Why do Zens kind of suck?

[ohnoitsthomas]

So I just got my first Zen product , the Zenesis Mini, which I was planning on giving to my girlfriend. Before I start trashing this mod I would just like to say that I love how easy the atty is to work with and the flavor it gives but the cons are really out weighing pros so far.

Issues im having so far with the design:

Top cap comes off with an incredibly low amount of force which exposes the coil and makes it pretty much the worst thing to have in your pocket. Is there something I should put on the O ring to make it drier?

No locking switch, thats just dumb. By the way unscrewing the device is horrible advice for someone who actually wants to carry this around with them and not have everyone ask, "hey, whats that sound in your pocket".

Battery just bounces around freely in the tube which just seems like poor planning.

The button itself always seems like its extended just a hair to long, and yes I have tightened the crap out of it, which allows it to shift side to side.


All of this aside I really like the layout of the device and I would love to make this work for her. My girlfriend has been just rocking a EA mod with a cisco spec atty that she drips and I was really wanting this to work for her so she could get into some rba's and hopefully be a lot happier with vaping.

Also another bit of info is that we are full time touring musicians so that kind of throws the whole "stay at home mod" argument out of the equation.

 

[Cjax]

Not trying to go off topic, but I was reading your sig. I get my Electric Angel tomorrow, can't wait!

 

[estrader]

I thought someone said they fixed the zap top cap problem for newer version. Well I just got mine in the mail today from the latest batch and the top cap does seem loose. U can flick it off with your thumb but it wont twist Side to side freely.

Basically if you pull the top cap straight up, I feel I have to use some decent force. Rock it side to side and it can easily come off.

I can only imagine once fluids get in there and basically I'm sure it will slid right off with ease because of lubrication. This better made mad consistent vapor or else it's going to classifieds for cheap

 

[bsm471]

I was just as irritated when I got my mini... I shouldn't have to do anything to it after spending so much on it. The top cap can be fixed by adding 3 orings... The sizes are in another thread but it does work. But yeah very big disappointment
When I got it
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[bsm471]

Also the battery can be fixed with magnet spacers... I haven't tried it though

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[JollyRogers]

For your top cap. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/electronicstix/351492-zen-top-caps-come-off-easy.html

For your loose batts. Try different size orings to snug it up.

No locking switch. Yep. Unscrew the switch a turn or two, like Zen says.

You are using them out of the house a lot, find something to carry it in or have a lot of spare tanks.

I like them (Zens), except for the bottom switch. Just not a fan of that. The iHy is executed better IMO, and the switch fires more reliably and easier for the user... Newer ones do not lock, but are recessed sorta, plus the tank protector if you want to use it, plus 18350/650, though it us huge with an 18650.

For gens, I prefer the Orion personally over anyhting I have used for an 18xxx PV, and enjoy the 14500 PVs I have used (Paps w/ Spheroid or mini-DiD & the Vaper).

 

[ohnoitsthomas]

Not trying to go off topic, but I was reading your sig. I get my Electric Angel tomorrow, can't wait!

They are great, basically a lighter GG without a spring or air contol.

 

[ohnoitsthomas]

I was just as irritated when I got my mini... I shouldn't have to do anything to it after spending so much on it. The top cap can be fixed by adding 3 orings... The sizes are in another thread but it does work. But yeah very big disappointment
When I got it
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Thats not a bad idea.

I just switch out the SS wick with a cotton one and stuffed some of the extra in between the cap and base and its working ok.

 

[ohnoitsthomas]

I thought someone said they fixed the zap top cap problem for newer version. Well I just got mine in the mail today from the latest batch and the top cap does seem loose. U can flick it off with your thumb but it wont twist Side to side freely.

Basically if you pull the top cap straight up, I feel I have to use some decent force. Rock it side to side and it can easily come off.

I can only imagine once fluids get in there and basically I'm sure it will slid right off with ease because of lubrication. This better made mad consistent vapor or else it's going to classifieds for cheap

One thing I can say is I do love the flavor of this RBA with cotton/silica wicks. I might even dare to say its flavor is a smidge better than my GG's, but that could be just the easy of the draw coming into play since the zen is basically like inhaling open air.

 

[tc1]

Sorry to hear some of the displeasure in this thread. While surely there are workarounds ... you shouldn't HAVE to given the current price point of Zen mods. Who knows ... some mods tend to grow on you over time. Hope you eventually feel your hard earned cash was worth it in the end!

 

[estrader]

Just ordered the three o rings for the top cap. Will update here once they come in and I pop them on? There's still hope....

 

[ohnoitsthomas]

Sorry to hear some of the displeasure in this thread. While surely there are workarounds ... you shouldn't HAVE to given the current price point of Zen mods. Who knows ... some mods tend to grow on you over time. Hope you eventually feel your hard earned cash was worth it in the end!

It is definitely a well thought out design and I really love some aspects of it. The only real issue is my life style, ha. If I were home more I would probably just dedicate this as my fruity morning vape piece.

The solution with the top cap also seems like an incredibly easy fix, just make it screw on instead of slipping over an O-ring. If there was also an adjustable air hole control you could just close it and let the juice leak all it wants and its not going anywhere. Then just set it up vertically and wait a minute for the juice to run back down to the tank, open you air control, and it would be fine to vape again.

 

[ohnoitsthomas]

Just ordered the three o rings for the top cap. Will update here once they come in and I pop them on? There's still hope....

Definitely would like to see how that goes.

 

[SavePaperVapor]

Having to mod a 250 dollar mod is asinine. What a joke.

 

[POSEIDON]

The problem with Zens is an issue that will hopefully go away once people quit buying stuff that needs to be modded before it works properly. But with the Zen products its not as if the issue isn't known by Zen, he just does not fix it. This is the main reason I will never own a Zenesis product. If I have to "finish" the mod myself to fix KNOWN issues with the device I for one will not now nor will I ever shell out my hard earned money for that device.
This has nothing to do with Zen himself, I've talked to him he is a genuinely nice guy, but his mods just need to be played with to get them to work right.

 

[Big Hitter]

Got a Zen Sidewinder and couldn't be happier with it. No modding needed (except scrap the tiny wick that comes installed and pop out the insulator).

Screw on top cap.
Locking button.

Vapes great just like I was expecting. I know there were some issues at first but I was assured they were corrected buy the time I purchased mine.

It was exactly what I was looking for ..... the vape of my iHybrids with the form factor and pocketability of my REOs.

As far as Zen "stick" mods I won't own any of them, no need others are doing it much better.
But the sidewinder is something I wanted for 5 months or so .... just had to wait until they got it right.

 

[JOE1974]

For the amount of money i would be ...... , i expect that kinda issues for something like a $50 mod ( vamo) ... but for 200-250 your just buying a name ZEN .... I just watch a video on the zenesis cobalt ,out of the box he had to sand the switch -replace the spring and easy off the sloppy anno

 

[Trick]

The Zen attys have some of the same issues as the hybrids... but they're my absolute favorites. Sure, they have their quirks, like any hardware. But I've got a lot of attys, many of which cost as much or more than my ZA*'s, but I still find myself using the Zens more than anything. Why mine vape so damned well, I don't know, but they do.

I disagree that they should have a screw-on cap. The beauty of the press-on cap is that you can adjust the airflow for throat hit. A screw-on cap wouldn't let you do that, and it's my one major gripe about my Orion. And press-on caps can be tight... my Cobras, for example, don't have the same problem.

But still, even with the loose cap, I'll take my Zens over the Cobra and the Orion (and most, if not all, of my other attys) any day. They just vape like crazy.

[But I sold my Zenesis Standard -- damn bottom button was so stiff it was literally cutting into my finger where I pressed on it.]

 

[bsm471]

+1 on the sidewinder... I waited for a month to get one and when the mini's came up I couldn't wait so I got the mini... Big mistake... Then 5 days later the sidewinders were back up... Been looking for a trade ever sence

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[Quoiyaien]

I sold my zen standard to fund an iHybrid LE (mayan) so we shall see if it was worth it...

Should be here anytime now!