FlowerMate Vapormax V/V5.0/V5.0S/V5 Pro

happyvapeman said:

@Slow Draw McGraw
No real improvement with poking the needle through all the little holes and decided at some point I need to open it up and maybe change the screen.

Did you use a 1/2" or 5/8" Solo screen? I know I used a 3/8" to replace the one in the mouthpiece and it really helped a lot so I`m thinking that changing the one in the oven will probably help a lot as well...

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Oh I think there might be some confusion here, ill try my best to clear it up.
When the unit is opened up (everything internal exposed) underneath the whole chamber itself, are holes where air passes through to get through the screen and eventually your material. You have to poke through the bottom of these chamber holes to get that bottom screen to move up the chamber and out. It takes some force because a lot of us were packing the load down pretty tight. I think there are 3 or 4 holes I cant remember exactly but poking through each one should make it easier. After this I cleaned throughly and inserted a solo screen (I want to say 1/2) a little bit domed and it sits right over the holes like it would in a solo stem. I grind medium(about 3-4 turns in my 2pc Space Case) and I have not packed a load tight ever since, but am getting very nice vapor. Just drop in the chamber, lightly tamp down, take slow draws and you should get the same results.

I will also add that if you manipulate the screen right, you can decide how far down you want the screen to sit resulting in an "adjust a bowl" kind of effectiveness.
This mod maybe to @Pipes liking. I remember him saying he wasnt fond how much he had to put in to get great results.

Slow Draw McGraw said:

Oh I think there might be some confusion here, ill try my best to clear it up.

Click to expand...

Nope I was clear on all of that...just wondering what size screen you used as a replacement. Good that you seem to be able to adjust the size of the chamber but that`s never been an issue for me...

happyvapeman said:

Nope I was clear on all of that...just wondering what size screen you used as a replacement. Good that you seem to be able to adjust the size of the chamber but that`s never been an issue for me...

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Please let us know how it turns out if you open it up and take bottom screen out. Im sure others maybe curious.

Slow Draw McGraw said:

Please let us know how it turns out if you open it up and take bottom screen out. Im sure others maybe curious.

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Yup I`ll do that for sure but @Slow Draw McGraw you`ve already done a great job of describing the process!...

A first look at the FM v5.0 PRO

Slow Draw McGraw said:

Those holes in the bottom of the chamber are pretty big, so material may fall through and get in the unit. I used a solo screen domed a bit and put it in the bottom of the oven. Much better performance.

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Perfect! Thanks! I had a few left over screens from my solo and they worked out great. I domed it up and shoved it in with a pen. And yes my FM is hitting like day one.

I was about to retire my FM but thanks to you and everyone else on here its back in the rotation.

any other ideas as to what to use besides a sewing needle? still have a huge amount of trouble getting the bottom screen out

danthepan124 said:

any other ideas as to what to use besides a sewing needle? still have a huge amount of trouble getting the bottom screen out

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Maybe a very small flat head screw driver like the one you get in an eyeglass maintenance kit.

Slow Draw McGraw said:

Oh I think there might be some confusion here, ill try my best to clear it up.
When the unit is opened up (everything internal exposed) underneath the whole chamber itself, are holes where air passes through to get through the screen and eventually your material. You have to poke through the bottom of these chamber holes to get that bottom screen to move up the chamber and out. It takes some force because a lot of us were packing the load down pretty tight. I think there are 3 or 4 holes I cant remember exactly but poking through each one should make it easier. After this I cleaned throughly and inserted a solo screen (I want to say 1/2) a little bit domed and it sits right over the holes like it would in a solo stem. I grind medium(about 3-4 turns in my 2pc Space Case) and I have not packed a load tight ever since, but am getting very nice vapor. Just drop in the chamber, lightly tamp down, take slow draws and you should get the same results.

I will also add that if you manipulate the screen right, you can decide how far down you want the screen to sit resulting in an "adjust a bowl" kind of effectiveness.
This mod maybe to @Pipes liking. I remember him saying he wasnt fond how much he had to put in to get great results.

Click to expand...

Are you saying that there is some kind of screen with 3-4 holes underneath the screen at the bottom of the ceramic heating chamber that also needs cleaning? Or are you just talking about "that" screen? There are many many holes in the screen at bottom of the white heating chamber. Is that the one folks are talking about removing and cleaning or replacing?

archangelz001 said:

Are you saying that there is some kind of screen with 3-4 holes underneath the screen at the bottom of the ceramic heating chamber that also needs cleaning? Or are you just talking about "that" screen? There are many many holes in the screen at bottom of the white heating chamber. Is that the one folks are talking about removing and cleaning or replacing?

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Yes when you look down in the chamber, there is a metal screen. That is the one everyone has been raving about. After you remove that, there are about for holes there that the air enters the chamber through. Basically the bottom of the actual chamber minus screen, has holes in it. Those dont particularly need cleaning but the screen does. Those holes are a pretty decent size which is why when you open the unit up, there is ABV in there.

Slow Draw McGraw said:

Yes when you look down in the chamber, there is a metal screen. That is the one everyone has been raving about. After you remove that, there are about for holes there that the air enters the chamber through. Basically the bottom of the actual chamber minus screen, has holes in it. Those dont particularly need cleaning but the screen does. Those holes are a pretty decent size which is why when you open the unit up, there is ABV in there.

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Aha. Thanks!

Not sure if you have read the whole thread but I found it a lot easier to heat up the unit and use leverage to get the screen loose by spinning it first. After you are able to budge it a bit then it can be picked out.

capcoho said:

Not sure if you have read the whole thread but I found it a lot easier to heat up the unit and use leverage to get the screen loose by spinning it first. After you are able to budge it a bit then it can be picked out.

Click to expand...

This will work for those who have not already packed down too hard causing the bottom screen to jam further in there.

capcoho said:

Not sure if you have read the whole thread but I found it a lot easier to heat up the unit and use leverage to get the screen loose by spinning it first. After you are able to budge it a bit then it can be picked out.

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what do you mean spinning it, spinning the screen?

Is there a general consensus that the Flowermate V5s produces vapor that is just a little too harsh and hot on the low setting? I was seriously thinking about getting it, seemed perfect and stealthy except for saying Flowermate on the front(hopefully there are cases to cover). I am looking for a something to use besides the MFLB so I don't have to deal with the battery thing, but I have come to realize that one of the main reasons I get an uplifting, vibrant high from the LB is that the vapor comes out light, smooth, and fairly cool. It doesn't distract me from just letting the pure THC creep up on me and vibe me away. I want that same feel from another unit. Damn, the price was so right but if it's not as enjoyable I don't know if I should get it. I want discreet, portable, and LB like in my next vape's effect... oh and preferably under $100 which is tough, but what else is out there?

eyesofgood said:

Is there a general consensus that the Flowermate V5s produces vapor that is just a little too harsh and hot on the low setting? I was seriously thinking about getting it, seemed perfect and stealthy except for saying Flowermate on the front(hopefully there are cases to cover). I am looking for a something to use besides the MFLB so I don't have to deal with the battery thing, but I have come to realize that one of the main reasons I get an uplifting, vibrant high from the LB is that the vapor comes out light, smooth, and fairly cool. It doesn't distract me from just letting the pure THC creep up on me and vibe me away. I want that same feel from another unit. Damn, the price was so right but if it's not as enjoyable I don't know if I should get it. I want discreet, portable, and LB like in my next vape's effect... oh and preferably under $100 which is tough, but what else is out there?

Click to expand...

I only have 2 vaporizers: the MFLB, (which I love for it's incredible efficiency); and a Flowermate Vapormax v5 (single temp.) I think the vapor temps felt in the back of my throat and in my lungs is very similar. I normally take slow 10-12 second draws from both. The hotness and harshness can be controlled by how quickly you draw. FM clouds are bigger, but the MFLB high is a bit clearer - probably because the FM is at a fixed temp around 395-405, while the MFLB can be cooler as long as your draw is slow but not too slow.

@archangelz001 : the V5.0 is 410°F whereas with your MFLB you oscillate between too low and almost combustion temperatures if you are not careful, so depending on your technic you might be able to get the low temps heady effects, whereas with the V5.0 you always get the full-on high temp effects.

@eyesofgood : you might consider the FM5-Pro if you prefer lower temps like I do.

Speaking of the FM5-Pro, I just completed the second battery discharge worth of empty burn-ins and the new vape smell is super low now. Already at 1.5 discharges you had to litterally stick your nose to the shell holes in order to detect it, with the device set to max temp. And when the device was cold it was barely noticeable.

I asked the gf what she thought about the smell and she said it was pretty light and nowhere like in the FM8 (for a comparison I made her smell the second FM8 sample which has been seasoned a lot with the Plant already, and she said it reeked and it was night and day compared to the FM5-Pro) So I can't say for sure that they improved this aspect (although it's the impression I have) but I'm confident to say that like the previous versions, it dissipates relatively fast, provided you use a lot of ventilation when doing the burn-ins (fan or blowing inside the mouthpiece)

And as I said several times already I'm rather sensitive, a lot of people would not notice anything.

I'm eager to test it now and honestly I was very close to try it "as is" several times already, but I thought it would be best to fully remove that new vape smell in order to appreciate the device taste really.

I use a V5.0s at the low temperature , is perfect for me. the taste still good during all my session. when the vapor decrease, i like to finish with higher temp.
(The temps are :385 - 400 - 415°F)
I have a pax too, but today the V5 is my favorite: more easy to clean, vapor equivalent and cooler mouthpiece.
the low temperature on the V5.0s dont produce hot vapor is pretty similar than the pax. at the first level. maybe a little higher but less than the Pax at level2.
I have no tried the V5 but the V5.0s is very good, and the high temp is interesting to use with hash .

410°F - wow, it's warmer than I thought. Yes, adapting to the MFLB takes a few sessions. I did manage to blacken a few loads early on when I forgot to shake it up.

archangelz001 said:

I only have 2 vaporizers: the MFLB, (which I love for it's incredible efficiency); and a Flowermate Vapormax v5 (single temp.) I think the vapor temps felt in the back of my throat and in my lungs is very similar. I normally take slow 10-12 second draws from both. The hotness and harshness can be controlled by how quickly you draw. FM clouds are bigger, but the MFLB high is a bit clearer - probably because the FM is at a fixed temp around 395-405, while the MFLB can be cooler as long as your draw is slow but not too slow.

Click to expand...

That's my type of high... pure, clear, energetic, productive, it's what the MFLB gives me. I really want something more stealthy though, and the Fm can EASILY pass off as a e-cig box mod without a second glance. That's such a big factor to me along with not having to carry around batteries.

ZeroKen: Yes I know about the Pro and would love to have it but don't want to spend $160+ right now if the V5s is reasonable at low temp and will provide and smooth and mellow enough vape.

Well if you read the thread you probably read my V5.0S review and know that I find the low temp too high and that it degrades the taste a bit too fast. But this is still one of my daily alternating drivers, meaning I really like it and it's not that bad.

I think you should have several vapes in the end, two being the minimum. You'll keep your MFLB, get the V5.0S if you want, and when you get more money (or for christmas or your birthday) get a 3rd one able to do lower temps but with automatic temp control.

After a good bowl last night and frustration with frazzled plant matter, I opened up my V5.0. I've been greeted with a control board decked with blanked out microcontroller - got a feeling it's a generic used by many Ecig manufacturers... Nevertheless if I could get hold of a schematic, or even better a model number, I should be able to compose my own firmware with multiple settings. Anybody have any leads? Otherwise the ceramic oven is quite well designed, very accurate thermometer. Worst case scenario I'll just piggyback a variable resistor to the thermometer (force a lower/higher temp reading to the chip).

Appreciate some hints, yo!

Interesting. Good idea, keep us posted!

Guys, I just had my first FM5-Pro session and it was brilliant really! I used a strain that I prefer consuming with my Ascent because it has such a wonderful low temp taste. I followed the same temperature levels that I do with this particular strain (as with 1°C adjustments like in the Ascent, you can really adapt your levels to each strain and a 2-3°C change can make a lot of difference)

I started at 173°C and it was super tasty. Hard to tell the difference with the Ascent at first. Vapor was slightly warmer due to the shortest vapor path but this was expected. Output was steady and not wispy at all. Not huge clouds but good visible vapor nonetheless, very satisfying and more-ish. On par with the Ascent at first but degrading a tad faster I think, maybe because the bowl is smaller and for a given load size you get more wall surface contact, hence more conduction?

Then I went to 184°C. Taste was still good, not as delicious as the Ascent but very decent BUT big improvement over the Ascent: I was able to get larger hits and could draw more or less longer to adjust their size (with the Ascent you have to sip exactly at the right speed/flow otherwise you get a wispy hit, here it has the same "braindead simple" aspect that we love the FM5 for: just draw like you want and it will follow)

Then I went to 195°C (same setting as V5.0S on blue) and I immediatly got the exact same taste that I'm used to when I use this strain in my V5.0S. This was expected, above 195°C it's exactly the same vape, same bowl, same circuit etc, there's no reason it would be any different.

Overall I'm really pleased by this first face to face meeting with the 5-Pro and it will no doubt become a vape I will use daily, probably to ease my aging Ascent batteries (1 year old and already noticeably not as strong)

PS: even if the taste was slightly less good than in the Ascent, every hit was a pleasure contrary to the Herbstick Deluxe (another vape with variable temp) where I don't really finish every temp level to the last bit because I don't find the taste to be pleasant.

Great stuff! If it wasn't for the same air path as the previous models, I'd order immediately. Right now I've drilled out and added a silicone tube to my FMs guts, sealing the bowl inlet to the storage compartment bay- already a fresher taste to be had.

Side note; yanking out the stainless screen from the lower end of the bowl, sandwiching the original ceramic mouthpiece insert (sanded down to size) between the base and screen seemed to provide a slight convection effect to my latest session, quite pleasing! Suits folks like me who aren't heavy users...

cant find anything to freaking push out the stupid screen anymore ideas?

EDIT: GOT IT OUT