Smoktech Vmax Owners - tips, tricks and quirks

[dwcraig1]

Wow. I wish I knew what I was doing wrong, because I sure love those Vivi tanks.

If you have the latest version of ViVi Nova 2.5ml heads rated at 3.2 ohms are available from Gotvapes, the picture on their site is of the earlier version head but it's the newer one they are selling.

They do not interchange with each other.

The one on the left is the newer style.
Disregard the fact that it has shorter wicks.
Note the difference of silicone cap, the old one is flat on top.

 

[sgenn99]

I have the new Vivi, and I will order the highest res heads I can find. But honestly, is it better to just use carto tanks instead of wick based? I have a few 2 and 3.0 single and duals on the way-pre punched. I love tanks, and I love that crackling sound! Lol

Would higher resistance then 3 be worth trying? I just want to get the most out of my vmax. Seems as though single coils would be better, right? Less strain on the battery, I have read. Just looking for the most versatile resistance carto to get so I can order a handfull and use them in all my tanks. I am not vaping anything too thick (mostly backwoods brew casablanca and 555 exotic...occasionally malty toffee, which IS thicker). Just so confusing...

 

[dwcraig1]

Smok 2.5 ohms ,dual coil cartos, 3 holes is what I use 95%. You will have to modify the Nova to get anywhere near the performance of a DC carto but cartos need to be changed anywhere from 2-7days, I usually get 4 or 5 days out of one .
Madvapes has a good selection.

You can always drip a little into the carto filler on those occasions when you have something thicker and it's not keeping up.
2 ohms single will be too hot, 3 ohms single will be ok
2,2.5 and 3 ohms dual will all be ok

Oops, oh ya the battery life, for example a 3 ohms single coil and a 3 ohms dual are "seen" by the battery/PCB as simply a 3 ohms load, could be 100 coils @3 ohms, same load on battery. (EDIT: But since it is two higher ohm coils the user is going to probably increase the voltage which will decrease battery life.)

4 ohms single coil cartos are out there but far and few between, 4 ohms DC cartos if you could find any would need something like 8 volts, we're talking about two 8 ohms coil inside a 4 ohms DC carto

 

[dwcraig1]

For those who may need it:
http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/ohmslawcalculators.asp

 

[buffaloguy]

I was just going to post pics of what dwcraig did. Many of the problems people are having with vivi novas seem to be from buying a knockoff or earlier version of the product. I use 3.2ohm coils on the vmax under 4volts. Anything over that I get burned hits. Most often they clock in at 3ohms and I use 3.7 or 3.8volts. My units are all from got vapes as they helped develop the product with Vision. I have been using novas since v1, which had horrible dry/burned hits because the coils inside the atty head were conductiing on the silicone ring at the botto. of the atty. Btw, I use 100% vg juice and I have zero dry hits even using a lower ohm head.

A few things you check about your vivi. Lets start with the pics above. The one on the left is a v2.5 head. Besides the metal ring inside the silicone cap NOT being flat there should also be a white sleeve around the coil. If its not there, its a knockoff. If it is there, make sure that the coil rests inside the center of that sleeve AND that NONE OF THE SLEEVE is touching the coil. You may need to gently trim off part of the sleeve where the slits in the atty are so that it does not obstruct the coil or the slots. That space should be clear. I have had this alone prevent wicking and cause dry/burned hits.

Also the airflow holes should be in the 510 connection post NOT in the knurled base of the vivi. If its the latter, its a knockoff.

My advice is to look at the pics on gotvapes site for vivis and familiarize with what genuine vivis are and compare yours to that if you have any suspicions that yours may be a vivi clone. I buy all my vivis from GV.

That white sleeve around the coil, and the coil not being centered or the sleeve overlapping the wicking slots is the only source of any and all problems with vivi coils I buy now for v2.5's. Adujst/fix this AND ALWAYS start at 3.0v on a vmax and work your way up is the best advice I can give.

Hope this helps you guys.

 

[mogium]

I run my 2.8 head which reads 2.6 at 4 v on the vmax no problem

 

[mrgoodwrench2u]

I run my 2.8 head which reads 2.6 at 4 v on the vmax no problem

Yea same here, and I like the first version of the Vision ViVi Nova's with the air holes in the bottom edge of the bottom of the base edge.
It can get good air flow on any mod. I have the newer ones too , that get the air fom the holes at the 510 post. I do realy like the Nova's they are nice and easy to clean and rebuild and convenient !

 

[Thraizer]

I've been rebuilding my vivi nova for a couple of months now. Got the hang of coiling 2.5ohms and vaping at 3.5-4v is my spot. lol I have 20 boxes of cartos that haven't been touch for a couple of months too.

 

[myxomatosis]

2.8 heads are great, but the 3.2 allows you even more flexibility with the Max. Running a 2.8 @ 4.8v was next to impossible on my v1 Max - but now its quite lovely.

 

[pffpffpass]

Wow..... My vmax is starting to really frustrate me. I don't know why but the post keeps needing to be pulled.

For example, I've been using an h.h 357 on it all day today, came home to a new juice order, so I remove it from my Vmax, blow it out, clean it up, screw her back on and...... 99.99...... Sigh.....

Also after pulling the head, vaping for hours with a vivi nova, take it off , fill er up and suddennly , F1 or F2. Unscrew it slightly and it fires....
Boge cargo in a tank. Vaping all day then out of nowhere F2 error.... Unscrew the cargo slightly and it fires. I can't even get it to consistanly fire with a 510-510 unless I pull the head.

Anyone know of a solution? I was originally happy with this PV but I'm considering picking up one of those new vamo's. Gah...... Provari time?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ukeman]

sorry to hear... mine has held up since the first of the second run... quite a bit of time.
Will tell you that the Zmax set on VW is the cat's MeOWW....
Just set and forget... its the only APV that I have that does this for me and it couldn't be better.

Wow..... My vmax is starting to really frustrate me. I don't know why but the post keeps needing to be pulled.

For example, I've been using an h.h 357 on it all day today, came home to a new juice order, so I remove it from my Vmax, blow it out, clean it up, screw her back on and...... 99.99...... Sigh.....

Also after pulling the head, vaping for hours with a vivi nova, take it off , fill er up and suddennly , F1 or F2. Unscrew it slightly and it fires....
Boge cargo in a tank. Vaping all day then out of nowhere F2 error.... Unscrew the cargo slightly and it fires. I can't even get it to consistanly fire with a 510-510 unless I pull the head.

Anyone know of a solution? I was originally happy with this PV but I'm considering picking up one of those new vamo's. Gah...... Provari time?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[TBinAZ]

Not sure how much you're into looks vs functionality, but a shorty 510/510 connector is what I usually have on my mods unless I want to flaunt them when out and about. Which isn't very often... lol.

Wow..... My vmax is starting to really frustrate me. I don't know why but the post keeps needing to be pulled.

For example, I've been using an h.h 357 on it all day today, came home to a new juice order, so I remove it from my Vmax, blow it out, clean it up, screw her back on and...... 99.99...... Sigh.....

Also after pulling the head, vaping for hours with a vivi nova, take it off , fill er up and suddennly , F1 or F2. Unscrew it slightly and it fires....
Boge cargo in a tank. Vaping all day then out of nowhere F2 error.... Unscrew the cargo slightly and it fires. I can't even get it to consistanly fire with a 510-510 unless I pull the head.

Anyone know of a solution? I was originally happy with this PV but I'm considering picking up one of those new vamo's. Gah...... Provari time?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[afuhnk]

I use the Stardust v2 4.0 Ohm heads in the Vivi Nova 2.5 on my Vmax up to 4.1-4.3 volts.
Sean at Electronic-cigz tells me he can go up to 5volts with these heads... to me it's impossible.. burnt taste starts at anything higher than 4.1-4.3..

 

[mrelwood]

I use the Stardust v2 4.0 Ohm heads in the Vivi Nova 2.5 on my Vmax up to 4.1-4.3 volts.
Sean at Electronic-cigz tells me he can go up to 5volts with these heads... to me it's impossible.. burnt taste starts at anything higher than 4.1-4.3..

Well, 4.2V on a Vmax equals to well over 5V in other devices, so unless Sean is also using Vmax the voltages are nowhere near comparable.

 

[Rikiel]

Hi guys. Started having a problem with my v-max lately.
It will go through the diagnostic 123, 456, 789. Then it turns off and doesn't fire. I went through as much of this thread for a reason and i found some mixed opinions.

Is my VMax dead? or is there a way to solve this?

 

[martinc]

I remember somebody having that and it was rather simple ...cant remember what though

 

[AnsonJames]

Hi guys. Started having a problem with my v-max lately.
It will go through the diagnostic 123, 456, 789. Then it turns off and doesn't fire. I went through as much of this thread for a reason and i found some mixed opinions.

Is my VMax dead? or is there a way to solve this?

You have a loose ground cable on your top cap, it's making intermittent contact.
It's a swine to fix as solder will not stick to the top cap very well (the problem in the first place) you could try popping the top cap and using solder "glue" instead of solder.

 

[Rikiel]

oops

"I went through this thread as much as i could without going crazy for a reason..."

 

[Rikiel]

Oh wow tyvm

I'll have to look around for some solder glue. I'm glad that its fixable!

Again tyvm!

 

[AnsonJames]

Vmax's suffered from this issue a lot - the Zmax does too.