Ya know, they warned me...

[2xMakina]

...about USB Pass-throughs. Great idea, but a lot of them have connectivity issues.

Mine was no different.

Just got my Volcano kit today, complete with USB PT.

The batteries were a little weak so I put 'em in the charger pack.

The USB PT was AWESOME...for about four hours.

Then it just quit working completely.

I checked the USB port -- nope, full power there.

Checked the atty; Nope, switched out with a battery worked fine.

Even changed the cart.

No dice.

What really irritates me to no end is that WHEN it works, that USB passthrough was everything they said it was: Tons of vape, push-button convenience, taste was awesome, and as expected, it looked like a deranged hookah. I was in hog heaven.

Right up to the point where I changed carts from my zero clove to my "medium" menthol. Then, no vapor.

Nothing at all.

Dammit.

WTF is wrong with me? Do I have a black thumb or something with these units? I won't totally rule out PEBCAK or an ID-10-T error...seriously, I'm a newbie and I know it.

So how much of this is me being stupid and how much is just bad luck?

For the record, I'm not a big fan of the foil on the carts, but the volcano carts, with the not-full-circle inner carts that allow for a smooth, comfortable draw, really make me happy. I got some zero vanillas and added clove to them and they're AWE-FREAKEN-SOME.

Unfortunately, my passthrough doesn't work anymore.

Now I'm wondering if I should send good money after bad or just abandon the PT completely. I was told by a friend of mine who's a more experienced vaper that she had problems with her PT as well. Connectivity issues.

What's the solution?

2x

 

[ricky59]

I'll bump this because I'm looking to get a passthru and I would like to hear some answers about this as well

 

[NCC]

I've had mixed results. My KR808D-1 PT, which by all appearances sake is well made and looks like a quality piece of equipment, crapped out within days of arrival. On the other hand, my 510 PT, which has a flimsy cable and doesn't strike me as being very well made ... is working fine after several months of not the most gentle usage. I haven't used my Kissbox PT too much, but it seems to function well.

Sorry, I don't really have any light to shed on the subject. Other than that from a number of posts I've read on this forum, there does seem to be a quality control problem with these devices.

 

[$hua]

My question to you would be this: what type of PT do you have?

the reason i ask is, iirc correctly, ive read else where on ECF about ppl having issues with 5v PT's that have an "in line" battery. From what i recall... the issue with that is that the in line batt requires more of something wattage/voltage/amperage.... something... than the common usb port can provide.. the result of using the PT on an "on board" usb port is either failure of the PT or in the worst case : failure of the mother board (i.e dead comp).

I also recall that people are getting around this issue by using a powered usb hub. I myself have a PT that does not have an inline batt, i use it nightly , and have been doing so for about a month solid now. Loves it.

If any of the information i have provided is incorrect ( i too am still "wet behind the ears" on the subject of vaping myself ...analog free for exactly 30 days today!...) and someone with more knowledge can help/correct me please do. had i the time id hunt down the thread(s) im having this vague recollection from and link them.. alas i do not.

hope this helps

 

[ChuckB]

With the Volcano PT, try unplugging it from the cable. I have to unplug and plug mine back in a couple of times to get it working some times. Then it'll work just fine for days. Almost like the insides of the connector is a little loose.

 

[CaptJay]

The 3.7v inline battery PT can be a real PITA. I like them I do but I swear they use the same wires in them that are in the iPod headphones, which break everytime you look at them funny. Sometimes the battery doesnt charge properly, and often theres moisture on the connector face between atty and battery that stops it from working - just make sure you keep a cotton bud handy and wipe it.
I have found the 5v PT work a lot more consistently. I got one similar to this one 5 Volt 510 Manual USB Passthrough
It often has the same issues with moisture on the battery/atty connection plate though. Easily fixed.
I dont use a PC port to pwoer either - in fact the 5v one hates the PC port, i dont think it puts out enough, or constant enough, charge for it. I have a 2 amp AC to USB Adapter, ideal for Passthroughs

 

[2xMakina]

I will clarify:

Mine is a USB manual passthrough. I don't think it has a battery. I've tried it both on the USB port on the front of the computer I'm currently typing on (a desktop model with a 750-watt power supply, delivering steady voltage at the USB ports that I know of). I've also got several plug-in-the-wall USB "charger" type ports I can use for charging my phone, my cameras, etc. I tried one of these with the passthrough as well.

Want to know something weird? I just got home from my shift...plugged in the PT...and it worked like a champ.

/boggle.

Now I'm REALLY confused!

But happy the thing works again!!

2x

 

[davidcid]

I've had mixed results. My KR808D-1 PT, which by all appearances sake is well made and looks like a quality piece of equipment, crapped out within days of arrival. On the other hand, my 510 PT, which has a flimsy cable and doesn't strike me as being very well made ... is working fine after several months of not the most gentle usage. I haven't used my Kissbox PT too much, but it seems to function well.

Sorry, I don't really have any light to shed on the subject. Other than that from a number of posts I've read on this forum, there does seem to be a quality control problem with these devices.

I have both PTs' as well and their make up is just as you say, you'ld think the 510 PT would crap out first. If I move the KR808 PT cable a little and hold in place where the cable meets the strain relief it works great. A guy I work with has the same issue. It appears that the strands of one of the conducts in the cable have opened. I don't want to investigate this since I can get it to work if I need to.

 

[MrGreen]

I had a PT and it lasted all of 10 days.

 

[aphlaque_duck]

the issue with that is that the in line batt requires more of something wattage/voltage/amperage.... something... than the common usb port can provide.. the result of using the PT on an "on board" usb port is either failure of the PT or in the worst case : failure of the mother board (i.e dead comp).

The word you're looking for here is "current" or "power" and the entire point of the battery is to REDUCE the spikes in currrent that would otherwise be drawn from the USB port in order to feed the atty during the few seconds it is switched on. Even a small battery can deliver far more than the 500mA limit of a USB port, if only for a brief period of time.

Now, as to whether specific implementations of the PT concept execute this correctly, that is another story. But in theory it is perfectly sound. I expect we may see future implementations that use supercaps as those would probably be ideal for this.

FYI USB voltage is fixed at 5V. Current (and hence power) may vary depending on the requirements of the device but is limited by specification at 500mA. Any device attempting to draw more than this MIGHT damage a PC. I say MIGHT because most probably have internal limiting of some form.

 

[BradSmith]

I have a 5 volt pt from madvapes no inline battery and I have had no problems with it at all. but then I did hear about the problems so I used a glue gun and glued the connection in place so it can't wiggle loose.

 

[5cardstud]

The best passthrough I got is the 5 volt from Madvapes. It costs the same as the 3.7 and works a whole lot better and it doesn't have a battery.

 

[KonaNeil]

There's a very high quality passthrough from VaprLife: THE VP-PT (USB PASS THRU). It's built like a $100 soldering iron and even comes with a cool looking stand. However, it ain't cheap.

You don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get

 

[dobro4]

I have a PT for my 901 from Rocky Mountain Vapor that is working great. I've had it for a month and use it about 6 hours a night and at the bar. I plug it into my laptop and have no issues. Here's a link *shop.rockymountainvapor.com/product.sc?productId=421&categoryId=8. They also have alot of other PT's and good juice as well.

 

[aphlaque_duck]

There's a very high quality passthrough from VaprLife: THE VP-PT (USB PASS THRU). It's built like a $100 soldering iron and even comes with a cool looking stand. However, it ain't cheap.

You don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get

Sure can't tell from the product photos. Really, did they use a cell phone camera in the dark?

 

[tristessa363]

I have a USB PT from Cignot.com that i have been using for over a week with no problems... but i saw this warning on myPVshop.com:

"e-cig users on the forums are reporting many problems using USB chargers and passthroughs with their computer USB ports. We haven't experienced very many issues yet, but we have had a few (about .4% for chargers and 1.5% for passthroughs). For this reason, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE USB CHARGERS AND PASSTHROUGHS ONLY WITH AC ADAPTORS!
None of our customers have damaged their computers yet - the only reports we have are ruined/non-working chargers and overcharging batteries (which kills the battery pretty quickly), plus a few customers having problems with premature passthrough deaths. On the forums, however, there have been many reports of USB ports being blown out, and a few people have even reported ruined motherboards. We repeat - DO NOT USE USB CHARGERS OR PASSTHROUGHS ON YOUR COMPUTER."

does anyone else know anything about this? I have no idea what kind of voltage my work computer's USB port is equipped to handle. Is this really a major concern for typical users?

 

[mistinthewoods]

There's a very high quality passthrough from VaprLife: THE VP-PT (USB PASS THRU). It's built like a $100 soldering iron and even comes with a cool looking stand. However, it ain't cheap.

You don't always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get

$80.00???? Are they freaking serious? For $80.00 you can get a Chuck and actually use it when you're NOT planted in front of a computer.