Become a Patron!
Thoughts on the Noisy Cricket
- Thread starter noejuice
- Start date
The noisy cricket that I have was ordered from Sourcemore. It was almost 2 months in transit.. It arrived in perfect condition, but that is a long time.
That's the only problem.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I email them and they say it takes about 3-4 weeks for delivery.
For something like the noisy cricket I could wait that long. It's not something I really really need.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
In all honesty I would love a noisy cricket made of brass.
The mod would be really hefty but it would be so damn sweet to get that sexy patina on it.
The mod would be really hefty but it would be so damn sweet to get that sexy patina on it.
I'm waiting on a NC from VapeNW ($25 shipped), my first hybrid, and was looking at my rda's for pin protrusion. Only ones that look to be on the short/iffy side is the Sapor and a Marquis clone. Some have recommended a heat sink for short pins, but doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of a hybrid by adding another layer that creates voltage drop? And I didn't realize that adjustable pins were not really supposed to be adjusted. Plus you don't know if the pin is getting turned back in when the atty is screwed on the mod. I'll just err on the safe side and not use those two. Thanks for all the good info...
The heat sink is just good to have for using those atties that don't have a suitable pin - it's for compatibility. And there are still benefits to using them with NC. You're still getting that series voltage push... ...just a little less of it. It's a minor compromise.
I can see why the Sapor makes you nervous, but I can tell you from personal experience that it does just fine with the cricket. I use it all of the time with absolutely no problems. Take that as you will. I may very well blow my face off one day and the day just hasn't come yet.
As long as it sicks out past the negative and doesn't have any pitch to it, it should be fine. It just has to be longer than the negative. And if it's still too short even though the pin does protrude, then you won't have contact at all - it just won't fire. A slight protrusion from a secure pin is enough... ...just a mm or two. It's when its totally flush or worse, recessed that there's a real risk of generating a hard short.
Anybody else wish the button was juice proof? On one hand, the button placement is convenient and ergonomic... ...while on the other hand, it is right next to the atty, which means spatter from the air holes gets spitback shot right up into it if the atty has that orientation when it's tightened-down to a secure position. They just happen to sit with the button right in the spray radius. In terms of comfort and ease of use, it is the best possible placement, but in terms of safety, performance, and maintence... ...possibly the worst possible placement for a semi-open button assembly.
See, I occasionally will be out somewhere and have problems with arching in the button from the juice getting up inside of it. It's like a little rice crispies factory in there. I can feel the power fluctuating when I hit it and even see the coils trembling quite a lot when I pulse.
It's problematic that this button, which is specifically designed not to arc under double voltage, arcs wildly, albeit for reasons than Jaybo and the guys who used to make the SMPL anticipated. So far it hasn't blown me up or damaged my batteries as far as I can tell, but this type of thing is worrisome. Fortunately, I have two crickets so I always carry a clean button. But the design flaw is nonetheless there. But hey, the polymer material does prevent not only that part, but the metal parts of the button assembly from heating up. So there's that.
Some people may not realize that they're potentially in danger when their mod suddenly isn't hitting right. I didn't hear the arcing at first. I thought it was a hair inside of the mod (which actually happens more often than I can wrap my head around.)
And yes, I tested to see where the arching was coming from. I cleaned everything but the innards of the button and tried all sorts of battery/atty combos. The snap-crackle-pop only goes away when I strip the whole button down and clean it out completely.
That is not good. I'm guessing this issue is with bottom airflow or side airflow that is close to the bottom? Which rda's seem to cause that the worst? And what do you find is a good heatsink? I have one from FT that I got as an afterthought, and it's a POS with bad conductivity. TIA
Pretty much anything that leaks excessively or has big airflow that points N/S. Its hard to say which atties will cause it by looking. It all depends on which way the airflow points when its all assembled and screwed down. Thus far, I've had this problem with the Troll and Twisted Messe. And it doesn't seem to be a given with any atty. The juice has to really get up in there.
Personally, it's not something I'm quite up in arms over. Not trying to sound the alarm here. Its annoying, but it's only an issue if you continue to use it once it starts arching without cleaning it. I don't think the juice in there is enough to cause a really serious short right off of the bat. You would have to be really negligent to make it do that. This is something more akin to having really dirty contacts.
Couldn't tell you. I don't use one myself. Haven't dropped anything on the Cricket that needed one.
Last edited:
Ok, something to keep an eye on. Don't think I have any drippers that don't spew juice in one way or another lol. Actually the Sapor is pretty clean...
I must be lucky. Everything I've ordered from sourcemore and cvapor that was in stock, never took more than 8 days to Michigan. Was really surprised when I received a NC in 6 days from sourcemore. (back in November).
I'm sure by April, everything will be back on track from CNY
Yes, you are lucky. 6 weeks to get a Griffin from Gearbest and I had to hit them with the pay pal dispute bat first. Never again with those assholes. Fasttech and Cigabuy are typically a month. What part of Michigan? I'm on Lake Huron a few miles north of Lexington.
I'm in Midland. Here's a typical shipment from China. Looks like it goes direct to Chicago, then to Allen Park (detroit area), then here. This one took 7 days.
Yeah, mine take the same route. There is a Diablo RTA with my name on it sitting in Chicago, been there since the 27th...I know what to do, I'll have you order my stuff and then I'll pay you when it gets here, ummkay 
Yeah, mine take the same route. There is a Diablo RTA with my name on it sitting in Chicago, been there since the 27th...I know what to do, I'll have you order my stuff and then I'll pay you when it gets here, ummkay
Lol, don't know what the deal is. Got this one yesterday. Took 7 days, and looks like it skipped customs (international service center) and went direct to the sort facility. In most cases, I can't get mail from California this fast. Maybe it has something to do with Dow Chemical located here in Midland. They employ a lot of international people that come and go
Got a NC from VapeNW for $25 shipped, ordered on the 1st and it came in this morning. Then of course I got this email flyer;
https://101vape.com/mechanical-mods...4+Promo&utm_campaign=weekend&utm_medium=email
Crap, now I guess I need a black one too.
Really liking this little monster. With dual fused claptons, think I have found the vape I have been looking for...for now
https://101vape.com/mechanical-mods...4+Promo&utm_campaign=weekend&utm_medium=email
Crap, now I guess I need a black one too.
Really liking this little monster. With dual fused claptons, think I have found the vape I have been looking for...for now
Got a NC from VapeNW for $25 shipped, ordered on the 1st and it came in this morning. Then of course I got this email flyer;
https://101vape.com/mechanical-mods...4+Promo&utm_campaign=weekend&utm_medium=email
Crap, now I guess I need a black one too.
Really liking this little monster. With dual fused claptons, think I have found the vape I have been looking for...for now
For now and forever. Do yourself a favor and get the black one. I did.
They have new colors
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Got a NC from VapeNW for $25 shipped, ordered on the 1st and it came in this morning. Then of course I got this email flyer;
https://101vape.com/mechanical-mods...4+Promo&utm_campaign=weekend&utm_medium=email
Crap, now I guess I need a black one too.
Really liking this little monster. With dual fused claptons, think I have found the vape I have been looking for...for now
Yeah really love my "little friend", for me .8 build with fused 30/34 fused Clapton's is my sweet spot
After you clean your NC what's the best way to lubricate everything...I need to clean mine really bad and the threads are all tight from it being dirty, but I never know what the best oil or whatever to use would be? Any thoughts?
IME, lubricants aren't worth it. All they do is decrease connectivity and attract gunk. Even when applying the smallest possible layer, I've noticed that they actually tend to lock-up faster that they would if they were bare.
Besides, you can't get around the fact that juice gunk is still gonna accumulate whether you lube it or not. You'll still have to clean and then reapply the lube. It just adds another step without really increasing the amount of time you can go before the threads need to be cleaned again.
Better to just clean all of the threads every other day. You can just use q-tips and 91% isopropyl alcohol. A toothpick gets the stuff that's really packed into the threads out pretty well. The more often you do it, the less time it takes to do.
Dirt will eat soft aluminum threads. Keep it clean. If you really want to lube the threads use a super thin film of silicone grease. Just get a little pack of bulb or spark plug grease from the counter of your local auto parts store.
I really wish there was a stainless version. I'd welcome the durability and even the extra voltage drop.
Just finished every post on the NC. Thanks for all the details.
I did not read anything about the amount of heat this little beast will create.This is my first series device.
I did have problems in the past with cheap RDA clones.
The insulator fried on a "little boy" I had in less than 20 pulls.
Plan to use a few RDAs I have, but most likely my Velocity will go on first. Using Sony VTC4 2000 mah batts.
Is that an issue with the NC? Is using the right battery as long as it is a quality one a concern?
Got a Black NC on the way from 101 which is in San Diego where I live. Great vendor IMO.
Ready for the "crazy crackler" to get here and find out.
I did not read anything about the amount of heat this little beast will create.This is my first series device.
I did have problems in the past with cheap RDA clones.
The insulator fried on a "little boy" I had in less than 20 pulls.
Plan to use a few RDAs I have, but most likely my Velocity will go on first. Using Sony VTC4 2000 mah batts.
Is that an issue with the NC? Is using the right battery as long as it is a quality one a concern?
Got a Black NC on the way from 101 which is in San Diego where I live. Great vendor IMO.
Ready for the "crazy crackler" to get here and find out.
CrazyChef
Custom Hand Crafted Coils - PureCoils.com
VU Vendor
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Your main concern should be with the resistance of your builds - try to stay at 0.5Ω or higher. You can go a little lower, but better safe than sorry.
As far as heat, I've only had a problem using my Derringer clone on the NC. But it's so short, that's to be expected. The Velocity should work just fine with the NC. But, don't use those aliens with the NC - way too low of a resistance for it.
As far as heat, I've only had a problem using my Derringer clone on the NC. But it's so short, that's to be expected. The Velocity should work just fine with the NC. But, don't use those aliens with the NC - way too low of a resistance for it.
Sort of unrelated, but I'm a firm believer in the notion that the significance of the main material's conductivity is overstated. I think it's halfway truth and halfwaty marketing bullshit. Copper is indeed the most conductive... ...it just doesn't happen to matter all that much. People obsess over it far too much when what they should really be looking at is the design. Besides, I can think of a few reasons why copper actually wouldn't be the most suitable metal for our purposes.
As long as they're clean, the same mech mods each made of copper, brass, ss, gold, rhodium, and aluminum should all perform about the same. You can compare them against each other, but they're all very conductive metals with not a lot of distance for the current to cover. The impact of the metal used shouldn't make much of a difference. When it comes to copper vs. any other commonly used metal, there is a point of diminishing returns. In wiring, it's a different story... ...but the reason it's significant there has to do with the fact that wires are long and the difference in conductivity adds up as the distance traveled increases.
And that aside, the higher the voltage, the less conductivity tends to matter. In the NC, it's that much easier for the current to overcome the resistance it faces at each connection point than with parallel or single-battery mods. This is also why arcing occurs more easily and why the button is made out of plastic instead of metal. A series mod just doesn't care as much about conductivity - the current gets where it needs to go with less inhibition.
In a mech mod, the amount/layout of connection points, surface area, and condition are what determine your drop, more than anything. A well-designed, well-kept SS mod should outperform a poorly-designed, squeaky-clean copper one... ...every time.
Or at least, that's my understanding of these things. This is what my limited knowledge and testing leads me to assume. I'm not exactly basing this on stuff I've read. It just makes logical sense to me.
And according to my shitty inline voltmeter, the total drop for a .5 build on top of the NC has been .6-.8 (pushing 7.6-7.8v under a .35-ohm load,) which you can pretty much chalk up to battery sag. Even the best fresh batteries aren't going to kick out more than 3.9v each... ...not under 10A+ loads, anyway. So if these readings mean a thing, then the drop from the mod itself is about as low as it gets... ...it would be .1-.2 at most.
Using the same meter, my brass SMPL has a similar drop under the same amp load... ...it kicks out 3.6-3.7. Actually a little lower than the cricket, but certainly reasonable for a single-battery mod.
And then, I have a bulky, heavy copper body, silver-plated-contact, magnetic switch Ciggreen Dragon that only gives 3.3-3.4 volts from fresh batteries.
If I had to guess, the difference in drop would boil down to the fact that the SMPL and NC are hybrids, while he Dragon is not. Seems to me the material doesn't have any correlation to the drop. I think it's a reasonable assumption even given the potential inaccuracy of the meter... ...that doesn't mean you can't compare readings from the same meter and draw meaningful conclusions.
Just a little food for thought...
All that being said, I'd have to agree - something more durable and easier to maintain would've been a better choice. I'd have preferred stainless steel or even brass for durability. It is designed in such a way that I don't think it would necessarily hit harder - it would just be easier to keep it hitting that way.
Last edited:
I actually love using the snubnose with my NC, but I keep the builds at .65 or above and tend to use thin wire... ...28g single-core claptons wrapped with 38g or even 40g don't hold onto much heat. The end result is a warm, fairly cloudy, flavorful, and forthcoming vape that doesn't overheat the components, even when chain vaping.
Any decent 20A batteries should be fine. That's enough to get you down to .4, which is absurdly low for the builds you should be doing. Honestly, I'd start by shooting for a .8 and working your way down. The power is quadruple that of a standard unregulated mod, so a .8 on the NC will give you the same power as a .2 on a standard mech.
The velocity is a great choice. Taming heat is the biggest obstacle. You will want to start by experimenting with atties that have a lot of space and airflow. It comes in handy.
Also, claptons. They go a long way towards helping to keep the heat down and really help keep the wicking there. Keep it within reason with them, though. If you run duals, then no aliens, staggered, or anything like that. For fused claptons, I recommend 28g or 30g for the core. With single-cores, you can go as high as 24g, though you'll want to have 38g or thinner as an outer. You don't need really high-current claptons. Simple, lower-current ones with higher wrap counts fare much better.
It's counterintuitive, but thinner gauges actually run cooler. You wouldn't think that since they heat up so much faster. With double the voltage, you don't need something that pulls a ton of current. It's better to have something that heats more readily with less power. You can still cram a ton of surface area in this way, but they hold onto less heat than say 24g or thicker would. You can build up to an ohm with dual 28g or .7-.8 ohm dual 26g and have some big-ass coils that fire up lickety split but don't get nearly as hot. Not saying that's what you should do... ...just an example to get the point across.
Almost forgot one really important thing: diameter. Don't bother with micro coils unless you're running claptons. You want as much juice and distance between either interior end of the the coil as possible. Stick to 3mm or above.
Last edited:
Thanks. Then the 0.50 Alien Claptons I got from you won't be a good choice?
Read nothing about stainless builds. Guess getting the resistance up is an issue with SS.
Thanks for the tips. Good to know in advance. Trial and error is not a safe method for vaping in most cases.
I'm not him, but I doubt it. I'm picturing some really fat, anemic coils. At worst, they would take too long to heat up and be wayy to hot once they did. It's not necessarily risky... ...just ineffective. Is each coil .5 or are they .5 in a dual configuration? A single .5 alien might actually be viable.
That's another thing that I forgot. Most big, elaborate coils will work fine if you do singles. You can go that route. You can either do big n' lean duals (big, high wrap count coils with thinner wire) or massive, flubby singles (even bigger, low wrap count coils with thicker wire.)
Haha, yes it would be an issue. You won't even find too many people using nicrome. You would be hard pressed to build something usable that would fit in a 22mm RDA. Now a 25mm or especially a 28mm RDA might make that a feasible choice. It's just total overkill when you consider that a .3 will yield over 200w.
Last edited:
I didn't think the body of the device was utilized for completion of the circuit to fire the atty. Figured it was Switch - neg/pos battery - Rocker Panel - neg/pos battery - 510 pin. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the case could be made of wood or plastic and it would still work.
SS single strand 26g 3mm 15 wraps dual is coming in at .48ohm and works fine. SS clapton (2x26/32) not so much. Would need an atty >22mm to fit enough wraps.
edit - the SS coils are slightly spaced, not full contact.
SS single strand 26g 3mm 15 wraps dual is coming in at .48ohm and works fine. SS clapton (2x26/32) not so much. Would need an atty >22mm to fit enough wraps.
edit - the SS coils are slightly spaced, not full contact.
Last edited:
CrazyChef
Custom Hand Crafted Coils - PureCoils.com
VU Vendor
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Like robot said, as a single coil build, it's a viable option. But as a dual coil configuration, even I wouldn't do it. And I've been known to do some risky vaping .
CrazyChef
Custom Hand Crafted Coils - PureCoils.com
VU Vendor
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
If you're interested in a higher amp, well made battery, the Sony VTC4s are on sale at 101Vape - $8.99/pair. Click here for the sale.
Last edited:
If anyone is interested 101vape has on sale till Sunday 17.99.
I just order one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just order one.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bullshit. Really. This post contains some serious bullshit.
He explains it well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Alright, well explain it to me and I will take it down. I try to get my information right, but I'm not always right. I'd like to hear what you have to say. I think I've got a handle on it, but if I truly don't then let the facts reflect that and I will take this discussion as a valuable learning experience.
You seem really frustrated with what I said. I'm not offended, but I am curious. You've got me thinking, "My god, what did I miss that's got this guy thinking I'm such an idiot?"
I feel like an idiot, but I don't know why I'm an idiot because you haven't explained it to me and I sure as hell can't figure it out.
Now that I have some time, I just want to elaborate on what I was saying before. I'm not making this shit up and I have reasons for thinking what I do about materials. Hear me out and correct me where I'm wrong. I'm not trying to argue with you here - I just want to understand this better, so I'm trying to make my points as clear as possible.
I am aware that copper is orders of magnitude more conductive than SS. All I was trying to say was that given the size of the body relative to all of the contact points, less-than-perfect conductivity in the body itself probably won't hold it back all that much. The current should have plenty of room to traverse through any reasonably conductive material of that mass. It's by far the biggest conductor in the circuit. The bigger the conductor, the more open the flow of current is, correct?
The contact surfaces are thus your bottlenecks. They are the narrowest pathways that the current has to travel through by a very wide margin. Even if they are all the same material as the body, the difference between the surface area of the contact points and the size of the body should be more significant than say, the difference in the conductivity of a copper body compared to stainless steel.
Because of this, I assume that a mod is essentially only as conductive as its contacts, which, given their exponentially smaller size relative to the body of the mod, will never be as conductive as the body - no matter what viable conductive material either part happens to be made of. The contact points will always allow for significantly less current flow than the body would easily accommodate on its own.
A mech mod is set up like a tiny pipe running into a much wider one. The amount of water flowing through the wider one is therefore limited by the maximum amount that can get through the smaller one. Say we have two systems with a narrow pipe feeding into a wide one. One's wide pipe (copper) is wider than that of the other (SS.) Which one is more water going to come out of?
If we take all of this as a given, then a stainless-steel-body mod with copper contacts should perform similarly to a copper-body mod with copper contacts. A copper-body mod with tiny, stainless steel contacts will hit weaker than the opposite. A copper-body mod with shitty contacts hits like shit... ...trust me, I have one.
I think it stands to reason that the connection points are far more likely to contribute to drop than the body. I'm talking about the number of interfaces, the quality/condition of the threading, the size and material of the contact points themselves, and hell, the size of the spring... ...this is why I stress the design of the mod over the materials. The body just needs to be durable and fairly conductive to do its job. Dirty, marred, oxidized threads will hurt you far more than using a less-conductive, more durable body material ever would. I prefer SS to copper for this very reason. The connection points between the threads hold up better, even if there is a very slight drop from it.
Again, this is just what my experiences, observations, and limited knowledge of how electricity works lead me to conclude. I can't pretend to know what I'm talking about. I'm just forming the connections that are there for me to grasp.
Last edited:
Model_A_Ford
Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Anyone got a pic of the new button?
Nope, though I think I see why you're confused. The negative of the atty makes direct contact with the topper while the negative end of the battery makes direct contact with the switch, both of which make direct contact with the case. Therefore, the case is your negative, just like a regular tube mod. The little bridge on the bottom only connects the batteries together.
There's a new button?
Last edited:
Model_A_Ford
Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Member For 3 Years
Member For 2 Years
Member For 1 Year
Ahh, yes I understand now. Sometimes my ignorance of basic electrical circuitry is alarming... That's why these forums are invaluable to me to avoid injuring myself
CrazyChef
Custom Hand Crafted Coils - PureCoils.com
VU Vendor
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
I've also been able to enjoy mech mods because of the knowledge I've received here. If it weren't for VU, I'd probably still be using my VV twist stick with an ET-S clearomizer!
C'mon now, I have seen your website. I'm guessing you could whip those out with one hand tied behind your back.
Seriously though, if you offered just a fused clapton using higher gauge wires that got close to 1.0 ohm and would fit on a Velocity sized deck, I would buy a few.
CrazyChef
Custom Hand Crafted Coils - PureCoils.com
VU Vendor
VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Yeah, I can, but most people can't. That's why I have a website.
99% of what is on my website is completely customizable. Maybe I should stress that a little more in the descriptions? I'll add a 1.0Ω FC right now.
What is your web siteYeah, I can, but most people can't. That's why I have a website.
99% of what is on my website is completely customizable. Maybe I should stress that a little more in the descriptions? I'll add a 1.0Ω FC right now.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk