Sigelei Zmax V3 and V5 Telescopic: User's Group

[JeremyR]

The screen comes up when I press the button and then 4 or 5 seconds later it fires. This doesn't happen every time but it seems to happen just as often as it doesn't happen.

Loosen the atty, push your thumb down firmly on the button and twist/ turn it a few times then give it a try for a while. Do it again if it's still bad. And again the next day if it doesn't improve. It could take a few hours to improve after each attempt. This cleans the contacts and rotates them to different contact points.

 

[AndriaD]

This is exactly what I expected to see andria thanks for confirming.

Same thing my multimeter says....4.1v (4.3 would be 10.27w)

I think what we really want to see is next time you do a coil. Before you wick it - blast it at 15w. Then stack the batteries and hit it at 15w. Then hit it at 6v ! We want to see what yours says; but I have a feeling the same thing as mine.

Thanks Andria!

Aww man... it might be a while till I put a new coil on it; I'm using 29ga because it's so much sturdier than 30ga, when I try to pull a fat chunk of rayon thru it, it doesn't deform -- and it seems to really last, too! This coil has been going strong for at least 3 wks, and it never alters, stays solid at 1.8 thru every wick change. My other kayfun is much the same, but at 1.7Ω.

Andria

 

[JeremyR]

Well then maybe next time you go to change the wick is what I meant.

 

[fairmana]

To be able to correlate the output-test results to the setting, it would probably behoove me to use voltage mode rather than wattage; I just don't know what voltage to set it at, I'm so accustomed to setting wattage for my preferred vape.Andria

For a given resistance coil at a given wattage, your output voltage should be the same. So if you're using a 1.8 ohm coil at 9.5 watts RMS, the output voltage should always be 4.1 volts RMS, regardless of what device you're using (depending on how accurate the device is and if it's working properly obviously). Since you couldn't seem to get the same vape on the Vamo at 9.5 watts as you were with the Sigelei, what I was suggesting is that you put that same 1.8 ohm coil on the Omnitester with the Vamo and adjust the Vamo's power (or voltage) until the Omnitester reads 4.1 volts (or as close as possible). That should give you the closest 9.5 watt vape on the Vamo as you're getting on the Sigelei.

For a 1.8 ohm coil, the RMS 'voltage to wattage' conversion would be the following:

3.79 volts = 8 watts
3.91 volts = 8.5 watts
4.02 volts = 9 watts
4.14 volts = 9.5 watts
4.24 volts = 10 watts
4.35 volts = 10.5 watts
(I won't bother listing them all since you seem to prefer vaping somewhere in this range...)

So using your Omnitester to monitor the Vamo's output voltage while you make voltage or power setting changes should allow you to tweak your Vamo's output to a specific wattage based on the voltage you see on the Omnitester. It's a shame your Vamo's output doesn't seem to be correct, but you should be able to use this method to compensate for output error so that you can continue to use the Vamo if you want to.

Note: Remember that your Omnitester will 'round up' or 'round down' to the nearest tenths decimal place so keep that in mind while making adjustments (ex. 4.14 would be displayed as 4.1 and 4.17 would be displayed as 4.2).

 

[fairmana]

My other kayfun is much the same, but at 1.7Ω.

Andria, I noticed after my last post that your other Kayfun was at 1.7 ohms. If you wanted to vape that on your Vamo instead of the 1.8 ohm topper, then the following 'voltage to wattage' conversion would be relevant instead of the last one I posted:

@ 1.7 ohms:

Volts to Watts
3.69 = 8
3.80 = 8.5
3.91 = 9
4.02 = 9.5
4.12 = 10
4.22 = 10.5

Hope this helps and good luck with the Vamo.

 

[AndriaD]

Hmm no, the only thing I ever put on the Vamo is the UDCT cartotank -- both are gun-metal; I got the Vamo specifically for that gun-metal tank. I run the kayfuns either on the Sigelei, or on one of my vv3s, which are color-coded for day (high mg) or night (low mg) tanks.

What's weird is that before I got the Vamo, I was running the UDCT on my chameleon vv3, which doesn't have that PWM thing going on, but it's not really a "powerhouse" or anything, is it? The vape I get from the UDCT on the Vamo at 9 or 9.5 watts in the mode that's supposed to correspond to RMS, compared to the vv3 at the same wattage, seems about "half power" -- that's why I started running it in 'average' mode, and wondering and asking questions about what's going on with that Vamo. Too bad there's no special thread or group for the Vamo, because I don't think the one I started ever did get any answers; I realize it's quite off-topic here.

Andria

 

[yzer]

I freely and openly admit to using this easy-to-use online Ohm's Law calculator frequently. Especially good if your device metering is accurate.

Ohm's Law Calculator

I am going to look into doing the switch replacement on the V5 today. I'll make a trip to Ace Hardware in search of a nut or something that will fit the eGo threading. I could put that nut onto the eGo threads and hold the nut in a vice to make pulling the 510/eGo assembly easier. I really like the V5 and don't want to scratch it up.

 

[fairmana]

Yzer, I was going to try to get mine replaced today as well. It'll be my first V5 disassembly. I'll probably take a bunch of photo's or maybe even do a video. I've been having good luck grabbing the Ego threads on the V3's with a leather strap or piece of bicycle inner tube wrapped around them. No damage to the threads so far. If you find a nut that fits properly, be sure to post back and let us know which part # it is and where you bought it (just in case).

Best of luck on your button replacement!

 

[tchavei]

Vapers toolbox is a nice ohm calculator and has other stuff too (android)

Regards
Tony

Sent from my GT-I9195 through Tapatalk

 

[67Tele]

I'll probably take a bunch of photo's or maybe even do a video.

fairmana
Please do if you have time. I've got quite a bit to learn and all y'all have been so helpful.

 

[yzer]

I'll be getting back and posting pics as well. I have a fresh tube of a marine polyurethane adhesive/sealant that I have a lot of experience with. I bought it yesterday for a job on the boat and it should work fine on the half-round to tube gluing. Ace Hardware didn't have anything to match up with the eGo threading. I'll try several turns of duck tape first.

I'm headed to the workbench. Getting it cleared first may take a while.

 

[tchavei]

I usually clear my bench pretty quick... I use me left arm and do a right-to-left swipe movement across the whole bench... cleared in 2 seconds

Regards
Tony

 

[yzer]

It's 97° out at the garage workbench so I'm taking a break. Here is disassembly so far.

First step is to remove the screw-on top cap from the 510/eGo connector assembly. I put some thin cardboard around the eGo treads and clamped the V5 upside down in the vice. The vice held the V5 by the cardboard covered 510 treads. Upward pressure on the V5 tube and a slight rocking motion on the tube loosed up the press-fit 510/eGo section easily. I got a little little burring on the eGo treads from the threads breaking through the cardboard and hitting the vice jaws but they should still work. I only use 510, anyway.

Here is the loose 510/eGo assembly. As others have mentioned, be careful to avoid breaking the black and white wires when removing. The end of the half-round housing is 4mm below the end of the tube.

The 1/2 round black plastic board housing was glued into the tube solidly. Here you can see the hex head lag bolt I used to push up on the B+ battery terminal (ugh, I didn't like doing that) to break the 1/2 round housing free from the tube. This V5 has a solid metal button. A soft white silicon plastic plug fits inside the button and provides a pad between the button and the soft plastic switch cover.

 

[yzer]

Here the V5 half-round housing is shown upside down. You can see the glue left on the end of the housing.

This shows the battery end of the half-round housing with the boards still inside. The B+ battery terminal is in the middle. There is a big glob of glue between the board and the inside of the housing to keep the board from moving.

 

[fairmana]

Good pics Yzer. I haven't gotten around to doing mine yet since the temperature in my garage is only now finally starting to cool down. I'll probably get to it here shortly.

The only difference I see in your pics from the later version V3's is the outer metal button and the silicone insert. Everything else looks the same. I didn't expect to see much (if any) difference, but your pics confirm that.

 

[yzer]

The color is weird on this photo but it gives a good view of the original switch. The LED display is on the top end of the board and the switch has the black button on top. The switch has four solder points. I guess I should remove the half round housing before soldering.

 

[AndriaD]

Yzer, I was going to try to get mine replaced today as well. It'll be my first V5 disassembly. I'll probably take a bunch of photo's or maybe even do a video. I've been having good luck grabbing the Ego threads on the V3's with a leather strap or piece of bicycle inner tube wrapped around them. No damage to the threads so far. If you find a nut that fits properly, be sure to post back and let us know which part # it is and where you bought it (just in case).

Best of luck on your button replacement!

Photos would be better! The only way I can view videos AT ALL on this computer is if I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING else open at all -- not even any other tabs in Chrome. Because at some point that might be required for my v3, and it would be nice to have pics, and maybe my husband could do it; he's good with electrical things.

Andria

 

[yzer]

I did a little more after dinner.

The original switch is removed with the 12W soldering pencil. From left to right: untrimmed Omron replacement switch, trimmed Omron switch, original switch, board and 510/eGo assembly. Trimming the switch involves clipping the four legs to the right length and bending them into shape so they will fit on the solder pads. Trimming also requires trimming the two plastic pegs from the underside of the Omron switch. I'll show this further on in the thread.

The work bench with tools used in the project. I used some desoldering braid but didn't need the solder sucker this time.

I'd do the soldering and re-assembly tomorrow. I decided not to remove the half-round housing. It's glued onto the board really well. I can pull the locking edge back and hook it on the edge of the circuit board to make room for the soldering tip. Leaving the half-round housing glued into place will make re-assembly easier.

 

[yzer]

We have called this switch replacement the "Immortality Mod" because it makes the Sigelei V3 and V5 pretty much immortal. The Omron tactile switch is rated for a lifetime of 1,000,000 clicks. Given that the Sigelei one-piece stainless steel 510/eGo connectors are practically indestructible "immortal" isn't a bad choice for a name. The only other part failures we have seen are a few cracked 510 insulators. We haven't seen any failures from board components other than the OEM switch, yet.

 

[AndriaD]

The main thing that makes me now realize there's no way this could be done if my own Sigelei starts misbehaving is that my husband doesn't have the tools for it -- I'm not really sure what a soldering pencil is, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't have one. He did just get some kind of soldering thing, in some tools my aunt gave him, but it's a run of the mill kind of soldering thing, not any kind of specialized tool.

Andria