Hello All,
Just thought it might be useful for our modders and potential modders to have a little info about the hard part of modding... how to source your battery connections!
I've been investigating this issue for almost 3 days solid now and here is my (novice) modders view.
You basically have 4 options (5, depending on the type you want in your mod):
1. The easiest way... just buy them!There are now several retailers who sell connections for modding. This is by far the easiest way to obtain them. However, if you're a recycle nut, or you're looking to sell your mods and want to keep costs to a minimum, then other options might appeal to you.
The connections cost (at time of typing) around £1 - £2 each and can be obtained from:
www.liberty-flights.co.uk (UK & US)
www.ivapour-elixir.co.uk (UK)
www.cloud9vaping.co.uk (UK)
www.madvapes.com (US)
www.eastmall.net (CH)
www.storeinfinity.com (HK)
I guess they'll be other sites that have them but that should be enough to get anyone started!
2. Recycling... option 1:Not easy, but the cheapest way to obtain those connectors. Simply recycle them from your (or other people's) dead batteries. This sounds easy eh? It isn't! Depending on who made the battery, the connector will be glued, press fit or both, into the tube. To get the connectors out of the battery tube you must do the following:
A. Before you start, make sure the battery is absolutely dead. If you cause a short circuit when removing the battery from the casing, the battery will heat up and could possibly catch fire immediately or even later!
B. Remove the plastic LED cap from the battery with a small screwdriver or pliers. If the battery is a manual, remove the switch button too.
C. Remove the small circuit boards with some needle pliers. These can be binned or kept (if you remove them carefully and have the skills to re-use them).
D. Remove the actual battery with the pliers (this is where you risk causing a short circuit). This can be disposed of (safely!).
E. If you're lucky, removing the battery will also pull out another electical plug thats hidden on the other side of the battery. If not, you'll have to work with it in place!
F. Now you can either insert a suitable rod (a long wrench socket would do) making sure it pretty much fills the tube, into the tube from the LED end and try to tap the connector out with a hammer. Try not to damage the connector. The electrical plug may help to protect it if you didn't get it out earlier.
Alternatively, screw a dead atty or cart onto the connector, take a firm grip and wiggle/pull the connector out. Sounds much easier than it actually is!
Next option, using a suitable tool (Dremmel), cut the tube open down it's length, being careful not to damage the connector. Once cut, pry the tube open and remove the connector.
Finally, heat the connector end with a heat gun, trying to loosen the fit and melt any glue. Then attach a dead atty/cart and wiggle/pull. Be careful not to overheat or you may destroy the insulating washer that's in the middle of the connector.
3. Recycling... option 2:A. Do everything up to 'E' above.
B. Cut the tube with a Dremmel/Hacksaw/Pipe Cutter, below where you think the connector ends. Be careful not to cut/damage the connector.
C. Once you can see the end of the connector, either cut again or file the tube to the required length.
D. Remove any wires etc. that you don't need.
E. Remove any paint from the outside of the remaining piece of tube so that solder will stick to it. It's now ready to use as we can use the tube as the conductor to the outside of the connector.
4. Make a connector from scratch! 
Yes, you did read that correctly! There are instructions on the net to do this either from brass tubing or by modding an existing type of electrical connector. Google is your friend here as it just seems too complicated so I'm not going to bother going into detail.
5. Adapt an atty!Depending on the connection you want to use, some (but not all) atty/battery combinations are the reverse of each other. For example, one models battery connection can be more or less the same as another models atty connection, and vice versa. As it can be much easier to remove the connector from an atty, this might be a preferred option for some.
Well, that's it! I hope I haven't bored you all to death and that it has be of some use to those that want to mod!
Sean
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