The Firefly 2 vaporizer

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huxley

Active Member
So for those who have been following my story of my FF2.

The story so far is that I can taste / smell a chemical on a brand new unit when toked without any herbs in it. I called FF about it.

I told them the story, that I have not yet used it with any type of herbs, but there was a strong chemical taste coming out of when when used with no herbs.

The representative said that was "definitely normal".

He went on to say there were "manufacturing oils" that had to be burned off.

He said that after I use it a bit with an herbal product, then the smell taste will go away.

I said, why doesn't it go away with me just taking empty tokes?

He repeated that it goes away only after you use it with the herbal product.

I said I would like to swap it for another unit. I don't feel safe breathing in the chemical smell, as this is not living up to its claims of "delicious".

He said they do not warranty for smells, and repeated number of times that a smell does not constitute a valid reason for a warranty claim. He said that if I mailed it back to them, they would therefore just send me the same unit back to me stating it is working as expected. I was not authorized to mail it back them.

He repeated the phrase "manufacturing oils" many times throughout the conversation. He basically kept repeating that I needed to use it many times and then all would be good. I would no longer smell anything.

I don't him I didn't want to risk my lungs breathing this chemical that might merely be masked hoping it is gone and repeated to him that I wanted a replacement unit.

He repeated that it is normal for their to be the manufacturing oils and they do not allow a return for smell.

I said that the unit is brand new, unused with any herbs, all other parts are still sealed in the box, please take my return.

He said that cannot take any returns once the box is opened. I said that I thought that was silly since I could always do a chargeback on the credit card, wouldn't it be easier to just allow me to return it?

He said he couldn't because their policy is that smells/taste is not deemed a manufacturing defect and that there is nothing at all wrong with my unit based on my description.

I asked him what if the smell did not go away after I used it? He said that it would go away.

I asked if he or anyone at FF that he knew of, has ever taken a FF2 whose smell has since disappeared, and then cleaned it with ISO so it is like brand new, and then took a toke from it on Med-High or Concentrate mode with the bowl empty, to see if the smell is truly gone.

He said no, neither he nor no one he knows has done that. I asked if it would still be possible for their to be a smell after I used it and cleaned it and used it without any herb again. He said yes, that I may still smell the "manufacturing oils" if smoked without and herbs.

So basically it sounds like once you buy a FF2 and break the seal on the box, it is ineligible for returns. And since they don't warranty for smell, even if I were to use it as they instructed and still smelled something after it's been used. , I didn't get any good feeling that it would be considered broken and eligible for a warranty return.

Basically, the rep was trying very hard to get me to use it stating that all would be OK thereafter.

And therein lies the rub. I have no doubt I will like the instant on/off conduction, the extremely good vapor taste I keep hearing about. And indeed I may not even notice the smell when filled with herb. But I don't want to take the chance I, which I think is the most likely, that I am merely masking it.

I am not sure what my next step will be.

These are selling briskly right now, so I might even make a little on the resale.

@mitchgo61 I think I have decided not to mail it out to anyone to further test but thanks for the offer. That does not really help me as much as I was thinking. If someone was willing to send me theirs to test I would pay for both shippings. That would be my next choice for testing. I was quite disappointed in how FF handled my call.

Mod note: post edited to remove portion breaking forum rules.
 
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Baron23

Well-Known Member
As a smoker, I was primarily a waterpipe/bong (ice cold water) guy but also dabbled in bowls for on the go or low maintenance, no frills usage.

Unlike a lot of new firefliers, I got my first vape around 13-14 years ago. When I used to grow a little, I picked up one of those crystal-ball-looking things with a soldering iron in the middle to try and sample flowers early to get as sense of what they’d be like. (yes, a great idea, like brewing green coffee is a great idea.) Either way, that crystal ball thing was trash.

Years later, I picked up a Volcano. My girlfriend (at the time) needed medication for chemo and we weren’t about to smoke regularly to get it. Absolute game-changing device. Love everything about it. Complete 180 on the inhaling experience. Some years later we wanted something portable and picked up an iolite. Still head-over-heals with the Volcano after 7 years. Married the GF. She no longer _requires_ the medication, but we still enjoy it. :) We are health nuts and have zero desire to ever combust again. I only occasionally do it in social settings (ie tipsy) and always regret it the next morning.

The iolite never really did it for us and we mostly just skipped partaking when away from the home sans eatables. Last summer when I had problems sourcing butane for the iolite while in the Hamptons, I decided on looking for another portable.

I’ve mostly been eying the crafty, since the volcano is so strong. I came close to picking up a crafty a couple of times but kept dragging my feet. Once I heard the firefly 2 announcement, I decided it was the one for me. I was primarily drawn by the quick startup time (key for a portable, IMO), all glass path and convection, and general attention to detail. It looked like the perfect bowl to my bong (Volcano).

Now that my autobiography is out of the way, my FF2 experience…

I’ve had the black ‘fly for a week and it’s an exact match for what I wanted. The bowl analogy is so perfect. I can see it is much more than just a portable. It’s an alternative. A different experience than the Volcano. And I will use it as such.

The taste is incredible. Its better than the first bag from the volcano. The feeling is sneaky, because you are getting more out than you think. It can be a quick one-and-done or a 2-3 bowl session. So simple and so clean.

The first few days were variable as I tried different techniques. I landed on medium or medium-high heat, fully packed, level with top of bowl, using torn or rough-ground material. As long as it’s not too finely ground, you can’t really go wrong. Loooonnnng Sloowwwww Draw.

The LSD is the probably the most important thing. On my first night out with the FireFly2, the day after I got it, I ran into trouble. I had been drinking a little and pulled it out for our walk home. For whatever reason I went right to pulling really hard and got no satisfaction. Got home, reloaded and tried again. I hastily went after the second bowl with the same aggressive pull and got crap again. It left me feeling like the pull suddenly became too restrictive. I gave up and hit the Volcano.

The next night with a clear head I returned to what gave me success on the first day: LSD. Since then, its been nothing but great satisfaction and all about refining.

I have to say that I love that I can just pick pieces off and put them in this thing just like a bowl. Really all you need with you is your FF2, a toothpick and some flowers. For the record, I’m getting nice clouds on the first LSD. Actually, the green hit is easily my favorite.

This hasn’t been mentioned much, but I absolutely love the flat glass surface around the bowl. There is so much utility there. For on-the-go, its great to have a surface to crumble and pile up some flowers and then sweep into the bowl. Also, for stirring throughout the session, I pick the material out onto the surface with the toothpick, mix and sweep back in, green down.

The app feature doesn’t really bug me, but I get the turnoff for some. I think I’d be perfectly happy with just the default settings. I’ve tried temp surfing and stepping but it’s really not worth it for me. I’m still on the fence between medium and medium-high. The medium-high will definitely extract the most and provide more satisfying pulls but the medium is slightly less harsh and better flavor with less mixing. I’ve tried finishing on high, which will definitely get you an extra hit or two, but I don’t like roasting things quite that far. I’d just as soon pack a little extra flower to swap out and extract the last bits from the ABV with some oil or butter later as I’ve always done with the Volcano. Also, this thing has a strong propensity to over-extract or even seemingly char material, so upping the temps is not in my wheelhouse. Point is: I don't mind using a little extra material to use the FF2 where its strongest.

Where I’d appreciate some improvement in the device:

As I mentioned, it has a strong propensity to over extract parts of the material. This requires very regular stirring. Very regular. On medium-high, I am stirring, with a toothpick, after every LSD for maximum awesome and still getting plenty of black bits. My first LSD on med-high always produces some near-black ABV. In a way this contributes to the bowl-like style of the FF2, but it’s a negative.

Related: the resulting ABV is not evenly extracted. It’s not a huge deal, but coming from the Volcano which is about as even as it gets, its obvious. It still tastes great for 75% of hits and works very well overall. Like I said, I’m stirring after every LSD and it still pretty uneven.

It’s noticeably harsher on the throat than the Volcano. The ‘cano is about as smooth as possible. It’s like a big bong, filled with ice and water, sitting on a block of dry ice. Actually, its smoother than that. I do find the FF2 much more pleasant than the iolite or really anything else I’ve tried, but at the end of the night/next morning, I have a little sensation at the back of my tongue and throat. Very minor, but there.

The battery cover bugs me. It almost never seats right on the first try. I feel like they could have done better.

I, like most others, would have preferred an external battery charger and a usb port on the device. The dock is junk. It is obvious they went for style points over functionality. The firefly looks much cooler sitting angled on a dock on your desk than it does in a drawer or plugged into your computer.

Due to my technique and some early fine grind testing, I have material wedged around the outside of the bowl and in the bottom of the bowl. It doesn’t bug me that much, but I can’t ever get it 100% clean.

Nice balanced post on your experiences. Thank you

So for those who have been following my story of my FF2.

The story so far is that I can taste / smell a chemical on a brand new unit when toked without any herbs in it. I called FF about it.

I told them the story, that I have not yet used it with any type of herbs, but there was a strong chemical taste coming out of when when used with no herbs.

The representative said that was "definitely normal".

He went on to say there were "manufacturing oils" that had to be burned off.

He said that after I use it a bit with an herbal product, then the smell taste will go away.

I said, why doesn't it go away with me just taking empty tokes?

He repeated that it goes away only after you use it with the herbal product.

I said I would like to swap it for another unit. I don't feel safe breathing in the chemical smell, as this is not living up to its claims of "delicious".

He said they do not warranty for smells, and repeated number of times that a smell does not constitute a valid reason for a warranty claim. He said that if I mailed it back to them, they would therefore just send me the same unit back to me stating it is working as expected. I was not authorized to mail it back them.

He repeated the phrase "manufacturing oils" many times throughout the conversation. He basically kept repeating that I needed to use it many times and then all would be good. I would no longer smell anything.

I don't him I didn't want to risk my lungs breathing this chemical that might merely be masked hoping it is gone and repeated to him that I wanted a replacement unit.

He repeated that it is normal for their to be the manufacturing oils and they do not allow a return for smell.

I said that the unit is brand new, unused with any herbs, all other parts are still sealed in the box, please take my return.

He said that cannot take any returns once the box is opened. I said that I thought that was silly since I could always do a chargeback on the credit card, wouldn't it be easier to just allow me to return it?

He said he couldn't because their policy is that smells/taste is not deemed a manufacturing defect and that there is nothing at all wrong with my unit based on my description.

I asked him what if the smell did not go away after I used it? He said that it would go away.

Wow, I have heard some other stories where FF seems to be recalcitrant with regard to admitting much if anything is ever wrong with any of their products. Fro the fanboys and FF2 lovers, no...I'm not prepared to itemize the different people and issues which FF has rebuffed, but I have seen this for sure and this appears to be another case.
 

huxley

Active Member
@purplenurple24 You are correct. I may yet be proven wrong, my theory is that most FF2 users are either "smell-blind", or, the combination of mixing the "manufacturing oils" with herb makes people "smell-blind" thereafter.

Basically, I have more confidence that my nose is stronger than others than I do that anything on this unit is actually broken.

You also might be correct that no one is willing to mail me a FF2 to test. That would be a shame because it would serve the public interest and I would report the results.

Actually, I'd also be willing to mail my unit to another FF user for a swap (say, 24h) of their unit. Their unit should be pre-cleaned with ISO, and they should believe their unit has zero smell pulling through an empty bowl, but especially good if that user believes that have a strong sense of smell.
 
huxley,
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mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
Wow, I have heard some other stories where FF seems to be recalcitrant with regard to admitting much if anything is ever wrong with any of their products.

I could tell you a dozen stories that contradict this anecdotal story of yours. Not just my experience, but plenty of folks here. Just read the last two pages.

Fro the fanboys and FF2 lovers, no...I'm not prepared to itemize the different people and issues which FF has rebuffed, but I have seen this for sure and this appears to be another case.

"Fanboys"? Seriously? You're new here, aren't you? :rofl::rofl:

But in all seriousness....if you're going to accuse a company, or a person, of unethical biz behavior, you need to back it up with data. So, I assume you have links to help us understand this accusation of yours. We'd all love as much information as possible.
 

huxley

Active Member
Also, I forgot to mention. FF specifically told me that they have never allowed anyone to return a FF2 nor a FF lid based upon smell. I told them that at least 1 user on FC had returned a lid to them based on smell so I had thought.

Is there anyone here who has successfully returned a lid or FF on this premise of smell/taste alone?

I have a black lid with no smell, and a previous black lid (which got sent back to FF)

@mitchgo61 what exactly did you tell FF in order to send your lid back to them? Since they are claiming they would deny returns of lids based on smell, and have not received and lid returns based on smell, I am wondering if you told them something different to enable a return?
 

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
@mitchgo61 what exactly did you tell FF in order to send your lid back to them? Since they are claiming they would deny returns of lids based on smell, and have not received and lid returns based on smell, I am wondering if you told them something different to enable a return?

I didn't return the lid specifically. They swapped out my entire first unit when it appeared to have a battery/power issue.

I have no idea what issues qualify for an exchange with FF, but as a general rule it's best to be honest with them (and any manufacturer) rather than trying to suss out what you think you should tell them to get them to exchange a product. :2c:
 
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huxley

Active Member
@purplenurple24

I haven't been adamant that my unit is different, really the opposite. At least I didn't intend to say anything like that. This was the very reason I prefaced everything by having a sensitive nose, to say that my unit is likely just like everyone else's unit, except I just have little tolerance for off tastes. And it also seems not many on here used it with an empty bowl like I did, that could strongly account for the taste.

I am not really making it complicated, just practical.

If I was to send my unit to say @mitchgo61 as I originally offered, well whether he does or does not smell anything really is no bearing to me, as he is not a buyer just a tester. If he were a buyer and smelled something, I would take it back. Still solves nothing.

On the other hand, if, @mitchgo61 was simultaneously willing to do say a 24h swap, then we would both learn some valuable information.

I think I came to the realization that either I swap it with an interested party for a test or the person I mail it to should have the intention of buying it and posting a report. Otherwise, why wouldn't I do a charge back?

Honestly, if you want to talk "morality", the charge-back I believe is the most immoral of the actions. If FF wants to take the position that it is normal for all FF2s to have a smell, (while simultaneously advertising "delicious" albeit not on an empty bowl), than I don't see why the credit card company should take the fall. Actually the credit card company would just pass back the higher rates to the vendor, so I guess its all a wash.

What bothers me the most is FF passing off chemical smells as par for the course, and giving me no ability to return it, even though I never put herbs through it.
 
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Baron23

Well-Known Member
I could tell you a dozen stories that contradict this anecdotal story of yours. Not just my experience, but plenty of folks here. Just read the last two pages.



"Fanboys"? Seriously? You're new here, aren't you? :rofl::rofl:

But in all seriousness....if you're going to accuse a company, or a person, of unethical biz behavior, you need to back it up with data. So, I assume you have links to help us understand this accusation of yours. We'd all love as much information as possible.

Oh give it a break, Mitch. Anecdotal? These stories are right here in this 100 page thread. There is a lot of love for this vape and company by users, as shown in this thread, but there are also situations where the user did not get satisfaction from FF2 or FF and to deny that is...well, complete denial or a demonstration of conflict of interest.

As far as my comment about not justifying this to fan boys, your immediate reaction (consistent through out this thread) is EXACTLY what I was talking about.

A number of times you have come back to this thread with "I just talked to FF and this is what they have to say about (fill in the complaint or question)". Do you have any type of relationship with FF other than as just another retail user?

I don't believe (as a matter of fact, I know I did not) I ever write the word "unethical". I used the word "recalcitrant"...you introduced the word "unethical". Me, I'm just trying to stay within the rules of FC.

And yeah, "fan boys"....you know, folks who act like their personal last ox was gored by any mere hint of criticism.

I stand by my post, to include the part where I complimented another poster on his balanced, and generally favorable, review of the FF2. You know, the part you didn't bother to confront me on. :rolleyes:

C ya
 
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greenextinguisher

Well-Known Member
I have the anker 10 port 60w usb charger for some reason no matter how long I leave it charging using it the light will not become solid blue.
Product Specs:
Input :AC 100-240V
USB Output :5V / 12A (total)
Up to 2.4 amp per port

It charges every single other device I have perfectly

If it's the one I am thinking of, that's one badass charger. I have the 4-port 2.4/each with "power IQ" :rolleyes: wall wart and its great at finding fast charge times for everything.

I must admit that I've paid no attention to charge times or battery indicator accuracy. I can say my blue light stops flashing every time I charge the device.
 
greenextinguisher,

huxley

Active Member
Wow, I have heard some other stories where FF seems to be recalcitrant with regard to admitting much if anything is ever wrong with any of their products. Fro the fanboys and FF2 lovers, no...I'm not prepared to itemize the different people and issues which FF has rebuffed, but I have seen this for sure and this appears to be another case.

Yes. But hardly surprising really. Seems most corporations do this nowadays...keep the liability down, never admit mistakes lest force a costly recall. I had a problem with a car that had its interior start to melt. They would never admit there was a problem, said it was the first time they ever heard of such a thing. Yet the forums were full of the problem. Eventually after we got rid of the car, they did a recall. Apparently there has to be a large enough pool of complaints.


As for the overly protective comments I see on here about FF, I couldn't agree with you more


I didn't return the lid specifically. They swapped out my entire first unit when it appeared to have a battery/power issue.

I have no idea what issues qualify for an exchange with FF, but as a general rule it's best to be honest with them (and any manufacturer) rather than trying to suss out what you think you should tell them to get them to exchange a product. :2c:

Well, there you have it. Battery/power issues are deemed swappable. Smell issues are not swappable.

Your earlier post did give me some small sliver of hope that there was sufficient unit to unit variability that I could potentially get a "better" unit, although I could hardly believe it.

I spoke of this to FF, explaining our hypothesis that there was perhaps some unit to unit variability, asking them that would not perhaps another unit not smell as much or at all? FF discounted that theory, saying they all smell the same and that is the "manufacturer's oil" is to be expected to smell until you use it.
 
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huxley,

mitchgo61

I go where the thrills are
As for the overly protective comments I see on here about FF, I couldn't agree with you more.

Just speaking for myself, it's not about being protective (FF are big boys and girls and don't need unemployed stoners like me to protect them! :p). It's about separating speculation from fact. Personally I wanna know the details of any problems users have with any of my devices, so I can recognize issues if/when they rear their heads on my vapes. Resolution usually occurs a lot faster when you recognize a problem from someone else's experience. (And also just speaking for myself, if you read my posts in the FF1 thread, you'll see that no one here had more problems with the FF than I did. I bought two and went through at least another 8 failed units. I never failed to post about each and every one of my failed units, and I only know the FF folks specifically because I had so many dead units that they got to know me. They'd hear my voice on the phone and it was "oh no, not another wonky FF we sent to the same guy!")

What I don't think is helpful, and I think a lot of FCers would agree on this, is rampant speculation in any direction that isn't backed up by facts and real data. So you'll find in almost any forum here that if someone makes a claim, someone else will ask them to back it up. Full circle, it ain't about "protecting" anything other than the truth. :2c:

Well, there you have it. Battery/power issues are deemed swappable. Smell issues are not swappable.

I can't speak to why your issue was handled the way it was, but it's pretty obvious that, yes, a unit that won't hold power or is causing weird battery drain is one they will most likely replace. Anything that falls into the category of "catastrophic failure" is going to get handled, by any manufacturer, as a warranty issue.
 

Mustang_52

Active Member
Just a quick update on my issue, ff has had mine for a week now but was told it takes 10-14 days before they come to a conclusion on the problem. Mine was returned due to lid issues. I'll report back once I hear anything new.
 

jay87

Well-Known Member
So earlier I said my FF2 didn't buzz but that is incorrect.

My FF2 DOES buzz but I have to put the heater inside of my ear in order to hear it. If I put it ~2 inches from my ear I can't hear it at all. I would never have known unless you guys told me about it. :lol:

As for smells I had a very slight plastic smell when mine first came but it went away within a day.

I definitely do not smell anything chemical.

@huxley I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill. FF2's having a slight smell upon being brand new is recognized as common, and for myself personally the smell did go away within just a day of use.
If you're saying the smell is chemical or hazardous well that's another issue entirely.

Having a smell from manufacturing is common for essentially every vaporizer ever made right? In my experience at least I've always noticed some kind of slight smell on any vaporizer or even any piece of merchandise that I buy period.
 

darbarikanada

Well-Known Member
So for those who have been following my story of my FF2.

sorry to hear all this. I tend to try to solve problems (women hate it...), so here's my idea:

- if you know someone who vapes, and whose opinion you respect, put all the cards on the table: you have a new unit that, acc. to the mfr. will burn off its chemical smell with some use. due to your sensitivity, you don't want to do that burn-off, and would appreciate their vaping ~5 bowls, after which you can clean it thoroughly and see if it helped.

I know it seems ethically questionable to ask someone to do this, but if they're kind-hearted, and can't smell what you're smelling, they might do it for you.

if you indeed find someone who'll do this, and afterwards the unit still smells? cut your losses and sell it. the alternative seems like a lot of frustration with little chance of a satisfactory resolution.
 

Pears

Well-Known Member
sorry to hear all this. I tend to try to solve problems (women hate it...), so here's my idea:

- if you know someone who vapes, and whose opinion you respect, put all the cards on the table: you have a new unit that, acc. to the mfr. will burn off its chemical smell with some use. due to your sensitivity, you don't want to do that burn-off, and would appreciate their vaping ~5 bowls, after which you can clean it thoroughly and see if it helped.

I know it seems ethically questionable to ask someone to do this, but if they're kind-hearted, and can't smell what you're smelling, they might do it for you.

if you indeed find someone who'll do this, and afterwards the unit still smells? cut your losses and sell it. the alternative seems like a lot of frustration with little chance of a satisfactory resolution.

I think this suggestion is great, I know I'd not give a crap about the smell and would be willing to do this for a friend :). I'm sure you can find someone!
 

Mr Mellish

Well-Known Member
I think this suggestion is great, I know I'd not give a crap about the smell and would be willing to do this for a friend :). I'm sure you can find someone!

Agreed. I'd do it. I'm confident I regularly inhale things that are worse. Hell, I have a Hercules that I cleaned that still seems to have some ISO in the donut. I was sure I had done enough burn ins before I threw in some shatter but was distracted and forgot to do a taste test. Not sure I want to waste the shatter so I may have a few nasty draws.
 

Stoney Baloney

Cannabis Connoisseur
Oh give it a break, Mitch. Anecdotal? These stories are right here in this 100 page thread. There is a lot of love for this vape and company by users, as shown in this thread, but there are also situations where the user did not get satisfaction from FF2 or FF and to deny that is...well, complete denial or a demonstration of conflict of interest.

As far as my comment about not justifying this to fan boys, your immediate reaction (consistent through out this thread) is EXACTLY what I was talking about.

A number of times you have come back to this thread with "I just talked to FF and this is what they have to say about (fill in the complaint or question)". Do you have any type of relationship with FF other than as just another retail user?

I don't believe (as a matter of fact, I know I did not) I ever write the word "unethical". I used the word "recalcitrant"...you introduced the word "unethical". Me, I'm just trying to stay within the rules of FC.

And yeah, "fan boys"....you know, folks who act like their personal last ox was gored by any mere hint of criticism.

I stand by my post, to include the part where I complimented another poster on his balanced, and generally favorable, review of the FF2. You know, the part you didn't bother to confront me on. :rolleyes:

C ya
WORD!! I don't even bother responding to such posts. It is my impression that some members have a bias for whatever reason.
 
Stoney Baloney,

momofthegoons

vapor accessory addict
@Baron23 and @Stoney Baloney if you have a problem with something a member says, hit the report button. Responding in the thread not only takes this off topic but can promote more argument.

*All members must be treated in a respectful and adult manner. All members should respect and adhere to the promotion of harmony within the community.

Now nothing mitchgo61 said was in any way disrespectful or rule breaking. He said the posts were "anecdotal" By definition this just means interesting and biographical.

I also need to remind everyone in this thread that soliciting a trade of any sort is against forum rules; even in this context. Take it to pm.
 

mrgoodkitty

New Member
Only real issue I don't like with this ff2 is the battery indicator. It is fine fine fine, 4lights and app shows full,then boom, done. got it to actually show me 2 today and within a few minutes it was done.

That has also been my experience. It's really annoying. I'm just going to put it back on the charging dock after every other use. I'm guessing the company recognizes this problem, and that's why they give you a second battery.
 
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vape4fun

Active Member
The battery thing has been brought up many many many times. It it known by FF that the battery indicator doesn't work and will be addressed in the app update (hopefully)....we all have this issue.
 
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