rgdfilms said:
I just got my Magic Flight a few days ago. I love the thing. The two batteries that I got with it work really well. I ordered an 8 pack of the Eneloops. I received them today and peeled a label off of one. I used tape to get the gunk off. I put it into the MB and the light DID NOT come on. I put the peeled new battery on the supplied MB charger and waited. After charging, the battery DID work but it had a really loose connection. if I turned the battery a bit, the light would get brighter and I assume hotter, if I turned it a little that way, the unit would shut off. Really disappointing. Also, I don't have time to really search through 209 pages of a forum to find out if other people have had this issue. What to do. Order some 2700s? Are they going to have the same problem? Magic Flight says they use Eneloops, yet I noticed that the nipples were different between the ones I bought off Amazon and the ones shipped with my MB.
Magic-Flight hasn't used Eneloops for some time. They are currently shipping with Maha Energy Powerex Imedions, which incidentally tests have shown is one of (if not the) top performer in NiMH batteries.
When Magic-Flight changed battery suppliers, they adjusted the tension of the copper contact ring. Here's what will be in the new Vaporpedia page on this subject (if I ever manage to get logged back in):
Why don't my peeled batteries don't fit snugly?
There are small but significant diameter variations between various manufacturers. As well, because Magic-Flight has had to switch battery suppliers, they have also had to adjust the tension of the copper contact ring accordingly. The result is that it is difficult to know which batteries will fit snugly in your particular Box. Batteries from some manufacturers will feel a little loose. This might be annoying but it doesn't interfere with use of the Box.
To operate properly, the battery need only contact the copper contact ring; a snug fit isn't necessary. To achieve this, some users find it helpful to twist the battery slightly after insertion. You can also look into the battery insertion hole while holding the end of the box at right angles and see where the copper ring intrudes slightly into the opening. When the battery is inserted, you can gently pull the battery in the correct direction to make the best contact.
Can I leave part of the label on or wrap tape around the battery to make it snug?
You can do either of those things but the battery casing must be exposed to the copper contact ring. Since it is the tension in this ring that makes the difference between a snug or loose fit, the only solution is switching to a battery that fits.
Can the copper contact ring be safety bent or pushed to be a little tighter?
It is possible--but very difficult--for someone to adjust the ring. Magic-Flight uses a press with a special fixture to make the adjustment, and generally suggests that users treat this as a warranty issue. They will be glad to recycle or re-adjust your existing units and/or send a replacement for a Box that is otherwise unusable (ie making no contact, regardless of battery used).
If you would like to attempt to make the adjustment, most often the best bet is to push the entire ring upwards from the bottom of the Box towards the lid side, with the lid open. Use a vice and a tool with a flat edge that can press with an even, gradually increasing pressure on the center of the bottom of the ring. The idea is to treat the entire ring as a unit, rather than to change the size/diameter of the ring itself. The main risk is not applying the adjustment force exactly perpendicular to the bottom of the Box at the center of the ring. If the ring moves at all forward or backward (rather than just up or down), the screen will be displaced and potentially damaged as the rod slides. Also, just the right level of force is necessary--too much and the ring will either become too small or be moved too far out of position--at which point, an opposite adjustment must be attempted. Above all else, please be safe--think about what you are doing before you do it.
If you have a Box that is not working due to this issue, and you attempt to make the adjustment and further damage the Box, please let Magic-Flight know so that they can send you a new Box.
