Quick review of the e-LVT mod

[Giraut]

Okay I'm in Finland in a hotel room, and I don't really have time to properly review my newest acquisition: the Dovpo e-LVT (aka the Firestone e-LVT). So it'll be rather short and terse.

Packaging:

The mod comes in a smart-looking box with 2 string to hold it closed. It's supplied with a multi-standard USB cable, a hex key to open/close the battery door, but no battery or topper. Here's a photo of the box:

Functions:

VV/VW, up to 6V / 15W, 18650 battery, USB charging, portable USB battery, flashlight.

Construction:

This one is *incredibly* tough: the battery door is made of thick metal, held by a screw (really...). The inside - battery holder and casing - is also heavy metal. The whole box is encased in bouncy rubber. The beauty ring feels about unbreakable. The charging ports (USB in, USB out, USB out on/off switch) are protected by a rubber flat.

The only part I have reservations about is the panel with the buttons: the go-go button is nice, but it's nothing special. I wouldn't be surprised if the spring lets itself go after a few months of use, like on all other mods with subminiature switches. But we'll see. Right now it's brand new, so I wouldn't know.

Interface:

Very innokin-y: go-go button, + and - button, press the go-go button with + or - to switch from VV to VW, hold + and - to lock the power setting, 3 clicks to turn on and off, blue 8-segment LCD display, red/orange/green LED battery level indicator. Nothing special. It works.

Feel:

It's one of the best mod I've held: it looks massive, but in fact it's quite slim, it fits just right in the hand, and is in fact very short (almost as short as the 18650 battery inside). The button naturally falls in front of your index or thumb, depending on how you hold the device.

It feels even better than the Innokin Cool Fire 2, which is hard to beat in my opinion.

Small disappointment: it's slim, so it's not all that stable when it's left upright on a tabletop. It's safer to rest it on its side. Personally, I prefer mods that are stable upright, but you can't have everything I guess.

Photos:

Here are a couple pictures of the thing, with a Smok Mini RDA and a Smok airflow controller mounted on it (the airflow controller is just there to protect the threads and provide a flat surface for the RDA to rest on):

 

[Giraut]

Quick update: I've been using my e-LVT for two days now and it's really one of the best mods I've purchased. It's amazingly tough, quality-made, and it doesn't feel "made in China" at all.

And since it's supposed to be waterproof, I take it with me to the hotel's spa in my swimming trunk, under the shower, and in the sauna. It doesn't seem to mind at all. All I have to do is cover the atty to avoid flooding it with water. I use a condom for that, which is another good reason to carry some at all time.

By the way, I highly recommend vaping in the sauna: all you have to do is throw enough water on the stove to steam up the room real good, and then when you vape, it's almost invisible in the surrounding fog. Best stealth vape ever

 

[rc3po]

I love both of my E-LVT's, especially the one I bought last week from myfreedomsmokes.com because it's grey and matches my Russian 91% perfectly! Also, my new one has a much more accurate Ohms checker - it measures 0.1 Ohm difference from my Smok Omnitester and is consistent.

 

[Giraut]

There's an ohmmeter in it? I tried to find it but I couldn't.

Maybe I should read the manual. Problem is, it's buried deep inside my suitcase in my hotel room and I can't be bothered to fish it out

EDIT: oh yeah, found it; long-press +. Neat, that. Funny though, it says "1.7A". I would expect it to say "1.7o". Oh well, it works...

 

[r77r7r]

I read here that these are considered "level 1 " waterproof- meaning maybe a quick dunk. Something to keep in mind.........

Be nice if the price continues to drop...

 

[Giraut]

Well, I treat any waterproof item made in China that hasn't been tested and certified IP6x to be mildly water-resistant at best - i.e. it's okay if it rains on it, or if you take it with you under the shower. But it most certainly won't withstand any pressure differential.

My e-LVT has been flawless so far - under the shower, in the sauna, in the roman steam bath (very hot and very damp, that). I've been going to the spa 3 times a day for a week with it, and it's been working like a champ. The only thing that happened was, I lost the condom that was protecting the atty, and chlorinated pool water dripped inside. I found out later after changing back into normal clothes to go have dinner. Yuk!

 

[rc3po]

I read here that these are considered "level 1 " waterproof- meaning maybe a quick dunk. Something to keep in mind.........

Be nice if the price continues to drop...

They made a mistake calling it "waterproof". They should call it water-resistant.

 

[Giraut]

I've found an interesting feature: press the go-go button, hold has if to vape, press + or - at the same time, then let go of all the button: the mod fires the coil for 5 seconds, or until you long-press the go-go button to stop it.

Hands-free vaping. Neat.

 

[rc3po]

I've found an interesting feature: press the go-go button, hold has if to vape, press + or - at the same time, then let go of all the button: the mod fires the coil for 5 seconds, or until you long-press the go-go button to stop it.

Hands-free vaping. Neat.

That's cool, thanks for the tip.

 

[Mommay]

oops. nevermind.

 

[e-pipeman]

On the Dovpo site, it says it has been tested IP6x.

On the Dovpo site I have been to (*&%^$ecig.com) it says IPX 1. It also says "Please don't drown it in the water." and that it is "water-resistant".

 

[Giraut]

It can't be IP6x, simply because the 510 connector isn't. The box has IPX1 written on it, too. But in any case, even if it claimed to be IP6x, I wouldn't believe it: my company sells ultra-specialized IP68 products, and I know first hand how expensive it is to meet the requirements. I very much doubt a cheap consumer product from China can deliver that level of performance

 

[Giraut]

I've just noticed the entire atomizer socket assembly has a bit of play and can wobbles slightly side-to-side and fore-aft, with a very slight clonking noise if I rock it a bit harder. Does yours do that to?

Since it doesn't turn freely, I have a feeling it's not actually bolted to the mod, but rather has a square base that's inserted loosely into a slot in the main frame, hence the play. But before I bother opening it up to double-check, I figured I'd ask.

 

[e-pipeman]

I've just noticed the entire atomizer socket assembly has a bit of play and can wobbles slightly side-to-side and fore-aft, with a very slight clonking noise if I rock it a bit harder.

There is a fix for this, but I'd have to post an external link. So I've sent you a pm.

 

[Giraut]

There is a fix for this, but I'd have to post an external link. So I've sent you a pm.

Thanks!

But just so I know: what's wrong with posting an external link?

 

[rc3po]

I've just noticed the entire atomizer socket assembly has a bit of play and can wobbles slightly side-to-side and fore-aft, with a very slight clonking noise if I rock it a bit harder. Does yours do that to?

Since it doesn't turn freely, I have a feeling it's not actually bolted to the mod, but rather has a square base that's inserted loosely into a slot in the main frame, hence the play. But before I bother opening it up to double-check, I figured I'd ask.

I've noticed that with my first one, but I've dropped it a few times with the tank on it. My new one is tight, but I haven't dropped it yet.

 

[e-pipeman]

Thanks!

But just so I know: what's wrong with posting an external link?

I think, because the site is an e-cig site that is not a registered supplier here, that it might be frowned upon a bit.

On second thoughts, because it's helpful, on-topic and not meant to be an ad, I'll post it here. If I'm wrong then I hope a mod will delete it:

http://www.kickcigsnow.com/mods/review-dovpo-e-lvt-blue/dovpo-lvt-blue-modifications/

 

[Giraut]

Okay I opened it up and found the source of the rattle immediately: the base has a shoulder that's held in 2 half-slots, one on each casing shell. The fix is much simpler than described in the webpage: simply wrap 2 or 3 layers of teflon tape around the shoulder, reseat the base in the bottom slot, close the top shell and Bob's your uncle. It's a 2 minute job.

Now for the nasty discovery - and I'll write this in big bold letters:

!!! TREAT THIS DEVICE THE WAY YOU'D TREAT ANY OTHER MOD: IT'S A LOT LESS SOLID THAN IT LOOKS !!!
!!! DO NOT GET THIS DEVICE ANYWHERE NEAR WATER !!!


Why, you ask? Because:

- Yeah, the case is bomb proof, but the slots that hold the atomizer base to it are rather flimsy-looking. You probably can roll over the casing with an SUV like in the video, but if the tire touches the atomizer base, chances are it's toast.

- The piece of semi-transparent plastic that protects the LCD and the buttons is simply glued across both casing shells. The glue is, let's say this kindly, remarkably weak and sparsely used. The only thing preventing the screen from falling off is the fact that you're not trying to remove it. But if your fingernails are long enough, you can lift it and peel it off without much effort. It's pathetically Chinese quality, that. In any case, the electronics are right behind, and there's nothing waterproof or even water-resistant about it.

- When I opened my e-LVT, it was full of water. And once you open it, it's pretty obvious why: there is ZERO water ingress protection. It's NOT even IPX1 or anything. The rubber is just there for decoration. That thin separation line you see between both shells is not a seal: the insides of the mod are directly behind, and water gets in there without any problem. And it also gets in there around the atomizer base, around the battery compartment flap, around the LED... everywhere. This device is only water-resistant if there's very, VERY little water and if it falls directly on one of the sides and doesn't run off.

I'm amazed my mod has continued working with so much water inside. Needless to say, I dried it all up, used proper glue around the screen, and now it's all good. In a sense, the rattle was a blessing in disguise: I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have kept on working for very long if I hadn't seen the disaster inside.

To sum up: it's a good little mod, but the apparent solidity and water-resistance are just that: apparent. The manufacturer's claims are not just optimistic, they're flat out lies. If you want a mod for the outdoors, this ain't it: it is to a rugged water-resistant device what a Hummer H3 is to a 4x4: a fraud.

Personally, I don't care, I didn't buy it for it's ruggedness or underwater capabilities - or lack thereof. But if you're considering one... caveat emptor.

 

[r77r7r]

"When I opened my e-LVT, it was full of water."

?????????? From the factory?

 

[Giraut]

"When I opened my e-LVT, it was full of water."
?????????? From the factory?

I've just spent a week going to the spa with it. The water comes from the showers and saunas. It's been sitting in there for 9 days