SMPL Mod (clone) discussion

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mhertz

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Cool! I also just recieved a SS smpl from fasttech to use with my velocity clone and also got the v2 switch, although I would have preferred the v1 switch, as it's one less (threaded)part, but still nice.

Yeah, you can't go wrong with the 25R's, I just got 12 of the new 25R5's, for the smpl and a nikita parallel box, although for 0.25ohms and above buillds, you'll get better runtime with the LG HG2 or Samsung 30Q.

For chargers, then instead of the xtar's you mentioned, then I would highly recommend instead the 'Soshine SC-S1 Max V3', since although it hasn't any smart features whatsoever, then it's a real workhorse for 4*18650 charging, and i've had mine for 2 years now and which is one of the very few 4*18650 chargers supporting 4*1000mah charging at the same time, without using 500 mah for some channels or doing time-shifting etc. like the xtar vtc4 and nitecore i4's. The soshine takes about 4 hours or a little over, to charge 4*18650 3400mah cells just as an example...

$23.49 Authentic Soshine SC-S1 Max 1-4pcs Li-Ion Battery Charger - black / US plug at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping
 
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mhertz

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Heh, I was very close to posting exactly that link when doing my previous post, lol :) Btw, I love that resource and I always check it for cells and chargers etc, although not so much for cells really anymore after learning about the great Mooch :)

I checked e.g. also the xtar vc4 and nitecore I4 there and they didnt live up to my expectations(not 1000mah*4), so that's why I went with the soshine... It's not all soshine's that are great though, but this one is awesome imho i.e. fast charging * 4 without any issues at all with the charging algo...

Sidenote, when I first ordered it, then I got the 'SC-S1 v3 Mix', which only could charge 2 18650 and 2 other cells at the same time instead of 4 18650s, so I had to buy it "again" in the right version, so keep an eye on that if getting it, since some places doesn't even list the last 'Max' or 'Mix' part of the model in it's description...
 
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mhertz

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I was a little ...... about not being able to get a SS smpl clone with the v1 switch from fasttech; well, they have 2; one with ss contact-pin and one with the usual brass, but it looked really bad too me, also the back engravings and it had a visible seem at the top around the tube. Well, maybe it's better to have it soldered, than the press-fitted cap that every other clone seems to have(except maybe infinity's?), but still...

I then found a copper with the v1 switch for a little over 10 bucks at focalecig and good reviews... Now that's cheap! Btw, they also have copper with v2 all copper switch and also SS with v2 switch including copper pin! I was after a SS v1 though, but nonetheless...

Anyway, my point of this post where actually to say that my SS smpl with v2 switch had strangelly a spring in it and not magnets... That spring where pretty stiff, meaning that it had to be pressed pretty firmly down as else you would get diminished output, arching and hot-button issues, also because the contact pin wasen't sticking that much up when full depleted either.

So, instead of just ditching it completelly, then I decided to use it for out and about with a rta on it, but I then just saw a comment about making a new looser spring with 22g kanthal, and so I tried that, and boy it's better now! The throw is buttery smooth without stiffness and because of that, the button is always firmly pressed down when hitting it, without those small slight variations of a mm out in one side maybe, so now it feels and hits great!

Still, I much would prefer a v1 switched SS smpl i.e. with the c clamp, since I don't care for yet another threaded piece to the equation if it can be omited, but fasttech haden't any others, as they are all sold out, or looking crappy imho...

Anyway, again, try to make a looser spring yourself, e.g. with 22g kanthal, if having issues like mine with the v2 switch with spring...

:)

Edit: Sorry, I call the v1 switch the spring version wih c-clip, and the v2 for the magnet version with screwed-in conact pin, which I believe is a clone "improvement" and not official, and officially v1 is with full waves and v2 is lesser waves...

Second, to avoid hot-buttons most possible, then I also need to back out the contact-screw-pin a little more and a coin to tighten down better, to make best possible contact and avoid arching.

I'm in EU, so cannot use the many options you guys have(because of expensive shipping and customs-charges), and mostly rely on FT or focal...

Edit2: The above(hot-button-issue) is related to running a 0.17 build with 25R5's for full disclosure...
 
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mhertz

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Crap, I thought I had fixed the hot-button issue, but it came back again!

Can I please hear you guys experiences with running sub 0.2 builds on your smpl clones and if you get hot buttons?

I saw a youtube video where a pretty experienced guy said that you pretty much always get hot button issues with the smpl on very low builds, so I really wanna get to the bottom of this before I go buy a bunch of different ones hoping to get one that doesn't feature this highly annoying issue. Btw, i'm running 0.16 ohms dual 22g 3mm 6/5 wrap ka1, with 25R's; nothing fancy but a good dense vape. This build rocks on my parallel mech box, btw...

My smpl is the version with the two-pice button, which usually have magnets, but mine has a spring though. I just ordered a copper version with the c-clip and spring button, which I hope doesn't have that issue.

What also makes me wonder, is that i've read frooth uses 0.12 builds often with 25R's in his smpl's, but of course he also has his in originals, which for the smpl makes a difference, because the clones have e.g. a 0.3v more voltage-drop than the originals, because of the two-pice tube/topcap design + switch tolerances frooth speculated...

Btw, I hope fasttech or focalecig soon gets the new limitless mod, which is direct-to-battery with the button+negative pin in one block, and best of all, features a special 4-rail button holding-in-place system to completely avoid arching/hot-button issues(or so they claim atleast). I also highly believe that hot-button's mostly not comes from not 100% clean contacts/threads, but instead not 100% contact between battery and neg-pin of button! That makes sparks which warms up the button very fast, as i've witnessed that on my parallel box where I was tightening the batteries down while having a switch issue so it had connected the circuit already...

Thanks in advance!
 
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TheKman

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I have an A-mod v1 clone and I've never had a hot button once. Most of my builds are in the 40-70W range if that makes any difference.

I habitually clean the switch once a week with steel wool, most importantly the inside of the sleeve and the pin shaft which are responsible for conducting current. Every so often I also run some steel wool through the threads too, but these don't seem to attract much soiling or corrosion.
 

mhertz

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Thanks a lot for your post Kman, I appreciate it! :)

I have read many amod users also having this issue, and it seems for most smpl-clone users that it's a general issue with sub 0.2 ohms builds it happens mostly. Also with other mods with low builds too. I don't think I got it previously either with my 0.3 builds... For now I am simply not able to use it and waits for my c-spring edition, like the a-mod, in copper arrives and have fingers crossed for that one.

I would most like an infinite or a-mod though, but can't where I shop...
 

mhertz

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OK, I have eliminated the hot-button issue 85% or there-abouts, or at-least that's how it is for now, by first taking the spring out completely, so as to test that it is indeed something about the spring taking in current from the circuit, also seeing that it hits harder than ever before... As this helped much, then i'm now running it with some folded up toilet-papir, until I find a better solution e.g. some foam or other non-conductive material...

( Edit: Only used at home and battery removed when going out or not using it! )

I've also watched a bunch of vids on this issue on youtube, with many different mod makes, and one was a mod developer stating that he and his team had trouble-shootet this issue for a long time on one of there non direct-positive-battery-connection mods, and seemed to have fixed it with a new pin, but that they didn't even knew why or how exactly the current where "failing", and e.g. it happened on a 0.2 build, but not a 0.11 build etc...
 
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Bad Ninja

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OK, I have eliminated the hot-button issue 85% or there-abouts, or at-least that's how it is for now, by first taking the spring out completely, so as to test that it is indeed something about the spring taking in current from the circuit, also seeing that it hits harder than ever before... As this helped much, then i'm now running it with some folded up toilet-papir, until I find a better solution e.g. some foam or other non-conductive material...

( Edit: Only used at home and battery removed when going out or not using it! )

I've also watched a bunch of vids on this issue on youtube, with many different mod makes, and one was a mod developer stating that he and his team had trouble-shootet this issue for a long time on one of there non direct-positive-battery-connection mods, and seemed to have fixed it with a new pin, but that they didn't even knew why or how exactly the current where "failing", and e.g. it happened on a 0.2 build, but not a 0.11 build etc...

In my experience, 99% of hot button issues can be solved with two steps.
Cleaning the switch,
Replacing the spring.

Get a good quality spring and you should be set.
 

mhertz

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Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it! :)

I've cleaned everything as good as I can with different households, e.g. acetone and vinegar-acid or what it's called in the states... I don't have the common "cleaner-types" yet...
I just find it mind-puzzling that some can work on some resistance but not others(lower that is!), and that some e.g. can use 22/20g kanthal as springs but I can't?

Anyway, again, I appreciate it, as this is new territory for me... :)
 

mhertz

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Thanks man, appreciate your reply! :)

I don't really wanna spend any extra money on this mod, since I don't like the 2-piece design as much as the 1:1 c-clip type, and it was only 11 bucks, and just meant to hold me over till I found the c-clip type, which I have and am waiting for in the mail, so i'm not really that concerned with this mod right now, but I was just beginning to be afraid off if the original c-switch was having same issues in sub 0.2 ohms, since I really love the design of this mod...

E.g. i'm spending a lot of time and effort trying to find an in-stock infinite smpl clone with reasonable shipping, since it's not press-fitted like the rest, but won't spend more time/energi on this if it's a common issue, but I guess it's not... :) (well, it is, but at least not for each and every smpl clone/user)
 
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Bad Ninja

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Thanks man, appreciate your reply! :)

I don't really wanna spend any extra money on this mod, since I don't like the 2-piece design as much as the 1:1 c-clip type, and it was only 11 bucks, and just meant to hold me over till I found the c-clip type, which I have and am waiting for in the mail, so i'm not really that concerned with this mod right now, but I was just beginning to be afraid off if the original c-switch was having same issues in sub 0.2 ohms, since I really love the design of this mod...

E.g. i'm spending a lot of time and effort trying to find an in-stock infinite smpl clone with reasonable shipping, since it's not press-fitted like the rest, but won't spend more time/energi on this if it's a common issue, but I guess it's not... :) (well, it is, but at least not for each and every smpl clone/user)

I'm tellin ya....Replace the spring.
Springs are cheaply made and inconsistent. Especially in $11 clones.
Get a few springs for a Few pennies and swap them out until the problem goes away.
I've had to do this to about 40 of my mechs.
Stock springs in clones are usually junk.
 

mhertz

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Thanks! I will have to try that then, although i'm unsure if it will help in this specific case, because I still have it completely without any spring, although 90% better, and only coming back when chain-vaping. I'm thinking that both the spring and whole switch maybe cannot take a 0.17 build?
 
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mhertz

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Cool! Yeah, I have heard of that version, but there are many still using either clones, or the original epic version, running sub 0.2ohms with no hot-button issues either... Also, I wanna pinpoint this issue as it seems to happen on many different mech versions in general. I think however, that ninja's advice and experience about different spring types is the biggest culprit in all of this + of course the cleaning! :)
 

mhertz

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I just read something i've never heard about before, and to me, extremely interesting! It also explains e.g. why a mod-maker had hot-button issues on a 0.2 build, but not on a 0.11!

I once again was perusing youtube for hot-button/spring tips/issues, and found a video about stripping some wire and making your own free copper spring, for maximal conductivity, and in the comments below the video, I found this great comment, explaining why some springs work and others doesn't:
remedialjoe:
------------------
just tried with 10gauge copper wire and it had higher conductivity than my atty causing switch to heat up.. a very nice strong spring but not functional on a .28ohm build. my guess is the 4 wrap copper coil was somewhere near .10ohm..current always goes to least resistance making this more likely to function properly with a lower ohm build. so that leads to a few questions.. whats the resistance of ur build and what amp batteries are u using?
Source for video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkKZgn3oZVU

However, the underlining post by another person, stated somewhat the same but with a difference:
Daniel La fosse:
-----------------------
Higher conductivity than you atty is what you are looking for. If you have a .28 build anything with a resistance above that will give you a hot button.
The first states the spring needs to be higher resistance than your build to avoid the issue, but the second states lower resistance? I think though, that the first quote is the right one, since else your mod-body would always heat up, if I understand this right...

Finally, since I still, at a much lesser rate, gets this issue completely without any spring/magnets, then doesn't that imply that there's something in my switch, maybe the little brass-firing pin that is screwed in, that has a resistance that makes hot-button's occur compared to my 0.17 build? If so, then i'm screwed with this mod basically, or atleast with this build-resistance?

I'm not very bright in relation to conductivity and electron-flow etc. I know ohms law and the pathway for the current on a mech mod and atty plus how the switch works, but that's about it, I must admit... :)

Thanks in advance for any comments on this, please...

Edit: Tried 28g, which is highest gauge I own, and made a long spring and tried it, to raise resistance well over atty i.e. 0.17, and it works pretty good, but still gets very hot if chain-vapping...

Edit2: Hmm, I think it actually happens the same no matter what type spring, no spring or toilet-papir! (-Yes, it does, and just comes when the atty is stressed and gets really hot, e.g. pressing the fire-button in for 5-10 secs a couple times in row with small breaks to rejuice, on that 0.17 build, and the sides of the mod a little hotter than normal, and the button really hot, and all this is without any spring/magnet inside for testing..)

Edit3: YES! :thumbs: It hasn't happened now after firing it 2 * 20secs and the atty got blazing hot, but not the button! I really hope it keeps up like this! What has changed? I read an article about mech mods and sub-ohm, and where they recommended magnets for that, since springs easily collapse and loose tension and will in that hinder the switch elements up against the spring and they stated that if having to use switches anyway, then it was important to often stretch it out, and I did that to the stock spring that came with the clone, and assembled it, and what do ya' know; it seems to work! :thumbs:
 
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