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

[ObsceneJesster]

I'm not even about to understand why as I am no expert in this field but during the Grimm Green review, he was not able to use a low resistance Atmoizer or dual coil Cartomizer at 5 volts. In fact, it didn't matter what he had it set to, he was unable to use Dual Core Cartomizers above 3.6 volts or low resistance Atomizers above 3.2 volts. He was using one of the best Volt Meters available to us and he stated that the LT was auto adjusting itself any time he tried vaping low resistance or dual coil above 3.7 volts.

To the OP...The above is a response to you. Maybe this is the reason why your LT was a little underwhelming compared to your Provari. By the way, I just ordered a Provari last night. It will be my first VV and I cannot wait.

 

[donnah]

I probably could have had a better experience had I used higher resistance cartos. I was just so upset that I couldn't use my beloved resurrectors. Its a decent device if you're not a hard core vaper but I don't want any auto adjusting.

 

[Butters78]

Hard core vaping FTW!

 

[MDO1265]

This has been an interesting read for me. Thanks for all who have posted since it saved me the time of putting up a post asking people who own the LT and the Provari what the differences are. Ten minutes ago while taking a draw on my LT at 5v with a 3 ohm atty I was dripping on I was asking myself.... " whats the deal here , I mean , 5v is 5v right ?? I guess not !

I hadnt thought about the voltage drop or the fact that the LT diminishes in power. I have only had my LT for about a week and Im more of a clearomizer guy then a dripper. I spend alot of time on the road and only use the LT when at home and can safely drip and try to find my vaping nirvana. I just ordered some boge 3 ohm cartos to try on the LT but after reading this thread... Im thinking of just ordering the PV2 to see what all the hype is about.

I was hoping the LT would have the same " OH MY DEAR LORD THATS AWESOME ! " effect that my first Ego style kit had when I upgraded from the little ecig to the Ego. My first drag on an Ego with a Vision clearomizer after using the little ecigs was a huge turning point for me. I sit here typing this post while vaping some Vape Dudes Hazlenut coffee on a Riva 1100 mah with a vision clearomizer while my LT sits gathering dust cause Im just not feelin it. I tried puttting the Visions on the LT with an extender and cranked it up to 4.5.... then 5... then 5.5... Yeah it got warmer, but I was dissapointed. Maybe i'm just using the wrong combo..... I dunno. My ears are open to any guidance there but something tells me by days end I will head to Provapes and hit ADD TO CART on a PV2

Still in search of vaping bliss....

 

[ChrispyCritter]

Ten minutes ago while taking a draw on my LT at 5v with a 3 ohm atty I was dripping on I was asking myself.... " whats the deal here , I mean , 5v is 5v right ?? I guess not !

With a 3ohm coil 5v is 5 volts (within hundredths of volts) unless there is something wrong with your cartomizer/atomizer..it's mostly the dual coils and low resistance (under 2ohm) that take more amps it can't handle.

Edit: If you're not getting enough from 3ohm I would suggest 2.5ohm cartomizers/atomizers..2.5ohm CE2's work for me on my eGo's, my "LT", my SD Key Rings and 510 mega auto batteries. Although with some juices they are better on the "LT with a higher voltage up to 4.2-4.4v.

Of course CE2 coils are closer to the tip so they have a warmer vapor than most cartomizers..they just seem to work better at a lower voltage than others but they take a bit of fiddeling..once you have them figured out they rock though...

 

[donnah]

This has been an interesting read for me. Thanks for all who have posted since it saved me the time of putting up a post asking people who own the LT and the Provari what the differences are. Ten minutes ago while taking a draw on my LT at 5v with a 3 ohm atty I was dripping on I was asking myself.... " whats the deal here , I mean , 5v is 5v right ?? I guess not !

I hadnt thought about the voltage drop or the fact that the LT diminishes in power. I have only had my LT for about a week and Im more of a clearomizer guy then a dripper. I spend alot of time on the road and only use the LT when at home and can safely drip and try to find my vaping nirvana. I just ordered some boge 3 ohm cartos to try on the LT but after reading this thread... Im thinking of just ordering the PV2 to see what all the hype is about.

I was hoping the LT would have the same " OH MY DEAR LORD THATS AWESOME ! " effect that my first Ego style kit had when I upgraded from the little ecig to the Ego. My first drag on an Ego with a Vision clearomizer after using the little ecigs was a huge turning point for me. I sit here typing this post while vaping some Vape Dudes Hazlenut coffee on a Riva 1100 mah with a vision clearomizer while my LT sits gathering dust cause Im just not feelin it. I tried puttting the Visions on the LT with an extender and cranked it up to 4.5.... then 5... then 5.5... Yeah it got warmer, but I was dissapointed. Maybe i'm just using the wrong combo..... I dunno. My ears are open to any guidance there but something tells me by days end I will head to Provapes and hit ADD TO CART on a PV2

Still in search of vaping bliss....

My LT was a v1.. my Provari was a v1 when I got it.. BIG difference in vape with the settings the same on both devices. Sometimes 5v isn't really 5v.

 

[McAldo]

A Provari V2 is a bit out of my budget, would rather spend that money on a nice VV wood box mod.
But I tried it the other day and it's really nice.
This said, the other day day I also got an AW IMR for my lavatube, which makes a significant difference in terms of crop off.
With dual coil it still won't perform as well as a provari, but it does a good job nonetheless.

Standard dual battery coming with the lavatube are generally subpar, and the Achille's heel of the Lavatube, spending a bit more for an IMR is worth.

 

[Butters78]

I thought the lavatube only used flatop not the aw imr?

 

[ChrispyCritter]

I thought the lavatube only used flatop not the aw imr?

Nope it can use both..even some protected batteries fit somewhat but the cap won't go on all the way. Some vendors even sell "LT's" with AW's. I read the newer version coming around the end of May is supposed to fit all 18650's with the cap going on all the way..of course the mini probably would fit all 18350's too..who knows maybe the 1.5v already does...

 

[Butters78]

Nope it can use both..even some protected batteries fit somewhat but the cap won't go on all the way. Some vendors even sell "LT's" with AW's. I read the newer version coming around the end of May is supposed to fit all 18650's with the cap going on all the way..of course the mini probably would fit all 18350's too..who knows maybe the 1.5v already does...

Thanks Chrispy.. oh Chrispy you are going to love this.. my buddy in Miami lost his Provari at a golf course about a week ago. He couldn't afford to get a new one so he got an LT clone from totally wicked. He's happy with it which is good. He likes the battery life especially. He needs to stay with lower priced PV's cause he looses everything ha. I'm glad people are happy with their LT's whatever makes you happy and works is the best PV in the world. I prefer the higher end because it's my only vice. I quit drinking and smoking. No real hobbies for me so it is a treat to have the best (imo). Whatever keeps a person off cigs is great either it be a gold plated provari or a gas station throw away.

 

[McAldo]

That's interesting.
I have been told that the Provari (at least the V2) basically will keep checking on the battery all the time, even when off.
That's a great safety feature, but it also means a bit less vaping time.

 

[Butters78]

He had the smaller battery with the provari and now the 18650 with the LT so of course there will be a difference. My buzz pro amazes me with its battery life. Two little rcr123's are giving me a day to a day and a half.

 

[cozzicon]

Wow- what a thread....

Well I own a Lavatube (And have owned a total of 4 of them), Provari, Kick, and have had a Darwin on loan for about a month. Honestly I could not tell the difference in vape, at the same wattage, if blindfolded. They all vape fine.

Regarding voltage sag: I've not seen it on the Lavatube. But I'm also not a low ohm/high voltage vaper. My preference is about 6.4 watts. Or roughly 4.3v against 3 ohms.

That being said- I'm surprised there's so many "religious" opinions about regulated devices. From my standpoint, as a vaper who started with cartridges back when dripping was "exotic", any of these devices will perform adequately unless you desire to go below 2.0 ohms or insist on dual coil cartos.

I did a video series on regulated vaping recently pointing out the advantages of *regulation*. To me the advantage of these devices isn't so much variable voltage/wattage- but regulation. Regulation provides a consistent vaping experience which is what had been historically lacking in everything from a 180mAh 510 battery to a 2000mAh 18650 battery.

One thing I do know after owning 4 Lavatubes: They are of variable quality depending on the unit. My current one has lost it's plastic ornamental cap off the bottom. Another one had a button that misfired. And yet another had wonky voltage adjustment buttons. Nothing that kept the units from vaping.

I've also considered my purchase (last summer) of a Provari and whether I felt it was a good investment. The unit has worked flawlessly with no defects. And my confidence is high that I'll still be using it in 2013.

The upshot of all this, for me, is that the biggest difference between the units is overall quality. Which is even apparent if you disassemble the units and look at the boards...

But the bottom line is always the same question: What are your priorities?

So from my standpoint it looks something like this....

If you want one device that has a low rate of failure and high quality- go with a Kick in a tube mod or a Provari. If you are willing to gamble a little or don't want to make a $100.00 to $230.00 investment- get a Lavatube for $50.00.

I did both and regret neither.

 

[SABOTEUR]

Whoa, there's a Provari 2 eh....? I bought my Provari a year or so ago in the classifieds and I have beat the living hell out of it. It has many little scratches and small battle scars but is built like a tank. I always go through a phase where I treat new toys with kid gloves but ultimately I'm hard on all of my possessions; I just can't help it and have come to accept that I either buy cheap crap and replace it frequently, or shell out the bucks for solid gear. It's a value calculation you make on a case-by-case basis, but in the world of PVs I'm definitely on the side of "get what you pay for."

It's fallen out of my lap when I get out of my car onto concrete multiple times. On multiple occasions I've busted my cartomizer off at the threads after dropping it too hard on the carto end and easily unscrewed the remainder and replaced it. It's a total beast, to say the least.

Man, am I glad you posted this. Got a little extra money recently and decided to spring for a Provari V2. (Should arrive tomorrow.) The thing that concerned me about owning such an expensive pv was my habit of driving with my pv in my lap. Nothing makes me cringe more that the sound of my plastic boxmod crashing to the concrete 'cause I once again forgot it was in my lap when I got out of the car.

Good to know the Provari can take a little punishment. After giving it some thought, though, it might be prudent for me not to take it out of the house.

Thanks again.

 

[knivesout]

Man, am I glad you posted this. Got a little extra money recently and decided to spring for a Provari V2. (Should arrive tomorrow.) The thing that concerned me about owning such an expensive pv was my habit of driving with my pv in my lap. Nothing makes me cringe more that the sound of my plastic boxmod crashing to the concrete 'cause I once again forgot it was in my lap when I got out of the car.

Good to know the Provari can take a little punishment. After giving it some thought, though, it might be prudent for me not to take it out of the house.

Thanks again.

That exact same thing happens to me. Hop out of the car and boom! The provari will take a beatin and keep on tickin though, I've seen some pretty outrageous provari survival stories. Hell, you can clean the inside of the unit by pouring some high percentage isopropyl alcohol in it and swishing it around (although it feels really strange to intentionally pour liquid on to electronics). Should you choose to take it out of the house, which after you get used to using it I'm sure you will, it'll do what you need it to.

Oh and congrats on your purchase, you're gonna enjoy it!

 

[LookMa`NoSmoK]

Who said my lavatube is crap?

 

[John D in CT]

Who said my lavatube is crap?

I'll never tell (Vego did). I'll hold him down, while you beat him up.

And this little joke I just made reminds me that I think we all, me included, need to keep our heads when someone says something that we don't like, or think is stupid. As long as we're happy with what we have, and secure enough as human beings that we don't allow anyone else's opinions or feelings about anything to bother us, I think that everyone will be a lot happier. I know that I care far too much about what other people think, although there's a fine line between self-assurance and stubborness, and what we think we "know", someone might just change our minds about, if we keep an open mind, and they express themselves kindly, with the sole intent of helping us to be happier.

Let's not forget how good we have it. Right now in Syria, people are being slaughtered by a maniacal dictator who has set heavy artillery against their homes. I think that's a good thing to keep in mind as we debate the best way to achieve the best vape.

 

[cozzicon]

I'll never tell (Vego did). I'll hold him down, while you beat him up.

And this little joke I just made reminds me that I think we all, me included, need to keep our heads when someone says something that we don't like, or think is stupid. As long as we're happy with what we have, and secure enough as human beings that we don't allow anyone else's opinions or feelings about anything to bother us, I think that everyone will be a lot happier. I know that I care far too much about what other people think, although there's a fine line between self-assurance and stubborness, and what we think we "know", someone might just change our minds about, if we keep an open mind, and they express themselves kindly, with the sole intent of helping us to be happier.

Let's not forget how good we have it. Right now in Syria, people are being slaughtered by a maniacal dictator who has set heavy artillery against their homes. I think that's a good thing to keep in mind as we debate the best way to achieve the best vape.

In that perspective I'd be happy with a 510 180mAh kit, functioning power outlet, and 30ml of DK Tab.

Or I'd be happy just to be breathing....

 

[supervape]

I have no problem with LT, but I do not like L-Rider for breaking there contract and screwing over Volcano and selling there product to everyone.. I would rather give my money to someone else than L-Rider IMHO

 

[LookMa`NoSmoK]

Who said they dislike my L-Rider?!?!