Flux Health Forum

Micro pulse devices - wear and tear

Expert's Forum Ask the Experts
#1

after using the a9 daily for about a month, i started to wonder about the wear and tear of the parts used frequently.

  • physical switch: on/off - what is recommended for turning the device on and off? do i just let it run if I’m going to come back to it for use in an hour? should i just unplug it when i decide to turn it off? the concern is keeping wear and tear on physical parts to a minimum, but then if i let it run when when i step away or if i turn it off and on just by [un]plugging it - how will that wear on the electronic components?

  • physical switch: power level - this i can’t avoid unless i have a schedule when to switch to 2x2 or splitter for coils and for brain use… i don’t see any way around that other than following a measurable schedule for L vs X etc

  • coils - it seems like the best way to preserve these based on another thread in the forum is to not bend the coil or tweak the wires… and also keep away from oils and lotions. maybe wrap in plastic (Saranwrap or baggie if there is need for contact with oil or lotion). other than that, sounds like they can be used indefinitely -which is good to know!

other than just common sense care of the product, it seems pretty straightforward! :upside_down_face:

@Bob thoughts? thanks!

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#2

I’d also be curious to know whether it’s ok to just swap batteries without ever turning off the switch. (to minimize wear and tear on the switch).

Another thing that has happened to me a couple times is that, with overnight use, I wake up and find that the device is running, but the coils are no longer connected.
Should I be concerned about this?

#3

That sounds right to me. The switches are the highest quality I could find, so they should not wear out with normal use. If they do fail, then they probably had a defect in manufacturing and should be replaced.
If you are that careful taking care of it, it is unlikely to wear out. We have A9 models that have been used every day for 6 - 7 years that are still working well. But anything you place close to your body such as the coils will eventually wear out. The more careful you are, the longer they will last.

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#4

I’ve had an M1 for about five months and the switch has failed. (Sadly the device is perpetually off rather than on.) How is this switch connected to the circuit board? I’m assuming it’s soldered. How fine is the soldering job?

#5

It is actually pretty easy to fix if you know how to solder. You probably need a solder pump remover (“sucker”) . But the main thing is that when you replace it, the thru-hole legs of the switch need to be snipped off very flush so the battery will still fit.

Re-assembly of the M1 can be tricky though: lots of stuff jammed into a small space.

If you send it to us I can replace the switch for you pretty easily. It should still be under warranty if it is only 5 months old.

#6

@Bob i didn’t want to create a new topic for this a9 device indicator question, so I’m adding it in this thread. i didn’t email support about it either in case other people have this question too and search the forum for “red light indicator” or “blinking red light” or “blinking red x indicator” (that should cover keyword searches :grinning:)

i was running my a9 on battery at max setting using a splitter… and maybe 3hrs later i noticed the device was running pretty warm in my pocket and i noticed a red x blinking. when i dropped it down to lightest power setting, it went away. I haven’t started it back up yet. what does the red x mean?

#7

Red X means the device is doing its best to keep from being overheated.

-Rex X goes on briefly = device prevented an overheat damage condition but is OK as long as you stop doing whatever you were doing++ to cause the overheat.

-Red X stays lit no matter what you do = device has suffered permanent damage.

++ like any other device, vehicle, appliance, or anything else made by anyone else for anything else, it is possible to run Micro-Pulse devices way too hard to the point where you will destroy them. Micro-Pulse devices have many internal design features to prevent this from happening, but if you keep running it way to hard, you can eventually destroy the device.

Imagine driving your car everywhere, at full throttle. Eventually, before too long, little red indicator lights will start showing up on the dashboard. Every one of these means the same thing: stop it.

Here are conditions that can cause overheat (creative people will find more ways to destroy their device, these are the main ones):

-Running at full intensity all the time

-Running at full intensity for long periods of time

-Running at high or full power with an output short condition (including not fully plugging in the coil plug, which can cause a short)

-Operating the device for long periods of time at full power with heavy loads such as coil splitters and 2x2 arrays.

-Operating the device at high or full power for long periods without allowing cooling: under pillows, quilts, blankets, in a pocket, etc.

Basically, you ended up doing the right thing: when you see the red light start to come on, then check what you are doing:

Let the device cool off, turn the power down a bit, make sure the coil plug is inserted fully, and make sure the coils are functioning, not broken and shorted out.

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#8

i am guilty of that on a 9 volt which the battery likely heated up too. i guess i was one of those who found a creative way to burn out my a9 haha😀

i was thinking with the 2x2 or split, running at max since distributed, would be equivalent to running at M.

can’t wait to get my hands on a c5… one day soon i hope!

#9

Yes, at first pass it might seem that way. It sounds pretty logical actually:

  • coil splitters and 2x2 arrays should reduce the load by spreading it out…

But that is opposite to the way it really works. When you add loads, you are adding them in parallel (this is a specific electrical term), which increases the total electrical load, which increases power dissipation, heat, etc.

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#10

I need to solder a new power barrel jack on the C5 as the central pin broke off. Are these the correct ones: https://www.amazon.com/Uxcell-a15012900ux0190-5-5x2-1-Female-Connector/dp/B011HFLKI2/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=barrel+jack+5v+pcb&qid=1610948888&sr=8-4 Or what is the correct size? Could you recommend some? (We have a couple c5s and we carry them around in a fanny pack a lot so they get a lot of wear so I imagine I will eventually have to do this a few more times. :). ) Thanks!

#11

Those look correct, but with amazon it is hard to tell if they are a look-alike knock-off.

Bob

#12

:+1: Gotcha. That gives me a direction in any case; we’ll see. Thanks!

#13

Hold on, I think those are the wrong diameter (5.5 mm x 2.1 mm). They look very similar but they will not fit properly.

#14

OK, I checked with my designs and the exact component we use for that power jack is:
CUI Inc: PJ-031DH

It is available from digikey:

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/cui-devices/PJ-031DH/1644524?s=N4IgTCBcDaIAoCkC0AGAzARgCIAkAEIAugL5A

I would, however, caution you that most people who try to modify or fix our devices find that they do a lot more damage than good. If possible, I suggest you contact fluxhealth customer support for an official repair to make sure it is done correctly.

#15

Okay, got it. I thought I might have a problem with the diameters. Thanks so much for following up and sending me the correct specs. I really appreciate it!

Thanks for the advice about sending it in. One of my goals is to be more electronically self-sufficient since I am always taking things apart and trying to fix them, so far usually with success. However, I need to test whether my soldering skills are still up to snuff, so I will practice a few times on a similar board with my Hakko 301 and Hakko FX951. If I find my work is a bit dodgy, I will definitely look to customer support. Thanks again!

#16

recommendations for wear and tear:

  1. increase wire size of the audio cables.
    If the wire size is increased a couple of sizes up, it will still a thin manageable cable, but it will be stronger.
  2. Use Nylon braided audio cables.
    Since the invention of mobile devices charging cables, every day use experience have thought all of us that nylon braided charging cable last longer than just plain ultra thin cables. the cost of china will be just 1 cent more per cable!
    the Y splitter that came with my A9 start having problems after a couple of month of use so has to stop using it.
    Recently I bought a nylon braided Y splitter 18 gauge, I use it every time I want to use a pair of Coils per shoulders, and it still good as new.

Recommendations for better end user experience, and scientific research.

  1. Mark the poles of the coils!
    I saw the paper of one of the original PEMF machine, and it was an array of 4 x 8 coils, alternated N and S poles. because as stated in this forum several times, two identical poles side by side will cancel each other (will not make the donut loop). so, If a user want to place 4 or 8 coils using a C5 in their back, or stack 4 or more coils for better penetration, etc… etc… having the Coils marked the poles, will be easier for a better and optimal treatment. it could be an N and a S, + and -, red and black…
    in my case, I want to put 4 coils in my shoulders along the supraspinatus to reduce impingement caused by supraspinatus inflammation. but, I have tried the “look the tester leds brightness” and its is very difficult to notice any difference! (at least with the A9)
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#17

1- The wire size is limited by what can be molded into the connectors, and we already use the maximum size. Thicker wires incorporated in earlier designs actually caused different failure modes, usually at the connector.
2-Nylon braided cables are only “1 cent more” when very large manufacturing batches are purchased. When we priced this option years ago, it nearly doubled the cost of coils. We purchase at about three orders of magnitude below the “large batch” threshold, which means assembly methods are very different (usually more manual), tooling costs are much higher, process control is much more challenging, and some materials and process are simply not available at small volumes.
3- The poles of the coils reverses instantaneously because by design the induced net ion flux is zero. When you see the polarization indicated on an illustration I made, that is to show the polarization state for one instant so that instantaneous flux lines can be visualized. But it will be reversed with the next pulse.

Side by side coils do not really cancel, they cause the flux lines to curve through space differently, not along a torroidal shape. The bumpy sides of coils indicates their instantaneous polarization (one is opposite the other), and if you just follow my simple instructions (bumpy sides away from the skin, unless coils are directly stacked, in which case place bumpy sides together), then the magnetic flux will interact constructively.

Use the hex tester to verify initial coil function, then arrange the coils with bumpy-sides configured as described when locating them in a spot where you can not see them.

But you have to keep in mind: this is not entirely prescriptive, and different coil configurations work somewhat differently for different people, so the best outcomes result from trial and error and recording of observations, adjustments, etc.

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#18

ok, so, I can put 2x2 coils in any type of configuration without been worry of polarity to reach optimum performance?

#19

yes. And if you stack them, just be sure each individual coil loop is adding together: use the hexagonal tester.