VV/VW mods reliability

[mouth]

I've been reading a LOT on every possible VV/VW mod out there and I noticed something weird-ish.
It's usually suggested to move on from ego twist batteries to mods to save money in the long term. Meaning, you only switch batteries which are more reliable, durable, higher mah and cost less. That would be awesome if the mods would actually survive. From all I've read, it seems those batteries would outlast your average VV/VW mod (except ofc Provari, yea I know it's only VV).
It's either the threading issues, the button issues, the electronics flat out fail or something else.

I've been vaping for 2 months on Joye ego c twist 1000 and a Vision Spinner 1300 with EVOD tanks, and it's pretty much awesome. I do my own rebuilds, I mix my own eliquids (FA) and I baby the heck out of those batteries by not dropping them etc. They are as good now as the day I bought them. Usually, I vape at around 3.8, 3.9V with around 2.2 ohm coils. Anything greater than 4.2V is just too warm of a vape for my taste.

That said, I've ordered an Innokin SVD and a Protank 2 (since I love EVODs I figured I'd love Protank 2).
One thing that worries me is the fire button. I mean, if I baby the damn thing, will it last?
It can't be actually worse than the cheap twist/spinner button can it? Lesser quality?

I've read some people have their Joye twists for over a year. That's crazy in savings department! I can easilly see mine lasting at least 6-8 months the way I use it.
Once you start buying all those mods, you CANNOT say you're saving money in the long run lol.
Not just that, but plenty of those mods last a few months before breaking. And then you don't just replace the battery, you replace the whole mod.
And no, I don't want a Provari

Anyways, a bit of a rant. I've seen many people recommend VAMO and similar apvs, claiming you're saving money in the long run, but I just don't see that as the truth. Still, I can't wait for my SVD since this turned into a great hobby, and saving money in a hobby is an oxymoron xD

 

[postembr2]

Cant tell much, as im on same mileage as you, i brought one evic, and its very good and its working as it should. I have also an generic ego twist as second, its working well too.. To tell the truth, if you just want to vape, baseline, vaping all day like a cig, like on car, moving, i think an ego is all you need. Twist or any ego VV smooths for diferent coil resistances. All else is to enhance the experience i think.

 

[Bunnykiller]

I had 2 Vamo3's unfortunately both have been dropped 1 died dead no longer alive ( made a mech out of it) and the other one "works" ( still fires but the screen is dead) My ADV is my SVD... been dropped 2 times already and still working like a bulldozer... a friend of mine has an SVD for several months and it is still alive and doing well... for 40$ I feel that it is a good price.

 

[Baditude]

Was there a question to be answered, or was that just a rant?


You can get into vaping as shallow or as deep as you desire. For many of us, vaping becomes a hobby as well as a smoking alternative. Not necessarily a bad thing, as the hobby aspect can help keep you off of the smokes.

You often get what you pay for. Consider the source of the majority of vaping gear. China. Some manufacturers make decent quality mods. Innokin is one of them. I often get criticized for bringing up that when you purchase any Chinese mod, you need to understand that there is no option for repair once the warranty expires. China makes mods cheap so that you can buy them cheap. If it breaks, they expect that you'll buy another. Just know that when you buy one of their mods, hope that it lasts as long as you expect it to.

The above is not racist or nationalistic. It's just a fact of their business practice and philosophy. Chinese manufacturers could make a durable and dependable mod like a Provari, but it likely wouldn't sell because the price would be nearly as much as a Provari...again, without the option for repairs post-warranty.

 

[Simply Red]

I ordered and received a Innokin itaste MVP2 a couple of months ago and like you, I baby my battery/mod. Some have complained at the stoutness of the fire button (supposed 2 lbs. of pressure to fire) but I have no problem. It has 2600mAh, VV/VW, puff counter and more. Personally, I think it's very well built and will last me quite a while.

As far as a hobby goes, please see signature below and Happy Vaping!!

 

[mouth]

Was there a question to be answered, or was that just a rant?

more of a rant, but, was kind of hoping for encouraging replies that tell me that even mods like Vamo, SVD, Tesla, eVic etc are still better built than twists

 

[SirSteve]

Luck of the draw,although Innokin is one of the better Chinese companies. SVD and Tesla have pretty good reputations, as well as Joyetech Twist and Vision Spinners. Vamo is hit and miss, can't comment on Evic. Sigelei Zmax is also well regarded.

There is a reason why devices like ProVari, REO and the Semovar are priced the way they are, they use better material and have stricter quality standards.

You should be fine with the SVD, just don't use it as a hammer.

 

[Baditude]

more of a rant, but, was kind of hoping for encouraging replies that tell me that even mods like Vamo, SVD, Tesla, eVic etc are still better built than twists

Both have their place in vaping, IMHO. The Spinner & Twist are an ideal way to begin vaping, and many who start out with them continue to use them even if they move on to mods. They make excellent out-and-about, pocket-friendly PV's. They do have their limitations. Due to their very slim profile, larger tanks can look a little "silly" on an ego battery. This can limit the capacity of liquids that can be used on them. Certain juice attachments are not recommended to be put on an ego, so that's a limitation.

Advanced mods allow for replaceable batteries. To many, that's a plus. Instead of replacing an entire device, you only have to replace a less expensive replaceable battery.

They allow for larger capacity juice attachments. They are generally more durable than an ego, especially most mechanical mods. Regulated APV's usually have advanced features such as a built-in ohm meter, voltage meter, and LED display. They also have more advanced built-in protective circuitry.

 

[DaveP]

eGo's are use and toss items. They work well, but aren't designed to be repaired. The original eGo was a fixed voltage device that consisted of a tube containing a battery, with a switch and an atomizer socket on the end. When it quit, you chunked it and bought another. Now, those have been designed into VV devices, but it's still a glued together device with no service in the design. It's a good vape, but with limited life.

The best way to buy a mod is in a B&M store where you can touch and feel and try them all. I've been without that exposure until recently when Stormy's opened a B&M in our town. It's pretty neat to walk in and be able to choose from cheap to expensive. They have everything from plastic tube clearos to the Russian and similar high end RBA's, along with most of the VV/VW mods talked about on ECF. The best part is that they charge the same prices in the store as they did on their web site.

If you don't have access to a B&M store, read the reviews on ECF, listen to posters talk about the good and bad features and make a decision.

Baditude is right when he says most Chinese mods are built with use and toss construction. If you want longevity, buy a Provari or one from the stateside builders that also offer repair service and parts. Cheap is good until it breaks. Once that happens and you buy another throwaway, you could have had something with service backing in the US.

Many complain that mods are too expensive. Compare the prices to those cartons of cigarettes you used to buy. A month's worth of cigs may just buy you a nice American made mod with service backing that will last for years.

 

[postembr2]

I paid on local money around 120 US$ for an Evic here on Brazil... well it was my first mod, im satisfied, but once i can get some serious money im considering get either a provari or a poldiac.

 

[dice57]

The way I look at it, mods are an investment, and not part of the cost of vaping. yeah right, well most every mod I own is a high quality regulated and mechanical, that if taken proper care of will last me the rest of my life, so once you prorate it over that scope of time, we are talking pennies a day. And the quality of vape provided by these devices, can not me compared to a spinner, vamo or SVD. Same goes for atomizers and rba's.

It is like when shopping for a car, one can go on the same rant or comparison, gee my '69 Toyota corolla gets me from point A to B, don't understand why anyone could justify buying a Porsche 911E, they can't be that much better, heck you wrap one around a tree and you are just out a lot more money.

It's like everything else in life, one makes choice and decisions with every kind of purchase they make from toilet paper to the casket they entomb their loved ones in.

I started with a cig-a-like and then an ego and protank, once I discovered this forum and learned what was possible in the world of vape, learned to build, DIY juice, high end mods and rba's...... You'll never catch me with an ego or PT again. PIF'd all my original gear to friends and family over the holiday season. Was just colleting dust.

Vape long and Prosper!!!

 

[wv2win]

.........................
Once you start buying all those mods, you CANNOT say you're saving money in the long run lol.
Not just that, but plenty of those mods last a few months before breaking. And then you don't just replace the battery, you replace the whole mod..............................

I have had my Vamo for over a year, using the same batteries. It cost me $31. It provides much better performance and flexibility than an ego twist. Ego twist batteries cost around $22 - $26 and only have about a 250 recharge life. The ego has a weak 2.5 amp switch. The Vamo (as well as many other APV's) has a 5 amp switch.

Your "newbiness" is showing.

 

[lladnar550]

I have a VAMO that is 10 months old and going strong, I admit though I only use it when vaping at different beer fests. I also have an eVic that is a year old and going strong that I use for around half of my vaping. Had an iTaste MVP that I loved, but the internal batteries went bad in it after 7 months. During this time my sister has gone through 8 ego twist types from different mfgs. Some of the twists were cheap unbranded knock offs, some were joytech branded and others were smok and vision branded. Some died due to abuse, others due to battery reaching end of life. (switched her to a kicked k100 last month, after her last ego failure) All in all, I have spent less on my VV/VW's than she has, and still have 2 mods that are going strong. If you really want something made to last, get a decent mechanical and a kick, or get a provari. Be careful if you decide to get a mechanical though. They are addictive. I have spent far more on mechanicals that I rarely use than I have on my VV/VW's that I use every day.

 

[DaveP]

I'm beginning to notice a little shorter duration of charge on my AW 18650 batts, but I've been charging and rotating them for almost two years now and still getting more than a day from two of them together. I've probably charged each of them well over 300 times, so they are probably well into the EOL curve.

There's a fixed cost to vaping but once you buy a good mod, the rest is mostly spent on consumables and you will spend money on juices, atomizers, and various other peripherals no matter what you vape them on.

 

[Vermonster13]

I still have my original(close to 5 years old) JoyTech eGo 650 battery and it still works fine. I use it as a stealth vape regularly. Not all eGos are equal, many are knock offs and junk.

 

[mouth]

I have had my Vamo for over a year, using the same batteries. It cost me $31. It provides much better performance and flexibility than an ego twist. Ego twist batteries cost around $22 - $26 and only have about a 250 recharge life. The ego has a weak 2.5 amp switch. The Vamo (as well as many other APV's) has a 5 amp switch.

Your "newbiness" is showing.

That's the kind of feedback that I like. Vamo that lasted over a year, awesome.
It's not really my newbiness, it's just a lot of "my X VV mod stopped working after 3 months" threads that I've read.
I'll be happy as a clam if my SVD lasts me over a year

 

[mouth]

I still have my original(close to 5 years old) JoyTech eGo 650 battery and it still works fine. I use it as a stealth vape regularly. Not all eGos are equal, many are knock offs and junk.

And that's why I avoid knockoff egos.

 

[Vermonster13]

I have a first run ProVari that still works perfectly. Pretty good return on my investment.

 

[Myk]

You don't know how people have treated their stuff and they're likely not going to be honest enough to tell you it was they who screwed up the item they're whining about.

I've had my first Vamo since May of '12.
First eVic since June.

The problem I see most with Vamo is the evil threads. I've had no problem with my threads, but I've always used a beauty ring for extra support and I don't drop my Vamos (I'm not saying "bad dog, don't drop a Vamo", I just don't drop them, I was always dropping my Twist). And I don't screw my heads in an out 10 times a day.

My #1 Vamo has had a period where it would shut itself off for no reason. I'm sure it's not the spring bouncing when I put it in the stand like other mysterious shut offs have been because I've seen it flash while sitting still. It hasn't done that for a while.
My #2 eVic (guessing August) has had a battery reading problem, but that seems to be those specific batteries in that specific mod.

I've only had my SVD since October or November. I can't see why there has been a button issue, although I find pushing the button to be a pain.
I did have a button issue on my Twist from dropping it so much.

When some people get something for $50 they don't take care of it as much as they do if they get something for $150. Cheaper will probably have more faulty items but I don't think there are inherent faults like the complaints would lead you to believe.
If I went for Provaris I wouldn't have 5 flavors sitting on mods ready to go.

I've also had complete eGo-C kits for ever a year with no problems. Vivi-Nova and Protank tops with no problems. You constantly hear of people with problems using all those.
Many times (and I'm being generous not saying "most times"), it's the user that is the problem.
And BTW, my Twist adjusting knob is broken off and it has to be adjusted with a screw driver. Drop something a lot like I did with my Twist and it's not going to last.

I don't believe you get what you pay for. Many companies use that saying to price gouge knowing people believe it. My mother had a greenhouse. She rooted a plant and put a price of 25¢ on it, nobody would buy it. She raised the price to $1, it sold that day. Did that person get 4 times more product than she would've got the day before? Or did she just pay 4 times the price for the exact same product?

 

[DaveP]

I have had my Vamo for over a year, using the same batteries. It cost me $31. It provides much better performance and flexibility than an ego twist. Ego twist batteries cost around $22 - $26 and only have about a 250 recharge life. The ego has a weak 2.5 amp switch. The Vamo (as well as many other APV's) has a 5 amp switch.

Your "newbiness" is showing.

Actually, only mechs have a heavy duty switch. Anything that is variable uses a switch that only provides a trigger voltage (with current in the milliamp range) to the board to signal it to turn on the output through a triac. That's the beauty of variable mods. When variable mod makers talk about amp ratings, they are talking about the amp rating of the triac.