Long time vaper, help me find new setup (ProVari user)

[Done Deal DR]

I got the gunmetal Zenkote Mini in today a couple hours ago. It really is a striking finish, it almost reminds me of a grayish-tinted black chrome, but obviously the process behind it is different. I really hope the finish holds up better to daily pocket abuse that my satin black did, although I've definitely seen ProVari finishes in worse shape online than my old (now lost) one did. My chrome finish V2 has tons of very fine scratches, but from more than a foot or two out they are impossible to see, hopefully this is the same.

The mini size is great, in 18490 extension mode it's just a bit shorter than a full size ProVari, but in mini 18350 mode it's appreciably shorter and lighter. I greatly prefer the Mini's dimples to my chrome V2's vertical lines. Even though both finishes are very smooth, the Mini provides more gripping traction, though it's not like I was dropping the V2's. The biggest upgrade is the ability to use the trim rings and flush tanks with the updated top cap, which makes for a much cleaner appearance although I still wish they just made a flat top cap anyways. The market has really gone away from the thinner sized tanks, I never see anyone running atomizer setups of that size on a ProVari anymore so it just seems like they should do away with it entirely or at least make it an option. Maybe on the P3/V3 they will wise up. The display also seems a tad sharper on this new model.

Overall, very happy to be a 2 ProVari owner again with a proper backup.

 

[Robinowitz]

Good to hear that your Provari family is intact again. I hear your Relief!

 

[classwife]

Moved to Variable Voltage APV Discussion from APV Discussion

 

[LotsaBS]

My 2+ year vaping experience has been similar to yours. And during that time, I've been thru countless PV's and toppers. I finally bought my 1st Provari last year and haven't found anything better for my vaping style, which is apparently similar to yours. I enjoy my Provari's primarily for their simplicity, accuracy, company backing and that they "just work". Regarding toppers, I too have tried Tanks with Cartos (great vape, but a pain to maintain), Kayfuns and Taifuns (again great vape, but rebuilding can be a hassle) and several top and bottom feed tanks. In the past, I also tried various Kanger and iClear tanks which were fair performers, but moved on to the Nautilis last fall, looking for something better. It gave a pretty good vape, but the threaded glass can be a problem and their coils are expensive. When the Kanger Aerotank Mega and Mini came out and received such great reviews, I decided to give em a try. WOW, nearly nirvana!. The quality of the vape is as good or even better than my Kayfun. To me, it's a better built tank than the Nautilis (no threaded glass), and the coils are less expensive as well (I now only use the new enclosed version coils). Currently I use my Provari's (Std v2.5 or my Mini) with a Kanger Aerotank Mega. When I'm out being active and need something smaller and lighter, I use an iTaste VV 3.0 with a Kanger Aerotank Mini. The new Aerotanks (Mega or Mini) don't leak and give a great vape. With their 2.0 ohm dual coil I usually run around 4.3 to 4.7 volts and with their 1.5 ohm coil I run 3.7 to 4.1 volts depending on the juice I am using. The coils often last me for weeks, can be cleaned when changing flavors (rinse with hot water and soak overnight in vodka then dry burn briefly) and are fairly inexpensive from the right vendor (I've recently been using VaporBeast.com). Between my Provari and the Aerotank Mega everything is set, forget and vape. No hassels! The only thing to look out for is periodic coil flooding, but it is rare and seems to be limited to moving from a very cool air conditioned environment to a very hot one (over 95 degrees) as the air and juice both expand slightly. I found that you can eliminate the problem if you remember to put it in your pocket upside down when initially moving to a very hot environment (it won't leak). The air in the tank then moves to the area around the coil as everything expands and the possible flood is prevented. Even if you get a rare flooded coil, it is easy to fix. flip the tank over, unscrew the base, remove the coil, blow out the excess juice and reassemble. As they say though, YMMV. I'm still on the lookout for something better, but so far and for my vaping style, this is as good as it gets now. Good Luck!

 

[Done Deal DR]

Thanks for your response LotsaBS, I agree it sounds like we want a similar thing out of our vaping experience. I really just like having something just work with minimal fuss.

Zenkote Gunmetal ProVari V2, Z-Atty, Zenkote Mini Tower mouthpiece

The gunmetal mouthpiece is a much closer match than the picture makes it look, since so much light is hitting it. I'm not entirely happy with the HoH mouthpiece however, because the connector is not tall enough which makes it not very stable. I had a friend build my Z-Atty, and it's working pretty reliably but I still don't like the drawbacks... must keep it upright or it will leak, top cap pops off all the time if it's in my pocket, and needing to make sure you are tipping it in the direction of the wick/coil. It just makes it a pain to use how I like to use my mods, but the flavor is great.

I got the Nautilus in and used if for a week or two. I've already experienced extreme flooding with it when I went from AC to brutal 115+ degree AZ heat. Other than that, the flavor it a bit weak but it's livable and easy to use. I am not a fan of the threaded glass either. I also got a couple Mini Nautilus tanks in with their new BVC heads. The tank itself is smaller than I would want to use on a regular basis, but the difference in heads is pretty apparent. I much prefer the vaping experience with the BVC heads although it will probably still be susceptible to the flooding with extreme temperature differences which is an everyday occurrence where I live. Reviewers have said it vapes like a carto, and I agree. The bonus is that it's so much easier to change and add juice. I'm going to keep using these BVC heads for a while and see it it's suitable for the long run, although I will have to look into different tank inserts because it's only a matter of time before the glass breaks due to threading, thickness, and shape.

 

[LotsaBS]

That's certainly a good looking setup, but I feel your pain. I have had similar problems with all of my RDA and RTA's so they stay at home and upright. Like I said, if you get too frustrated with the Nautilus, try the Kanger Aerotank Mega. To me, it provides even better flavor than the Nautilus, (to me the flavor is very comparable to my Kayfun and on some juices even better!), construction is better (stainless steel, silicone gaskets and pyrex glass), they don't leak (even if stored upside down) and the extreme temp change related flooding is minimal, usually non-existent if you remember to carry them upside down when moving from a cold to a warm environment. I also live an a part of the country that experiences 100+ degree temps in the summer. BTW, I replace the metal drip tip that comes on the Aerotank Mega with a simple black delrin one (I hate metal against my teeth).

 

[DaveP]

The Nautilus tank looks like a nice set up, I think I'll give it a shot! I don't love that the top threads into the glass but that's probably nitpicking.

The Nautilus glass tank is thick and solid. The weak point is the top threaded drip tip cap. It's easy to walk along with it in your hand and tap it against something that doesn't give. The threads will crack. I did that and it vaped fine until it started flooding. I removed the cap and there was a crack in the threads that caused it to lose vacuum. A little crescent shaped piece of glass came out and was stuck to the silicone gasket in the metal cap.

$7 later at the B&M I had a new cap and no more gurgles. That they sell them in the store suggests that those threads are fragile.

 

[Done Deal DR]

Yep, I now have 3 Nautilus tanks and agree threading on the glass is a bad design, but of course I knew that before purchasing. If it becomes a problem for me I will change it out to a stainless section.

 

[Done Deal DR]

Few updates on my journey. The tip I received on storing the Nautilus upside down when dealing with temp changes was fantastic, I have not had any flooding since using this method. I also replaced the tank section with the Aspire diamond SS/glass kit which I would highly recommend. It's a better design and also knocks an appreciable amount of height off of it and cleans up the drip tip area visually.

I also ended up buying a ZNA lite and Z2 atty mini. My friend has been teaching me how to build the Genesis attys and I'm getting better at it. The ZNA is a great mod, it allows a little more flexibility than the ProVaris and is the same height in 18490 as my ProVari mini is in 18350 mode... Of course it's wider as well. The DNA chip provides very useful at a glance information that I appreciate. I also like the trigger fire button, though it's got a very slight rattle to it. The Z2 threading is very robust, it feels much stronger and more secure than the 510 threading. Once you use it the 510 feels archaic, hopefully the market shifts over time to this standard, but maybe that's wishful thinking.

Losing the satin black ProVari was a mini blessing in a $250+ loss disguise. Seeking out advancements in the industry led to a better experience, and I now have 2 great new mods and much better atomizers.