Stop the presses, new lavatube 3.0 is about to hit with a 4 amp limit!

[MikeA5]

Cyrus,
The DMM on DC would give a wild all over the place number(When I attach my 510 meter from madvapes the display is unreadable). An o-scope would let you observe the wave form over time and make the appropiate calculations or one could download the wave form and make the calculations externally.

 

[DaveP]

good stuff mike and herb, thank you so much for the posts

can any DMMs read the voltage on PWM? I could have sworn some models were able to.

Most DVM's are averaging meters, so yes they can read the voltage on a PWM output. I have several meters from an industrial Simpson digital down to several cheapo digitals that I keep in places where it's convenient to have one. They all read the output from an eGo PWM battery. The little inline DVM displays that we buy and use are just a readout with circuitry to sense a DC voltage and display it. When the output of a battery is a waveform, they try to display the instantaneous voltage from PWM rising and falling voltage levels and that results in all 8's being displayed on the LEDs. Even something as simple as the right value electrolytic capacitor across the circuit could make them read properly.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

Thank you gentlemen


If anyone wants me to test their V3 lava tube on my Lowe's resi Pro DMM don't hesitate to send it over lol

 

[DaveP]

Cyrus,
The DMM on DC would give a wild all over the place number(When I attach my 510 meter from MadVapes the display is unreadable). An o-scope would let you observe the wave form over time and make the appropiate calculations or one could download the wave form and make the calculations externally.

You must be talking about the 510 threaded DMM that Madvapes sells. It reads 888 every time on an eGo battery. I get 3.99 on my Chinese Fluke knockoff DMM from Northern Tools and 3.98 on my Centech $3 DMM from Harbor Freight when I read a 1000mah Joytech eGo PWM battery. It's the averaging circuitry that makes a difference. The Madvapes DMM inline module doesn't have that ... just the DMM chip. There's a notation in the product description that they are working on a mod to remedy that problem.

 

[MikeA5]

You must be talking about the 510 threaded DMM that Madvapes sells. It reads 888 every time on an eGo battery. I get 3.99 on my Chinese Fluke knockoff DMM from Northern Tools and 3.98 on my Centech $3 DMM from Harbor Freight when I read a 1000mah Joytech eGo PWM battery. It's the averaging circuitry that makes a difference. The Madvapes DMM inline module doesn't have that ... just the DMM chip. There's a notation in the product description that they are working on a mod to remedy that problem.

Dave,
Yes, it was with my MadVapes 510 connected DVM that I got flashing 888. I'm wondering if the DMM's you were using are true RMS? Not that it really matters much, just curious. I'm assuming the measurements you made are with the DMM's on AC.

 

[Algernon]

I'm considering the new Lavatube.

...I'm also considering a Buzz Pro.

Weighing the options between these two mods is almost getting to a point to where I have to choose between apples or oranges and I'm having a hard time figuring out which would be best.

Currently I own a 5v GLV2 and three Madvapes VV boxes.

It seems to me that there are people who have bought these chinese mods and have been perfectly fine with them. They seem to work well and hold up. Then there are people who have bought about three of them and constantly have issues.

Are they finicky or delicate or are they a gamble?
Can anyone help sway my mind in any direction?

 

[Errol]

I think he meant digital multimeter...

Did a Google and Wikipedia and couldn't find any reference. VOM would have hit home, thanks Chris.

Errol

 

[Errol]

yes so would a digital multimeter give a stable number that was just wrong, or give a wild all over the place reading?

curious because I thought I was measuring some of my regulated gen 2 808s (I was under the impression that they are PWM as well, please correct me if wrong) but now it seems that I wasn't lol

sorry for the rabbit trail

dang vapor beast sold out pretty quick

From what I read on the Vapor Beast board he should be back in stock in a week or so. By then maybe there will be suppliers with better prices.

Finally built an adapter to test my units that can't be tested with my inline volt reader and I do get a steady reading on my LT V1.5 but my VariStack bounces around from the setting of 5v to near 6v and everything in between on my cheap VOM.

Am not familiar with all of the different ICs that go into these VV units so I have no idea what is happening with my VariStack.

FWIW VariStack Variable Voltage Mod is selling the VariStack for $20. I have one that has become my go to unit for low demand vaping because of it's light weight hand friendly design.

Errol

 

[Errol]

I'm considering the new Lavatube.

...I'm also considering a Buzz Pro.

Weighing the options between these two mods is almost getting to a point to where I have to choose between apples or oranges and I'm having a hard time figuring out which would be best.

Currently I own a 5v GLV2 and three Madvapes VV boxes.

It seems to me that there are people who have bought these chinese mods and have been perfectly fine with them. They seem to work well and hold up. Then there are people who have bought about three of them and constantly have issues.

Are they finicky or delicate or are they a gamble?
Can anyone help sway my mind in any direction?

I also have three MadVapes VV boxes, a 5v WoW aka Woo, a VariStack (my go to PV) and two Lavatubes that I've had for several months, they have worked flawlessly within the limits of a one battery 2.5amp unit. The ability to change voltages with a slight movement of the thumb puts the LT far ahead of some of it's rivals IMO.

Actually nothing beats the MadVapes VV boxes for overall cost effective performance

Errol

 

[ChrispyCritter]

Did a Google and Wikipedia and couldn't find any reference. VOM would have hit home, thanks Chris.

Errol

Hey NP..Try Urban Dictionary when looking up abbreviations (it's the 5th meaning for DMM on there) Although I didn't use Urban in this case I use it sometimes when trying to figure them out

 

[billherbst]

I'm considering the new Lavatube. I'm also considering a Buzz Pro. Currently I own a 5v GLV2 and three Madvapes VV boxes.

I don't want to sway you, but I'm happy to share my experience.

First off, nothing will provide a better real-life vaping experience than your Madvapes VV boxes, in my opinion. I own seven of them, and sure, they're just cheap little plastic boxes, but they vape like champs. They handle whatever atty/carto I throw at them, and at any voltage I want, with effectively no voltage drop. And they hit like freight trains.

That said, I also own a BuzzPro and an iPro. Both are very well-thought-out and well-made.

I chose not to buy a V1 ProVari or a V1 Lavatube. While I had other concerns, the 2.5 amp limit was a deal-breaker for me when each unit first came out. Some people didn't care about that. I did and still do.

Over the past two weeks, I've purchased a Lavatube V1.5 with a 3.2 amp limit from crystalclearvaping (black tube only, $51.75 shipped). I also bought a Vector Variable Volt (LT 3.0 with a 4.0 amp limit) from vaporbeast (black full kit, $68.99 shipped). That's less in total than I paid for my BuzzPro blem. I also have a SmokTech VMAX coming from the co-op buy ($64.00 shipped).

Perhaps this will change, but right now I prefer both Lavatubes to any other PV I own. They vape just as well as my Madvapes VV Boxes, but they are so ergonomically convenient. A single button press gives me three invaluable pieces of data: the resistance of the atty/carto, the voltage setting, and the battery life remaining. This is brilliant, and both LTs operate precisely the same---same button press, same display. Only differences are the styles of top connector and bottom cap, plus different amp limits (although I doubt that I will ever need 4.0 amps). I like both styles, by the way.

Both LTs seem well-designed and well-built (especially for the price). In other words, they don't feel "cheap" to me. I can't speak to durability or longevity, of course. Time will tell on that. I'm glad I didn't buy an LT 1.0, and I'm equally happy that I did buy the 1.5 and 3.0.

YMMV, of course. Good luck in whatever you choose!

 

[Errol]

I don't want to sway you, but I'm happy to share my experience.

First off, nothing will provide a better real-life vaping experience than your Madvapes VV boxes, in my opinion. I own seven of them, and sure, they're just cheap little plastic boxes, but they vape like champs. They handle whatever atty/carto I throw at them, and at any voltage I want, with effectively no voltage drop. And they hit like freight trains.

That said, I also own a BuzzPro and an iPro. Both are very well-thought-out and well-made.

I chose not to buy a V1 ProVari or a V1 Lavatube. While I had other concerns, the 2.5 amp limit was a deal-breaker for me when each unit first came out. Some people didn't care about that. I did and still do.

Over the past two weeks, I've purchased a Lavatube V1.5 with a 3.2 amp limit from crystalclearvaping (black tube only, $51.75 shipped). I also bought a Vector Variable Volt (LT 3.0 with a 4.0 amp limit) from vaporbeast (black full kit, $68.99 shipped). That's less in total than I paid for my BuzzPro blem. I also have a SmokTech VMAX coming from the co-op buy ($64.00 shipped).

Perhaps this will change, but right now I prefer both Lavatubes to any other PV I own. They vape just as well as my Madvapes VV Boxes, but they are so ergonomically convenient. A single button press gives me three invaluable pieces of data: the resistance of the atty/carto, the voltage setting, and the battery life remaining. This is brilliant, and both LTs operate precisely the same---same button press, same display. Only differences are the styles of top connector and bottom cap, plus different amp limits (although I doubt that I will ever need 4.0 amps). I like both styles, by the way.

Both LTs seem well-designed and well-built (especially for the price). In other words, they don't feel "cheap" to me. I can't speak to durability or longevity, of course. Time will tell on that. I'm glad I didn't buy an LT 1.0, and I'm equally happy that I did buy the 1.5 and 3.0.

Looks like all you need to complete your experiece is the $20 VariStack for your low demand vaping.

Errol

 

[Cyrus Vap]

errol: so you're not getting any voltage drop under load with your lava tube? that's contrary to what i've been told about the LT, but re assuring. Maybe the newer versions have sorted this out.

bill: same question, I'm reading your post as essentially saying your LTs are on par with the madvapes box, e.g. little to no voltage drop under load?

 

[Algernon]

Well, thanks to the news here, I just bought up a Varitube X (essentially the same thing Vaporbeast was selling) with a 4a switch from iVape. I personally can't wait to mess with it and hopefully it will provide a new reliable vaping device to my arsenal of things I carry around and mess with.

So, there's that.

 

[Errol]

errol: so you're not getting any voltage drop under load with your lava tube? that's contrary to what i've been told about the LT, but re assuring. Maybe the newer versions have sorted this out.

bill: same question, I'm reading your post as essentially saying your LTs are on par with the madvapes box, e.g. little to no voltage drop under load?

As it turns out I had to return the LT V1.5, it didn't seem to be right. Finding that out was the reason for building the adapter. So in short I don't know how the V1.5 will perform, not for a few days at least.

Wasn't it you asking where to get an inline volt reader? If so I think Assembled Voltage Indicator has them in stock.

Errol

 

[Errol]

Well, thanks to the news here, I just bought up a Varitube X (essentially the same thing Vaporbeast was selling) with a 4a switch from iVape. I personally can't wait to mess with it and hopefully it will provide a new reliable vaping device to my arsenal of things I carry around and mess with.

So, there's that.

Good choice Dr. I'll be getting one later this month. Good luck with yours.

Errol

 

[billherbst]

bill: same question, I'm reading your post as essentially saying your LTs are on par with the madvapes box, e.g. little to no voltage drop under load?

All I meant to imply with my post is that actual experience of vaping---impact, heat, TH, vapor production, flavor---seems as good to me with both LT 1.5 and 3.0 as with my Madvapes VV boxes--across the board of wattage.

Because of the PWM circuitry in the new LTs, I can't "measure" anything with scientific precision. My Madvapes inline digital voltage display won't read at all, and my 2 cheapo VOMs would not give results from which one could draw accurate conclusions. You'd need a much more sophisticated fluke/oscilloscope set-up to get viable numbers, and even then I'm not sure they'd be reliable, either (because we don't know the averaging algorithms used by the pulsing chips).

So, my comments about performance are anecdotal and subjective. But yeah, at that level, I'm pleased with the performance of both LTs.

 

[Algernon]

All I meant to imply with my post is that actual experience of vaping---impact, heat, TH, vapor production, flavor---seems as good to me with both LT 1.5 and 3.0 as with my Madvapes VV boxes--across the board of wattage.

Because of the PWM circuitry in the new LTs, I can't "measure" anything with scientific precision. My Madvapes inline digital voltage display won't read at all, and my 2 cheapo VOMs would not give results from which one could draw accurate conclusions. You'd need a much more sophisticated fluke/oscilloscope set-up to get viable numbers, and even then I'm not sure they'd be reliable, either (because we don't know the averaging algorithms used by the pulsing chips).

So, my comments about performance are anecdotal and subjective. But yeah, at that level, I'm pleased with the performance of both LTs.

I talked to the owner of iVape on Reddit today and he says he has a guy currently doing tests with an oscilloscope because the new tubes do use pulse-width modulation. We should have some nice data soon!

 

[Cyrus Vap]

thank you bill

no errol, it wasn't me I don't think anyway lol. I have my Lowes Resi and its working.

 

[txtumbleweed]

Does the V-3 have the recessed ego type connection with the flexible battery post like the Lambo?