What am I doing wrong?

[Delilah718]

I have been having a disappointing vape experience since yesterday.

So, I check:
1-battery -- it's fully charged (aw imr 14500)
2-atomizer -- brand new -- (306 and 510 LR) hear it sizzle a bit so I know it's working
3-Reo Button -- clean and noalox pin (sometimes I think the button plunges instead of just contacting the battery so I take it out and put it back in to get that "tight" pin against the battery contact)

and vape --

What I am finding is that sometimes it works and I get great vapor, throat hit, and taste. Then, on the 2nd or 3rd or 5th vape, and sometimes all consecutive vapes, I'm getting some taste, but no vapor, or little vapor, throat hit. I have spent so much time trying to get the vape going that I am just frustrated, so I'm toting on my old 901 minicig, drip drip

Has this happened to anyone else? What did you do to get back to the happy vape place on your Reo? I know that happy place exists and I want to get back there ASAP!

Thanks in advance for your replies, suggestions, and tips.

 

[mlinky]

Sounds like it's a new atomizer that is either 1) not broken in yet or 2) a dud.

Take your multimeter, set it to the 200 ohm setting, stick the red lead in the hole at the bottom of your atty, and the black lead on the side.

 

[pianoguy]

Is the knob turned all the way to the left? If the lock is partially catching, it won't make good contact.

 

[unsure]

Are you chain vaping....hit right after hit after hit? If your are then each hit will be less because the atty will get too hot and there will be less juice. Not sure if thats what Im getting from your OP.

 

[Delilah718]

Sounds like it's a new atomizer that is either 1) not broken in yet or 2) a dud.

Take your multimeter, set it to the 200 ohm setting, stick the red lead in the hole at the bottom of your atty, and the black lead on the side.

Hi mlinky

hmmmm...you have a point I hadn't considered about a break in period for the attys -- I just want to plug and play LOL! don't have a meter yet :-(

 

[Delilah718]

Is the knob turned all the way to the left? If the lock is partially catching, it won't make good contact.

It moves out of position once in a while, but it is much better than when it was brand new (although today is only day 12 LOL) After I got the hang of it after the first few days I was in vape heaven...

 

[Delilah718]

Are you chain vaping....hit right after hit after hit? If your are then each hit will be less because the atty will get too hot and there will be less juice. Not sure if thats what Im getting from your OP.

Gil! Are you watching me or what??? HEEHEEE Yep, I am -- can't put my new toy down, and if I do, it's not for long LOL...

 

[Delilah718]

Well, I didn't use my mini all day yesterday -- I picked it up today and started vaping -- Now, I don't have a meter yet but I can hear the atomizer firing... I put in a freshly charged battery... the juice bottle is fairly full... I pick it up to vape and it's still hit or miss... I get a hit on one press but not on the next or I'll get a few toots and then nothing...

It had been working so beautifully - I was chainvaping to my heart's content -- but for the last couple of days I find myself pressing the button harder and harder -- but that shouldn't be necessary right?

How long does it take for an atty to break in? A couple of hours, a day? I don't know.

My beautiful mini may have to take a trip to the ModMaster I wish there was something I could do instead of shipping it out.

EDIT: Going to go back to a cartomizer and see how it goes. Will post back. Could I have a bum pair of aw imr 14500 batteries?

 

[mlinky]

Try a different atomizer, just because it's firing doesn't mean it's good.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

So here is an observation I have made recently that may or may not be helpful. I usually vape 100% VG juice. In one of my minis, recently had a 50/50 mix of an FSUSA juice. And it was awful....not the taste...but how it vaped. So I devised a test and cleaned out the juice and started over with a roughly 30/70 mix of PG/VG. Now its vaping better....still not as good as 100% VG. So I'm wondering if this might be the cause. I don't know why, but for me the PG juices just don't work with my vaping style.

Another thing to think about is why the button getting harder and harder to press. For me...I would press the button and listen for the atty to fire. It would hardly take any pressure at all. BUT...when the atomizer is full of juice....it still fires even though you can't hear it sizzle. So you may be pressing the button harder without needing to. In this situation, one would just need to either blow out the excess juice or just vape through it. This might be a matter of tweaking your technique. To test this theory just now...I vaped on my PG/VG mix...and got absolutely no sizzle at all....but got the flavor and vapor that I was expecting for the mix. Had I not known better, I would have thought the atomizer was not firing at all or inconsistantly.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Well, I didn't use my mini all day yesterday -- I picked it up today and started vaping -- Now, I don't have a meter yet but I can hear the atomizer firing... I put in a freshly charged battery... the juice bottle is fairly full... I pick it up to vape and it's still hit or miss... I get a hit on one press but not on the next or I'll get a few toots and then nothing...

It had been working so beautifully - I was chainvaping to my heart's content -- but for the last couple of days I find myself pressing the button harder and harder -- but that shouldn't be necessary right?

How long does it take for an atty to break in? A couple of hours, a day? I don't know.

My beautiful mini may have to take a trip to the ModMaster I wish there was something I could do instead of shipping it out.

EDIT: Going to go back to a cartomizer and see how it goes. Will post back. Could I have a bum pair of aw imr 14500 batteries?

I agree with mlinky....but you could be right as well....it is possible the batteries may not be getting charged to their full potential. I really think a multi-meter will really help you troubleshoot this problem.

 

[Delilah718]

So here is an observation I have made recently that may or may not be helpful. I usually vape 100% VG juice. In one of my minis, recently had a 50/50 mix of an FSUSA juice. And it was awful....not the taste...but how it vaped. So I devised a test and cleaned out the juice and started over with a roughly 30/70 mix of PG/VG. Now its vaping better....still not as good as 100% VG. So I'm wondering if this might be the cause. I don't know why, but for me the PG juices just don't work with my vaping style.

Another thing to think about is why the button getting harder and harder to press. For me...I would press the button and listen for the atty to fire. It would hardly take any pressure at all. BUT...when the atomizer is full of juice....it still fires even though you can't hear it sizzle. So you may be pressing the button harder without needing to. In this situation, one would just need to either blow out the excess juice or just vape through it. This might be a matter of tweaking your technique. To test this theory just now...I vaped on my PG/VG mix...and got absolutely no sizzle at all....but got the flavor and vapor that I was expecting for the mix. Had I not known better, I would have thought the atomizer was not firing at all or inconsistantly.

Oh thank you Rhapsodies -- I'm so glad you posted. I have been using more of a VG juice, 70 to 80 percent VG because I got a rash recently (see my post and pics of the rash here:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ng/71250-itchy-skin-rashes-pg-allergy-17.html - post 168). I do want to proceed to 100% VG. So, the mini handles 100% vg well?

I'm sorry if I didn't explain it correctly but no, the button is not getting harder to press. I am pressing harder because I am trying to draw up the vape and when I get none, I press harder and try to vape again. Actually, I have been testing different levels of pressure when pressing -- but like you, I didn't think it should take too much pressure.

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Oh thank you Rhapsodies -- I'm so glad you posted. I have been using more of a VG juice, 70 to 80 percent VG because I got a rash recently (see my post and pics of the rash here:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ng/71250-itchy-skin-rashes-pg-allergy-17.html - post 168). I do want to proceed to 100% VG. So, the mini handles 100% vg well?

I'm sorry if I didn't explain it correctly but no, the button is not getting harder to press. I am pressing harder because I am trying to draw up the vape and when I get none, I press harder and try to vape again. Actually, I have been testing different levels of pressure when pressing -- but like you, I didn't think it should take too much pressure.

Robert is PG sensitive and so it was his goal to make a mod that does VG how he needs it done. So these are perfect for 100% VG. I finally gave VG a shot after getting my first mini and was amazed....and for the most part...its all I vape now. Right now the only one I'm not happy with is the one with the PG/VG mix and was thinking this may be what is going on with yours. Mine works okay....just not like I am used to with the 100%VG. Its just a thought....I'm just hoping we can find your sweet spot soon. Its no fun having a vape that's not perfect. And I'm a fussy one, to be sure. And in case you're worried about the flavor...its different with everyone...but I'm finding good flavors with AV and Gotvapes so far.

 

[Richie G]

Hey! How YOU doin'? =)

Just a simple thing to throw out for you to try. Make sure that the atty-to-batty connection is dry. A little liquid in there acts like an insulator so the batty voltage doesn't make it to the atty. It sort of describes your situation where it works well at first and then gradually declines (as liquid builds up between the contact points).

Btw, the NY Vapers club meets monthly (in the village) as does the Long Island club. It's a good opportunity to get your questions answered and see/try new stuff firsthand. =)

 

[lawnman3]

can you try another type /kind of battery they all are diffrent in size ..and i have found the shorter batterys are not that great at making contact .. could you try that to see if this is the problem your having with your mini reo...


lawnman3...

 

[mlinky]

Hmmmmm....I use 80 pg/20 vg juice and I love my REO's

 

[Delilah718]

Hey! How YOU doin'? =)

Just a simple thing to throw out for you to try. Make sure that the atty-to-batty connection is dry. A little liquid in there acts like an insulator so the batty voltage doesn't make it to the atty. It sort of describes your situation where it works well at first and then gradually declines (as liquid builds up between the contact points).

Btw, the NY Vapers club meets monthly (in the village) as does the Long Island club. It's a good opportunity to get your questions answered and see/try new stuff firsthand. =)

RICHIE G! HEY! You were one of my first friends here on ECF - Nice to see ya I have been seeing liquid between the atty-batty -- but the ReoMini has a well the can be dripped into to try out flavors so I figured this wasn't the problem -- but I will definitely 1) Blow out any extra juice per Rhapsodies and 2)Clean the well so the atty-batty connection is clean.

Would love to go to a vaper's meet! please send me the info

Robert is PG sensitive and so it was his goal to make a mod that does VG how he needs it done. So these are perfect for 100% VG. I finally gave VG a shot after getting my first mini and was amazed....and for the most part...its all I vape now. Right now the only one I'm not happy with is the one with the PG/VG mix and was thinking this may be what is going on with yours. Mine works okay....just not like I am used to with the 100%VG. Its just a thought....I'm just hoping we can find your sweet spot soon. Its no fun having a vape that's not perfect. And I'm a fussy one, to be sure. And in case you're worried about the flavor...its different with everyone...but I'm finding good flavors with AV and Gotvapes so far.

Rhaps - ...been using the mix for a week before this happened... thanks for letting me know about AV and GV. I have been DIY my juice, pretty simple stuff, nic juice, vg juice, menthol flavor, sometimes cotton candy and bubblegum.

can you try another type /kind of battery they all are diffrent in size ..and i have found the shorter batterys are not that great at making contact .. could you try that to see if this is the problem your having with your mini reo...

lawnman3...

Sure, what do you recommend Lawnman3? I've been thinking of ordering new batteries just because I wonder whether the aw imr 14500 are good or not. I have a meter on order, but won't get it for another week.

Well, I have several things to try today and tomorrow. I am even thinking perhaps I could borrow a meter from a neighbor or something in the meantime.
I will post after my troubleshooting efforts - hopefully by tomorrow night.

Thanks you guys -- Much love to all of you

 

[vikings]

Another thing to think about is your charger. I have a charger that just went nuts on me for no reason at all. After awhile, the charger lights would turn green indicating that the batteries were fully charged. However, when I used a multimeter to test the batteries, they were nowhere close to being fully charged.

 

[Delilah718]

Hi All,

Just wanted to provide an update -- I have done about 7 trials with 510 standard and lr cartos and atties with mixed results. However, I have used my 510 ecig batteries to see if the 510 standard and LR cartos and LR atties are working and they do (?)...which leads me to believe it's not the cartos/atties. But I hope to borrow a meter in the next couple of days to confirm. If I can't borrow a meter for now, (I have one on order) I guess I'll have to part with my lil mini for a while.

May the vape be with you!

 

[Delilah718]

Hello Dear Fellow Reonauts,

Just wanted to give you an update -- This past Sunday, I prepared my ReoMini for shipment to our dear ModMaster Rob, when on Monday I received my multimeter! So I decided to postpone so I could do some meter readings. But, the meter came w/o batteries (multimeters may need button batteries or, as in my case, a 12v) So off I went to Home Depot today to get the 12v battery, Noalox, and Krazy Glue.

I am happy to report the following:
-510 l/r cartomizers - Good (2.0 ohm)
-510 l/r atty - Good - 1.5 Ohm and 2.0 Ohm)
-306 l/r atty - Good - 1.5 Ohm
-510 Standard cartos - Good (3.0 ohm)

Thanks so much to MLINKY, NYXIE, and BASILRAY - now I know how to use a multimeter on cartos and atomizers -- but I am not sure how to use the meter and leads on the battery --


I really want to test my AW IMR 14500 batteries because I am beginning to think that after using them for nearly three weeks -- perhaps the power is starting to decline? At any rate, I am ready to pull the trigger at Lighthound for two more of these batteries.

But there's more good news, yesterday, I cleaned the pin and rubbed the remainder of the Noalox Rob sent me with the mini, and my pin connection was the BEST EVER!
I placed the Joy 306 LR atty on the mini and WHEW-HEW! I was exhaling some BIG BIG Vapor!

NOALOX and the 306 are my ReoMini's new best friends!!!! And, I followed Rob's recommendation to put a dab of Krazy Glue on the door's battery compartment and while now my battery is fixed there for good -- some of that glue dripped on the other side of the door Luckily, I was able to remove it with some nail polish remover! YAY!

Sigh... I feel like such a boob for crying WOLF...again! Dear Rob, please disregard the email I sent on Sunday night.

Thanks everybody, and especially our Modmaster Rob, for this godsend that is the REO!