Let's talk hardware

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XfooYen

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I got it because it was broken. The 510 connector lead wires were both pulled completely off the circuit board. The previous owner had no hope of fixing it themselves. I also gave them a substantial PIF in return, so it wasn't exactly "free".

This smok Zmax is hitting much harder at the same wattage using the same battery than my Vamo does. I find this very interesting. I definitely prefer the Vamo menu and 2 extra buttons though.

The Zmax V2 and the Vamo use the same mathematical equation to calculate the correct wattage/voltage supplied to your atty at a given resistance. The first revision of the Zmax used a calculation which was not accurate and was firing much "hotter" than intended. Smoktech later added an 8th menu item to allow the user to change the mode of PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) to fire accurately. The choices in the 8th menu item are NEA (which stands for Mean) or ANS (which stands for RMS or Root Mean Square). You want to select ANS and leave it there. That is the correct and accurate setting. If your Zmax does not have the "8th menu", then you have the V1 of the Zmax and will have to adjust your wattage and voltage solely to taste. It will not be accurate. The Vamo has the same two power modes. On the Vamo, if you hold down either + or - button for 10 seconds, you will show "NO 1" or "NO 2". NO 1 is Mean and NO 2 is RMS. It is recommended you leave the Vamo in the NO 2 setting for it to fire accurately. Phil Busardo explains this clearly at the 20:00 mark:

 
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Bronze

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You know, my VAMO has been a bit hot lately. I just passed it off as putting in a new juice. It was coming in slightly on the burnt side. So for the hell of it, I checked my output. Sure enough, it was set on "Average". No idea how I got it there because I always had it on RMS (NO 2). Glad I read your post X. Systems Normal. Carry on.
 

Schnarph

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Thanks for posting that Xfoo. I actually knew that as I try to watch every Pbusardo video and I saw that one for sure. I don't have an 8th menu on this Zmax, it must be a V1. I set the Vamo V2 on RMS as soon as I got it. The part I find interesting is how incredibly different Mean and RMS are. I wasn't going to set my Vamo V2 to Mean just for a comparison, but now that I have a Zmax V1 I learned something new from experience. I may need to dial this Zmax down a notch or two.
 

XfooYen

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XFoo.. wire rope wick. 3/32 fits RSST without any modifications?

Yes. That's the size you want. Same size for the AGA-T. If you pop out the insulated part of the wick hole in the RSST, you can probably fit a 1/8 cable in there. I see no need, and prefer the 3/32 in all my similarly sized gennys. You should always have some wiggle room around that wick. The coil holds it in place to keep it from falling.

*Don't expect much. I'm on Tapatalk.*
 

XfooYen

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You know, my VAMO has been a bit hot lately. I just passed it off as putting in a new juice. It was coming in slightly on the burnt side. So for the hell of it, I checked my output. Sure enough, it was set on "Average". No idea how I got it there because I always had it on RMS (NO 2). Glad I read your post X. Systems Normal. Carry on.

Mine mysteriously went back to NO1 before. Only happened once. I double check it once a month but it seems to remember the setting consistently.

*Don't expect much. I'm on Tapatalk.*
 
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XfooYen

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Thanks for posting that Xfoo. I actually knew that as I try to watch every Pbusardo video and I saw that one for sure. I don't have an 8th menu on this Zmax, it must be a V1. I set the Vamo V2 on RMS as soon as I got it. The part I find interesting is how incredibly different Mean and RMS are. I wasn't going to set my Vamo V2 to Mean just for a comparison, but now that I have a Zmax V1 I learned something new from experience. I may need to dial this Zmax down a notch or two.

Yeah. You will need to dial it down. The readings you're getting won't be accurate and you can easily burn out your coils of you rely on them. You gotta go on taste. I wouldn't use the wattage setting at all. Just use voltage.

*Don't expect much. I'm on Tapatalk.*
 
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Chimps McGhee

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Xfoo, my Igo-L and AGA-T2 and VAMO should be here tomorrow...I'm sure I'll be looking for a bit of guidance to help with the impending frustration AKA AGA set-up. Glad that there is some knowledgeable help around here. :D I went with 30g kanthal and #500 mesh for starters, so we'll see how it goes....
 

Dusty_D

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Yes. That's the size you want. Same size for the AGA-T. If you pop out the insulated part of the wick hole in the RSST, you can probably fit a 1/8 cable in there. I see no need, and prefer the 3/32 in all my similarly sized gennys. You should always have some wiggle room around that wick. The coil holds it in place to keep it from falling.

*Don't expect much. I'm on Tapatalk.*

Perfect, Thanks! I've got my AGA-T2 singing right now with a 3/32 setup. Haven't started on the RSST's yet.
 

Bronze

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Mine mysteriously went back to NO1 before. Only happened once. I double check it once a month but it seems to remember the setting consistently.

*Don't expect much. I'm on Tapatalk.*

By having to press and hold the button for 10 seconds, it is pretty hard to switch. (And I think you have to do it twice to actually switch it). So I have no idea how mine went from RMS to Average. I know it was on RMS when I initially set it up a few months ago. Somewhere in the last week or two it got switched to Average...mysteriously. Guess I'll have to check it once in awhile now too. Also, I detected my vape warmed up so that should be a head's up also.

I do like this VAMO though. Dollar for dollar it is the best PV I've had.
 

gthompson

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Maybe this is something we should write to the manufacturer about - mine changed as well.

I got an answer back from them.... :ohmy:

sample6tra.gif


:laugh:
 

Bronze

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Maybe we need to get the geek squad (i.e., X) to get to the bottom of this.

If I hold the button for 10 seconds, is the setting I see the one that it was or the one it just became? If it is the one it just became, then when I did mine (it was reading NO 1), I was actually on NO 2 like I thought. I'm too lazy/busy to figure it out now.
 

Blix

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Maybe we need to get the geek squad (i.e., X) to get to the bottom of this.

If I hold the button for 10 seconds, is the setting I see the one that it was or the one it just became? If it is the one it just became, then when I did mine (it was reading NO 1), I was actually on NO 2 like I thought. I'm too lazy/busy to figure it out now.

When you hold down the button, what you see is what you get. :)
 
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