Discontinued The Firefly Vaporizer

[genericandorwittyusername]

Thanks! I love the way this thing is built, like a 1956 Chevy, there's lots of room under the hood. You could install cute mods in the free space.

Oh, I see that block is the charger jack. There are these test point temptingly labeled Red, Green Blu. The chip with many leads is likely a microprocessor/controller, and there are usually connections for checking and reprogramming it. Like changing the heating curves ;-)

Sadly, the writing is too faint even for my DSLR to pick up. Maybe if I had studio lighting. Anyway, I'll just do this manually.

Largest chip on the topside says:
PIC16F888
E/S? e3 (I have a scratch on the character after the S, pretty sure it's another S. e3 bit is circled)
(Motorola logo) 1324AR3

Second largest says:
NXW
T1 33K
A9K3

Chip closest to the bowl:
LPSL

Next to it:
X5WH

Two smallest chips on the front say:
KJA U4 (U4 is sideways relative to the KJA)

Bottomside, the square bit near the charging port is:
4R7

Chip next to battery connector:
I?R P316H (looks like a circular logo between the I and R)
GRLP
F9358

There's also a R091, and another 4R7 in white on two small black bits on the bottom. Cannot for the life of me read the chip closest to the bowl on the bottom of the board. Looks like three lines, three characters each, starting with AGK (possibly).

That's the best I can do without a microscope.

 

[stronggside]

So guys.. just curious could that little chip in the glass effect me in a negative manner. I've been doing it for a couple of days now and its marvelous. Just wondering your input

 

[mckeen]

"Hey all, sorry this took a bit longer than expected, but I haven't seen any other teardown pictures, so here they are. Sorry about the cell phone pictures, my real camera is out of commission at the moment."

Thank you! Answers all my questions and no Voiding warranty either. Looks nice and easy to do extra normal maintenance. Do you think there will be a detailed parts list with replacement parts and their cost?

"So guys.. just curious could that little chip in the glass effect me in a negative manner. I've been doing it for a couple of days now and its marvelous. Just wondering your input"

Get a new one. I don't see it causing any major problems but then again my windshield started out with a very tiny chip now it's a spider web top to bottom. And it takes away from it's resale value.

 

[stronggside]

Well yeah but the windshield is different. I do not believe that heat from the device could further damage the glass.

 

[fernand]

@generic, that's great. The main CPU is that PIC16F888, that's a common controller. What's interesting is that this is a pretty powerful 28 pin unit, with several 10 bit A/D input channels, timers, scratchpad EEPROM memory, oodles of I/O pins, etc etc. It's enough CPU to be a TV remote control, a simple Chuck-E-Cheese animal, that sort of thing. Heck, it's enough IQ to drive most people to work and get them through half the day pretending they're "in", appropriately greeting colleagues and shuffling papers, should couch-lock and total de-braining occur upon vaping. That chip's certainly not overworked just running the vape.

 

[mckeen]

Well yeah but the windshield is different. I do not believe that heat from the device could further damage the glass.

Yes it's much different. And I don't see a problem with using it until it does break. It would be nice to have a price list for such things.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Good to know. I'm honestly not surprised that it doesn't break a sweat working the FF considering the very positive reviews.

Has anyone tried it through water for shits and giggles?

 

[letter never sent]

@havealight101 posted a video using the Firefly through water a few posts up.

Those tear down photos are great, thanks for sharing! I've been keeping tabs on this thread for a little bit and I'm definitely intrigued. Could be my next portable.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

@havealight101 posted a video using the Firefly through water a few posts up.

Those tear down photos are great, thanks for sharing! This is definitely the unit I'd buy if I was getting another portable...

I have no idea how I missed that Thank you!

 

[fernand]

OK - admit it. Admit that you've taken a couple extra tokes for no other reason than enjoying the way the FireFly works!

I caught myself pulling my FireFly case out, and realizing I didn't want or need medicating, it was the vape ritual I was after. Oh, oh.

 

[natural farmer]

Thank you @genericandorwittyusername! Very nice pics, very nice to see under the hood. Gives me a couple ideas...

Well I've really been enjoying this vape for a bit now. Here is just one way I love to use it...

edit: I agree with the talk about the thermal mass. The FF does seem work best when fully warmed up. I also feel this heater is powerful, and when utilized with a narrower chamber, thermal mass does not need to be reached to achieve large pulls from the start.
More to come

This is some amazing performance through the glass!!! It seems to milk like a Cloud! Damn!

 

[Raskin666]

Thank you @genericandorwittyusername! Very nice pics, very nice to see under the hood. Gives me a couple ideas...

Well I've really been enjoying this vape for a bit now. Here is just one way I love to use it...

edit: I agree with the talk about the thermal mass. The FF does seem work best when fully warmed up. I also feel this heater is powerful, and when utilized with a narrower chamber, thermal mass does not need to be reached to achieve large pulls from the start.
More to come

Can you tell me more about this setup? What type of water pipe? Type Of Bowl head? Amazing!!!

 

[darkrom]

Anyone got a thermovape cera AND the firefly? Can you compare those 2 vapes? I think it is the closest vape. I don't NEED another flower portable, but I find myself constantly wanting the firefly.

 

[natural farmer]

Anyone got a thermovape cera AND the firefly? Can you compare those 2 vapes? I think it is the closest vape. I don't NEED another flower portable, but I find myself constantly wanting the firefly.

Having tried the T1 and the Cera being very similar I would say the Firefly should probably bare more resemblance to the Lotus sans the flame heat source... Vapor product on looks much more effortless than the Thermovapes!

 

[cancertoast]

Yeah that was basically what I did. Used a Torx 5 to slightly loosen the three screws and pushed the seal in bit by bit with the plastic toothpick. And then tightened the screws back up. (Another good idea, he said retroactively, is tighten up the screws before cleaning.)

Buying that Torx set was a good use of 14 bucks. Facing the prospect of a weekend without the FF was not pleasant.

My gasket came out the other day. I had just packed a bowl and was trying to hit it. I wasn't gettign any visible vapor, and it felt like I had increased airflow. then after 30m of trying to get some vapor I noticed the window, and a rubberband type of thing. Now I have to buy one of these Torx tools. Hopefully that will fix the air leak.

 

[Vitolo]

After a couple dozen sessions with the FF... I am enjoying the vape a great deal.
I now can get 10-12 good hits per session, and can do 5 sessions of these bigger hits before I feel I could use a charge.
I do not think I have ever commented on a vapor accessory odor before, but I find that I love the smell of the firefly's window, when the unit is open, and I smell the window from the inside! The entire inner cover smells great to me, but at the window the Cannabinoid essence is wonderful.

 

[VapeKat]

wanted to share with everyone what the official cleaning kit looks like. (and my "just because" shiny new red lid for my baby!) 5 picks, 5 screens, 10 Wipes, spare brush

 

[Mynameismud]

Anyone got a thermovape cera AND the firefly? Can you compare those 2 vapes? I think it is the closest vape. I don't NEED another flower portable, but I find myself constantly wanting the firefly.

I only had my firefly for a week before it broke. Cera broke in the same amount of time (pre laser weld) so cant be too made but ill do my best.

Size/portability/stealthness: i prefer cera in this catagory. They are about the same weight and almost similar in length but the firefly is a bit more bulky and less discreet. Id feel much safe carrying around the cera over the FF. Also the firefly seems to produce a much more pungent smell that kind of sticks to you. Havent had that issue with cera.

Usage: draw, maybe slight edge FF. The cera LL gets way too hot by the end of one session. No such issue with the FF. Ff also has a slight edge in taste too but not by much. Id say they are both just as hard or easy to use and get the hang of depending on how much experience you have.

Versatility: cera is basically maintenance free. One quick swab and its clean as new. No gaskets popping out, no screws too tight. No peeling top etc.

Battery life: slight edge cera. I get about 4-5 bowls with each of them on average but i can take more hits per load with the cera and i can charge multiple batteries at the same time.

CS: draw. It took both companies 3 days to respond to me but my issues always seem to happen on a friday so i cant blame them for not responding over a weekend.

All in all its basically a draw i cant really pick one over the other. If your looking for stealth neither are great but the cera is probably better because you could say its an ecigar and thats easily believable. I dont know what you" could say the Ff.

Besides that its basically a coin flip. Again this is only after a week of use. My opinions could change when my replacement arrives but i dont think thats the case

 

[mitchgo61]

My gasket came out the other day. I had just packed a bowl and was trying to hit it. I wasn't gettign any visible vapor, and it felt like I had increased airflow. then after 30m of trying to get some vapor I noticed the window, and a rubberband type of thing. Now I have to buy one of these Torx tools. Hopefully that will fix the air leak.

Or just contact Shelby at FF and have them send you a replacement lid. Any more gasket trouble and that's what I'm doing.

That's why I'm considering a second FF....need a spare at all times!

 

[cancertoast]

Or just contact Shelby at FF and have them send you a replacement lid. Any more gasket trouble and that's what I'm doing.

That's why I'm considering a second FF....need a spare at all times!

Yea, I am actually sitting here at work refreshing the FF website, hoping to see their chat box come online. I've also emailed them and hit them up on twitter. So I should hear a response.


Spoke with Shelby. They are going to send me a prepay label, once the tracking activates, they will pop a new lid in the mail, so I am not out of my FF for to long!

 

[darkrom]

Battery life: slight edge cera. I get about 4-5 bowls with each of them on average but i can take more hits per load with the cera and i can charge multiple batteries at the same time.

Are you saying the cera you get 4-5 bowls per battery?! I get ONE per battery, sometimes I feel like I need a second battery to "finish" the bowl lately. If you are getting more than 1 battery on the cera maybe I better figure out what is wrong with mine before I go and buy a new vape. If I could get 2 bowls out of a cera battery I'd be thrilled!


I am thinking about getting the firefly today, but its a LOT of money. The local headshop has them in stock.

 

[havealight101]

Can you tell me more about this setup? What type of water pipe? Type Of Bowl head? Amazing!!!

Water pipe is my old faithful DG tube, a nice utility tube when the job needs to be done swiftly. The bowl is just a 14m male adapter with a screen shaped to fit. Only 2 out of 8(or so) adapters fit right due to variations in the FF glass, along with every glass joint varies in size a bit.
The load in the video was some solventless wax (aka really(!)good bubble), which helps the clouds, but I will do an herb vid for comparison. It's also really good at oil this way, but bubble is my favorite.
Please (!) Be careful doing this, but I see no issues if folks are gentle...

 

[Raskin666]

Water pipe is my old faithful DG tube, a nice utility tube when the job needs to be done swiftly. The bowl is just a 14m male adapter with a screen shaped to fit. Only 2 out of 8(or so) adapters fit right due to variations in the FF glass, along with every glass joint varies in size a bit.
The load in the video was some solventless wax (aka really(!)good bubble), which helps the clouds, but I will do an herb vid for comparison. It's also really good at oil this way, but bubble is my favorite.
Please (!) Be careful doing this, but I see no issues if folks are gentle...

Okay great! I'd be very curious to see how to do this with herbs. What type of bowl head would you use for that?

 

[havealight101]

Okay great! I'd be very curious to see how to do this with herbs. What type of bowl head would you use for that?

Same, just move the screen farther down. The problem is the screen wants to move around more the lower it goes, still working on the best way to shape the screens, along with trying different materials. Need to order some TI screens today.

 

[Vitolo]