Become a Patron!

Manta RDA with a loose negative post? - Read this.

Giraut

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
If the negative post on your Manta or Manta v2 RDA is loose or wobbly, or if you use it on a DNA40 mod, always with the same coils, and you've noticed the resistance is slowly creeping up by (0.01 ohm by 0.01 ohm), here's what's happening:

Sadly, on this RDA, the negative post is a separate piece that's held onto the base with a pin. You'd expect a device of this price to have a milled negative post, but... there you go. The pin is deformed to hold the post in place and prevent it from turning when you tighten the screw. Unfortunately, the Manta has a history of coming from the manufacturer with a loose pin, or developing a loose pin over time.

To fix it, do the following:

1/ Separate the bell from the base, and remove the screws from both posts

2/ Drill a 7 mm hole into a small flat bit of plywood and slip the base's 510 connector into the hole. This is so you can apply force evenly to the entire surface at the bottom of the base without scratching it, and without damaging the protruding 510 connector.

3/ Lay a flat piece of hard plastic across the top of the negative post, as perpendicular to the post as possible in both directions (or in other word, making sure the piece of plastic rests evenly all around the top of the post) and gently hammer the post down with a light hammer. The idea is to ensure the post is pushed all the way down and rests at the bottom of its housing in the base, and that both posts are at the same height, without deforming the threads for the post's screw.

4/ Insert a 2 mm wood nail into the negative post, make sure the nail's pointy end falls into the existing indent on top of the pin, at the bottom of the post's hole - that the manufacturer made when they themselves deformed the pin to secure the post - and make sure the nail comes out of the post centered. Then give the nail's head a good whack with a heavier hammer, nice and centered. One whack, that's all. Don't hit the nail so hard that it would bend and jam into the post (or worse, bend the post with it).

5/ Check that the negative post doesn't wobble anymore. If it's still loose, redo 4/ with a new nail. You shouldn't need more than 2 or 3 whacks to secure the post once and for all.

6/ Remount the post screws. If you did the job right, the negative post's screw should engage the threads without any effort.

7/ If you use a DNA40 board, mount your favorite coil the way you usually do and check the resistance: it should have dropped by several hundredth of an ohm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JXN

JXN

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Just ordered a Manta earlier today. Knew some have seen this problem of a loose post so I appreciate this and hope I don't need to read it again in a few weeks.
 

Hoekakes

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Member For 5 Years
I just smacked mine on the table to press the pin back in lol no problems since
 

VU Sponsors

Top