Need help with pro vari p3

Status
Not open for further replies.

Baditude

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Apr 8, 2012
30,394
73,076
71
Ridgeway, Ohio
Efest is one of those "re-wrap" batteries who often exaggerates their specifications. That 20A Efest may not actually be a 20 amp battery. You would probably do better with an authentic LG, Samsung, or Sony battery listed below.

Purple Efest Batteries Not As Advertised
Are You Using a Rewrap (Rebranded or Aftermarket) Battery?

LG 18650HG2 3000mah 20 amp CDR
346357-b4b716723a22088fab0a5bf10f1b49ad.jpg

Samsung 18650-25R, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR
480893-f9aa259b6278bd14930b251db599258b.jpg

Sanyo UR18650NSX, 2500 mah 20 amp CDR
378261-aaf8c523bf96f24707f538807755e5d3.jpg

Sony 18650VTC5, 2600 mah 20 amp CDR
376248-b8539a19e3674529dd18c0d4a7b45fbd.jpg

Sony 18650VTC4, 2100 mah 23 amp CDR
375725-e80826e842f37ec825e3c9d326022214.jpg



LG 18650 HD4 2100 mah 25 amp CDR
385835-3a8df09a46862337422b3b76a151fcf0.jpg

LG 18650 HD2 2000 mah 25 amp CDR
376922-73545b66ab0955890ea3cc74c9adb39f.jpg

Samsung 18650-24S, 2500 mah 25 amp CDR
567779-1876260dcd39b9dcc8127176faccf541.jpg

Sony 18650VTC5A, 2500 mah 25 amp CDR
397493-cc91892a31586c163dc419ce4bd3e8dd.jpg

If I recall, Provape recommended using the Samsung 25R battery in the P3, but any of the above batteries should be acceptable specification-wise.

Provari's were notoriously picky about the batteries that they would accept. You might take an eraser on a pencil to rub clean the positive battery contact inside the P3. Also might not hurt to clean that contact with some denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol) on a long cotton tipped applicator to clean away any possible carbon buildup on the contact. If your P3 has a wire coil in the end cap, you might want to streatch it a bit longer to insure that the battery makes proper contact with the circuit board.

It's also possible that circuit boad is going out on your P3. Although Provape has gone out of business, there is still an independent who does Provari repairs. Someone should be by soon who has his contact information.
 
Last edited:

Topwater Elvis

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Dec 26, 2012
7,116
16,502
Texas
Battery quality is important for the P3 to operate due to its very sensitive battery IQ feature.
The efest is an erroneously labeled rewrap it is not 20a CDR.
Your other cell should have letters & numbers on it so we can identify what exact cell it is.

How old are your cells?
When was the last time you thoroughly cleaned the battery contact points & base cap threading.

Here is the owners manual ---> https://www.thevapedb.com/uploads/images/provape/provari-3/ProVari3Manual-English.pdf
 

JCinFLA

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Oct 21, 2015
9,391
44,571
OK. Found the guy who does Provari repairs. He checks his email just once a week.

If that's Bill...I thought there had been posts at least a month or so ago on ECF...about him not doing ProVari repairs any more. Something about his supply of repair parts was being depleted, IIRC.
 

Baditude

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Apr 8, 2012
30,394
73,076
71
Ridgeway, Ohio
If that's Bill...I thought there had been posts at least a month or so ago on ECF...about him not doing ProVari repairs any more. Something about his supply of repair parts was being depleted, IIRC.
Yeah, I think that is Bill. Well, it was worth a shot. Maybe wouldn't hurt shooting an email anyway.
 

Hobbs

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Jan 17, 2016
952
16,410
Not enough info. Usually the P3 outputs an error message if there is an error. Do you have a pic of the display with the question marks? What topper and coil are you trying to vape? What is the coil resistance? Has the P3 worked for you in the past with this set up?

If the set up you are trying to vape is within the allowable specs for a P3 (which we don't know at this point), maybe it's a connectivity issue. Clean all electrical contact areas including threads in top and bottom cap as well as battery contact on circuit board. Use alcohol, q-tips and cloth as needed. Try saturating the end cap and spring with alcohol and rotate the spring in the cap while wet with alcohol and rinsing afterwards. Should improve contact areas between spring and end cap. After cleaning, allow time for everything to dry before attempting to use again.

EDIT: Also, while in there with a q-tip and cleaning the positive battery contact on the circuit board ... is the circuit board firmly in place or is it kinda "wiggly"?

The Provari tube mod in this older video isn't a P3 but is a pretty good video outlining some of the cleaning I talked about above. Be sure to clean all threads on the device and end cap as well. Maybe the threads on your tank too ...

 
Last edited:

Opinionated

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 19, 2015
11,168
59,365
56
My Mountain
When I put a fresh battery in my P3's it will show a ? where the battery indicator is until I take the first drag/vape off it.

For some reason mine need you to use the battery in order to accurately read it, or to begin to read the level of charge.

But it goes away the second you take a drag, and begins showing your battery level from that moment forward...

Is yours not vaping? Or has it stopped reading your battery?
 

kas122461

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Jun 15, 2013
5,211
30,631
63
Indiana, USA
OK. Found the guy who does Provari repairs. He checks his email just once a week. ProvariRepair@gmail.com

If that's Bill...I thought there had been posts at least a month or so ago on ECF...about him not doing ProVari repairs any more. Something about his supply of repair parts was being depleted, IIRC.

Yeah, I think that is Bill. Well, it was worth a shot. Maybe wouldn't hurt shooting an email anyway.

There was a post in the Saloon a few days ago, where Bill said he is resuming repairs this month. He is doing it part time now, and he is limited by parts supply, but if it can be repaired he is the one to determine it. :)

KAS
 

BrotherBob

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Dec 24, 2014
14,117
12,449
Sunnyvale,CA,USA
I can’t actually vape because I’m pretty sure the problem is that there is two question marks near the battery sign and I don’t know how to fix it
Welcome and glad you joined.
" When you first insert your battery you will see two question marks: ??. This simply indicates the P3 is evaluating the battery and after 1-2 puffs, it will update the status of the battery. When the battery runs out, the device will alert you with an “Empty” alert on the screen. At this time, recharge the battery."
Could see page 6:
re: http://ecigitesztek.hu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ProVari-3-Manual.pdf
Might take the unit to a local B&M Vape Shop (Visit)/someone who knows what their doing -----Might be simple.
Could read through:
ProVape
Provari 3 battery life indicator inaccurate???
Provari 3, bad firmware- anyone have a fix?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread