Smok TFV4 is my most recent regrettable purchase

[absoluttalent]

Seems they fixed the airflow ring in later batches, I have one, S/N 8000 something, and it closes completly without gaps.

That said, I don't need to close it to refill, I've only used the single coil rba, and had no leaking.

Even though I haven't had any problems with it, or even tried the stock coils, I don't really care for it.

Since this thread was bumped up, I decided to revisit the tank again.
I checked my SN, 8606. So i will say its a QA issue with the gaps.

Slapped a ni200 build into it. Wicked it to the deck, barely anything into the channels. Using some 90% vg juice. Ditched the tip it came with (closed off, still allows air to come in when tight) and used the one from my lemo2. Filled it quickly, slammed shut. Few primer puffs and I hear the gurgle of flooding. Few quick lung hits, gurgling is gone. But flavor is just kinda meh.

Im torn now. I want to love this tank. Its huge capacity and large build deck is what im looking for. Easy filling (if it wouldnt leak). But the issues still outweigh the pros

 

[Stinkytofus]

imma try a fluffy build tomorrow

 

[nostradadus]

imma try a fluffy build tomorrow

You have the TF-RCA deck?

 

[Stinkytofus]

Yea

 

[nostradadus]

Yea

I had wicking issues as well; took me a half dozen times to finally get it right. Please forgive the child like drawings, but it's the best I can do at the moment; my TFV4 is not broken down at the moment to be able to take photos. I've come to the realization that I'm gonna have to mix a 30PG/70VG juice to have success with the RCA deck; thicker juices cause issues for me.


One drawing is of the tail of the wick in the juice channel. The other drawing is what the cotton looks like inside the chamber. I discovered I needed to leave a nice cloud of cotton to each side and above the coil as to not get dry hits or massive flooding. A somewhat loose "Scottish roll" wick was what finally worked for me. Good luck!

 

[Stinkytofus]

I tried it again so far so good, i stuffed the area above the juice channel and also blocked the juice channel with a tail so the juice cant travel to the middle hole and leak out

 

[Gfdeputy2]

Well this is from Smok's website from 9/24/2015
To distributors and channel partners:


Considering that there are many different kinds of imitations of our brand's products (including TFV4 etc). Our company intends to take following measures and all the distributors and channel partners have to read it carefully and carry it out.


1. Distributors and channel partners are forbidden to sell any imitations of our brand’s products.


2. If we found these actions above, our company will terminate all cooperation agreements with related distributors and channel partners, and they shall be sued in accordance with the law.


3. All distributors, channel partners as well as all users of our products are encouraged to report the illegal behaviors, which are producing and selling imitations of our products. Once found and verified, big prizes will be given varying from 100 thousand RMB to 1 million RMB, depending on the actual circumstances.

 

[absoluttalent]

Well this is from Smok's website from 9/24/2015
To distributors and channel partners:


Considering that there are many different kinds of imitations of our brand's products (including TFV4 etc). Our company intends to take following measures and all the distributors and channel partners have to read it carefully and carry it out.


1. Distributors and channel partners are forbidden to sell any imitations of our brand’s products.


2. If we found these actions above, our company will terminate all cooperation agreements with related distributors and channel partners, and they shall be sued in accordance with the law.


3. All distributors, channel partners as well as all users of our products are encouraged to report the illegal behaviors, which are producing and selling imitations of our products. Once found and verified, big prizes will be given varying from 100 thousand RMB to 1 million RMB, depending on the actual circumstances.

thats interesting. But I dont believe my problem stemmed from a fake. I did scratch and check out their code from the box, came up legit. Unless those are being faked too

 

[milescadre]

my 2 cents on the tfv4...

to start I wanna say I got the mini and a xcube II reccently.

That being said, I have had no leaks, no burnt hits (even at a sizzling 115W on the clapton head), and filling has not been a issue, afc open or shut.

I have yet to try the rebuild head.

My only 2 gripes is the tank consumes juice crazily and 2; the thing needs a high wattage to run nicely (70W for me). In otherwords, the tank is horribly innefficient.

Otherwise I love the tank and its a wonderful addition to my collection

 

[Gfdeputy2]

thats interesting. But I dont believe my problem stemmed from a fake. I did scratch and check out their code from the box, came up legit. Unless those are being faked too

That stinks nothing worse for me than a leaky tank. I posted that just to let everyone know that there are a lot of fakes out there. I was tossed between the Crown & the TFV4. My buddy who runs a B&M loves the TFV4 but I went with the Crown I love this tank but he has had no issues with the TFV4 other then the top opens easily & will spill juice

 

[TeeBag]

i'm about to dig my tfv4's out for another round (kept getting random leaks, drove me nuts enough to shelve it), what i/d coils do most of you use? i think my intermintent leaking was due to the cotton touching the airholes under the coil.
just wondering what everyone builds at, diameter wise.

 

[hertigg]

I have had no issues with leaks in my TFV4. I run a 2.5 mm id coil and have the cotton tapered down into the juice channels. I have tried the bellus and crius since getting the TFV4 and neither of them produce like the TFV4 for me.

 

[TangoFighter]

Late reply here, but I have several (genuine) TFV4's, and all except one were perfect. One of them had a really loose pin that held the top cap on, and that bad interface created leaks at both top and bottom because of the slight passage of air past the top seal. I finally just got ...... off and pried the top cap off with a small flat screwdriver, squashed the pin with a set of channel locks and hammered it back in with a drift punch. Perfection ever since.

 

[MagnusEunson]

I'd note of my four TFV4s that the neck to atty o-ring is the only other thing than broken glass I've had issues with. Once that goes, replacing it hasn't been easy for me - can't quite get the right size. I can get ~close~ but I still have to stop filling the tank all the way up after the original is worn out. -Mags

 

[Rizzyking]

Orings on the tfv4 are really bad and the only replacements I've seen were the same crappy ones that came with the tank, have tried looking for other replacements with no luck. The tank is a curiosity I broke my first one after barely screwing it shut but had the spare and it feels totally different to the other glass tanks I've got lighter and just feel different. Initially I really liked the tank but having to treat the orings kid gloves got tiresome so now it sits in a draw till I can find some better quality orings.

 

[VAP8]

This is the first tank I am going to ditch, it has no future in my arsenal.
Info: I mouth to lung, and don't sub-ohm, I RBA my coils.
issues:
1) Leak
besides the usual user error reasons, this tank will leak by design if you fill it from the top, as there is no more vacuum to support the juice and the juice will just gravitate through the juice holes. The pre-built coils may delay the effect if they are well saturated, but pre-built sub-ohm coil is not my thing. The Triton2 elegantly shuts off the juice holes as the top slot is opened.
-Solution: fill from the bottom and accept having a reduced juice amount.

2) RBA quality and design
my tank came with a rebuildable clapton coil RBA, the TF-RCA with 4 screws system. I mounted it with a 28 gauge 1.3Ohm single coil and enjoyed the first few draws. Nice a flavourful. Then I started getting a 'smokey' add-on to the flavour, it got worse and worse.
I took everything apart, washed and brushed it with warm soapy water, back together again, same thing. Note: this is not the usual dry hit or burnt taste we are all versed to. It is the nice moist flavour of your juice + unwarranted smokey taste!
After trying out a few things, the positive floating deck of the RBA became lose. No way to tighten it like you would on other RBAs, the centre pin is not screwed through.
I then order the single coil RBA, the TF-R1. The 'smokey' crap taste appeared the same way, but it was dry-hit galore. No wicking would solve that. You could restrict air flow to 'pull' the juice kayfun style but I didn't want the after draw reflux soiling the tank juice, I got spoiled by the Kanger mini subtank in that respect. Upon inspection, I noticed that the clearance between the chimney and the bottom deck is too tiny, it literally chokes the juice flow before it reaches the juice channels. I solved that by boring 2 holes through the chimney for quick access to the wick.
But then another design issue: The wide juice channels go down all the way down to the base of the RBA unit, leaving no flat surface for the bottom seal o-ring to sit on, at every screw or unscrew, you are chipping at the o-ring as if with scissors. After a few unscrews you got to change the RBA base o-ring.
So one RBA with a quality issue, one with 2 major design flaws.

I can't take the 'smokey' taste any longer, and the non-workability of the RBAs makes this tank good for the trash, unusual for me as I normally find solutions to everything.
A Uwell crown has just been ordered, let's see how this one turns out.