Temporary (maybe permanent) fix for Russian 91% center pin resistance issues.

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LargeD

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Many people are reporting problems with the spring loaded center pin on the new Russian 91% v2 atomizers giving them erratic resistance readings. The spring loaded moving part seems to be the culprit because it does not always make good contact with the main part of the center pin. So far, the only fix I have seen is to buy an expensive v1 center pin to replace the defective spring loaded one. Please forgive me if someone else has already posted this, I searched every way I could think of and didn't find anything like this.

I just did this about 30 minutes ago, so I cannot speak as to exactly how temporary this fix is. Unfortunately, I do not have a camera that will take good pictures of these small parts, so I will try to describe it the best that I can.

I took some 28 gauge nickel nr (non resistance) wire and wrapped it around the small shaft of the spring loaded end of the center pin 4 times. It is very important that you use non resistance wire for this part. Then, I twisted the two ends together as tightly as I could with my fingers. Holding the twist with small needle-nosed pliers as close to the wraps as possible, I continued twisting until the wires broke off. I built a new 12 wrap, 28 gauge Kanthal coil on a 5/64" drill bit and placed it in the atomizer. When the flat tip of the spring loaded pin is pressed in, it now sandwiches the wire wraps between the tip and the main part of the center pin. This way, we are bypassing the part of the pin that is not making good, consistent contact. Now I am reading 1.3 ohms on my Provari and it moves to 1.5 ohms as the coil heats up. This is perfectly acceptable to me.

While four wraps worked for me on the Provari, you may have to experiment with different amounts of wraps on the center pin for your mod. Also, be very careful to make sure the wraps and twists of nr wire on the center pin are as tight as possible. If the wire wraps from the center pin touch anything but the center pin, you will have a dead short. If you are using a vv protected mod, it will give you an error if there is a short. Make sure you know what you are doing if you try this on a mech.

If anyone would like to try this and post pictures, I would greatly appreciate it. Any questions and corrections are most certainly welcome.
 
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MikeE3

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Many people are reporting problems with the spring loaded center pin on the new Russian 91% v2 atomizers giving them erratic resistance readings. The spring loaded moving part seems to be the culprit because it does not always make good contact with the main part of the center pin. So far, the only fix I have seen is to buy an expensive v1 center pin to replace the defective spring loaded one. Please forgive me if someone else has already posted this, I searched every way I could think of and didn't find anything like this.

I just did this about 30 minutes ago, so I cannot speak as to exactly how temporary this fix is. Unfortunately, I do not have a camera that will take good pictures of these small parts, so I will try to describe it the best that I can.

I took some 28 gauge nickel nr (non resistance) wire and wrapped it around the small shaft of the spring loaded end of the center pin 4 times. It is very important that you use non resistance wire for this part. Then, I twisted the two ends together as tightly as I could with my fingers. Holding the twist with small needle-nosed pliers as close to the wraps as possible, I continued twisting until the wires broke off. I built a new 12 wrap, 28 gauge Kanthal coil on a 5/64" drill bit and placed it in the atomizer. When the flat tip of the spring loaded pin is pressed in, it now sandwiches the wire wraps between the tip and the main part of the center pin. This way, we are bypassing the part of the pin that is not making good, consistent contact. Now I am reading 1.3 ohms on my Provari and it moves to 1.5 ohms as the coil heats up. This is perfectly acceptable to me.

While four wraps worked for me on the Provari, you may have to experiment with different amounts of wraps on the center pin for your mod. Also, be very careful to make sure the wraps and twists of nr wire on the center pin are as tight as possible. If the wire wraps from the center pin touch anything but the center pin, you will have a dead short. If you are using a vv protected mod, it will give you an error if there is a short. Make sure you know what you are doing if you try this on a mech.

If anyone would like to try this and post pictures, I would greatly appreciate it. Any questions and corrections are most certainly welcome.

Nice work-about for the wonky spring pin to get good continuity. You're def right about making sure it' tight and no chance that it would touch something to make a dead short.

Don't know if I have any NR wire but tomorrow I'll try to give this a try and post some pics.
 

MikeE3

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I think this is what you were telling us you did. I didn't have any NR coil wire, but I had some fine copper wire to use for the picture. Picture's not real crisp, shakey hands this morning trying to do a close shot - but I think folks will get the idea.



I just wrapped around the post 4 times, then with my fingers started twisting the 2 ends. Then I took a small pair of pliers and kept twisting 'till it broke off. Oops - the entire wrap of wire came loose. Did it again until the twisted wire was good and tight, then snipped it off leaving a real small numb of twisted wire (the numb doesn't extend past the bottom rim of the spring pin, it's hard to see in the picture).

It may take a bit of experimentation of how many wraps depending on how it fits on a particular PV's 510 connection. You'd want to get it so the spring pin is snug to the copper/NR wire loops when screwed to the PV.

I suppose the copper would work too. Later I may just tear down my wonky R91V2 and try it out. Right now I'm doing another work-around that's passible. This is how I'm making do w/ the FDV 2 screw kit.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/rebuildable-atomizer-systems/546481-russian-91-v2-irratic-resistance-readings-8.html#post12763703
 
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MikeE3

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I guess there's no need now? :D

Well - I did it anyway. In theory it works - in practice, for me, it didn't. I had to apply pressure using the spanner wrench because with the copper wraps kept the tongs of the spanner wrench from reaching the notches on the pin. So when I got it screwed in the twisted nub holding the wire broke and my 4 wraps of copper resulted in 2 squashed wraps and it wasn't secure. Needless to say I didn't trust the loose wire from possibly shorting so I didn't use it on the PV. But testing the Ωs with a meter from the neg coil screw to the compressed pin (w/ copper wraps) gave me the results I expected. The copper wraps did help.

And no, I'm not going to try again, 1.) I've got too much time wrapped up messing w/ this thing. 2.) I have 1 V1 R91 and 1 V2 working fine w/ the spring pin and 3.) I've got replacements pins ordered, so the wonky one is all cleaned up and waiting for a V1 replacement pin.
 
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