DNA40 battery life problem

[Giraut]

I have this problem with my DNA40: the battery meter goes down FAST (sometimes it even shows half-spent minutes after vaping freshly charged batteries), then the display says "WEAK BATTERIES". But when I throw the batteries on the charger, they still show 3.9V or 4V. Hardly out of charge...

I figured maybe it was the battery's internal resistance, when the mod pulls a lot of current. So I installed brand-new VTC4s in my mod. They're in parallel, so they can deliver 60A combined. Same thing...

Now I go a little over half a day with 2 x 2100 mAh VTC4s, and not even a day with 2 x 3100 mAh Efests. That's wrong. I used to get a day and a half out of random low-amp 2500 mAh batteries before.

Anybody has the same sort of problem?

 

[Mike H.]

Id call dna and ask them what could be wrong..Maybe youve seen the first bug in the device.

 

[Giraut]

I've emailed Evolv before and they just won't reply. I've long since given up trying to get support from them.

 

[Mike H.]

How long have you had it?...any warranty with it from where you bought it?...maybe send it back as defective and try another one.

 

[Giraut]

How long have you had it?...any warranty with it from where you bought it?...maybe send it back as defective and try another one.

I've had it for 2 1/2 months. I've emailed Evolv anyway, to see if I can get a reply out of them. If not, I'll probably send the mod back to the reseller.

 

[Giraut]

Okay my DNA40 has gone bananas: just to test, I've decided to continue vaping it after getting the BATTERY WEAK message. Well, after insisting for a few minutes, the battery meter suddenly shot right back to 100%. Then it slowly went down to "BATTERY WEAK" again in 10/15 minutes, etc etc. It's been doing that the whole day. But it keeps on vaping fine - aside from the BATTERY WEAK episodes.

This thing is definitely going back for repairs... Thing is though, I'm not sure it'll solve anything, as I'm pretty sure it's the stupid battery meter algorithm that's messed up, and a new board won't solve anything.

I'm tempted to get it fixed, sell it and get me a Chinese VF clone instead. American-made quality my foot...

 

[Giraut]

I RMA'd my flask... and I ordered a Vaporshark rDNA 40 as a backup, because the european distributor reckons it'll be many weeks before it gets fixed or replaced. Surprise surprise...

I love my Vaporflask, but it's not making it easy for me to love it

 

[heateris]

OP - have you cleaned the battery contacts and 510? I've had some of my VV/VW devices go wonky when they're dirty.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Giraut]

Yeah, I've checked everything. But anyway, the distributor confirmed it was likely a firmware bug, and that they've seen it before in DNA40 v1 devices such as mine. Which isn't to say my upcoming rDNA v2 with version 2.1 of the DNA40 firmware won't have the same problem, considering Evolv's track record with this

Speaking of Evolv, incidentally, they've replied to my tech support question. They told me to contact Vaporflask for support. Typical... I'm surprised they even replied at all, really.

I wonder if I should buy a Chinese DNA40 clone board and stick it in my authentic Vaporflask enclosure

 

[VapedCrusader]

Interesting situation you have there Giraut.. If anything I've heard the opposite from people with the DNA40's.. that they get MORE battery life from them.. so I can see your concern..

 

[Giraut]

Yeah, my DNA40 started out like that: completely incorrect battery gauge staying at 100% all of the time, then dropping rapidly to zero near the end of the charge. Pretty much like everybody else. But the flask, with its two batteries, lasted forever. So I didn't care too much about the gauge.

Now, with the fault at full force, the gauge jumps wildly from 100 to 0 toke after toke. I don't really care all that much to be honest, but the trouble is, when the DNA40 deems the batteries depleted, it throttles the power. That's a pain in the ass and it makes the box very annoying to use - and more importantly, unreliable when I'm out of the house.

 

[dre]

Yeah, I've checked everything. But anyway, the distributor confirmed it was likely a firmware bug, and that they've seen it before in DNA40 v1 devices such as mine. Which isn't to say my upcoming rDNA v2 with version 2.1 of the DNA40 firmware won't have the same problem, considering Evolv's track record with this

Speaking of Evolv, incidentally, they've replied to my tech support question. They told me to contact Vaporflask for support. Typical... I'm surprised they even replied at all, really.

I wonder if I should buy a Chinese DNA40 clone board and stick it in my authentic Vaporflask enclosure

Its usually a bad ground the nut that holds the 510 ground wire isn't tight enough.

 

[dre]

Tighten that but down and also sanding the metal bare could help too (where the ground washer makes contact)

 

[Giraut]

@dre: intesting that. Thanks for the info! Unfortunately though, I'm not going to open my Flask. Not because I can't, but because I reckon I shouldn't have to: at that price, since it's under warranty, someone's gonna have to work to fix it and it ain't gonna be me.

Either it's a loose ground connection like you indicate, or it's a firmware bug like the distributor says, but whatever the cause might be, it pisses me off that I should have this problem (these problems I should say, the VF has other issues) on a device that my s.o. paid 3 times more than a Chinese mod specifically so it wouldn't have problems!

 

[dre]

@dre: intesting that. Thanks for the info! Unfortunately though, I'm not going to open my Flask. Not because I can't, but because I reckon I shouldn't have to: at that price, since it's under warranty, someone's gonna have to work to fix it and it ain't gonna be me.

Either it's a loose ground connection like you indicate, or it's a firmware bug like the distributor says, but whatever the cause might be, it pisses me off that I should have this problem (these problems I should say, the VF has other issues) on a device that my s.o. paid 3 times more than a Chinese mod specifically so it wouldn't have problems!

Its just four little sxrews and you could save the hassle of shipping. Just try it before you send it out. Should take you all but 5 min. Or I could trade you my perfectly working clone flask with a authentic dna40

 

[Giraut]

Its just four little sxrews and you could save the hassle of shipping. Just try it before you send it out. Should take you all but 5 min. Or I could trade you my perfectly working clone flask with a authentic dna40

Yeah I know. I might just do it. It's tempting But it's a matter of principle really: let them guys deal with it. They created the problem in the first place, they can suck up the costs of repairs.

Incidentally, I've just received my Vaporshark. It vapes fine, but guess what: GARBLED SCREEN!

It's going back today too. I'M SO THROUGH WITH THE DNA40. Time to buy Chinese again...