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Focal 4 Nine clone feels like a time bomb

Dhim

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So I got my 4 Nine clone from Focal today and I have to say, unless I am doing something completely wrong I would NEVER use this thing. I am putting the button / magnet on the battery and then have tried both the new 510 pin and direct connection. There is so little play in the device, even with a flattop and with the magnet connecting right to the battery this thing just wants to go off.

Granted, I think there might be a slight flaw in the construction where the button can possibly hang lower than the recessed bottom, but it just keeps trying to auto fire. I literally put it on my flat desk and it randomly would fire just by weight change of resting my arms near it.

I have seen some 4 nine clones that included a 2nd magnet, mine only had one built into the button. Perhaps that is a critical missing piece? What do you guys think? I hate to talk negative about a product without all information. Am I missing something or is this mod really that finnicky that there is a very very low threshold to fire?

See attached for the parts I got.IMG_6405.JPG
 

UncleRJ

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Not familiar with that mod.

Perhaps backing of just a tad and not screwing it in all the way?

Kind of sounds like a spacing issue?

Grabbing at straws here.

But if it don't work, get in touch with them and ask them to do the right thing by you!
 

Lorem Ipsum

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I noticed that if I have my atty’s adjustable 510 center(+) connector pin protruding about 1 mm outside the 4Nine top cap’s delrin, it doesn't autofire; but, I also use only button top batteries with this device. Once I got this to start working properly, this became the best mech mod I own!

Yours looks very similar to the device that I just received from Fasttech last week.
 

Dhim

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That has 1 extra piece. On mine the button has a magnet and delrin. I don't have a second magnet piece.


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UncleRJ

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That has 1 extra piece. On mine the button has a magnet and delrin. I don't have a second magnet piece.


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Thinking you were shorted a part in the assembly/packaging process.

That has happened to me before and when I contacted the place I purchased if from they sent me the missing piece and I was told if that did not make it right they would replace the thing.

But a 2-1/2 week ship time is a real drag especially if you have to return the whole thing and wait for them to receive it and replace it which makes it 5 weeks.

Sorry dude, I feel your pain!
 

Dhim

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All is better now. I will not tell you or admit to the two magnets being quite strong and stuck together leading me to believe its one piece. Nope, won't admit that because if that was true that would give me a full derp point. So yeah, I'm not saying that happened. All I'm saying is that my mod works now. Like magic IMO.
 

Scuba-Matt

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lol been there and done it.
 

UncleRJ

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CaFF

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All is better now. I will not tell you or admit to the two magnets being quite strong and stuck together leading me to believe its one piece. Nope, won't admit that because if that was true that would give me a full derp point. So yeah, I'm not saying that happened. All I'm saying is that my mod works now. Like magic IMO.

Heheh....I can understand. ;)

When I got my copper King v2 from Ebay, it had THREE huge magnets all stuck in there...it was ridiculous.

Notice the pile of magnet:

mK03GZFl.jpg


Not even the right size...so I'm using the dinky little spring that thankfully they also included. :-/
 

VapingCuban

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This is what came with my 4nine. Sometimes it does auto fire depending on battery I'm using and or atty. I'm not comfortable with this mod yet. I feel like this shit will auto fire on me and blow the fuck up lol
y2apuna6.jpg
 

Dhim

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I still have to fiddle with this quite a bit. It is still a bit eager to fire occasionally and other times doesn't close contact properly. The delrin on the top cap insists on screwing out a little giving a little bit extra space down. Can't figure out how to keep it flush in the top cap. When it does work it works great. Button feels good, but man I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing Russian Roulette with it. I don't think I would EVER leave this mod with a battery in it or out of earshot of it.
 

GrayMatter

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Dhim - Which 4nine did you order from Focal? I ordered sku:18476 from a group buy in June and it has been great. It's not without it's issues, but same is true with my authentic. It works with my authentic Tugboat and Sony VTC4 battery but not with my Stillare replica. Nothing works with my button top 350 or 500 batteries. I just received some flat top 350 and 500 efest purple batteries today so I will test them out tonight.

Cheers!
GM
 

Nikkita6

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That has 1 extra piece. On mine the button has a magnet and delrin. I don't have a second magnet piece.


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The iteration of the 4nine that come with an extra magnet is required because the mod is actually too long, and improperly sized at 82mm all tubes/52mm in 350 mode, and so the magnet is necessary in order to make up for the extra length, and it is not truly a 4nine anyway (Infinite) ... which is not the case with the 4nine from FC, which is accurately sized at 79mm all tubes, 49mm in 350. You are not supposed to have an extra magnet, so that is not the issue with your mod.

Since you are not the only person that I have recently heard complaints from, regarding the protruding button, I am inclined to believe that perhaps these recent batches are simply flawed? The switch should be perfectly flush with the 350 tube, as both of mine are, however, I received mine when they were first released, so the qc was not yet an issue.

You can count on qc becoming an issue in China, whenever demand for a particular product reaches a fever pitch, and every body wants one. Just as it happened with the Stingray mods. During the early releases, everyone was raving about how awesome the switch was, fast forward a few months, and now the general consensus is that the Stingray clone has a crappy, crunchy, sticky switch.
 

Nikkita6

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All is better now. I will not tell you or admit to the two magnets being quite strong and stuck together leading me to believe its one piece. Nope, won't admit that because if that was true that would give me a full derp point. So yeah, I'm not saying that happened. All I'm saying is that my mod works now. Like magic IMO.

Haha .. perhaps this is the true reason behind all the complaints I have heard, and not a qc issue. :p
 

Dhim

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Haha .. perhaps this is the true reason behind all the complaints I have heard, and not a qc issue. :p

It's still a finicky mod. You need the right a arty and even with the v2 cap I still don't trust it. It can simply fire too easily. I would never put this in my pocket or leave it on a table unattended with a battery in it.

I absolutely love the size of it, I just wish it had a locking mechanism. The hybrid connection really doesn't make that much of a difference honestly.


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Nikkita6

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It's still a finicky mod. You need the right a arty and even with the v2 cap I still don't trust it. It can simply fire too easily. I would never put this in my pocket or leave it on a table unattended with a battery in it.

I absolutely love the size of it, I just wish it had a locking mechanism. The hybrid connection really doesn't make that much of a difference honestly.


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Something is definitely wrong the machining, and quality then .. I have always sat my on the table, and carried them in my pocket while doing yard work, never had the sense that it was going to fire on me. If you feel like that, then its probably for good reason, so keep following your instincts. ;)
 

bsoplinger

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The quality of the experience with the 4nine is completely dependent on the atomizer used and battery choice. Try another different atomizer or battery until you find a combo that works well. I have 2 different (stainless steel and brushed brass) from focalecig. Both are a delight with a Fogger V4 and Sony VTC5 battery. Change to the black edition Kayfun (I'd call this my best overall atomizer) and purple Efest batteries and its either auto firing or refusing to fire at all.

The center pin of the atomizer need only extend past the outside threaded part by a fraction of a millimeter. Just enough so that the battery will make contact with the center pin and never the outside. You can try adjusting the center pin in or out to change the length of the throw and whether it auto fires or not. The delrin spacer and magnet combo that sticks to the bottom of the battery is threaded. You can minimally adjust the position of the magnet within the spacer by turning. This can make a difference in firing.

Lastly, the brushed brass 4nine I received had the magnet in the switch installed improperly. I used the hole in the center of the switch to pop it out. I then cleaned up the hole and replaced the magnet in its proper position to get it working well. The stainless steel 4nine had extra glue on the spacer magnet. Scraping that off got it working.

You should be able to create a setup you enjoy with the 4nine with just a bit of effort.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Xparent Purple Tapatalk 2
 

notagoodnameleft

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I've a half dozen of these... LOVE THEM. YES - finicky, YES - requires operator training, YES - you will likely fry magnets or a battery because you think you know better (and the magnets or battery is the cost of this knowledge, as after - you will know better)...

1) IGO (authentic and clone) seem to have the best post (510) size for these. I've tried FT KF & Russian (and although they work - they are picky), but the IGO-W and IGO-W close both work perfect (as does the IGO-W7)...
2) the Panasonic hybrid batteries have been my favorite to date (down to .57ohm). I use these with KF Black Ed, Krakens (fav), and premethius - bunch of clones all working great.
3) you would be well served to remove the hybrid like top cap and screw your atty to it first and make sure the delrin is in place, and the post protrudes....
4) Don't power vape (15+ seconds) on it - the lil' hole in the bottom switch will release heat - trust me...
5) I love these. I also loved my zmax mini stacked back in the day so #5 might just be yet another sign - bit off kilter...
6) there seems to be two types of insulators (the piece that goes between the bottom switch and the battery - and MAKE SURE you align properly - you want the switch and the insulator to REPEL each other - if the magnet/insulator is oriented with side A upwards - and side A sticks to the bottom of the switch - keep that orientation and stick side A up onto the bottom of the battery)... First is that cheapo with a delrin ring and a RE magnet glued in, and the second with a magnet glued into a copper (threaded) ring, which screws into the delrin - and allows for near 3mm of adjustment in or out... If you fry one or loose one or whatever - the only place I found the good ones was Focalecig - comes with both switch button and insulator - and ships the usual way from China - painfully!!!

B.goood
 

Dhim

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Here is a little update on my 4nine. Focal (or more specifically my favorite CSR @Doris) sent me 3 new top caps. 2 with the new Delrin insulator and the 510 stopper. The other was the older style with no Delrin. I think the issue is the delrin that comes with the update top cap screws in but doesn't want to stay in there when you thread an atty down. It wants to unscrew a bit even if you hold it down. If you do it very slowly it now works fine. Still have the slight button protrusion that makes me a little leery, but it's certainly better.
 

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