Let's talk hardware

[Bronze]

That's strange I usually run mine at 9-10 watts on the SVD , why it would function differently on a Vamo beats me .

I never had any issues using anything on my Vamo. However, the Vamo (V2) has two modes...AVG and RMS. When in the AVG mode, it would burn everything (it acts like pulse modulation). It has to be kept in RMS mode. I don't even know why they gave us the option. Not sure if other versions still have both modes.

David and Daniel, make sure you are in RMS mode and not AVG (if you have the option).

 

[LeoRex]

Ugh can someone help me out here, this vamo is confusing me, I have the vamo set to 6.5 watts and I have the aspire BDC in with blade inside of it and it tastes horrible. Like a burnt wood mint taste. I have tried adjusting it and I cleaned it before hand but it's still tasting bad

This might sound counter-intuitive... but... if you are sure your coil is saturated.... Try jacking up the power. 6.5w is EXTREMELY low for a dual coil set up. Think about it.... dual coils do funky things with currents and wattages, but if you are putting 6.5w to a dual coil, you are only pushing 3.25w per coil. Frankly, I am surprised you get anything out of that little power.

Don't be afraid of pushing it much higher.... with a single battery and a 1.8 ohm coil.... the Vamo pretty much max's out at 12w (there is a limit as to how much it can step up the voltage)... so even if you crank it to 16w (in VW) or 6v (in VV), the most you'll be pushing into either coil is about 6 or 7 watts...

 

[LeoRex]

Not sure if other versions still have both modes.

I know on the V3, they dropped the AVG mode and went RMS only. V4 is a V3 in a V2 body, so that would be the same way.

 

[Bronze]

To the VAMOs it applies to (I know V2's)...

The VAMO can determine output voltage and wattage as an Average or as RMS (Root Mean Square). RMS is the actual and true output and is the one to use.
Press and hold the + button for 10 secs. If "no2" is shown then the output is already set to RMS, no further action is required. If no1 is shown, release the button and press again for 10 secs until the display shows no2. This setting should not change after a new battery is inserted but if the vape feels hotter than expected you should re-check this setting.

 

[Bronze]

I know on the V3, they dropped the AVG mode and went RMS only. V4 is a V3 in a V2 body, so that would be the same way.

Probably the smartest thing they could do. The AVG mode was a waste of time. Pulse modulation and e-cigs is a bad marriage.

 

[dreamreaper]

On the v5 you hold the minus button for 10 seconds and it goes from output mean or output rms. They brought that worthless function back for some reason on the v5.

 

[Bronze]

On the v5 you hold the minus button for 10 seconds and it goes from output mean or output rms. They brought that worthless function back for some reason on the v5.

I don't get it.

Daniel/David...make sure you are in RMS mode.

 

[LeoRex]

Pulse modulation and e-cigs is a bad marriage.

In AVG mode, it is still pulse width modulated.... PWM isn't a bad thing, even your beloved Provari uses PM to deliver power. Just about every VV device out there uses a PWM chipset... Some, like the DNA20 chip, are DC (but that sucker is, what, $50 or $60 JUST for the chipset so you don't see it on anything other than the highest end mods). But not all PWMs are alike.

The Vamo, along with many other 'value' VV devices have a PWM frequency of 33.3hz (probably all use a common chipset). This is what causes the 'rattlesnake' effect in some devices as you can hear result of the voltage snapping on and off. Higher end devices use chip sets that drive a higher frequency... the higher the frequency, the closer you get to a constant, DC style delivery. I think the eVic is around 100 Hz and that 'smooth' vape you get with the Provari is due to the 800hz PWM speed (might be 900).

Of course, I've vaped both and I really don't see all that much a difference to be honest. Especially with the big ol' 28g microcoils I run... those heat up (and cool down) so slow, the coil itself smooths things out to the point where there really isn't a difference between my Vamo and my K100 mech (same device, Vamo set to equivalent voltage)

 

[Bronze]

In AVG mode, it is still pulse width modulated.... PWM isn't a bad thing, even your beloved Provari uses PM to deliver power. Just about every VV device out there uses a PWM chipset... Some, like the DNA20 chip, are DC (but that sucker is, what, $50 or $60 JUST for the chipset so you don't see it on anything other than the highest end mods). But not all PWMs are alike.

The Vamo, along with many other 'value' VV devices have a PWM frequency of 33.3hz (probably all use a common chipset). This is what causes the 'rattlesnake' effect in some devices as you can hear result of the voltage snapping on and off. Higher end devices use chip sets that drive a higher frequency... the higher the frequency, the closer you get to a constant, DC style delivery. I think the eVic is around 100 Hz and that 'smooth' vape you get with the Provari is due to the 800hz PWM speed (might be 900).

Of course, I've vaped both and I really don't see all that much a difference to be honest. Especially with the big ol' 28g microcoils I run... those heat up (and cool down) so slow, the coil itself smooths things out to the point where there really isn't a difference between my Vamo and my K100 mech (same device, Vamo set to equivalent voltage)

Exactly. And more precise than what I said. The Provari is off the charts with regard to speed (I believe it is 800hz) and PWM is an asset. I had a Lavatube with optional PWM and it was 33hz and it acted like a blow torch on my atty. As you point out, the VAMOs and all these other low/med regulated mods are likely all 33hz. It's a different arena talking 33hz Vs 800hz. It's the equivalent of watching HDTV vs pre-HDTV...even more.

 

[LeoRex]

It's the equivalent of watching HDTV vs pre-HDTV...even more.

I'll take your word for it. For me, it doesn't make much of a difference. Keep in mind that the juice couldn't care less about volts, watts, ohms, RMS, etc... the ONLY thing the juice cares about is the temperature of the coil. When people tested these devices by hooking them up to an o-scope, I shook my head. What they SHOULD have down is measure the the coil temp and the amount of heat put out.

On those tini-tiny coils they put into Evods, Vivis, attys and carts, those coils are made of extremely thin, very high resistance wire that heats up in a fraction of a second...and cool down just as quick since there is pretty much no metal to absorb any heat. On something like that, you may notice a difference as there is enough time during the pulsing for the coil to cool a bit when the voltage flips off.

With thick, low resistance wire, though, you'd be hard pressed to notice the difference without hooking it up to an o-scope. There is quite a bit more metal there.... It takes a lot longer, comparatively speaking, for the coil to get up to temp, and it'll hold on to that heat for a lot longer when the power cuts. That hold over heat smooths out those troughs.... the larger the coil, the slower it changes temps, the less anyone notices that it uses PWM.

 

[Bronze]

I had my 33hz PWM using 32ga (pre microcoil days). It's been awhile. It took little to cook the juice with that wire.

 

[LeoRex]

When I used evods, the rattlesnake was very apparent... but I was running 2.5 ohm coils in those things. They were NR-R-NR wire, so to get 2.5 ohm across only R portion of the wire... that must have been 34 or higher... CRAZY thin... I could see how you'd know the difference on those coils.

But on the micros? I mean, I can hand pulse my K100 and keep them glowing red (dry burning between wicks of course)... 33hz/800hz... not really going to make a difference.

 

[retic1959]

On the v5 you hold the minus button for 10 seconds and it goes from output mean or output rms. They brought that worthless function back for some reason on the v5.

Uh OH ! So the v5 is what ? really the v2 with a removable drip well ? That's v2 electronics , my v3 didn't have it .

 

[LeoRex]

Hard to say... The V4 looks to be the V2 body/V3 internals.. which kind of sucked since the drip well is too small and the ring wasn't removable. The V5 is just a de-rifled V3 body and display (OLED), but with the V2's firmware (if they allow RMS).

Odd choice... I don't see a single person clamoring for that mode... nearly EVERY post is basically "Yeah, RMS blows chunks, switch to Avg mode and it'll be 1000 times better".

 

[dreamreaper]

Uh OH ! So the v5 is what ? really the v2 with a removable drip well ? That's v2 electronics , my v3 didn't have it .

From what I understood when I was researching on what one I wanted to buy I came to that same consensus.

v4 = re-skinned v3
v5 = re-skinned v2

I could be totally off on that, but through a week or so of researching them thats what I came up with. I ultimately went with the cheapest one I could find, at the time that was the v5.

***edit Leo types faster than me!

 

[Chakris]

Daniel, sorry to hear you're having such trouble with the Aspire. If you're confident that the VAMO is set up right. It might be time to look at how you're vaping. Possibly hitting a bit too hard, or too long and the wick cannot keep up with your draw? Chain vaping will have the same effect as well.

 

[dreamreaper]

So I am thinking of getting a new PV. I can not decide for the life of me if I want another VV/VW device or a full blown mod.

I have been leaning towards a iTaste SVD or Nemisis Clone by HCigar.

I have no interest in doing sub ohm coils, so is there any real benefit to a mod other than not really having to worry about anything breaking?

 

[LeoRex]

Well... mechanicals often look a little bit slicker than PVs, plus, they are a LOT smaller. I have a K100 mech and with an 18650 in it, it's a little bit shorter than my Vamo with a 18350 in it.

But Mechs can be a little tricky... You have to build out your device correctly.... with a VV, you can hunt around for the right vape at the click of a button. With a mech, you're locked into the battery's voltage... and the vape will 'cool' as the battery fades.

By the way... I'll give you the schpeal.... Sub-ohm has a bad rap. It's not some adreneline-fueled death wish.... Granted, there are some dudes that run CRAZY quad coils with low resistances (like .1 or .2) and draw extremely high currents.... but the vast majority of people who use sub-ohm gear are just vapers looking to get the most out of their gear. I have a dual coil Nimbus RDA clone (My 'Chimbus'). Now, I typically run my single coil RDAs at 1.4 ohms and around 12 watts on my Vamo... that's where I like the vape. The whole point of the dual coil is to get more vapor (not cloud chasing... just more flavor). To get each coil to run the same as a single coil RDA, I pretty much have to push 24 watts through it (12 per coil). The ONLY way to accomplish that is a sub-ohm (.6 to .7 ohm) on a mech.

It isn't dangerous, I am no where near the limits of the batteries I am using, it's not crazy harsh or hot....and the design of the Nimbus means that a hard short is really hard to cause. And it's one hell of a vape.

 

[dreamreaper]

Thanks Leo, I am still exploring the options both ways. I havent dead set one way or the other yet.

Thanks for the things to think about.

 

[LeoRex]

Thanks for the things to think about.

That's the point of the thread. Well, that and so I won't bore the folks over in the main thread when I start ranting about finding the right resistances, voltage drops, etc...