Volta: Battery-Powered Portable by VaporGenie
- Thread starter VaporGenie
- Start date
OF
Well-Known Member
Thanks. It's encouraging that this will eventually be addressed, too bad that couldn't have been sorted out before (even if in a parallel effort) as multiple versions are not desirable? I'm fully aware of the Vf issue and would point out it's easier to drive yellow than green? Lower energy and all.
There are I think a lot of options, but not being able to see the unit (nor ironically likely to see it before this issue is sorted out.....) I'm somewhat at a loss. For openers, given the choice I'd have dumped the green 'everything is fine, just wait' light in favor of the 'don't do this, you'll trash the battery' one. Red is mission critical if you want to save the battery, green is a nice selling feature. Many useful vapes have no light at all. By the numbers you post, 8 minutes of run time to the 95% drop dead point, the red light time is less than half a minute (24 seconds on the back of this envelope). This would allow me one misread, maybe two (at your 10 to 20 seconds per) before needing replacement? This assumes it turned some time in the prior hit.
Depending on the voltage detector used, flashing the indicator is a option. IIRC it's a diode and resistor deal?
Sticking with the dual color idea a second window (or modification of the existing one) with a filter would allow folks like me to sort it out. In the case of Puffit they used two SMD LEDS to illuminate the tube you hit through. I was able to drill a small hole above one (green I think) for a window and block light from the other. The two different states need to appear different somehow. A second window (it could be small) with say a red filter would be dark until 'lo batt'. Or the other way around. Depending on the design the current window could include the filter over part of changing it from a cross to a dot say?
As a color blind guy I have no useful advice WRT colors for the most part. I can say red/green is the worst choice. By a wide margin most are red/green color blind, like I am. Some are hopeless WRT any color you pick, really, but they are a tiny fraction. A filter or 'two window' solution would work for them of course. Mine is typical, a few percent of the total population as I understand it? Personally most yellows are not a problem but that's not hard and fast.....but an improvement over red/green?
Ironically there are some greens many of us find easier to pick out ('sea green' for instance, although Vf is bigger there too IIRC, sort of blue, but more), but the usual green is coltrolled by quantum mechanics, not aesthetics.
Thanks again, and again my best wishes with what seems like a neat little gadget. I'll watch to see how it plays out. I'm guessing it'll end up being pretty hard on batteries anyway, you don't need me (color) blindly sending them to an early grave. Sorry, couldn't pass the pun.
OF
One thing I can say about the LiFePO batteries we use is that they can be discharged slightly BELOW the voltage at which the red light turns off. We designed the battery indicator circuit so that there is plenty of error margin. The battery manufacturer (Tenergy) recommends a cutoff voltage of 2.0 volts. But in speaking with tenergy about this, the 2.0V figure has a built-in error margin as well.
Here is the battery datasheet:
www.all-battery.com/datasheet/30065_datasheet.pdf
Our battery indicator turns red at about 2.2-2.3 volts.
Actual point where battery becomes damaged is about 1.6 volts or so.
if your battery becomes damaged, they are cheap to replace. We will be selling replacements for $4.50 each.
Here is the battery datasheet:
www.all-battery.com/datasheet/30065_datasheet.pdf
Our battery indicator turns red at about 2.2-2.3 volts.
Actual point where battery becomes damaged is about 1.6 volts or so.
if your battery becomes damaged, they are cheap to replace. We will be selling replacements for $4.50 each.
OF
Well-Known Member
Useful information, thanks.
How many seconds between 2.2 Volts and 2.0? How many more to 1.6?
Assuming a guy checks the color when he powers on then is otherwise occupied getting the hit (and not watching for a color change) how much margin (in time) are we talking here? From test one in the table you provided it looks like the first answer is 15 seconds? I assume the second even less?
TIA
OF
My camera has been repaired and I took some portraits of the new Volta:
Mine came in a plain brown box so there's no fancy packaging to show you. I know this is one of the first Voltas out there so Dan will have to comment on whether there will be something later. As far as I'm concerned, for mail order what I got was perfect, because it was easy to open and there was minimal garbage, all recyclable. I have a serious prejudice against packaging designers so I like the plain packaging. Of course, it's not suitable for display on a retail store shelf, so there's that to consider.
This is the Volta in battle configuration, with tip and battery deployed. The tip is some sort of plastic, but doesn't have any taste that I can detect. I included a quarter to give an idea of the scale.
This is the Volta in pieces. It is really easy to get apart if you have the right screwdriver. Putting it back together—well, I'll tell that story another time. There's a couple of pitfalls.
Tweek already showed this size comparison but I'll post mine anyway. This is the Volta with my koa MFLB for size comparison. As you can see, the Volta with battery is nearly twice as long. It's the same height but slightly wider. Including batteries, the koa LB weighs 56.5 g (~2 oz) compared to 102 g (~3.5 oz) for the Volta.
This is the Volta in battle configuration, with tip and battery deployed. The tip is some sort of plastic, but doesn't have any taste that I can detect. I included a quarter to give an idea of the scale.
Quetzalcoatl
DEADY GUERRERO/DIRT COBAIN/GEORGE KUSH
My Launch Box begins collecting vapors in the stem within 5 seconds... I've also been able to achieve actual combustion (glowing red cherry that I had to snuff out) twice with their new batteries.
Thoughts?
Breathemetal
Well-Known Member
My Launch Box begins collecting vapors in the stem within 5 seconds... I've also been able to achieve actual combustion (glowing red cherry that I had to snuff out) twice with their new batteries.
Thoughts?
Same as myself Quetz.
Im using the old batteries and can do all of that...(but I rarely use them as I use the PA 95% of the time)
I think the Volta looks cooler, sharper, a bit more raw. I like it. It's nice.
I just dont see how it would ever replace my MFLB, its just so small and easy to use. I dont HAVE to heat it up first then hit it, I can do it a the same exact time with great results
My Launch Box begins collecting vapors in the stem within 5 seconds... I've also been able to achieve actual combustion (glowing red cherry that I had to snuff out) twice with their new batteries.
Thoughts?
My Volta gets hot pretty fast. I will try to time it my next trench...but it struck me as pretty powerful heat wise. Even morso than the MFLB. That being said, their trenches are too different to compare IMO. Will get into more detail after I get some more time with it.
Quetzalcoatl
DEADY GUERRERO/DIRT COBAIN/GEORGE KUSH
I'll time my heat-ups soon as I get some flower and my new Box, but at 3 seconds I'm seeing vapor through the lid and at 5 it's collected enough to start flowing into the stem.
Looking forward to your opinions once you've had sufficient time Tweek. Thanks.
Looking forward to your opinions once you've had sufficient time Tweek. Thanks.
I don't want to get ahead of myself but my perception is that it heats up more quickly than the instruction sheet says (10-20 seconds). It's not as fast as the LB but we're talking only a few seconds difference. Here's an important point, though. You must shake it during warmup.
When I shake it constantly, I get vapour starting to escape at 5-6 seconds, a little longer if the element is cold. When I don't shake it, it can take 20 seconds before vapour escapes. Note that I'm not talking about seeing it form in the window, that happens a little earlier but it isn't as fast or as thick as when I shake it. I think this happens because if you don't shake it, the load in contact with the element vapourizes completely but the rest doesn't get enough heat. I believe there's a fair amount of radiated heat at work in there so it does get some.
Disclaimer: Above is based on insufficient testing to be considered reliable. YMMV.
When I shake it constantly, I get vapour starting to escape at 5-6 seconds, a little longer if the element is cold. When I don't shake it, it can take 20 seconds before vapour escapes. Note that I'm not talking about seeing it form in the window, that happens a little earlier but it isn't as fast or as thick as when I shake it. I think this happens because if you don't shake it, the load in contact with the element vapourizes completely but the rest doesn't get enough heat. I believe there's a fair amount of radiated heat at work in there so it does get some.
Disclaimer: Above is based on insufficient testing to be considered reliable. YMMV.
Quetzalcoatl
DEADY GUERRERO/DIRT COBAIN/GEORGE KUSH
Pak, how much of that vapor escaping do you think is occurring due to air moving around? Or is it just because the material is shaking and coming in contact with the heater?
RUDE BOY
Space is the Place
Still waiting on mine to get here . The tracking info hasn't changed since it was first posted only telling me that the post office can expect to receive the parcel for shipping .
Thanx much for the early info and pictures to both Pakalolo and Tweek
Paka , the unassembled Pic's were too cool as I know I won't take it apart unless I need to.
How was it putting it all back together ?
Now I just have to hope it doesn't show up when it's raining if I have to sign for it , then I'll have to drive to the Post office to pick it up the next day . The postal person won't even honk so I could get wet going to sign for it , and certainly won't get out of the mail truck to bring it to the front door . now I'm just Vaked anxious and rambling .
Thanx much for the early info and pictures to both Pakalolo and Tweek
Paka , the unassembled Pic's were too cool as I know I won't take it apart unless I need to.
How was it putting it all back together ?
Now I just have to hope it doesn't show up when it's raining if I have to sign for it , then I'll have to drive to the Post office to pick it up the next day . The postal person won't even honk so I could get wet going to sign for it , and certainly won't get out of the mail truck to bring it to the front door . now I'm just Vaked anxious and rambling .
Yeah, I think the escaping vapour is due to shaking it. The point is that something is escaping, since that tells me vapour is being produced.
First, let me reiterate Dan's caution that taking it apart is really not recommended unless you have to repair it. I did it only to learn about the Volta.
It is easy to disassemble and not too hard to put back together, but as I said, there are pitfalls for the unwary. The hardest thing to put back is the combination of the heating element and LED block. I replaced them together as a single unit by holding the heating element wrapped in place around the LED block, then sliding that into position. This is where you have to be careful.
If you don't make sure the heating element is tucked properly back into position, it'll wind up making unintentional contact with the battery holder bracket. When you apply power, bad things then happen. You get a hot spot and charred wood and a discoloured spot on the bracket. Not cool, excuse the pun.
The other misadventure was that although I was careful to note the orientation of the LED block I neglected to mark it in any way. Naturally I dropped it and wound up guessing which way to put it back. The first time, I got it wrong and the LED wouldn't light up.
Everything is back together and you can hardly see the burnt marks. I learn these things the hard way so that you don't have to.
Vapodudule
Well-Known Member
Any other feedback from the first users?
Is that heater make the extraction more uneven?
How is the ease of use: shaky shaky?
tried the native hiting?
Is that heater make the extraction more uneven?
How is the ease of use: shaky shaky?
tried the native hiting?
I won't say much until I have more time with the Volta. I find the extraction is fairly even but you have to shake it properly. I get darker ABV from this thing than I've gotten from any other device. It's not suited to being hit native like the LB, you really need to use the mouthpiece.
Shmoo
Well-Known Member
Good to hear! I would produce near black ABV with my VG, and while my Pinnacle gets dark brown and more even than my VG, it's never quite as dark. I feel VAS kicking in...
Also, any word on a FC discount or early buy price?
RUDE BOY
Space is the Place
Hey All.
I've been using the Volta for a couple days now and thought I would post my first impression .
I think it works pretty well .
So far the learning curve doesn't seem that difficult although my first few sessions AVB came out a bit dark with specks of black peppered in with coffee brown. Like Pakalolo said the heating times seem quicker then what Dan says In the video 20 seconds or so for the first hit and 7 - 10 on the following .
The orientation of the chamber while shaking and heating it takes some get used to , and I don't know if I'm there yet . I also find myself still on the power when inhaling every few hits so I still have some time to go before I can really give a review . The Volta is a very different animal then any vaporizer I've used . When using it last (not long Ago I'm still under its effects) I was thinking its kind of like using a battery powered portable "globe" vape that actually works . if that makes sense ?
So far the only thing that I see anyone having a problem with and it's not something that affects function but may drive some people crazy is the AVB and oils sticking to the glass when you shake 'n' bake your herbs . Since the glass becomes the side of the chamber when in use there's no way around it that I can see, but it wipes off real easy with just a piece of a paper towel or napkin . That's not too bad if that's the only thing I can see someone might gripe about . So far , So good . Just Starting .
Peace All and Happy Vapin'
I've been using the Volta for a couple days now and thought I would post my first impression .
I think it works pretty well .
So far the learning curve doesn't seem that difficult although my first few sessions AVB came out a bit dark with specks of black peppered in with coffee brown. Like Pakalolo said the heating times seem quicker then what Dan says In the video 20 seconds or so for the first hit and 7 - 10 on the following .
The orientation of the chamber while shaking and heating it takes some get used to , and I don't know if I'm there yet . I also find myself still on the power when inhaling every few hits so I still have some time to go before I can really give a review . The Volta is a very different animal then any vaporizer I've used . When using it last (not long Ago I'm still under its effects) I was thinking its kind of like using a battery powered portable "globe" vape that actually works . if that makes sense ?
So far the only thing that I see anyone having a problem with and it's not something that affects function but may drive some people crazy is the AVB and oils sticking to the glass when you shake 'n' bake your herbs . Since the glass becomes the side of the chamber when in use there's no way around it that I can see, but it wipes off real easy with just a piece of a paper towel or napkin . That's not too bad if that's the only thing I can see someone might gripe about . So far , So good . Just Starting .
Peace All and Happy Vapin'
I should have posted this earlier:
This is the hold I use. In Dan's video, he rotates the Volta so that the trench faces up when he hits it, but I just keep this position. I hit it while heating sometimes. You'll learn what works and what doesn't pretty quickly.
I agree about the glass getting all gunked up. It's easy to clean but it makes it hard to see the vapour starting up. After a few uses, I don't really need to see it though, I have a good idea of what's happening.
I haven't tried kief yet.