Need help choosing a vv mod...

[Fokai]

I've been in the same boat as the OP. And like him, I was thinking more of cost than quality. I got the lavatube 3 months ago and it worked ok, just ok. However, if you want to vape at the higher voltages using a SR boge carto, it feels lacking in power. Also, my lavatube died on me 2 weeks ago. The power shuts off after 2-3 seconds of vaping. I can't say I'm surprised since it's a Chinese, mass prduced e-cig. I'm now looking into investing in a quality mod like a Provari or Precise Plus Kicked. They're both on back orders and there's a reason. People want quality.

My advice to the OP, save a bit more for a week or two and get a Buzz Pro. The Lavatube is marketed as a "middle of the pack" product. However IMHO, it's actually a budget product that should be priced UNDER $50.00. Hindsight is 20/20 and if I had just bought a Provari in the beginning, I would have saved at minimum $200 on devices and accessories.

 

[patch]

fokai makes a great point - you do pay more for higher quality products. if money was not an issue, the provari vv and darwin are great choices. however, seeing as how finances are inevitably part of our decision making process, i feel that the LT is a pretty great deal! if you do settle on the LT though, i would recommend getting some high resistance atomizers: 3.0 ohms or greater--otherwise you will find that the LTs safety features will prevent you from vaping at higher voltages.

plus, the autosafety features on the LT are pretty good, but for the reasons listed above also frustrating if you like to vape at higher voltages.

i'm looking for a bottom feeder VV. does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[RIMP]

PM sent......best of luck I use Boge 2.0's in a Jonboy Lava tank.......best tank made IMHO With LR carto's I use them between 3.9-4.3v......works fine

 

[sailorman]

If I set a mod at, lets say 6V, I expect it to stay at 6V no matter what type of hardware I have on it. With the LT, if you put a 3ohm Boge on it and set the device at 6V, it will auto adjust the voltage down to where it "thinks" it should safely run at. It does it to protect the carto/atty that you have on it. Sorry but I want a device that vapes where I set it, not where it "thinks" it should be set. I'm not totally knocking them. For an inexpensive device for someone wanting to venture into variable voltage, they are an okay mod. On the other hand, a vv box mod does better in performance IMO.

That's not true. If you put a 3ohm Boge on a LT and set it for 6V, you will get 6V. The limiter is 2.5A. A 2ohm will let you vape at 5V. That's 12.5 Watts. You want to pop attys all day, knock yourself out. Lets not forget here, the OP wanted something from $40-$70. And not everyone likes vaping a garage door opener or having to take the back off a box to make adjustments on a tiny dial while he guesses what voltage it's set at.

 

[sailorman]

I've been in the same boat as the OP. And like him, I was thinking more of cost than quality. I got the lavatube 3 months ago and it worked ok, just ok. However, if you want to vape at the higher voltages using a SR boge carto, it feels lacking in power. Also, my lavatube died on me 2 weeks ago. The power shuts off after 2-3 seconds of vaping. I can't say I'm surprised since it's a Chinese, mass prduced e-cig. I'm now looking into investing in a quality mod like a Provari or Precise Plus Kicked. They're both on back orders and there's a reason. People want quality.

My advice to the OP, save a bit more for a week or two and get a Buzz Pro. The Lavatube is marketed as a "middle of the pack" product. However IMHO, it's actually a budget product that should be priced UNDER $50.00. Hindsight is 20/20 and if I had just bought a Provari in the beginning, I would have saved at minimum $200 on devices and accessories.

Great. If I'd have only bought a Mercedes, I wouldn't have wasted my money on this Toyota. Oh, but wait. I have a warranty for a year on this $60 Lavatube. And even if I get the holy Provari, I can use those accessories on it.

The Provari and kick are backordered because the companies that make them are too small to keep up with even a relatively tiny demand. Every vendor here runs out of Lavatubes too from time to time. Does that mean it's the best quality VV? The number of Lavatubes sold dwarfs the number of Provaris and kicks and darwins combined. I guess people want bang for their buck more than a $200+ status symbol. Vaper bling.

So the LT "feels" lacking in power. It puts out 6V at 3ohms, a SR carto, and it "feels" lacking in power. No...methinks there's a fair bit of psychological snobbery going on here. It puts out 6V at 3ohms. 12W. 5V at 2ohms. 12.5W
Most people are fine with that. In fact, most people run their LT at 4-5V with 2-3ohms, that is when they're not trying to impress anyone. If you want to vape at 25 watts, stack a couple batteries in a Bolt and stick a LR on it so you can vape for 10 minutes before your carto pops.

Just how is the Holy Provari going to alter ohms law for you so that it makes 12.5 Watts feel like more than 12.5Watts? OH...I know. By costing 5X more so you just know it has to "feel more powerful". VV vaping and high voltage vaping are not necessarily the same thing. You want real high voltage vaping, you shouldn't be using a VV in the first place.

 

[sailorman]

fokai makes a great point - you do pay more for higher quality products. if money was not an issue, the provari vv and darwin are great choices. however, seeing as how finances are inevitably part of our decision making process, i feel that the LT is a pretty great deal! if you do settle on the LT though, i would recommend getting some high resistance atomizers: 3.0 ohms or greater--otherwise you will find that the LTs safety features will prevent you from vaping at higher voltages.

plus, the autosafety features on the LT are pretty good, but for the reasons listed above also frustrating if you like to vape at higher voltages.

i'm looking for a bottom feeder VV. does anyone have any recommendations?

Wait for the new Reo VV.

You don't need high resistance cartos for the LT. 3ohms is not HR and that allows the full 6V range. Any higher and your just cutting down the wattage. 2.5ohms to 3ohms is perfect. The limiter is 2.5A. 6V with 2.5ohms is 2.4A, so you get the whole 6 volt range with that one too. You have to be at 2ohms or below to get any serious voltage limitations. Even with a 1.7ohm Resurrector, you can get 4.2V, or 10.4 Watts. That's a nice vape for most non-hotheads.

 

[MickeyRat]

That's true, but most decently managed companies will sandbag a bit and hold some units for exchanges of defective units. This was supposed to be a limited production run of 500, so if some are defective they couldn't replace them anyway. Apollo would be crazy to sell 500 if only 500 were ever going to be shipped to them. I'm pretty sure they're not so stupid that they'd only have 500 shipped. There's always a defect rate and I can't imagine they wouldn't prepare for it. The other thing they could do is call them sold out before they've actually sold all 500 of them. Thinking about it, that's probably what they'll do.

A lot of these companies are very small operations and they haven't been around long. They haven't necessarily developed the business practices you are expecting. What I said wasn't intended to be a knock against Apollo though I'm not familiar with the vendor. I have seen the situation I described occur with other vendors.

If I set a mod at, lets say 6V, I expect it to stay at 6V no matter what type of hardware I have on it. With the LT, if you put a 3ohm Boge on it and set the device at 6V, it will auto adjust the voltage down to where it "thinks" it should safely run at. It does it to protect the carto/atty that you have on it. Sorry but I want a device that vapes where I set it, not where it "thinks" it should be set. I'm not totally knocking them. For an inexpensive device for someone wanting to venture into variable voltage, they are an okay mod. On the other hand, a vv box mod does better in performance IMO.

Sorry Hairball but, I have to disagree. When the lavatube was first coming out, I looked at the specs and expressed some concerns that the it's ability to handle current (amps) was too low. However, the presence of a current limitation doesn't mean it's not VV. There's alwasy a current limitation even if it's when the wires melt. Most if not all mods are protected from that.

Here's a video that demonstrates taking both the provari and the buzz pro up to thier current limits. No, the wires don't melt.

 

[Dana A]

Thanks for the recommendation for the V tube. I just placed an order in SS. I am a new vapor (Started Feb 10th) and feel this will be a good deal for me to try VV vaping. I am waiting to get the I atty 2 in June and run it on big size. When GG comes up with a VV I will order one so I am not a cheap skate as some will claim but now I can start VV vaping for cheap and if this thing still works when GG comes threw I can gift it to a new vapor. I have a very hard time buying something for any price if it's not exactly what I want so even if this aint it it's practically free and I can learn from it. P.S. I think the provari is ugly and I don't want ugly no matter how great it may be.

 

[dlsw]

Thanks for the recommendation for the V tube. I just placed an order in SS. I am a new vapor (Started Feb 10th) and feel this will be a good deal for me to try VV vaping. I am waiting to get the I atty 2 in June and run it on big size. When GG comes up with a VV I will order one so I am not a cheap skate as some will claim but now I can start VV vaping for cheap and if this thing still works when GG comes threw I can gift it to a new vapor. I have a very hard time buying something for any price if it's not exactly what I want so even if this aint it it's practically free and I can learn from it. P.S. I think the provari is ugly and I don't want ugly no matter how great it may be.

I am a new vaper too and preordered the ss vtube last night. I think it is a great deal for new people to try a vv mod.

 

[SnIpEsYMcGeE]

i just ordered my ss vtube. thank you everyone for all your help. shouldn't be too bad but now have to get some single coil cartos for my tanks

 

[wv2win]

Yeah but you don't want to end up like the man if Florida, you want it to be safe don't you?

There are plenty of VV/VW PV's that allow you to use ANY atty or carto (dual coils included) and are completely safe.

 

[RIMP]

i just ordered my ss vtube. thank you everyone for all your help. shouldn't be too bad but now have to get some single coil cartos for my tanks

You know the ss tube is on backorder.........

 

[Fokai]

Great. If I'd have only bought a Mercedes, I wouldn't have wasted my money on this Toyota. Oh, but wait. I have a warranty for a year on this $60 Lavatube. And even if I get the holy Provari, I can use those accessories on it.

The Provari and kick are backordered because the companies that make them are too small to keep up with even a relatively tiny demand. Every vendor here runs out of Lavatubes too from time to time. Does that mean it's the best quality VV? The number of Lavatubes sold dwarfs the number of Provaris and kicks and darwins combined. I guess people want bang for their buck more than a $200+ status symbol. Vaper bling.

So the LT "feels" lacking in power. It puts out 6V at 3ohms, a SR carto, and it "feels" lacking in power. No...methinks there's a fair bit of psychological snobbery going on here. It puts out 6V at 3ohms. 12W. 5V at 2ohms. 12.5W
Most people are fine with that. In fact, most people run their LT at 4-5V with 2-3ohms, that is when they're not trying to impress anyone. If you want to vape at 25 watts, stack a couple batteries in a Bolt and stick a LR on it so you can vape for 10 minutes before your carto pops.

Just how is the Holy Provari going to alter ohms law for you so that it makes 12.5 Watts feel like more than 12.5Watts? OH...I know. By costing 5X more so you just know it has to "feel more powerful". VV vaping and high voltage vaping are not necessarily the same thing. You want real high voltage vaping, you shouldn't be using a VV in the first place.

Apples and oranges my friend. An ecig is NOT an automobile purchase. We're ALL former smokers here. Sans ecigs we would normally be spending around $100 in 2 weeks time with analogs. I am not glorifying the Provari. I am using this ECF forum to research quality products and so far, the Provari is the standard for VV vaping. If you had read my post thoroughly, I suggested to the OP the Buzz Pro with is around $50 more NOT the Provari which would be a $100 more. I don't need "bling" as you say. I need a properly functioning product with expectations met.

Yes my LT is lacking in power. When it was working, it was set at 6v and a tank with a 3.0 Boge cartomizer. Vape was good. My $25 Diamond (flashlight mod) from Parkes vaping with 2xCR123 and the same tank/carto setup? Vape was much more enjoyable.

Listen buddy, I just wanted to give the OP my own personal accounts since I was in the same boat as him. Vaping is subjective. I don't know why you would try and tell me I'm wrong or wanting "bling". I don't care about numbers but if I want my vape to feel stronger and the LT reads 6v yet feels WEAK and my cheapo mod is definitely FEELING STRONGER, guess which I'm vaping.

 

[dlsw]

You know the ss tube is on backorder.........

Yes, the latest shipping date is April 15th. (maybe, fingers crossed, sooner)

 

[unsure]

Disregard my PM. I didn't read you already have purchased what you wanted. Congrats!!!

 

[RIMP]

Yes, the latest shipping date is April 15th. (maybe, fingers crossed, sooner)

+1

 

[SnIpEsYMcGeE]

yes i know that they ss vtube is on back order. they have already sent me an email about it but that just makes it that much greater. having to wait is going to make it that much better

 

[JmeMcG]

Well... after reading this thread tonight regarding VV mods and the comments about the LT (the SS model in particular) I just gotta say I am still happy to have made this purchase. Yes, I am aware it's a pre-order, yes I know it's not in stock, yes I know that there may be problems (but in reality, any PV can have problems). Yes, I know that I may not be 100% happy with this model. Yes, I know that this is not the best of the best (actually... I don't know this first hand).

I believe I will be a lot more comfortable getting my feet wet in the world of VV vaping with this PV. This is just me. If it has some built in safety features that will prevent me from attaching some low resitance atty or carto to it and trying to push too much power through it... good! I don't want to have some freak accident because I am a VV noob and am not an electrical guru who is fluent in amps, ohms, volts.. etc and the combinations of each that could potentially cause a problem. I know my place, I am happy to be learning slowly as I go along and move up. I learn a lot this way and I gain more valuable (IMO) knowledge, because I am taking the slow road. Will I end up eventually with a ProVari, GG or ??? Maybe. Right now I cannot say. I know at this point at around 50 days in, my trasition from the KGO I started with (which I think is great) to wanting to explore VV vaping has led me here. I don't see anything wrong with that. Is a "mid-range/quality" VV device such as the LT a good place to start? I don't see why not. Hey... at least it's not a 180mAh, analog look alike, right?

I can appreciate the folks who strongly recommend the really "elite" mods. I understand that the idea is to help minimalize dollars/time spent getting to the "Shangri-La" of vaping, but I must ask: Do you really feel it is truly BEST to start at what you consider the "top"? Knowing what I have learned so far myself in my short time as a vaper, I don't believe this is actually the best. I would never recommend to a first time user of firearms to "just buy a Barrett .50 cal anti-material rifle, because that's what you are going to want in the end..." that would just be ridiculous, now wouldn't it?

 

[n2tkd]

That depends on how much $$$ you want to spend? Remember you do get what you pay for...

 

[patch]

thanks for the tip sailorman - definitely will keep my eyes peeled for the Reo VV. I was reading somewhere that it uses essentially the same hardware as the Buzz? I have a Reo Mini and I do love that thing--just wish the vape was warmer and the vapor thicker...