Zephyr Ion

Love the unit but after a while I stopped using it becuase the bags are huge an overkill for daily personal use. I'm kinda disapointed that the whips have been soo delayed but understand. Besides using 1/2" ID tubing(hooked up to straw and I do t like that idea since the stem gets hot) to do it right what whips will work? So far I have seen the
-SSV
-the HOT box

I guess the stem is 13mm and most of the other whips are 18mm correct?. I know I have one comming when they are finally released but in the mean time I want something that works well and isn't ghetto rigged with duct tape. Thanks

MDsmoker said:

Love the unit but after a while I stopped using it becuase the bags are huge an overkill for daily personal use. I'm kinda disapointed that the whips have been soo delayed but understand. Besides using 1/2" ID tubing(hooked up to straw and I do t like that idea since the stem gets hot) to do it right what whips will work? So far I have seen the
-SSV
-the HOT box

I guess the stem is 13mm and most of the other whips are 18mm correct?. I know I have one comming when they are finally released but in the mean time I want something that works well and isn't ghetto rigged with duct tape. Thanks

Click to expand...

filling the bag full is not mandatory, I know I have a hard time turning the air-pump on and not filling a bag full, but I find if I fill a bag about 3/4 I get 3-5 good hits that do the trick(I then use the same basket later in the day if I am feeling like I want more). A person could also experiment with using less biomass. While I do like thick milky bags, IMHO there does not have to be a lot of visible vapor, if you can taste it,.. it is there.

I posted a couple posts ago about the whip delay and my experience with the hot box wand & tubing.

We had to put the production of the whip on the back burner while we try and meet demand of the actual ION. Sorry to those of you who have been patiently waiting. The whip will come, it isn't a myth... Right now it is looking like late May. At the THC Expose in LA I had the chance to use a HOT Box Vapors tube and their glass fitting worked great with the ION. Even got to use it to sneak in a couple hits without security noticing.

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I should have mentioned that the silicone flange on the top of the teflon tip helps create a nice hands-free airtight seal. I am not certain the exact mm of the hot box wand that we used, I know it got narrow toward one end which also helped create a solid seal.

Hope this helped..

Yeah I'm disappointed to hear about the whips being delayed but I'm thrilled to hear you guys are having trouble keeping up with demand. I guess just keep us updated here on any changes if you could. My Ion just arrived yesterday at my house up at the university I attend, but since I'm home for the week I won't be able to use it until this Saturday night. Which suxxxx cause I'm totally dying to try it out X_X.

heres what i threw together. hookah hose, 6ft with a "extension" tube. I cut down the wood piece and filed it down so it is a very snug fit. it is a tight seal but loose enought to easily remove. used a 8mm wood file. i cut down the tube to 1/2 the length since it was approx 12" and seemed silly and since there is a small amount of play it would "sway" depending on which way the hose was arranged. probably took me 20 mins to do. sorry for the ghetto camera photos i was in a rush.

so how was it?

stickstones said:

so how was it?

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I agree,.. it looks pretty cool, how is the functionality?

I thought about doing the same thing, but don't have a Hookah hose. Thought about buying one, but they can get expensive. I concluded that I liked most the fabric covering on the hose, which is why I mentioned a page ago or two that I wanted to put the silicone tube of the Zephyr hose for the upcoming whips in some kind of sheath.

Also a question for Bruce:

I got the replacement bags you sent. Thanks! But why is it that the original bag attached to the mouthpiece is heat-sealed on the wide end, and tapers to a smaller opening at the other end (making it easier to gather around the mouthpiece tube... but the replacement bags are smaller, have no tapered end (open at the wide end) and are sealed with a zip tie instead of a neat heat-sealed seam?

I hope I just got passed off some older style, first-generation bags you had lying around before they were changed to what was shipped (which is very nice), and not the other way around and that the new style bags are all going to be like this.



original on the left (heat sealed at top, open at the narrower bottom)
replacement on right (smaller, zip-tie sealed at bottom, open at the top)

Derf said:

I thought about doing the same thing, but don't have a Hookah hose. Thought about buying one, but they can get expensive. I concluded that I liked most the fabric covering on the hose, which is why I mentioned a page ago or two that I wanted to put the silicone tube of the Zephyr hose for the upcoming whips in some kind of sheath.

Also a question for Bruce:

I got the replacement bags you sent. Thanks! But why is it that the original bag attached to the mouthpiece is heat-sealed on the wide end, and tapers to a smaller opening at the other end (making it easier to gather around the mouthpiece tube... but the replacement bags are smaller, have no tapered end (open at the wide end) and are sealed with a zip tie instead of a neat heat-sealed seam?

I hope I just got passed off some older style, first-generation bags you had lying around before they were changed to what was shipped (which is very nice), and not the other way around and that the new style bags are all going to be like this.

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8982/imagehl.jpg

original on the left (heat sealed at top, open at the narrower bottom)
replacement on right (smaller, zip-tie sealed at bottom, open at the top)

Click to expand...

Derf,
We have tried several variants on the bags, what you have is neither the old or the new,.. both were put out about the same time, we still have a few of both in-house so the next time you want replacements, let me know if you prefer one style over the other. The newest bags will be nylon and make about 90% less noise when they are filling. They also have a bit of give to them. I got to try a prototype at the THC Expose and I was very impressed. Once we have some of the newest nylon bags available I will put a post here on the thread. They will come in 12 foot rolls so you can cut them down to any size you like.

^^^
That's badass! Silent bags that go to twelve feet...sign me up!

Can't wait for those Bruce! Be sure to keep us posted, I'll put in an order right away!

-Chris

Bruce@Zephyr said:

Derf,
We have tried several variants on the bags, what you have is neither the old or the new,.. both were put out about the same time, we still have a few of both in-house so the next time you want replacements, let me know if you prefer one style over the other. The newest bags will be nylon and make about 90% less noise when they are filling. They also have a bit of give to them. I got to try a prototype at the THC Expose and I was very impressed. Once we have some of the newest nylon bags available I will put a post here on the thread. They will come in 12 foot rolls so you can cut them down to any size you like.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, Bruce. Looking forward to hearing / seeing more about those new style bags. Can you bring some of those Nylon bags to the Hemp Con in Toronto in July - I'd surely like to check them out. As of now, I prefer the tapered bag with the heat-sealed seam.

PS - can Nylon be heat-sealed shut, or does it need a zip tie?

PPS - any update on getting a UL license for the Ion so you'll have a U.S.A. version without the always-on red display?

Note to all: Zephyr Ion has amazing customer service, and because of that I am now vaping away!! So if you are thinking about getting a Zephyr Ion, get it!! Now a whip would be amazing!!

Derf said:

PS - can Nylon be heat-sealed shut, or does it need a zip tie?

PPS - any update on getting a UL license for the Ion so you'll have a U.S.A. version without the always-on red display?

Click to expand...

The Nylon can be heat sealed, it takes a heat seal far better than the current bags, but,... since they will be cut to size by the end user, there is no taper and zip ties would probably be easiest. We will more than likely also sell pre-sized and tapered bags

No updates to speak of on the UL

**Edit** We should have the new bags before July

Bruce, I know that you said that you were going to post up an extending instruction manual on your site that also included some detail drawings on how to replace the bags on the valves as well as how to clean the Ion. When might this happen.

I've cleaned the screens by brushing them, but I'd like to know the best way of taking them out without ruining them, so that I can soak them in some ISO to clean them further, both the screen right under the nozzle and the screen right above the heating element.

lwien said:

Bruce, I know that you said that you were going to post up an extending instruction manual on your site that also included some detail drawings on how to replace the bags on the valves as well as how to clean the Ion. When might this happen.

I've cleaned the screens by brushing them, but I'd like to know the best way of taking them out without ruining them, so that I can soak them in some ISO to clean them further, both the screen right under the nozzle and the screen right above the heating element.

Click to expand...

The best way to remove the screen that I have found would be to find the edge and use that to pull the screen out. A pair of tweezers for the bottom screen may make it easier. The top screen should come out pretty easy or you could push it out from the other side using a pen. The instruction manual and video instructions should be up within a month.

**edit** Note - The screens are just held in place with preassure

A note regarding changing bags:

changing the bag is relatively straight forward.
Step 1: pry the cover off of the top of the mouthpiece. There is a tab to stick something (like a small screwdriver under. NOTE: there are two tabs holding this cover in place. They are very fragile, and if you bend them they will break off.
Step 2: using an exacto knife, nail nippers, or similar device, cut the zip tie on the bag.
Step 3: Remove bag (and save for alcohol wash) and put a new bag on the nozzle.
Step 4: Gather the bag around the nozzle, zip tie it to secure it, trim excess bag material so the cap can be replaced.

The most important part is probably to be careful with those tabs. I've broken one of them off by accident, and now the cover doesn't sit as tight/flush as it should/did. Try to remove the cover straight up, by prying one end just a little, and then once it is free, remove the other end.... Do not pry one end up too high, causing the tab on the other side to flex.

Derf said:

The most important part is probably to be careful with those tabs. I've broken one of them off by accident, and now the cover doesn't sit as tight/flush as it should/did. Try to remove the cover straight up, by prying one end just a little, and then once it is free, remove the other end.... Do not pry one end up too high, causing the tab on the other side to flex.

Click to expand...

I find I can find the slight overlap on one outside edge and pull up from the middle of the cap using my fingernail. Using the tab on the end is cumbersome and could lead to breaking the tab. This is something we noticed and in the lineup for a revision.

I bought my very first vaporizer last night (a Zephyr Ion) and I have a very basic question. Can I use a bowl of herb to fill more than one bag? Or should I change the herb with each bag? Thanks for answers, I'm loving this change already.

lud,
this should go in the question area, or in the area for the specific zap. ask the mod to move it for you.

I haven't used the Ion personally but the technique is the same with nearly all vapes.

Just continue pumping bags from the same bowl until

1. Vapor production slows down
2. Vapor begins to taste "stale" (for the lack of a better word... slight burnt popcorn taste)
3. Your AVB is a nice even brown colour.

Hey Bruce! Your the man!!
I have had my ion for a little over a month now and I love it! The only other vape I have owned before this is the purple days; so I have definitely noticed the change in how much more I am consuming now. Went from a gram lasting me up to three days with the PD, to a g lasting me one night max. Tolerance has gone way up too. It is hands down the best for get-togethers with more than 2 people. Make EVERYBODY happy! That is something that took forever with the PD. The ion had very dense vapor that puts me in a stuper. One bag will do me, but I have moved on to the volcano cut-your-own bags. I was very disappointed in the replacement bags I ordered; and I did break one of the locking tabs on the mouthpiece the first time I changed bags. I should have checked these forums first. :/ The only thing that I would say I consider a problem with mine, is that sometimes, usually after being on for 20 mins+, the ion will "strobe" slow the fast pumping. Or at least it sounds that way. I have noticed that the lamp I have plugged into the same powerstrip dims when this happens. It only lasts for a second or two, but it does it almost every day. I am not sure if this is a defect, or if it is just drawing a lot of power, or what that is all about. I have tried plugging it into a surge protector on a different fuse and it will still do it eventually. Still works great; just kind of a weird quirk if you ask me. A little scary to me other than the badass warranty. So I got over that soon enough unless someone thinks this is reason for alarm...? I know I am all over the place on this message, so feel free to move this post wherever.

Confirmed: my brother has tried both my Zephyr Ion and a Volcano classic and he votes hands down that the Zephyr is the better vape. We brought the owner of said Volcano over to try out the zephyr ion and he is now jealous. He wont be selling his volcano, but he feels that the Ion is a better value for the dollar.

Other things we all agree on - the nozzle business on the volcano is not as nice as the Ion, and the LED temperature is a welcome addition.

Been away a couple days, sorry for the delayed reply.

Ludovico said:

I bought my very first vaporizer last night (a Zephyr Ion) and I have a very basic question. Can I use a bowl of herb to fill more than one bag? Or should I change the herb with each bag? Thanks for answers, I'm loving this change already.

Click to expand...

I think this has been answered pretty well by Chubba, you can use the same basket of biomass to fill bags till it doesn't taste good anymore.

Rottweiler1080z said:

The only thing that I would say I consider a problem with mine, is that sometimes, usually after being on for 20 mins+, the ion will "strobe" slow the fast pumping. Or at least it sounds that way. I have noticed that the lamp I have plugged into the same powerstrip dims when this happens. It only lasts for a second or two, but it does it almost every day. I am not sure if this is a defect, or if it is just drawing a lot of power, or what that is all about. I have tried plugging it into a surge protector on a different fuse and it will still do it eventually. Still works great; just kind of a weird quirk if you ask me. A little scary to me other than the badass warranty. So I got over that soon enough unless someone thinks this is reason for alarm...?

Click to expand...

First: You are indeed covered under warranty should anything go bad on your ION.
Second: I have not heard of the pump dimming or "strobing" before, it is possible that when you turn on the pump and air is blown over the heating element cooling it down, the heat sync turns back on and that would create a power draw.
Let me know (bruce@zephyrvaporizers.com) if you notice diminished performance but I don't think it is cause for alarm.

Derf
Thank you for the update.

Derf said:

my brother has tried both my Zephyr Ion and a Volcano classic and he votes hands down that the Zephyr is the better vape.

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Impressive statement. I'm sure Bruce would love to see that on the review page - http://zephyrvaporizers.com/store/reviews.html

We brought the owner of said Volcano over to try out the zephyr ion and he is now jealous. He wont be selling his volcano, but he feels that the Ion is a better value for the dollar.

Click to expand...

Nice admission from a 'cano owner, but not as impressive as the 'hands down' comment. Most vapes are a better value than the Volcano.

Bruce - Quick question for ya.

My friends and I swear the Zephyr seems to warm up faster if the blower is turned on for a little bit. Also we've noticed if we turn the temp up quite a bit, and run the blower, the temp seems to reach the higher settings much faster than if we had just turned it up and not ran the blower.

Granted - we're not saying it takes a long time in general.. But just noticed the differences.

We wondered, is that the read out wrong, or does the heater go into over drive with the blower is running?
-Chris