Do Not Buy The Istick 50W - My 3 month documentation

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Jugband

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I've mentioned in many threads that a smoker friend of mine was interested in switching to vapeing. Since she was new I recommend something easy. The istick 30 (since the 50 had such a bad reputation) for awhile she was very happy. She bought two. One is still working fine, the other died right after the 30 day warranty. Honestly I wasn't surprised. As said these cheap mass produced mod's are a crap shoot. I don't want to see her quit out of frustration, so my next recommendation will be for her to spend the money for quality.
 
I have purchased two Eleaf devices. A 20w and 30w. The 510 pin died after two months on the original. Today my 30w black screened and won't function after a month. Won't be purchasing any more products from them. Have a mini IPV v2 on the way.

Have two 20 iSticks, one 10w Mini iStick, and as of late three 50w iSticks having skipped over the 30w(have DovPo 30w plus other 50watters) and now iSmoka has their latest 40w with Temp Control out or for some vendors July 24. I just got done ordering the third 50w having found each iStick not just hhe 50s reliable and then spotted the competitor's response offering a 4500mah battery and 10w more(Innokin iTaste MVP 3.0 Pro 60w now out). I run Aspire Atlantis and other sub ohm tanks at 20, 30, and even upto 40w on the 50w iStick without a problem.

I also run a number of 18650 powered APVs and box mods alike(tanks can get a bit warm on the ZNA 50 50w that lacks temp control) and have a reliable charger to handle the needs there. But for on the go the 50w was the solution here! Sorry to hear about the 50w you had problems with there as many have already had complaints about the previous models while at the same time I grabbed the 60w MVP 3.0 Pro now out due to how reliable Innokin mods(not preferring their tanks however) have shown themselves.

As for the fail to fire immediately when pressing the button a second time I see that on other mods including 18650 powered when the 10 or 15 second cutoff is present.
 
Well those batteries can be replaced if your mechanically inclined and use the same spec'd batteries for the replacements. There's plenty of pictures of the insides on the web to look at before taking yours apart.

It would nice to know not only which battery to get as far as the type: flat top, button, high drain or not, etc. as well as where you can get those. While I have some 5000mah 18650s onhand for a few Vamo type APVs namely the 3-15w SMOK ACEs aluminum body form of Vamo by Smoktech and use the Panasonics on the other 15w and 20w Stainless and Wood bodied Vamo Fire I have to wonder if the ones used on the iSticks are 18650 or 18500 size instead due to the slightly shorter length. The MVP 20w is slightly longer in height when placed next to the 50w iStick where I suspect that might see an 18650 replacement go in.
 

Kitty Katie

Full Member
Oct 13, 2011
14
6
Oregon
I have stated this in a previous post on another thread but I guess an update wont hurt.
At the time (last month or so) a group of friends, some that own shops, got together to look at some returns and "faulty" 50w units.
At that time every one of the units that we opened were all user error. The inside was either full of juice or have been dropped and broken. I will not pretend to be an electronic guru or even truly understand most of the guts of the machine.
Recently the engineer of the group hooked it up to some of his equipment and showed us a few that he has gotten lately that he said were overheating due to them being charged too quickly, as he said it was like hooking them up to a car battery.
We have seen 2 that we could see were sloppy builds where they were put together with little solder which caused the malfunction but the very vast majority of the items were full of juice or other junk that we could not identify.
I guess I am a clean freak, but if I feel the unit or tank and have any juice on the outside or airholes, I clean the entire mod completely. Mine as well as a number of others that I know of have not had any issues in the least.

Count me on this, I am NOT saying that the OP or those saying that they have issues are a slob or dropped their mods. I am saying though the ones that have malfunctioned are a low number (again 2 out of about 50 or so) that are the fault of the manufacturing process. These are only the returned ones.
 

Kitty Katie

Full Member
Oct 13, 2011
14
6
Oregon
I have stated this in a previous post on another thread but I guess an update wont hurt.
At the time (last month or so) a group of friends, some that own shops, got together to look at some returns and "faulty" 50w units.
At that time every one of the units that we opened were all user error. The inside was either full of juice or have been dropped and broken. I will not pretend to be an electronic guru or even truly understand most of the guts of the machine.
Recently the engineer of the group hooked it up to some of his equipment and showed us a few that he has gotten lately that he said were overheating due to them being charged too quickly, as he said it was like hooking them up to a car battery.
We have seen 2 that we could see were sloppy builds where they were put together with little solder which caused the malfunction but the very vast majority of the items were full of juice or other junk that we could not identify.
I guess I am a clean freak, but if I feel the unit or tank and have any juice on the outside or airholes, I clean the entire mod completely. Mine as well as a number of others that I know of have not had any issues in the least.

Count me on this, I am NOT saying that the OP or those saying that they have issues are a slob or dropped their mods. I am saying though the ones that have malfunctioned are a low number (again 2 out of about 50 or so) that are the fault of the manufacturing process. These are only the returned ones.

Was trying to give a reply when my cat jumped on the keyboard and "pre-posted" for me... Anyway. I was seriously thinking of getting one of the Istick 50W when I read this disclaimer at Smoke-Evolution:

*IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CHARGERS: The iStick 50watt requires a charger of rating of 1amp or lower. Using a higher amp charger will damage the control board and will void the warranty. Symptoms of a burned out control board are the device powering up and showing full battery, but it will not charge or fire and the screen may state "Low Power". If you device is sent back to us displaying thes issue, or if the control board has burn marks on it when inspected, your device will be sent back to you as is. Please take care to read the OUTPUT label of your charger. It should say 5.0v=1000mA (or 1amp) or lower. If it has a higher rating (such as the ones that come with newer phones or tablets), it WILL damage your iStick. Please take care. Most computer USB ports should be 500mA and are OK, but please check with your laptop or computer manufacturer and make sure.


I have only recently come back to vaping after a two year break so I am truly a noob again having to learn the newer equipment. I am grateful Smoke-Evolution posted this and that I followed that discovery up by doing research on that mod here. Needless to say I won't be buying one. While a person needs to charge anything by following the recommended charge rate, it seems the istick 50w isn't as solid as other mods in more ways than one. My two istick 30w's are doing okay yet I do think I'll stay clear of Eleaf mods in the future. Am so grateful for this forum to refer to.
 
Do you know how I charge the three of mine up? One day at a Walmart I spotted the Sharp Alarm Clock with USB and Outlets that saw a pair of the ac outlets with an on/off with an on/off switch for those. I simply plug the charging cord into the 5v port there and charge up anything including 18650 powered mods rather then keep pulling those apart to charge the batteries up in the Nitecore charger. The cell phone is also charged there simply by plugging in a different cord due to the phone end plug being a different size. The MVPs(2.0, 20w, and latest 3.0 Pro 60w, iStick 20Ws, Luxyoun 150w mod with single 18650, amd certainly not one problem with the now three 50w iSticks! I got the third right before seeing the info on the new MVP.

Each device will draw what it needs direct from the usb port on the alarm clock and later see the charging led turned off. I never use the ac plugs the companies provide since they never seem to be good enough to begin with being what looks like too cheaply made! Even the adapter for the Samsung cell phone was tossed aside. One usb port on one model alarm clock solves all problems!
 
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I haven't had one iota of any problem with the now three 50w iSticks, the original pair of 20w iSticks, or the one 10w Mini iStick, other either of the now three MVPs! If I leave my workstation I will have one 20w in one pocket and one of the 50w iSticks in another with a belt clip. When going out for the day I then will add a third mod which now would be the 3.0 Pro to be along. Not one problem with the 50w iSticks while the fire button on the ICig V9 50w box mod is hard to click 5 times to lock or unlock while you can still easily fire the button for vaping. The ZNA 50 will get hot after any lengthy vaping while that has also been stable and reliable but lacking temp control featured by the 50w iSticks and 3.0 Pro.

With all that success going on with mods people are complaining about I could ask just how are they treating them? So far besides the ICig V9 button the only other issue seen with all those mods besides the MVP 2.0 still in use has been a spring in the bending adapter for one of the 20w iSticks. I cut a piece off of the spring you would pull out of a Zipper lighter and stuffed that in to replace the original that popped out and got lost on the carpeted floor too fast.

The one thing I suspect the most as to why troubles are being seen would be someone keeping the mod turned all the way constantly. I never keep any mod maxed out all the time which will stress the mod over time. That can lead to a premature fail with a good number of mechs as well as regulated as far as using a Kick type mod that fried the fire button on a mech tube mod I had before the first regulate box mod(MVP 2.0) came along. A great sub ohm tank out now that equals the quality of the Aspire Atlantis is the FreeMax by Starre which handles more watts! Rated for 20-100w don't try it right at 100w as it will get HOT! Likewise while the best for that is about 70-80w the Atlantis runs well at 20, 25, 30w for constant and can be turned out for the occasion boost on the 50w iSticks about 40w, 45w but not kept there.
 

Mogar

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Jun 18, 2014
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To keep the honesty thing going, I have finally had one issue with the 50w. I went to a movie with my family the other day and thought I had turned my mod off and put it in my pocket. Half way through the movie, my pocket got hot and I pulled out the 50w and found it had been firing due to being in my pocket.
This is (and here it comes) a USER ISSUE as it was pushing against my insulin pump and I have a habit of jiggling my leg. I put the mod into my pouch after turning it off again and cleaned it, recharged it and continued using it after that.
I have also started using a kanger subox and found some issues but none I can not work around or fix myself. Keep them clean, don't try to charge it too fast, use it as it is supposed to be used and it (as well as any mod) will treat you just fine.

I do not know of any idiot proof mod on the market. (and no, I am definitely not calling anyone an idiot, I am just pointing out that anything can and will fail if it is used as it is not intended.)
 

Inka

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Apr 5, 2015
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What I have noticed with my i50. I bought it in May. When I first got it, I noticed when drawing a hit, it would cut in and out, then that stopped happening. I noticed it changed from VW to VV without me changing it, that has happened about 4 times. Weeks passed and it worked fine. Then about 3 weeks ago I noticed it would keep firing after I let off the button, not auto firing, or if I barely touched the button it would fire. So I thought maybe residual juice that comes out of the air whole was getting on the button, because it does get on the top of the mod, and juice is sticky. So I started wiping it down all the time with a damp cloth, making sure the fire button is well cleaned. Have not had it happen again in over a week. I'm using a Nautilus mini on my istick. Even tho it hasn't acted up recently...I still don't trust it.
 
For the iStick 50W I have a solution! When needing to find a case small enough with a lanyard as an option as it turned out for someone in a wheel chair to be able to cart a cell phone around I ran across a small leather case with lanyard for only $7 designed specifically for the iStick 50w model. You hang it around your neck. Of course for the charity that gets a small percentage of the proceeds I selected Vape A Vet when first going to use the smile.amazon site rather then just going straight to Amazon. Amazon.com: Authentic Eleaf iStick Soft Carrying Case With Lanyard for iStick 50W MOD: Cell Phones & Accessories

But instead of the need for that with the "three" 50w iSticks plus other box mods I went for a half dozen heavy duty belt clips!
2nkqsub.jpg


For only $9.99 it was certainly worth the time with these to be able to carry any of the mods along with me when out and even an extra. You can have the mod inside or ourside of a pocket even with the clip holding it inplace if not on your belt. Carpenter style jeans make excellent "Vape Wear" with the 2 or 3 extra pockets for holding nails and a hammer while those can also hold a 10ml, 15ml bottle of ejuice as well as a mod or two. Even had one on the heavy weight Stainless Steel ZNA 50 50w mod and on the Vamo Fire wooden body vamo 20watter on ocassion to bring along. These are great and seem to be just right for the 50w iStick however which is always with me!

As for the vape cutting off at 10, 15seconds that's the normal "Smoke Time" cutoff seen with most regulated mods to begin with. The Vamo V6 offers a Smoke Time adjuster to bring it up from 10 or 15 to a full 30 seconds!
 
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Kitty Katie

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Oct 13, 2011
14
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Oregon
But instead of the need for that with the "three" 50w iSticks plus other box mods I went for a half dozen heavy duty belt clips!
2nkqsub.jpg


For only $9.99 it was certainly worth the time with these to be able to carry any of the mods along with me when out and even an extra. You can have the mod inside or ourside of a pocket even with the clip holding it inplace if not on your belt.

I love these belt clips for two reasons. Tis' a great way to secure a device in your pocket, purse, etc. plus a way to stop round battery setups from rolling off tables. I use a mod box now, partly because of rolling batts in general as well as my overly active cats thinking what a great roly poly toy my spinner battery would make... Where did you get these for $9.99? Thanks Night Hawk!
 
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You're welcome there! Kitty Katie :toast: I was sure to buy another pair after ordering the first four upon first sight to cover all three 50w iSticks since if one needs recharging I simply grab the next while one sits in mod stand at the present time where I keep a 20w Vamo V6, the ZNA 50w all stainless tubular shape with vertical display not a little square one like a vamo, The 20w Vamo fire is in a small four battery round stand next to the other, The SMOK 50w BEC Pro and 15w Vamo V5 in the other mod stand leaves room for buying a few more even!

The box mod however is generally what I will found carrying on me as a square shapo allows it to drop into a pocket while the clip keeps it from popping out when on the go. Those clips are just right for the 50w iStick but a bit too big for the 20w not having gone for the 30w and now it may however suit the new 40w on the way out or the 100w iStick that runs a pair of 18650s you have to supply!

Now the only problem I have run into with those clips is not the clips but the 510 not 510/eGo type adapter that comes with them. When first getting the Herakles sub ohm tank and trying it on the iStick I got Short Protection on the display and had to wonder if I got a bad coil in the tank and pulled out one of the 5 pack I had found at another site when looking around for the new cotton coils for the Atlantis to price shop those I ran into a deal on the spare coils before the tank came in. But that wasn't the problem!

Since both ISmoka and Innokin provide their 510/eGo adapters that see thumb grooves on the wide flange those see got results I knew it was the adapter that comes with them to act as a spacer for the clip itself. The gap on the other adapters is correct but will lift the clip up a bit due to the raised flange. It can still be a little awkward getting the tank on and off due to this assembly while it makes it nice and convenient to carry the 50w iStick along with you!:thumb:
 

Bikenstein

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What I have noticed with my i50. I bought it in May. When I first got it, I noticed when drawing a hit, it would cut in and out, then that stopped happening. I noticed it changed from VW to VV without me changing it, that has happened about 4 times. Weeks passed and it worked fine. Then about 3 weeks ago I noticed it would keep firing after I let off the button, not auto firing, or if I barely touched the button it would fire. So I thought maybe residual juice that comes out of the air whole was getting on the button, because it does get on the top of the mod, and juice is sticky. So I started wiping it down all the time with a damp cloth, making sure the fire button is well cleaned. Have not had it happen again in over a week. I'm using a Nautilus mini on my istick. Even tho it hasn't acted up recently...I still don't trust it.
The isticks should not be trusting their owners. It's all user error. Many people are istick abusers. I don't know why they pick on the 50w predominantly, but it is happening. If you see an istick being abused please contact authorities. Symptoms of abuse or VV/VW dancing, turning off and refusing to work, loss of focus and not firing every time the button is pressed or losing focus during mid fire. Other symptoms may include increasing or decreasing watts, 30w sticks increasing to 39 watts and BLS. The isticks may eventually start auto-firing out of frustration and some have had a total breakdown. Please help us stop this abuse.....
 
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