VAMO purchase advice

[el lobo furtivo]

I currently have a Vision Spinner kit with just 2 batteries. I want to invest in some backups and was looking at some eGo Twists but for $50 I figured, why not, let's upgrade too I've decided on a VAMO and I'll use the Spinners as my backups or when I'm out. I need help though. I've been reading through posts for literally 3 hours and I'm getting nowhere. Budget is only a mild concern, as long as I can keep it under $150, I just want the right equipment. So here are my questions:

- Where to buy? I'm looking for a good price but want to stick with US vendors. I want a V2 stainless
- What batteries? I want 4 total, 2 18350's for backup and 2 18650's for everyday use. I don't much care about the smaller ones but I'd prefer 2600mah for the 18650's. And I'm completely clueless about IMR vs whatever else and button top vs flat.
- Charger? I read there's a preferred brand but that was 2748472 threads ago.
- tanks, etc? I have a bunch of DCT tanks and Vivi Nova minis that will fit, yes? Is there something better I should look at?
- Is the spring issue fixed? Are there specific vendors that are shipping the updated ones?

I think that's all. Oh, and I don't mind ordering from several vendors to get what I want but obviously, the fewer the better.

Any help would be awesome!

 

[4matic]

- vaporalley.com or vaporbeast.com
- 18650 in 2600mah is the samsung icr18650-26f which is the pink battery that comes with the evic. the aw imr 18650 batteries are 2000mah i believe. from what i've just learned, icr is more for high capacity vs imr for higher discharge current (5.2A vs 10A) but the 5.2A samsung 18650 is enough for the vamo
- dct tanks and vivi nova minis, both of which i am currently using, work great with the vamo. however, i did notice that the novas require less watts than dct so as to not get that burnt taste with the novas.
- spring issue as far as i know is more of a concern with the stainless steel vamos. they are updated, beefier springs however they cause the bottom cap to get warm. the regular springs in the chrome versions work fine with either 18650 or 18350. if anything you might just have to stretch out that spring to get rid of the rattling of an 18650 battery.

conclusion...get the vamo! lol

 

[Rodderik]

- vaporalley.com or vaporbeast.com
- 18650 in 2600mah is the samsung icr18650-26f which is the pink battery that comes with the evic. the aw imr 18650 batteries are 2000mah i believe. from what i've just learned, icr is more for high capacity vs imr for higher discharge current (5.2A vs 10A) but the 5.2A samsung 18650 is enough for the vamo
- dct tanks and vivi nova minis, both of which i am currently using, work great with the vamo. however, i did notice that the novas require less watts than dct so as to not get that burnt taste with the novas.
- spring issue as far as i know is more of a concern with the stainless steel vamos. they are updated, beefier springs however they cause the bottom cap to get warm. the regular springs in the chrome versions work fine with either 18650 or 18350. if anything you might just have to stretch out that spring to get rid of the rattling of an 18650 battery.

conclusion...get the vamo! lol

vaporalley is out of stock and vaporbeast i only see chrome not SS...seems most US suppliers are sold out and rtdvapor is offline..that's where i get my batteries and chargers from :/

 

[mmikee]

Exhale vapors has a 40% off sale going on now. You can get a Vamo and 2 18350 batteries shipped for for 54.17.
Use code 40PercentOffECF.
Great deal ! I just bought one myself.

Best Quality Electronic Cigarettes | E-cigs | E-liquid | E-juice - Exhalevapors

 

[4matic]

sorry missed the part where he said stainless lol

 

[el lobo furtivo]

Thanks for the help so far! I ordered from Exhalevapors. With the coupon code the stainless was $46 shipped. All they had were the Jyetech 2200mah unprotected batteries and were completely out of stock on chargers, so I'll still need those if anyone can point me to a good vendor. Also, do I need unprotected batteries or something else?

 

[peraspera]

It is highly doubtful whether any U.S. suppliers, including Exhale, have the most recent springs yet. The long skinny, wimpy spring allows 18650s to disconnect from time to time and the larger diameter spring has too much resistance and allows the battery cap and spring to get too hot.

These springs are the same thing and have been reported by several people, including me, as working well in their VAMOs.
Hot Spring - Silver Bullet / OmeGa
HeliX hot spring
Silver Bullet/Omega - Replacement Hot Spring

I have Efest 18350 and 18650 flat tops as well as a Panasonic CGR18650CH button top. They all work as they should. Some posters have indicated that the Panasonic doesn't become disconnected with the wimpy, long spring. Several people have posted that one can not put the battery cap on all they way when stacking 18350 button tops.

I got my Panasonic CGR18650CH from Carolina Vapes, my Efests from Vapor Beast and my Nitecore i2 charger from Orbtronics. You can probably find the the Efests and charger cheaper but when I ordered I wasn't in the mood to chase all over the internet to save a couple of dollars.

Many people are very happy with their Xtar WP2 II chargers. However, neither the new one I had nor the replacement would provide a solid connection for my 18650s. I got the newest version of the Nitecore i2 and my Xtar has been relegated to backup status.

The Nitecore i2 has strong springs on the negative connection sliders. The 18650s and 18350s make perfect, instant connections without requiring spacers for the 18350s like the Xtar. It shuts off automatically when the batteries are charged like the Xtar but automatically provides the correct amps for charging. The Xtar requires one to manually set the amps.

 

[cyclotron]

I don't have nor have had an Xtar charger but the Nitecore i2 is a champ in my book. Just pop in 18350 or 18650 in any of the slots and the negative slide makes it easy. You can charge any size in any slot at the same time. No settings, no spacers, no need to do anything but pop a battery out and put the discharged one in. Nice three light capacity indicator tells you how much charge is in and blinks as charging is occurring. I honestly didn't even read the manual for it and yes I'm a bad cyclotron for that.

 

[el lobo furtivo]

Thanks for the help everyone! Here's what I've got coming:

VAMO V2 stainless body from ExhaleVapors, $46 shipped
2 X AVIMR18350FT (flat top) and Helix spring from AvidVaper, $18 shipped
2 X Efest 18650 flat top from VaporBeast, $17 shipped
Nitecore i2 from Amazon, $20 shipped

Total $101

Anything I'm forgetting?

 

[meli.]

Anything I'm forgetting?

The Joose.

 

[el lobo furtivo]

The Joose.

Haha, I already have tons of that. Buuuut....my credit card is still warm....

 

[rik701]

Vapor Joes - Daily Vaping Deals

cheapest i have sen them outside a co-op

 

[meatcutter]

Even if you miss the Vapor Joe deal. it is $41.68 with the ecf coupon code

 

[el lobo furtivo]

Vapor Joes - Daily Vaping Deals

cheapest i have sen them outside a co-op

That site just references ExhaleVapers, which is where I got mine. Thanks though!

 

[meatcutter]

Vapor hoes has a link to exhalevapers 41% discount with his code

 

[MattB101]

I bought both my charger and batteries from Vaping Zone and am quite happy.

Thanks for the help so far! I ordered from Exhalevapors. With the coupon code the stainless was $46 shipped. All they had were the Jyetech 2200mah unprotected batteries and were completely out of stock on chargers, so I'll still need those if anyone can point me to a good vendor. Also, do I need unprotected batteries or something else?

 

[meatcutter]

I got mine from cuecig 69.95 delivered it was a kit

 

[White Rabbit]

Well, with all of the legislation news etc. and the great price from Exhale Vapors, I just joined the MOD Crowd. LOL.

I have been a loyal Smokless Image customer for 4 months and their products are great but now I need to move on to VV. Not really interested in VW yet, but the Vamo gives me the option at a good price point. Thanks for all of your previous posts guys and gals. $46.38 Shipped from a US vendor is not really bad at all for a SS Vamo.

 

[kiwivap]

Well, with all of the legislation news etc. and the great price from Exhale Vapors, I just joined the MOD Crowd. LOL.

I have been a loyal Smokless Image customer for 4 months and their products are great but now I need to move on to VV. Not really interested in VW yet, but the Vamo gives me the option at a good price point. Thanks for all of your previous posts guys and gals. $46.38 Shipped from a US vendor is not really bad at all for a SS Vamo.

Welcome aboard White Rabbit.