Sigelei Zmax V3 and V5 Telescopic: User's Group

[lulu836]

On the V2 and V3 "Short" or "Short Circuit" means a short circuit of the atomizer. Wow, a three day warranty? That would have been a red flag for me.

I know, I know.....what can I say You should see the page of disclaimers and legalize on their site. One would think I would know better. LOL Thanks for the info.

The dry fires happen on every topper I've tried. PT 1s and 2s and even an old Nova.

 

[fairmana]

View attachment 294536

Is everyones top connector in the battery tube kind of off-center like this?

Yup, every one I've seen is the same way. I wouldn't be concerned about it so long as it makes contact with the battery. IMO I don't think sigelei intended to have it centered exactly so long as it falls within a certain specification.

 

[fairmana]

When the screen shows "short" where is the short? In the topper or in the PV? I've contacted Vapor Bank and after their first reply they are unwilling to help me out with this V3. Actually what they sold me as a V3 is a V2 by their own admission. Their policy on replacement is that you get 3 days and then you are SOL. Don't like them and am going to have to post a negative review in the Suppliers Forum.

That sux lulu sorry to hear that. I would make sure all the simple stuff is checked out before suspecting a bad device. Clean up all your contacts with alcohol (510 connector, the threads, spring, and the bottom cap) and apply Noalox to your threads. If that's all been done, try a different topper and a different battery. You've probably already tried most of that already, but just throwing it out there. Best of luck, and I hope it works itself out for you.

 

[yzer]

View attachment 294536

Is everyones top connector in the battery tube kind of off-center like this?

I'm not quite sure what I'm seeing in this photo. Is this looking into the open end of the battery tube at the positive battery contact? If so, the battery contacts on both of my V3s are brass with the small hole in the middle. Each seems to be perfectly (as far as I can tell) centered and surrounded by a dark, almost black insulator material that fits snug inside the tube.

 

[JeremyR]

Mine looks just like that frank.gotch . Yours may be slightly crooked. Each one is assembled by hand so each one is slightly different.

 

[yzer]

As long as positive contact in the tube is hitting the positive battery terminal it's OK. Being a little off-center shouldn't be of any concern.

 

[olefolks]

This is ironic. Just took my 18350 out to charge. Put my other 350 in and now I cannot start the v3!!! When I first put the batt in the display shows "Sigelei" as I am attaching the short cap. When the cap is tight then nothing happens. Can't turn it on. I looked up the tube and mine looks just like the photo above. When the "Sigelei" appears initially it is setting straight and centered in the display.

Any thoughts????

 

[lulu836]

Be sure you see System: On. Hold the fire button down more firmly than you would with say a Vamo or eGo. That's what is working for me. I'm beginning to think Sigelei has put out a batch of POS PVs.

 

[fairmana]

This is ironic. Just took my 18350 out to charge. Put my other 350 in and now I cannot start the v3!!! When I first put the batt in the display shows "Sigelei" as I am attaching the short cap. When the cap is tight then nothing happens. Can't turn it on. I looked up the tube and mine looks just like the photo above. When the "Sigelei" appears initially it is setting straight and centered in the display.

Any thoughts????

When you initially make contact with the bottom cap, the screen should show "Segelei". Then when you press the button 5 times to turn it on, it will again show "Segelei" and then scroll "System: On".

If you can't get past the "5 button press" step to turn it on, it sounds like you're circuit board "may" have broken loose and you are pushing the card forward as you screw on the bottom. This can cause the positive contact inside to lose contact with the top of the battery (especially if you have a flat top battery). This happened to me as well. You should be able to confirm this by looking through your button or your screen to see if it has shifted when the bottom is fully screwed on. Use a flashlight if you need to. Without the battery in, I could make my circuit card rattle when I shook it back and forth (make sure you hold your finger along the side of the button because it will rattle if you let it).

If you're sure it's not the circuit card shifting, other things that you might want to check are that you have good contact in the threads (Noalox) and that the battery is not defective or discharged.

Post back and let us know what you come up with.

 

[olefolks]

Thanks Lulu, but I can't get to "systemn. After installing the batt. I hit the fire button 5 times and nothing happens. To get "Sigelei" is when I put the batt. in and engage the cap only. Once I start to wind the cap on to the tube, the "Sigelei" disappears as usual. But after the cap is tight, nada.

 

[fairmana]

Be sure you see System: On. Hold the fire button down more firmly than you would with say a Vamo or eGo. That's what is working for me. I'm beginning to think Sigelei has put out a batch of POS PVs.

If you're having to push your button down hard, you "may" be looking at button problems down the road. I say "may" because I think I remember Yzer saying he had a similar button issue when his was new that worked itself out with time. It was my impression that they were using a better button in these newer V3's, so I'm surprised you're having that problem. I was forced to replace the button in my older V3, but so far my newer V3's button is working great. I hope it clears up for you.

@Yzer:
Was their anything specific you did to clear up your button issue? Do I recall you said that you pressed it over and over a bunch of times or something like that?

 

[lulu836]

Thanks Lulu, but I can't get to "systemn. After installing the batt. I hit the fire button 5 times and nothing happens. To get "Sigelei" is when I put the batt. in and engage the cap only. Once I start to wind the cap on to the tube, the "Sigelei" disappears as usual. But after the cap is tight, nada.

Try the 5 button click several times with a 6 or 7 second pause between each try. That works sometimes.

 

[Deckacards]

Thanks Lulu, but I can't get to "systemn. After installing the batt. I hit the fire button 5 times and nothing happens. To get "Sigelei" is when I put the batt. in and engage the cap only. Once I start to wind the cap on to the tube, the "Sigelei" disappears as usual. But after the cap is tight, nada.

olefolks,

I've had this problem with my V5, mainly before applying noalox to the threads. I've found that if, for example, the third press doesn't register, the fourth press will restart the counter. I know it's not the most elegant solution but try pressing the button 10 or so times in quick succession to see if you get the System: On display.

 

[fairmana]

olefolks,

I've had this problem with my V5, mainly before applying noalox to the threads.

I completely agree. Noalox on the threads can clear up most "weird" problems like that.

 

[yzer]

Sigelei Zmax V3 Telescopic start up. I haven't used V5 Telescopic so I'm guessing it works in a similar if not exactly the same way. I tested these instructions on both firmware versions for V3 and they are the same.

Slow motion breakdown of Sigelei boot-up...

1. Adjust the battery tube correctly. Links to this information appear several times in posts made here during the last month.
Sigelei Zmax Telescopic battery tube adjustment

2. The Sigelei shuts down when the battery cap is removed for at least five seconds. It may not shut down completely if the battery cap has been removed for less than that amount of time.

3. Insert the battery.

4. Touch the battery spring to the negative terminal (base) of the battery. Screw the battery cap onto the battery tube. Sigelei Zmax boots up as soon as the battery cap makes electrical contact with the battery tube and the name SIGELEI will appear on the display for five seconds. In low light a spark may be seen between the cap and the tube when electrical contact occurs. During this time finish screwing the battery cap onto the battery tube.

5. Press the fire button quickly five times.* The name SIGELEI will appear again on the display but this time for only two seconds followed by the words System:ON which will scroll across the display screen once. The Sigelei Zmax system has now booted up, the system is on and ready to use. Three quick clicks will bring up the Menu Items. If you do not press the button correctly or if the switch misses fire then you may have to press the button more often.

6. The firing function may be disabled for pocket carry at Menu Item #1 (1. OUT: ON/OFF).

7. The Sigelei Zmax system is shut down and booted down by removing the battery cap for at least five seconds. Any settings made for Power operation (VW) will remain in memory during a battery change, but setting for variable voltage (VV) will not.

*How to push the button. Press the center of button with a crisp motion until the the button makes this sound: "click." Do not press the button with more force than is required to make this sound. Press the button straight down. Do not press the button from the outside edge of the button. Do not press sideways. Do not operate the button by slowly squeezing the button until it clicks as this may induce unwanted arc pitting at switch contacts. The button is a piece of plastic (perhaps metal in some recent models) that sits on top of a dome switch that is mounted on a circuit board. Rotating the button has no effect on operating the switch.

Additional information:

General set-up and operation Of Sigelei Zmax V3 Telescopic

 

[yzer]

@Yzer:
Was their anything specific you did to clear up your button issue? Do I recall you said that you pressed it over and over a bunch of times or something like that?

That was with the V3 I bought in April 2012. I'm using it right now. No, I didn't do anything special or specific. The occasional misfires just cleared up on their own during the third month of use. Misfires returned briefly with this unit after I let it sit unused for two weeks. That was when I was using the new V3 exclusively during its two-week warranty period. When I started to use the older V3 again I had a few misfires during the first day but hardly any since then. Yes, I don't know why but 100 rapid clicks seems to make random misfires go away for me. Maybe it cleans the dome switch contacts somehow. Actually, it doesn't take that long to do 100 quick clicks. I've had zero misfires with the new V3 since I started using it in late November.

 

[olefolks]

When you initially make contact with the bottom cap, the screen should show "Segelei". Then when you press the button 5 times to turn it on, it will again show "Segelei" and then scroll "System: On".

If you can't get past the "5 button press" step to turn it on, it sounds like you're circuit board "may" have broken loose and you are pushing the card forward as you screw on the bottom. This can cause the positive contact inside to lose contact with the top of the battery (especially if you have a flat top battery). This happened to me as well. You should be able to confirm this by looking through your button or your screen to see if it has shifted when the bottom is fully screwed on. Use a flashlight if you need to. Without the battery in, I could make my circuit card rattle when I shook it back and forth (make sure you hold your finger along the side of the button because it will rattle if you let it).

If you're sure it's not the circuit card shifting, other things that you might want to check are that you have good contact in the threads (Noalox) and that the battery is not defective or discharged.

Post back and let us know what you come up with.

Cleaned the threads as best I could, put Noalox on the tube threads. Now I will get to the menu every once in a while. The fire button and the display look fine to me after using you flashlite suggestion. Obviously there is a short somewhere.

I unscrewed the barrel with the batt. still in and when winding it back up the "Sigelei" came on when the barrel was about where an 18450 would fit. (Had a 350 in it at the time). Tried it again and the same thing occurred. Still could not get to the menu. Baffling.

 

[olefolks]

Its in the firing pin. Got it on and was taking a hit, using the same pressure and it stopped functioning. Tried it again and the same thing occurred.

I purchased it on Nov.29, 2013 and I have not dropped it once. This really disappoints me.

 

[olefolks]

Well another revelation. If I press the extreme top of the fire button everything operates properly. So, something has shifted. What now? Sorry for all of this guys.

 

[Thayamax]

I had a similar problem with mine once. I found that my battery wasn't making proper contact and when I stretched out the spring a little it worked fine.