Now I'm REALLY frustrated... (M401 vent)

[Pokeygizmo]

Hi everyone!

Been lurking for 4 weeks, vaping for 2 weeks and off analogs for 1 week (yea!) -- just finally got past what I thought was the "learning curve" and I've hit a major bump...

I am using an M401. The two original batteries and atties have been working beautifully. I ordered the third battery and atty -- atty's fine, battery was a bust from the beginning and am currently trying to contact the seller to make arrangements for a replacement.

I have been alternating between the two original batteries. Use one, charge the other. If the one is still working I keep the "charged" one in it's case to switch out. Well, the one I'm vaping tonight is blinking low battery and I switch to the already charged battery and NOTHING. It is kaput. Tried all the atties, still nothing. So here I am, no charged battery, nothing to vape with and I am jonesing for a cig. This stinks.

Soooo... I guess I need a passthrough for these types of emergencies? Is this the normal story for a M401 battery (unreliable?) Is it time to look for a new e-cig ALREADY??? Aaaaaggggghhh... Ideas, suggestions, empathy/sympathy all welcomed. Thanks for listening -- been smoking for 22 years, never thought I could put them down. I have and now this. Sigh.

 

[terrie1]

Yeah hun, you need a passthrough...Im on my second one and just cant be without it...(my first one died, staying in the ON position) I use it while recharging batts, etc.

 

[oldtechno]

Before I jumped off a cliff (lol), I'd screw that battery back into the charger and try again--might have been a loose connection or something simple. Charger cord not pushed into the wall outlet enough--and so on.

Next--does it charge the other battery? If not--it might be the recharger itself.

 

[scheherezade]

Is your PCC still charged?

 

[Guineahill]

And clean your threads. They often get a bit junked up and the connection between the battery and the atty won't work properly.

Remember also that if liquid gets into an automatic battery it can mess up the switch. (You didn't say if you were using automatics or manuals.)

I have lots of M401 batteries and haven't had a problem so in my experience they are very reliable. I have a friend who have had issues - but he purchased his unit from different supplier than I have.

I suggest that if you like the vape that you get with the M401 (and it sounds like you do) then you should work on stocking up a bit. (It sounds like you have been doing that also!) Don't let the frustration get to you! Eventually you will have enough of a stock pile where hiccups like this won't impact you too much.

Good luck!

 

[VaporMadness]

Soooo... I guess I need a passthrough for these types of emergencies? Is this the normal story for a M401 battery (unreliable?) Is it time to look for a new e-cig ALREADY??? Aaaaaggggghhh... Ideas, suggestions, empathy/sympathy all welcomed. Thanks for listening -- been smoking for 22 years, never thought I could put them down. I have and now this. Sigh.

Ouch... that is frustrating.

I've had 3 m40x auto batts for a close to a month and a half now. They're all still in good working order.

The auto switches can be a bit tricky at times especially after liquid has leaked into the battery (if that has happened, you can try to get the liquid out with a small piece of tightly rolled tissue). When the switch is giving me trouble, I blow on the tip which for whatever reason also activates the switch. Once having done that, the switch seems to activate more easily when drawing on it thru the cart. Maybe that's just my imagination, but it seems to help

I'm expecting a passthru and a couple of extra manual batteries in the mail any day now to hopefully help me avoid down time. Another item on the short list is a multi-port USB charging hub that plugs into a wall socket, and supplies enough current to power the passthru.

Other than that, I'm starting to consider a battery mod to overcome the short battery life that ALL of these mini/super-mini models share. For example, the GGSlim is super sharp looking 900mAh battery holder (10440 protected 3.7v) that's wider, but no longer, than most of the mini models. That battery should last 3 times longer than m401 batt. Larger MODs hold batts with much higher capacity than that, but I don't really want to carry something the size of 12oz soft drink around.

 

[Thyestean]

Other than that, I'm starting to consider a battery mod to overcome the short battery life that ALL of these mini/super-mini models share. For example, the GGSlim is super sharp looking 900mAh battery holder (10440 protected 3.7v) that's wider, but no longer, than most of the mini models. That battery should last 3 times longer than m401 batt. Larger MODs hold batts with much higher capacity than that, but I don't really want to carry something the size of 12oz soft drink around.

Did someone release a new type of 10440 battery today? lol ... There aren't any 10440 900mah batteries(that I'm aware of). I think you're thinking of the mah rating on the 14500.


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To the OP.... looks like you pretty much have the advice side of things covered. If you used a good vendor you shouldn't have a problem getting the DOA battery replaced and hopefully you'll find a way to kick the other back to life.

 

[Pokeygizmo]

Many thanks for all the replies and advice. I have an automatic M401, BTW, and will go and try a thourough cleaning just to make sure no juice is gumming it up. And, yes, stockpiling is the answer -- a spare for the spare for the spare .

I'll keep on plugging along, thanks again for everyone's helpful comments. This is a wonderful group! Really glad to be a part of it!

 

[Ragman]

I have to agree with guineahill...clean the threads. I used to have a couple batteries floating around in my pocket as spares... The threads would get junk in them and when Iwould screw them onto an atty or charger I would hear and feel a crunch sound. Looked and saw all sorts of crap in there. Crap on the threads will equal a bad connection therefore no chargy.

 

[Dmass]

I've had excellent results with my 401,2,3 batteries. I will learn from you and order a passthrough!

 

[four2109]

Also, compare the center connector on your 2 batteries. Sometimes the center connector will get pushed in and not make contact. If it is, you can gently work if up with a paper clip. Just don't stick it in to far.
While you are cleaning the threads, use a Q-tip an clean the contacts on the charger.
I've been using my auto 401 batts since June. Here's the link to the 401 thread.

M-401/402 "Mini" & M403 Super Mini - E-Cigarette Forum

 

[VaporMadness]

Did someone release a new type of 10440 battery today? lol ... There aren't any 10440 900mah batteries(that I'm aware of). I think you're thinking of the mah rating on the 14500.

Doh!!! Right, wishful thinking on my part, I wish something the size of the GGSlim would pack that much battery power. Yup, I got it confused with the 14500 battery.

 

[Pokeygizmo]

I was able to charge my one "good" battery. I have cleaned the other two, tried to adjust the center connectors, and tried to charge them as well. Oddly enough, when I connect the brand new "kaput" battery, the LED blinks five times and then briefly turns orange-ish in color before turning green within 30 seconds -- indicating a full charge, right?? What's the orange color about? My manual only talks about red and green lights.

The older battery's LED also blinks x5 when connected. Then the charger light turns red briefly before turning green. None of my atties work with either one, but all work with the "working" battery. Oh, well. C'est la vie!

Would these be worth saving to try with the PT? Or, since my atties don't seem to work with them are they just dead? If I can't use them, are there people out there that would want them or do I just toss 'em and move on?

Appreciate everyone's feedback -- I live in a small town and I suspect I may be the only vaporer (is that the right word???) around here. All I've got is you!

 

[Thyestean]

Not sure about the led colors and charging since I don't have any of the standard m401 batteries so hopefully someone else will answer that for you.

As for using them with the PT ... basically what a PT is is that battery housing with a wire hooked into it that hooks into a usb port, some do have an inline battery though. So your current batteries wouldn't have any use with a PT. It will make more sense once you get your PT and see it.

I would still see about getting a replacement for the DOA and other than that I would toss them in a drawer somewhere and keep them around because you never know if the modding bug might hit you in the future and you might find a use for them.

 

[Mammal]

Orange is a mix of red and green and would appear to indicate something like a trickle/top-up mode.

Lithium chargers try to/have to be kind of 'smart' to avoid blowing things up/burning your house down. However, actually detecting the state of charge is rather tricky and they will tend to err on the side of caution, which can be annoying when a lithium battery 'goes crazy' - has the charger convinced it's charged, but won't keep the device under load running long enough to take it out of that state. If that's what's happening.

First questions/experiment:

Take the dead auto battery and blow on the 'ash' end - they're quite sensitive to the sound from that side, if it's the microphonic type (Aren't they all?). Does it light up?

If it does and you keep it up (blowing repeatedly), does it blink the "I'm dead, recharge me now" blink? If so, try popping it on the charger, perhaps... or try putting it on an atty and blowing in an attempt to drain it further, enough that it may 'snap out' of the state fooling the charger.

If it does light, and doesn't beg to be charged [acts like it's actually topped up]... is the problem that it's not lighting up when you drag? Can you get the atomizer warm by blowing on the tip repeatedly?

If this last is the problem, or it doesn't light at all [suggesting maybe a dirty microphone, or maybe a true electrical/component failure that should consign it to the battery recycling bin - don't trash these unless you like the smell of landfill fires]... a last-ditch thing that slightly improved one of mine was to dunk the connector end in about 2cm of 200 proof (near-100%) grain alcohol. I started out cautiously and ended up dunking enthusiastically (but briefly - ~10 second submersions, dunk in and out rapidly, remove to shake dry, repeated a few times) and it improved mine but only slightly, see below.


...I don't know about 'adjusting the contacts.' It doesn't seem likely for them to get out of whack, but it does seem possible to damage something when operating blind. I have yet to see a proper teardown, though.

---

I've been fiddling with my one finicky m402 battery - it charges fine but seems tuned only for dog whistles coming at it from the perfect angle, which is nowhere near the mouthpiece end. Apparently the idea is that air should flow in through the atomizer slots/holes/notches, come up through the tiny hole drilled in the battery (producing a tone?) and finally reach you via the atomizer through the large central hole. Covering atomizer holes with my fingers or twisting things so the tiny hole would line up helped things slightly, subject to 'detuning' as it warmed up. As an experiment, I tried filing out a notch on the battery connector so the tiny hole could breathe directly to the outside, maybe creating another orifice that might 'whistle' the way it wants... and achieved only a token improvement. Following that with the oh-well-it's-full-of-brass-dust-from-filing-it alcohol rinse above.. and discovering the angle, rotation, and orientation of both the entire cig and the cartridge matter (the 3 little support wings in the cart must affect the airflow juuust enough), as well as the orientation of the wick ('open sides up' seems to help in my case for inexplicable reasons), and shape (pushing the dented side up a bit tore it a little more, but seems to have helped the 'sound' as far as this battery cares) ... When I hold it just right and the planets align, I can get a good drag. Or holding it in my teeth, since that somehow reflects or transmits more sound the way it wants.

All of that only really applies if yours turn out to light up fine when you blow on it but not when you try to use it as part of an ecig. If it's equally dead to being-blown-on, maybe it just up and died (or if it still blinks in the charger, maybe some component essential to the microphonic switching action up and died, with essentially the same endgame).

Someone elsewhere mentioned trying some canned air through the battery holes as another last-ditch effort... possibly another thing to try.

 

[Pokeygizmo]

Thanks, Thyestean, for the info regarding the PT. I am a visual learner (primarily) and I am sure I will understand it better once I see it!

Mammal, thanks for the very interesting and useful info -- I have no LED lights coming on when blow I the ends, only when I connect them to the charger (they all still do the 5 blink thing). I went ahead and tried the "dunk method" to no avail. Sigh, I guess they're all dead. I suppose there's a chance that it could be the charger? Or, more than likely, newbie-user error of some type? Seems hard to believe that I've lost 2 batteries in a row and received one DOA all within a couple of days...

 

[rosesense]

When you say, "keep it in its case" are you meaning a personal charging case (PCC)? If so, that is the problem. The batteries drain in the PCC. Same thing happened to me in the beginning. They need to be removed from the charging case after they are fully charged. If you do have a PCC, try charging the battery in the case (connected to the wall) and see if they hold a charge.

 

[Guineahill]

When you say, "keep it in its case" are you meaning a personal charging case (PCC)? If so, that is the problem. The batteries drain in the PCC. Same thing happened to me in the beginning. They need to be removed from the charging case after they are fully charged. If you do have a PCC, try charging the battery in the case (connected to the wall) and see if they hold a charge.

That isn't true for the M401 PCC (the one that looks like a cigarette pack rather than a cigarette case.) They are smart chargers. I keep mine in the case screwed on the charger all the time with no loss of charge. Of course, if I were to store them in there for months I would expect the charge to decrease simply because of time. But for regular use there isn't any problem at all leaving batteries attached.

Now if you have a defective PCC that is another story altogether.

I have PCCs for several models and the only one I have an issue with is the one for the Kr8. It looks like a flat cigarette case. I simply unscrew the battery slightly when I notice it has been charged. All of the others that I have are fine for charging AND storing the batteries in.