Welcome to ECF...

I have a hot button issue. I keep getting a warm/hot button, just the button.
I noticed (very quickly) that no matter what guage kanthal I was using, my coils would heat up WAY too fast.

• advanced-education-mech-rba-users
  
  
• part-deux-advanced-education-mech-rba-users
  
  
• how-mechanical-mods-work
  
  
• testing-tube-mech-mods-rbas-conductivity
  
  
• steam-engine-basic-use-advanced-features
  
  
• steam-engine-basic-use-advanced-features-part-deux
  

 

[ThePendulum]

So, I've had a chance to look over the info you kindly left here with no additional guidance (I tease, I tease), and the "Testing the tube mech... etc" guide I think is what I was specifically looking for, to which I have a couple of questions. They're pretty simple, but electricity and it's workings are not my forte so you'll have to pardon the relative ignorance: first of all, when measuring the RDA and mech tube body for 'continuity' (trying to use the right wording here, don't judge), we're essentially measuring to make sure the circuit that a mech mod and it's RDA make are working correctly, therefore, there should be absolutely no resistance other than what we're subtracting from our multi-meter's leads, correct? In other words, any amount of resistance higher than 0 will result in a faulty circuit of some form, and should be the culprit of my issue.

On to the real question (that was more of a saying it out loud to make it make sense--dont judge), When measuring the RDA itself, in your guide, under the first step where I'm placing one lead on the RDA body... does it have to be, say, the underside of the RDA body (by the copper pin that holds the positive post "in place")? Or can it be anywhere on the RDA body, such as the well deck? And when measuring the pos/neg posts or pos post to 510 pos pin, does it matter where, specifically, I place the leads?

Now, for measuring the mech mod itself for resistance, the guide says to place one lead on the "top cap". What exactly does the top cap refer to, and where, specifically? What I mean is, the top cap refers to the connector that screws onto the mod (at the top) that has the copper screw-on fitting that protrudes into the tube (to connect to the battery), yes? Again, does it matter where exactly I place the lead here? Should I place it on the inside of the female 510 connector? As far as testing is concerned, those are my biggest questions, which is really just making sure I'm doing this right, so thanks for the info and any future insight.

Also, and this is equally important, once I've found which assembly or sub-assembly is the culprit, assuming I can't find any obvious issues, like a tiny clipping of spare kanthal, what do I do? What else could be the problem? This is the part the has me the most perplexed, because I've actually already cleaned and deconstructed the entire mod and RDA (i think), down to the button assembly, and found no issue... What I'm asking is, could a bad rubber O-ring be the issue? Would a faulty o-ring (and whatever that may entail) be able to produce results like this?

That's all I have for now.

Thanks, and sorry for asking such mundane questions,

 

[State O' Flux]

S when measuring the RDA and mech tube body for 'continuity' (trying to use the right wording here, don't judge), we're essentially measuring to make sure the circuit that a mech mod and it's RDA make are working correctly, therefore, there should be absolutely no resistance other than what we're subtracting from our multi-meter's leads, correct? In other words, any amount of resistance higher than 0 will result in a faulty circuit of some form, and should be the culprit of my issue.

Yep. Zero Ω + tester internal resistance.

On to the real question (that was more of a saying it out loud to make it make sense--dont judge), When measuring the RDA itself, in your guide, under the first step where I'm placing one lead on the RDA body... does it have to be, say, the underside of the RDA body (by the copper pin that holds the positive post "in place")? Or can it be anywhere on the RDA body, such as the well deck? And when measuring the pos/neg posts or pos post to 510 pos pin, does it matter where, specifically, I place the leads?

As most RDAs have a one piece base/juice well with negative(s) as part of the base, or pressed/screwed in - then an insulated positive center post - there should be ∞ (infinite) resistance between the positive and negative with no coil(s) attached... then with coil(s) attached - net resistance + tester internal resistance.

Now, for measuring the mech mod itself for resistance, the guide says to place one lead on the "top cap". What exactly does the top cap refer to, and where, specifically?

The 510 top cap that threads into the mech tube - you're checking continuity of the ground circuit from the top cap metal to the switch assembly (if separate) metal. You can also check from a depressed button to the top cap - which checks the entire ground circuit, save for the negative contact itself. This last bit you check with the switch assembly removed... from negative battery contact to the switch assembly.

If you don't have a separate switch assembly, and the button simply rides inside a stepped tube - like a 4Nine mod for example - you can extend a test lead into the tube (with a decent bit of pressure) to make negative magnet contact - depress the button - then apply the other test lead to the outer tube or the (in the case of the 4Nine, and other mods like it) hybrid 510 threaded "cap".

What I mean is, the top cap refers to the connector that screws onto the mod (at the top) that has the copper screw-on fitting that protrudes into the tube (to connect to the battery), yes?

Ah... no. the cap itself, the part that screws into the mech tube is part of the negative circuit. The 510 positive contact is insulated from this, and is part of the - much shorter - positive circuit.

Again, does it matter where exactly I place the lead here? Should I place it on the inside of the female 510 connector? As far as testing is concerned, those are my biggest questions, which is really just making sure I'm doing this right, so thanks for the info and any future insight.

Think in terms of what is the positive pathway, and what is negative. On a tube mech, assuming you've installed the battery correctly (positive up), the positive circuit is simply from the battery positive to the insulated positive 510 post... be it floating or threaded. If it's a hybrid top cap, there is no 510 post... the battery positive comes into direct contact with the atomizer's 510 post.
The negative circuit is, quite literally... everything else. ;-)

Also, and this is equally important, once I've found which assembly or sub-assembly is the culprit, assuming I can't find any obvious issues, like a tiny clipping of spare kanthal, what do I do? What else could be the problem? This is the part the has me the most perplexed, because I've actually already cleaned and deconstructed the entire mod and RDA (i think), down to the button assembly, and found no issue... What I'm asking is, could a bad rubber O-ring be the issue? Would a faulty o-ring (and whatever that may entail) be able to produce results like this?

Typically... the places most likely to cause issue are:

• The mod negative post doesn't have enough travel - or the base on which the battery sits is too tall in relationship to th post contact surface. I've had to either shorten the base, or increase travel to get a solid contact.
• The Button negative pathway - be it through a spring, a magnet... or button to switch or tube contact - is poor, or the clearance, particularly on the latter parts, has so much radial clearance ("side slop") that you've got to force the button sideways, or .... it, to make decent contact.
• Battery contact posts (or pins) are so tarnished/corroded that they can't carry much current without arcing, or simply not carrying any current at all.
• Sometimes there can be a positive contact issue... but that will usually show itself as battery rattle.
• Battery +/- terminals are recessed below the outer shrink wrap. Don't see this much, but it's still a possible.

That's all I have for now.

Thanks, and sorry for asking such mundane questions,

No worries. If you don't have an electrical background, other than plugging in a toaster, or replacing a bulb in your car... the whole concept of DC electrical diagnostics can be a bit sketchy.

 

[Bunnykiller]

by chance.... does your mod have a spring in the button assembly? if it does, look at the spring material and its diameter, if it is thinner than the wire you are using to make your coils, then the spring IS the coil and is heating up the button in the process