Sigelei Zmax V3 and V5 Telescopic: User's Group
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Thank you for your answer. The most logical thing would be sending it back. It's two weeks old. Arg...
How will I survive?
I 'll check if I can find out how to disassemble it. If it is a complicated procedure, I will send it back, if not... Maybe I can fix it myself
They aren't difficult to disassemble and fix if you're handy that way. My V3 used to have the exact same symptom as yours does and yes, the internals have broken loose from the inside of the tube. When I would let go of the fire button on mine, there was like a secondary thump or movement inside that I could feel. The difficult part for me was reassembly and getting the board, button and display lined up properly with the openings and each other. It's not too difficult if you're patient and take your time. I just used super glue to re-secure the board but others have used epoxy which is what I'd suggest. Someone made an actual insert to secure their board in place. All the pictures and directions are located somewhere in this thread and maybe the OP can point you in the right direction. Either way, you made the right choice choosing a sigelei and it'll provide years of service with minimal care. Good luck!
That's nice to hear! I'm usually pretty good with my hands (at least rebuilding Samsung galaxys and ipads) so I should manage.
The symptoms you describe are exactly what I 'm experiencing. Do you know how the board is secured stock for it to come loose so easily? I didn't drop the mod or anything like that. I do have several two component epoxies here so it shouldn't be a problem. Also have filler material for it if needed.
One thing that has kept me away so far is that I read that on some zMax versions the top is screwed on and not pressed and I haven't found any info or pics of a SS mini zMax (oled screen) disassembly... Not sure if it is pressed and only needs a punch or if I need to screw the cap off.
Any help appreciated
Thx, regards
Tony
The symptoms you describe are exactly what I 'm experiencing. Do you know how the board is secured stock for it to come loose so easily? I didn't drop the mod or anything like that. I do have several two component epoxies here so it shouldn't be a problem. Also have filler material for it if needed.
One thing that has kept me away so far is that I read that on some zMax versions the top is screwed on and not pressed and I haven't found any info or pics of a SS mini zMax (oled screen) disassembly... Not sure if it is pressed and only needs a punch or if I need to screw the cap off.
Any help appreciated
Thx, regards
Tony
Hello Tony. As far as I know, the Sigelei top caps are all press-fit into the tube (no threads). There might have been some confusion regarding the threads at the top that some models have that allow the collar to be removed for cleaning around the top 510/e-go connector.
When disassembling, what I do is remove the battery and lower tube (if it applies on your device) and insert it horizontally into my bench vise with just the top cap sticking out the side of the vice. I wrap a couple of 6-inch long pieces of an old leather belt around the tube to protect it so it doesn't get scratched up in the vise. Then using a pair of slip-joint pliers (adjusted to the correct width), I grab the top cap and wiggle it back and forth firmly while pulling until it comes free from the tube. I also use a piece of leather or a section of rubber from an old bicycle inner tube to protect the top cap when I grab it with the pliers. It's very important to be careful that you don't yank the top cap out of the tube because you'll rip the wires out of the circuit card or break them loose from the top cap. Go slow and steady and be ready for it to come loose all of a sudden and surprise you. If your device has a threaded collar, make sure the collar is removed and that you aren't using it to remove the top cap with the pliers (you could easily pull that collar right off the device and ruin its threads). Instead of grabbing around the outside perimeter of the top cap with the pliers, you can also use the E-go threads since they're made of stainless-steel. Just protect the e-go threads from being damaged as I mentioned previously.
The older V3's only had a thin plastic bracket that supported the circuit card near the top of the tube, but newer version devices now use a plastic tube cut in half length-wise to support the circuit card over it's entire length. That new support has a narrow groove on both sides just below the lip of its "U" shape that the circuit card rests in. Keep in mind that this only describes the V3's I've had open, since I've yet to open a V5 or a mini. I can't say with any certainty what the insides of a V5 or a mini look like, but I wouldn't guess they are very much different than the V3 internals.
I posted back a few months ago in this thread about the best way to line everything up when gluing the support back to the inside of the tube (at least IMO). I really need to organize all my previous posts and put them in my blog on ECF like Jeremy suggested I do a while back. Maybe I'll do that this week if time permits and I don't forget about it (again).
One last bit of advice that comes to mind:
Be very careful with the ribbon cable that attaches to the display on the circuit card. You can easily damage it when handling the circuit card or when re-inserting the card into the tube (it may want to catch on the edge of the tube as it's going back in). That display cable is flimsy and is the probably the easiest thing to screw up and render your device basically useless. As long as you are conscious of it and you are careful when handling it, you should be fine.
EDIT: I went back and found the link I posted earlier in regard to gluing the plastic support back to the inside of the tube.
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Thank you so much to you both for providing the links and explanation of the process. I 'm going to study a little and try to fix it myself tonight. I do have all the needed tools and glue so hopefully I will manage.
Fingers crossed
Tony
Fingers crossed
Tony
My V3 cam apart easly enough (and a few times on its own), but I went and put it back together too good. I used a dremel to rough up the inside of the tube a little and glued the plastic with the electronics in place. I picked up a replacement switch to get her working again but now I can get the electronics to slide out. Need to figure out how to loosen super glue with out damaging anything else.
OK... will add that to my checklist (I'm way too much of a perfectionist so I would glue that like a tank):
...
19. Make sure NOT to use 24h epoxy (5-min epoxy or even better pattex stability express - water based) and do NOT use strengthening fillers like fibreglass
...
Obviously I will only do it if I can manage to remove the head... still kinda makes me feel uncomfortable... its was bought on the 14th July... should I risk open it voiding warranty on it or send it back?
Regards
Tony
...
19. Make sure NOT to use 24h epoxy (5-min epoxy or even better pattex stability express - water based) and do NOT use strengthening fillers like fibreglass
...
Obviously I will only do it if I can manage to remove the head... still kinda makes me feel uncomfortable... its was bought on the 14th July... should I risk open it voiding warranty on it or send it back?
Regards
Tony
Question/Problem with Sigelei 20W.
Sigelei stopped firing. The screen shows everything as it should but no matter what atty I put on it the ohms show 2.5 (which is the default). I checked the center pin. This model has a spring-loaded pin. The spring has broken or come off because the pin just flops in the center. Any fix? This is a second hand unit I bought off a seller here on ECF so no waranty from Sigelei...
Sigelei stopped firing. The screen shows everything as it should but no matter what atty I put on it the ohms show 2.5 (which is the default). I checked the center pin. This model has a spring-loaded pin. The spring has broken or come off because the pin just flops in the center. Any fix? This is a second hand unit I bought off a seller here on ECF so no waranty from Sigelei...
My first Zmax was from Varitube. It was having issues with miss fires and shutting off over the first 3 or 4 weeks. They had me send it back and even though they couldn't repeat the problems they sent me a new one. Good customer service there. So if it's under warranty I'd send it back.
Thanks. I'll contact the original buyer to see where/when it was purchased.
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Thank you for your answer. The most logical thing would be sending it back. It's two weeks old. Arg...
How will I survive?
I 'll check if I can find out how to disassemble it. If it is a complicated procedure, I will send it back, if not... Maybe I can fix it myself
I know what you mean.
Here's my disassembly and pics.
break down and repair of the loose board.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...688.html?highlight=See+glue+spot#post11602688
Here's another post
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...15073.html?highlight=Disassemble#post11615073
If you are covered by vendor warranty then contact the vendor if it doesn't work. Do repairs only if a malfunctioning device is out of vendor warranty. There is no Sigelei warranty for consumers. If you have an older Sigelei device that includes a phoney 12-month warranty from Sigelei then forget it. There is no contact address for the old Sigelei 12-month warranties and it is worthless. The vendor warranty is the only real warranty you have for Sigelei products sold in the US. The best warranty is 90 days and is sold with products purchased from Varitube.
Hi
I got the device from an european store so regardless they like it or not, the vendor is responsible for two years unless the product is classified as consumable. Some manufacturers offer 3 year warranty and in those cases, the first two years are covered by the vendor and the last year by the manufacturer (as the vendor has no obligation past 2 years).
Even Apple tried to pull the 12 month stunt but failed... in the EU, Apple gives full 24 month coverage now.
Obviously I'm not going chase the vendor after 23 months because of a problem (although I could do so and did so with a Blackberry... they gave me a new one and after 3 swaps they suggested I change to a samsung galaxy S3 which I did) but after 14 days? There is no way that can't give warranty. I was considering fixing it myself just because of the waiting time and the probable delays... I'm impatient
Regards
Tony
I got the device from an european store so regardless they like it or not, the vendor is responsible for two years unless the product is classified as consumable. Some manufacturers offer 3 year warranty and in those cases, the first two years are covered by the vendor and the last year by the manufacturer (as the vendor has no obligation past 2 years).
Even Apple tried to pull the 12 month stunt but failed... in the EU, Apple gives full 24 month coverage now.
Obviously I'm not going chase the vendor after 23 months because of a problem (although I could do so and did so with a Blackberry... they gave me a new one and after 3 swaps they suggested I change to a samsung galaxy S3 which I did) but after 14 days? There is no way that can't give warranty. I was considering fixing it myself just because of the waiting time and the probable delays... I'm impatient
Regards
Tony
Your post was quite a surprise to me. Shoppers in the EU have more consumer rights and better protection than we do in the USA.Hi
I got the device from an european store so regardless they like it or not, the vendor is responsible for two years unless the product is classified as consumable. Some manufacturers offer 3 year warranty and in those cases, the first two years are covered by the vendor and the last year by the manufacturer (as the vendor has no obligation past 2 years).
Even Apple tried to pull the 12 month stunt but failed... in the EU, Apple gives full 24 month coverage now.
Obviously I'm not going chase the vendor after 23 months because of a problem (although I could do so and did so with a Blackberry... they gave me a new one and after 3 swaps they suggested I change to a samsung galaxy S3 which I did) but after 14 days? There is no way that can't give warranty. I was considering fixing it myself just because of the waiting time and the probable delays... I'm impatient
Regards
Tony
ECC-Net: consumer advice for your EU shopping trips: 2-year guarantee and more
Hello Alxx Nova. I've also had to re-disassemble a V3 after I had previously glued it, however I had used epoxy and not superglue. I just used an xacto knife and went around the edge of the plastic support where it meets the metal tube and attempted to cut/separate the glue bond until I was able to separate the plastic support. It wasn't fun, but it came apart in about 5 or 10 minutes. Although you used superglue, I'm thinking you should still be able to do the same thing. Superglue gets very brittle when it's dry, so you might have luck getting the glue to crack and separate by doing something similar with the xacto knife or something strong and pointy to pry them apart.
Normally when I glue the plastic support back in, I only apply glue near the top of the support (maybe the first 1/4 inch or so) which makes it easier to remove later if necessary while still being strong enough to be functional. Epoxy usually does not dry completely hard, so it's also easier to separate later. If you used superglue along the entire length of the plastic support, it will probably require some extra time and effort to remove, but I still think it's do-able with patience and a few choice tools to get in there with.
Afterwards, your plastic support will likely be a little chewed up (especially around the edge) and the there will also be glue remnants on the plastic as well as on inside of the metal tube body. To prep everything so it can be glued back together, you can use a piece of sandpaper to remove the chewed up high spots on the plastic support as well as any excess glue on the inside of the tube body. In my experience, it's very easy to scratch the underside of the clear window when sanding the inside of the metal tube. You can either push the screen out from the inside with your finger and glue it back in later when you're done (use a clear glue that hardens like rubber, don't use superglue or anything similar), or put a piece of tape on the underside to protect the window. Doing nothing to protect the window will almost certainly result in scratches on the window regardless of how careful you are trying to be (been there, done that).
Best of luck! Let us know how it goes.
That's why I didn't glue but used a retainer instead.
You'll have to pry it gently with a mini flat head screw driver or something. From edge to edge working it all along the retainer.
I used a center punch to hold the top cap on tighter. It's worked great and it's never come loose from dropping it again.
Here's what I did.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...0905.html?highlight=Center+punch#post12410905
I'm still running the original switch, and it rarely misfires anymore. Kinda weird it cured itself.
You'll have to pry it gently with a mini flat head screw driver or something. From edge to edge working it all along the retainer.
I used a center punch to hold the top cap on tighter. It's worked great and it's never come loose from dropping it again.
Here's what I did.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...0905.html?highlight=Center+punch#post12410905
I'm still running the original switch, and it rarely misfires anymore. Kinda weird it cured itself.
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Jeremy, a couple quick questions: When you say you don't use glue but instead use a retainer, are you referring to the spacer you fabricated that keeps the circuit card from shifting? If so, did you make your retainer/spacer so that it also keeps the board from rotating inside the tube?
As you know from further back in this thread, I opted to use a horseshoe-shaped spacer to keep my internals from shifting, but I also had a concern that the circuit card support would "rotate" inside the tube if it wasn't stabilized with glue. Any rotation would cause the screen and button to be misaligned with the tube from side-to-side instead of along its length. That's the main reason I use a little glue near the end of the circuit card support. Does your retainer keep that from happening? Just curious how yours is set up...
I think it's part and parcel of the shinyitis competition... "My mod is shinier than yours"... "well mine costs more than yours"... "well mine chucks bigger clouds than yours!" etc etc etc ad nauseam. Once folks have been freed from the cigarette-jones for long enough, I guess that addict-brain has to do *something* dumb...
I ordered 2 new mods this week; my very first mech! The Fallen Angel, at Litecigusa, plus a variable wattage Kick; and, a Vamo V2 in gun-metal ("black chrome") to match my Smok UDCT, since apparently iTaste is never going to release a gun-metal vv3. I thought seriously about a Sigelei v5 in gun-metal, but this Vamo V2 I found was only $17, so I just couldn't pass it up. But, I didn't order the mech so I could sub-ohm, chuck serious clouds or any of that other highly questionable vaping behavior, I bought it because if every electronic mod I have quits working, and the FDstupidA has made PVs so expensive that only Bill Gates and Warren Buffet can buy them, I don't want to be forced to choose between cigalikes and cancer sticks. My husband is very handy with all things electrical, so I daresay he can keep a simple mechanical mod working for me.
Andria
No glue used, the board hasn't moved at all. Still the original retainer I made from something I found in the basement. The better way would be a plastic washer that's the right size and then notch it for the board. But my mac giver rig job has worked wonderfully.
See the space and the board that's beyond the support
I did flip it to the top so it locks onto the board better, it all fits together tight when the cap is pressed on. Due to the thickness of the spacer it's pretty snug.
My thought was to allow it to be able to move because it's really hard to get it perfectly level in the tube. The natural action of pushing the button would keep it the right spot.
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