Review: 3ml Phoenix, 1.5 Phoenix etc. on the VOLT

[paddymx]

Review: 3ml Phoenix, 1.5 Phoenix etc.

At the risk of sounding pompous, here goes.

Equipment:

Volt:
Volt Basic Starter Kit w/65mm,78mm(auto's) 3.6v Standard charger, 1.5 amp charger, 3.6v passthru, X2 passthru batteries(1300mah's manual & auto), Clearomizer 1.6ml TC 2.6-2.9(smoke), Mega Charging Case (v2), prefilled and blank carto's.

GotVapes:
GotVapes PHOENiX™ 1.5ml XL Phoenix BC(808) 2.4-2.6, 3ml Phoenix BC(ego) 2.6-2.8
FLüXomizer™ CE2 SUPREME CLEAR 808 REG 1ml 2.8-3.0 ohm

MyFreedomSmokes:
Joyetech ego-C 1000mah manual
CE4 cartomizer, 2.2-2.4(?) BC (1.?ml), exact spec. not stated.

Customer Service:
All suppliers had fast shipping via USPS. Delivery time distance related.

Volt, via Tkt. reporting system, live one on one(human) Rated 10 stars.
MyFreedomSmokes, initial interactive site report . Rapid one on one(human) response. Rated 5 stars
GotVapes, online only, email response(?) Rated 3 stars.

Reviews:
Edit: Removed bogus statement.

VOLT : Superior products and support. Only equipment failure was at my own hands!

Used the pre-filled carto's that came with the starter kit and ordered both standard and XL blanks. IMO the cart's work great and have great vapor and taste. I will not be using them in the future because the cleaning and re-use is just to much! ONLY ce3's(tanks) in my future.

78mm's...Probably won't be using these much now that I have the X2's. Not their fault just...
X2... My preferred device! Manual produces better vapor with less effort than the auto. I believe this is because you have more control over how long the coil is firing before you draw. You can produce almost the same vapor with the auto except it takes more effort and doesn't get as warm in the final analysis. Both usable and have their own place. Can't decide which will be used most at this point. the X2 manual is just as good if not better than the ego-C unit. Looks and feels much better to me. The CE4's I got from MyFreedomSmokes just don't do it for me. They came "primed" with something that just about killed me. Even after cleaning and re trying, they were too hot and produced more "Throat Hit"(cough) for me. Considering what I know now, the ego's(and the CE4's) were a waste of money! You know, impulse spending? The GotVapes FLüXomizer™ CE2 SUPREME CLEAR 808 REG 1ml 2.8-3.0 ohm were just to hot for me. Probably because they are Top coils(TC). Wound up using them for spare parts.


The only problem so far has been using the 1.5ml Phoenix's on the 78mm auto's.. I need to constantly pry up the Phoenix center post to make battery contact. Have not yet had the problem using on the X2 manual or auto. To my eye it looks like the battery post on the X2 is a tad bit higher thus making better contact with the Phoenix. But as these are not VOLT products, NO complaints from me. Neither Volt nor GotVapes has a requirement to insure competing products are interchangeable! Other than that, the 1.5's work great. The only question is what ohms to use. Personal perceptions here.

For those wondering, the Phoenix 3ml's work fine on the X2's. In fact I am using the one I cleaned as we speak! The only problem is that there is a slight air gap between the bottom of the 3ml and the top of the X2 case as shown below. I considered this to be unsightly(OCD) and offered the potential of over tightening and causing damage. I used a # 10 "O" ring(Lowes plumbing) to fill the gap. Fills the gap and provides a method of snuging the 3ml to the X2 so that it isn't over tightened.

Doesn't look all that bad either. The only complaint is that the needle that comes (+$1.95 on invoice) with them and is required to fill is to short. But as I already had them from the 1.5 I didn't order them for these.

As explained elsewhere, sometimes you need to get above the existing fluid level to draw out fluid and air to refill when they have fluid remaining. Longer needles are available online. Myself, I don't like to draw them dry. I've had a couple develop "burnt" tastes(1.5's). I was able to recover them using the baking soda and vinegar method for cleaning atomizers described here. May take more than once to get the job done!

How To - Cleaning an atomizer - YouTube

Sorry, but the Clearomizer just doesn't have it for me when compared to the Phoenix's. Not that they are bad, they're just not as good, IMHO. Excellent construction, look and feel. I will be using them as a backups or flavor comparisons. At first I had fluid leaks into my mouth until I realized the drip tips actually screwed into the Clearomizer! Have not had any leaks since. But over time I think the top seal could become compressed. I found that a #47 "O" ring(Lowes plumbing) fits perfectly and will improve the seal if someone is having the leaking problem.

In Conclusion:

I would much prefer to VOLT exclusively, but, have to find others until they get what I use. Took me some time and a lot of money but now I am a true believer. As soon as they do, I'll be 100% VOLT! Don't like to adapt one vendors/equipment to another's. Prefer no "O" rings and equipment mod's. Never seem to work quite right in the long run. Of course, flavors, nicotine are an open market.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are solely mine and yours will no doubt differ.

 

[mudhill]

I am in agreement with you.

I will say that you give one hell of a presentation.

Larry

 

[Dac311]

Gotvapes says the 3 ml won't work with the x2 because the battery post won't make the connection. Is this not true? I'd like to get the sleeved ones.

 

[starsong]

Disappointed in the VOLT starter kit. After purchase I did a item by item comparison and found I could have gotten the same stuff with 78mm batteries for $12 more than the kit. Then bought 78mm's @$13.95 x 2. As it was I spent an additional $28 and had two 65mm paper weights. If the point of a starter kit is to get people started, why give them batteries that need to be charged every hour?

You get to choose the battery length, they aren't just giving you 65mm only. Were the 78s out of stock or something when you ordered? Or am I not reading this right?

 

[paddymx]

Gotvapes says the 3 ml won't work with the x2 because the battery post won't make the connection. Is this not true? I'd like to get the sleeved ones.

I saw that too. All I can say is they work for me on both Manual and Auto X2's. My only concern , because of the air gap, you might damage one or the other by over tightening the 3ml onto the X2. GotVapes would be right if they were only talking about the standard batteries or the 3.6v passthru, nothing to screw on to. Don't know about the Sleeved units. I would think there would be the same "air gap" issue. Besides, the sleeveless is the same diameter as the X2. if it weren't for the air gap they'd be perfect. With my eye sight I don't think I could actually see through the little slot in the sleeve for fluid level anyway.

EDIT: I notice this morning that I am getting some flooding on one of the units. Maybe I overtightened even with the "O" ring OR I messed one up when I cleaned it. Don't know. But, like I said before, vendors are not responsible to make sure their products work on competing products. Use at your own risk!

 

[paddymx]

EDIT: I notice this morning that I am getting some flooding on one of the units. Maybe I overtightened even with the "O" ring OR I messed one up when I cleaned it. Don't know. But, like I said before, vendors are not responsible to make sure their products work on competing products. Use at your own risk!

It was the unit I cleaned that is leaking. I tried to clean it without taking it apart like in the video. Had a hard time lining up the air tube. Might be the problem. Took it apart this time and am waiting for it to dry out. Will get back.

 

[paddymx]

I am in agreement with you.

I will say that you give one hell of a presentation.

Larry

Thanks. Like I said, O C D

 

[paddymx]

You get to choose the battery length, they aren't just giving you 65mm only. Were the 78s out of stock or something when you ordered? Or am I not reading this right?

I'm going to recheck the site and get back to you.

Yes, you can choose battery size! In my newbe rush I didn't take note! I will edit my original post! THANKS.

 

[awsum140]

I know everybody and every body is different, but I get great results using an XL carto on an X2, basically all day and I think I'm a fairly heavy vaper, on the order of 3-4 ml per day. The taste is fine and the draw isn't too hard. Just my two cents worth, but I'm anxiously waiting for SI to get CE3's. The clearos work fine for me as well, but I'm kind of a noobie. Great review!

 

[paddymx]

I know everybody and every body is different, but I get great results using an XL carto on an X2, basically all day and I think I'm a fairly heavy vaper, on the order of 3-4 ml per day. The taste is fine and the draw isn't too hard. Just my two cents worth, but I'm anxiously waiting for SI to get CE3's. The clearos work fine for me as well, but I'm kind of a noobie. Great review!

I like the XL CE3's too!

Waiting for a SI version. I just like to keep an eye on my fluid level.

 

[awsum140]

I like the XL CE3's too!

Waiting for a SI version. I just like to keep an eye on my fluid level.

When I said XL carto I meant the fiber filled version, not the CE3 version. To me they're great, no leaks and no flooding but I'm still waiting for SI to get CE3's and will be ordering some as soon as they are available.