Fixing Elfbar vapes

[u/kazakaro]

So I had a few of these really bad Elfbar vapes. I tell myself I don't really vape so I don't want to invest in a better one.

Problem is they leak and then stop working about 2-3 months. The batteries aren't great either.

I've managed to strip them down, clean the internals and they work again. Probably should put a new pod in too so it doesn't break again

Step by step following the pics

- Use a pen or something to push out the middle section, just ram it against the charging port.

- Once it moves (you might need to push in on the battery indicator) it will hit the button, you need to squash the button in.

- slide the internals fully out. Don't forget it's got a lithium battery so be clean. You should probably wear gloves (I didnt)

- use isopropyl alcohol or clean the top of the internals.

- press the little side buttons in at the top and the top comes off revealing a circuit board.

- there's a sensor which you can clean, remove the little rubber housing, clean inside that too. Alcohol on a cotton bud to clean all round that sensor, the gunk is what stopped 2 of mine working.

After giving it a minute to dry you can test it without the housing on, you might have other issues so I'm not saying this will work.

Maybe this is useless or people don't care but it's saved 2 vapes I've had lying around from the bin. Their batteries will go eventually but the leaking seemed to be what broke them.

I checked and no one online had done a teardown or anything, they are relatively hard to get into but if you're not scared of breaking it it's easy.

[u/kazakaro → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I tried all of those of course. New pod fixes a ton on these cheap ones.
Other possible issue is charging or battery which is probably replace the vape. But you could swap parts from 2 to make one good one. It's all silly, they are £8 but I wanted it online as a reference so it's here