Sanity Check for First Time Mech Mod User

[timastyle]

I purchased my first mech mod (Private V2 Clone) from a local B&M almost a week ago and I wanted to do a sanity check to make sure all is good. I've read a number of posts to multiple threads warning users (relative newbies) to stay away from mech mods and/or know your stuff prior to using one. I've read a bit about batteries and their safety and want to make sure I'm understanding everything before I go ahead and regularly use the V2.

I currently have a 1.29 ohm coil built on my IGO-L and a 1.5 ohm coil built on my PT2 that I'm using with the mech mod. I verified the ohm on my ohm meter prior to using it with the V2. I also have Efest 18650 10A battery that I'm using with it. Based on the numbers I'm running, I'm only pulling 3.26 amps from the battery at full charge (4.2V), so I'm well within the battery current range. There is no danger from that perspective.

What I want to make sure I understand correctly and for more safety are the following:

1. Is it possible to short a coil after it's been built and tested on an ohm meter where it could cause issues? If so, how so?
2. I have been periodically checking the resistance to make sure it hasn't changed on me. Is it possible for it to fluctuate a bit throughout the course of it's life?
3. If I am to remove the coil to clean my dripper or tank, should I just plan to junk the coil or can I reuse it?
4. Are there particular cleaning methods you use to clean your mods to make sure everything is functioning properly? How often is this done?
5. The battery sits quite snug in the V2 (enough where I have to screw the mod down enough where I can grab the battery with my fingers to pull it out because it won't come out otherwise, which I've heard is normal for these clones). Are there any concerns with this?
6. I've read that you shouldn't fully drain your battery with a mech mod, but don't recall seeing why. Can someone explain?
7. What will a Safe Fuse provide me if I'm well within my battery threshold?

All your help is greatly appreciated!

 

[State O' Flux]

7 questions? No wonder no one wants to take the time or trouble to answer. Maybe next time, 3-4 tops eh?

What I want to make sure I understand correctly and for more safety are the following:

1. Is it possible to short a coil after it's been built and tested on an ohm meter where it could cause issues? If so, how so? I suppose, if it's manipulated when fitting a wick and shorted to ground... although even then, it may only appear as a lower resistance.
A coil tail, loose in it's post, can cause an intermittent contact, with possible arcing. The loose connection is more common and likely than a "tweaked" coil - IME.

2. I have been periodically checking the resistance to make sure it hasn't changed on me. Is it possible for it to fluctuate a bit throughout the course of it's life? The above loose connection will cause an increase in resistance. Over the long term - and by that I mean months with a 28 gauge or thicker coil (perhaps thinner wire too - but I really don't use it, so can't give a objective response) resistance may increase a tenth of an ohm or so, as the wire, after dry burns, torchings and cleanings, begins to degrade.
I have 24-28 gauge Kanthal A1 and Rene41 coils that are over 4 months old with no signs of degradation.

3. If I am to remove the coil to clean my dripper or tank, should I just plan to junk the coil or can I reuse it? If you are happy with the coil you're using, and it's not damaged, I see no reason to replace them arbitrarily... unless you just want the coil wrapping practice.

4. Are there particular cleaning methods you use to clean your mods to make sure everything is functioning properly? How often is this done? See link. As often as makes you happy... or if there are indications of button arcing like little shocks, intermittent firing and so on. Other than that, every few months would be adequate, depending on level of use of course.

5. The battery sits quite snug in the V2 (enough where I have to screw the mod down enough where I can grab the battery with my fingers to pull it out because it won't come out otherwise, which I've heard is normal for these clones). Are there any concerns with this? None... as long as the shrink wrap isn't being damaged.

6. I've read that you shouldn't fully drain your battery with a mech mod, but don't recall seeing why. Can someone explain? It is detrimental to the life of the battery to bring it back (repeatedly) from a fully discharged state. Internal resistance will increase - it will take longer to charge, will not charge to it's highest potential, will discharge more rapidly and will not deliver to it's fullest potential. See "Four Renegades of Battery Failure"

7. What will a Safe Fuse provide me if I'm well within my battery threshold? Mostly, protection from a unlikely, but could happen - dead short. If you're using IMR batteries, the battery chemistry itself provides a modest margin of safety.

All your help is greatly appreciated!

Well then... you're welcome. ;-)

 

[Stosh]

This ^^^ a lot of good information...

Only thing I would add is on #7 - The Safe Fuse is for the worst case possible happening, something unforeseen. Think of it like the emergency brake in your car, hopefully you never have to try and stop you car with it, but you wouldn't want to disconnect it....

 

[CloudZ]

Excellent reply by SOF. I just want to add a couple things:

For cleaning your mod, use some 91%+ iso alcohol, a small brass brush, and some kind of rag on all the connections, including the threads. This should only need to be done every couple months or perhaps longer. Other than that, just wipe your positive and negative contacts, including the 510 pin, every week or two.

Check the specs of your battery to determine the minimum discharge voltage and stay well away from it. Try to recharge at no lower than 3.5 volts if possible; keep in mind that this is less stressful on the battery than always discharging to the minimum level and should allow it to have a longer lifespan.

 

[timastyle]

Thanks for all the helpful information and sorry about the number of questions. I figured it was better to do it all in the original post than to start new threads about each one and/or go off topic in this one.

From looking at the battery spec, it looks like the minimum discharge level for the Efest 18650 IMR is 2.5V. My digital charger I believe shows it in the 3.2-3.5V range when I've put it on the charger. Hopefully this hasn't done too much damage. On that note, with a mech, is the only way to check the battery level to put the battery on the charger to get a readout?

Another thing I wanted to ask about is the floating 510 connector on the V2 Clone. Mine is very tight. At first, there was a few mm gap between the mod and the IGO-L when I put it on. I then decided to take a hammer and phillips head to pin to push it down a little to make the IGO sit flush. While it pushed it down a little (leaving a ding in the contact while doing it cause of the phillips head - stupid me), the IGO now screws all the way down, but it's lop sided. When I put the PT2 tank on it, things are flush though. Also, when I put the IGO on top of my Zmax, the IGO sit balanced, so I'm thinking the pin has to be tilted. Anyway I can check/fix this?

 

[State O' Flux]

On that note, with a mech, is the only way to check the battery level to put the battery on the charger to get a readout?

Buy a DMM. You should own one anyway, if you want to play with mechs and rebuildables.

Another thing I wanted to ask about is the floating 510 connector on the V2 Clone. Mine is very tight. At first, there was a few mm gap between the mod and the IGO-L when I put it on. I then decided to take a hammer and phillips head to pin to push it down a little to make the IGO sit flush. While it pushed it down a little (leaving a ding in the contact while doing it cause of the phillips head - stupid me), the IGO now screws all the way down, but it's lop sided. When I put the PT2 tank on it, things are flush though. Also, when I put the IGO on top of my Zmax, the IGO sit balanced, so I'm thinking the pin has to be tilted. Anyway I can check/fix this?

Without it in my hot little hands... to see what the issues are, I haven't a clue.

 

[Stosh]

Best way to check a battery is with a DMM, digital multi-meter (~$10-$15) and worth getting for using mech mods & RDA / RBA. Regarding your pin, tilted may be a bad thing, there's only a small piece of insulation around the pin to keep it from shorting out to the mod's case or outside threads on the 510 connector. If you do move it around any more, you should check it for shorts with the fore mentioned DMM before applying a battery and topper...

edit: dang State O' Flux types faster than I do....

 

[timastyle]

SOF/Stosh - I already have an ohm meter that I use to check out the resistance of my coil builds and my charger has a digital display of the voltage of my battery when I place it on it, so excuse my ignorance, but how is the DMM any different than what I already have?

Stosh - In the instance of having a floating 510 connector on my mech mod, how would I use the DMM to verify a short?

 

[Stosh]

The DMM has separate leads and probes that you can use to measure the ohms between any two points. Like the pin itself and the outside of the 510 connector, while you wiggle the pin a bit. This will let you test that the pin is less likely to short when screwed into something.

Pick any two points on your mod that shouldn't be shorted, or where there should be connectivity (if there's a problem firing)

Also a DMM would allow you to measure the ohms of a coil right where it connects to the RBA, instead of "adding" in the rest of the RBA's resistance.

A DMM for a vaper is like a stethoscope for a doctor. And there's plenty of help here in the forum if you have questions. Learning beats ignorance hands down every time....

 

[timastyle]

Thanks for the explanation Stosh! I didn't realize that there could be shorts on parts. This is why I started this thread to make sure I have a good understanding.

Now is there anything that I can watch out for as warning signs of a potential problem?

 

[Stosh]

Now is there anything that I can watch out for as warning signs of a potential problem?

Just any two metal parts that should be separated, with an insulator or just space..being too close together where a small bump or vibration might make them touch. A quick visual inspection would be recommended, and drag out the meter if there's any question.

Stay safe and vape on....

 

[sandt38]

One thought I would like to add with regards to query #1, and it has happened to me, is when you measure the set up be sure to double check it when you put your chimney or chamber in place. While my Aqua measured out fine without the chimney in place, one of my coils slightly touched the chimney when it was installed. Not a huge deal, but it did drop my in use resistance and reduce vapor/flavor production. I was also really close on my Nimbus with a bigger coil setup.

 

[timastyle]

Stosh - I was thinking more along the lines of if the mod gets too hot or I see a spark. I mean I don't know if these are even issues. Just throwing stuff out so you know what I was thinking.

 

[Stosh]

If any part of the mod or the battery starts getting warm, it would point to a possible problem, like a dirty switch, a loose connection, a battery starting to go bad. This is where a DMM is handy, think of the mod as a circuit going from the + on the battery in a circle back to the - on the battery, you can measure the voltage or resistance anywhere along the way. (being sure to remove any power source before measuring ohms).

p.s. you should never see any sparks...that would be an indication of a very major problem...takes a lot going wrong to create any sparks..

 

[csantiago1911]

This thread is awesome. Subscribed. Kudos to to SOF, Stosh and the other folks who helped the OP with great answers and advice!

 

[timastyle]

I was going to PM Stosh this question but hopefully this will help others as well. I truly appreciate the help and maybe it will help others as well. Being that I've never used a DMM, are there any videos or sites that you can point me to so that I can understand what to look for and bow to work it?

I get the part of putting positive and negative to any part of the mod and/or RBA to check for shorts. What I don't get is what readout would be normal vs. a short? Also, you were saying I can check anywhere on the mod for voltage and resistance, but how can I do that if I remove the power source for ohms? Should the mod itself match the ohms of the coil? When checking voltage, would I have the battery in to check?

 

[State O' Flux]

Being that I've never used a DMM, are there any videos or sites that you can point me to so that I can understand what to look for and bow to work it?

I get the part of putting positive and negative to any part of the mod and/or RBA to check for shorts. What I don't get is what readout would be normal vs. a short?

Also, you were saying I can check anywhere on the mod for voltage and resistance, but how can I do that if I remove the power source for ohms?

Should the mod itself match the ohms of the coil?

When checking voltage, would I have the battery in to check?

Go back to post #2... and "see link".

On a continuity test, there's a tone that sounds, or if on the ohms scale - well less than 1.0Ω. More like 0.0Ω.

Once you've checked continuity, you refit the battery, change to volts, and checky check.

No... they have nothing to do with one another.

Yowza!

 

[State O' Flux]

Ooops, wrong linky. Here's the one I was thinking of. Doh!

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...zer-systems/499201-mech-rba-useful-links.html

Too many "how do I" threads.

 

[timastyle]

Thanks SOF! I hadn't seen that post and it's very useful. I'll be going through it for a while.

 

[State O' Flux]

Thanks SOF! I hadn't seen that post and it's very useful. I'll be going through it for a while.

Yep... there's a good day or two of useful learnin' in that link package. I got tired of dragging out bookmarked links and adding them to posts one at a time... my "Big Post O' Links" makes it way mo' easy.