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Replacing tactile switches in mech mods

Discussion in 'Vape Modding and Technical' started by Brian, Dec 20, 2015.

  1. Brian

    Brian New Member

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  2. qwert341

    qwert341 New Member

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    16A .. in their dreams :)

    but should be a very reliable light press switch for a mod.
    might be larger than what you expect..
     
  3. JasperGillespie

    JasperGillespie New Member

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    Got any favorite switch types that are reliable enough for a mech mod Stoney?
     
  4. meareme

    meareme New Member

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    i would never subject a switch to that sort of current.
    even.comtomotive switches only drive a relay coil.
    lots of switches will do it but for how long is trial and error i think.
     
  5. voyeurboy

    voyeurboy New Member

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    My China V6 mod was also playing up, wasn't firing effectively. After unscrewing the inside of the switchbit the wires that connected to the spring twisted so much, it broke off the solder that connected the wire from the spring to the switch.

    Might try re-soldering it.

    Whats happened to yours Noe?
     
  6. Jordan

    Jordan New Member

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    Yeah you need to take the spring out of the white thing first then unscrew the white thing to avoid that from happening Ballza, I did the same thing the first time.
    Then I re-soldered the wire onto the switch, coz that is where mine snapped off. Then the little tag on the switch snapped off, as I was putting it back together, right where the tag meets the switch housing leaving just a thin strip of metal exposed, that was flush with the plastic housing.
    So I carefully cut/melted away some of the plastic & soldered a blob onto what remained of the metal tag & then soldered a wire to that, it definitely was not an easy job & took at least a couple of hours but I wasn't going to let the thing beat me.
    I managed to get it working again but it's been maybe 5 or 6 weeks & now I have a new problem.

    The switch wasn't making proper contact inside the switch mechanism, sometimes it'd fire, sometimes it wouldn't. I tested it for continuity on my multimeter & the ohms were jumping all over the place, when I could get it to make contact properly it was sometimes around 90ohms, sometimes 1.5ohms(the lowest I could get a reading to) sometimes infinite, this was just measuring on the contacts either side of the switch. So the switch is kaput.
    I have fixed it temporarily by bypassing the switch & having the wire from the spring going directly to the pos pin for the 510 connection. As a switch I am using the safety isolation screw on the bottom of the mod, which disconnects the batt from the neg end. It works but isn't ideal, since the power is constantly on when vaping with it, even between puffs while chain vaping but it is fairly safe. The neg end of the mod is getting a little warmer than normal using this "switch", I think due to a little bit of arcing when engaging & disengaging the contact.
     
  7. Kitty 2

    Kitty 2 New Member

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    Thanks Noe, I think I was having similar issue, the switch just wasn't making good contact.
    I guess looking at a new switch, you'll need the right size.
    Not much help from me unfortunately, soldering the wires back on is going to be a big enough chore for me, if I even get around to it
     
  8. GingerSpice

    GingerSpice New Member

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    I replaced my udt-l's with one i got from jaycar. I gather its the same as the V6. helped heaps.
     
  9. BlowBubblesNotBombs

    BlowBubblesNotBombs New Member

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    Got a link Arth?
     
  10. Lavender

    Lavender New Member

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    That's handy to know arth, do you remember the part number or something that we can use to identify it from?
     
  11. The Fat Man

    The Fat Man New Member

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    Yeah you can bypass the switch, I left the switch in so there isn't a big hole in the side of the mod, which makes it a fully mech mod now I guess but using the safety screw isn't the best idea for long term & is possibly dangerous if you aren't careful when using it this way.
     
  12. Angry Grandma .

    Angry Grandma . Member

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    I just walked into jaycar. Brought my old switch and found one that was the same size. From memery it was a smidge bigger but they only had one that was that size. Fucked if I know the part number
     
  13. ererlesync

    ererlesync New Member

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    I can imagine if it accidentally turned on Noe with the screw in bit being at the bottom, would be alright to use, but don't think I'd be game travelling with it in the pocket hehe.

    arth, was it just a matter of taking out the existing swtich put the new one in and solder up the wires?
    All the plastic bits inside and that? inside that tube where the swtich is Chinese to me...
    my DIY skills are pretty...shit, last time I soldered anything was 10+ years ago....but I could still do it a I reckon, like riding a bike :D
     
  14. mulder0

    mulder0 New Member

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    LOL Ballza practice solering some ends of wire before doing any soldering of parts you need ;)
    It is like riding a bike but just like riding a bike if you haven't done it for a while you'll be a bit rusty & falling off can occur ;)
     
  15. Nan Hawthorne

    Nan Hawthorne New Member

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    Yep, will practice first, no doubt, ill make some big blobs :D
     
  16. Bandon

    Bandon New Member

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    These look the most like the switches the V6 comes installed with: 6mm x 6mm Tactile Switch with 6mm Actuator but thye are the same as these which have a 50mA rating 6mm x 6mm Tactile Switch with 3mm Actuator just they have a longer button & I have seen similar ones to these that say they are 50mA rated too, so I am thinking they are the same.

    I don't think 50mA is a decent enough rating on switches for a mech mod. The ones I linked to in the OP might be over rated at 16A but they are for AC power, not DC power, which has a different need in terms of rating.
    I think at least a 5A DC rated switch is needed, I'm happy to use any switch that will work & not look too ugly installed, as long as it is going to last. Those tactile switches have proven they won't last so I'm not really happy to use them again, although I can get 20 from DX for around $3-$5 shipped but if they are only going to last 3months before needing to be replaced they are more trouble than they are worth.
    I want to have a reliable vape & not be constantly worried my switch is going to crap out on me.

    Edit:
    These might be the go, 125V 5A AC rated but I don't know what 0.20 inch size is in mm ... http://www.madvapes.com/mini-push-button-switch-red.html grrr it's 0.5A :(
     
  17. ginger91

    ginger91 New Member

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    differences in ratings for switches on AC and DC is for the voltage spec not the current, if its rated for 16A AC its going to be pretty much the same for DC. Voltage makes a difference as its based on the contact seperation distance and how fast the contact moves. AC is easier to break than DC.
    At the voltages we are concerned about, don't worry about anything but the current spec.

    the 50mA jobbies may well have a conductive rubber contact.
     
  18. gultin

    gultin New Member

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    Would you agree though that a 5A rated switch is going to be better for us than a 50mA rated switch, in general?
     
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