Advice needed

[Patricia]

 Good morning all. For some odd reason I have had 3 Protank 3's break off in my Spinner 2 batteries. I just had the worst luck with that whole shipment. What is left in the battery is a round metal piece that I think came from the coils because when I look at the bottom of the unbroken Protanks I do not see the piece that is stuck in the battery. I have tried every way I can think of to get that piece out. Tweezers, knives, paperclips but I cannot get it out. I was hoping I could pick the minds of all the vaping geniuses on VT to see if I could get some ideas on other things I can try. I hate to just through the batteries away. Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

[Tam]

Hi Patricia. Try putting the batteries into the freezer for about 10 minutes or so. Then, use something rubbery like a thick rubber band, put that over the top of the coil left inside the battery, use a small flat head screw driver to push against the piece left inside while trying to unscrew it. Once you get some movement, you don't have to push against it so hard and you can continue to unscrew the piece out. What you're trying to do is to break the screw loose at first.

Are you screwing your tank on too tight? I've never had this happen before so I'm curious about the cause.

Anyway, I hope it works for you!

[Earthling789]

From your description, it sounds like the center pin of the coil came out of the bottom of the PT3 base and stuck in the top of the battery.  It may have arced and welded itself to the battery top, or possibly some sticky juice just has it held to the battery's top pin.  Tam's suggestion of putting it in the freezer will work if it's wedged, but putting a little alcohol (rubbing or drinking) into a small medicine cup (about 1/4 inch of alcohol) and inverting the battery into the liquid to soak will break loose any of the sticky juice residue.  Soak it for 20-30 minutes and it should be able to be removed with tweezers or needle-nose pliers.  If it arced and welded the pin to the battery top... breaking it free may require brute-force

[Patricia]

45 minutes ago, Tam said:

Hi Patricia. Try putting the batteries into the freezer for about 10 minutes or so. Then, use something rubbery like a thick rubber band, put that over the top of the coil left inside the battery, use a small flat head screw driver to push against the piece left inside while trying to unscrew it. Once you get some movement, you don't have to push against it so hard and you can continue to unscrew the piece out. What you're trying to do is to break the screw loose at first.

Are you screwing your tank on too tight? I've never had this happen before so I'm curious about the cause.

Anyway, I hope it works for you!

Thank you Tam. That is one thing I did not think to do. I could be screwing it in too tight but then again like I said I have had trouble with that whole shipment and that included the coils, tanks and batteries. Those coils are a little leaky so that would be the problem too.

Hey Earthling. Thanks for the advice and I will try your suggestion. That's why I always come to you Pros. You've probably been there and done that and even if you haven't like Tam you still have the mindset to figure this stuff out. I will let yall know if this works.