VT Inbox Help/Memorial

[Rathamar]

Hey All,
This is sort of a last hope post, but I wanted to check and see if any of you have had something like this happen.

Here is what happened. Tonight watching TV with the wife, I go to take a vape off of my trusty Inbox and I get no vapor. I look at the screen, and when I press the file button, the device flashes off and then says check atomizer. I didn't drop it (at least for a few weeks), it just would not fire. I pulled the battery, powered up and received the same message. I plugged into Escribe, reset it, same error. Tried different atomizers, same error. At this point, I pulled the back up I bought 2 years ago out and loaded my settings on to it and the backup is working fine.

Right now I have the device sitting without the battery in it. I will be cleaning it this weekend and I do still need to check the evolv forums to see if I can find anything there. If someone has experienced this issue before, please let me know anything that might help.

Sadly though, I think my trusted go-to device for the past 3 years may be dead. It has been my go to for so long, it will be missed. I put the beat up old leather doors on my back up, but it doesn't feel the same. Its too shiny and new, the buttons too clicky. The original was nicked, scared and the plating dulled. The buttons were soft and had a very smooth feeling to them.

I will say that I finally have an answer to how long the bottles will last, I am still using the original two that came with it. They will be used in the backup and this proves they outlast the device.

Oh well that is why we have backups. I am now regretting not buying more a few years ago when fasttech had them on sale. Oh well, I guess I will be shopping for a new V1 Inbox. I have seen some for sale in the last few months, I just hope I can find one.

Last thing - please joining me in raising a glass to a good old friend.

 

[LoveVanilla]

Understand. Picked up a VT Inbox V3 last month and quickly ordered another. Fantastic device. FT has for $62 and there's CNY discount atm. Sorry for you loss.

P.S. My guess would be the 510 pin (i.e. spring) or an associated solder connection failed. Potentially repairable depending on inclination.

 

[Rathamar]

Understand. Picked up a VT Inbox V3 last month and quickly ordered another. Fantastic device. FT has for $62 and there's CNY discount atm. Sorry for you loss.

P.S. My guess would be the 510 pin (i.e. spring) or an associated solder connection failed. Potentially repairable depending on inclination.

That was my though on the 510. I pulled it apart last night and the solder looks solid on the 510. I put it back together and still had the same error.

The spring might be the issue, but I have not figured out how to fully disassemble the 510 to check if it can be unstuck.

I may end up picking up another 510 to replace it, I have do do some research and see if I can find one that will fit in the tight space in the mod.

I also found a few places that have a V1 in stock. Gear best is one of them. I have never ordered from them before so I have to see how good of a supplier they are. The other places I know and have bought from before, they were just higher priced.

 

[LoveVanilla]

My understanding is versions are incremental improvements rather than redesign. V3, for example, changed to the silicone bottle. So you might be equally happy with V3/V2? Enjoy!

 

[Rathamar]

My understanding is versions are incremental improvements rather than redesign. V3, for example, changed to the silicone bottle. So you might be equally happy with V3/V2? Enjoy!

@LoveVanilla you are probably right, that I will enjoy a V2 or V3 as much. I really liked the V1 Bottle. It was the perfect Size to fit in a battery case next to a spare 18650. I think the V2 has the same bottle so maybe I will expand my search.

 

[b.m.]

I think the V2 has the same bottle so maybe I will expand my search.

If i remember,i think the only difference the V2 brought was different colors and different panel options,then the V3 was when the 510 changed to use the silicone bottle.

 

[vaper1960]

P.S. My guess would be the 510 pin (i.e. spring) or an associated solder connection failed. Potentially repairable depending on inclination.

I haven't even read the entire thread... just wanted to say it's interesting how the simplest, cheapest parts (on most electronic devices) fail. Had a portable electric heater fail (because of the 50 cent switch)... replace it with a $1 switch and worked fine. Some one gave me a really nice old school stereo amp and all it needed was some cleaner spray in the selector switch... I could go on for hours, but you get the idea.

 

[dwcraig1]

To check if 510 is stuck and the problem do this:
Connect your mod to EScribe without atomizer and select "Atomizer Analyzer". It should say "?"
While connected to Atomizer using a small screwdriver short the 510 pin to the body of the 510, you should now get an ohms reading.
If you get a reading then you probably have a stuck 510 pin, if no reading you need to do the same procedure on the board by shorting the ground and output while using Atomizer Analyzer. If no reading at the board then board is bad.

 

[dwcraig1]

 

[Rathamar]

@dwcraig1 Thank you. I will be trying this tonight. I will report back the results

Thanks!

 

[Robbert]

Mine V1 did the same thing and the 510 does not a spring in it but a thick non conductive washer that acts like a spring.
The 510 on mine is a pressed fit and it failed after a month of use.The center pin would not spring back up unless I pulled it up manually.
I finally fixed mine and I posted it on forum.
Until I repaired mine I would stick something in bf pin and pull it back up so atomizer pin would contact it but it would soon need pulling up again.
I think my fix is in the modding section of forum.I was going to replace the whole 510 unit and tried a repair.
So far my repair is holding and my inbox now works better in TC mode than when new.
Here’s the thread of repair.
Replacement 510 for hcigar inbox?

 

[Robbert]

Here’s a few pictures of 510 assembly.
In one you can see a gap and the washer that acts like a spring.
The gap shouldn’t happen and as 510 is tightened since the pressed fit failed the center pin can’t make secure contact.
The other pictures show gap closed and the fillet of adhesive that’s holding it.Adhesive is water thin and several coats after dry will build up a fillet type joint.

So far the adhesive is holding and I’ve tightened atomizers tight until flush with mod deck.
Silver solder would be the best fix but not wanting to risk melting washer I used the adhesive.
The adhesive is Loctite 410 and there are generic versions of it available at fraction of the price.

 

[Robbert]

Here’s a few pictures of 510 assembly.
In one you can see a gap and the washer that acts like a spring.
The gap shouldn’t happen and as 510 is tightened since the pressed fit failed the center pin can’t make secure contact.
The other pictures show gap closed and the fillet of adhesive that’s holding it.Adhesive is water thin and several coats after dry will build up a fillet type joint.

So far the adhesive is holding and I’ve tightened atomizers tight until flush with mod deck.
Silver solder would be the best fix but not wanting to risk melting washer I used the adhesive.
The adhesive is Loctite 410 and there are generic versions of it available at fraction of the price.

Do a trial fit before using adhesive because it’s a very tight fit and the contact where wires solder on straddle metal.
Adhesive dissolves in acetone.

 

[Rathamar]

Thanks @Robbert. I have the mod pulled apart, I was hesitating on removing the solder and pulling apart the 510, but reading this I may just do that. I also have been toying with the idea of putting a replacement 510. I have been browsing Mod Maker, i just have not pulled the trigger on anything. I may try your fix first and if it doesn't work, try something from Mod Maker.

 

[Robbert]

You’ll know as soon as you remove 510 and see if there’s a gap.
You don’t have to remove wires to see if the joint failed.

If it’s not there it could be something else.
If it did failed and you want to do same fix,I’ll walk through process but the first step would be to take a look at 510 out of mod and no need to remove wires.
The attached picture shows the gap.

 

[Robbert]

If you thread in any atomizer it will increase gap size given that the joint failed.
Mine was finger loose but threading on an atomizer will help taking 510 apart or to pressed the 510 back together.
Threading on a tank will give you something to hold onto and keep the insides of 510 square.

 

[Robbert]

Unfortunately the adhesive I used failed.
I think the heat,juice residue, and the especially the force from repeatedly loosening and tightening the 510 was too much.
I will try silver solder next but silver may be too soft to stand up to the force from threads.

 

[Robbert]

Thanks @Robbert. I have the mod pulled apart, I was hesitating on removing the solder and pulling apart the 510, but reading this I may just do that. I also have been toying with the idea of putting a replacement 510. I have been browsing Mod Maker, i just have not pulled the trigger on anything. I may try your fix first and if it doesn't work, try something from Mod Maker.

Did you find out if it was the 510 pin not raised high enough to make contact causing “no atomizer “ on screen was the problem on your inbox?

 

[Rathamar]

Did you find out if it was the 510 pin not raised high enough to make contact causing “no atomizer “ on screen was the problem on your inbox?

Not yet, it has been a busy week. This is the weekend project. I will report back.

 

[Robbert]

I’m going to try JB weld.
I was watching a video of strength of different adhesives and JB weld didn’t fail with 200torque pounds of force in a metal to metal joint.
I have used JB weld with success but not on something under force from threads.
I don’t think a snug 510 creates 200 lbs of torque so maybe it’ll work.