How Is The APC USB Powerpack doing?
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Got mine, but I am not currently vaping. Waiting for the new juice to arrive. I hated every juice I intially ordered. Frys now seems ot be out of the APC units. Time to look to ebay I guess.
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Got 10 days of use out of the APC and its great. Then my Usb passthru died. Wheres my replacement PS? I'm dieing over here =T.
Anyway, seems like the battery life has dropped though. The battery lasted 4 days after a full charge on my first use. Its down to the last bar after only 14 hours of use now. I guess thats nothing to complain about. I've been rotating between 4 batteries and 2 chargers since the passthru died.
Anyway, seems like the battery life has dropped though. The battery lasted 4 days after a full charge on my first use. Its down to the last bar after only 14 hours of use now. I guess thats nothing to complain about. I've been rotating between 4 batteries and 2 chargers since the passthru died.
As mentioned previously here and also on other threads, Li-On technology is fragile. They hate deep discharge and love being kept topped up. At 1 month my APC is doing great, but I never let it get below 50%.
Re: USB pass throughs. By getting a powered USB hub (power from mains adapter instead of the PC's USB port) you can isolate your e-cig from your expensive PC. Powered hubs can be had for around $15 - cheap insurance in my book.
My first USB pass through is now barely usable - requires strong draw and very hard to keep it "on". It seems no matter how careful you are, sooner or later some juice is going to get into the pass through (or battery) and gum up the works.
The good news is that there is a way to prevent juice from getting into either your pass through or your battery...buy a Janty kissbox!!! Bought mine with 2 manual switches instead of 1 manual and 1 automatic (thanks Jeff @ Janty USA). The manual switch is sealed at the top...no way for juice to get past the atomizer...yaaay!
Sooo... USB pass through and APC to reduce hassle of battery rotation every 2-3 hours, and Kissbox with manual switch to eliminate pressure switch problems. Now all we need is a more consistent way to meter the juice to the atomizer. Life is good
Re: USB pass throughs. By getting a powered USB hub (power from mains adapter instead of the PC's USB port) you can isolate your e-cig from your expensive PC. Powered hubs can be had for around $15 - cheap insurance in my book.
My first USB pass through is now barely usable - requires strong draw and very hard to keep it "on". It seems no matter how careful you are, sooner or later some juice is going to get into the pass through (or battery) and gum up the works.
The good news is that there is a way to prevent juice from getting into either your pass through or your battery...buy a Janty kissbox!!! Bought mine with 2 manual switches instead of 1 manual and 1 automatic (thanks Jeff @ Janty USA). The manual switch is sealed at the top...no way for juice to get past the atomizer...yaaay!
Sooo... USB pass through and APC to reduce hassle of battery rotation every 2-3 hours, and Kissbox with manual switch to eliminate pressure switch problems. Now all we need is a more consistent way to meter the juice to the atomizer. Life is good
2fer...So you use the APC with a Kissbox? I just ordered ecigmall's manual usb 801, which has a battery box like the Kissbox, and I wasn't sure if an APC pack would be useful for that type. Will the APC stay on to charge the battery even when your not using it? Basically be a portable charger?
Hi Erica. Sorry, but I can't really say if the APC will act as a charger for the Kissbox pass through's battery, but I'm thinking it should. I am always connected to either the USB hub or the APC, so my battery in the Kissbox pass through never really gets discharged, and the APC does go to sleep every 15 minutes or so.
I will try working off just the pass through battery for a few hours (I have no idea how long that battery should be good for) then connect to the APC to see if it stays awake longer, which should indicate that it is charging the pass through battery.
Stay tuned.
I will try working off just the pass through battery for a few hours (I have no idea how long that battery should be good for) then connect to the APC to see if it stays awake longer, which should indicate that it is charging the pass through battery.
Stay tuned.
I noticed some of the posters complained of their APC shutting down after 15 mins. while using their pass through. I've had mine for 2 weeks now & it never shuts off as long as I take at least 2 puffs in that time. I wonder which of us has the defective unit
Gryff - the APC is designed to shut down after about 15 min. with no demand for power. Believe it or not, I actually go more than 15 min. without a puff on occasion (usually because I'm totally engrossed in whatever I'm doing, or because I fell asleep). You are right...if you keep puffing it stays awake.
I'm still on my first charge with the APC, 4 days now, do they ever run outta power? I thought I was using it pretty heavy too, I guess I'm not esmoking as much as I thought I was! It's amazing, like having a fresh ecig battery with every puff!
I'll bet it's not your APC, if it's showing full charge, but your USB passthrough. Test it on your computer, see if it works or not...
So... I bought another one after my first one went dead.
The second one was great... but alas: 'was'... worked for 3 or 4 days. Then when I had to push the sleep-button, seeing it had closed down, the leds started burning like they are supposed to when you push that button; but they never went off again - and no power was delivered anymore from that point on. It took a day of constant burning before the leds finaly simmered away from being lit up; but even after that it won't do anything (including letting itself be charged again).
And from what I see, Frys doesn't have them anymore either... so guess I'm soll for both now, no replacement possible even...
So well, 100 dollar lesson (yes, near to 100 dollar including shipping) learnt I guess... APC just doesn't seem to be for me (But then I have known Murphy for a long time allready... guess he is set on staying a close 'friend'...)
The second one was great... but alas: 'was'... worked for 3 or 4 days. Then when I had to push the sleep-button, seeing it had closed down, the leds started burning like they are supposed to when you push that button; but they never went off again - and no power was delivered anymore from that point on. It took a day of constant burning before the leds finaly simmered away from being lit up; but even after that it won't do anything (including letting itself be charged again).
And from what I see, Frys doesn't have them anymore either... so guess I'm soll for both now, no replacement possible even...
So well, 100 dollar lesson (yes, near to 100 dollar including shipping) learnt I guess... APC just doesn't seem to be for me
(But then I have known Murphy for a long time allready... guess he is set on staying a close 'friend'...)
Wow Katink, that's amazing! 2 or them going like that? Nothing wrong with the socket you charged them on, is there? Just seems so odd....2 for 2 like that. Too bad you couldn't have those kind of odds in the lottery!
Hope it works out better for you in your next purchase.
Lu
Hope it works out better for you in your next purchase.
Lu
Well, the same socket charges all other things just great, so that should be ok; besides they didn't go faulty while they were on a socket, but while they were in use... and both in different ways, not the same way. So well, I must have just hit the jackpot of a faulty device twice in a row I'm afraid.
Good thing this device seems to work very well for almost all though... would be even worse if most of us got wrong ones, after all (and it sure did work great while it did work, I have to say that!)
Good thing this device seems to work very well for almost all though... would be even worse if most of us got wrong ones, after all (and it sure did work great while it did work, I have to say that!)
Mine worked great for like two days then went dead. It went to sleep and never woke up. It still had a little over half charge, I recahared it overnight it still won't wake up. the lights act like it is charging and it works passthrough style(pluged into the wall then my passthrough cig battery) but not by itself. Then my usb pass through cig battery also died. Wiring problem i got it rewired but it doesn't work as good. I think i give up on this.
A couple of things...
I bought two APC's from Frys when they were 14.99. They only had two left locally for pickup. I got two complete different packages. One had the wall charger, the other did not. Both had USB cables. The one with the wall charger goes into sleep mode every 15 mins, the other does not as long I'm still using it. If not then it goes into sleep mode which is fine with me.
As for the folks having their bat packs dying on them. I'd call APC and make a warranty claim. I haven't verified the following with APC. But I've read elsewhere that APC has shipped out replacements and accepted the defective part at their expense. So, it might be worth a shot.
I bought two APC's from Frys when they were 14.99. They only had two left locally for pickup. I got two complete different packages. One had the wall charger, the other did not. Both had USB cables. The one with the wall charger goes into sleep mode every 15 mins, the other does not as long I'm still using it. If not then it goes into sleep mode which is fine with me.
As for the folks having their bat packs dying on them. I'd call APC and make a warranty claim. I haven't verified the following with APC. But I've read elsewhere that APC has shipped out replacements and accepted the defective part at their expense. So, it might be worth a shot.
I just checked the APC site. Their warranty information says the customer has to prepay transportation charges. I don't know if that's to and from, but I'd still call them. Shipping shouldn't be too extreme as they are small.
As for them paying for shipping, I'd ask that too... It's kind of ridiculous to spend a $100, get a few days use out of it and then have to pay to get it replaced or repaired.
As for them paying for shipping, I'd ask that too... It's kind of ridiculous to spend a $100, get a few days use out of it and then have to pay to get it replaced or repaired.
Mine worked great for like two days then went dead. It went to sleep and never woke up. It still had a little over half charge, I recahared it overnight it still won't wake up. the lights act like it is charging and it works passthrough style(pluged into the wall then my passthrough cig battery) but not by itself. Then my usb pass through cig battery also died. Wiring problem i got it rewired but it doesn't work as good. I think i give up on this.
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