Got my ViVi Nova yesterday....

[Pathology]

Switching from my CE4 disposables. I can't believe the difference! So much throat-hit/vapor! And the taste is nice as well. Plus being able to hold 3ml+ is nothing to scoff at. My favorite thing is being able to break it down and clean it/repair it if need be.

Anyway, thanks to Vision for making such an awesome product. I just figured I'd share my newbie experience with you guys/gals.

BTW...STILL haven't had an analog since I started vaping!

 

[darkhood]

Awesome man, I love breaking em down to clean lol - make sure to dry burn after washing the wicks to get the gunk off - makes a big difference.

 

[Pathology]

Will do! Thanks for the tip!

 

[speedjason86]

dry burn then soak in alcohol gets the job done.

 

[skoot]

I didn't get off analogs until I got a Nova. Nice gear.

 

[Pathology]

How long do you suggest soaking in alcohol? And I won't get any of the alcohol taste afterwards will I?

 

[Joshua Grench Moffett]

My nova should be here today or tomorrow.. I'm super excited lol can't wait.

 

[skoot]

How long do you suggest soaking in alcohol? And I won't get any of the alcohol taste afterwards will I?

I soak until the gunk is gone. There is no aftertaste as the alcohol evaporates completely- just let it dry (which happens very quickly up here in Colorado).

 

[manji1]

I've been using one of the metal tanks versions because I like citrus juices. I don't like the vapor quite as well as I do off the Kanger MT3 but the Nova seems way more consistent. Less gurgling and hassles in general.

 

[randombeta]

Do yall's Vivi's work ok with a higher VG blend, say, 20/80?

 

[skoot]

I use 100% VG, no issues. I vape about 4ml/day and clean the head once a week, though I could probably go longer. You just have to keep the wicks really wet when your vaping, just twirl it around so the juice flows over the coils a couple times between puffs.

 

[mostlyclassics]

How long do you suggest soaking in alcohol? And I won't get any of the alcohol taste afterwards will I?

There are basically three kinds of alcohol available to us consumers:

Boozes. These are chemically C2H5OOH and are in vodka (40 to 60% concentration, or 80 to 120 proof) and Everclear (close to 100% concentration). Obviously, brown boozes (Scotch, bourbon, rye, rum, etc.) and flavored boozes (gin, etc.) aren't suitable, since they will leave a taste. Vodka and Everclear evaporate completely and leave no taste. Vodka and Everclear are safe to use for our purposes.
Isopropyl alcohol. Chemically, isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol, is C3H8O. You can find it at the pharmacy (and other places) usually in 70% of 91% concentration. The dilutant is plain water. Isopropyl alcohol is toxic to humans, but it evaporates completely and leaves no taste. The 91% concentration is a better solvent and evaporates quicker than the 70% kind, enough so that it's worth seeking out the higher concentration and paying a higher price for it. Isopropyl alcohol is safe to use for our purposes, provided it is allowed to evaporate completely.
Denatured or rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is booze alcohol (C2H5OOH) that's had toxins added to make it undrinkable -- otherwise, everyone would buy rubbing alcohol to drink in order to get around the high taxes on booze. It evaporates, but many of the added toxins don't. This stuff is emphatically not safe for us to use!​

Word to the wise: read the label carefully!

 

[islanderamy]

I have a question about Vivi Nova's. I have a couple, I use them (the heads) for about a week or so and toss them. I've tried soaking them in Vodka and re-using them but they never seem to vape well after that. That's why I started tossing them. How long do you suggest soaking them? What exactly do you mean by "dry burn"? Hooking it up to the bat with no juice? I thought that would give it that burnt taste that would never come out? I'd like to get as much life out of the heads as I can since they're hard to find sometimes. In the process of switching to cartomizers anyway but still can't part with the Vivi just yet.

 

[Kanj.nguyen]

I dont replace heads until they are so burnt that the wicks fall off. And i dont do any of the crazy soaking things many seem to like. Just rinse them out with water, blow through every air path to clear them, and youre set.

I found that the reason many heads vape badly is not because of the wick, but rather the coil. After a few rinsing, coils do move, and sometimes they are not at optimal position; in rare cases even cause hot spots. Poke em around with a needle.

 

[islanderamy]

I dont replace heads until they are so burnt that the wicks fall off. And i dont do any of the crazy soaking things many seem to like. Just rinse them out with water, blow through every air path to clear them, and youre set.

I found that the reason many heads vape badly is not because of the wick, but rather the coil. After a few rinsing, coils do move, and sometimes they are not at optimal position; in rare cases even cause hot spots. Poke em around with a needle.

Okay, this may sound really DUMB but ... where are the coils and what do they look like??? I thought they were inside the atomizer?? You can see them? Is it easier to see them if you remove the plastic cover part? Clearly, I need help. I think I've thrown out many a "head" that was totally salvagable. DANG IT! About how long will a replacement head typically last and how often do you rinse it? Just after you change flavors?

 

[Light Seeker]

I have a couple, I use them (the heads) for about a week or so and toss them. I've tried soaking them in Vodka and re-using them but they never seem to vape well after that. That's why I started tossing them.

Vodka, hot water, everclear, denture cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners ... All clean the wick good, but not the coil gunk. The heads have lasted about 2-3 weeks for me cleaning wicks out every 5-7 days. Just rinse out, put the head back on to the lower base part, screw back on your battery and do a dry burn for a second to ensure the coil heats up. If good, reinstall the rest of the kit and you're good to go.

Been experimenting rebuilding heads with cotton wicks (yarn or butchers string), it's very cheap, and much better taste than the stock silica wicks not to mention probably better for you as silica may shred. Quite a few very long and informative threads on this ... Give it a try, I for one will not use the silica wicks again. Cotton rebuilding is super cheap, much better taste, perhaps better for you, and only takes a few minutes. All IMHO of course!

 

[T0rtitude]

The coil is a thin metal wire at the top of the metal post thing (idk if that's the atomizer, probably is). The wick is threaded through it. If you pull off the silicone and metal cap that the wick appears to thread through and look inside, there's the coil. That's about all I know about them. Mine last forever, but I'm not a heavy vapor. I tried dry burning it once and it ruined the wick even though I did it like I saw in a video. So I don't bother anymore. I just rinse them occasionally and toss them after a while.

 

[sivo]

nice! i'll be getting my first vivi nova's next week! what kind of mod/bat you using?

 

[Kanj.nguyen]

Okay, this may sound really DUMB but ... where are the coils and what do they look like??? I thought they were inside the atomizer?? You can see them? Is it easier to see them if you remove the plastic cover part? Clearly, I need help. I think I've thrown out many a "head" that was totally salvagable. DANG IT! About how long will a replacement head typically last and how often do you rinse it? Just after you change flavors?

Remove the silicone gasket and you can see the coil wrapped around the wick. The coil is the thing that electric current runs through, makes hot so that it heats up and evaporates the juice in the wick into vapor.

I have been using the same head for 2 months, still fine.

Rebuilding is also a good option.

 

[islanderamy]

Vodka, hot water, everclear, denture cleaners, ultrasonic cleaners ... All clean the wick good, but not the coil gunk. The heads have lasted about 2-3 weeks for me cleaning wicks out every 5-7 days. Just rinse out, put the head back on to the lower base part, screw back on your battery and do a dry burn for a second to ensure the coil heats up. If good, reinstall the rest of the kit and you're good to go.

Been experimenting rebuilding heads with cotton wicks (yarn or butchers string), it's very cheap, and much better taste than the stock silica wicks not to mention probably better for you as silica may shred. Quite a few very long and informative threads on this ... Give it a try, I for one will not use the silica wicks again. Cotton rebuilding is super cheap, much better taste, perhaps better for you, and only takes a few minutes. All IMHO of course!

Thanks to call for clearing that up for me. Sounds like some research is in order! If it's cheaper and better ... I'm in. Just have to learn a little more about it. For now, I'm going to try the rinsing thing agian and see how long I can get out of my next head. This is very informative and interesting.