So I have been having issues where after about three-four weeks of good vaping on my Blu 100 Batteries, they crap out on me. I had ordered at two new batteries at different points before I got frustrated enough to try and fix them myself, seeing that I was going to be ordering a new battery every month at this rate.
What was happening: I would be vaping a newly charged battery, and instead of the LED going off after taking a puff, the LED would stay on solid but the atomizer would kick off. The atomizer/cartridge was not firing, so it was not an issue with the battery stuck on, but the LED would not go off either no matter what I tried. I assumed the LED being stuck on signaled some type of short in the internal circuitry.
So I carefully pried off the top cap of the battery to reveal a small circuit board at the end of the battery, with the LED a solid blue. Using a pair of pliers (with tape over the ends so as to not make electrical contact with the circuitry) I pulled the circuit board carefully up to reveal a small black micro-chip on the under side of the board. I made sure to not disconnect any of the wiring, since it was clear I would never be able to reconnect the small wires to their contact points should I pull them loose.
Looking at the micro-chip, I would see four small pins on each side connected to the board; the left side had a red wire connected to the base of the circuit board and the right side had a blue wire connected to the base. I then grabbed a straight pin and using the pin carefully made contact with the first two pins on the left side (side with Red wire connection) and the LED went off. I need to say that immediately after the LED went off I pulled the straight pin away. I ruined the first battery I tried this method on by leaving the straight pin touching the chip for too long, causing the board to overheat and melt the chip slightly.
Ok, so now that the LED went off, I tested the battery by drawing on the cartomizer end. Nothing happened, so I assumed that maybe after causing the chip to short the LED off, I needed to reset it. I took the straight pin and again touched it to the first two pins on the chip (still left side) and the LED blinked 3 times and turned off. I then tried drawing on the battery, and wallah! The battery works again! I put the plastic end cap back on, used the battery for 65 more puffs before it blinked 30 times indicating it needed charging. Plugging it into the USB charger, the battery began charging and took 45 minutes to reach a full charge. Everything is still working great!
I have done this three other times to my other batteries (I have three now) in the last two weeks as they experienced similar issues with the LED staying on and not heating up the atomizer in the carts. It seems the batteries under normal daily usage only last about a month before this happens, but using this trick I should be able to get many more months of use out of them. And I won't have to keep giving Blu $15 every month for a new battery.
I have read other posts about Blu users having similar issues with Batteries going dead or being duds, and it is my hope this helps someone or will keep others from having to go through several batteries and ultimately give up on Blu. I love their product and am very pleased with the vaping experience on my Blu 100. Having fixed a BIG battery issue and knowing that I can solve battery issues in the future has really helped me to stick with Blu, whereas I might have tossed it after ordering battery after battery after battery.
I can try and upload some pictures of the circuit board and the pins I mention if it helps or someone needs them. Just let me know.
-Kirk359
------------
Analog free since 1/1/13
82 packs avoided
1,640 analogs avoided
$458 saved
What was happening: I would be vaping a newly charged battery, and instead of the LED going off after taking a puff, the LED would stay on solid but the atomizer would kick off. The atomizer/cartridge was not firing, so it was not an issue with the battery stuck on, but the LED would not go off either no matter what I tried. I assumed the LED being stuck on signaled some type of short in the internal circuitry.
So I carefully pried off the top cap of the battery to reveal a small circuit board at the end of the battery, with the LED a solid blue. Using a pair of pliers (with tape over the ends so as to not make electrical contact with the circuitry) I pulled the circuit board carefully up to reveal a small black micro-chip on the under side of the board. I made sure to not disconnect any of the wiring, since it was clear I would never be able to reconnect the small wires to their contact points should I pull them loose.
Looking at the micro-chip, I would see four small pins on each side connected to the board; the left side had a red wire connected to the base of the circuit board and the right side had a blue wire connected to the base. I then grabbed a straight pin and using the pin carefully made contact with the first two pins on the left side (side with Red wire connection) and the LED went off. I need to say that immediately after the LED went off I pulled the straight pin away. I ruined the first battery I tried this method on by leaving the straight pin touching the chip for too long, causing the board to overheat and melt the chip slightly.
Ok, so now that the LED went off, I tested the battery by drawing on the cartomizer end. Nothing happened, so I assumed that maybe after causing the chip to short the LED off, I needed to reset it. I took the straight pin and again touched it to the first two pins on the chip (still left side) and the LED blinked 3 times and turned off. I then tried drawing on the battery, and wallah! The battery works again! I put the plastic end cap back on, used the battery for 65 more puffs before it blinked 30 times indicating it needed charging. Plugging it into the USB charger, the battery began charging and took 45 minutes to reach a full charge. Everything is still working great!
I have done this three other times to my other batteries (I have three now) in the last two weeks as they experienced similar issues with the LED staying on and not heating up the atomizer in the carts. It seems the batteries under normal daily usage only last about a month before this happens, but using this trick I should be able to get many more months of use out of them. And I won't have to keep giving Blu $15 every month for a new battery.
I have read other posts about Blu users having similar issues with Batteries going dead or being duds, and it is my hope this helps someone or will keep others from having to go through several batteries and ultimately give up on Blu. I love their product and am very pleased with the vaping experience on my Blu 100. Having fixed a BIG battery issue and knowing that I can solve battery issues in the future has really helped me to stick with Blu, whereas I might have tossed it after ordering battery after battery after battery.
I can try and upload some pictures of the circuit board and the pins I mention if it helps or someone needs them. Just let me know.
-Kirk359
------------
Analog free since 1/1/13
82 packs avoided
1,640 analogs avoided
$458 saved
