Howdy, I'm hoping someone here can help me out with a question. Trying to clean up my ZAU but can't get the pin out of the insulator on the positive post. Is there some trick to it? I'm getting a ton of voltage loss on it and guessing it's from the rust-colored goop that oozes out from around that pin if I put some water or alcohol down the tube. Thanks for the help!
ZAU pin removal
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This spring inside the atty, is really bad.
My started to rust and I have to sand it down.
I gonna find my way to make a spring.
My started to rust and I have to sand it down.
I gonna find my way to make a spring.
I'm finding I have to clean mine once a day to keep it firing well. Going to have to pickup some more noalox and see if that helps. I clean it all up then polish it to mirror finish but still doesn't last long.
If all else fails I'll just replace the pin and spring with a solid rod.
If all else fails I'll just replace the pin and spring with a solid rod.
which stainless steel post are you refering to?
Stainless Steel Contacts for the Standard DID (D20)
Brass Contacts for the Standard DID (D20)
both can be use?
Stainless Steel Contacts for the Standard DID (D20)
Brass Contacts for the Standard DID (D20)
both can be use?
AC9 Center-Pin Hardware
looks better
anyone can confirm the use on a ZAP ?
looks better
anyone can confirm the use on a ZAP ?
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I'm having the same issue. The spring in mine has started to rust. I cleaned it out and this weekend I took it out and there was some white powder forming on it. I ended up polishing it thoroughly and hopefully it wont happen again.
My ZAP spring on the other hand is very clean since day 1. Have any of you found a fix for this?
Hopefully I can test it here in a few more days. Until then, I've had good luck cleaning the springs by soaking in vinegar to dissolve the rust and using some food grade silicone grease to help slow the rusting.
I only have this problem on my old ZAU, the new one i have is fine. Maybe they changed the materials somewhere along the way.
I only have this problem on my old ZAU, the new one i have is fine. Maybe they changed the materials somewhere along the way.
Don't hesitate on purchasing one. The ZAU is an awesome rba. Both my ZAU and ZAP are my all day setups. Very easy to get setup and has been very consistent. This is the only problem I ran in to. Might have just been bad luck with this specific spring.
I already have a ZAP.
but I need to change the spring to of a better quality type.
Maybe ac9 center post would fit the zap.
but I need to change the spring to of a better quality type.
Maybe ac9 center post would fit the zap.
Update for you. AC9 pin will work, as long as you don't mind drilling and tinkering with the insulator to get everything fitting. I needed the AC9 insulator on the bottom to keep the pin in there, could probably get away without it if you were good with drilling and tapping the insulator on the ZAP instead. Worked but I didn't like how I had it cobbled together so...
I decided since I'm drilling it out anyways I'd go down to the hardware store and pick up a stainless bolt and make a new solid positive post for it. Was able to find a bolt that fit the threading from the old post perfectly, then leaving the old post in there so I didn't drill to deep drilled out the rest of the insulator to fit the new bolt. Worked great until I went to grind the new bolt down to the right length and bent it by accident. Was measuring pretty low resistance with it, would probably be even better with a brass screw but I like not having to clean the contacts. An appropriately sized spring and washer on there and it's a nice setup, easy to coil if a little crowded now with the larger components. Could be a plus though, means virtually no extra heating wire between the post and the wick.
I decided since I'm drilling it out anyways I'd go down to the hardware store and pick up a stainless bolt and make a new solid positive post for it. Was able to find a bolt that fit the threading from the old post perfectly, then leaving the old post in there so I didn't drill to deep drilled out the rest of the insulator to fit the new bolt. Worked great until I went to grind the new bolt down to the right length and bent it by accident. Was measuring pretty low resistance with it, would probably be even better with a brass screw but I like not having to clean the contacts. An appropriately sized spring and washer on there and it's a nice setup, easy to coil if a little crowded now with the larger components. Could be a plus though, means virtually no extra heating wire between the post and the wick.
yeah, sorry It's been a while... the ac9 post works best imo with the least amount of modifications, you just have to carve out a bit of the base of the black delrin for the white peice to sit flush... for the did ones your going to have to melt down and dremel out the black insulator, (althought I eventually found it best to completely remove it altogether) then use the dremel to cut a few mils off of the post as its a bit too long.
your best bet, imo... and what i have in my gf's zap and zau, is a solid naval brass post (it has been a while so I cannot remember the thread pitch and size, but all you have to do is find one that matches the top post... although finding real brass, or "naval brass" as opposed to the bronze they sell as brass at mcmaster carr and all the hardware stores, which contains all kinds of nasty stuff including arsenic, is going to be the hard part... just had to put that out there as I dont want somebody getting poisoned and saying it's my fault
)... just cut it to size, dremel out the base of the delrin at the 510 connector to the size of the bolt without the threads, and thread it up though there while heating it... it will tap its own threads b/c of the heat, then just continue to thread it up into the post on top, or take it out and thread it down from there... best option IMO... very little voltage drop under load and extremely easy to clean... I have done the same thing to my zag, SW, and other zen's that I've owned and imo this option lets you really take the best advantage of the superiour construction and quality of these devices while removing their only flaw (in my book)
your best bet, imo... and what i have in my gf's zap and zau, is a solid naval brass post (it has been a while so I cannot remember the thread pitch and size, but all you have to do is find one that matches the top post... although finding real brass, or "naval brass" as opposed to the bronze they sell as brass at mcmaster carr and all the hardware stores, which contains all kinds of nasty stuff including arsenic, is going to be the hard part... just had to put that out there as I dont want somebody getting poisoned and saying it's my fault
)... just cut it to size, dremel out the base of the delrin at the 510 connector to the size of the bolt without the threads, and thread it up though there while heating it... it will tap its own threads b/c of the heat, then just continue to thread it up into the post on top, or take it out and thread it down from there... best option IMO... very little voltage drop under load and extremely easy to clean... I have done the same thing to my zag, SW, and other zen's that I've owned and imo this option lets you really take the best advantage of the superiour construction and quality of these devices while removing their only flaw (in my book)
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Thanks Kiba, sounds like pretty much what I did only using stainless instead of brass. And I didn't think about heat to tap the insulator, I just used force (and lots of it!) to make the threads. I love everything else about the ZAUs, but this voltage drop is killing me. Can't wait to get it going again and see how it performs! Going to have to be more careful trimming that bolt down to length next time so I don't end up bending it again...
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