Vamo V5 in short mode - battery or not meant to be?

[MizK]

So, I got a Vamo V5 primarily for use as a "traveling device". I have a Vamo v8 (or Vamo 35 depending on who you ask) that I use primarily, but it's heavy and big. I wanted something a bit more portable for taking places, so enter the V5. Really the only reason I bought this thing is because it can be used in "short mode" with 1*18350 battery.

Well, I got it yesterday, and I feel like I've been punked. With 1*18350 battery, it's completely useless. It technically works, but the only way I know it's working at all is there is a little vapor. There's no throat hit, no flavor, no anything. "Weak" would be the understatement of the century. Completely and totally useless. It works fine with 2 stacked 18350's, but then we're right back to a pretty freakin' huge device, completely defeating the purpose. I'm really disappointed, to say the least. What's the point of it being capable of sizing down to 1*18350 if it can't work that way?

So, my question is, is there any 18350 battery that will make this thing work properly in short mode, or am I just screwed and stuck with an extraneous device? I'm using the red Efest 18350's in it, with a Nautilus tank (1.6ohm coil). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. So ticked off about this.

 

[Davey59]

Weird, I run the 18350 purples with no problems other than I wish they lasted longer. An assortment of AeroTanks in the 1.4 to 2ohm range. No experience with the red ones.

Seems I remember reading that you need to clear the power when switching from stacked to single.

 

[drippaboi]

In my SVD there is a HUGE difference between the red and purple 18500 batteries. I've been sot of wanting to pick up the purple 18350s to compare to the red 18350s I currently have just to compare them but since I apparently outright prefer 18650s I just can't get myself to take the plunge.

 

[MizK]

Must be the difference between the purple and the red. I believe the purple have higher amperage, so that would make sense. The red is supposed to be 6A, which should be enough, but there's just no possible way that's accurate. Not with the way they're performing with this device.

What do you mean by "clear the power"? I did read that the older V5's switched between RMS and mean mode, and you were supposed to switch if you were using 1 battery vs. stacking. The newer ones don't switch though, and it doesn't seem that mine does.

Good to know the purple Efests work with it. You use just one, and it works well?

 

[MizK]

In my SVD there is a HUGE difference between the red and purple 18500 batteries. I've been sot of wanting to pick up the purple 18350s to compare to the red 18350s I currently have just to compare them but since I apparently outright prefer 18650s I just can't get myself to take the plunge.

Good to know, thanks. I actually haven't even tried a 18650 in the V5, since the ones I have are too fat to fit in it.

 

[wshanncap]

I have a V6 and I use the red Efest batts also. I usually stack the 18350s. But I did try it in short mode. I didn't have a problem. And I use a Patriot at 1ohm or a 454 at with dual coils running at 0.9 ohm. All I know is check your watt setting and if that's not it maybe you have a bad battery? Sorry I'm not able to help further.

 

[edyle]

So, I got a Vamo V5 primarily for use as a "traveling device". I have a Vamo V8 (or Vamo 35 depending on who you ask) that I use primarily, but it's heavy and big. I wanted something a bit more portable for taking places, so enter the V5. Really the only reason I bought this thing is because it can be used in "short mode" with 1*18350 battery.

Well, I got it yesterday, and I feel like I've been punked. With 1*18350 battery, it's completely useless. It technically works, but the only way I know it's working at all is there is a little vapor. There's no throat hit, no flavor, no anything. "Weak" would be the understatement of the century. Completely and totally useless. It works fine with 2 stacked 18350's, but then we're right back to a pretty freakin' huge device, completely defeating the purpose. I'm really disappointed, to say the least. What's the point of it being capable of sizing down to 1*18350 if it can't work that way?

So, my question is, is there any 18350 battery that will make this thing work properly in short mode, or am I just screwed and stuck with an extraneous device? I'm using the red Efest 18350's in it, with a Nautilus tank (1.6ohm coil). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. So ticked off about this.

How old are your 18350 batteries?

It's got to be an issue with the battery not being able to deliver the power.

To check for a dying battery:
hold down the left button on the vamo to check battery voltage;
then give him a good run, like 3 to 5 strong vapes at highish power;
then check the battery voltage again to see if battery voltage has dropped;
if it has dropped, check battery voltage again to see if it is slowly rising back up.

After few months of usage, my batteries tend to drop voltage while in use, and rise back up slowly; like an old horse;

 

[MizK]

Batteries are brand spankin' new. First time they were ever used was in this device yesterday. The voltage does seem to drop very quickly, but then goes back up. (Is that a good thing or bad thing?) This was while stacked, I didn't test them while using individually. I'm afraid to use them individually now since I've already stacked them, I read that was a super huge no-no. Is that true? These are the only 2 18350's I have at the moment. I'm pretty new to this whole mod/battery game.

 

[MizK]

I'm definitely questioning the vendor, at this point. I'm having some similar sort of issues with the other batteries I got from them as well (Panasonic NCR18650BD). I use those in my V8 35, and it works great when the batteries are at 100%, but as soon as it gets down to about 80%, the device becomes equally useless. Just barely hits at all. The vendor seemed legit (mtnelectronics.com), but I'm definitely wondering now. Won't be buying from them again.

 

[AndriaD]

Could you just turn up the power a bit? I've noticed that my Vamo seems much lower-powered than my other variable mods, even my lil vv3s -- I run all my other mods no higher than about 9w or so; with the Vamo, I don't really get what I want till I'm at 10w, and often go up to 11w; I think I've even gone to 11.5w with the Vamo.

Andria

 

[edyle]

Batteries are brand spankin' new. First time they were ever used was in this device yesterday. The voltage does seem to drop very quickly, but then goes back up. (Is that a good thing or bad thing?) This was while stacked, I didn't test them while using individually. I'm afraid to use them individually now since I've already stacked them, I read that was a super huge no-no. Is that true? These are the only 2 18350's I have at the moment. I'm pretty new to this whole mod/battery game.

No that's not true; it's the other way around; once you've already separated them, you should not stack them.


Check them individually, and maybe they are not fully charged anyway; check the voltage on them individually.

when they ship them brand new I think they ship them at like 3.6 volts, not fully charged.

 

[edyle]

I'm definitely questioning the vendor, at this point. I'm having some similar sort of issues with the other batteries I got from them as well (Panasonic NCR18650BD). I use those in my V8 35, and it works great when the batteries are at 100%, but as soon as it gets down to about 80%, the device becomes equally useless. Just barely hits at all. The vendor seemed legit (mtnelectronics.com), but I'm definitely wondering now. Won't be buying from them again.

Can you be specific about "as soon as" because that could mean half hour or it could mean the whole day.
any of my batteries might last 3 to 4 hours of chain vaping and that's just on 5 to 10 watts;

80% of 4.2 = 3.3 volts, so 80% might be the time to recharge.
Could just be the manufacturer just used the voltage measurement for the battery display indication, and not the differential above 3.3volts; just as the original vamos used mean voltage instead of rms volts; but for the price these things and just minor quirks to experienced users.

 

[edyle]

I don't think those ncr batteries are the safe chemistry batteries;

the recommended batteries for vaping are the ones labelled IMR, which I believe a lithium manganese;
their failure charatistics are reputedly rather less.... dramatic.

 

[MizK]

I agree, Andria. I have to turn my Vamos up higher than I normally do on other devices as well. Unfortunately, with this V5, it's definitely a battery issue. I turned that thing up as high as it would go and nothin'. At least, not with one battery. Seems to work great with stacked.

I'm a bit encouraged that it doesn't seem to be a fault with the device, judging by what others have said. But pretty unhappy that it seems like I got some shoddy batteries.

 

[edyle]

I agree, Andria. I have to turn my Vamos up higher than I normally do on other devices as well. Unfortunately, with this V5, it's definitely a battery issue. I turned that thing up as high as it would go and nothin'. At least, not with one battery. Seems to work great with stacked.

I'm a bit encouraged that it doesn't seem to be a fault with the device, judging by what others have said. But pretty unhappy that it seems like I got some shoddy batteries.

Please check the voltage on each of those 18350 batteries;
If one of them is 3 volts, and the other is 4 volts, and you use them stacked, you end up killing the weaker one; I'm not sure if other things might also happen.

 

[Norrin]

I use the crappy Trustfire 18350 that came with mine and there is NO difference in performance.

 

[MizK]

Can you be specific about "as soon as" because that could mean half hour or it could mean the whole day.
any of my batteries might last 3 to 4 hours of chain vaping and that's just on 5 to 10 watts;

80% of 4.2 = 3.3 volts, so 80% might be the time to recharge.
Could just be the manufacturer just used the voltage measurement for the battery display indication, and not the differential above 3.3volts; just as the original vamos used mean voltage instead of rms volts; but for the price these things and just minor quirks to experienced users.

I'd say it's about 5-6 hours of medium to heavy vaping between when I put in a fully charged battery and when it gets to 80% and the device kinda stops hitting. When I put it in the charger at that point, the charger readout says it's at 3.8v. Given the large capacity (3200mAh), I guess I was just expecting more. I definitely wouldn't call myself a terribly experienced user, at least not when it comes to mods. I've been vaping for a long time, but just recently ventured into the mod world when my MVP2 had an unfortunate meeting with some water. I'm still trying to figure stuff out, it's a bit more overwhelming than I thought it would be! :/

I don't think those ncr batteries are the safe chemistry batteries;

the recommended batteries for vaping are the ones labelled IMR, which I believe a lithium manganese;
their failure charatistics are reputedly rather less.... dramatic.

Right you are! I was thinking they were IMR because it said they were high drain, but upon closer inspection, it seems they're a hybrid. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[GeorgeF]

Ok. Here is what I found Sunday with the efest purple 18350 and the vamo V5. It works just as well with the 18350 as it does with the 18650, just not as long.
I have the same setup as you do with the only difference being the battery. All my batteries are the purple efest for my Vamo. I run the Nautilus as well with a 1.6ohm coil.
Chain vaping the 18350 it lasted maybe 3 hours. with the 18650 it lasted 12-14 hours. I run mine at 13w once I break in the coil.

To change from Mean to RMS with the V5 press and hold the left button until Output Mean or Output RMS is displayed. If you press and hold the button and Output RMS is displayed you have set it to RMS. To set it to Mean repeat until Mean is displayed. You cannot check which mode you are running in, once you get to the output X screen you just set it to that output.

 

[MizK]

No that's not true; it's the other way around; once you've already separated them, you should not stack them.


Check them individually, and maybe they are not fully charged anyway; check the voltage on them individually.

when they ship them brand new I think they ship them at like 3.6 volts, not fully charged.

Ooohh no ... well I guess I screwed that up. I did fully charge them before first use. I just checked separately. One at 3.8v (the one that was on top), other is at 3.9v.

 

[MizK]

Ok. Here is what I found Sunday with the efest purple 18350 and the vamo V5. It works just as well with the 18350 as it does with the 18650, just not as long.
I have the same setup as you do with the only difference being the battery. All my batteries are the purple efest for my Vamo. I run the Nautilus as well with a 1.6ohm coil.
Chain vaping the 18350 it lasted maybe 3 hours. with the 18650 it lasted 12-14 hours. I run mine at 13w once I break in the coil.

To change from Mean to RMS with the V5 press and hold the left button until Output Mean or Output RMS is displayed. If you press and hold the button and Output RMS is displayed you have set it to RMS. To set it to Mean repeat until Mean is displayed. You cannot check which mode you are running in, once you get to the output X screen you just set it to that output.

Thank you!!! I believe I'll be investing in some purple ones. I think I've possibly screwed these red ones, judging by what edlyle's said. Live and learn, eh? I did read something about the changing modes, but apparently the newer ones don't switch between modes, according to my reading. They're just RMS. When I hold down the left button, no mode changing.