The Firefly 2 vaporizer

[mitchgo61]

@mitchgo61. Thanks for the tips. Draw restriction seems normal, glow is there, heat is there. I've tried flipping the pad, reseating lid, mouthpiece is snug.
I'm really at a loss. I haven't been putting too much on the pad...in my opinion. About the circumference of a pea and maybe a 16th of an inch thick. First thing I'm thinking when it happens is...CRAP...did the concentrate plug it up?! I don't think so but don't know what else could be going on?

Hmm. Doubt the concentrate plugged it up...you would've seen the holes clogged when you cleaned it...and the draw would probably be severely restricted to the point of being nearly impossible to draw.

Have you set the temp properly? Check the app and the left button to see if it's set on Concentrates.

You try it again with flower? Might be a good test....

 

[murf2010]

Cannot wait to hear from firefly tomorrow! My battery didn't even last me a whole bowl this morning and now only the left button works. Hopefully I can just get my money back. Love the unit when it works but I feel this is a steep price for these potential flaws.

 

[huxley]

@huxley you are completely misreading mitchgo61's remark to you. He was only saying that he felt there was something wrong with your FF2 and that you should contact the manufacturer to get a replacement. He wasn't 'squelching your voice' in any way. Nor did he accuse you of having 'ulterior motives.'

Let me add that if you feel there is a problem with another member's post, you should hit the report button rather than addressing it yourself.

Well it seems I overreacted.

@mitchgo61 I apologize.

This is misleading. The other reports involved the lid. Yours apparently involves the unit itself. You still have the only (so far) report of chemical odor from the body.

I really do not yet know the source of the smell. There is indeed a smell on the silicon lid gaskets which I was at first unaware of, having been thinking it was originating solely from the rear of the unit. I suspect there are 2 sources of smells. What's most important is simply that there -is- a smell/taste when breathing in through the front without herb.

And I repeat my response: I've done this test on three different FF2s and found no smell whatsoever. You can make whatever you like of those three data points.

Are you a user who smelled something beforehand and for whom the smell went away on? That adds to the data points, thanks.

Be that as it may that you do not smell anything, I simply do not know if I am being unrealistic when I expect there to be no or extremely low taste when used with no herbs.

 

[stinkytofus]

how is the reliability of the first firefly? is it mainly battery dying? does the unit have alot of defects i need to know about?

 

[Bart3]

@Bart3 if your taking short draws you might be able to use the concentrate mode (at your own risk) to boost the vapor..


I've yet to combust flower on concentrate mode.

I haven't tried that, thanks for the suggestion.

I saw the comments about the Santa Criuse grinder and ordered one, I'll report back when it arrives how that works vs by hand.

 

[huxley]

@mitchgo61
Would you add a 4th vape to your testing if I mailed you mine?

 

[mitchgo61]

Are you a user who smelled something beforehand and for whom the smell went away on? That adds to the data points, thanks.

Be that as it may that you do not smell anything, I simply do not know if I am being unrealistic when I expect there to be no or extremely low taste when used with no herbs.

I have a black lid with no smell, and a previous black lid (which got sent back to FF) that also was odorless. I currently have a blue lid which did indeed have the silicone odor, pretty strongly. I left it out, off the FF, for about 24 hours, and it seemed to totally dissipate.

This probably won't make you feel better, but I'm a super-taster, and I also have a hyper sense of smell. (Both of these are horrible curses, frankly!) I would think if all FF2s have a low-level of chemical smell and/or taste I might have noticed it myself by now....but I haven't. I had an FF1 that exhibited some of this, but that was one unit out of like 8 I owned. So far nothing with the 2 other than the one lid.

Told you it wouldn't make you feel better!

@mitchgo61
Would you add a 4th vape to your testing if I mailed you mine?

I'd be happy to play with it if it helps you. First, though, let's see how FF responds to you. If they agree to replace your unit this is hopefully a moot point....but again I'm happy to help if I can do anything.

how is the reliability of the first firefly? is it mainly battery dying? does the unit have alot of defects i need to know about?

You mean the FF1? It has a fair amount of reliability problems. Some folks never had any issues....I bought two and had six or seven die on me. Usually heating coil failure (this was addressed in the 2 and they think they've fixed it with better coil-fitting tolerances)....sometimes PCB issues causing the heat to shut off mid-hit....and a few other things. I know reliability was the prime issue they wanted to fix in the 2.

 

[PeteSeattle]

.sometimes PCB issues causing the heat to shut off mid-hit....and a few other things. I know reliability was the prime issue they wanted to fix in the 2.

I hope it's a firmware issue about the heating.

But I do have a problem with mine ... I can't put it down.

 

[mitchgo61]

I hope it's a firmware issue about the heating.

But I do have a problem with mine ... I can't put it down.

This was the FF1 I was talking about. Haven't heard of this recurring in the 2. Fingers crossed!

 

[purplenurple24]

Cannot wait to hear from firefly tomorrow! My battery didn't even last me a whole bowl this morning and now only the left button works. Hopefully I can just get my money back. Love the unit when it works but I feel this is a steep price for these potential flaws.

You're the first person to have any of those problems (that I know of.) I wouldn't even classify them as flaws since you're the sole recipient of a unit that works like that (and they haven't been proven.) If you don't want it anymore, just sell it, but to ask for your money back because your unit has flaws that no one else has experienced doesn't make sense to me. Ask Firefly to take a look at it. If you truly do like it, they will make it right.

Post some vids/pictures of your unit doing these things. Your posts here have been WILDLY INCONSISTENT.

So inconsistent that I have a hard time believing anything you say anymore.

 

[DarkSm0ke]

I get the strong feeling you are trying to squelch my voice from this forum. Yes, I am a just a new user user here, and obviously your post count is higher than mine, but I like to think I bring considerate, thoughtful and yes, useful posts to some.

Further, I strongly disagree with your assertion that it is not worthwhile to conduct experiments within the FC community. I am sure that there are others besides myself who who appreciate experimentation and testing.

If only FF2 cheerleaders are allowed in this community and thoughtful criticism is not allowed, then perhaps you are correct, that I do not belong here.

I did not waste time writing my review for any ulterior motives other than to provide the community with detailed information. If I was going to waste time/money on this experience I figured others should benefit.

There were several other users in this forum, a very tiny minority, who complained about the FF2 chemical taste. Despite that, I decided I had to see for myself because the potential upsides of the FF2 were too good to ignore.

Now, this community has yet another data point confirming this taste/smell.

It is the weekend. I certainly will be calling them when they re-open. I hope they will swap it out, but I suspect if I tell them there is a bad/taste when it is used without any herb, they will simply say that it is not designed to be used without herb. I also read they don't return open box items. I doubt many other FF2 users spent the weekend using their FF2 without any herb before using-- I highly suspect there is nothing wrong with FF2, other than my lower tolerance to chemical smells and using it not as intended (with no herb).

I repeat my call: I would appreciate any FF2 users, especially those who initially reported a chemical/plastic taste to see if that taste is still there with no herb in the bowl, on Med High or Concentrate and an ISO cleaned first.

@huxley like I mentioned before, I did have a "chemical smell " when I first got my unit. It went away after I started using it after the first day. I have not smelled that odor after I cleaned it either. However I have not tried hitting the unit with nothing in it since I got it. I will test it out empty and clean later today. I will let you know what I find out.

I think this forum is welcoming to all people, with all types of views regardless of their viewpoint. I came here to share and learn. Which I can say has happened frequently. I am sorry you feel attacked here or that we only want to hear the good reviews. I don't feel that at all and I am also new here. I think we all need to hear the good with the bad in order to fully understand and hopefully all enjoy the FF 2.

 

[huxley]

I have a black lid with no smell, and a previous black lid (which got sent back to FF) that also was odorless. I currently have a blue lid which did indeed have the silicone odor, pretty strongly. I left it out, off the FF, for about 24 hours, and it seemed to totally dissipate.

This probably won't make you feel better, but I'm a super-taster, and I also have a hyper sense of smell. (Both of these are horrible curses, frankly!) I would think if all FF2s have a low-level of chemical smell and/or taste I might have noticed it myself by now....but I haven't. I had an FF1 that exhibited some of this, but that was one unit out of like 8 I owned. So far nothing with the 2 other than the one lid.

Told you it wouldn't make you feel better!




I'd be happy to play with it if it helps you. First, though, let's see how FF responds to you. If they agree to replace your unit this is hopefully a moot point....but again I'm happy to help if I can do anything..

Actually, it does make me feel better to know that you are a "super-taster" and that you have such unit to unit variability. I would have bet against such unit to unit variability. That gives me some hope.

Yes.. In the chance that FF will not help me, I figured that mailing it out for others to try makes sense (as they didn't put any type of herb in it) in the interest of experimentation and that they post their results to this forum.

@DarkSm0ke Thank you, look forward to your report, and for your concern. I'm feeling better now I had taken some things the wrong way.

 

[mitchgo61]

I have gotta say I really love this vape. For me all the issues that caused me to put down the FF1 have been resolved. I have had good results from the first bowl to the last. Sure, I did not have a learning curve but the FF2 performance is easy to love.


Did I mention that I love this vape?

Welcome back Steama!!! Long time, man. Hope you've been well. Glad you are enjoying the 2. Is the need to stir not driving you too nuts, I hope??

 

[pushpaw]

I've loved my FF2 since receiving it about a month ago. About a week or so into having it...I discovered it was exceptional with concentrates. Since, I've 99% of the time solely used it for concentrates. I wouldn't say I overdo it...I put a small piece on the pad....warm it up...puff as if I was lighting a cigar (which I don't actually smoke ). Once it's melted into the pad....I begin my draws. I have been getting crazy clouds...huge! About three days ago...I stopped getting clouds. Now, I keep my unit clean...but decided that maybe it needed a real once over. So I cleaned it VERY thoroughly...iso wipes, picks, soft cloth. It looked brand new. Try it again....still nothing...i mean like NO vapor. Tried it with herb...vapor...decent clouds. Try again with concentrate....little to no vapor. What am I doing wrong....all of a sudden? What could have happened to have drastically changed the performance? Any help is appreciated!

Might be a silly question, but based on what you wrote it feels worth asking: Are you still using the same pad this whole time? Have you tried a new pad, or soaked the one you use in iso? Could just be the pad is gunked up.

 

[DarkSm0ke]

@DarkSm0ke Thank you, look forward to your report, and for your concern. I'm feeling better now I had taken some things the wrong way.

Okay, so after much cleaning, I hit my unit without heat for a couple of minutes. It wasn't taste neutral, but it wasn't really bothersome either. It tasted more like faint buds from abv. I could detect underneath it something artificial. When I started taking empty draws with the heat on, I could taste/smell more of that abv scent, and more of that artificial smell (not very strong). I opened the lid and and smelled that. Found the culprit. The Silicon gasket that smelled when I first got the unit still had a very faint odor. Way less than at first. I am thinking that when the lid is on, and you take a draw with the unit on, the warm air is in very close proximity to the gasket which leaches gasket odor and udulterates the inhaled warm air. In any case that smell is really faint, you have to look for it. To me it is not an issue, and I suspect it will totally go away in a short time. With all of my use

So my feeling is that even though that smell is there (very faintly), it is not an issue for me, especially because it is only obvious when bowl is heated empty. I taste only the bud when I vape with it. I am thinking you shouldn't be hitting on the FF 2 without anything in the bowl, as much as you wouldn't put a Teflon pan on the stove under heat and empty for any period of time. I think without bud in the bowl you will just taste warm air tainted a bit from the gasket. Which is not what FF intended the unit to be used for. Anyways, that's my two cents. Hope it is helpful for you.

Might be a silly question, but based on what you wrote it feels worth asking: Are you still using the same pad this whole time? Have you tried a new pad, or soaked the one you use in iso? Could just be the pad is gunked up.

I was thinking the same thing, clean the pad or try a new one. Let us know if you figure it out @Vapenado .

 

[huxley]

@DarkSm0ke Yes, very helpful. Thanks for your report. You're probably right that FF will tell me I am using it in an unsupported way without any herb, as perhaps that makes the bowl temperatures higher. Of note is that even on the very lowest temperature setting, I can still taste/smell the chemical.

 

[Morimoto]

Heya, Anyone else enjoying Kief sandwiches? they hit me like a freight train! I topped it with a few flakes and got 2 hits on high, massive clouds, 10/10 right in the pocket

 

[DarkSm0ke]

@DarkSm0ke Yes, very helpful. Thanks for your report. You're probably right that FF will tell me I am using it in an unsupported way without any herb, as perhaps that makes the bowl temperatures higher. Of note is that even on the very lowest temperature setting, I can still taste/smell the chemical.

Yeah it is just that gasket. I am sure if you start using it with herb, that smell will greatly diminish over a short period of time. I guess it is what it is and is part of the burn in process (pun intended, lol).

I am guessing you are not going to actually use it until you talk to FF. I think that is a smart move, especially if you think they will give you a new unit. If it is the gasket, then you just either need to get a new lid, or just use what you already have and be a bit patient for the smell to fade out.

 

[snamuh]

@huxley
I appreciate your investigation...

I did notice a faint smell when I got mine but was not too bothered by it. And before I saw the vape taken apart I assumed it was just the lid... but I'm not sure now.

From my tests the air does get pulled through the bottom lid, battery area and the charging holes in the lid. And these air paths are clearly visible from the image I reposted from Reddit. I also believe this is the whistling heard depending on draw speed.

I am disappointed that for 330$ a vape would leave the electronics so open.

I just don't understand why they would even consider building it that way...

In terms of vapor I love this thing... in terms of health who knows.

I can say because of this I probably won't purchase another ff vape in the future. But in the meantime it's quick and easy and the best vape for my usage.

The technology seems on point but to me it feels like it was put together with money on the mind.

 

[MinnBobber]

Yeah it is just that gasket. I am sure if you start using it with herb, that smell will greatly diminish over a short period of time. I guess it is what it is and is part of the burn in process (pun intended, lol).

I am guessing you are not going to actually use it until you talk to FF. I think that is a smart move, especially if you think they will give you a new unit. If it is the gasket, then you just either need to get a new lid, or just use what you already have and be a bit patient for the smell to fade out.

.....................................................................................
I do not own a FF2 but very interested in it.
Just my experience with new vapes--I find many many have a "new vape smell", not a good smell (like new car smell?).

Hard parts get cleaner with ISO and then Dawn detergent and hot water. they could have machining oil, mold release agents, etc.

Silicone gaskets etc (soft parts) get cleaned with Dawn and hot water. Best example for here is JyARZ which had a batch of new material gaskets that smelled, to some people. You could air out but I did Dawn wash and it got rid of 99% of it. You might consider a good cleansing or a repeat cleansing to help snuff out the odor

 

[stinkytofus]

Heya, Anyone else enjoying Kief sandwiches? they hit me like a freight train! I topped it with a few flakes and got 2 hits on high, massive clouds, 10/10 right in the pocket

how'd u get that kief

 

[Reggie Watts]

You know what I was just thinking? This might be a dumb high idea (definitely the high part), but what if there was a conduction version of the Firefly that cooks your herbs for 30 seconds, then spits out massive clouds in short little rips. Basically a Pax with the body and mouthpiece of the FF2, lol. That would be cool, because FF2 is much freer on the draw than Pax2.

That way they'd have one for the connoisseur and one for the stereotypical stoner both under one brand name, lol. Keep getting richer, Firefly.

 

[toked23]

Just filled with some new material after a quick cleaning and set it to (3)medium. Hand torn grind, packed fairly snug. First pull for about 15 seconds as slow as I could, baby cloud, but I could see it. 2nd pull for a count to 20 and as slow as I could go, wow, wow wow. Such an amazing flavor. As if I just chewed it up. Amazing taste, just amazing.

Disclaimer: this is the most finicky vape I've ever dealt with. Not very on the go friendly for me, but when I'm stationary and it's easy to sit still etc, I'm not sure I could be more pleased with results. Just toi picky for me to use it on the go. Pax2 is my go to for that, but if you can get it all right with the ff2, it's unbelievably fantastic

 

[DarkSm0ke]

.....................................................................................
I do not own a FF2 but very interested in it.
Just my experience with new vapes--I find many many have a "new vape smell", not a good smell (like new car smell?).

Hard parts get cleaner with ISO and then Dawn detergent and hot water. they could have machining oil, mold release agents, etc.

Silicone gaskets etc (soft parts) get cleaned with Dawn and hot water. Best example for here is JyARZ which had a batch of new material gaskets that smelled, to some people. You could air out but I did Dawn wash and it got rid of 99% of it. You might consider a good cleansing or a repeat cleansing to help snuff out the odor

@MinnBobber I am going to try the dawn and water trick. Thanks for that. I appreciate all of the info you all are bouncing around here.

 

[Vapenado]

Might be a silly question, but based on what you wrote it feels worth asking: Are you still using the same pad this whole time? Have you tried a new pad, or soaked the one you use in iso? Could just be the pad is gunked up.

No question is too silly...don't know ya gotta ask, right? Thanks for trying to help me figure this one out...but yeah, pad is changed out regularly. I have a handful of them. Each one gets used 2-3 times then into an iso bath.