Discontinued Thermovape Cera

[nopartofme]

Nice write-up nopartofme!

I stuck with the LL for about 2 weeks but without a couple of mods I feel like the body near the mouthpiece is much too hot and the switch too uncomfortable to hold. I don't think my needs are unusual and I think all the mods people are doing to get past these issues are great (and quite easy to pull off), but I'd have a hard time recommending the LL cart to anyone until TET can deal with the switch and the body heat issues near the mouthpiece. I am actually very anxious to try the LL cart again some day on a different body and with a different mouthpiece, just don't want to a FrankenCera at the moment.

One thing we can all agree on is that the LL cart has plenty of power. It is a beast for sure!

Thanks! I can understand tepidity in regards to the switch and heat, to an extent. Personally, I've found that the switch position has become a non-issue as I've learned the most comfortable way for me to grip it. But I can definitely understand that most new users may be concerned enough about perfecting their heating and pulling technique, and adding learning how to hold the thing to the mix could be a bit much. Also everyone's hands are different, so I obviously can't make any kind of authoritative statement about that. I'm seriously open to the possibility that my large hands could have an effect here. I've received many comments on them over the years…

As for the heat, I've found that as I ride the natural learning curve and learn to use it better and better, the heat has become less and less of an issue. I can now get effectively medicated before heat becomes something I notice. Once heat crops up I can just set it down, let the medication sink in, and then come back when it's cooled off, which doesn't take much longer than it took to heat up in the first place. I think it's mostly a problem in group scenarios, when sharing with people who aren't experienced.

With that said, I think an official version of OF's "reverse dead-man's switch" from TET and a form fitting silicone sleeve for the body are all that would be needed to cut away most of that extra learning that comes with getting to know Cera or trying to share it with a group.

In regards to other bodies for the cart, I'm excited to see what the mini version is gonna look like. TET's got a track record of being super responsive to customer feedback, I don't think we'll be disappointed.

Thanks for the feedback. Keeping it real.

I personally love the LL cart, but have figured out my own way of making it work. Thats not super ghetto rigged. it looks normal and professional and hits just as well, from lighter to denser vapor, if not 5x better. Where does that put me?
[…]
I've spent my time with the normal mouthpiece, It's NOT for ME. Trust me, I have PLENTY of experience, and I'm not one to just give up.

That puts you right alongside everyone else enjoying Cera! I think it's super cool how quickly such great looking mods came about, which is surely a testament to the open design of the Cera. I don't think it's by mistake that the design makes it so easy to do things like that. I definitely don't mean to make you feel attacked for not liking something I liked! I'm just sharing what I've found and loved. For what it's worth I'm going to be picking up one of NTS's open ceramic mouthpieces to get a taste of what you've found works for you. I'm excited to explore it. It feels like turning turning Cera into a transformer (an autobot!). As much as I love the stock mouthpiece, I think something with more open flow is probably better for anyone determined to run the vapor through water, too.

 

[toros23]

Where does that put me?

I think it puts you in the "those who 'get it' and fall in love" group.

Thanks for the feedback. Keeping it real.

Haha, well I don't expect my opinion to be very popular in this thread although I am a huge fan of TET and my wonderful Cera. I tried just about everything mentioned in this thread regarding insulators, switches, mouthpieces, etc with some good and some bad results. It would be nice to hear more people come forward with their success stories with the LL cart. For example, the guy I sold mine to loves it but is not a regular poster here..

 

[OF]

From the get go TET has stated they designed the Cera to be very user friendly/modular. Which it has been. It seems like there's a good lot of fairly negative feelings about a modded mouth piece, which I feel is totally unfair and disgusting how people assume it must be used only one way. Obviously not, and obviously not if people are modding this thing, and PMing me asking me for directions on how to make my custom mouthpiece. (Which is fine BTW)

Very well put, I couldn't agree more I think. It's not realistic to expect any design to please all the people all the time. Even Volcano or cloud?

There are those who confuse 'that's not for me' with 'that's not a good idea' I think. That sort of thing seems to happen more and more often to my cynical mind.

The ability to modify the configuration and use of any tool to suit the needs can't be seen as a bad thing I think. Those who say otherwise are most likely guilty of expressing their opinions as hard facts?

Let the struggle between the idealist modders and idealist consumers in our off the shelf world continue, IMO we all benefit from it. Capitalism is alive and making life better for us all.

Nice write-up nopartofme!

I stuck with the LL for about 2 weeks but without a couple of mods I feel like the body near the mouthpiece is much too hot and the switch too uncomfortable to hold. I don't think my needs are unusual and I think all the mods people are doing to get past these issues are great (and quite easy to pull off), but I'd have a hard time recommending the LL cart to anyone until TET can deal with the switch and the body heat issues near the mouthpiece. I am actually very anxious to try the LL cart again some day on a different body and with a different mouthpiece, just don't want to a FrankenCera at the moment.

One thing we can all agree on is that the LL cart has plenty of power. It is a beast for sure!

Cool. Your 'rights' as a consumer for sure. Build the ultimate hotrod or wait on someone else to do it for you and throw mere money at them instead. Great you have that choice, I'm confident it'll work out for you one way or another if you want it enough. Until then, some of us are enjoying our poorly designed Ceras anyway?

"Out of chaos comes order" you know. Just ask the nearest Freemason. I would not, necessarily, ask him how that applies to vapes, however?

OF

 

[iamn3ko]

I'll definitely be picking up one of those mouthpieces as well, although I'm slightly skeptical. I haven't had much luck with the screen directly on top of the bowl, I've found I need some room to work. My ceramic screen on my last mod was always on top of the cap, now my new set up with the screw gauge is actually as close to the top as I can be. Pushed out with a rubber seal. Confusing.

But regardless I'll be picking one up, it looks pretty sweet. Don't take what I just said too seriously, its probably going to be bad ass and work well. Think the eta was about 3 weeks.

And thanks for the feedback, I really mean no offense. I just don't understand some of the ehh..hostile? Attitudes? on a modded MP.

I can't think of the right word, wake and bake sundaze eh.

 

[nopartofme]

And thanks for the feedback, I really mean no offense. I just don't understand some of the ehh..hostile? Attitudes? on a modded MP.

I can't think of the right word, wake and bake sundaze eh.

To be honest I don't know where you felt the hostile attitude came from. Maybe it wasn't me? I checked before your post for anyone harping on modifications and couldn't find anything, just me talking about how much I've enjoyed the stock MP. I don't think either of us are doing anything wrong? Keep on keeping on, brother-in-cera.

 

[iamn3ko]

Nahh you didn't do anything. I'm just sensing some feelings of something idk. I've heard a lot of terms tossed around like, use it as designed, it won't work that way, etc.

It just seems some on on the fence about modding it, the stock MP seems to work fine for some AWESOME that's great. For me, it doesnt, it's just not giving me what I want. WHICH IS NOT BIG ASS CLOUDS, they are nice. But honestly I'm looking for ease of use. I have a very stressful job in production with crazy deadlines and constant working ALL DAY. Sometimes I just don't have it in me to be finnicking with a MP that I can't ever get to work.

A lot of my reasons why I medicate are strictly due to anxiety (I understand there's many worse things, but this is my legitimate reason why I medicate, not my doctors excuse), and when I'm ready to medicate and I can't get anything out of it *as is*, it really makes things a whole lot worse.

This precious gift we have been given is very so modular, wether you do so or not. It DOES work VERY well other ways.

Not saying I haven't been through probably close to $100 just in trial and error mods. But I have found multiple ways to get this vaporizer producing nicely. While still keeping it looking normal...

 

[toros23]

Cool. Your 'rights' as a consumer for sure. Build the ultimate hotrod or wait on someone else to do it for you and throw mere money at them instead. Great you have that choice, I'm confident it'll work out for you one way or another if you want it enough. Until then, some of us are enjoying our poorly designed Ceras anyway?

Poorly designed??? I wouldn't say that at all, I think it is mostly about personal preference and maybe a trade-off or two. The design is modular, simple, elegant and effective. The materials are top shelf throughout. The support team behind the product is second-to-none. What more can a person ask for??

As for throwing money at it, I don't think that is the right answer although I feel pretty good knowing the money I am sending their way will be put to good use on designing future products.

 

[OF]

Poorly designed??? I wouldn't say that at all, I think it is mostly about personal preference and maybe a trade-off or two. The design is modular, simple, elegant and effective. The materials are top shelf throughout. The support team behind the product is second-to-none. What more can a person ask for??

As for throwing money at it, I don't think that is the right answer although I feel pretty good knowing the money I am sending their way will be put to good use on designing future products.

I don't think it's poorly designed either, but clearly some do. They are entitled to their opinions I think. To them, I think, it's not a matter of personal preference, at least not anyone but theirs? I think it's their perspective it's poorly designed, probably what's at least partially behind the question mark?

Paying someone else to modify things for you ('throwing money at it') is also, I think, a valid consumer decision.....just not mine. I, like I think many others, want to wreck it myself. Shade Tree Mechanics being who we are?

By all means bide your time, buy what and when you feel right? In the mean time......

OF

 

[OF]

factious
I think he was being factious.

Actually I think you meant "facetious"?

"Factious" is a legitimate word too (also passes spell check) but is definitely not what I had in mind......in fact just the opposite, really.

Facetious I can be, factious I try to avoid?

OF

 

[iamn3ko]

So, I've had too many close encounters with my Cera tipping over and almost obliterating all glass in the surrounding areas and I figured I needed to find something that I can comfortably put it on and know its not going to tip over.

I found this, it is a tobacco pipe stand. Looks like it'll fit, I just ordered it but the only place I could find it is Europe, so it'll be a few weeks before its in my possession, but I think it'll work.

I also own a VapeStation which is probably the best mod storage box I could find, and this will match it perfectly.

Bought mine on eBay for $20 total including shipping.- http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=261155943178&index=0&nav=SEARCH&nid=48553524570

 

[nopartofme]

I've heard a lot of terms tossed around like, use it as designed, it won't work that way, etc.

I might be beating a dead horse here, but a lightbulb went off in my head a bit ago. I said this in a post recently:

To be fair, my experience with Cera and fresh flowers (you know, usage as designed…) is a little limited due to poor timing in regards to when my Cera failed versus when I had supply available.

A poor choice of words on my part, I think! When I was talking about "usage as designed" there, I only meant to refer to the fact that I was trying to extract the heck out of ABV. The design I was trying to refer to was just general vaporizer design. It's accepted that vaporizing leaves behind some small amount of heavier cannabinoids, and I was trying to tell Cera "Nope! Give them to me!!" That's not using a vape according to any vape's "design", just in terms of what I'm trying to vaporize, and so combustion in that circumstance of course can't be held up as a failure of the device. I was just poking fun at myself.

In that sense I'd say that what you're doing with your mouthpiece is still "usage as designed", as well as any other mods we've seen. I was looking at what I was trying to do as being over-the-top, like trying to use a Cera to cook eggs and complaining when it doesn't cook them well or combusts or something…

I can see how seeing me constantly rave about the stock MP and then saying something like "usage as designed" could be misleading. Just wanted to clear that up in case my word choice is confusing anyone else and making me look duplicitous!

 

[OF]

Spelling errors and poor choices of words are buggers that will always lurk if you participate. lol

It's all good my friend.

Boy, isn't that the truth! As a friend is fond of saying of such things, 'the only sure way to avoid such mistakes is to stay out of the game'....... IMO that's not a very good option.

Thanks very much for the comment, timely and wise. You're absolutely right on the last bit. The goal is getting the good stuff out of the stash and into you. Exactly how is not very important compared to that.

OF

 

[YeeeBuddy]

I have nothing against modding the cera, in fact I love seeing all the stuff u guys come up with even more so because I'm not one to do much self modding. I was just trying to express that the stock cap/mp does a good job, but it definately has its downsides. I see nothing wrong with coming up with something to better suite your needs. I am actually pretty excited to try NTSH's open flow ceramic MP. Keep on modding and let the haters hate.

 

[BLAZING OG]

Let me start of saying I love the design of the TET mouthpiece.
I use the cera under heavy rotation between 2-3 people (including myself) & the silicone tips i use work amazing, but i decided to try various drip tips i had laying around.
I went to home depot and Eyeballed a few grommets, and i bought some similar ceramic drip tips that another poster had posted............here are a few pics with some mouthpieces on!!!!
I can say that after another heavy rotation today with the grommet and drip tip raised away from the actual core, it stay's cool to the lips for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer!!!

Hope everyone had a happy Cinco De Mayo!!!!!!!!!

Ordering some similar shaped grommets in high temperature materials, but like another poster stated, I havent run into mouthpiece heating issues and or hot grommets!!!!!
Hope this helps!!!!
I Use two different grommets, one fits all my anodized drip tips, and the flater one with the tapering fits the ceramic drip tips(white and black).

 

[druminfected]

Let me start of saying I love the design of the TET mouthpiece.
I use the cera under heavy rotation between 2-3 people (including myself) & the silicone tips i use work amazing, but i decided to try various drip tips i had laying around.
I went to home depot and Eyeballed a few grommets, and i bought some similar ceramic drip tips that another poster had posted............here are a few pics with some mouthpieces on!!!!
I can say that after another heavy rotation today with the grommet and drip tip raised away from the actual core, it stay's cool to the lips for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer!!!

Hope everyone had a happy Cinco De Mayo!!!!!!!!!

Ordering some similar shaped grommets in high temperature materials, but like another poster stated, I havent run into mouthpiece heating issues and or hot grommets!!!!!
Hope this helps!!!!
I Use two different grommets, one fits all my anodized drip tips, and the flater one with the tapering fits the ceramic drip tips(white and black).

Wow, that's really clever mod mouthpiece you came up with, props! Could you tell me what size those grommets are? I have the same drip tips ( persei/omicron ones) so I just need to pick up the grommets. I still haven't got my confirmation yet on my order for my CEO but I'm hoping I will today!

All caught up reading the WHOLE thread of cera too, it looks like I ordered might at the right time too hopefully, after the strap update and such.

mod note: Please do not quote more than necessary. 15 pictures removed.

 

[GR]

A new day and a new day to hope for Cera's safe return to me. I was very surprised that in The last 10 days I have only used my glass and nails a half dozen times, actually I have hardly used oil at all, doesn't take long to get spoiled.

 

[Wobbbl3]

So I'm new to this forum and to Cera. I received the product by mail about a week ago and it work swimmingly at first. I got past the 'learning curve' phase quickly enough. But now, out of no where, the vape won't heat up. I don't know if this is an issue with the heating core or what, but the battery is fully charged and I'm not sure what to do. I sent Thermo Essence an email inquiring about warranty information, but I wanted to double check here and see if anyone could offer advice.

I skimmed the forum, and ^^GR you seemed to have a similar problem. How did you deduce that is was in fact broken?

 

[GR]

So I'm new to this forum and to Cera. I received the product by mail about a week ago and it work swimmingly at first. I got past the 'learning curve' phase quickly enough. But now, out of no where, the vape won't heat up. I don't know if this is an issue with the heating core or what, but the battery is fully charged and I'm not sure what to do. I sent Thermo Essence an email inquiring about warranty information, but I wanted to double check here and see if anyone could offer advice.

I skimmed the forum, and ^^GR you seemed to have a similar problem. How did you deduce that is was in fact broken?

Once I made sure it wasn't the batteries, I have 8, and neither the EO or LL cart would heat I figured it was the switch or the strap in the body. TET wanted all parts sent pack to make sure all was working fine.

You should have no worries, TET will take care of the issue and get you up and running again.

 

[Wobbbl3]

Once I made sure it wasn't the batteries, I have 8, and neither the EO or LL cart would heat I figured it was the switch or the strap in the body. TET wanted all parts sent pack to make sure all was working fine.

You should have no worries, TET will take care of the issue and get you up and running again.

Okay, that's encouraging! Should I call them, or will the email I sent get the ball rolling? (Basically, how did you go about receiving your warranty?) Also, is this a common issue, or are we the 'flukes?'

 

[GR]

Okay, that's encouraging! Should I call them, or will the email I sent get the ball rolling? (Basically, how did you go about receiving your warranty?) Also, is this a common issue, or are we the 'flukes?'

I emailed, looks like my responses came at PST lunch and end of work day, Zeki was very quick to respond and with in a day or two I mailed it to them. A phone call works as well.

I wouldn't call this a common issue but it has happened to some posters here. This is the chance one takes being an early adopter and why I only do it with good companies that stand behind their products. If a known issue comes up then a fix will come along as well.

 

[Sonics420]

So I'm new to this forum and to Cera. I received the product by mail about a week ago and it work swimmingly at first. I got past the 'learning curve' phase quickly enough. But now, out of no where, the vape won't heat up. I don't know if this is an issue with the heating core or what, but the battery is fully charged and I'm not sure what to do. I sent Thermo Essence an email inquiring about warranty information, but I wanted to double check here and see if anyone could offer advice.

I skimmed the forum, and ^^GR you seemed to have a similar problem. How did you deduce that is was in fact broken?

Okay, that's encouraging! Should I call them, or will the email I sent get the ball rolling? (Basically, how did you go about receiving your warranty?) Also, is this a common issue, or are we the 'flukes?'

Sounds like a strap issue which is a common problem for the Ceras, seems like they worked it out cause I've been using mine after the repair with no problems. Good luck, they are usually quick to repair and ship.. Usually receive mine within a week of sending it out.

In my experience it is always better to call.

 

[Wobbbl3]

Okay thanks guys. I called and they emailed me the shipping details. Hopefully you're correct and I'll have my new and improved replacement within the week

 

[GR]

Okay thanks guys. I called and they emailed me the shipping details. Hopefully you're correct and I'll have my new and improved replacement within the week

One can hope. I am on the right side of the country, I have been without my friend for 10 days and looks like another nail biting day tomorrow.

 

[Wobbbl3]

One can hope. I am on the right side of the country, I have been without my friend for 10 days and looks like another nail biting day tomorrow.

Haha, oh great. I don't even have the right side of the country going for me!

EDIT: Hey, while I'm at it. Did you guys decide on the preferred battery at some point in this thread?

 

[YeeeBuddy]

You're missing one clause in your question: "for our particular usage".

There is no one battery that is the best for all usages. You have to look at what the use characteristics are. In this case, we have a gizmo (the Cera) that wants to draw between 4 and 5 Amps. It works best when a fresh battery is used, because the voltage will be the highest (in this case, about 4 Volts under the Cera's load). As the battery is used up, the voltage it supplies goes down (and if the load doesn't change; the Cera's core doesn't) the current (Amps) also goes down. Voltage and current going down mean the power to the core is going down. So as you use up the charge in the battery, the power going to the core is going down. Now the Cera core is designed to work well within a given range of power. If you give it too much, you'll burn out the windings; if you give it too little, it just won't work (it won't get hot enough). The lower limit for a Cera LL core working well is in the neighborhood of 3.2 to 3.3 Volts. It will still heat up being supplied below 3.3 volts, but not enough to work well, just enough to confuse the hell out of you. (I.e., "It's getting hot, why don't I get any vapor?"). This last point is probably what most are missing when trying to evaluate which battery is "best".

So knowing this, one can interpret the discharge curves and figure out which battery will be "best" for use with the Cera. If you look at the curves for the 2250 and 2900 Panasonics, you'll see that all that extra capacity the 2900 has over the 2250 is at the bottom of the range, from 3.2 Volts down. That's fine for some uses, but not for our Ceras. All that extra capacity is worthless to us. If you're using the battery in a flashlight, however, which may work just fine down to 2.75 Volts, that extra capacity is worthwhile, and in that usage, the 2900 is a better choice. With the Cera LL core, it's pretty well a dead heat (pun intended) between the 2250 and the 2900; at least with regard to their discharge curves. I prefer the 2250 for a handful of reasons, but none of them have anything to do with which will work better in a Cera.

As to why TET chose one battery at one point and the other at another, you'll have to ask them. It's not because one was better than the other for use in the Cera, so I guess it must be because of availability or cost or some other business decision, but I have no idea; I don't get to sit in on TET's decisions...

Haywood

Edit: I originally answered this before reading the insanity that followed. A couple of additional things. The resistance of the wire used in the TET cores actually doesn't change much as it heats up. That's one of the more subtle rewards we get thanks to TET's compulsive research when they design something. Also, I still don't know if the Orb sourced 2900s that TET sells have a protection circuit board in them or not. If they do, they're 10% less wonderful than the 2250s when used in a Cera; if they don't, they're equivalent in our Ceras. The 2250s have significantly lower internal resistance than the 2900s, though not quite as low as an AW 1600mAh IMR18650; all three use different types of chemistry. I'm not going to explain the significance of internal resistance with regard to a 4 Amp load, you can research it if you're interested. The 3100mAh and 3400mAh cells are not suitable for use with the Cera, as they are not rated to supply enough current (Amps).

Haywood is the man when it comes to battery info. Alot of people myself included prefer the 2250's but get them while you can because they aren't being made anymore. 2900's work fine as well just seem to take a little longer to warm up. You shouldnt be disappointed with either.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/1141101