Darwin...Is it really different?

[bssage]

Where do we go to get in line (for the mod)?

Whats the price point.

Any chance of some tactile feedback from the button. Its going to be glove wearin season here in Iowa and it would be nice to have a mod I dont have to take my gloves off to fire. May seem petty to you southerneror's but my buzz and BB both have very small light touch buttons. Its gonna be a problem when I am walking the tracks at 02:00am in a snowstorm. Which I do rather frequently (freight conductor).

Super cool thanks for the reviews. Keep us in the loop please.

 

[AngusATAT]

Where do we go to get in line (for the mod)?

From what I understand, there should be no pre-order for the Darwin, so no need to get in line. When it comes out, you should be able to order immediately.

The price hasn't been announced yet, but I do not expect it to be cheap, from what I can see. As soon as we know, we'll let everyone else know.

The button... I don't want to give my impression on it because it is going to be changed for a more heavy duty button for the production model.

 

[bssage]

Thanks to both you dude's.

If you have any influence with the modder. Mention some tactile response on the button would be nice and another selling point this time of year.

 

[AngusATAT]

Thanks to both you dude's.

If you have any influence with the modder. Mention some tactile response on the button would be nice and another selling point this time of year.

I talked with him last night on the phone. The button going on the production unit will be larger, brass, and still have a bit of a click to it.

Probably sometime next week, I'll be giving my own in-depth review that will include some technical specs, a list of protection features on the board, and possibly even a sneak peek at the final case for this unit.

 

[hifistud]

There are folks over this side of the pond who are very interested in this...

 

[AngusATAT]

There are folks over this side of the pond who are very interested in this...

I doubt they would have any issue shipping them over there. I can ask tonight if you would like.

 

[Rocketman]

It would depend on which pond. The other one would be a bad move

 

[candre23]

Thank god somebody finally got around to making a smart PWM buck mod. I started a project like this months ago, but got distracted/annoyed before I managed a fully functional prototype. I didn't anticipate what a pain in the .... microcontroller programming was, or how much programming and circuit design theory I'd forgotten. This really is the only smart way to go about making a variable power PV. Grats to the developers on seeing this through.

I'm sure this will be well out of my price range, but once more people see how much better a smart mod can be, the cheap knockoffs will be right around the corner. Expect <$100 mods using this technology in 18 months or less.

 

[hifistud]

I doubt they would have any issue shipping them over there. I can ask tonight if you would like.

Well, there's interest... and I'd like to review one on the Sublime Vapours show

 

[AngusATAT]

I just got off the phone with him, and yes, they will most definitely ship to the UK.

 

[Nuck]

On any regulated power supply (linear regulator or PWM) adjusting voltage IS adjusting powering. Automatically adjusting voltage would be great if each atty model had the same optimal power setting. The problem is that atties vary significantly based on other design factors and you will still have to move up and down a scale to find the spot so in the end, it's really nothing more than a GUI change for the user. I don't think it's a bad change, I just don't see any advantages.

 

[candre23]

On any non-adjustable PV you can adjust the power by swapping out different batteries and atomizers - but nobody has any problem seeing the advantage in an adjustable-voltage mod. A mod like the Darwin which automatically varies the voltage to maintain a constant power setpoint is just as big a step above other AV mods as AV mods are above fixed-voltage mods.

 

[Nuck]

On any non-adjustable PV you can adjust the power by swapping out different batteries and atomizers - but nobody has any problem seeing the advantage in an adjustable-voltage mod. A mod like the Darwin which automatically varies the voltage to maintain a constant power setpoint is just as big a step above other AV mods as AV mods are above fixed-voltage mods.

In what way? The end result is the exact same. You could install a slider that goes from 1-10 and as long as the power is constant then it's functionally identical.

 

[Rocketman]

Let's play 20 questions
With a Non-Indicating variable mod (no meter), how do you set it up to a new atty?
Do you vape around until it seems about right?
Do you measure resistance and set it to about the right spot, and vape around?
How many of you guys actually measure your attys and cartos?
With a variable voltage mod, does atty resistance make a difference in actual heat/vapor generation?
and again, how many actually measure their atty resistance, and WHY?
Put a bunch of attys and cartos with resistances from 1.5 to 5.0 ohms in your sock drawer
Pick one at random and put it on your Variable Voltage mod.
What is going to happen? Where do you set your VV to start off?

Are you one of those 5 volt "sweet spot" vapers, or do you find your "sweet spot" at 4.5 volts?
Is 4.2 volts better than 4.7 volts?
Or do you like 6 volts?
A lot of people express there favorite "voltage".
With what atty/carto, and Why?
Is it based on watts?
Do you vape a 1.5 ohm atty at 6 volts?
or a 4.5 ohm atty at 3.7 volts?
If not, why not?


OR, do you vape at 5 watts, 7 watts or, a kickin 10 to 12 watts?
With a Automatic Variable Wattage mod, do you need to know the resistance of the atty to set wattage?

What do you think a Variable Wattage Mod would do if you put on a 1.5 ohm atty and set if for 8 watts?

What do you think a Variable Wattage Mod would do if you put on a 4.5 ohm atty and set if for 8 watts?

('bout the same?)

We get in the habit of thinking "I like x.x volts". I do it. I like a big battery, 18650 mod. 3.7 VOLTS is just fine for me. See, told you I did it
But only with mid range resistance atty and cartos. If I put a 1.5 ohm atty on my "no electronics" mod, it would be too HOT for me, and a 4.5 ohm carto would be to cold. Why? Wattage would be out of my preferred range.

 

[BoiseMike]

In what way? The end result is the exact same. You could install a slider that goes from 1-10 and as long as the power is constant then it's functionally identical.

The end result is different in that here you set the result you want and the device adjusts as needed. With any battery device, as soon as you start draining power the battery will lose some charge, however minimal. And as crud builds up on the atomizer the resistance will change. These things happen constantly. You could be dorking with the battery voltage setting and trying different atties all day to keep it just where you like it. Or, find your preferred wattage setting, set it and forget it. Different atties and batteries, yet it will remain constant.
You're deciding and setting your own result. As opposed to regulating input, with other changing variables, hoping the result is what you want.

 

[Sentient sentinel]

Very smart unit

 

[Nuck]

Ok..lets do a comparison to illustrate the point. I will use the provari since I ordered one last week.

I put on an atty (say its 2.0 ohms). I set it to 4.6 volts. It's a bit too hot so I set it to 4.5. Still a touch hot so I set it to 4.4. I now know that when using generic atty B that 4.4 is the level for me.

Let's do the same thing except we'll display it in watts.

I put on an atty (same 2.0 ohms). I set it it to 10w. Its a bit too hot so I set it to 9.8w. Still a touch hot so I set it to 9.7w. I now know that when using generic atty B that 9.7w is the level for me.

Both examples give the EXACT same vape to the user and it comes down to nothing more than a presentation issue. The other examples you gave (regulated power and adjustable voltage (power)) were substantial improvements to the vape itself.

Now lets look at the nichrome resistance during a vape. The actual resistance change at the temperatures we vape is 1-2%. This results in a change of voltage during the vape cycle of somewhere in the range of 0.04 of a volt. I doubt anyone who mods is going to pretend that 0.04v has any effect on a crude heating element.

I looking for advances as much as anyone but I'm just not seeing it.

 

[Nuck]

The end result is different in that here you set the result you want and the device adjusts as needed. With any battery device, as soon as you start draining power the battery will lose some charge, however minimal. And as crud builds up on the atomizer the resistance will change. These things happen constantly. You could be dorking with the battery voltage setting and trying different atties all day to keep it just where you like it. Or, find your preferred wattage setting, set it and forget it. Different atties and batteries, yet it will remain constant.
You're deciding and setting your own result. As opposed to regulating input, with other changing variables, hoping the result is what you want.

I wasn't comparing the device to a tube with a button. I was comparing it to the existing mods with regulated power and variable voltage. It's the same results with different labels.

 

[Rocketman]

Exactly. When you put another atty on your provari, and it happens to be 3.2 ohms, will the provari still give you the same hit?
Or you you have to vape around to find it?

I know all attys don't do the best at the same wattage. Differences in heater design will dictate a different wattage. But, knowing the 4.4 volts works for a "generic" atty is only correct for 2.0 ohm attys.

Variable wattage is a concept we are not used to.

We could use an example of a constant voltage (or constant current for you guys that think current makes heat ) , regulated mod, and variable resistance attys. You just adjust your atty to get the vape you like. Would that be better than VV or VW? and why not?

 

[Nuck]

Exactly. When you put another atty on your provari, and it happens to be 3.2 ohms, will the provari still give you the same hit?
Or you you have to vape around to find it?

I know all attys don't do the best at the same wattage. Differences in heater design will dictate a different wattage. But, knowing the 4.4 volts works for a "generic" atty is only correct for 2.0 ohm attys.

Variable wattage is a concept we are not used to.

We could use an example of a constant voltage (or constant current for you guys that think current makes heat : regulated mod, and variable resistance attys. You just adjust your atty to get the vape you like. Would that be better than VV or VW? and why not?

Thats the point. If you switch to a new atty model with a different resistance, you will have to adjust the power in both cases. Atty designs are affected by much more than power. For a 306 I vape around 9.5w. For a 510 I go up to 12w. For a 901 I go to about 7.5w.

A mod could come out and allow you to set power by adjusting temperature. In the end it would still be the exact same thing with just a different presentation to the user.