OXVA Orbiter - Can anybody help me identify this issue?

[Tobius]

Hey everyone,

so I've had my OXVA Orbiter for about 6 months and it has been my favourite RTA by far with massive flavour and absolutely zero leakage. However a few weeks ago it started shorting out. I've taken it apart and cleaned it probably about 20 times now, tried it on different mods with a bunch of different coils, and then spent another 2 hours at my local shop where the owner tried everything he could think of, and by the end he was as confused and frustrated as I was, saying it's been the only rebuildable that has defeated him.

The errors switch between "Check atomizer" and "Atomizer short", and the weird thing is it will work with one coil, no matter which side, but as soon as there's two installed the errors come.

The 510 connector pin/bolt screws in and holds one side of deck down snuggly in to the other, and as the image shows below it's completely insulated by either plastic or some kind of ceramic, and there's no cracks, potential shrapnel interfering or any signs of where the current could be transferring beyond the coils.

I've just ordered 2 more because I love it too much to let this RTA go, but working out the issue has become an obsession. If anybody has any ideas I'd love to hear them.

Many thanks and big love <3

 

[zoiDman]

Hi Tobius. Welcome to the ECF.

Everything above the Mod may be Fine. But how does the Center Pin of your RTA's 510 connector look? Does it stick out from the RTA's 510 Threading much?

If your RTA's Center pin looks like the one on the Right below, maybe that is the Problem?

 

[SupplyDaddy]

The "Arbiter" is a nice beast. I have two I use daily, and an Arbiter V2.

I'd check the 510 connection as zoiDman suggests.
Otherwise, I can only suggest you check that your coil legs are not protruding too far out on the side from under the grub screws securing them on the deck. That could allow the coils to short out the RTA by touching the chimey on the inside.

Did you or the vape shop use a multimeter to check continuity?

 

[Superuser187]

Its one of those cases that i wish i had it in my hands cause cant really imagine how this is not a problem that cant be identified.
U said u checked for cracks i guess u mean cracks on the insulators also?
Not that a crack would cause a short for sure but just saying

Judging from the vape shop owners i have met in my country i cant say i feel confident that he would figure it out so doesn't tell me anything that he checked it but ofc i understand why u took it to them to check it ofc

Anyway people already gave u great advices to follow hope when u figure it out to tell us what was the problem cause i am crazy curious and i cant check it myself and its kills me when stuff like that happens. Lol

 

[Jwaterski]

All respect to zoiD, you have always given good advice! Might be right here too, so OP needs to check the center pin as advised, but if it works with a single coil, but fails with duel coils, I think the problem is more likely either coil size or placement. Possibly legs as supplydaddy mentions, or even coil diameter or length touching the chimney attachment. Do you have any pictures of your coil build? What size coils are you using?

 

[zoiDman]

... but if it works with a single coil, but fails with duel coils, ...

That's the Part that Blows My Mind. Cause when I look at the way the Deck is Split and Insulated, I Can't Figure Out how that would be Possible?

I also Wonder if the Mod "Check atomizer" and "Atomizer short" errors are really "Low Ohm" Warnings? Could Running 2 Coils (chopping the Ohms in Half) be lowering the Ohms below what the Mod can Handle?

I Kinda Stumped by the Whole thing.

 

[Superuser187]

The wierd thing is the op say he tried many different coils also and the vape shop owner tried stuff...its sooooooooo wierd thats why i also thought that zoids center pin suggestion maybe its correct.
Even tho still there is a question of how is it possible it works with one coil or how the pin suddenly became short but maybe somehow overtightened by the op or something...ahhhhh its so wierd really

 

[zoiDman]

The wierd thing is the op say he tried many different coils also and the vape shop owner tried stuff...its sooooooooo wierd thats why i also thought that zoids center pin suggestion maybe its correct.
Even tho still there is a question of how is it possible it works with one coil or how the pin suddenly became short but maybe somehow overtightened by the op or something...ahhhhh its so wierd really

I Agree... "Weird" is the Word of the Day when it comes to this RTA.

 

[Z-Lee]

Check the PEEK insulator between the positive and negative posts (the tan thin plastic strip that weaves through the deck). Nothing looks melted, missing, or sitting out of place?

 

[Tobius]

Thanks so much everybody for your input. I've been writing replies to you all while I was setting up my new Arbiter which arrived this morning, so I've kept the replies below but the new one is doing the same thing so it's obviously user/installation error but I cannot seem to wrap my head around it. I've left the replies below, but something I have discovered this morning is that if I wrap my coils at a smaller guage, and then stretch them out so there's approx. 1mm distance between each wrap, I can get it to consistently to fire while dry, however as soon as I feed cotton through them and add some juice it starts shorting again. What am I doing wrong? ;___;

And I dunno if it matters but the mods that I'm using are the RHEA Aspire and Geek Vape Aegis Legend

----

Hi Tobius. Welcome to the ECF.

Everything above the Mod may be Fine. But how does the Center Pin of your RTA's 510 connector look? Does it stick out from the RTA's 510 Threading much?

If your RTA's Center pin looks like the one on the Right below, maybe that is the Problem?

Hey thank you so much! I can't work out if there's a way to upload photos directly here, and I only have Google Drive which doesn't wanna work when inserting an image link, but the centre pin looks totally fine. When I originally took it apart there was some slight build up of gunk at the top near the thread. I gave it a solid clean and there is some slight discolouration but I can't imagine that would be causing any issues, especially since the thread was unaffected.

The "Arbiter" is a nice beast. I have two I use daily, and an Arbiter V2.

I'd check the 510 connection as zoiDman suggests.
Otherwise, I can only suggest you check that your coil legs are not protruding too far out on the side from under the grub screws securing them on the deck. That could allow the coils to short out the RTA by touching the chimey on the inside.

Did you or the vape shop use a multimeter to check continuity?

as mentioned above, the 510 connection looks good. And I've played around with different coil leg lengths, starting from the usual length I'd cut it at up to just barely long enough to be held in place by the grub screws.

I unfortunately don't have a multimeter and from memory the vape shop didn't have one. I might order one and check that out. Thanks!

All respect to zoiD, you have always given good advice! Might be right here too, so OP needs to check the center pin as advised, but if it works with a single coil, but fails with duel coils, I think the problem is more likely either coil size or placement. Possibly legs as supplydaddy mentions, or even coil diameter or length touching the chimney attachment. Do you have any pictures of your coil build? What size coils are you using?

No chance of hitting the chimney either as it shorts when the chimney is off. But yeah, I've tried multiple sets of Cloud Revolution's Game Over Man Originals (which is what I've been using on the build since day 1), a few different coils that came with previous RTAs I've purchased, and tried using Geek Vape's SS Flat Clapton wire, as well as the vape shop guy trying 3 other types that I didn't see the names of.. I've got some photos of the build, but as mentioned in my reply to zoiD's comment I can't seem to work out a way to upload them here.

That's the Part that Blows My Mind. Cause when I look at the way the Deck is Split and Insulated, I Can't Figure Out how that would be Possible?

I also Wonder if the Mod "Check atomizer" and "Atomizer short" errors are really "Low Ohm" Warnings? Could Running 2 Coils (chopping the Ohms in Half) be lowering the Ohms below what the Mod can Handle?

I Kinda Stumped by the Whole thing.

When I can get it to fire on occasion, the Ohms check out.

Check the PEEK insulator between the positive and negative posts (the tan thin plastic strip that weaves through the deck). Nothing looks melted, missing, or sitting out of place?

Nothing looks out of place or damaged what so ever :\

 

[zoiDman]

...

When I can get it to fire on occasion, the Ohms check out.

...

Man... Something is Funky. But with All you have tried, I can't think of what it is?

When you do a Single Coil and it works, what Ohms does the Mod say the build is?

 

[Tobius]

Man... Something is Funky. But with All you have tried, I can't think of what it is?

When you do a Single Coil and it works, what Ohms does the Mod say the build is?

Hrmmmz.. so I may have been getting confused. I'm running a single Game Over Original atm and I'm getting 0.14, but I just looked at the sticker on the container and it says D/C is 0.11, but for S/C it's 0.22. Though it's always sat at 0.7 when I was running Dual from day 1 and worked perfectly until it didn't.

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

How many mods has it been tried on with same errors?

 

[Tobius]

How many mods has it been tried on with same errors?

both of mine and 2 at the vape shop

 

[zoiDman]

Hrmmmz.. so I may have been getting confused. I'm running a single Game Over Original atm and I'm getting 0.14, but I just looked at the sticker on the container and it says D/C is 0.11, but for S/C it's 0.22. Though it's always sat at 0.7 when I was running Dual from day 1 and worked perfectly until it didn't.

The reason I ask'n is I'm Not Sure how Low of an Ohm your Mod will fire? But you have to be getting Close to the Low Ohm Limit. And if you are at or Near the Low Ohm Limit with a Single Coil, run 2 Coils is going to Cut the Ohms of the Build in Half. And that might be pushing the Mod into something that it Can't Fire.

So what I would do is to Try a Dual Coil Build at a Higher Ohm.

Some Mods don't have a "Low Ohm" warning. They just display a "Check atomizer" or "Atomizer short" warning.

BTW - You meant that you D/C build was normally at 0.07 Ohms, right?

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

both of mine and 2 at the vape shop

What mods do you have?

When in single coil, what is the resistance reading for each coil on the mod?

When in dual coil, what is the resistance reading on the mod?

 

[Tobius]

The reason I ask'n is I'm Not Sure how Low of an Ohm your Mod will fire? But you have to be getting Close to the Low Ohm Limit. And if you are at or Near the Low Ohm Limit with a Single Coil, run 2 Coils is going to Cut the Ohms of the Build in Half. And that might be pushing the Mod into something that it Can't Fire.

So what I would do is to Try a Dual Coil Build at a Higher Ohm.

Some Mods don't have a "Low Ohm" warning. They just display a "Check atomizer" or "Atomizer short" warning.

BTW - You meant that you D/C build was normally at 0.07 Ohms, right?

Yeah my D/C was normally running at 0.07, which there hasn't been any change since it's started shorting. And thanks! I'll give a higher Ohm build a go.

What mods do you have?

When in single coil, what is the resistance reading for each coil on the mod?

When in dual coil, what is the resistance reading on the mod?

I have a RHEA Aspire and a Geek Vape Aegis Legend (Original)

Single reads as 0.14, dual reads as 0.07

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

dual reads as 0.07

The RHEA mod has a bottom end resistance of 0.1Ω. Aspire Rhea Mod - Aspire® Official Site

The Legend has a bottom end resistance of 0.05Ω (according to fasttech's specs), but when you hit the fire button the resistance is dropping below 0.05Ω for a split second, causing the error. Either try to figure out how to get the resistance to not drop, or just build higher.

 

[Z-Lee]

Hrmmmz.. so I may have been getting confused. I'm running a single Game Over Original atm and I'm getting 0.14, but I just looked at the sticker on the container and it says D/C is 0.11, but for S/C it's 0.22. Though it's always sat at 0.7 when I was running Dual from day 1 and worked perfectly until it didn't.

The resistance is always going to be lower than what's listed on the package because you're clipping the leads when you place your coils where you want them.

Another thought - when you build single coil, are you running the positive and negative posts on one side, or using kitty-corner posts?

 

[Superuser187]

Build something on higher ohms brother like 0.15ohm or something u still gonna CHUCK CLOUDZ BRUH