MiniVAP Vaporizer

This thing pairs very well with the new fc-187 bubbler. Small basket, fully cached in one hit, and so was I!

Merry Christmas MiniVappers!!!

Here's my setup for today!!
MV and the L.E. Swagger tube!



EDIT:
Just finished a session on RED!
HOLY COW!!!
Huge clouds that are super tasty!
Only one problem... A loosely loaded basket is cased in two hits!!!
LOL!

@stickstones is the flavor and clouds efficiency better than that off the Sublimator? Assuming you have the original sublimator for reference in comparison.

CG420 said:

@stickstones is the flavor and clouds efficiency better than that off the Sublimator? Assuming you have the original sublimator for reference in comparison.

Click to expand...

I'm very curious about this too!

Well the sub is conduction , I would assume the MV would be superior in taste.i haven't tried a sub so I can't say for sure but most likely the above statement is true.

The Sub is a different animal, and since I only had the original, I can't speak to its numerous upgrades and improvements. The Sub has great taste, but requires frequent cleaning, otherwise the taste gets homogenized among strains. It is designed to produce extract in larger quantities and has a lot of honey in it at any given moment. So while it tastes good, it tastes like every strain you have run through it since its last cleaning. I think the MV tastes a little better, and cleaning is not necessary, except maybe the flexicone.

As to efficiency...that's tough to say since, as I've said before, the Sub is a different animal (you really can't directly compare the Sub to anything very well, as it is designed to do things a little bit differently). With the Sub I could get great effects off small loads. But this effect was altered and felt mostly like a sativa effect, since the sleepies were being separated into the reclaim. With the MV, I can get great effects off a small load as well, but the effects are more well-rounded since it is a straight convection vape that doesn't have that 'atomizer' setup. I can definitely cache the MV's small basket in one large hit, similar to a Sub load.

So they're both efficient, tasty cloud producers, but the Sub does things differently on purpose. Someone on fc recently referred to the Sub as an enthusiast's vape, and I think that is an accurate classification. What it does do, it does very well and it is unique. I wouldn't want it as a substitute for any of my daily drivers, but as an augmentation it is great. And for those whose main interest lies where the Sub excels, it is the only vape in its class.

Hey stickstones, sorry to ask another noob question, but what's a fc-187 bubbler? I'm still looking for the right bubbler to go with my MV, and a google search isn't bringing up anything for that one!

it's the latest big hit in the cheap bubbler thread on this forum.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/cheap-high-quality-bubbler.5255/page-525#post-710423

Spot on @stickstones I appreciate it. It seems like you're right. I'm asking because I'm thinking about opting from the sub to the MV because the reclaim process isn't really a feature to me anymore. It's much more of a hassle. Thinking about switching to either the MV or Herbie but I thibk MV might be better. Anyone that has an Herbie and MV it would be nice to chime in on comparison. I definitely like the fact that MV is portable and way more efficient to use in or outdoors.

CG420 said:

Spot on @stickstones I appreciate it. It seems like you're right. I'm asking because I'm thinking about opting from the sub to the MV because the reclaim process isn't really a feature to me anymore. It's much more of a hassle. Thinking about switching to either the MV or Herbie but I thibk MV might be better. Anyone that has an Herbie and MV it would be nice to chime in on comparison. I definitely like the fact that MV is portable and way more efficient to use in or outdoors.

Click to expand...

I have both the vapes you mention.
Herbie is an awesome all rounder vape! Spot on temp control, whip, bags, free flow and easy to connect to WT's.
Great extraction and flavour and of course the almost instant heating.
Very clean air path, mostly Quartz and ceramics.

MiniVap for me is my favourite vape though.
4 temp settings seem to cover all the bases.
Blue for awesome flavour and light clouds
Pink for more awesome flavour and slightly thicker clouds
Green for faster extraction with flavour but less hits
Red for massive medication and clouds!! Awesome flavour and thick clouds!
Green and Red mostly used with WT's
Powerful enough to be used as a desktop!
With some thought the MV can be connected to anything, i like using the Herbie whip sometimes as it provides very cool vapour and also nice clouds.

When my MV was returned for replacement i used the Herbie but quickly switched back to my E-Nano for conservation reasons and for better flavour.
As soon as my MV was back in my hands, neither of those are used very much anymore.
The E-Nano is left on 24/7 for on demand hits while the MV is warming up!

I love my Herbie but it is more of a special occasion vape now or for when i want to use concentrates and fill a bag!

Has anyone found a way of cooling the whip/mouthpiece? the fact that it gets red hot really lets it down for me, especially as you have to have long draws on it to get it going and get the best from it, obviously the longer you draw the hotter it gets, a bit of a conundrum!

Overall after a week or so with the MV, I like it. I think there are a few things that really could and should be improved on, purely because of how expensive it is, at the price it's at it should be perfect IMO, but it's not. However I'm still using it instead of my other vapes (apart from when I'm out and about, my Ascent is the one for that!) as it's a great tool.

For me, if you could set the temp (i.e. to the exact temp you want, rather than just 4 settings), if there was a glass pathway/mouthpiece (I think that would sort out the issue of the mouthpiece getting red hot) and if the battery clipped in better (I keep twisting it off when I'm putting the cap on!) and last but not least - if they bothered to translate their user guide/instructions then it would be pretty much a perfect vape!

Sid said:

Has anyone found a way of cooling the whip/mouthpiece, the fact that it gets red hot really lets it down for me, it's burning my lips!

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I use flexicone+ with plastic mouthpiece attached to top of flexicone+. Plastic mouthpiece never gets hot this way. Although I like to sit and slowly cache my load scrolling from blue to green, so not sure how the setup would work if you where going straight to red setting.

What's the flexicone+? the silicone whip?

Sid said:

....

....
For me, if you could set the temp (i.e. to the exact temp you want, rather than just 4 settings), if there was a glass pathway/mouthpiece (I think that would sort out the issue of the mouthpiece getting red hot) and if the battery clipped in better (I keep twisting it off when I'm putting the cap on!) and last but not least - if they bothered to translate their user guide/instructions then it would be pretty much a perfect vape!

Click to expand...

........................................................

- Pathway/ mouthpiece: some have created their own custom mouthpiece, like with short pieces of tubing (like 1") alternating with short 1" glass pieces. You can have glass at the end for mouthpiece and it never gets hot.

- Battery unclipping when putting the cap on. Slight technique change: just grip the upper half when you twist the cap on. Then there is no chance of unscrewing battery.

CG420 said:

Spot on @stickstones I appreciate it. It seems like you're right. I'm asking because I'm thinking about opting from the sub to the MV because the reclaim process isn't really a feature to me anymore. It's much more of a hassle. Thinking about switching to either the MV or Herbie but I thibk MV might be better. Anyone that has an Herbie and MV it would be nice to chime in on comparison. I definitely like the fact that MV is portable and way more efficient to use in or outdoors.

Click to expand...

I have both and love them like you'd love two children---different but both very lovable.

Lazylathe did an excellent comparison.
IMO, miniVAP is most versatile vape made with ability to be a superb desktop or portable, ability to go from straight vaping to water piece in 3 seconds, huge battery capacity, flavor that no vape can surpass, efficiency that cannot be beat (biggest effect from minimal bud), almost never needs cleaning when you use the baskets, etc.

Herbie is superb in its on domain---world's fastest convection warmup (under 10 seconds), can blow bags, has fan assist for use with whip or waterpiece. It depends if these features are important/ how important to you. I'm awaiting a Ratchett Song silicone adapter which will allow use with hydratube so this will exoand its options.

If I had to pick, mV as I'm not big into bags and I like to wander around and vape on the deck etc when it's not winter lol. My wife prefers the Herbie as she loves the fan assisted whip mode .

Sid said:

What's the flexicone+? the silicone whip?

Click to expand...

yup, these guys: http://www.minivap.com/usa/accessories/kit-special.html

Anyone else get the feeling that their MV somehow becomes less powerful than it was before?
I'm sure it's not just tolerance..
When I just had mine it seemed to produce much bigger better clouds. But nowadays I can't get my herb to turn brown even on the red setting and some of my friends even failed to get anything out of it. I always pack loosely. Recently I've been packing into the chamber directly instead of into the bowl in hope to get more airflow, but it didn't really seem to help much.
I just cleaned my unit for as much as I can reach, no effects. I must say I cannot and have never gotten the small ring out, so I'm not sure wether my unit is getting dirty inside and that prevents it from working well.

My second unit had worked perfectly for a while and seemed to do what you are saying. Sent it back, it got replaced.
That's when I was told by Vapefiend.co.uk about the problems that were present with quality control for a small window, due to the move of premises. If I remember correctly I had thought that the heater had moved position slightly as I could kind of see it through the screens and it just didn't look right somehow.
I also didn't trust myself to take out the small ring on my current core as it seems pretty tight and don't wanna damage either it or the core.

Edit: I definitely remember @Roger D saying something along the lines of "It's a known issue so don't just accept it if you think that's what is wrong"
Easier for us in Europe as we don't have to fuck around with customs or indeed wait all that long for a resolution.

vaype said:

Anyone else get the feeling that their MV somehow becomes less powerful than it was before?
I'm sure it's not just tolerance..
When I just had mine it seemed to produce much bigger better clouds. But nowadays I can't get my herb to turn brown even on the red setting and some of my friends even failed to get anything out of it. I always pack loosely. Recently I've been packing into the chamber directly instead of into the bowl in hope to get more airflow, but it didn't really seem to help much.
I just cleaned my unit for as much as I can reach, no effects. I must say I cannot and have never gotten the small ring out, so I'm not sure wether my unit is getting dirty inside and that prevents it from working well.

Click to expand...

Sounds like what happened to my first unit!
Worked like a dream for the first while and then slowly decreased until there was minimal to no vapour on RED, even after repeated heat soaks.

Open a ticket and get it replaced.
Hopefully you bought it recently?

My new unit is working perfectly so far and seems to be quite a bit hotter than my previous unit.

I've had my current unit for 5 and a bit months and it is working as good as the day I got it.. And it gets used a good bit.
No drop in performance whatsoever. Having said that I began to question this a little as I'd not had really decent bud for quite a while. You will hardly get big clouds if your weed isn't resinous.
Still get you vaked but without the visual impact. If you use a WT then try a bright torch against the can.

lazylathe said:

Sounds like what happened to my first unit!
Worked like a dream for the first while and then slowly decreased until there was minimal to no vapour on RED, even after repeated heat soaks.

Click to expand...

This is exactly me. My unit was able to get "some" vapor at all levels when I first got it but after less than a dozen or so sessions it was zip, zilch, nada.

It has been sent back to Vapornation and I'm waiting for replacement.

vaype said:

Anyone else get the feeling that their MV somehow becomes less powerful than it was before?
I'm sure it's not just tolerance..
When I just had mine it seemed to produce much bigger better clouds. But nowadays I can't get my herb to turn brown even on the red setting and some of my friends even failed to get anything out of it. I always pack loosely. Recently I've been packing into the chamber directly instead of into the bowl in hope to get more airflow, but it didn't really seem to help much.
I just cleaned my unit for as much as I can reach, no effects. I must say I cannot and have never gotten the small ring out, so I'm not sure wether my unit is getting dirty inside and that prevents it from working well.

Click to expand...

I regularly test mine:
Get it fired up on red temp with a wire basket and flexicone OR wire basket and flexicone plus.
Do a session with big big draws and then immediately unscrew the cover and feel the basket.
Too hot to hold??
Report back.

MinnBobber said:

I regularly test mine:
Get it fired up on red temp with a wire basket and flexicone OR wire basket and flexicone plus.
Do a session with big big draws and then immediately unscrew the cover and feel the basket.
Too hot to hold??
Report back.

Click to expand...

Good shout that is! I can always feel a quick build up of heat into my WTs 90 degree arm.

Wow guys, thanks for all the quick helpful replies about my issue.
The basket is still too hot to hold when I open it up after vaping, yes. But then again, the unit does still vape a little, just not that much. So it still has to get hot, it just doesn't seem to get as hot as it used to and I'm not sure wether you can feel that difference by touching the basket.

Anyway, I'll be sure to test it again today with both the adapter and the battery, and I'll try to clean the inside as much as possible. And pick up some strong and tasty bud to check it with ^^.

Will report back! If it still performs poorly I guess I have to contact the shop where I got it from again... I bet the whole customer service there has etched my name into their memories by now... haha

Another thing to consider with the MV. With weak product, you don't get a lot of clouds.