Vamo V2 started glitching today

[BullBuchanan]

I've had my Vamo V2 for about 6 weeks. I've loved it as my first VV/VW device, but it's been nothing but problems from the start. First came the dreaded Ohm Fix. Now today it just started glitching out on me.

The Vamo started changing between Variable Voltage/Variable Wattage/N01/N02 and changing power levels all on its own. Every once in a while I can get it to respond to button presses, but then it switches after a few seconds. If I attempt to shut it off while it isn't responding to buttons the screen display "OFF" but then it goes away while the blue LCD remains. Usually I have trouble getting it to turn back on then, having to take it apart and put it back together several times before it responds, and then the cycle begins again.

I have the gold spring and tried stretching and double stacking. Same results.

 

[Bill's Magic Vapor]

Dude, sorry to hear about your Vamo problems. Big bummer. Sounds like your chip is the problem, and that's probably not easily or economically fixed. Vendor may help, but my experience hasn't been so good in that regard, and it did work for about six weeks, right? Many vendors have either no return policy other than DOA, some two weeks. If it started out of the blue, that's really strange. Let us know how this all works out. Best to you, good luck, vape on, happy new shopping spree!

 

[BullBuchanan]

I figured as much. I'm pretty handy and I work in computer software, so I have some pretty solid troubleshooting experience. I guess I'm wondering if the inner gold battery connection or the spring could cause some sort of shorting that's throwing the circuit into a wacky state.

I haven't dropped it recently and never very hard. I guess if no one has ever seen something like this I may bust the top cap off and see what the inside of this thing looks like. Perhaps a loose solder joint is to blame...

 

[Iron Knuckle]

Are all the contacts polished? Any stuck buttons? Juice somewhere where it shouldn't be? Cracked o-ring under the center pin?

There's a youtube video featuring the steps to follow for completely taking apart the V2. The top cap is press fit so you might have to wrestle it off. I've seen replacement PCBs on a few shops online, so if you can soldier I'm sure you can install a new one if your board is to blame.

Vamo first impression and disassembly how to - YouTube Disassembly video

I'd link a store, but the store I would use seems to have just run out of stock.

Good luck.

 

[BullBuchanan]

I've cleaned the contacts, buttons don't seem to be stuck, but I put some electronic contact cleaner in there too, just in case. The only thing that gives me pause is if the battery connection isn't centered



Do you think the spring would break the circuit if it was touching the housing material around the battery?

 

[BullBuchanan]

UPDATE!

Great News! I was able to fix my Vamo, at least temporarily. After being completely out of ideas, and unsuccessfully attempting to remove the top cap, I gave the battery chamber one more thorough cleaning with contact solution and a paper towel stuffed in the whole.

Unfortunately, this caused the red gasket to rip off, but I realized something that made me feel like a completely idiot. I had always thought that the gold contact was sitting on a black contact, but once the washer ripper off, I realized that it was actually a hole into the circuit boards. I soaked the boards in contact cleaner, let dry and VOILA! It now works as normal. My guess is that juice leaked onto some of the boards and caused some wonkiness.

I'm not sure it's a permanent fix, but every day it works from here on out is a blessing. I'll definitely be picking up a backup, because I was getting really stressed out. I have a couple of Egos, but after getting used to the Vamo they weren't cutting it and I was starting to get a bit nervous.

If anyone ever encounters a similar issue, maybe this can be of some help. Thanks for the assistance, everyone.

 

[sailense]

Awesome! Thanks for letting us know the fix.

 

[BullBuchanan]

Ugh, no sooner do I post and then tonight my vamo completely ....s the bed. It is now firing with no button presses, and even when the unit is off. If appears that the center post is permanently pressed in, as i can click it with my finger back towards the power button. No drops, no nothing. After an hour of trying to remove the top cap I'm completely spent.

DO you seriously have to drop $180 on a provari to get a good quality no nonsense vape?

 

[Vault]

The centre post or the firing button? If it`s the centre post you can weedle it out and fit a thicker O ring.
I haven`t got the link but it`s called "Vamo and Bamboo Lo ohm fix" and its on this forum somewhere as well as You Tube.

 

[Vault]

Found the link How to fix a Vamo or Bamboo with Low Ohms - YouTube

 

[BullBuchanan]

Sorry, I meant the center post inside the unit, from inside the battery chamber, that connect to the circuit boards. I've already handled the low ohm fix. Vamos are total junk. I can't believe that all of this is even required for something that's a glorified flashlight.

 

[lolhahaha]

Yep, Vamo is a POS. I got one 2 months ago. Put in an 18650, turned it on, it lit up, fired up an atomizer, the whole thing got blazing hot, I mean the casing. Turned it off, tried a different battery, same thing. It fires, but theres a spot on the outside case that gets very hot, like an iron lol. Probably not good for the battery but they all still work in other mods.

It didn't last 20 firings like that and I'm sure it wasn't safe. After that it would turn on when a battery is inserted but any time I fired the thing it just went black. I threw it in a drawer and have waited a couple months, now i'll take it apart and see what the bad connection is, maybe it'll work again but as always, the chinese aren't known for their soldering skills. I am an Electronics Eng. so maybe I can make the thing work.

This was my last chance for these chinese mods. I also have a similar mod from 2012 that has been intermittently working since I purchased and the store wouldn't take it back. Since then I don't shop there and mainly use mechanical mods now.

I did purchase this Vamo as a last resort before getting a provari or similar. Guess thats why they are still in business. These really are junk mods. Like one of those 2 dollar flashlights in walmart. It's that cheap feeling.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I've had my Vamo V2 for about 6 weeks. I've loved it as my first VV/VW device, but it's been nothing but problems from the start. First came the dreaded Ohm Fix. Now today it just started glitching out on me.

The Vamo started changing between Variable Voltage/Variable Wattage/N01/N02 and changing power levels all on its own. Every once in a while I can get it to respond to button presses, but then it switches after a few seconds. If I attempt to shut it off while it isn't responding to buttons the screen display "OFF" but then it goes away while the blue LCD remains. Usually I have trouble getting it to turn back on then, having to take it apart and put it back together several times before it responds, and then the cycle begins again.

I have the gold spring and tried stretching and double stacking. Same results.

Fixed a friends V2 that had the same issue. Had to remove the top cap (be forewarned unless you have specialty tools it will get scratched BIGTIME) and reseat the pcb. The pcb was moving hence sometimes it would work and sometimes not. Vamo V3 is a much better build quality wise IMO.

Another friend had an issue whereby the negative/ - button on the pcb was getting stuck- no fix for that one. You can tell it's this issue if there's no "clicking" sound when activating the button.

Edit: Been using my V2 for 7+ months without issue. Just got a V3 a few weeks ago.

 

[toughguitar]

I had the same problem with the negative button on my backup vamo, not clicking and really stiff. It's been a few months and it works,but it is really sensitive and if I just brush my thumb across the button it will change.

 

[Kellycat]

Seems to be luck of the draw, I used and abused my V2 for two months almost (was pre-owned before that for an unknown period of time) before passing it on to someone else, only ever had to do the ohm fix with a new washer and that was due to my own foolishness over-tightening an adapter. I'd say a new PCB isn't cost-effective, as they tend to be in the $20-$30 range and a complete Vamo from FT is what, $25? Without batts/chargers/clearos of course.

If you want no-fuss, reliable, warrantied, go Provari. If you don't mind tinkering a little when something breaks, get a Vamo or other lower-cost mod that performs when it's in good shape and defect-free, and just hope you don't get a lemon. I've got the tube of one here that a guy gave me after liquid leaked over the PCB and literally burned it out, smoke, fire and all that. Now if I could find the buttons, top cap, and battery spring somewhere that didn't want as much as a new Vamo price-wise, I'd rebuild the thing into a DNA20 tube mod in a heartbeat, as I rather like the form-factor..but oh well.