Vivi Nova 2.5 Issues

Status
Not open for further replies.

DarklyNoon

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 1, 2012
1,002
1,370
46
Virginia
I'll preface this by saying I love the form factor and design of the device. It fits nicely on the Provari, and unlike with a DCT, I don't feel like I'm going to knock it loose by accident. I really want to love the Nova. Unfortunately my experiences actually using the thing have been less than extraordinary.

I've been searching for an alternative to my current DCT setup as my juice of choice, KPB from vermillion river, while tasty, tends to gunk up and effectively kill my smoktech single coils after only a day, or around 6ml. Naturally, the most obvious alternative would be a rebuildable, filler free, tank design. While at first glance, the Vivi Nova 2.5 fits the bill, I've experienced a few inconsistencies that are frustrating me to the point of throwing in the towel on it.

First off, there's the issue of wicking. I'm getting dry, burnt rubber tasting hits at pretty much any voltage capable of producing any decent vapor. Granted this doesn't happen with every draw, more like every other draw, or even a single draw that starts fine, but tastes burnt after drawing around 4 seconds. In every case of this issue, it's clear that the wicks are indeed wet with juice... It's as if the wick material simply can't draw in juice to the coil fast enough to take a prolonged drag.

Next up is the flavor muting. I'm not getting anywhere near the flavor produced by a 3ohm single coil in a DCT. At low voltages I can barely taste it and through slowly increasing the voltage I can start to taste the flavor, but can't take a decent drag without it drying out and tasting like a shoe sole.

Then there's flooding. Seemingly at random times, or whenever the device is left lying on its side for any length of time, the atty chamber fills with liquid. Naturally the result is a nice dollop of e liquid to the mouth/lips of the unsuspecting vaper.

I was an early adopter of the 2.5 nova and received both long and short wicked heads in the box, but I've tried replacement heads and trimmed vs uncut wicks as well. Nothing I've done seems to remedy these issues. I also try to assure that all the grommets and parts are in their proper place (including the inner drip tip grommet). I know this is a true 2.5 due to the air intake holes on the 510 connector... Perhaps I've been unlucky and have gotten all 2.0 heads, despite the variance in wick length.

I've been searching for advice, but it seems like a fool's errand at this point as it's looking like nothing short of rebuilding the heads MIGHT fix it. Does anyone out there have any input to point me in the direction of a cure, or perhaps a viable alternative to the DCT setup I'm current using on the Provari?

Darkly
 

donnah

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 22, 2010
4,470
4,463
Albemarle, North Carolina
did you check the ohms on your provari? I've had a few issues but not near the extent that you're having and I've been able to fix most anything that has happened. I too was looking to move away from the carto tank because I was getting more and more sensitive to the filler taste. I've been more than thrilled with my VN tanks. They are more fiddly than carto tanks but worth it for the performance and flavor I'm getting. I've just started recoiling my own with cotton wicking.. made my first one today and it's working well! (yah me!) :D
 

DarklyNoon

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 1, 2012
1,002
1,370
46
Virginia
Aye, the ohms are reading spot on to the markings on the heads. Also, I should have mentioned earlier, I did take break-in into account and allowed a few tanks worth of vaping prior to casting judgment.

I've been reading threads on rebuilding these things and I must admit I'm curious as to how it would work out. It'd just be nice to have such an awesome product work well out of the box.

I keep reading these glowing reviews and wonder what's wrong with mine. I know they aren't all rebuilding them with cotton wicks and new wire.
 

DarklyNoon

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 1, 2012
1,002
1,370
46
Virginia
For anyone interested, I dug out an old 2.4 ohm head that had been giving me trouble. Per advice I found in other threads I boiled the head for 15 minutes and then allowed it to dry. Although it is metering at 3.0 ohms, this seems to have remediated most of the problems I've been having. I AM getting the slight rubbery taste, but nothing like I was getting. I expect this will go away after a bit of use.

On a side note I ordered some Kanthal A1 32 Ga and think I'll attempt rebuilding my heads with cotton wicks to reduce costs.
 

RobFindlay

Senior Member
ECF Veteran
Jul 3, 2011
233
47
SLC, UT
I'll preface this by saying I love the form factor and design of the device. It fits nicely on the Provari, and unlike with a DCT, I don't feel like I'm going to knock it loose by accident. I really want to love the Nova. Unfortunately my experiences actually using the thing have been less than extraordinary.

I've been searching for an alternative to my current DCT setup as my juice of choice, KPB from vermillion river, while tasty, tends to gunk up and effectively kill my smoktech single coils after only a day, or around 6ml. Naturally, the most obvious alternative would be a rebuildable, filler free, tank design. While at first glance, the Vivi Nova 2.5 fits the bill, I've experienced a few inconsistencies that are frustrating me to the point of throwing in the towel on it.

First off, there's the issue of wicking. I'm getting dry, burnt rubber tasting hits at pretty much any voltage capable of producing any decent vapor. Granted this doesn't happen with every draw, more like every other draw, or even a single draw that starts fine, but tastes burnt after drawing around 4 seconds. In every case of this issue, it's clear that the wicks are indeed wet with juice... It's as if the wick material simply can't draw in juice to the coil fast enough to take a prolonged drag.

Next up is the flavor muting. I'm not getting anywhere near the flavor produced by a 3ohm single coil in a DCT. At low voltages I can barely taste it and through slowly increasing the voltage I can start to taste the flavor, but can't take a decent drag without it drying out and tasting like a shoe sole.

Then there's flooding. Seemingly at random times, or whenever the device is left lying on its side for any length of time, the atty chamber fills with liquid. Naturally the result is a nice dollop of e liquid to the mouth/lips of the unsuspecting vaper.

I was an early adopter of the 2.5 nova and received both long and short wicked heads in the box, but I've tried replacement heads and trimmed vs uncut wicks as well. Nothing I've done seems to remedy these issues. I also try to assure that all the grommets and parts are in their proper place (including the inner drip tip grommet). I know this is a true 2.5 due to the air intake holes on the 510 connector... Perhaps I've been unlucky and have gotten all 2.0 heads, despite the variance in wick length.

I've been searching for advice, but it seems like a fool's errand at this point as it's looking like nothing short of rebuilding the heads MIGHT fix it. Does anyone out there have any input to point me in the direction of a cure, or perhaps a viable alternative to the DCT setup I'm current using on the Provari?

Darkly

I'll preface this by saying I love the form factor and design of the device. It fits nicely on the Provari, and unlike with a DCT, I don't feel like I'm going to knock it loose by accident. I really want to love the Nova. Unfortunately my experiences actually using the thing have been less than extraordinary.

I've been searching for an alternative to my current DCT setup as my juice of choice, KPB from vermillion river, while tasty, tends to gunk up and effectively kill my smoktech single coils after only a day, or around 6ml. Naturally, the most obvious alternative would be a rebuildable, filler free, tank design. While at first glance, the Vivi Nova 2.5 fits the bill, I've experienced a few inconsistencies that are frustrating me to the point of throwing in the towel on it.

First off, there's the issue of wicking. I'm getting dry, burnt rubber tasting hits at pretty much any voltage capable of producing any decent vapor. Granted this doesn't happen with every draw, more like every other draw, or even a single draw that starts fine, but tastes burnt after drawing around 4 seconds. In every case of this issue, it's clear that the wicks are indeed wet with juice... It's as if the wick material simply can't draw in juice to the coil fast enough to take a prolonged drag.

Next up is the flavor muting. I'm not getting anywhere near the flavor produced by a 3ohm single coil in a DCT. At low voltages I can barely taste it and through slowly increasing the voltage I can start to taste the flavor, but can't take a decent drag without it drying out and tasting like a shoe sole.

Then there's flooding. Seemingly at random times, or whenever the device is left lying on its side for any length of time, the atty chamber fills with liquid. Naturally the result is a nice dollop of e liquid to the mouth/lips of the unsuspecting vaper.

I was an early adopter of the 2.5 nova and received both long and short wicked heads in the box, but I've tried replacement heads and trimmed vs uncut wicks as well. Nothing I've done seems to remedy these issues. I also try to assure that all the grommets and parts are in their proper place (including the inner drip tip grommet). I know this is a true 2.5 due to the air intake holes on the 510 connector... Perhaps I've been unlucky and have gotten all 2.0 heads, despite the variance in wick length.

I've been searching for advice, but it seems like a fool's errand at this point as it's looking like nothing short of rebuilding the heads MIGHT fix it. Does anyone out there have any input to point me in the direction of a cure, or perhaps a viable alternative to the DCT setup I'm current using on the Provari?

Darkly

FWIW, KPB, has NEVER tasted right in a VVN, however Boba's tastes pretty awesome. These devices seem to be juice sensitive.

-Rob
 

DarklyNoon

Ultra Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 1, 2012
1,002
1,370
46
Virginia
FWIW, KPB, has NEVER tasted right in a VVN, however Boba's tastes pretty awesome. These devices seem to be juice sensitive.

-Rob

I've pretty much switched over to the Vision Eternity exclusively... Holds enough juice to last an hour or so, looks slick, tastes great, and is easy as heck to rebuild.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread