Discontinued Thermovape Cera

[Soflo]

Cera fell off my lap getting up from couch, landed on the button on tile floor, needless to say now the body is cracked.
From less than 2'..... Im not very happy right now.... Good thing these fail soo much that we've already came up with alternatives to the body.... ;( a glass pipe is stronger than the body of this thing.

 

[Skored]

I've already sent mine in 3 times.. I hope it doesn't become a pattern also..

Did yours have the laser welded strap? I just want to know because you might still have a soldered one. I noticed my switch has been getting a little hot too, and I just got this thing back from TET.. I am just going to deal with it for now though SMH.

Yeah, unfortunately I'm all too familiar with sending it back too. Yes, I did send it back last when the strap failed. I'm assuming they welded it that time, but not sure. All I know is I got it back and it worked awesome, for six weeks until yesterday. Now, like others have mentioned, I have to push down on the cart to get it to fire.

I really love the way the carts perform and am still happy I own a Cera. But really looking forward to a body redesign so that we can have something more reliable. And I totally agree that Thermovape has priorities slightly skewed. Top priority right now should be to get an adapter ready for purchase. It should help increase their sales on carts for the consumer that doesn't need a body, and for the consumer who may be reading this thread and shies away from the device altogether for fear of breakdown issues. And, it would benefit someone like me who will be without a vape for a week. I would totally love to have another body as back up, but obviously all bodies I've found that can run this cart are 510 compatible.

Not trying to tell Thermovape how to run their business, but I do have a lot of experience with running a viable business as I spend my focus on the financial end of things. In this case, sales will no doubt drop based on the lack of reliability of the device. By focusing efforts on a new body that won't release until probably 2014, they risk pushing customers to other devices. So this would seem to affect their revenue stream for a period greater than 18 months. Now maybe they thought of that, or ran their own analysis and figure they can afford it. But in my opinion, you get an adapter to market inside of 2 months. Get people using the amazing carts and loving them, especially loyal T1 owners who see $99 dollars as a more tolerable investment than $250! And make more revenue now! Then be prepared to increase revenue significantly with new body that rivals anything someone is using with the thread adapter. Seems simple to me... but of course I'm not sitting at their table listening to every challenge they face as a business.

 

[OF]

Gentle Friends,

I'm concerned about the number of guys who seem have the same issue repeat. Against this are others (and I'm in this group) who have not had any problems. This is not fitting the classic failure models, something is going on we're not recognizing. "We" being the editorial plural here, it's not our jobs to do so but I'm coming to the conclusion it's in our best interests to try to get a handle on this independently of TV's efforts.

I've got some modest experience here, but we need data. Hard data, that leads to 'root fault analysis' pointing to the specific failure. "My Cera doesn't seem to get as hot as it use to" is not really useful in and of itself. We need to know specifically which part has failed and exactly how it failed, if we want to try to prevent it. No telling if we can pull that off, but trying to collect data is the first step.

We're hampered, of course, because we don't have facilities to test down to the nits.....at least most of us don't. Not yet......

My half baked idea runs like this: I come up with a simple tool(s) I can send out to owners before they have another problem (or their first) so we can run a few tests before sending it in to TV for service. Nothing fancy, I think a jumper wire with some sort of pin on one end might be enough. It would not only let us determine what the specific failure was and should have the added benefit of getting the Cera going again in an emergency. It should, I think, work if you have a good core and charged battery alone, despite strap breaks, bad connections, spring problems, defective switches and all the common failures we think are going on.

No promises, of course, but I'm willing to spend some money and time making stuff up and mailing it out to guys willing to use it to determine what's up and tell us about it? That includes the possibility of saving the day when a strap gives out, switch dies or other failures we know about.

I'm still trying to decide what to do, but hopefully I'll come up with a useful plan in the next week or two (I'm ordering a few parts tonight I think). If those who'd like to take part will PM me their name and address I'll start compiling a list to mail them out to?

Thanks for considering volunteering, perhaps we can collectively sort this out? But we need data to start that process or we'll chase ghosts.

OF

 

[GR]

I got my Smooth Flow Moisture Conditioner delivered today, I wonder if it is different from previous ones. It has a hole all the way through, as if the ceramic disk was drilled out. So far so good, I like the base touching the cart not being Delrin. The flow is more restricted then the Delrin tip and so far no spots of oil coming through although that may take a day or two with a silicon tube to really find out. OF mentioning the flow becoming restricted as it clogged with reclaim, seems the one I have with a hole through the ceramic might not have this issue, time will tell. Anyway Zeki recommended it to me and so far I like it very much.

OF I am game. I have two bodies, well when TET returns one I will have two, and a heavy usage pattern, if there is a weak spot I usually find them. I most likely wouldn't need you to send anything to me, well maybe just some specifics and plans so I build a rig same as what you have in mind.

I have been thinking about usage patterns lately. Are LL user having strap problems same as EO users? I know when I use the LL how I control the power is much different from an intense oil session. LL is much more constant power, while EO for me is much more on off power.

My two new carts, one week old, both have wonderful air flow. My old one never this free flowing although I never had a complaint about it and maybe it will return from TET the same as these new ones. It seems TET has their oil cart assembly down pat at this point. My older oil cart no longer made a visible glow however no cart may have a visible glow after 20g of oil so time will tell me if these new carts behave the same.

I made a comment earlier if my old cart returns and does not function as well as the new carts it would be worthless to me. Today doing some yard work I realized how much I would like to have a beater cart for the work I was doing. No reason to take the risk of a perfectly good cart being used when I am completely distracted and filthy.

Edit: another comment I made was I don't vape much flower, just don't like it so I couldn't give much feed back on the LL cart. Oops, well the flower part is correct but I have done a bunch of Kief, bubble hash, and pressed hash in it and it does those great, maybe better then any-other method I have tried over the years.

 

[OF]

OF mentioning the flow becoming restricted as it clogged with reclaim, seems the one I have with a hole through the ceramic might not have this issue, time will tell.

Actually no, I didn't (unless I screwed up....). I said the Pure Flow, the filter version that doesn't have a through hole, plugs up. Two different products, similar names, understandable confusion. The ring version is what you want, not the plate version. Smooth flow should not plug up, but can foul with oil and need boiling out.

OF

 

[GR]

Actually no, I didn't (unless I screwed up....). I said the Pure Flow, the filter version that doesn't have a through hole, plugs up. Two different products, similar names, understandable confusion. The ring version is what you want, not the plate version. Smooth flow should not plug up, but can foul with oil and need boiling out.

OF

Gotcha. Not on their website so that's where my confusion came from.

 

[Mynameismud]

I have had to send my Ceras in more times than I will say but the number exceeds any I have seen posted here. I have never had a product of any type, in any category, with more troublesome issues than the Cera. I find this a very irritating feature regarding the Cera. That said I also have had some products exceed my expectations, ironically, that is also the Cera.

I bet it is less times than I had to send back broken wisprs. It took iolite about a year of customers repeatedly sending in faulty units and then the finally redesigned it

I dont know if something like that is needed with the cera yet, but from what im reading on here it seems like cera owners are going through the same thing i went through with the wispr

 

[PhotoRider]

Well, just retrurned from the Bay Area. Interesting ride back on the bike from 100 degrees to pouring rain, to hail, to snow, back to rain then finally dry again. I thought it was June - no?

Stopped and picked up my Cera Monday morning and met Zeki. Great guy - he rides a bike can't be bad

Anyway - long story short. I have not tried it yet cause I wanted to get some advice first or if there is anything I need to know before I load an EO cart? I read in a few posts the wax needs to be clean (like a Omicron cart) or it fouls (maybe just taste) i.e. the foil test. Is there anything else from you experienced users?

The base looks cool and well made at least from my impression. Not sure I like the power button position though - a bit awkward to hold, but maybe I'll get used to it. Picked up the Smooth Flow Moisture Conditioner also along with the LL cart so off I go into the wild wonder I guess...

 

[OF]

Good news PR, glad you got your Cera in hand.

Weigh the cart dry. Load about half a gram, be sure to melt it into the ceramic in the core well before running the temperature up enough to vape. Power bursts a few seconds long spaced out are the best way to do it.

Once melted in, power up and sip at it as it heats. In a few seconds it should make temperature if the load is light enough and the battery fresh. Keep the power on for a few hits (say a minute or so) and hang onto your head. Tightly. It's possible to cook the oil, but not easy, it's much more tolerant than Revoltion/DART in that respect. I reload when it slows up on start up, say .2 left. You can vape it down lower, but production volume drops and the taste suffers trying to 'milk' the last bits out.

I'd also politely suggest taking it easy until you get a grip on things, it's really easy to take more than you intended to and have it slap you silly.

Enjoy it, you've paid your dues to get it.

OF

 

[PhotoRider]

I'd also politely suggest taking it easy until you get a grip on things, it's really easy to take more than you intended to and have it slap you silly.

Enjoy it, you've paid your dues to get it.

OF

Thanks OF and I definitely start slow. Music to my ears that you must throttle it cause it can really provide!

 

[OF]

No doubt about it. I personally feel they must lack the capital to do thorough R&D and testing before they release their products to the wild. I think it is bat-shit-crazy having to send a product in so many times. It is hard for me to accept excuses for so many return issues. That said I am happy I own a Cera but I would not want to ever go through this return process ever again — Regardless what the product is I will not do it again.

Having been part of that test process for several TV products I have a different understanding about this I guess? I think they were pretty extensively tested (you'll find a few dozen posts from me describing my testing alone in the old thread......), both by myself and other Beta Testers, none of the current crop of problems with strap connections and switches came up in that period. Part availability forced a switch change to a switch that proved unreliable in service (and have been replaced), but having watched much of the R&D go by and been part of the testing you don't seem to think happened I can't agree with your take.

Do you really think it's profitable for them to have returns coming back? Or that they don't know that?

Your call to get one, of course, but I see nothing to base claims of incompetence on.....nor do I think they are driven to desperate moves like premature releases because they have money problems.

OF

 

[Skored]

Quick update for those of us that have sent in our Cera's multiple times. I've been told by Thermovape that since they have been using the laser welded components, they have had zero failures so far. So hopefully they found the reliable solution? Here's crossing my fingers that much time goes by before they see any failures with this new procedure, and that failures are rare.

 

[GR]

Quick update for those of us that have sent in our Cera's multiple times. I've been told by Thermovape that since they have been using the laser welded components, they have had zero failures so far. So hopefully they found the reliable solution? Here's crossing my fingers that much time goes by before they see any failures with this new procedure, and that failures are rare.

They got my laser weld yesterday for fixing.that doesn't mean the weld failed but the strap is what is faulty.

 

[Buzzard217]

They got my laser weld yesterday for fixing.that doesn't mean the weld failed but the strap is what is faulty.

Mailed my laser welded this morning out to them.

 

[OF]

So hopefully they found the reliable solution? Here's crossing my fingers that much time goes by before they see any failures with this new procedure, and that failures are rare.

They got my laser weld yesterday for fixing.that doesn't mean the weld failed but the strap is what is faulty.

Mailed my laser welded this morning out to them.

This is my understanding as well as of my visit before last. I think I said in the confusion of the last visit I forgot to confirm that was still the case (no welded connections have failed), thanks Skored for doing that.

However, two points worth noting. First off none of the soldered connections had (have?) failed either. It's the early crimped and glued ones that did. Since you can't solder to Ti, the Ti units were put on hold until the welding could be done (remember that?). Changing to welds on the SS version has manufacturing advantages, but I doubt there's any reliability gain from the change (over the more labor intensive soldering).

Secondly, as stated above, straps are failing now where they didn't before the change. The failure seems to be a break where it bends at the top. It's firmly attached to the wall up to the bend, then firmly (now) attached to the (floating) screw plate. Before that connection wasn't as mechanically solid. There's no way, I think, to deal with the stress right there. That needs to be confirmed as the 'root cause' before action of course, but the fix could be something as simple as not attaching the top half inch or so of the strap as firmly to the wall?

Time will tell, but I'm thinking something not well understood is in play here. Only when you understand what's going on can you truly say it's fixed. Often one fix leads to the next problem, as might be happening here?

Toward this end (I hope), I'm making some progress with my 'Home Cera Troubleshooting Kit'. Several Cera owners have volunteered to take part, in the unfortunate case where they have a failure, and have PM'd their names and addresses to me. I hope to have the kits ready to go before the end of the month.

OF

 

[bill]

Hey everyone, I have my thought on the poor performances people are having with the Cera. Cleaning the tip of the EO/LL carts that touches the battery is essential. Take some super fine sandpaper or a superfine fingernail file and gently buff the tip that touches the battery, do not scrub to hard. You have to clean the tip every time you soak the cart in ISO because it gets coated with residue. Clean the battery on both ends with ISO and give the threads a wipe down as well on the body and switch. For poor performing carts I find a deep cleaning works perfect and my EO cart acts like new. Soak in ISO for 20 minutes or so and use the blunt end of a chopstick to gently(very gently) scrub the top of the ceramic plate in the cart to loosen any burnt on sludge. Then boil hard for a bit (10-15 minutes) and let cool for a minute and blow through the cart from the bottom to force out any chunks/water. Now reassemble the Cera and hold the button down and slowly draw but do not inhale and keep puffing. It will take a few minutes but soon enough the EO cart will start to put out nasty smoke. keep puffing until you feel the cart start to draw easier. You might have to take the mouth piece off a couple of time to wipe out any water/oil residue that comes out of the cart but eventually the ceramic plat will completely turn grey and the cart will draw like new. It takes a few time to master cleaning the Cera but when you get your method down it really isnt any more effort than cleaning a nasty pipe or bong. The goal is to clean it so the ceramic wafer in the EO cart turns gray and is loose again like when you first got the Cera. After I had realized how to clean the Cera properly I can see it lasting and working great for a long time. Hope I didn't ramble to long. Peace be the journey

 

[Mynameismud]

I dont know about sanding the bottom of the cartridge, sounds risky to me.

As for the chopstick/ceramic plate move, People should be careful, I dont know if its the exact same ceramic as the revolution but they can crack with some pressure...

 

[PhotoRider]

All ceramic is brittle - be careful...

 

[OF]

I dont know about sanding the bottom of the cartridge, sounds risky to me.

As for the chopstick/ceramic plate move, People should be careful, I dont know if its the exact same ceramic as the revolution but they can crack with some pressure...

All ceramic is brittle - be careful...

I think it's OK to sand the contact carefully, I've done it when one of mine had a burr that was sticking up and making a circular scratch in the battery (and not making good contact in the process, how I got there....). Ideally you'd like a flat part, but having it tilted is probably worse than messing with it to start with. And there's a ceramic washer under it to be careful of. Caution is advised? Be sure, of course, the clean up all the dust from the process.

And I'd stay well clear of poking at the ceramic. It's the same material as in Revolution/DART and is not only brittle but very thin walled. It's mostly holes, not ceramic. When you poke at it you might not push very hard, but you're pushing on the tops of little random ceramic walls, the 'pounds per square inch' loads can be huge.....couple that with brittle and you're going to have problems. Like I did early on with Revolution testing, I was being too aggressive stirring bubble in there, I dished the surface out.

So if you're going to poke at it, do it 'like porcupines make love'? For myself, I'll pass I think. At least routinely.

OF

 

[nickzzzx]

Can anybody who has torched their EO core to clean it tell if there are any changes afterwards?

 

[bill]

I dont know about sanding the bottom of the cartridge, sounds risky to me.

As for the chopstick/ceramic plate move, People should be careful, I dont know if its the exact same ceramic as the revolution but they can crack with some pressure...

First off starting a sentence off with "I don't know" doesn't help your case. Whats risky about sanding metal? If you use fine sandpaper your golden, i didn't say go get some 80 grit and have at it. You would be pleasantly surprised by the outcome of lightly sanding the contacts, a world of difference for me. It's really sad how many people send in there Cera with heating issues, with a few simple thought out steps for maintaining and cleaning they should last a long time. To follow up on the chopstick technique, I don't push down at all on the wafer I only use the weight of the chopstick and do a twist motion just to lightly loosen up the top crud. I have been getting perfect results every time with a totally grey wafer and no residue left in the EO core.

 

[Ricardooayee]

I'm sorry if this has Been addressed before but I'm getting a good deal on a ecig cera. I wanted to know if I can run bho through that while I order the EO cart?

 

[BLAZING OG]

I'm sorry if this has Been addressed before but I'm getting a good deal on a ecig cera. I wanted to know if I can run bho through that while I order the EO cart?

If one of the originals it might work only difference between the EO & first run of EL carts was the EO ran at 14 watts and the EL ran at 16 watts, now TET has stated that production of the EL carts has been halted for a new and improved (different design) EL cart!!!
People have stated & one of my buddies also has stated that it does work!!!
Not sure if FC'rs recommend it but in a pickle iam sure it will work fine , till you get your EO cart!!!

 

[OF]

First off starting a sentence off with "I don't know" doesn't help your case. Whats risky about sanding metal?

I understand what you're saying and all but I took the 'I don't know' to mean MNIM saying, 'here's my opinion (based on initial take not provable facts)....' which I think is valid. And his opinions are valid, more so since they're not stated as God's own truth as is so common?

As to (at least some of the risks, I think I just covered some? You're additional clarifications help, of course.

I also understand and somewhat support your underlying theory of 'keep it clean and connections solid', I just don't see them at the same level of importance I guess. At the power levels we're running such things tend to be largely self correcting. Marginal contacts either immediately improve from localized self heating or fail all together from the same reason due to the high currents involved. "Dry" (non current carrying) connections are much more problematic usually.

FWIW, I'm typically a fan of the 'wipe the contact area on your pants leg' school myself. I'd generally settle for wiping the tip of the cart, both ends of the battery and the contact face of the spring that way and let good old Denim do it's thing......

Good advice, IMO, in the general sense. But I don't think it fixes dead gear issues very often at all. Just my opinion, of course. Chicken soup advice sort of, 'can't hurt, might help'? Can't hurt if you're careful, but heavy handed misadventures can cause problems I think.....and folks on this here internet tend to do stuff like that from time to time?

I'm sorry if this has Been addressed before but I'm getting a good deal on a ecig cera. I wanted to know if I can run bho through that while I order the EO cart?

I'm with Blazing OG here, go for it!

OF

 

[Ricardooayee]

If one of the originals it might work only difference between the EO & first run of EL carts was the EO ran at 14 watts and the EL ran at 16 watts, now TET has stated that production of the EL carts has been halted for a new and improved (different design) EL cart!!!
People have stated & one of my buddies also has stated that it does work!!!
Not sure if FC'rs recommend it but in a pickle iam sure it will work fine , till you get your EO cart!!!

Yeah its one of the first ones. Thanks !