FlashVAPE

[juanavape]

Hello again FV fans. The FV definitely rocks with the PA and is seeing a lot of use but....... I was wondering if anybody has any good ideas to make cleaning the top screen easier or quicker. It seems to plug up a lot the same as with the top screen on my DaVinci or the elbow screen on the V-Tower but on those units it can be quickly removed and flamed with a lighter for an instant burn off. I'm considering purchasing the replacement tool and a few spare FV screens but wonder how quick and easy the replacement procedure actually is. I wonder if a person was to cut a round (easily torch-able) screen the right size to just "lay" over the bowl if that would work ?

Also combusted again today (only the 2nd time in a month :>) due to running the FVPA on "8" and being overly greedy trying to milk the very last of the goodness out of some bud. Lesson learned, "when it's done it's done"..... lol.

 

[as]

do you brush the screen after a bowl i do this and a iso brush now and then my screen stays clean but then i have not had my FV that long

 

[juanavape]

do you brush the screen after a bowl i do this and a iso brush now and then my screen stays clean but then i have not had my FV that long

Yes I do give it a brushing after each use and ISO it to clean it every few loads minimum, I just find that messy as opposed to a quick bic blast and back in. Maybe my stuff is just extra gooey, (poor me !).

 

[as]

then i would get some spear screens and the screen changing thing

 

[Pipes]

I'm still on the original screen. Blow it off between sessions and use a brush every 5-6 sessions.
Only clean with ISO about every other brushing. The key is to brush on the ISO generously and keep the ISO agitated and keep dipping the brush to add more as to keep from evaporating. Keeping this up for a minute or so and give a finial good addition ISO rinse. The ISO takes time to deeply dissolve and clean. I use a few Q-tips to clean up the sides, glass etc. Also, always give the O ring a good go around to ensure it is tight. I also always brush the inside of screen very softy to avoid it popping the screen. Has never come out since I've owned it. Close to a year now.
Let dry a good 5 minutes before re-assembling.

Another tip is to avoid heavy inhaling as to minimize the particles from getting the screen to begin with.

Using a PA really helps in this regard. I found once you find your sweet spot. For me it is when the screen has just a "fair" glow. I use in S2 mode and now never combust as can adjust to be just below that temperature. Suppose I could combust if inhale too slow from the start but easily mastered not to.
I start after about 3-4 seconds very slow until I see good vapor than give a little inhale burst to bring the heat up and cool the heater enough to avoid combustion. After the initial small burst I slow down the inhale and go as long as I can take. The slower the thicker the vapor.

A PA gives a way more faith in accidentally combustion. The use of a PA really changes the way I use this unit. Now my regular home unit. Just too freaking convenient. Truly vape on demand...

 

[pakalolo]

Hello again FV fans. The FV definitely rocks with the PA and is seeing a lot of use but....... I was wondering if anybody has any good ideas to make cleaning the top screen easier or quicker. It seems to plug up a lot the same as with the top screen on my DaVinci or the elbow screen on the V-Tower but on those units it can be quickly removed and flamed with a lighter for an instant burn off. I'm considering purchasing the replacement tool and a few spare FV screens but wonder how quick and easy the replacement procedure actually is. I wonder if a person was to cut a round (easily torch-able) screen the right size to just "lay" over the bowl if that would work ?

Also combusted again today (only the 2nd time in a month :>) due to running the FVPA on "8" and being overly greedy trying to milk the very last of the goodness out of some bud. Lesson learned, "when it's done it's done"..... lol.

I brush after every bowl, with ISO brushings once or twice a week, but eventually the top screen gets too sticky and the only solution is to remove it and soak it in ISO. I then torch it with a butane lighter and it's good to reuse. There's a couple of things to watch out for though.

First, when you brush or rub the screen after it is removed, you can actually stretch it out of round. That's easy to correct—simply stretch it in the opposite direction—but I mention it because it's annoying if you try to put it back before noticing it's been distorted.

Second, if you get into a routine of removing the top screen, you really should get the replacement tool. I found that the O-rings were finicky and while they were not hard to put back in some cases, in some others it was next to impossible without the tool. I could always get them seated but the troublesome ones would slowly roll themselves back out of the groove, highly frustrating. The tool eliminates the problem and is easy to use.

 

[marduk]

You can also eliminate the top screen completely by using a hole-punch to make a tiny screen that you put into the opening for the mouthpiece. There's a lip there that will hold it securely. When you need to clean it, just pop it out and soak in ISO. Super easy.

 

[pakalolo]

You can also eliminate the top screen completely by using a hole-punch to make a tiny screen that you put into the opening for the mouthpiece. There's a lip there that will hold it securely. When you need to clean it, just pop it out and soak in ISO. Super easy.

Brilliant, marduk. Why has this never occurred to me?

Edit: This works, of course, but I found that even a coarse screen adds a bit of draw resistance. On the other hand, you can see your load now and that's cool, so I'm sticking with this for a while.

I just cut down a standard .5 in screen. The cut doesn't have to be perfectly circular. When you cut it that small a coarse screen will start to lose its shape and distort easily, but as long as it's big enough to cover the hole you can make it stay in place.

 

[juanavape]

Pipes - Good suggestion I'll try the "blow" method instead of the "brush" (after each bowl) for a few days and see if it makes it any better, I could almost see how brushing might smear it into the mesh of the screen more. It isn't that I can't get it clean with an ISO/brush/soak treatment, it's just that I'm a bit of a lazy SOB and find it messy and time consuming compared to a quick flaming.
WOW, I didn't even know that the FV had been out for a year, wonder why I was so slow to pick up on it.

pakalolo - Good tip on the screen distortion, I wouldn't have thought of that. I probably will buy the tool and a few spare screens as to have a clean one ready (pre soaked or torched) at all times but just want to be sure that the tool works as fast and easy as it sounds in the description (after a few practice trys of course).

marduk - I thought about this but what stops the load from flying all over the place inside the lid while hitting, (I might have to give it a try, a DaVinci top screen must be pretty close to a fit).
I was thinking more about a wide flat screen just placed over the bowl, held down by the lid and easily removeable as long as the lid was removed carefully, just need to find/buy a large enough screen or cut one from a sheet.

 

[pakalolo]

My screen experiment is over.

While this idea obviously was new to me, I'm pretty sure FlashVAPE didn't choose that large and potentially troublesome top screen because the stem screen never occurred to him. I gave up the experiment because the stem screen was too small and mine wouldn't remain in place. I thought it was wedged in there but it fell out when I removed the stem, and the second time it just vanished. This might be a clue why the FV has a top screen and not a stem screen.

I'm still intrigued by the idea and I think I might try a cotton-stuffed stem. My FV stems get pretty oily and if I can get the right consistency for the cotton plug then that should work—with the bonus of vapable reclaim. There'll still be some restriction on the draw.... More research is needed!

 

[marduk]

If you use a hole punch to make it perfectly round, it fits nice and tight, no way it will just fall out by removing the stem. But the cotton plug with reclaim bonus might be a better idea.

 

[FlashVAPE]

You can also eliminate the top screen completely by using a hole-punch to make a tiny screen that you put into the opening for the mouthpiece. There's a lip there that will hold it securely. When you need to clean it, just pop it out and soak in ISO. Super easy.

If you use a hole punch to make it perfectly round, it fits nice and tight, no way it will just fall out by removing the stem. But the cotton plug with reclaim bonus might be a better idea.

actually, we've experimented with filter in stem type solutions, but we steered away from it because due to the very small surface area, they are far more easier to get clogged, which results in almost daily cleaning required (with moderate use, of course).

in the current FV filter screen, it'd be really hard to clog the screen enough to cause any serious restriction to airflow. a quick brush between sessions, or even every other session, should be good enough for the screen to last for a long time before you need to thoroughly clean it. and when you need to do that, you may find it easier to just let it soak in some ISO for a couple hours (even installed in the swivel cap should be ok), and then just give it a gentle scrub with the brush to remove the remaining larger debris from the surface. once dry, you should be good to go!

we designed the FV to be a very versatile tool, and I am happy to say that you can do alot of custom things with it, as Pipes and marduk have pointed out ... so experiment away with whatever your little heart desires

 

[Vapodudule]

Oh yes, experiments will be made

I think my unit is actually on the cold side (using with very new and fresh S2 batteries were the objective test). Somebody else have remanent plasticity on the heating element? looking to the profile of browning of mine (partial browning=partial heating), i shall replace it after i try to push the limits with a FVPA as soon as i have one.

 

[juanavape]

in the current FV filter screen, it'd be really hard to clog the screen enough to cause any serious restriction to airflow. a quick brush between sessions, or even every other session, should be good enough for the screen to last for a long time before you need to thoroughly clean it. x

I wish..... 6 to 8 sessions (2 or 3 days) and that screen is definitely giving me some restriction (even after brushing it off after every use). I must be doing something wrong.

 

[Pipes]

we designed the FV to be a very versatile tool, and I am happy to say that you can do alot of custom things with it, as Pipes and marduk have pointed out ... so experiment away with whatever your little heart desires

OK, if you insist.

Meet Stubby.

 

[as]

mini flash

you just cant help but fuck about with stuff in a very very good way i likey

 

[Pipes]

mini flash

you just cant help but fuck about with stuff in a very very good way i likey

Thanks, ...I think.?
It's in my nature for sure.....and you are correct, can't help myself.
And sometimes I even get lucky.

 

[pakalolo]

OK, if you insist.

Meet Stubby.

Okay, this time I already had the same idea, but I immediately noticed that the threading is different between the base and the head, so how did you mate them?

 

[Pipes]

Okay, this time I already had the same idea, but I immediately noticed that the threading is different between the base and the head, so how did you mate them?

An old style bottom. Before FV changed to the double thread. They matched back then.

 

[pakalolo]

An old style bottom. Before FV changed to the double thread. They matched back then.

Ah. I have one of those but the PA uses the new threading, and the reason it occurred to me was to eliminate the dummy battery pass-through, thereby alleviating the possibility of tipping over. I could make a stubby but it would have no power.

I notice I could also switch the PA over to the old style base but then the cord would prevent standing it upright—which does eliminate the possibility of it tipping over, I admit.

 

[beefsupreme]

Day 4 with the FVPA.. really liking that I don't have to worry about the battery losing power or a performance drop over a session.. its always full. Not having to remember to charge batteries either or juggle them in the charger is great and that white LED ring light is class.

Glad to see the talk about putting a screen in the stem. I was wondering the same thing. I have two heads for the FV (one from my original unit) and the screen popped out while cleaning (bad idea to brush from the top side through the view hole). I cant for the life of me get the top screen back on (dont have the tool), but luckily I had the second head. I've been extra gentle while cleaning it and had wondered if you could put something in-line on the stem. I've got an extra screen to punch holes out of and test the idea.

I have to say, stubby is sure cute too. great work, @Pipes. That stem you have is very nice too, have you posted details about it before? I like how it gives you a better view of the vapor too.

 

[Pipes]

I have to say, stubby is sure cute too. great work, @Pipes. That stem you have is very nice too, have you posted details about it before? I like how it gives you a better view of the vapor too.

Thanks. I share your like of PA usage. Makes the unit just so easy to use with "consistent" heat.
I posted links on the stem a page or 2 back.

 

[pakalolo]

My PA arrived a few days ago, but I like to use something for a while before I post my opinions. It's by no means a small unit:

It's about 12 x 5 x 22.5 cm (roughly 4.75 x 2 x 8.75 in) and it weighs over 500 g which is the limit of the scale I have at hand. Not by much, I'd say. It doesn't make any noise and it runs cool as a cucumber no matter what I do to it. It reads 93-95 Watts when set to 10. If I hold the power on for about a minute the top of the FV starts getting pretty warm (no too hot to touch by any means) but the PA itself doesn't seem to change temperature at all.

There's not much to say about connecting it up except that it's easy. The 2-pin connector to the base is keyed so you can't get it wrong, and it screws on so it's secure. Remove the base from your FV, insert the dummy pass-through, and screw on the new PA base. Done.

Because of the size and length of the power cord, there will be management issues. The cord is really well chosen. Even though it is thick, it is quite pliable and soft. It doesn't try to twist and coil itself up. Since it is a silicone sheath, it does tend to pick up lint and in my case, cat hair. That's not a serious drawback. The biggest issue will be standing the FV up without having it tip over. This has already been mentioned, but it's sure to catch some people out anyway. It's not as though it's difficult to stand it up, it's just that you have to remember to be careful. Standing it up without a swivel cap requires extra care and you might have to manipulate the cord a little. At any rate, the danger in a tip-over isn't to the FV itself, it is to the stem and to anything the FV might fall on.

The accompanying documentation lists nominal temperatures for each setting but they are only guidelines. Some units (like both of mine) run a bit cool. Nevertheless, I've found that whether or not I use the S2 spacer, I can still find a setting that does the job for me. At 10, I can reach combustion with the S2 spacer in place if I draw hard and long enough. The beauty is that if I use my regular draw (which isn't that hard) I can hit it all day without fear of combustion. If it starts to get close I can tell from the taste long before it actually combusts. This takes the FV to the same level that I reached with the MFLB when I got a PA for it: I can select a setting that satisfies me and achieve it every single time without ever worrying about combustion.

Bottom line, I highly recommend this PA. It is well built and does its job extremely well. More pics in my Imgur album.

 

[Lizard King]

Very tempted by the FVPA....

 

[as]

If I was not broke I would buy one looks really good