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Beware of the FastTech Driptech-DS Clone

ScReWbALL

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Just a heads-up to anyone looking at getting the FastTech Clone of the Driptech-DS Parallel Squonk Box Kit:

https://m.fasttech.com/products/9629515

As this is the only one of this mod I have purchased, it’s possible that this is a fluke or that I just got part of a bad batch, but in case there are more that can possibly have this issue come up, I figured it’s best to raise a warning flag.
I’ve had this setup for 4 days and have been thoroughly enjoying it, and I was replacing the batteries in it, then sat it to the side...and I immediately hear the crackling of an auto-fire happening, so I quickly grab the mod and loosen one of the points of contact to break the connection. I took the batteries out and sat the mod down and the spring-loaded Button Assembly shoots off into a couple of pieces:
524afe511520b53721dfb28b2d931ffa.jpg

The gold plated post you see in the pic is threaded, and the spring goes over that and the button is threaded on the inside to twist onto the post for the Button Assembly...but apparently during the very brief auto-fire that occurred, the threading on the inside of the button (which turns out is NOT Delrin, but a flimsier plastic prone to melting) melted...which means it can no longer thread down on the post...not that I would want it to anymore, knowing that it’s prone to failure due to heat.
fbc99e7eba85df2ab373ca7e3e450cd1.jpg

This is the first time I’ve had a product from FastTech fail like this, so, I’m by no means vilifying them or the clone market, as I’m extremely happy with all other purchases I’ve made through them and I will continue to give them my business. And I’m truly hoping this was an isolated instance where just my particular mod had a freak failure rather than it being a design flaw or common problem...but I just thought I should share this experience in the hopes that a little awareness could possibly cut down on this happening if it’s a more common issue...do not tighten the points of contact down as tight as you can or it can possibly auto-fire and have this issue come up...I suppose just screwing them in “hand-tight” would be best to keep the auto-firing issue from coming up at all.


How dare you incinerate that I don’t know how to use big words!
 

Ninobrownie

Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Neat thanks for leaving a warning like that I’ve been thinking about getting a clone for that but I was going to get the 3fvape clone


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mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
mine was the opposite. after a bottle of juice it stopped firing at all. had to take it apart, nothing was wrong inside, and it worked again for half a bottle...then the same loop a few more times (stops working, disassemble, works again for about half as long as last time) until i gave up. the switch in my clone is totally different than the authentic (from what i saw in the youtube vids i looked at trying to fix mine) and i still cant figure out why it stops working. its actually very strange in what it does. i can put the battery tester side of my ohm reader into the 510 and get a read when i hit the button, but it wont fire an atomizer. mine is one of the ones with the driptech logo painted in white (instead of engraved)...dunno if the engraved ones are different/same switch as authentic/better than this one. which one is yours @ScReWbALL ? is the switch mechanism in yours different from the authentic?
 

ScReWbALL

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
which one is yours @ScReWbALL ? is the switch mechanism in yours different from the authentic?

Just saying that the switch on mine is “different” than the Authentic is a gross understatement. If you had an authentic completely disassembled and my clone completely disassembled and sat down to reassemble them both, you’d be hard pressed to find enough similarities between them to even realize one is supposed to be a clone of the other.
I would snap some more pics and point out the differences, but after I discovered it was a lost cause to try to fix last night, I tested out the aerodynamic properties of the mod, if you catch my drift

Damn dude you've had some bad luck lately. I can send you another squonk mod if you want. Shipping's on me.

I really appreciate the offer, but as it turns out, I was seeing if I could scavenge any parts from the driptech to get my frankenskull clone squonker up and running again and discovered the problem with the frankenskull was pretty damn simple, so, I still have a working squonker now, though it is a single battery setup rather than a parallel box.

Edit: Speaking of replacing it, does anyone know of a similar mod (a BF Parallel Mech Mod) that’s around, or are the Driptech-DS and Driptech-TS unique with utilizing parallel technology in a squonker?

How dare you incinerate that I don’t know how to use big words!
 
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entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
mine is one of the ones with the driptech logo painted in white (instead of engraved)...dunno if the engraved ones are different/same switch as authentic/better than this one. which one is yours @ScReWbALL ? is the switch mechanism in yours different from the authentic?

I don’t know if FT has the etched logo clone or not, but the white printed logo clone DS’s are vastly different from the etched logo clone DS’s. 3FVape has both available. I have the etched logo clone DS from 3F and an authentic TS from 528. The etched logo clone is very nearly identical to the authentic down to the switch parts. The only difference that I can see is the color of the o-rings on the squonk bottle (authentic is red, clone is clear). The switch in the printed logo version is completely different. There are some rumors circulating about how 3F came to be selling these etched clones, but after comparing with my authentic TS, I’m convinced they came out of the same manufacturing facility.

It’s important to keep the button very snug to its switch screw. Too loose and it will eventually unseat and the contact plate will drop onto the battery plate closing the circuit, creating the auto-fire condition as witnessed by OP.

The etched logo DS clone is an incredible bargain at less than 22USD and oddly less expensive than the troublesome printed logo clone...
 
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strigamort

Bronze Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
This video shows the differences between the clones.


Only thing I don't like about many close up looks at these devices is how guys routinely get battery orientation wrong. Positive up on both (or all 3) batteries. No one seems to understand that the bottom (negative) contacts are designed to not touch the positive posts (which is why they are hollow) if the batteries are installed wrong. Then the person complains that they aren't getting a good connection. The included tool is designed so that it won't touch the battery either.

I have a fairly rowdy 0.07 build in my Drop on the DS with two brand new vtc5a's and it's pretty sweet.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 

entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
Anybody who tries to use a narrow screwdriver to loosen or tighten the contacts and manages to touch the positive terminal of the batt and the contact screw will be immediately schooled on the importance of placing the batts negative down by the resulting hard short.

Kids, cells positive up, and use the key tool.
 

strigamort

Bronze Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Correct.

If you look at the positive contacts inside the authentic mod they have a "+" milled into them. The "-" is engraved on the battery plate by the negative contacts. Neither of these efforts are obvious enough, obviously, because people don't see them.

I looked at the video of the clone that is most like the authentic mod and whoever made the clone took the time to mill the pluses.

I think it's awesome that 528 Customs (or whoever) took it upon themselves to engineer in some safety features. As far as I can tell they don't make mention of this in the instruction booklet though and so it's left to the customer to find these safety "easter eggs".

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 
I literally had this exact same thing word for word happen to me last night and I was so pissed!! I freakin loved this clone and had been using the crap out of it since I got it about 2 weeks ago and now because there is no button replacement its junk. Got mine from 3fvape and I messaged them about it. Hopefully, they will refund me my money since I have only had it a little over a week or so. It really is a shame bc for the price and the quality except for the button it was a really good mod. But apparently this isn't just a fluke since the exact same thing happened to mine. Beware of this clone guys. The autofire freaked me out when it happened. Thank god I noticed and was able to loosen contacts before something went really badly. I bought the 1:1 clone as well not the shitty looking one with white lettering on it. Now I have to go figure out what mechanical dual battery squonk I want since this one is a bust.
 

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entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
I literally had this exact same thing word for word happen to me last night and I was so pissed!! I freakin loved this clone and had been using the crap out of it since I got it about 2 weeks ago and now because there is no button replacement its junk. Got mine from 3fvape and I messaged them about it. Hopefully, they will refund me my money since I have only had it a little over a week or so. It really is a shame bc for the price and the quality except for the button it was a really good mod. But apparently this isn't just a fluke since the exact same thing happened to mine. Beware of this clone guys. The autofire freaked me out when it happened. Thank god I noticed and was able to loosen contacts before something went really badly. I bought the 1:1 clone as well not the shitty looking one with white lettering on it. Now I have to go figure out what mechanical dual battery squonk I want since this one is a bust.

Looks like the switch warmed up and melted the plastic threads on the button. I try to keep my builds over about 0.1 ohm after seeing my brother in law melt his button threads with a hot build. The DS/TS Achilles Heel seems to be the plastic button threads. If there were a brass insert within the button for the screw to thread into, there would be many fewer button/switch failures with these. The button screw conducts some heat since it’s a part of the circuit path, and when she warms up, those plastic threads give up quick.

On the bright side, on the website mach1ne has linked, you can now buy replacement buttons. Get one and keep your build cool, and I predict many more years of life from your clone DS.
 
THANKYOU! You guys are a life saver. I had been searching high and low for a button replacement and now thanks to the link I found it. Is it just the plastic button though or the spring as well? I guess it doesn't matter because I have the spring.... Its just the button that's screwed bc of the melting. Hell yeah!!! I guess building a .08 build was stupid.... No more building that low on parallel for me! Thanks again guys.
 
Just bought a button replacement and on only a 5$ purchase for the button I got free shipping! So awesome! Thanks again for telling me about that site.


I just remembered though... .The plastic plate that goes inside of the top plate where the button was also melted a little bit as you can see in my pictures. Do I need to replace that as well as the button or will it be ok to still use. The plastic plate didn't melt much but it definitely did a little bit and idk if that will affect anything when I reassemble. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
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entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
Just bought a button replacement and on only a 5$ purchase for the button I got free shipping! So awesome! Thanks again for telling me about that site.


I just remembered though... .The plastic plate that goes inside of the top plate where the button was also melted a little bit as you can see in my pictures. Do I need to replace that as well as the button or will it be ok to still use. The plastic plate didn't melt much but it definitely did a little bit and idk if that will affect anything when I reassemble. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Try it when you get your button and assemble the switch. If the button travels smoothly without any sticking, you’re golden. If it seems sticky, you can very gently scrape or sand any burrs or melted clumps away. I don’t think you’ll have to seek a replacement however.
 

Zohmbiebuilds

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
I love squonking and just randomly was introduced and since then it's pretty much all I do. I want to get more into that realm. Itv was like being new again and different builds etc. Very satisfied. I'm glad you posted this because I can't afford a mess up. That couple bucks I'd lose ordering that would hurt me. It hurts every one to lose equipment, is just harder for me to recover because I have no job.

Again I appreciate it. That blows because I was looking at it pretty hard. Looked cool as fuck.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
 

entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
I love squonking and just randomly was introduced and since then it's pretty much all I do. I want to get more into that realm. Itv was like being new again and different builds etc. Very satisfied. I'm glad you posted this because I can't afford a mess up. That couple bucks I'd lose ordering that would hurt me. It hurts every one to lose equipment, is just harder for me to recover because I have no job.

Again I appreciate it. That blows because I was looking at it pretty hard. Looked cool as fuck.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

If you’re thinking about the “1:1 clone” DS from 3FVape, grab it without hesitation. At $20 shipped, it’s a legit super bargain. Keep builds cool (>0.1 ohm), and aside from periodically tightening the firing button, it runs like a champ. It gives a lot for a twenty dollar mod. Be sure to get the one with the engraved logo, not the screen printed logo.

I say “1:1 clone” because rumor says they’re legit 528 DS’s. Long story.
I
Buy with confidence. It’s a great little mod. I’m pounding one as I type.
FBCA8CEB-B3BA-4380-A013-4D45FF9C1569.jpeg
 
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MrMeowgi

The Vapin' Drummer
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 4 Years
If you’re thinking about the “1:1 clone” DS from 3FVape, grab it without hesitation. At $20 shipped, it’s a legit super bargain. Keep builds cool (>0.1 ohm), and aside from periodically tightening the firing button, it runs like a champ. It gives a lot for a twenty dollar mod. Be sure to get the one with the engraved logo, not the screen printed logo.

I say “1:1 clone” because rumor says they’re legit 528 DS’s. Long story.
I
Buy with confidence. It’s a great little mod. I’m pounding one as I type.
View attachment 104964
Periodic tat, man that's sweet.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 

shawn.hoefer

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
mine was the opposite. after a bottle of juice it stopped firing at all. had to take it apart, nothing was wrong inside, and it worked again for half a bottle...then the same loop a few more times (stops working, disassemble, works again for about half as long as last time) until i gave up. the switch in my clone is totally different than the authentic (from what i saw in the youtube vids i looked at trying to fix mine) and i still cant figure out why it stops working. its actually very strange in what it does. i can put the battery tester side of my ohm reader into the 510 and get a read when i hit the button, but it wont fire an atomizer. mine is one of the ones with the driptech logo painted in white (instead of engraved)...dunno if the engraved ones are different/same switch as authentic/better than this one. which one is yours @ScReWbALL ? is the switch mechanism in yours different from the authentic?
Had the same issue. The problem is not the switch. It's the battery door. The lip is coated. Use a file to remove the coating, and you'll be back in business.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
 

mach1ne

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Had the same issue. The problem is not the switch. It's the battery door. The lip is coated. Use a file to remove the coating, and you'll be back in business.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk
on mine, the part that slides in is mostly bare metal. there is just a bit of what looks like overspray on the outside/bottom of the lip on the battery door that locks into the groove on the mod. the groove on the mod is bare metal all the way through. ill try to find something to clean that up with and see if it works.
 

strigamort

Bronze Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Wow it's about time they decided to start making the authentics again. A lot of people were selling the authentics for way too much money. I would be lieing if I said that I wasn't happy that the new one is a bit different from mine though. () From what I can see there's no Driptech engraving above the defiant designs (who the hell is that anyway?), the fire button doesn't have the cat/goon emblem anymore and it doesn't say if it comes with the super nice hand tool or not. I hope it does because everyone that buys one should get it. I'd definitely buy another one if they ever sell them as an accessory part.

I may box mine up. I like it but don't use it at all. If it becomes a collectors piece I'd want to trade it for another non-squonk mech.

Zombie! Good to see you around bud. :)


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Zohmbiebuilds

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
Wow it's about time they decided to start making the authentics again. A lot of people were selling the authentics for way too much money. I would be lieing if I said that I wasn't happy that the new one is a bit different from mine though. () From what I can see there's no Driptech engraving above the defiant designs (who the hell is that anyway?), the fire button doesn't have the cat/goon emblem anymore and it doesn't say if it comes with the super nice hand tool or not. I hope it does because everyone that buys one should get it. I'd definitely buy another one if they ever sell them as an accessory part.

I may box mine up. I like it but don't use it at all. If it becomes a collectors piece I'd want to trade it for another non-squonk mech.

Zombie! Good to see you around bud. :)


Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Hey Strigamort. Pm me when you get a chance. I was just thinking about you when i read this. I've been doing great. I'm on my 8th month. Please text me, or pm me with how your doing and what you've been up too. We got allot of catching up to do!

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
 

CrazyChef v2.0

Gold Contributor
ECF Refugee
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Member For 5 Years
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Edit: Speaking of replacing it, does anyone know of a similar mod (a BF Parallel Mech Mod) that’s around, or are the Driptech-DS and Driptech-TS unique with utilizing parallel technology in a squonker?
The OG Driptechs had pos and neg post issues, as well.
turns out the authentic re-released through defiantdesigns, so its not impossible to get them any more.
You beat me to it. :D The DD versions have fixed the problems associated with the OG 528 design. Much better product.
 

Zohmbiebuilds

Silver Contributor
Member For 3 Years
So is the fire button still crap with the defiant designs?? I want to get this bad

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
 

entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
So is the fire button still crap with the defiant designs?? I want to get this bad

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
Fire button is the same. But keep your builds above about 0.1 ohm and you shouldn’t ever heat up the switch enough to have problems.
 

CrazyChef v2.0

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So is the fire button still crap with the defiant designs?? I want to get this bad

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
The button has beed upgraded, as well as the internals.
Fire button is the same. But keep your builds above about 0.1 ohm and you shouldn’t ever heat up the switch enough to have problems.
Do you have the new version?
 

entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
The button has beed upgraded, as well as the internals. Do you have the new version?
I have the 528 TS and the 1:1 clone DS. Also a couple replacement buttons on hand from Defiant Design. All the buttons seem identical in dimensions and appearance with the only difference being the emblem design, sabertooth on the 528 and clone buttons, biohazard symbol on the DD buttons.
 

Catbug1337

Member For 1 Year
mine was the opposite. after a bottle of juice it stopped firing at all. had to take it apart, nothing was wrong inside, and it worked again for half a bottle...then the same loop a few more times (stops working, disassemble, works again for about half as long as last time) until i gave up. the switch in my clone is totally different than the authentic (from what i saw in the youtube vids i looked at trying to fix mine) and i still cant figure out why it stops working. its actually very strange in what it does. i can put the battery tester side of my ohm reader into the 510 and get a read when i hit the button, but it wont fire an atomizer. mine is one of the ones with the driptech logo painted in white (instead of engraved)...dunno if the engraved ones are different/same switch as authentic/better than this one. which one is yours @ScReWbALL ? is the switch mechanism in yours different from the authentic?

I've got a clone as an emergency spare and mine stops firing quite a bit, I loosen the battery screws shake it a bit to move them and tighten again... fixed it 100% of the time for 2 weeks now.
 

Catbug1337

Member For 1 Year
So is the fire button still crap with the defiant designs?? I want to get this bad

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
I've got one, not had a single issue with it. occasionally the batteries don't fire so I need to loosen the screws and shake a bit and tighten but that's because I like to have my batteries positive side down so they're facing the vent holes... it doesn't do this if they're negative side down.
 

strigamort

Bronze Contributor
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
The OG Driptechs had pos and neg post issues, as well.

You beat me to it. :D The DD versions have fixed the problems associated with the OG 528 design. Much better product.
Interesting. What were the issues?

I decided to put the other toys down for a few days and see how I liked this mod as an adv. I can say that it has been a pleasure. Ot, but... I think the way the bottle-cap/straw works is pretty cool. Just fill up the bottle, drop the straw assembly in, press down very lightly so that the o-ring seals and drop it in. I thought it would leak but it hasn't at all. I don't care for the bottle itself much (at all, really), but I cannot deny that it works very well.

Curios to know what issues people have had so I can keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. I've had soooo many issues with other mods and gear it would be nice to have something just work without drama. That's why I love the Double Barrel v2.1. Put in batteries and vape. Charge batteries, continue to vape. :)



Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 

MrMeowgi

The Vapin' Drummer
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Interesting. What were the issues?

I decided to put the other toys down for a few days and see how I liked this mod as an adv. I can say that it has been a pleasure. Ot, but... I think the way the bottle-cap/straw works is pretty cool. Just fill up the bottle, drop the straw assembly in, press down very lightly so that the o-ring seals and drop it in. I thought it would leak but it hasn't at all. I don't care for the bottle itself much (at all, really), but I cannot deny that it works very well.

Curios to know what issues people have had so I can keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. I've had soooo many issues with other mods and gear it would be nice to have something just work without drama. That's why I love the Double Barrel v2.1. Put in batteries and vape. Charge batteries, continue to vape. :)



Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Yea I just bought a driptech ds so I'll be watching this as well. If it's just the build heating up melting shit I'll make sure to keep a higher ohm in it. ,Hope that'll help.

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entropy1049

Bronze Contributor
Member For 1 Year
Interesting. What were the issues?

I decided to put the other toys down for a few days and see how I liked this mod as an adv. I can say that it has been a pleasure. Ot, but... I think the way the bottle-cap/straw works is pretty cool. Just fill up the bottle, drop the straw assembly in, press down very lightly so that the o-ring seals and drop it in. I thought it would leak but it hasn't at all. I don't care for the bottle itself much (at all, really), but I cannot deny that it works very well.

Curios to know what issues people have had so I can keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. I've had soooo many issues with other mods and gear it would be nice to have something just work without drama. That's why I love the Double Barrel v2.1. Put in batteries and vape. Charge batteries, continue to vape. :)



Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

I just keep my builds above 0.1 in the TS and DS, keep the circuit cool and no problems. About twice a month with heavy use I may have to retighten the button screw.

I don’t have a DB but do have a couple of TAC21’s. I agree, great mods for sure. Dead nuts simple and they just do their job without complaint. I should probs grab a DB on principle...
 
I have the 528 DS , the 1:1 clone, and the DD buttons. I haven't had any issues with the 528 DS or the 1:1 clone, but as soon as I saw all the posts about the buttons on the clones melting and causing misfires/autofire I ordered the new buttons. It appears that the clone buttons are made out of a different/lower quality plastic and the threads are not cut as deeply, causing them to strip out or fail over time.
 

PoppaVic

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I have not had to worry about my 1:1 button, but I also have not gone below .24Ω

Personally, I have been wondering where I can get a small wooden knob <shrug> Silly to pay as much for a plastic button as the entire clone.
 

MrMeowgi

The Vapin' Drummer
VU Donator
Diamond Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I have not had to worry about my 1:1 button, but I also have not gone below .24Ω

Personally, I have been wondering where I can get a small wooden knob <shrug> Silly to pay as much for a plastic button as the entire clone.
So you still use the clone with original button? I've got the one with white paint. Was supposed to be the worst. It's packed up but I always loved the feel of it. I may break it back out and mess with it
 

PoppaVic

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
So you still use the clone with original button? I've got the one with white paint. Was supposed to be the worst. It's packed up but I always loved the feel of it. I may break it back out and mess with it

Yeah, I admit however that I've drained the tank and sidelined it to enjoy the Basium I got here on VU. Pretty much the same coils and 45-46w I use on my vt133's, (it's wearing the 502-clone). I agree, the ds-style has an excellent 'heft' and I want to keep the sucker in my Apocalypse-Pile of Crickets. It's only downside is the damned plastic button.

I keep looking for something 'ds-style' with PWM - that'd be a very nice unit.
 

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