Just got my Variable voltage Riva Battery

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zomgname

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Nov 8, 2010
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I wasn't sure where exactly to put this? It's not a review of a full e-cig kit/parts, just a battery. Apologies if this is the wrong area.

I got mine at Liberty Flights. I think there are a few more places selling it.

This is a VV Riva, that can go from 3.3 to 3.7 to 4.2 and back with 5-click sessions. It fits a standard Riva charger, and all riva / ego parts.


First impression: woah it's long (I like that). Looks really nice. Don't like the button, wish it was the silicone type.


I've only been using it for a few hours so I can't comment on durability or longevity but I REALLY like it so far.


appearance/feel:
VV Riva + Boge Cartomizer + Drip tip | Standard Riva + Boge + Drip tip
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It feels nice. I personally love the longer types, so I was happy with the length. After attaching a carto and a drip tip (I like to take the rubber cap off and put a drip tip on my Boges - feels better), it measures just shy of 6 inches, at 5 3/4's inches long. A normal Riva with the same boge + drip tip attached measures 5 inches. It's also a little bit heavier. The rubber paint stays warmer than the normal Riva.
I don't like the button. This one is hard, kind of "sharp" feeling. I feel like it could get stuck easier than a silicone button.
There are two LEDS; the battery readout and the ring around the end near the button. They both light up when you press the button. The ring LED changes depending on the voltage, and the battery LED stays red. Would be nice if the battery LED was the color of the ring!


With the different paint style the other Riva parts, like the atty that comes with the kit and the cone look a bit funny. They are hard and shiny vs. soft and matte. Not a big deal.


performance:
The 5-click sessions to change the voltages and the LED showing you when you've reached each one (red for 3.3 purple for 3.7 blue for 4.2)is easy, quick and nice. I like it.


I've been using the 4.2 volt mostly. I REALLY like this. My juices have more flavor and I nearly choked my first drag because it produces substantially more vapor and I wasn't prepared LOL. The vapor is a bit warmer. It's very smooth. The draw is also very smooth and quiet. I've been having a burning sensation with every Carto I've been using in my throat, and usually dripped. This voltage seems to have eliminated that issue. Dripping on the 4.2 voltage produces tons more flavor and vapor, as well! It preforms beautifully at this voltage.


The 3.7 is the normal Riva voltage and it preforms like other Riva batters at this range to me.


The 3.3 works well for my really sweet juices. For instance, with my orange chocolate juice I taste the orange much better on 3.3 volt while at 4.2 the dark chocolate comes through better. I really appreciate being able to drop down or up depending on what I want to taste, out of a single juice.


overall:
I love this battery and hope it's as durable as I've found the standard Rivas. I've been using it for several hours now and it's still reading full life so battery life seems well. I am not THAT heavy of a vapor, though. Probably below average.


Based so far I would give it an 8.5/10 I would give it a 9 - 9 1/2 if the battery was silicone. 10 if all the LEDs matched! My rating may change if I find it suddenly starts preforming badly.


I don't have any voltage readers or anything. I'm pretty new to vaping. I only own a standard Riva kit, Boge cartos, I JUST purchased a low-res atty with this battery. I know there are better VV set-ups out there, but for the price (19.99 at LF), this seems like a great deal to me to step into that world.
 
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zomgname

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I just wanted to inform anyone getting them that I thought mine wasn't charging; I left it in overnight and it still didn't charge. I was starting to get worried that they weren't really compatible with the chargers. I had it screwed in as tight as I thought was safe...

then my fiance took it from me and screwed it in REALLY, REALLY tight and it started blinking and charging - it wasnt doing that before, the light would stay green like nothing was plugged in, and the battery wouldn't blink to indicate it was on charge.

So... you have to screw these in tighter than you'd think is safe! I'm actually a tiny bit worried of damaging the threads, and will probably get a charger just for this battery in the future.
 

scalewiz

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Feb 17, 2011
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I got a VV ego battery from Gotvapes. Looks exactly the same. On mine, the second time I tried to charge it the light on the battery came on, and it showed it was charging, but the light on the charger stayed green. Just to see, I left it on there, but after several hours it still was not charged. WITHOUT pushing the button, I used a small pick to pull up the center connector on the battery just a little and then it started charging OK. I also noticed that when it did it again, I took a cotton swab and cleaned the threads and connector on the battery and the charger. Then, it started working OK. I've had to do this cleaning several times since; it seems that any juice or dirt in the connector prevents it from making good battery contact. The battery may show charging, but the charger light doesn't; it's almost as if the charging current gets reduced (not eliminated) by contamination and poor contact.
 

scalewiz

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Feb 17, 2011
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I never did like tight. I get fearful about damaging something. After I pulled up the center connector and cleaned it, it works fine. You might also want to unplug your charger and use the pick to pull out the center connector also. One more thing. Look at the plastic housing on the charger and make sure that the battery is screwing down and hitting the plastic. I dremel tooled a lot of the plastic on the end of one of my chargers; now I can even screw it directly in my 3.7 box mods, use a rubber band to hold down the switch, and let the 510 charger charge my box mod!

Oops. NOT hitting the plastic
 

bruiser

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Nov 20, 2010
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A shorty 510 extension will probably solve the charger problem. Mad Vapes had some Smok batteries that weren't quite right, and sold them for $10 each. The skirt on the charging end was a little to long. The extension solved the problem. I think the batts are 1000 mah, and that wasn't a bad price for a big eGo batt. And, the batteries work fine.
 

wv2win

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WHAT??? You can vape at power levels above 3.7 volts and find it actually more enjoyable than vaping at 3.7 volts or less?? I mean 4.7 volts is right in that 4.5 volt to 5.0 volt "sweet spot" that those old timers talk about. How can that be??? I keep reading that an ego at 3.4 volts is all anyone should ever need.

Sarcasm aside, thanks for the nice review.
 

r77r7r

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  • Feb 15, 2011
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    I got one of the first models from Gotvapes (pretty much junk), they redid them to fix alot of things (like the low post), and now theyve discontinued the whole line.

    They were 3.4-4.2, but they couldn't hold 4.2, so now the new ones go from 3.2-3.9, and I believe w/o all the LED lights all over.

    Mine, when it works, is identical to my Riva in power. On HIGH, of course, I don't know why anyone would want to go lower.
     

    Jules815

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