Smoktech Vmax Owners - tips, tricks and quirks

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oofrenz

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Quick question guys. Smoktech dual coils, 1.5 or 2.5 ohm for my Zmax? Since they can vary by .3 ohms, I could potentially get a 1.2 dual coil, which the Zmax might reject, right?

It could. I'd recommend a 2ohm. I'm rocking it on the vmax and its awesome.
 

XtianApi

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Thanks guys. Just watched a vaporchase vid showing that higher ohms is more efficient, giving you the same power with a higher voltage, will actually use less amps, awesome. Never bothered to check on the ohm calculator. So, if I have both low and standard resistance, and i set the voltages to get the exact same wattage, the same vape, the standard resistance will draw less current, giving better battery life. I checked it out for myself, very cool. Thanks again.
 

XtianApi

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I've noticed something else.
On my vivi nova 3ohm with freshly charged batteries I start at 3 volts.
Within an hour or two of Vaping I'm constantly raising the voltage to get the same experience. Up to 4.7 volts.

Anyone else has this power drop?

Using efest 800mah stacked

Me too, I can't figure it out, I do it with other things. Its like the coil is getting a little coating on it, or something.
 

billherbst

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I have a Vmax from the first co-op buy way back in the spring. I'd thought it was a V2, but maybe not.

Is it true that all V1s have lightning bolts on the top and bottom caps (mine does), and that all V2s have dots?

If so, then I've got a Version 1, which would more obviously explain why I've never been able to run any low-resistance coils on it---cartos, clearos, tanks, atties, whatever. Anything below about 2.1 ohms gives a burnt taste, even at 3.0 volts. I'd assumed that the first revision V2 hadn't adjusted the voltage settings much, but perhaps I really do have one of the early Beasts.
 

ktombs1

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I have a Vmax from the first co-op buy way back in the spring. I'd thought it was a V2, but maybe not.

Is it true that all V1s have lightning bolts on the top and bottom caps (mine does), and that all V2s have dots?

If so, then I've got a Version 1, which would more obviously explain why I've never been able to run any low-resistance coils on it---cartos, clearos, tanks, atties, whatever. Anything below about 2.1 ohms gives a burnt taste, even at 3.0 volts. I'd assumed that the first revision V2 hadn't adjusted the voltage settings much, but perhaps I really do have one of the early Beasts.

If it resets to 5V when you change the batteries its the first version. If it resets to 3V then its the latest version. The dots and ss and ego well etc, are more in the way of revisions as opposed to versions.
 

Scott_Simpson

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I've noticed something else.
On my vivi nova 3ohm with freshly charged batteries I start at 3 volts.
Within an hour or two of Vaping I'm constantly raising the voltage to get the same experience. Up to 4.7 volts.

Anyone else has this power drop?

Using efest 800mah stacked

I can't explain the technical reasons, but I have read many posts saying that the resistance of a coil changes over time (usually getting higher, from what I understand). This is one of the alleged advantages of variable wattage devices, which are supposed to compensate for the changing resistance as it occurs. To compensate manually, you must increase voltage, as you have observed.
 
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oofrenz

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I can't explain the technical reasons, but I have read many posts saying that the resistance of a coil changes over time (usually getting higher, from what I understand). This is one of the alleged advantages of variable wattage devices, which are supposed to compensate for the changing resistance as it occurs. To compensate manually, you must increase voltage, as you have observed.

I thought of that, but when I put in a new set of freshly charged batteries I must turn it down to 3 volts again to avoid burnt taste.
So lower batterypower means lower output.
Think I might be ready for a provari;)
 

mrelwood

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the standard resistance will draw less current, giving better battery life.

Not quite. In order for the circuit to be able to give the higher voltage to the ato, it will draw more current from the battery. Depending on the circuit though, as some might waste more power when using lower voltages, but in general no power comes free.
 

billherbst

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If it resets to 5V when you change the batteries its the first version. If it resets to 3V then its the latest version. The dots and ss and ego well etc, are more in the way of revisions as opposed to versions.

Thanks! I forgot about the different reset voltage. Mine resets to 3.0V, so it's a V2, as I was told when I first got it.
 

XtianApi

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Not quite. In order for the circuit to be able to give the higher voltage to the ato, it will draw more current from the battery. Depending on the circuit though, as some might waste more power when using lower voltages, but in general no power comes free.
That makes sense, but the calculator shows lower amperage, but I also understand what you are saying. So, if the circuit uses more juice, but the coil is a little more efficient, I wonder what side of it it ends up on. I will assume that, being more efficient coil-wise, but being less effiecient circuit-wise, probably comes in to pretty close to the same, would you think? Also, another thing, I sometimes use stacked batteries when my IMRs are charging, I will use AW RCR123s and it runs just fine, not noticeable difference. I wonder if that would make it more efficient because the voltage is being reduced. I also hear that the Zmax's circuitry is some of the more efficient circuitry out there. I heard the darwin, while having super accuracy, is a little less efficient, maybe because of the accuracy and all the stats it displays. Would love one, but I think my next buy may be an Altoids tin from smart vapes. Supposed to have very little voltage drop. Sorry for mentioning it here though.
 

XtianApi

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Not sure if anyone cares, but when the Zmax has generic batts in, like those two dollar 18650s, it acts a little weird, as everyone probably knows. However, since I get good battery life with them, and it saves my IMRs for my flashlights, I decided to call Smok and find out if it would damage the device in any way. They said that, while we don't recommend it for your vaping experience, it has no negative effect on the device. Due to the voltage drop or sub-par batteries, the device adjusts a second time when the button is pressed. I paraphrase, but.. yeah. Who knows, still makes me nervous, but I would like to be able to use cheapo batts, don't mind a mis fire here and there if I know why it does it.
 
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