Reo stuffed.......for now

[Mufasa]

I am a very unhappy vaper at the moment. I am back on the iStick 50W and Nautilus mini after 7 weeks of pure vaping bliss on my Reo. I have read about some people experiencing some arcing on the battery when pushing the fire button and I've had the same, but not too bad. The about three weeks ago I bought 2 new Efest button top batteries from a reputable vendor. From the very first time I inserted these batteries the arcing was hectic! It left these ugly black marks on the positive contacts of the two batteries and I still don't know why these two batteries. The batteries look authentic and I cannot see this vendor selling knock-offs.

I have a VTC flat top and 3 other Efests that all perform as it should, but these two new batteries arc like crazy. Needless to say I also did some damage to the positive contact of the Reo. An eraser and alcohol did not remove the black arcing from the contact. I then did what I have been told a hundred times not to do - I used very fine sand paper to remove the arcing on the positive contact. I know, I know, but I was desperate. The Reo would only fire every now and then and I had to keep turning the battery and this irritated the crap out of me. Now I have a Reo that still arcs and doesn't fire anywhere close to where it should. Dumbass!!! I can't use it at all and it is a big frustration.

This past weekend I have tried the whole of Cape Town for dielectric grease, but cannot find the stuff anywhere. As a last resort I had to bug @kimbo for a measly R40 order for 2 tubs of the stuff. I had no other choice. I also ordered an upgrade/repair kit from VM to replace the positive pin on the Reo. I have to make do with the iStick until all these goodies arrive.

Is there anything else I have done wrong or neglected to do? I am not using the Reo again until I have the new positive pin in it and have some dielectric grease. Why would these new batteries arc so much?

 

[Silver]

Hi @Mufasa

Sorry to hear your troubles

What coil resistance were you using?

 

[hands]

those tubs of @kimbo custard(dielectric grease) will last you a very long time

 

[Mufasa]

Hi @Silver I was using a 0.5 Ohm dual coil on the RM3. No issues with my other batteries though.

 

[Andre]

I can only think that the carbon deposits on the positive contact amplified the arcing on the new and stronger batteries and with the shorter throw.

Cannot remember if your Reo has the new SS adjustable 510 connection or not? This will determine the method you use to replace the positive contact.

You can try to take off the black marks from the battery with a very fine sandpaper and polish with those blocks women use for their nails.

 

[Mufasa]

@Andre I do have the new adjustable SS 510 connection. I have done what you mention with the batteries, but I think by also doing the Reo's positive contact I have aggravated the arcing. There is very little power coming through and it barely fires the coil. By shorter throw, do you mean between flat tops and button tops?

 

[Silver]

Hi @Silver I was using a 0.5 Ohm dual coil on the RM3. No issues with my other batteries though.

That is very strange indeed

I used to notice very small arcing or sparks sometimes but never had any spots building up on the battery terminals. Then ever since i started applying a small amount of the dielectric grease, the sparks are gone and still no spots on the batts or the positive of the Reo. Maybe i am just lucky but my coils tend to be about 0.6 or higher. Usually around 0.8 to 1 ohm. I have been using the same set of purple Efests 2500mah flattops for quite a long time - over a year now.

Strange because many Reonauts like button tops owing to less travel on the fire button. But i know on ECF they like the AW. Also, the batteries should be the right height. One or two millimetres too high and it can compress the spring at the bottom too much (unrelated to your issue, but just mentioning)

 

[Gazzacpt]

I always get more arcing on button tops with low ohm builds. Flat tops seem to work better. Which was not the case before the gold contacts. The grease will definitely help.

 

[Andre]

@Andre I do have the new adjustable SS 510 connection. I have done what you mention with the batteries, but I think by also doing the Reo's positive contact I have aggravated the arcing. There is very little power coming through and it barely fires the coil. By shorter throw, do you mean between flat tops and button tops?

Yeah, by putting a file to the positive contact you have made the arcing worse imo.

Yes, that is what I mean with the shorter throw.

I agree with @Gazzacpt and prefer flat tops in the Grands, but in the Mini I find button tops better - on the flat tops the throw is just too long and I can feel it strains the positive contact.

Just in case, take out the spring screw and clean the screw and screw hole and tighten back well - many a times the connection there is the cause of a loss of power.

Here is a video on how to replace the positive contact:

 

[Raslin]

Hope you get her up and running soon. It sucks to be Reoless

 

[Riaz]

@Mufasa why didnt you post on the forum that you need some grease?

I could have spared you some

Hope you get sorted soon

 

[rogue zombie]

A little off subject but related. I have one Efest battery that I used to have to turn on my Cloupor, the wrap looked perfect as did the battery.

So I only use the uber reliable Smurfs on my Reo.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Alex]

I remember this arcing issue was particularly bad with my very first Reo mini, combined with button topped AW batteries. And was one of the main reasons for me searching for a remedy back then. I tried everything possible to prevent it, but it was only after finding a local supplier of dielectric grease that I found the solution.

I also resorted to filing the positive contact on the Reo, as it was the only method of removing the carbon builup. And I wouldn't worry too much, once you have a clean contact area with an occasional dab of grease everything will be fine.

 

[Mufasa]

Thank you very much for all the responses everybody. I am going to have a good look again this evening. Maybe I can salvage some performance from the damaged positive contact.

One more question. I removed the spring over the weekend and noticed that it is painted underneath, the same as the rest of the Reo. Should there be paint under the spring? I have seen some Reo pics where there is no paint under the spring. Will it make a difference?

 

[Raslin]

Yes I think it will I would remove the paint on the spring and the base of the Reo.

 

[Andre]

Thank you very much for all the responses everybody. I am going to have a good look again this evening. Maybe I can salvage some performance from the damaged positive contact.

One more question. I removed the spring over the weekend and noticed that it is painted underneath, the same as the rest of the Reo. Should there be paint under the spring? I have seen some Reo pics where there is no paint under the spring. Will it make a difference?

I have never, but some do, saying it makes for better contact.

 

[johan]

Thank you very much for all the responses everybody. I am going to have a good look again this evening. Maybe I can salvage some performance from the damaged positive contact.

One more question. I removed the spring over the weekend and noticed that it is painted underneath, the same as the rest of the Reo. Should there be paint under the spring? I have seen some Reo pics where there is no paint under the spring. Will it make a difference?

Regarding your batteries I suggest you polish the positive sides to a smooth finish (Brasso/Silvo and elbow grease are enough), before you use them with a thin layer of dielectric grease. Remove the paint underneath the spring contact as well as inside the threads where the fixing counter sunk screw tightens the spring contact - the bigger (and smoother) the contact surface area, the lesser the voltage drop (rough contact areas will cause arching).

 

[Rob Fisher]

Sorry about your issue @Mufasa! Big bummer... I see all the technical Reonauts have given you all the info needed... I just wanted to show support here.

 

[Mufasa]

A giant thank you to all of you for the suggestions, offer of dielectric grease and help. I have removed the positive contact and used one of my wife's nail thingies to remove all the black pock marks. I noticed that it was quite bad from all the arcing and was probably only making contact on a very small surface. After making it all clean and shiny I tried again and the arcing is almost gone. It makes very good contact and fires on all cylinders. What a relief. I can't wait for the dielectric grease to arrive though.

Thank you yet again

 

[Viper_SA]

@Mufasa I was about to suggest some soldering on the damaged part of the contact as a last resort for better connection, but glad you got sorted

 

[Mufasa]

Thanks @Viper_SA, but it seems like the sanding of the positive contact did the trick. I was surprised how much elbow grease it took to get the black carbon off. Now the gold plating is gone, but at least I have a working Reo until the new positive contact arrives.

 

[Silver]

A giant thank you to all of you for the suggestions, offer of dielectric grease and help. I have removed the positive contact and used one of my wife's nail thingies to remove all the black pock marks. I noticed that it was quite bad from all the arcing and was probably only making contact on a very small surface. After making it all clean and shiny I tried again and the arcing is almost gone. It makes very good contact and fires on all cylinders. What a relief. I can't wait for the dielectric grease to arrive though.

Thank you yet again

Peace again in the Mufasa Reo land!
Very chuffed
Thanks for giving us the feedback.

 

[Ashley A]

Just a hunch but I suspect the positive firing pin was loose and the button top allowed the contact point to slip around it aggregating the arcing while the flat top allowed the pin to sit where it landed.

 

[Rob Fisher]

Oh Happy Days!

 

[Alex]

Regarding your batteries I suggest you polish the positive sides to a smooth finish (Brasso/Silvo and elbow grease are enough), before you use them with a thin layer of dielectric grease. Remove the paint underneath the spring contact as well as inside the threads where the fixing counter sunk screw tightens the spring contact - the bigger (and smoother) the contact surface area, the lesser the voltage drop (rough contact areas will cause arching).

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