Getting to know my first VV Mod - ZNA 50 clone

[duc916]

A couple weeks ago I picked up my first VV mod - a ZNA 50 clone from vapepensales.com. I wanted something cheap to get my feet wet. Coming from mech mods and knowing nothing about VV mods, what surprises me most is the absence of any accuracy/linearity charts online for any of these chipsets that everyone's always raving about. Shouldn't that be expected of any mod costing hundreds of dollars? I don't have time to watch hours of youtube videos, or figuring out which mods get the highest amount of hyperbole to describe them. When I want to know how accurate a device designed to deliver power is, whether it's a car engine, an audio amplifier, or an APV, I want to see data at a glance. Give me graphs! /rant.

I collected voltage readings on a tankometer with 3 different coils spanning the range of the ZNA and plotted the results... What I've learned is my current sub-ohm tanks I've designated for my mech mods are horrible at low power settings, which maybe most of you already knew, but hey I'm learning. Maybe other chipsets perform much better... maybe you get what you pay for... or maybe, as with mech mods, you usually don't. I just don't know at this stage of the game. At 1.2 Ω, the accuracy starts to get respectably linear throughout the full range. I need to build some higher resistance coils and keep going. Anyhow I just wanted to share a few results with any like-minded folks who need something more tangible than hyperbole....

 

[V_lestat]

I have the Cloupor zna50 and though way heavier than it should be its a nice comfy mod.
I hate hate hate the fact that it's sleep mode causes you to pump the power button to wake it and get the power primed. After that if it doesn't go to sleep again it hits pretty good.

Clones, not knowing anything about the one you have, typically respond properly. A lot of them are simply meant to operate properly at 1.8-ish ohms and lower pushes them a bit. Ie its not meant to handle sub ohm coils properly and doing so can ultimately shorten its life

But also look at your own findings, the sub 1 ohm coils NEED those higher wattages to operate properly so the fact that they are crap under 20 watts can be a good thing. It forces you to use the device where it was meant to be run.

But you are also probably dealing with PWM in that clone so your readings with your inside volt meter are far from accurate and are probably average as that is more than likely what the device kicks out.

You would need a scope hooked directly to the posts in a rebuildables to get better readings.
But I guess over all, and not being an electrician, I would say they look on par for the ohms you listed/tested.

 

[duc916]

Thanks for the info. I'll wrap the next one at 1.8. I figured that would be about its sweet spot given the way the response curves were trending.

After what others said about their ZNA50's being DOA I'm just glad I got one that worked. That wake from sleep time is pretty horrid. Also the pulsing is inconsistent... the buzzing is loud when it's active and louder when it's not working right. Would you say my results are pretty common, or are there others that are a lot more linear across a wider range of coil resistances? Oh, and do you know if this chipset has a name?

It would be nice to see more data from different chipsets. If anyone wants generate their own I've linked the Excel spreadsheet I made HERE.

Just plug your own numbers into the white fields, and the yellow formula columns will auto-populate and redraw the graph real-time. Even easier than trying to find 12 synonyms for "awesome".

 

[V_lestat]

my actual Hana Modz DNA30 came DOA just 3 days ago, i am so peeved i cant even begin to tell you, so it can happen to the best of them.
mine was DOA in the sense that i inserted the battery and a nice puff of smoke came out and it started to glow from behind the LED screen, i didn't even get to take a drag, the minute the battery touched the terminals, it was game over....
waiting to hear back from Hana Mods after having a good phone call with Julie over there. They will repair/replace and i am trying to see if they will replace the god awful fixed 510 connector with the spring loaded one since it left their factory bad, probably wasn't tested if it died when i put the battery in but i despise the fact that i spent the money i did and now i can't even use it, potentially for weeks while i wait for repair.. it was DOA,, replace it.. never repair a DOA unit unless you have no choice.. not that i truly believe in curses, but i don't think this unit is destined for greatness. i think its cursed from the get go.

nice idea on the spreadsheet.

you might email Paul Busardo at tasteyourjuice.com and see if he has ever compiled a chart showing all the insane amount of devices he tests all the time.

 

[duc916]

Wow, that's bad. Another authentic "Made in USA" badge of honor sh!tz the bed, showing that it has nothing to do with quality control, workmanship, or customer service standards in the vape industry. I hope it turns out okay for you, but if you do end up getting a refurb instead of a new one, I hope you bash the hell out of them at every opportunity.

 

[thanantos]

This is excellent data, and I agree with you about having. Pbusardo does this better than anyone else. Just skip ahead in his videos to get to the good stuff.