My take on the Infinity Cu LE Cartel.

[melodiousThunk]

I replied to your post a couple weeks ago and since then, using the 650 tube almost all the time (the problem doesn't exist with the 350 and the 500 is pretty solid), I noticed that the very problems you were having were developing with my Cartel. The first thing I checked was the spring, which is pretty janky. Then I noticed the loose fit of the bottom pin. I plan to order a replacement Cartel spring tomorrow. And I would love to replace all the pins. Second thing, the plating on the neg post was starting to wear a bit and, yep, there's a tiny bump at the center of the pin and the pin's developing irregular surface plane(s).

It's been really disappointing to vape this thing over the last couple of weeks as it went from hitting like a train to hitting like a 1979 Zenith TV that only gave you a decent picture if you spent fifteen minutes adjusting dials and antenna extensions. It became harder and harder to find the sweet spot on the bottom button that would fire well. So, I'm going to wet sand down the raised center and hope for the return of the train.

I still love the thing: it's such a great piece and I can accept tweaking it since it's a mod. I keep checking fat daddy, because I think that this problem may be universal and Dennis may release a kit to solve the problems. The mod's still really new after all.

Thanks for following up on this and sharing your knowledge.

 

[melodiousThunk]

I have a set of small, needle tip metal files, so I used the tip of one of them to press firmly on the burr (so as not to scratch the rest of the surface) and was able to significantly reduce it. It seems to be firing normally now without any issues, but time will tell. If it happens again, I'll get the file and try to reduce the burr a little more.

Also, I think the burr is actually the metal under the silver plating. When I looked closely, I could see a tiny (almost too hard to see -- almost the size of a pin point) burr of metal that was the same color as the metal under the plating.

I picked up a set of nice, small needle files and used your technique on the firing pin. For the last few days, I hadn't even been using the Cartel anymore because the issue had become so pronounced. I didn't want to wear down the firing pin unevenly.

Anyway, a few minutes with a couple of the files and the issue was fixed. Relief.

I could only make good contact by pressing one side of the button, so the plating had worn down on one side of the firing pin. After I removed the burr, I did my best to make sure the pin was flat and the surface was even. I can't see much of the metal underneath, but I agree that it looks far more like copper than brass. All the better.

Hitting really solid again. Judging from the relative lack of discussion about this problem on this forum and the web in general, and taking into consideration how many of these are being sold, I am guessing that the plating/deformed pin issue was limited to a few batches. But I picked this up pretty early, so we'll see.

Hmm, I'm vaping it right now and after the last few weeks of increasingly bad hits, I'm really happy to be getting good contact by pressing the button dead-center. It's hitting like it was when it first came out of the box. Sweet.

 

[dmetzcher]

Anyway, a few minutes with a couple of the files and the issue was fixed. Relief.

Glad to hear that it worked for you. I can also report zero trouble with mine after reducing the burr with the tips of the needle files.

Judging from the relative lack of discussion about this problem on this forum and the web in general, and taking into consideration how many of these are being sold, I am guessing that the plating/deformed pin issue was limited to a few batches. But I picked this up pretty early, so we'll see.

I just got mine within the last two weeks. I wonder if more people have the issue but just don't notice it.

 

[mujuru]

Just an FYI: You all might want to remove the o-ring in the switch... it severely restricts the vent hole. Test: Remove the top cap and blow... without a battery the vent hole seems to work as intended. However, drop a battery in there and the vent hole is completely blocked and air is pretty much completely restricted. And i only presume if you tighten it down tight with the oring, the issue only gets worse. Go ahead and try it out...

Remove the o-ring... issue solved.

 

[rmacaronio]

Poop. Just got my infinite copper cartel I the other day. Beautiful...but has that tiny raised point I both contacts. Left little indentations on my batteries. Not hitting quite that hard. So how exactly did you guys get rid of those indentations?