Weird... Can't figure this out

[Vaporologist]

I received a new SS Stealth yesterday and immediately noticed that the button doesn't have any throw at all. It felt like the button pin was already pressed against the battery post and of course I couldn't press it any further. I put a battery in and screwed down the top cap with an atty already attached expecting to hear the atty fire, but it didn't. So it seems that there is at least a little bit of space between the button pin and the battery post even though it feels like there isn't. The atty fires when I barely touch the button.

So here is what's leaving my puzzled... First, I thought there might be a problem with the length of the button or the width / thickness of the battery post. I have a 2012 button on my TS as well as a SS bottom cap so I put them on the Stealth and got the exact same results regarding no button movement. I have tried every possible configuration with all six components (two main bodies, two SS bottom caps, and two 2012 SS buttons) and no matter how I set them up, everything works consistent and perfect on my TS, both buttons push in about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way when on my TS main body but not when using them in the Stealth main body tube.

I don't own a caliper so I can't check but is it possible that the new main body from the Stealth is thinner or narrower than the main body tube from my TS? I guess that's the only thing I can think of, why the button pin would be so much closer to the battery post... I don't know. Any thoughts on how to fix this?

Thanks everyone.

 

[gredie]

Did you made a test with the body tube exchanged between GGTS & Stealth, Vaporologist?
If the body tube of the Stealth is working on the GGTS then you may have other connections problems like on to Stealth cap connector.. just a guess into the blue

 

[dspin]

That indeed is weird V. The stealth bottom is no more than a missing full Ts . They are the same and should operate the same .

 

[Vaporologist]

Thanks gredie, I just tested two telescopes with both main body tubes... Both telescopes definitely fit tighter (no wobble) in the Stealth body than in the body of my TS which would indicate either tighter thread tolerances on the Stealth or a narrower body. Hmm...

 

[gredie]

Does the GGTS work with the Stealth body?

 

[Vaporologist]

Does the GGTS work with the Stealth body?

If I'm understanding you question correctly, yes, since both telescopes fit... Or are you asking something else maybe?

Edit to add: How would what's above the main body affect the throw of the switch?

 

[Serpent67]

I have same thing, but opposite, being button on SSGGTS has barely any drop, but Stealth has more.

Notice difference between button tops too. Both are latest button's, I believe and both work perfect. I notice that all my teles are tighter fit in stealth tube, so I don't force them and remove.

 

[Vaporologist]

Hey Serpent, in you picture, the button on the left is 2011 and the one on the right is 2012, right?

 

[gredie]

If I'm understanding you question correctly, yes, since both telescopes fit... Or are you asking something else maybe?

My idea was, if it works then the stealth body is within tolerances although the stealth body is a bit out of specs maybe. When you do a complementary test with the GGTS body as "Stealth" and it doesn't work - then it should be a connection problem within the stealth cap. But maybe I just got lost in thinking about the possible cause

 

[Hrathor]

One of my stealth's is the same way if I am reading correctly. Mine has about .01 throw or about half of what my other two new style buttons travel. It looks to me like the post is off-center. Try rotating your cap about 90 degrees and see if it changes the throw.

 

[Vaporologist]

Here is a pic of the button pressed as far as it will go on the Stealth:

 

[Serpent67]

Hey Serpent, in you picture, the button on the left is 2011 and the one on the right is 2012, right?

Maybe So Vapor, But I'm not positive. Left is Storm 646 Right is Stealth 1601, but both purchased right before new year.

 

[Vaporologist]

One of my stealth's is the same way if I am reading correctly. Mine has about .01 throw or about half of what my other two new style buttons travel. It looks to me like the post is off-center. Try rotating your cap about 90 degrees and see if it changes the throw.

Thanks buddy, you are a genius!!! That's exactly it!

If I unscrew the bottom cap even less than half a turn, the throw increases drastically. I also tried it on my TS which has a SS bottom cap which I took of from another SS Stealth and I got the same thing.

 

[imeothanasis]

the throw is increased because when you press the button, it touches the axis and the venting cap is getting of center Vapor. I think your issue is a button witch has a moving pin with fatter base. If it works leave it as it is, its not a problem. Other buttons have a 0,4 distance from the axis, others have 0,3 or 0,2. This is happening because the man that shines the parts by hand cant see how deep he is going when he "eats" the metal parts. Can you please check the base of the moving pin if its fatter than your GGTS button?

 

[Vaporologist]

Hey Imeo, thanks for chiming in here... I don't have my original GGTS button, I sold it after I replaced it with the 2012 button. So both buttons I have right now are the 2012 version and they both appear identical with a naked eye including the moving pin. And they both "behave" the same as the other based on which unit I put them on.

I really think that Hrathor nailed it, and here is why... If I gently press the button and hold it pressed while unscrewing the bottom cap, you can actually see and feel the button lowering and raising during a full turn of the bottom cap. It starts raised as in my picture above, then about half way through a full turn it goes down quite a bit, and it raises up again all the way when a full turn is completed.

Based on that, I would suggest one of the two things: #1. Maybe the hole for the battery post is off center or #2. Maybe the battery post is sitting crooked in the axis's plastic which could be sitting crooked in the bottom cap... I'm not sure which one would be correct but I feel like one of this scenarios could be the real cause of this.

Btw, here is a pic of how far the button goes down when the bottom cap is unscrewed about half way, and this is identical when testing with both buttons:

 

[Serpent67]

Remove post from rear insulator and check threads on post and inside insulator for debris or something that might be cause to throw post off true axis when threaded in.

Also check threaded portion of contact post to see if it slightly bent?

 

[Vaporologist]

Remove post from rear insulator and check threads on post and inside insulator for debris or something that might be cause to throw post off true axis when threaded in.

Also check threaded portion of contact post to see if it slightly bent?

Thanks, those are some good ideas... I just checked everything and all "appears" to be fine.

I didn't know this until I checked it now but I'm getting the same thing on my ssggts except it's reversed. When my SS bottom cap is screwed on all the way, I have a perfect throw, the button goes down about 2/3 of the way But if I unscrew it about half way, the throw gets shortened quite a bit. That's probably why I never noticed it because it's perfect on the TS.

 

[Major]

I can definitely attest to this situation on my 2 SS GGTS. On #1376, it has a fuller throw and the #008 has almost none at all. After using calipers and pulling hair for a week trying to figure it out, I noticed what Hrathor mentioned. I inadvertently left the c ap on the almost no throw not tightened and it had a longer throw.

I tightened it fully and nthen backed off 180 degrees and the throw is almost too long. The bottom line is that the axis insulator is slightly off center and thus the fluctuation on the throw differences depending on the tightness of the bottom cap.

Until I can take the time to see if the axis insulator cap being replaced will correct it, I simply added a .5mm (approx) washer under the bottom of the star washer on the button housing. This allows me to tighten fully and still have a perfect throw.

The price on a replacement axis insulator is so cheap, I will pick another one up on my Ody Upgrade kit order ( <=== Positive Thinking ). The reason I am placing focus on the insulator is that it 1) Cheap 2) readily available and 3) easy to work with.

I would try the washer bit Vlad until we both have time to fiogure out the actual issue but again, the insulator sems to be the best route to making any sort of real adjustment to get a washerless longer throw.

 

[Serpent67]

Does this also happen with sleeve removed from mod?

I wonder if pressure from battery is causing post to shift off axis?

Too much pressure on post from tightening tele on Storm will lop contact spring off to one side.

Might have affect on contact post itself too.

 

[Hrathor]

Does this also happen with sleeve removed from mod?

I wonder if pressure from battery is causing post to shift off axis?

Too much pressure on from tightening tele on Storm will lop contact spring off to one side.

Might have affect on contact post itself too.

I was thinking that too. I tried to apply pressure to the high side with my thumb to the point I was worried it might snap and it didn't correct the issue. So as majot did, I put about .004" of paper shim under it. This isn't really a problem, and I like that the throw can be made longer or shorter just cramming a piece of paper under it. I noticed the different throw in mine immediately but it never bothered me enough to look at it until Vaporologist mentioned it.