New Provari V2 reveals the Lava Tube to be... well, crap!

[Vego]

Sorry to be so blunt in my title, but it's simply fact as far as I see it.

Apparently, after a few months using my Lava Tube, I didn't even know what variable voltage vaping was. After just 5 minutes with the Provari, I now know how varying voltage was meant to affect the way ejuice vaporizes. As I vaped day to day with the LT, thinking I was pushing some serious power through my coils with the upper settings, I never knew the intense heat and TH that real 5v and above brings to vaping. What a mighty difference there is vaping the Provari at 5v to vaping the LT at 5v... with the same atty. The heat is a mind blower! Also, I can finally detect differences in the vape with small increments to the voltage, and now understand the concept of fine tuning a juice to its peak performance. If vaping were an RPG adventure, I feel like I have just leveled up!

I'm not trying to get into a shootout with LT lovers, I'm just stateing fact the way I'm experiencing it, and hope that others can benefit from my experience. Perhaps the electonics in my LT are defective, and have been ever since I got it - but if they aren't, the difference in performance between the two is astounding, and reveals the LT to be seriously lacking in that department.

Happily in love with my Provari V2! Well worth the expenditure.

 

[tybs_4045]

I dont own a lavatube but from what i have read even though your setting the voltage at higher levels it's 2.5ish amp limit lowers the actually value. So your thinking its higher than it actually is.

 

[Creniker]

Not only the amp limit but tha lavatube also has problems regulating voltage. It has voltage drop off as the battery dies, which kinda defeats the purpose of buying a VV. Even the 35 dollar mad vapes VV box doesnt have voltage drop off.

 

[Vego]

Yeah, I've always kept in mind the 2.5amp limit with the LT, and expected a slight drop in voltage under load. but knowing the ohms of my attys (with multimeter), I at least knew what voltage should have been attainable with the LT while factoring in a load drop. But I can see now I was nowhere near the set voltage as the Provari makes for much more heat and TH on settings that both devices should be able to handle. It's like night and day.

The real kicker is how the Provari registers changes in vape with small increments, like I mentioned above, where the LT just fell flat all the time seeming to offer no difference at all. I'm really loving this dialing in the perfect vape business!

And yeah, Creniker, definitely noticed a weakening with a lower batt charge. As to the regulating difficulties of the LT, I often would notice spikes and drops in heat right in the middle of a toot, so I think you're spot on with that assesment.

 

[Keita]

There is a huge difference at smoking at 5v then 3.7v. I remembere trying my friends 5volt and another 6volt and that made me switch to a 3.7 with a LR atmoizer. It is like smoking the 5v. I didn't know what i was missing. Smoking 3.7 volt with a SR atmomizer and a LR atomizer is night and day and I will never go back! I have like 7 atomizers that are standard just sitting in my drawer. On the ocasion I will use a SR just to "try and finish them up" but after a few drops I say "screw it".

 

[donnah]

Not only the amp limit but tha lavatube also has problems regulating voltage. It has voltage drop off as the battery dies, which kinda defeats the purpose of buying a VV. Even the 35 dollar mad vapes VV box doesnt have voltage drop off.

It used to make me so mad when you would say things like this about the LT. I almost sent you a PM asking you to stop LOL. It didn't take me long to realize you were right and I could no longer defend it! why buy a vv device with a led readout when the readout is always wrong? why buy a vv device when it doesn't hold it's voltage? Even if it is cheap.. it's not worth it. I'm sure it is to a lot of people but not to me. I had no problems with the quality, I didn't expect top quality, but I did expect it to work like they said it would.

I've said it over and over... I love my cheap madvapes vv box.. it does everything my provari does, performance-wise. It may not have a fancy digital readout but then I'm not paying for one either. I'm not a mod collector, I just want my devices to work. If I were an atty person, I'd spring for the new vv Reo, even at $200+. But I like my cartos in tanks and I have no desire to use anything other than my provari and my madvapes vv box.

 

[six]

If I were an atty person, I'd spring for the new vv Reo, even at $200+. But I like my cartos in tanks and I have no desire to use anything other than my provari and my madvapes vv box.

Just a "by the way": The REO is great with cartomizers... eliminating the need to have the carto in a tank. I decided to hold out for the metal VV Grands rather than getting a VV Woodville on the 28th. My intention with the VV Grand is to use it with cartos (mostly) -- already have a VVPV for my attys.

 

[Seattle40]

Good points Vego, but with that title I'm sure the "Provaris are way overpriced" people will be here soon.

The thing is, most of them have never even held one. You will rarely ever hear that comment from anyone who owns one. I have a well used Provari, and a like new Lavatube, had both about 4 months, its a matter of preference and performance.

Good luck !!

 

[Riverboat]

There is a huge difference at smoking at 5v then 3.7v. I remembere trying my friends 5volt and another 6volt and that made me switch to a 3.7 with a LR atmoizer. It is like smoking the 5v. I didn't know what i was missing. Smoking 3.7 volt with a SR atmomizer and a LR atomizer is night and day and I will never go back! I have like 7 atomizers that are standard just sitting in my drawer. On the ocasion I will use a SR just to "try and finish them up" but after a few drops I say "screw it".

I use to think the same thing until I got a VV Provari V2... When a 3.7 volt battery is fresh off the charger its at 4.2 volts.. Now under load it drops to about 4 volts... Using a Joye LR atty which is 1.5 ohms...=10.66 watts.. Now when you set a Provari to 5 volts it doesnt drop volts under load, so its 5 volts using a Joye SR atty which is 2.2 ohms...=11.36 watts... Now that 3.7 volt device will drop in wattage as the battery discharges.. The Provari will hold the same power level through out the battery charge... Way better vape...

 

[Vego]

Good points Vego, but with that title I'm sure the "Provaris are way overpriced" people will be here soon.

The thing is, most of them have never even held one. You will rarely ever hear that comment from anyone who owns one. I have a well used Provari, and a like new Lavatube, had both about 4 months, its a matter of preference and performance.

Good luck !!

I have to admit that in those first few minutes with the Provari and being completely impressed by its performance (and beauty), I simultaneously experienced an utter and newfound disgust for the LT in comparison when I realized how it had failed me these last few months. That's pretty much why I titled it the way I did... perhaps I got caught up in the emotion.

Let the "overpriced" crowd come and be heard. I welcome all veiwpoints and debate. As far as I'm concerned, Provari performance is well worth the $179... whereas the $70 I spent for the LT was, as I now see, a complete waste of money.

 

[Vego]

There is a huge difference at smoking at 5v then 3.7v. I remembere trying my friends 5volt and another 6volt and that made me switch to a 3.7 with a LR atmoizer. It is like smoking the 5v. I didn't know what i was missing. Smoking 3.7 volt with a SR atmomizer and a LR atomizer is night and day and I will never go back! I have like 7 atomizers that are standard just sitting in my drawer. On the ocasion I will use a SR just to "try and finish them up" but after a few drops I say "screw it".

I have an Aero Bridgeless atty I bought awhile ago from Avidvaper that is LR 1.5ohm rated. It actually meters at 1.2ohm. It's a battery drainer for sure, but oh how wonderfully warm and tasty it vapes on my REO Mini, which is the only device I'll use it on.

 

[Vego]

Just a "by the way": The REO is great with cartomizers... eliminating the need to have the carto in a tank. I decided to hold out for the metal VV Grands rather than getting a VV Woodville on the 28th. My intention with the VV Grand is to use it with cartos (mostly) -- already have a VVPV for my attys.

Good point, six. You have any idea what the VV Grand is gonna run for? I'll tell you, there's gonna be a real war in my backyard between the VVPV and the VV Grand when it comes time for me to buy a new feeder mod.

 

[donnah]

Just a "by the way": The REO is great with cartomizers... eliminating the need to have the carto in a tank. I decided to hold out for the metal VV Grands rather than getting a VV Woodville on the 28th. My intention with the VV Grand is to use it with cartos (mostly) -- already have a VVPV for my attys.

I know I know I know I know!! I can't spend any more money! LOL I do have a vv bottom feeder and have used it with cartos. I'm still cruising the Reo site! Ain't making any promises!

 

[Keita]

I have an Aero Bridgeless atty I bought awhile ago from Avidvaper that is LR 1.5ohm rated. It actually meters at 1.2ohm. It's a battery drainer for sure, but oh how wonderfully warm and tasty it vapes on my REO Mini, which is the only device I'll use it on.

Yeah, that is one down side of a LR is that it sucks up batterys faster then anything else. A joye ego used to last 6 hours or so, but only about 2.5 hours on a LR. Even my SB at 3.7 2900mah only lasts like 6 or 8 hours until a HUGE noticeable difference in strength... Still even though the battery goes quicker, the difference in vape is worth that minor inconvenience.

 

[Keita]

I use to think the same thing until I got a VV Provari V2... When a 3.7 volt battery is fresh off the charger its at 4.2 volts.. Now under load it drops to about 4 volts... Using a Joye LR atty which is 1.5 ohms...=10.66 watts.. Now when you set a Provari to 5 volts it doesnt drop volts under load, so its 5 volts using a Joye SR atty which is 2.2 ohms...=11.36 watts... Now that 3.7 volt device will drop in wattage as the battery discharges.. The Provari will hold the same power level through out the battery charge... Way better vape...

Right now I have a Silver Bullet and another that was given from a friend because he thought it was too big and got a BB instead (practically brand new) which I bought off him for 50 bucks. Once those two goes I may consider a Provari but at the time I am unemployed so I have to keep with my current mods. By the time these things happen there will be a Provari v4 for all we know haha.

 

[six]

Good point, six. You have any idea what the VV Grand is gonna run for? I'll tell you, there's gonna be a real war in my backyard between the VVPV and the VV Grand when it comes time for me to buy a new feeder mod.

I can't even guess what the price will be. I'm hoping it's a little less then the woodvilles. Non-VV woodvilles are a little more expensive than metal REOs due to the difference in the amount of labor necessary.

The VVPV is exceptional, and I expect the VV REOs to be exceptional too. Sine the electronics are the same, it's just a matter of the best bottom feeder and a killer top feeder. I don't need them both, but I really want to have both.

On your topic: I pretty much completely agree with what Creniker said. Any regulated device that can't actually regulate through the battery life is pretty tough to justify. I think, though, since it is the least expensive tube mod with variable voltage (even though it has its problems) there is a place for it. Some people seem quite pleased. It wouldn't be for me, but I think it's a nice introduction to VV tubes.

I've said this before: Old Goat sold me my first bottom feeder. He makes a great little mod. It certainly isn't a REO, Monkeyy, Boggers etc. but it was a great introduction to bottom feeders and I'd buy another one in a heart beat. --- The Lava Tube is sort of like that for VV tubes. it's an introduction and many people will decide if they want a provari, buzz pro, infinity, joker etc or a kicked mechanical tube, for that matter.

 

[donnah]

I have a lot of respect for my old goat Bolton feeder. Even though I don't use it anymore I still proudly list it as one of my devices.

 

[Creniker]

It used to make me so mad when you would say things like this about the LT. I almost sent you a PM asking you to stop LOL. It didn't take me long to realize you were right and I could no longer defend it! why buy a vv device with a led readout when the readout is always wrong? why buy a vv device when it doesn't hold it's voltage? Even if it is cheap.. it's not worth it. I'm sure it is to a lot of people but not to me. I had no problems with the quality, I didn't expect top quality, but I did expect it to work like they said it would.

I've said it over and over... I love my cheap madvapes vv box.. it does everything my provari does, performance-wise. It may not have a fancy digital readout but then I'm not paying for one either. I'm not a mod collector, I just want my devices to work. If I were an atty person, I'd spring for the new vv Reo, even at $200+. But I like my cartos in tanks and I have no desire to use anything other than my provari and my madvapes vv box.

Wasn't trying to start any fights lol. Just wanted to make sure people knew what they were getting into. I did purchase one BEFORE I started talking trash on it though, so at least theres that.

 

[Butters78]

Odelay! I totally agree..

I sold my lavatube a week after I got my provari.

I want the VV grand later on. I've owned the regular grand and it is an incredible device, adding notcigs tech to it it will be unstoppable.

 

[Unforeseen]

Moved from Mod Discussion to Variable Voltage Mods Discussion.