What should I do about shop selling dangerous equipment w/ no guidance?

[Sgt.Rock]

.....
Heck even a gun store makes you take a test and doesnt let you purchase if you dont know where the safety is and how to load it

Sorry...where's this gun store?

Maybe it's just me but I haven't encountered that anywhere in over 40 years of frequenting gun shops.

A word of warning would be nice when a purchase of a hybrid mod is made but it's still your own personal responsibility to educate yourself.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

Did you read the manual the mod came with?

Cheap clones come with a manual?
I have watched several clone hybrid unboxings in reviews and manuals seem to be missing from the vid.

 

[Asbestos4004]

Just left the fireworks store and the salesman never warned me not to shove the Roman Candles up my .......................... whoops, wrong forum. Sorry.

As you were....

 

[Asbestos4004]

Just got back from the emergency room and the doctor never told me.......................... whoops, wrong forum again...

 

[dcfluegel]

Well, would it be any different for people who order online? They're not getting any instructions either.

no, sir - my point was that I have been seeing more comments/ feedback about B&Ms giving bad information/ guidance, whereas previously it seemed (or at least my experience) that you could generally get decent advice at one - granted, caveat emptor, but if you were looking for information, B&Ms were potentially a resource but more and more seem to be staffed by folks who have trouble differentiating an ohm from an aardvark (case in point, a lady who had joined the forum recently, supposedly worked in the vape industry and got all kinds of emo when it was suggested that the 40 amp 18650 batteries she had (because they SAID they were 40 amp and her boss wouldn't sell 'em if they weren't legit...) were not actually a 40 amp cdr battery - she got completely indignant bordering on hostile about it actually)

and ordering online has ALWAYS required due diligence - again, in my experience, at least - and that is what led me to ECF in the first place, doing my homework

and to your point, it is not only a caveat emptor scenario, it is a safety scenario - ultimately, it IS our responsibility to make sure we do our homework and keep it safe

 

[Hitcat44]

I just have no luck with mech's, that was actually my third. First 2 I got just didn't work. First was a Kamry mech mod shaped like a pipe, but it needs a proprietary adapter, which literally no one makes, and would take $30 in new tools for me too make myself. Second was a "Wolverine" that worked about 4 days before the fire button failed.

No Offense Bro but,,, Simple Answer to your negative Experience to date; Don't Buy Junk. Seriously.
Caveat Emptor in ALL things. Not just Mechs but ALL Vape Gear. Isn't that the Case with Any & Every Purchase?

As Suprtrkr said, Research, Inquire, and self-Educate here on ECF. Do so and your Woes & Sorrows will either be Nil or at the very least VERY minimal.
No Biggie. Chalk the relatively Cheap Lessons up as your "Crash-Course" Intro to Vape Devices and move Onward and Upward accordingly. We've all been in similar Classes to some degree and varying severities along our own Journeys. C'est La Vie.

As for Mechs in general,,, Do Not allow these Personal Failings & Turd-Tubes to be falsely extrapolated into a wholesale Convictions on Mechs. To do so would not only be defeatist and Weak, but will deprive yourself of some truly Awesome Experiences and remove a wonderfully rewarding Aspect from your Vape-Life.
When over this "Stumble" and the injurious blow to the Ego & Psyche, do some Studying-Up here on ECF and gain a healthy & knowledgeable Perspective. Armed with that Intel you will then be able to make an Informed and Intelligent Buying Decision.
But Once More with resounding Resolve... To convict and subsequently buy into the False Mantra of the Plain & Simple that Mechs are Junk, Useless, Inferior, and/or Dangerous would be a monumental Mistake.
As in All things like previously noted, they "can" be. Same goes for Variable Mods, Tanks, Batteries, anything and everything we Vapers use. That being inarguably true, thankfully none of us here have allowed that Fact to dissuade us from a Hobby and Passion that literally has saved our Lives.

Likewise, All Vape-Shops are not created, Staffed, and maintained equally. Some are Awesome, some "meh", and some just downright Suck. Again, C'est La Vie.
Here in the relatively small Town/Area I live in we have 3 "Shops". Perfect Example of the above. Took going in, checking them all out, making some mistakes early on, learning from them, and then smooth sailing only patronizing the One. Same as an Eatery or a Mechanic or a Convenience Store and so on Ad Infinitum.
Sure it would be "nice" and Oh such a Wonderful World indeed if All Purveyors of All Things would take due Diligence in the practice of their Retailing. But, this ain't Never-Never Land Mr. Peter and Dorothy most certainly ain't in Kansas anymore.
It just isn't and it just won't ever be. Accept that Fact and take more Personal Responsibility for our own Actions, Decisions, as well as the Consequences and Ramifications thereof.
We are All Big-Boys & Girls right?

Shake It Off. Educate-Adapt-Evolve. It's ALL Good.
Enjoy & Vape-On!

 

[r77r7r]

Guns and powersaws have been on the market much longer. I can see a vapeshop clerk at least asking if you've used one before or at least saying "be careful with this, it's different"??

 

[Hans Wermhat]

From my experience, a lot of the clerks in the shops don't have the knowledge base to pass on. There are usually 1 or 2 employees at every shop, but they can't be there open to close 7 days a week. I think there is a level of personal responsibility on the buyer's part, but the shops should train their employees on the gear and schedule so that there is at least one employee in the store at all times that know's his bung hole from his elbow. Everyday I'm sure somebody walks into the shop having never vaped before and says "I wanna chuck clouds, bro." If there is no one there who knows enough to steer him towards the right gear, that IS the shop's fault to a great degree.

 

[VNeil]

Mech mods: incendiary devices lacking safety fuses.

All the education in the world won't change that fact, nor the fact that no matter how much you know, sometimes stuff just happens. That's why other electronics have safety fuses.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

you can get magnetic fuses that stick to the bottom of your battery.

 

[Izan]

Mech mods: incendiary devices lacking safety fuses.

All the education in the world won't change that fact, nor the fact that no matter how much you know, sometimes stuff just happens. That's why other electronics have safety fuses.

EVERY mech I've ever purchased (or even considered for purchase) had a hot spring or a fuse. It's part of a "complete" device.

 

[Robert Cromwell]

I think some just have springs.
And some box mods do not have any springs at all.

 

[nyiddle]

Just left the fireworks store and the salesman never warned me not to shove the Roman Candles up my .......................... whoops, wrong forum. Sorry.

As you were....

Just got back from the emergency room and the doctor never told me.......................... whoops, wrong forum again...

Super helpful, thanks for contributing.

So, coming off a Nautilus on an istick, I decided to try sub ohming on a mech. Two defective mechs latter, I tried a different shop. This one didn't sell me a defect, they sold me a hybrid mod, and didn't give me any safety info with it. Coming from an electronics background, battery and voltage safety is second nature to me, but I knew nothing about hybrid. Thank good I googled before I used it, could have vented a battery with my Atlantis. Any recommendations on what to do?

Yeah that seems to be a common recurring theme these days. A lot of new vapers are being sold hybrid mechs or devices that have inherent design flaws (or "features" according to some people) that the user needs to be made aware of. I've been vaping for 2 years now, and there are still devices that require some explanation or guidance before using. Many cheaper-made mechs have little quirks that the user will either have to figure out on their own or hear from someone else. For someone to say, "A vaper should 100% know everything and be fully knowledgeable before going into a vape shop," is absolutely ridiculous. It's a brand new technology, and even people who have been doing this for WAY longer than me are finding out new things all the time. Logic would dictate that the best place to find new things would be in-person, from other people, and you'd hope that a vape shop would be willing to facilitate this learning process.

The vape shop that sold me my first mech gave me a very long shpiel before even putting the mech in my hands. Everything from detailed battery safety to intricate device-specific quirks/details (ie: "Don't screw the locking ring on super tight, it'll be annoying to get off." or "Make sure you tighten up the atomizer pin after putting the atomizer on, not before.") I'm very grateful that they didn't just put a mech in my hands and send me on my way. In fact, I was aware of the potential danger of an 18650 battery, and I was relieved when the employees lectured me on proper charging habits, checking nominal voltage from time to time, etc..

I recently read this article that explained "4 reasons why your vape shop is failing" and one of them was, "the equipment is too advanced for the userbase." This is the case at a lot of vape shops. You go in and there's loads of mech mods and RDA's and people blowing clouds and stuff. The average uninitiated person is going to be overwhelmed and completely unaware of the direction they should start in, and likely, they're going to trust the recommendations of the employees in the shop. For an employee to see this person, not assess their knowledge level, and sell them a mech mod (let alone a hybrid mech mod) is not only irresponsible, but people could potentially get hurt. I don't see that boding well for the plans to fast-track FDA regulation, but that's another topic entirely.

Don't frequent the vape shop. Come to us for guidance and make purchases online from reliable vendors/suppliers. You'll end up saving money and, most likely, you'll avoid some headaches. There's a lot of crap on the market.

 

[VNeil]

EVERY mech I've ever purchased (or even considered for purchase) had a hot spring or a fuse. It's part of a "complete" device.

Apparently not everyone does that. I'm not against mechs per se. I'm just pointing out that if millions of incendiary devices without fuses are put in the hands of the public, some are going to go boom. Better store level education will help reduce the number of booms, but until every device comes with a built in fuse these things are going to happen. And each case will be top of the headline news.

The mech industry seems bent on destroying us. All for lack of a "mandatory" built in fuse. Without that fuse this is just a game of statistics and we can't fight those odds.

Every online shop that sells mechs should have a prominent link to an add on fuse listed on the sale page of every mech that does not have one built in (which is the most of them I think?).

 

[Asbestos4004]

Super helpful, thanks for contributing.



Yeah that seems to be a common recurring theme these days. A lot of new vapers are being sold hybrid mechs or devices that have inherent design flaws (or "features" according to some people) that the user needs to be made aware of. I've been vaping for 2 years now, and there are still devices that require some explanation or guidance before using. Many cheaper-made mechs have little quirks that the user will either have to figure out on their own or hear from someone else. For someone to say, "A vaper should 100% know everything and be fully knowledgeable before going into a vape shop," is absolutely ridiculous. It's a brand new technology, and even people who have been doing this for WAY longer than me are finding out new things all the time. Logic would dictate that the best place to find new things would be in-person, from other people, and you'd hope that a vape shop would be willing to facilitate this learning process.

The vape shop that sold me my first mech gave me a very long shpiel before even putting the mech in my hands. Everything from detailed battery safety to intricate device-specific quirks/details (ie: "Don't screw the locking ring on super tight, it'll be annoying to get off." or "Make sure you tighten up the atomizer pin after putting the atomizer on, not before.") I'm very grateful that they didn't just put a mech in my hands and send me on my way. In fact, I was aware of the potential danger of an 18650 battery, and I was relieved when the employees lectured me on proper charging habits, checking nominal voltage from time to time, etc..

I recently read this article that explained "4 reasons why your vape shop is failing" and one of them was, "the equipment is too advanced for the userbase." This is the case at a lot of vape shops. You go in and there's loads of mech mods and RDA's and people blowing clouds and stuff. The average uninitiated person is going to be overwhelmed and completely unaware of the direction they should start in, and likely, they're going to trust the recommendations of the employees in the shop. For an employee to see this person, not assess their knowledge level, and sell them a mech mod (let alone a hybrid mech mod) is not only irresponsible, but people could potentially get hurt. I don't see that boding well for the plans to fast-track FDA regulation, but that's another topic entirely.

Don't frequent the vape shop. Come to us for guidance and make purchases online from reliable vendors/suppliers. You'll end up saving money and, most likely, you'll avoid some headaches. There's a lot of crap on the market.

lighten up, Francis

 

[nyiddle]

Apparently not everyone does that. I'm not against mechs per se. I'm just pointing out that if millions of incendiary devices without fuses are put in the hands of the public, some are going to go boom. Better store level education will help reduce the number of booms, but until every device comes with a built in fuse these things are going to happen. And each case will be top of the headline news.

The mech industry seems bent on destroying us. All for lack of a "mandatory" built in fuse. Without that fuse this is just a game of statistics and we can't fight those odds.

Every online shop that sells mechs should have a prominent link to an add on fuse listed on the sale page of every mech that does not have one built in (which is the most of them I think?).

I've never seen a mech mod with a fuse. Ever.

And many mech mods wouldn't be able to fit what would be considered a fuse (ie: a Kick or something, which has sort of been phased out).

 

[Topwater Elvis]

The pseudo / false / fake / semi hybrid top is just flat a very poor design that IMO needs to be removed from the market.
A true hybrid doesn't have these problems.

 

[Asbestos4004]

I've never seen a mech mod with a fuse. Ever.

And many mech mods wouldn't be able to fit what would be considered a fuse (ie: a Kick or something, which has sort of been phased out).

You've never seen a 2cent fuse? They use to be all the rage. A little flat fuse that sat under the battery. Thin as a business card.

 

[VNeil]

You've never seen a 2cent fuse? They use to be all the rage. A little flat fuse that sat under the battery. Thin as a business card.

And in your best estimation, what percentage of mechs in use today have working fuses? This question is also directed at @Izan

 

[Topwater Elvis]

2cent / vape safe / short stop - most were very unreliable and popped somewhere between 3.5a ~ 7 ish a, not really useful today considering an ego has a 3.5 amp limit & quite a few regulated power devices have 10a+ amp limits.