Vivi Nova taste issue

[Reaperman]

So a few days back my first vivi nova came in. It may be a knockoff because it came in a very small box and none of the heads were marked with ohm ratings. Everybody seems to really like these, but mine seems to produce burning taste at far lower voltage than it should (wicking problem from 50/50 juice maybe), and even weirder, when I crank it down and vape it under-driven at 3.2-3.3v, there is still a very weird taste that's hard to describe. It's kind of a sweet taste, but less like candy and more like antifreeze (I'm not suggesting at all that that's in here, but the taste is somewhat similar to how it smells). I cough a lot more than usual as well, even with the greatly reduced vapor at those voltages.

My vivi unit has the holes on the connector post, and I've heard there are updated ones that move them farther outboard and they taste better so obviously there are more changes than hole position. I've ordered some vivi heads from goodprophets, hoping that they've in some way been updated too.

I've also heard of burning a gasket that sits around the coil. I checked and mine seems to lack this item. Has anybody had any similar experiences? It's such a popular device that there are tons of threads on it, which makes them a bit hard to wade through.

 

[Trapper Shrek]

I am no expert but it does sound like a knock off to me.
can I ask where you ordered it?

 

[Reaperman]

I am no expert but it does sound like a knock off to me.
can I ask where you ordered it?

It wasn't from a familiar seller, it was ebay.
The box it came in looked like the little boxes lipstick comes in, rather than the ones I've seen that look more like a deck of playing cards with a molded tray inside. The drip tip this one comes with actually has a really nice marbled look and appears to be made of some kind of simulated stone--which is something I've never seen on the vivi novas in video reviews.

If it's a problem with the wicks on the knockoff, hopefully the new heads I ordered from GP will solve that problem. Assuming that they're not the exact same heads. Or maybe I should just bite the bullet and go to one of my usual vendors and forget this little $10 mistake.

 

[Bullette the Cowdog]

Rman
I've got a genuine Vision Vivi Nova with a bunch of different resistance heads on a good battery. Totally NOT impressed with the Vivi.
Using my all day favorite juice & I get absolutely NO flavor from the Vivi. I'm going back to cartomizers & dripping on my 306 atty. Forget the Vivi Nova!!
Sorry fans, just my 2€

 

[killnine]

You have a knockoff, or a serious quality control issue. The hole is in the right place, but you should have that shield around your coil and ohm markings on the heads. Make sure the silicon seal that goes over the coil is on the right way, with the flat part of the metal bushing that sits inside of the silicon seal down, and the slightly rounded part up. Take that silicon seal cap off, and dry out the rim that it sits on, and the rim of the silicon seal, and reseat it. You can also use a flashlight and look down into the coil and make sure that it is not touching the metal sides or it may be shorting. How does it taste at 3.7-4.2 volts? If it tastes like burnt rubber, then check the rubber like gasket at the very bottom of the tank, where it screws in. It may be burning here, and there's not much you can do about it. It's a non issue with the real 2.5 version but might be a problem with the clone. The only fix for that involves wrapping your own coil. It would be a better investment to find a real one. GotVapes has the real ones, as well as 5 count blister packs of replacement heads. I'm also wondering where you ordered it from.

 

[killnine]

Reaperman, I see you're from nola! I'm over in Gulfport. Have you seen this thread http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...24505-new-orleans-brick-mortar-who-wants.html B&M opening up next Saturday, and open tomorrow for limited sales. I'm sure he would hook you up if you need something temporarily.

 

[White Rabbit]

Rman
I've got a genuine Vision Vivi Nova with a bunch of different resistance heads on a good battery. Totally NOT impressed with the Vivi.
Using my all day favorite juice & I get absolutely NO flavor from the Vivi. I'm going back to cartomizers & dripping on my 306 atty. Forget the Vivi Nova!!
Sorry fans, just my 2€

Same here Cowdog,
I have a genuine Vivi Nova Mini and I get absolutely no good flavor from it. I have cleaned it, primed it, etc. I am vaping with a Smokless Image X2 900 mAh at a constant 3.7 volts. None of the heads taste any different. I think it may be due to vaping 50/50 rather than a higher PG liquid. I much prefer filling my own blank Smokless Image Cartos.

 

[William72234]

Must be a knock off,i got mine from got vapes,im loving it. Great flavor and awesome vapor and hit

 

[Reaperman]

How does it taste at 3.7-4.2 volts?

Thanks for the info on the brick and mortar store. Looks like I might have to check that out tomorrow. Maybe it's time I tried out a cartomizer tank anyway, now that I finally have a battery that will run one.

I topped off the tank with 70/30 juice (same flavor), so it's about 60/40 now and some of the wicking/burning issues are gone at least while it's full. I can go up to 3.8, but it still tastes funny so I may have to check the bottom gasket later on. It's not quite a burning rubber taste, but that's a closer description than the overdriven coil taste. It's certainly not from the liquid, which I'm familar with in a wide range fo devices. According to the ohm readout, it's coming up at 2.6-3.6 which is a heck of a range.

 

[killnine]

Thanks for the info on the brick and mortar store. Looks like I might have to check that out tomorrow. Maybe it's time I tried out a cartomizer tank anyway, now that I finally have a battery that will run one.

I topped off the tank with 70/30 juice (same flavor), so it's about 60/40 now and some of the wicking/burning issues are gone at least while it's full. I can go up to 3.8, but it still tastes funny so I may have to check the bottom gasket later on. It's not quite a burning rubber taste, but that's a closer description than the overdriven coil taste. It's certainly not from the liquid, which I'm familar with in a wide range fo devices. According to the ohm readout, it's coming up at 2.6-3.6 which is a heck of a range.

How does it taste if you drop right into the drip tip? That might narrow down the issue.

 

[DEVO357]

Yea could be a knockoff all the new ones are lazer etched with the OHM's on the head, the weird taste has be because of the wick and coil could you post a link to the seller so no one else gets the same deal?

 

[Reaperman]

So I got home, goodprophets order waiting with my 2 vivi nova heads

Doesn't take too long to see the problem here. goodprophets head is on the right, fake as hell head is on the left. Only one fat wick in the fake, vs lots of smaller ones. Sorry for the bad pic, I failed my camera miserably.


So, I guess I finally got my lesson about buying knockoffs, and at least it wasn't an expensive one. the real head does fit and seal in the fake vivi nova, but she won't fire with it in there--something must not be making contact. It's a shame, the fake actually looked pretty good on my setup.

For those wanting the source, it was 'blowdeals' on ebay. (auction link)

 

[tc1]

Looks like the clone head has a longer bottom cap. Sounds like you don't have a positive connection which is why it wont fire. Have a magnet or something you could sit in there to make the connection? Anything made out of conductive metal will work but you have to make sure it doesn't touch the outer wall or else you'll short it out.

EDIT: Actually ... take a small screw driver, pop off the bottom caps and see if you can use the bottom cap from the clone on the official head. Should solve your problem.

 

[DizGrizz]

That head on the left looks like a Stardust head! Never tried to screw a Stardust head onto a Nova but it might be the same threads...kinda odd.

 

[tc1]

That head on the left looks like a Stardust head! Never tried to screw a Stardust head onto a Nova but it might be the same threads...kinda odd.

The heads on the Vision Clearomizer Rebuildable are exactly the same as the Nova heads. I'm pretty sure the problem here is that the cloned nova has a deeper recess for the positive connection. If the OP can mange to swap the bottom connector it would be a fairly easy and quick fix. *Fingers crossed

 

[Dana A]

My Vivi Nova has great flaver but you can't get a good solid hit from it and you have to use it at such a low voltage that it just erks me. I am trading it to a friend for a bunch of carto's. I hate it. Back to carto tanks for me.

 

[myyrkezaan]

The heads on the Vision Clearomizer Rebuildable are exactly the same as the Nova heads. I'm pretty sure the problem here is that the cloned nova has a deeper recess for the positive connection. If the OP can mange to swap the bottom connector it would be a fairly easy and quick fix. *Fingers crossed

Vivi heads are flat, vision v3/ce5/others have the metal nipple

 

[tc1]

Vivi heads are flat, vision v3/ce5/others have the metal nipple

Oh yeah, forgot about the difference in silicon cap gasket. The heads are the same though ...

 

[Reaperman]

If the OP can mange to swap the bottom connector it would be a fairly easy and quick fix. *Fingers crossed

That totally worked. After the 'new coil' flavor burned off, it's not tasting bad at all.
Vapor production isn't the massive clouds I was expecting, but I can't take big hits anyway--it might take a night of vaping to wear it in too.

Vaping decently at 4.2v 2.3-2.5ohm with no burning. The fake head could only take the low 3v range and ohm readings ranged from 2.6-3.6. There wasn't much vapor and what there was had me coughing badly.

 

[tc1]

Sweet! Glad it worked! Sometimes pictures can be real useful, glad you posted one.

The only way you're going to get "massive" clouds out of that sucker is if you rebuild it using stainless steel mesh. I get nice big clouds out of my Nova with silica wick, especially right after I do a proper dry burn ... but I wouldn't consider them massive. Still a solid vape for me.