Whats is the best MOD out?

[Poppa D]

The copper is all battery and switch, 2/CR2 3V, which tends to operate between 5.25 and 6.5. The switch is unique, and isn't always reliable on the first try, but hasn't failed entirely yet. The brass body is just plain tough brass tube with large brass ends. It cleans very nicely with polish.

I didn't like the battery life, the long length of the switch/connector, no off mechanism. Frankly the switch connector could be finished a bit cleaner.

It does hammer out the volts, hold up to huge abuse, and is mostly reliable.

 

[Socalvapster]

My first choice will be my future Precious L version 2. I may get a Buzz as a back up PV mainly for the variable voltage feature. I also like the fit and finish of the Precise by Super T but lacks the features I'm looking for.

The Precious claims to have the lowest internal resistance in it's electronic circuitry so all the power goes to the atty. That's why I always hear Precious users say it hits harder than any other mod out there. I also like that it has a voltage regulator so there is no voltage drop under load what ever voltage you set it at. The new version is totally sealed so no chance of damaging electronics, touch sensor, or batteries if you drop it in the sink. Touch sensor button will last indefinitely because it's not a mechanical switch which is now recessed and with an on off feature to prevent activating atty unintentionally. Lv2 is food grade stainless steel which doesn't tarnish and address my allergic reaction to nickel (which the Lv1 is nickel plated brass). Variable voltage via touch sensor if no access to a pc or via settings software via a data cable connected to a pc. Caesar had changed the settings software to be able to customize the tapping style: "all timings can be computer programmed. That means that you can set the tapping style to your personal likings. How long, how fast and the number of taps required to set the precious in ON state."

Now the juice dispenser. It's an automatic juice dispenser that screws to the top of the L and integrates perfectly. It can be changed without removing the juice as it will not leak. It does not require any modifications to the atty and will hold 4 ml of juice, deleting the need to "drip". It takes a 18650 batt or 2 rcr123a batteries for high voltage. He is making available as a purchase option various size tubes to accommodate two 18650 batts and two 18500 batts. The L may still have some other features implemented by Caesar before he starts to send emails for order details.

Features listed on Precious.ro website:

Besides the usual features of the L:

* best ventilation system, directly over the battery vent holes
* touch sensor
* smallest size available
* lowest possible internal resistance
* over-current protection and under-voltage protection

The currently implemented and tested features are:

* undervoltage protection with visual indication, unit shuts down afterwards, not allowing to deplete batteries to a dangerous level
* overcurrent protection, resets itself when shorted atomizer is exchanged, the user just needs to exchange the shorted atty
* general on/off switching
* constant voltage from the first to the last vape
* very easy voltage selection on the Precious itself, with visual confirmation
* variable from 0,0V up to 8,4V in 0,1V steps, without the need of multi-meters, voltmeters or any other equipment
* 3 colored LED for status indication, can be turned on or off for stealth usage from the unit itself
* green led intensity can now be user selected for stealth and normal mode
* menu to select voltage and LED mode operated from the touch switch
* just one touch switch for user input, retaining the beautiful simplicity of its predecessors
* settings are stored in the unit and retained between battery changes
* possibility to use it with or without the automatic juice dispenser
* atomizer activation limited to 15 seconds, allows long drags without hitting the safety limit. 15 seconds is a very safe timing, not limiting the user while still not destroying the atomizer if it is reached by fault
* user will be able to change cutoff timing
* the first 8 seconds are indicated by a green color , from 8 to 12 seconds with a orange color and from 12 to 15 seconds by a red LED color
* timing of different colors can now be user selected
* when the batteries are close to depletion, the first 8 seconds will be lighted orange instead of green to let the user know that batteries will need to be replaced (stevemontuno’s idea and request)
* if the atty activation limit is reached, the Precious switches to OFF state, protecting the user, batteries and atomizer
* if left powered on and unattended, the Precious will shut itself OFF after 30mins of inactivity, for safety reasons
* can now be changed by the user in 1min increments or turned off completely
* it detects and applies the correct settings when powered by 1×18650, 2×18350 or 2xCR123A while the U will also support 2×18500 in selected units

 

[jimho]

I agree which is why I'm on the list right behind you... ;-)

lots of cool features on the L2 for convinience and variable voltage but after having two sets of runaway batteries with LifePo4's (which are supposedly safe), I think the safety features are not getting enough attention- specifically the voltage regulator circuitry which provides short circuit/current overload protection as well as auto shut off when your battery voltage drops below its limit.

There have been several reports of runaway batteries and explosions of Li-Ions - with unregulated devices we tend to push our batteries till we stop getting vapor and that's usually beyond the batteries recommended minimum begging for trouble - There are very few if any mods that can claim the first 5 "tested features" on the list for the L2 .

Protected batteries do give protection from overdraining the cell but I'm not sure about short protection...

Do not underestimate the importance of these features.

The only problem with the L2 is that Caesar seems to be MIA so nobody knows if/when we are going to see these things show up.

I'll add to the list of mods the Journeyman because it seems to have similar features (sans juice dispenser) as the L2 and comes in a nicely made wooden box mod... and is also handcrafted to a high degree of quality.

 

[mrtuna]

I have been vaping the Buzz since June and loved it. The problem is that it started firing on it's own without the button being pushed. I hate to bash a mod since the guys & gals that make them use this forum to put food on the table. The owner is a great guy am will be fixing it but I am scared about that kind of failure. It could lead to a kaboom IMHO.

One of the selling point on the Buzz is its safety. I think the more complicated and more wiring you have the more likely something is going to fail.

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

I gotta say the L2 looks to be a beauty. What bothers me in looking at the video is that it seems a tad over-engineered, at least from an electronic and software point of view, i.e., too many things to go wrong, at least with the first generation.

 

[Poppa D]

What a nice package, it appears to be the ticket, with a feeder too.
I agree though a lot going on there. Talk about a learning curve.

 

[son et lumiere]

The precious L is a mod I was considering but seeing how it takes cr2's which dont have the best battery life and the buzz is only .35 inches bigger. I'd rather have it use bigger batteries. Plus I dont think I would like a touch sensor and the Buzz has variable voltage.

 

[jtrygg]

Another vote for the ST. Outstanding customer service, great warranty, and you can do kinda the same thing that Thag Built (the ChucK) does and get custom powered coated colors. Oh and a vari-volt version is imminent.

 

[jimho]

I have been vaping the Buzz since June and loved it. The problem is that it started firing on it's own without the button being pushed. I hate to bash a mod since the guys & gals that make them use this forum to put food on the table. The owner is a great guy am will be fixing it but I am scared about that kind of failure. It could lead to a kaboom IMHO.

One of the selling point on the Buzz is its safety. I think the more complicated and more wiring you have the more likely something is going to fail.

The same could be said about a mechanical design- fact you can't argue is that electronic switches generally have longer MTBF (mean time between failure) because there are no moving parts...

You can't have your cake and eat it too... I'm not sure what he's got inside controlling the voltage but there are single chips that can do all of it...

I gotta say the L2 looks to be a beauty. What bothers me in looking at the video is that it seems a tad over-engineered, at least from an electronic and software point of view, i.e., too many things to go wrong, at least with the first generation.

It's not a first generation of this mod- it's called the L2 because the L was his first. There really isn't alot of software here... all you are doing is burning an eprom to store the configuration settings using an RS232 connection - the stuff you see on the PC is really pretty trivial- and if anything is wrong there, it's just going to be an issue with display- it won't hurt anything.

What a nice package, it appears to be the ticket, with a feeder too.
I agree though a lot going on there. Talk about a learning curve.

True - alot to learn- I would not advise this mod to a newbie although one could argue that you could set it and forget it and still have the benefit of many of the safety features and consistent voltage.

The problem is we can't get one... yet ;-)
I think there's some future in the Buzz and had a discussion a while back with one of the guys from notcigs about it ...
It really did set the bar high- it does have alot of the features that the Precious L2 will have, variable voltage, current overload protection and low battery indication and its available now. I suspect the next version of the Buzz will probably offer some things that the precious won't have (although nobodys talking about a juice dispenser for it, ya never know....)... that's kind of what makes this hobby fun- if you look at where things have come in the past 6-12 months, this whole discussion will likely be irrelevant in 6-12 months .....

 

[Poppa D]

Every ones going VV. hmmm....The Buzz is good then yah. Order one and get it next week. Need a fix same thing send it in, and get it back next week. I like my Buzz, its in my hand.

The L2 uses 2/123a?

The builders been MIA for more than 2 weeks, kind of awkward to have to wait in the dark.

 

[jimho]

Every ones going VV. hmmm....The Buzz is good then yah. Order one and get it next week. Need a fix same thing send it in, and get it back next week. I like my Buzz, its in my hand.

The L2 uses 2/123a?

The builders been MIA for more than 2 weeks, kind of awkward to have to wait in the dark.

It supposedly takes
1×18650, 2×18350 or 2xCR123A - or I would assume smaller

One in the hand is indeed worth two in the bush ;-)

- I agree its annoying that he's not responding to requests for updates- Awkward is the right word. Apparently he's just trying to get the juice dispenser to work - a few weeks ago he said he thought he'd start shipping first week in september- actually still says that on his web site- now doesn't want to communicate or set any new expectations on the subject. That said, everyone who has dealt with him says he's a stand up guy - nobody is reporting problems with their current units that are going unaddressed so we'll leave it at that.

 

[bearscreek]

Yes, that Precious looks really intriguing, but I'll throw in another vote for the Buzz. I had another couple of mechanical mods that basically needed to be taken apart and cleaned in order to maybe work right for a couple of days if I pressed the button just right. The concept of a totally mechanical switch is a really tempting thought if you're thinking about doomsday and all, but that's only good if they work right in the first place. The way I see it, if I don't get a single day more than the 6-months warranty of use out of the Buzz, it was less than $20 a month for totally reliable performance. As far as setting it with a screwdriver and meter, well, I don't really care what the number of the voltage is. If I'm using it and my atty is getting a bit weak, I just grab a tiny screwdriver and give it a half turn or so. I don't check it with a meter. Who cares what voltage it's on. If that's not good enough, I just tweak it a tad more. No big deal. The thing about it is, though, that once you see where you like it, you're not really adjusting it that much anyway. I guess I've only changed mine 5 times max since sometime in June. It all depends on what you want out of a mod, though.

 

[Socalvapster]

The few things that concerns me about the Buzz is that it's not sealed so you can get liquid on the switch or pot. Another is that I want a longer lasting battery like the 18650. The pot and switch is mechanical so it will eventually malfunction. I'm concerned with also getting dust and debris in the gaps such as the switch and pot. When I was at the beach this summer I thought if I dropped the Precious in the sand it probably wouldn't affect anything, just wipe it off and keep vaping. I don't know what it would do to the Buzz if sand got into those gaps.

As far as aesthetics the brass ends remind me more of a diy mod. I personally don't like the knurled tube. The Precious seems more refined to me, more of a classy look to it. The Precious Lv2 is now made of stainless steel and most likely have the satin finish the v1 had. Adjusting the variable voltage on the Buzz requires a tool so if you happen to not have it with you it's not as convenient. I still glad that the Buzz is out in the market. Another big plus for me with the Precious Lv2 is the release of the juice dispenser. So for features and benefit differences and $41.01 price difference which is actually even less since shipping is included with the Precious Lv2 and the jd being $40 more the Precious Lv2 to me makes it a no brainer.

Caesar's has some very loyal customers now and many new ones. I doubt current users of the Lv1 would cancel their orders because of this short wait. For a builder to have a new improved version of a pv that was previously released not too long ago, it just shows that Caesar incorporates feedback from his customers and is dedicated in perfecting his product. I would be one of the new ones and almost used my Precious funds for the Buzz as a backup mod because I knew I'd get it pretty fast, but for now I had to keep the funds for the Precious. In fact I may still get the Buzz but not before the Precious Lv2. I'm sure he'll reply very soon as I'm sure he reads all the comments on the forums and on his site.

 

[bearscreek]

Yeah, I know what you're saying. One thing I can say about the Buzz not being sealed, though, is that I have dripped tons through the atty and haven't hurt anything. In fact, when I got a 510 cap and took the Buzz apart in order to change it out, there wasn't a trace of liquid on the inside. I was actually pretty surprised about that.

 

[mrtuna]

I agree about the price of the Buzz. It is worth it compared to death sticks.

In all fairness my Buzz lasted a summer in Vegas. It gets 160 degrees in the car. That can't be good for a mod though it rarely left my pocket.

I will have to check out the precious.

 

[bearscreek]

Mrtuna, your Buzz is still going fine, isn't it?

 

[SgtDGun]

if were talking doomzday im sure a button would be the least of our worries lol

 

[mrtuna]

It malfunctioned but I am RMAing it today. I ordered a back up Buzz last night. I figure you better have a backup. I have a Silver Bullet I am using now but it's not the same.

 

[DaMulta]

For me it's the double barrel SB, and the Phidas....The new one from R&R looks sweet too.

I have a thing for wooden e-cigs

The reason I love the SB so much is that you can throw it in your pocket, and NEVER worry about it going off.

 

[BiffRocko]

I love my Buzz, but the battery life leaves a bit to be desired. I change batteries twice a day. With three sets of batteries, I have to keep up on charging, or I'll be going to another mod while I recharge later. Also, since I need a meter and the voltage adapter to see what voltage I'm at, I don't find myself ever changing from 5v. I'm too lazy to do all that work.

I just got a Clouds of Vapor Tekk mod a few days ago. It vapes at 5.2v and the battery is supposed to lasts 3 days. Plus I can vape while I'm charging it, and/or charge my phone, book reader, or any other device that charges from USB with it. It's the clear winner of my three mods. If it has any down sides, it's that (I think) it looks a bit ugly. Nhaler also sells a variable voltage version though it's a bit out of the OP's stated price range.