Problems with ZAP

[Nathanial]

I bought a lightly used ZAP from somebody off the classifieds, with basically all the wicks and coil, etc, except it came without a wick and coil setup, so I'm having to start from scratch.

I'm pulling out my damned hair at this point. I've been trying for three hours and can't get the darn thing to fire! I can't even get to the "fire at 3.3 and adjust coils to light up" stage. None of them light up. I do an atomizer ohm reading and I get "OP" on my device. I've cleaned the threading on both the ZAP, and the ProVari, and I've done the following:

Wick is not touching "floor" of tank
Wick is not touching center post
Wick is equal in height to center post
Coil is wrapped COUNTER CLOCKWISE around center post
Screw on top of center post is screwed straight down
Tried a completely different wick.

No cigar. I'm starting to pull my hair out here.

Please tell me I'm not the only one that has gone through this, and that somebody has some tips or reassuring words. I feel like a total failure with this thing, and all I want to do is TRY it. Four. Hours.

 

[ninfreak]

this has nothing to do with your wick or your coil!!!

sounds like it is gunked up inside. it needs cleaning. take the top post off(it is screwed into the delrin) and take out the innards by shoving a paperclip through where the pin is in the connector...give them a nice iso bath. then sand each of the contact points a bit to remove any corrosion(pin, both ends of spring, and bottom of post). this should cure your issue

i do this once a week as my regular cleaning routine

this might be the reason they sold it, as they had no idea why it was broken. when in actuallity it is a simple fix. i had to learn this myself as i am the first person in the zenfidel clan that came across this issue back in july. it was nasty inside...cleaned it up and it worked like new. been using mine since june

 

[Nathanial]

this has nothing to do with your wick or your coil!!!

sounds like it is gunked up inside. it needs cleaning. take the top post off(it is screwed into the delrin) and take out the innards by shoving a paperclip through where the pin is in the connector...give them a nice iso bath. then sand each of the contact points a bit to remove any corrosion(pin, both ends of spring, and bottom of post). this should cure your issue

i do this once a week as my regular cleaning routine

this might be the reason they sold it, as they had no idea why it was broken. when in actuallity it is a simple fix. i had to learn this myself as i am the first person in the zenfidel clan that came across this issue back in july. it was nasty inside...cleaned it up and it worked like new. been using mine since june

Thanks for your quick response! I am slightly confused, and without trying to sound stupid, could you elaborate a bit more if possible? The top post... I've completely unscrewed the screw out of the top, where you end up counterclockwise wrapping the coil. Does that post actually unscrew itself...? Or am I completely misunderstanding you.

Thanks again for your quick reply, and sorry if I sound like a total noob, I'm only familiar with the device in ProVape's video, and my pathetic attempts to get this to run.

Edit: I did some digging around, and saw a post where you mentioned the post is basically a screw that the derlin is threaded to accept. I'll keep at trying to remove it, but I can't get the darn thing to budge. I'm actually getting a blister on my left thumb >
I guess it's off to the hardware store to buy some more wire (that I ...... through thinking I was messing up the process, and getting irritated and starting over) and buy a tool to latch onto the thing to get off.

Thank you so much, I'll report back if this does the trick.

 

[Nathanial]

Okay, no matter what, I can't get the thing to budge. Do you think taking a wrench to i at this point is in order? I'm pretty sure that it's got a lot of caked on juice that's not letting it budge; or maybe it just requires a tool from the beginning and I'm not thinking straight (over 5 hours in at this point since i received the package).

I just want to make sure I don't damage the actual pole, so that's why I'm weary of taking a wrench or something of the sorts to it.

Edit: sorry about the double post

 

[Trick]

Another easier thing to check, just in case... is the center pin on the bottom poking out a bit from the 510 connector? If so, good -- it should be. You might try giving that a good brushing or even a very light sanding to make sure it's clear of any corrosion that might be breaking the circuit.

The OP error is an indication that there's no circuit at all, and while this can be caused by a coil that's not connected properly at both ends, you can also get it if the connection at the 510 end isn't solid.

 

[Nathanial]

Another easier thing to check, just in case... is the center pin on the bottom poking out a bit from the 510 connector? If so, good -- it should be. You might try giving that a good brushing or even a very light sanding to make sure it's clear of any corrosion that might be breaking the circuit.

The OP error is an indication that there's no circuit at all, and while this can be caused by a coil that's not connected properly at both ends, you can also get it if the connection at the 510 end isn't solid.

Yes sir, it sticks up and pushes in. Earlier I cleaned off all the threading, and the bottom pole, with a Q-tip and ISO; plenty of gunk came off of it.

I appreciate your input, I haven't given up on this thing yet lol

 

[Trick]

Yes sir, it sticks up and pushes in. Earlier I cleaned off all the threading, and the bottom pole, with a Q-tip and ISO; plenty of gunk came off of it.

I appreciate your input, I haven't given up on this thing yet lol

OK, then yeah... if there was a lot of gunk there, chances are it passed through the middle of the ZAP on the way down.

Can't say I'd be much help getting in there, though, since I've never done it... but I suspect that gunk may be getting in between the floating pin and the contact on the other end.

 

[Nathanial]

Edit: This is basically resolved thanks to a wonderful Good Samaritan, thanks for all your input!

 

[ninfreak]

you still need to clean it....take a pair of needle nose and a towel(to avoid nics on the zap) and unscrew the post....it can't be done by hand.

 

[ninfreak]

i really really need to at least make a pic tutorial and send it to provape...there are gonna be a lot of ...... people when all of a sudden everyones zap stops working and noone knows why. this thing needs to be cleaned reguarly. take it apart and you will see why

 

[Nathanial]

you still need to clean it....take a pair of needle nose and a towel(to avoid nics on the zap) and unscrew the post....it can't be done by hand.

Yeah, I'm actually getting a device from another member that just got theirs that doesn't want it. I'm going to keep this thread bookmarked though so when I do need to clean it, I know what to do. Never did manage to get the other one to come off though. I actually tried needle nose pliers, with no go, which is really surprising.

I agree ProVape should have something about it somewhere, and a picture tutorial or video tutorial would be killer.

 

[Rymarski]

i really really need to at least make a pic tutorial and send it to provape...there are gonna be a lot of ...... people when all of a sudden everyones zap stops working and noone knows why. this thing needs to be cleaned reguarly. take it apart and you will see why

ninfreak if you could post a pic tutorial it would be greatly appreciated!

I'm getting worried since following this thread that I will have a similar issue. I also read thread's earlier where people had to use glue to put the pieces back together. Specifically the one where the delrin is involved. I mean how badly does that center post get gunked up over time?

 

[Nathanial]

I'm getting worried since following this thread that I will have a similar issue. I also read thread's earlier where people had to use glue to put the pieces back together. Specifically the one where the delrin is involved. I mean how badly does that center post get gunked up over time?

I'm starting to wonder if the previous owner super glued the pole back in, since I can't get the sucker to budge....

 

[JCB1]

Nathanial,

Sorry you are having issues; I can't understand it! Granted it's not seen a lot of use, but it worked perfectly fine.
However, I positively did not remove post, ever. PM incoming.


Juanita

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nathanial]

Nathanial,

Sorry you are having issues; I can't understand it! Granted it's not seen a lot of use, but it worked perfectly fine.
However, I positively did not remove post, ever. PM incoming.


Juanita

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All righty, it's no problem I'm glad it's not a completely helpless cause though. Knowing it wasn't glued back in at least tells me it should be possible to get off if need be

 

[ninfreak]

don't know why you wouldn't be able to get it off....it's metal threaded into plastic.

and yes this has to be done with all zaps, they will all have this issue. it is simple common sense even if no juice got in there that seperate points of contact in anything mechanical would have to be cleaned. just like you have to clean your spring or battery contact pin or connection in your provari. it has to be done. electricity makes metal corrode faster, it is physics.

o and the question about how badly this happens, you will get a month or 2 before you notice that ohm reading keeps going up and up, until eventually it reads OP. then you take it apart and realize it is a black mess. i clean it out every other time i would change my coil just to keep it in tip top shape. and just to correct you a bit, it isn't about the top post getting gunked up, it is everything else inside.

as soon as i find my camera i will make my pic tutorial

 

[Rymarski]

don't know why you wouldn't be able to get it off....it's metal threaded into plastic.

and yes this has to be done with all zaps, they will all have this issue. it is simple common sense even if no juice got in there that seperate points of contact in anything mechanical would have to be cleaned. just like you have to clean your spring or battery contact pin or connection in your provari. it has to be done. electricity makes metal corrode faster, it is physics.

o and the question about how badly this happens, you will get a month or 2 before you notice that ohm reading keeps going up and up, until eventually it reads OP. then you take it apart and realize it is a black mess. i clean it out every other time i would change my coil just to keep it in tip top shape. and just to correct you a bit, it isn't about the top post getting gunked up, it is everything else inside.

as soon as i find my camera i will make my pic tutorial

Ninfreak you are the veteran here, really appreciate the input. Please do post a pic tutorial when you can. I too would like to keep the zap in top shape by cleaning it.

 

[Nathanial]

I'll keep trying. I'm going to go down to the hardware store in the morning and see if they can suggest something, or see if they can take a crack at it. I too am very surprised that I can't get it off... :\

I really do appreciate all of your advise though. I'm anxious to get it apart and see what the build up is. It's very helpful to know.

Thanks again, I'll let you know if I can manage to get it off, but its been no go between three people, a wrench, and needle nose pliers, haha.

Thanks again,
Nathanial

don't know why you wouldn't be able to get it off....it's metal threaded into plastic.

and yes this has to be done with all zaps, they will all have this issue. it is simple common sense even if no juice got in there that seperate points of contact in anything mechanical would have to be cleaned. just like you have to clean your spring or battery contact pin or connection in your provari. it has to be done. electricity makes metal corrode faster, it is physics.

o and the question about how badly this happens, you will get a month or 2 before you notice that ohm reading keeps going up and up, until eventually it reads OP. then you take it apart and realize it is a black mess. i clean it out every other time i would change my coil just to keep it in tip top shape. and just to correct you a bit, it isn't about the top post getting gunked up, it is everything else inside.

as soon as i find my camera i will make my pic tutorial

 

[Rymarski]

I'll keep trying. I'm going to go down to the hardware store in the morning and see if they can suggest something, or see if they can take a crack at it. I too am very surprised that I can't get it off... :\

I really do appreciate all of your advise though. I'm anxious to get it apart and see what the build up is. It's very helpful to know.

Thanks again, I'll let you know if I can manage to get it off, but its been no go between three people, a wrench, and needle nose pliers, haha.

Thanks again,
Nathanial

If you do get it off Nathanial please do post a pic. Curious to see how bad this gets gunked up.

 

[ninfreak]

i am eager to help. i am a veteren of this device so it is my duty to help where i can.

found the camera but not the cord....searched everywhere. bah......