Common Problems

[blueridgedog]

Common Troubleshooting Steps

(feel free to correct/expand/enhance this) 

Screen is blank, but device functions:

• Verify that it is not in stealth mode:  Lock the device and hold power and down until “Normal Mode” is displayed.
• Verify that screen is not pinched by the fire button, if so, return to manufacture for service.
• In Escribe - Help -About EScribe  click the logo 7 times then open Device Monitor and look at the screen disconnects.  If that is > 0 it is a screen connection issue, could be the cable has come out of the socket or the cable is damaged. 

Device powers on only when connected to USB power:

• Fuse is blown:  Visually inspect fuse or test with ohmmeter.  Return for repair if blown.
• Battery is dead or low or a single cell is dead or low:  View cell charge levels in Escribe to verify that the device sees a three cell pack and that each cell is charged above 2.00 volts

Battery Meter is inaccurate/Battery % Jumps Down:

• Watt-Hour setting in Escribe is incorrect.  Calculate Watt Hours using battery analyzer and enough coil wire to form several large loops to dissipate the heat.  The pack you are using likely has less watt-hours than estimated.

Weak Battery displayed when battery has sufficient charge:

• Launch Device Monitor and view each cell’s charge level for sagging during vape. 
• Verify watt-hour setting for your Lithium Polymer pack is set correctly.

Battery won’t charge to 100%:

• Using the watt hour calculator to guess at a figure will at times result in a number that is actually in excess of the real life figure for the pack.  Run battery analyzer to get a correct figure or simply reduce the rating.

 Warranty Service Error Message:

• Warranty error means that the logic voltage regulator is running out of spec. That could be due to a soft short circuit somewhere in the logic circuitry, a total battery voltage under 4v, or similar.   Verify cell voltages and replace battery if needed or send mod in for service if the battery is to spec.

 EEPROM Programing/Read Failed:

• Escribe attempted to write/read to/from the device but failed.  Typically related to a poor USB cable or a computer with considerable lag, causing slow USB response.  Use a known good cable, eliminate running processes and manually try a firmware update via Tools and “Update Firmware”.

 Device won’t connect to Escribe:

• Inferior USB cable – half of the diagnosed connection issues can be traced back to a poor quality cable or one lacking the wires for data (a cable sold for cellular device charging).

Device Autofires:

• Generally caused by a short from the “OUT” connection to the atomizer and board ground (due to poor soldering or erosion of board coating).

Ohms showing 0.00 with new atomizer:

• Ohms will display 0.00 until the fire button is depressed with a new atomizer.

Resistance is variable and results in poor vape:

• The ground path is crucial.  Some mods (like the Hana) did not install a ground path and relied on the 510 connection to the case which could be unreliable.  Install a dedicated ground connection to the board.
• Many atomizers are poorly suited to vaping in TC mode.  They have springs or loosely threaded center pins that can cause big swings in resistance.  You can fix some of this by unscrewing the pin, cleaning it and then re-installing and potentially leaving more exposed so there is more pressure on the 510.  You can also increase the pressure of the 510 spring.

 Temperature Control Not Working:

• See the variable resistance issue.

 Once Cell of the Three Cell Pack fails to Charge:

• There is a rare board assembly error where one of the four resistors near the USB plug will be omitted or poorly attached.  This can be seen with a visual inspection.  If one of them is missing or not installed correctly, RMA the board.  
• If the board is functioning and the onboard resistors look intact, then one cell of the pack may be bad.

 The mod will not charge and cell voltages read low:

• The device will not charge cells below 2 volts.  To try and recover an over drained pack, in Escribe select Device Monitor, Diagnostics, Advanced and “Perform USB Recovery Charging”.  You may need to do this multiple times.

The custom fields I chose to display while charging do not display:

• Check the screen brightness is greater than 0% for charging in Escribe, they only display when in idle about 30 seconds after connecting the cable.

USB port gets hot while charging:

• Check for blown fuse by looking at battery voltage in Escribe or general mod operation.

Device will not fully charge:

• Verify you have the right battery type selected.  If using a Lipo pack, but lipo4 is selected it will only charge partially.

USB Recovery Charge Fails:

• USB recovery charge only works for cells that are above 1 volt
• USB recovery charge will not work if the mod internal temperature is over 130F
• USB recovery charge may need to be run multiple times
• The pack may not be recoverable

What initial setup items are essential?:

• The main things it to do: connect to Escribe update the firmware, check the battery Wh are correct, increase the max Kanthal watts if required, choose between "max puffs" and "max recharges" battery options, set the charge screen brightness above 0% and put USB current in one of the custom fields so you can see if you have used a 1 A USB supply to charge.

Why is my VT200 battery meter dropping so fast?:

• Some of the packs shipped with this mod have less than the advertised 14.43 watt hours.  One users tested theirs to be 10.7 watt hours.  Putting 11 in the pack rating will result in a more accurate batter meter.  It is also suggested you test your pack with the battery analyzer tool.

I can't get over 100w:

• There is a non-TC limit of 100w as the default in Escribe.  You can set it higher if needed.

I am having issues with Stainless Steel:

• Stainless steel is an alloy and has issues being used as a TC control wire.  At a minimum start with a good TC atomizer and a known mod resistance.  Read this great write up by James (Evolve): https://forum.evolvapor.com/topic/67959-topic/?do=findComment&comment=911599

Escribe won't update:

• Open your web browser and verify you can go to https://my.evolvapor.com without any certifcate errors.

Device will not stay in temperature mode:

• Jumping out of TC mode is typically related to the use of low TCR wire with an inaccurately entered mod resistance value.  If you have a low resistance build, say .08, and a very low TCR wire like stainless and have a mod resistance of .008, but it is not entered, the combined resistance of your wire and your mod, .088, coupled with the low TCR value will cause the DNA200 chip to fail to see enough of a percentage change in the wire to justify TC mode.  If you are using low TCR wires then you must put in a VERY accurate mod resistance and TRY to build higher resistance coils.

Higher coil resistances limit the max power with two cells or Max resistance is lower for two battery cell operation

• The DNA 200 is a step down converter designed to run from 3 Li cells is series and is limited to a max output voltage of 9 V.  Evolv released firmware that allowed it to operate from 2 series cells at reduced power (133 W).  The max output voltage has also changed to 6 V (2 cells in series).  This changes the resistance range usable to between 0.0532 ohm and 0.27 ohm for 133 W (max power). 

DNA 200 with firmware V1.2SP3 the battery bar shows empty after updating firmware and sometimes after uploading settings or disconnecting the battery. 

• This is a known issue Evolv are working on, it will not damage the mod or battery and normally recovers after the mod goes into sleep mode, you perform a soft or hard mod reboot or upload settings.

[VapingBad]

Good work BRD, a small one off the to of my head, maybe also about the area around the USB getting hot if you try and charge with a blown fuse, but can't think hoe to phrase it ATM.


The custom fields I chose to display while charging do not display:

• Check the screen brightness is greater than 0% for charging in Escribe, they only display when in idle about 30 seconds after connecting the cable.

[blueridgedog]

Thanks...got 'em.  I missed the display brightness issue...wow.  

[blueridgedog]

Added mod not charging due to wrong battery type selected and USB recovery charge issues.

[VapingBad]

I have submitted a link to this thread to the community DNA200 Related Resources list from MikePetro.

[blueridgedog]

Copied your ECF post on setup...

[VapingBad]

blueridgedog said:

Copied your ECF post on setup...

[blueridgedog]

Add the under spec watt hour ratting from testing of the VT200.  Users that put in 14 in the mod tab are getting inaccurate battery meters as some of the shipped packs have less than 11 watt hours of capacity.

[Nick]

Looks good, I would add you may need to recovery charge a few times, or at least more than once. It will only charge for a limited amount of times for safety reasons, so one cycle may not be enough to bring some larger packs back to life. 

[blueridgedog]

Thanks Nick...got it.

[fmarmaras20]

[QUOTE=blueridgedog]Thanks...got 'em.  I missed the display brightness issue...wow.  [/paste

[blueridgedog]

Updated.

[Gm111]

Good work here blueridgedog

[blueridgedog]

Updated for jumping out of TC mode when using low TRC wire types.

[blueridgedog]

Updated for the new ability to look for screen disconnects.

[Jaquith]

There are many good points but a few are either not exactly correct or arguably not correct. Just a few examples I'd reexamine: USB Recovery, Weak Battery, 100% Charge, Warranty message, USB won't connect, Resistance, Temperature Control, not charge... I'm doing this on my phone reading 2-3 lines at a time. Don't get me wrong it's an excellent and interesting start.

[blueridgedog]

Feel free to suggest updates/expansions.  They are a collection of solutions gathered from this forum and are open to any edits you want to suggest.

[Spector NS5 RD]

you're tips/tricks look all fine to me blueridgedog. if not, nick, james or john from evolv would of chimed in and suggested any changes. thanks for the list if i run into any problems, i'll be sure to go down the list! 

[VapingBad]

Nick did on post #9 when it was 95% as it is now and thought it was good and just added a level of detail on recovery charging.

[blueridgedog]

Yea...I want to be clear that these are gleaned from this forum and are intended to be a "one stop" collection of helpful facts or solutions.  Any additional suggestions are welcome and I have solicited review from Evolv staff.  I am not trying to put "my" spin on solutions, but to collect items in one place as it is otherwise hard to locate them.

[black lace]

It would be good if it was locked to the top of topic list and then you could add to it as and when..

[JaySoCal]

One thing I have found for battery not fully charging is after it reaches 100% screen stays on but charge never resumes as voltage drops.

[VapingBad]

This may be worth including https://forum.evolvapor.com/topic/67167-topic/?do=findComment&comment=904624  about 6 V output limit with 2 cell operation.

[blueridgedog]

How would you phase it?  Something like:  Limited output for Two Cell operation based on coil ohms?

[VapingBad]

Not sure, the 133 W power limit is well known, but the 6 V output limit is not and will lower the max resistance level VxV/P, it should not effect the low res limit as that comes from the max current limit.

Maybe
Higher coil resistances limit the max power with two cells
or
Max resistance is lower for two battery cell operation


The DNA 200 is a step down converter designed to run from 3 Li cells is series and is limited to a max output voltage of 9 V.  After multiple user requests in this forum Evolv released firmware that allowed it to operate from 2 series cells at reduced power (133 W).  The max output voltage has also changed to 6 V for 2 series cell implementations.  So you need a resistance between 0.0532 ohm and 0.27 ohm for 133 W (max power) in this mode.  The max resistance can be calculated by voltages squared divided by power, the max voltage is 6 V so 36/power will give you your max res a any supported power level.


No doubt my pros could be improved, not my strong suit.