nemesis shorting all over? :S

[yinsen]

hey guys,

my trusty fasttech nemesis i've been happily vaping for many moons has started to short, regularly, unpredictably, everywhere.

it's not the atty, i've tried a bunch of RDAs, a kraken and a kayfun with all different clean single & dual builds ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 that all read consistently on my ohm reader and aren't touching the deck.

it happens equally with both the standard top cap and a hybrid kit, and with both my AW 18650s (currently the only batteries i have)

i've cleaned it three times now... boiling, soaking in alcohol, scrubbing gunk from threads. i've tried using one spring, both springs, 2 switch magnets and 3 switch magnets. i've scrubbed off any little derlin fragments that can start to build up on the bottom insulator.

sometimes the middle seam gets incredibly hot, sometimes just the bottom switch, it doesn't seem to be consistent at all. i've also tried running it with an o-ring under the firing pin.

the only thing that seems to work is noaloxing both pins and battery contacts, it seems to work flawlessly after this process, but once the noalox wears down or dries the problem happens again - plus, this should improve performance but not be a required safety mechanism... right?


this is really weirding me out, i can't imagine what it could be. if i've missed something blindingly obvious i'd love an education, but please don't chew me out! i always want to improve my knowledge and understanding.
any ideas?
thanks as always guys!

 

[eyerhere]

Try cleaning your pins and contacts with brasso to remove any oxidation or patina may have built up.

 

[yinsen]

ah sorry I forgot to mention, it's full SS including all pins. SS doesn't patina does it? but maybe oxidisation...

 

[K_Tech]

ah sorry I forgot to mention, it's full SS including all pins. SS doesn't patina does it? but maybe oxidisation...

SS doesn't rust, but it can oxidize depending on its composition and the conditions it's subjected to.

I'd also like to add that I use a conductive anti-seize on the body threads of all my mods. Just a little dab is all that's needed.

 

[crxess]

Sorry to say but your cleaning just isn't actually getting the job done.

Pick up a Fine Brass brush or two and some professional solvent(auto painters)
Make sure you scrub every threaded point. Don't forget the threads the switch pin threads into.

Also make sure your tops are clean and the base of your atties are clean.(Better grounding)

Have you started running Extremely low ohm builds? Excessively thick wire?
The lower you go, the heavier your gear should be to handle the excess heat energy.

 

[Ryedan]

I agree with crxess, you've got electrical contact surfaces in that mod that have high resistance. I've had the same mod for about a year now. It's got my 0.2 ohm Mutation X on it right now and is doing just fine with that power. I've also got magnets in it, so no springs and those springs can help with conductivity.

If you're getting Delrin fragments in the switch assembly, something is wrong that needs to be fixed. Delrin is a very slippery plastic that is hard to scratch particles off of.

When you say 'both pins', which pins are you referring to?

I think you are taking the switch assembly apart completely, but I'm not sure. If you are not, you need to. This is one contact surface that needs to be cleaned along with the button's mating surface;

The mark that the arrow is pointing at is what was left after I cleaned it.

The small pin (I've seen called a rice pin) that locks the brass nut with the button, and the surfaces it sits inside of do not need to be clean.

 

[danca90]

You also might want to pick up some new batteries, I wouldn't trust the batteries too well after the stress of shorting more than once or twice.

 

[Ryedan]

You also might want to pick up some new batteries, I wouldn't trust the batteries too well after the stress of shorting more than once or twice.

This is not IMO a case of batteries shorting. It's too much resistance in the mod causing heat where there shouldn't be any. The batteries are not hurt in this scenario unless they get too hot in the hot mod

 

[danca90]

This is not IMO a case of batteries shorting. It's too much resistance in the mod causing heat where there shouldn't be any. The batteries are not hurt in this scenario unless they get too hot in the hot mod

The easiest way to tell is if the shrink wrap got damaged. My m16 got faulty, and did the whole "body shorting out" deal. I still tosssed the battery.

But my solution, overnight soak in alcohol, put on a glove, and scrubbed lightly with steel wool while in the alcohol.

 

[crxess]

The easiest way to tell is if the shrink wrap got damaged. My m16 got faulty, and did the whole "body shorting out" deal. I still tosssed the battery.

But my solution, overnight soak in alcohol, put on a glove, and scrubbed lightly with steel wool while in the alcohol.

0000 I hope - avoid scratching

 

[danca90]

0000 I hope - avoid scratching

Super light, almost zero pressure.

 

[yinsen]

Have you started running Extremely low ohm builds? Excessively thick wire?
The lower you go, the heavier your gear should be to handle the excess heat energy.

it happens whether i'm rocking dual twisted coils at 0.6ohms or a single 28g micro at 1.2, i'm positive it has nothing to do with the topper whatsoever. good call on the solvent and brass brushes though, i'll grab some ASAP!

If you're getting Delrin fragments in the switch assembly, something is wrong that needs to be fixed. Delrin is a very slippery plastic that is hard to scratch particles off of.

sorry, i wasn't very articulate on that one. there was no delrin fragmenting , but there was a few scraggly thin strips of delrin obviously leftover from the manufacturing process, still connected to the main delrin piece, resting on the topmost inside brass surface below the delrin rim (the bottom of the pink arrow in your picture is the surface i'm referring to). [wow, that was still extremely inarticulate.] i removed those little bits - but they have been there and in the same position since purchase, and the shorting still occurs just as frequently before and after removal.

When you say 'both pins', which pins are you referring to?

sorry, i meant the battery contact on the underside of the mech topcap, and the battery contact at the top of the switch assembly.

I think you are taking the switch assembly apart completely, but I'm not sure. If you are not, you need to. This is one contact surface that needs to be cleaned along with the button's mating surface

yup! totally disassembled and cleaned dilligently, all the bits mentioned - although if crxess is correct, my gumption game is lacking.

This is not IMO a case of batteries shorting. It's too much resistance in the mod causing heat where there shouldn't be any. The batteries are not hurt in this scenario unless they get too hot in the hot mod

i'm with you on this one, everything indicates the batteries are perfectly fine. the shrink wrap has not been damaged, they've never gotten overly hot, and of course once i detect a short i stop firing. having said that, they're about 9 months old so i've got some new ones on the way.

thanks for all the ideas, guys. i noaloxed every thread and haven't had a short since, although that seems like a temporary bandaid approach. i really can't fathom what the issue is, maybe theres a broken thread between the tubes somewhere that's messing with the natural electrical flow?

 

[yinsen]

P.S. the nemesis also shorts if fired with nothing screwed into the 510 - gotta be the mod.

 

[cstone1991]

If it shorts with no atty, you have a problem with your top cap or your battery. Those are the only ways that a nemesis without an Atty can complete a circuit.