Sigelei Zmax V3 and V5 Telescopic: User's Group

[yzer]

Notes on sigelei ZMAX models that entered the market 2012/2013.

sigelei ZMAX. This was available late in 2012. It's VV/VW, non telescopic. It fitted 18650 or 2x18350 with the taller battery cap. It uses the same ZMAX VV/VW chip designed and made by Yihi that is used by Smoktech for their ZMAX, which came to market much earlier in 2012. Importantly, firmware and hardware for the sigelei ZMAX is quite a step up from the Smoktech. The Sigelei ZMAX is later called V1. Sigelei ZMAX is 510 connection only.

Sigelei ZMAX V2. Replaces the discontinued Sigelei ZMAX (V1). Available in spring of 2013. Identical to its predecessor except adding 510/eGo threading to the top end. This was an important move back then when eGo threading was required for the many popular clearos of the day.

About this time the Sigelei ZMAX Minis began to appear.

Sigelei ZMAX Mini. I'm not sure of the exact dates for the Minis. The widely sold Mini was 18350 only but custom Minis had the ability to use larger batteries with the addition of tube extensions and different sized battery caps. There was a group buy here on ECF for custom Minis like this.

Sigelei ZMAX V3. Sometime early in the spring of 2013 the V3 was released. All V3s feature telescopic tubes. With included short and tall battery caps these rigs can use 18350, 18490/18500, 18650 and 2x18350 batteries without extension tubes. Equipped with an 18350 battery and the short battery cap the V3 and the later V5 are the same length as the standard Mini.

Sigelei ZMAX V5. The V5 first appeared late in the summer of 2013. All V5s are telescopic, like the V3s. V5 adds features including the cell phone charger and a two line firing display.

In the long post about my V3s and V5s above I mentioned improvements that were made to the second generation V3. The same changes were made to the entire Sigelei ZMAX line at about the same time.

 

[aikanae1]

Notes on Sigelei ZMAX models that entered the market 2012/2013.

Sigelei ZMAX. This was available late in 2012. It's VV/VW, non telescopic. It fitted 18650 or 2x18350 with the taller battery cap. It uses the same ZMAX VV/VW chip designed and made by Yihi that is used by Smoktech for their ZMAX, which came to market much earlier in 2012. Importantly, firmware and hardware for the Sigelei ZMAX is quite a step up from the Smoktech. The Sigelei ZMAX is later called V1. Sigelei ZMAX is 510 connection only.

Sigelei ZMAX V2. Replaces the discontinued Sigelei ZMAX (V1). Available in spring of 2013. Identical to its predecessor except adding 510/eGo threading to the top end. This was an important move back then when eGo threading was required for many of the popular cartomizers of the day.

About this time the Sigelei ZMAX Minis began to appear.

Sigelei ZMAX Mini. I'm not sure of the exact dates for the Minis. The widely sold Mini was 18350 only but custom Minis had the ability to use larger batteries with the addition of tube extensions and different sized battery caps. There was a group buy here on ECF for custom Minis like this.

Sigelei ZMAX V3. Sometime early in the spring of 2013 the V3 was released. All V3s feature telescopic tubes. With included short and tall battery caps these rigs can use 18350, 18490/18500, 18650 and 2x18350 batteries without extension tubes. Equipped with an 18350 battery and the short battery cap the V3 and the later V5 are the same length as the standard Mini.

Sigelei ZMAX V5. The V5 first appeared late in the summer of 2013. All V5s are telescopic, like the V3s. V5 adds features including the cell phone charger and a two line firing display.

In the long post about my V3s and V5s above I mentioned improvements that were made to the second generation V3. The same changes were made to the entire Sigelei ZMAX line at about the same time.

Your right. Oops, those photos were of the mini's, date 6/13. I got rid of a lot of photos and was surprised to find those.

At one time I went back through the group thread on ECF and not sure I still have those notes. I was a new. The group lasted 6 months and Sigelei asked SJ for rights to produce his design, the mini. The goal was to get a "true mini" because we thought without the telescopic tube, it would be shorter. That's why I'm almost positive the telescopic was on the market in advance of the mini. In the end, we accepted the mini the same size just without the tube seperation. There was grumbling about not getting a "true mini".

Siegeli released the mini's about the same time as our testor's arrived and they promised extensions later which never materialized on the retail market. We expected to be first. When our testor's arrived they were the flat top version and up until then, we'd only seen the vertical so it was a shock. The group voted to stay with the vertical design and rejected the flat top.

The photo date was 6/13. So that means the V3 telescopic might have been on the market by Feb/March of that year if we were trying to eliminate the tube to make it shorter?

The next round gave members a choice of 4 designs in various combinations of vertical/horizontal and flat/slant top. That was the last round. The only other round was before my time for the V2 which was the first all stainless one piece 51O connection, which I guess Siegeli also got permission to adopt. The threads should be archived, but they are lengthy and tedious to go through however there is discussion about time line and variations of what was released when.

If you look at psuardo reviews, he reviews the V1 and suggests changes. He's happy to get V2 that included all his changes + more one month later and re reviews the Zmax. I think the V1 only lasted one month and I'm not sure if it ever was on the retail market. Just a thought.

I know in the middle of round 2, the V5 came on the market because the group wondered about getting the upgraded firmware and usb used in the mini. There was a menu change in the V3 to include a "true on/off" that wasn't in the first round. The second round had removeable tops.

I only was aware of one store that retailed the ss mini with extensions and they were limited. At least stateside. I guess there were more sold overseas.

Geesh. I wasn't expecting to go over the history but that may fill some holes in the timeline. SJ was the Sigelei guy at the time.

Here's another photo I found from round 2 of different variations. Round 1 used different sized caps. Round 2 used extension tubes and chrome button, for what it's worth. Sigelei also offered beauty and carry rings for round 2. The date shows 9/14.

 

[yzer]

Very interesting stuff, aikanae1! Thanks for posting it and don't apologize about the length.

I've been using the alarm to get up at weird hours this morning. One of my hobbies is short wave listening. I've been looking for Radio Vanuatu. Unfortunately, no success this morning. I did find a nice new frequency for BBC World Service though in case I should be up so early again. LOL.

 

[BackDoc]

great stuff Aik

 

[aikanae1]

aikanae1, on the side by side photo above isn't the Sigelei on a the right a V1 (which was never called a V1) or a V2? Both initially had slant top styling with vertical tube slotting. V1 and V2 were not telescopic and fitted 18650. I'm not sure what the other Sigelei on the left is. Maybe a Mini with an extension tube? The Sigelei Zmax Minis were out on the market before the telescopic V3 and some custom orders had extension tubes.

I'll bet there was a vertical slant top v3. I thought I'd stolen a pic of one but I guess not. You got me wondering now.

I also wonder about chinese sites that still offer zmax "eta 7 days" or whatever. You know they don't have any.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

 

[Foggy Road]

Phew... just thought I'd stop by to say hi to everyone and take a break from stirrin the pot in other threads. Howdy Zmax Peeps.

 

[yzer]

I'll bet there was a vertical slant top v3. I thought I'd stolen a pic of one but I guess not. You got me wondering now.

I also wonder about chinese sites that still offer zmax "eta 7 days" or whatever. You know they don't have any.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

There are tons of slant top V3s in addition to the flat tops. The slants tops have "pips" on the top cap and vertical slots on the lower tube. Sometimes there were vent holes in the slots.

 

[aikanae1]

Vapor Rider's back.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

 

[yzer]

...and some V3s came equipped with flat tops and vertical slotted tubes. I don't think Sigelei worried much about mixing the styles up. I don't think I've ever seen an OEM V3 with a slant top and the horizontal tube rings, though.

 

[Foggy Road]

Yeah saw that but apparently outta stock on everything that was of interest to me. Unless that was a glitch also.

 

[yzer]

No radio Vanuatu.

 

[yzer]

Radio New Zealand is coming in pretty good this morning on 9700 kHz. Good V5 music.

 

[yzer]

Madvapes has lowered the price for the stainless steel, flat top telescopic V5 to $14.99.

Madvapes - Electronic Cigarettes, E Cigarettes, E-Cigs | Madvapes

Type: Sigelei Zmax V5 into the Madvapes search box.

 

[Foggy Road]

Got a new playmate for my 2 V3s. Took my first TC the other day when I saw a KSD Kmax up for grabs. Anyone have any experience with it?

Also won a new Balrog 70w TC full kit from the Jwraps giveaway the day before. Which do you think I was more excited about?

 

[aikanae1]

Madvapes has lowered the price for the stainless steel, flat top telescopic V5 to $14.99.

Madvapes - Electronic Cigarettes, E Cigarettes, E-Cigs | Madvapes

Type: Sigelei Zmax V5 into the Madvapes search box.

Expecting a new one soon?
If I'm going to go broke, you should too.

 

[VapieDan]

Got a new playmate for my 2 V3s. Took my first TC the other day when I saw a KSD Kmax up for grabs. Anyone have any experience with it?
View attachment 550999
Also won a new Balrog 70w TC full kit from the Jwraps giveaway the day before. Which do you think I was more excited about?

I really tried to get a KSD while they were on the way out. Never did. Let us know what you think of it.

 

[VapieDan]

Expecting a new one soon?
If I'm going to go broke, you should too.
View attachment 551025

So tempting!

 

[aikanae1]

So tempting!

No kidding but my car had other plans.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk

 

[yzer]

As posted earlier, I have three V5s and two V3s in addition to a supply of eight Omron switches. I think I am covered for life.

 

[aikanae1]

I noticed today that FT is finally showing their Zmax V3 discontinued.
End of an era.