Lava Tube cutout problem

[ericoahu]

I am concerned about my Lava Tube. I purchased it about a couple weeks ago at a retail location. About 1 in every 5 to 10 vapes I notice cutoffs in the middle of my vape as if the atomizer or flow of vaper were abruptly stopped and then resumed again.

I returned to the retail location and explained the problem. I asked the salesperson (who was vaping on his own lava tube) to try mine so he could experience the problem himself.

He refused and told me it was just a problem with the spring, that the battery was loosing connection because the spring must not be holding it in place. He wouldn't look at my Lava Tube or try it and his explanation seemed plausible so I went back home and followed his instructions to stretch out the spring a little so it would hold the battery with more tension.

This did nothing to change the issue. I still notice the cutoff.

I have a difficult time continuing to believe it might just be the spring.

1. I am usually stationary while vaping - at a desk.
2. I feel absolutely no play or jiggling from the battery. When I screw on the cap I feel plenty of back tension from the spring.
3. The device does not reset
4. The problem does not occur in conjunction with changing the angle or moving the device.
5. I can't intentionally reproduce the problem by changing the angle or moving while vaping.
6. It happens with various cartomizers

I am not talking about the delay when you first click the button. I am talking about interruption once vapor has began to flow.

I am not comfortable that a problem other than the battery spring has been ruled out - I think it might be something else.

I am a bit disappointed that the salesperson couldn't take the time to at least examine my device. There were two salespeople present and no other customers there waiting behind me.

What should I do?

 

[BlueSnake]

What exact batteries are you using? Do you have more than 1 set of batteries? Does it happen with all batteries?

You can use some alcohol and cue tips to clean the battery cap threads, tops and bottoms of the batteries, and gently clean the top battery contact up inside the tube and see if that helps.

 

[ericoahu]

What exact batteries are you using? Do you have more than 1 set of batteries? Does it happen with all batteries?

You can use some alcohol and cue tips to clean the battery cap threads, tops and bottoms of the batteries, and gently clean the top battery contact up inside the tube and see if that helps.

The device is less that two weeks old.

The battery was purchased from Volcano. IMR 18650

I don't know if it happens with all batteries because the Volcano employee refused to troubleshoot it

The batteries and all contacts are clean.

 

[BlueSnake]

Are the batteries generic or branded? If branded what brand?

 

[BlueSnake]

I just looked at the Volcano site and they have a 1 year warranty. I would think someone from the company would come along to handle the problem shortly.

If it was me I would go back to the store and demand to speak to the manager. With the stated warranty I don't see any reason they shouldn't make it right.

 

[ericoahu]

Are the batteries generic or branded? If branded what brand?

I don't know - they look generic to me. They are the brand or non-brand that Volcano say they recommend I use with their Lava Tube product. Volcano sold it to me.

 

[BlueSnake]

Could possibly be a battery problem, but see my prior post.

 

[ericoahu]

I just looked at the Volcano site and they have a 1 year warranty. I would think someone from the company would come along to handle the problem shortly.

If it was me I would go back to the store and demand to speak to the manager. With the stated warranty I don't see any reason they shouldn't make it right.

That's what I did and like I said, and the guy sent me home to play with the spring and wouldn't even touch my Lava Tube.

Everyone else I've encountered from Volcano has been super-friendly, efficient, and helpful. I think they are a overall really good company and their strength (in my mind) is that they beta test products and are selective about what they offer rather than sling every new thing that China slings our way.

Plus they are right here on Oahu.

Edit: Their customer service, rare exceptions notwithstanding, is their other major strength.

 

[ericoahu]

Could possibly be a battery problem, but see my prior post.

I appreciate that. Thanks for taking your time to help me with this. I definitely want to stock up on more batteries anyway. Once I do it will be interesting to see if that might be the problem. If it is, Volcano has a warranty on their batteries too.

If you don't mind, what is your personal favorite brand/source for batteries for the LavaTube?

 

[BlueSnake]

I don't use anything but Efest or AW. I have a Vmax and I had some generic batteries and it started acting wacky. I thought there was something with the Vmax. I put my good batteries in and all the problems went away. Needless to say so did those batteries.

I have the YJ Lavatube that looks similar to yours and I've only had an Efest battery in it. But then I don't have any other brands of batteries other than Efest & AW now.

 

[ericoahu]

I don't use anything but Efest or AW. I have a Vmax and I had some generic batteries and it started acting wacky. I thought there was something with the Vmax. I put my good batteries in and all the problems went away. Needless to say so did those batteries.

I have the YJ Lavatube that looks similar to yours and I've only had an Efest battery in it. But then I don't have any other brands of batteries other than Efest & AW now.

Ah! There is a little sticker on it that says AW.

 

[JoeInferno]

Aloha ericoahu,

I am sorry to hear that you are having troubles with your Lavatube and even more sorry to hear that you are not getting the service you should be from our employees at your local location.

The device does have a safety time cut off. It will shut off after 15 seconds of holding the button down. By chance are you hitting it too long and hitting the cut off?

If the device is cutting off before before the safety cut-off time then I would say there is an issue with the button. And if that is the case we will replace it for you.

We only sell AW batteries for the Lavatube. So that is what you have.

I will be in contact with the manager of the location as well to make sure things get taken care of for you, both your situation as well as how it was handled and you were treated. I will be PMing you to get some contact info from you to pass along to the manager.

Once again I am very sorry for all of this and this will get taken care of.

 

[ericoahu]

Aloha ericoahu,

I am sorry to hear that you are having troubles with your Lavatube and even more sorry to hear that you are not getting the service you should be from our employees at your local location.

The device does have a safety time cut off. It will shut off after 15 seconds of holding the button down. By chance are you hitting it too long and hitting the cut off?

If the device is cutting off before before the safety cut-off time then I would say there is an issue with the button. And if that is the case we will replace it for you.

We only sell AW batteries for the Lavatube. So that is what you have.

I will be in contact with the manager of the location as well to make sure things get taken care of for you, both your situation as well as how it was handled and you were treated. I will be PMing you to get some contact info from you to pass along to the manager.

Once again I am very sorry for all of this and this will get taken care of.

Thanks Joe you guys are top notch! It definitely is not the 15 sec safety cutoff. It usually goes something like 1 sec of good vapor, cutoff, starts back up on its own after a sec or I click the button again.

Funny you mention the button because that's the first thing I thought it might be.

 

[JoeInferno]

you are welcome eric, I have passed your info along to the Pearlridge manager and he will be making sure your device get looked at and replaced if that is what ultimately needs to be done.

It does sound like a button misfiring issue to me, but without being able to see the device myself I can not say for sure.