Discontinued Thermovape Cera
- Thread starter SameOldTim
- Start date
OF
Well-Known Member
I'm a little lost with the first part, if you're talking about EO cores, boiling is not only recommended but it's next to mandatory. It's just not commonly needed in LL cores, it's still fine though, as is ISO soaking (basically for the same reasons). The materials are basically the same in each.
My understanding about the once common practice of using it's own heat to dry is it was, as so often can happen, being taken to extremes by guys in a hurry and not paying a lot of attention to the process (where have we heard this one?). The issue was rather than get most of the water out first (do final drying) guys would lay on the power and let it sizzle and snap inside (cheap entertainment?) starting out with literally dripping cores. In this case it seems hot water was bouncing around inside the core with very hot spots, getting into narrow places and flashing to steam. It was breaking stuff up, or at least accused of it. Since it's not necessary really and while you can't really call it abused by guys but 'getting carried away' could cause problems it's no longer recommended. Or so I understand.
FWIW, that seems a reasonable precaution to me. IMO drying in an oven at low temperature is fine. I've seen it done there (there's actually a little toaster oven in the middle of the shop in fact for this and epoxy curing). Just keep it under about 225, not 1600F like the heater does? As before shaking out as much water as will come and blotting up with paper towels as much as you can will speed the process. You for sure want the water out before any oil is added.
The 'trick' (if there is one) is to not let it get too bad before you clean it up. FWIW I also disagree a bit with the sequence. I think doing 20/20/20 burns first can make a problem in badly fouled carts. I recommend boiling first (removes the most fastest), ISO and then try to burn out what's left in such cases. Not smart to add a bunch of bake in junk to your 'to do' list?
Regards.
OF
The circle in the center of the air holes on my LL is brown. I tried using a cotton swab and iso but it didnt really seem to fix anything! Was thinking about an iso soak but dont want to take the chance if i dont have to. Thats all ive attempted though..Its not a working issue just more of a cosmetic issue.
Severmore
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I had the same problem. My solution was to cut a thin strip of fine grain (150) sand paper (roughly 4in by 1/3in), fold it in half over the eraser of a pencil (squeezing the strip of sand paper in place), inverting my LL cart over the pencil/sand paper, and revolving in a bell shaped motion. Probably not the smartest, but it removed a brown ring by the holes in my LL cart that no amount of boiling or soaking in ISO could.
Severmore
Well-Known Member
Thanks, I'll give those a try next time...
OF
Well-Known Member
Understood, but you edited out my very next sentence:
"Yeah, I know, but hang on."
I then went on to detail burning it out. Important detail I think. When the holes are plugged, what would you suggest?
As far as 'causing the iron alloy element to fail' I've no idea who gave you that advice, or what's behind it, but IMO it's way off base. This is basically a stainless steel, nothing I know of in herb hurts it, the EO core heater (the exact same material, literally from the same spool) is immersed in extract it's entire life for Heaven's sake.....that's where you'd expect problems, right? Not from some brief contact.
In extreme cases I stick by my recommendations, they worked for me and I see no danger given reasonable caution.
Your call, of course.
Thanks.
OF
OF
Well-Known Member
This is still bothering me some. So I did some poking around and the Quick Start Guide says LL carts can in fact be boiled:
http://static.squarespace.com/stati...bc62/1361605202217/Quick_Start_Guide_Cera.pdf (first box, second line).
I really don't think it fits the old joke about Totalitarianism, "that which is not compulsory is forbidden". Rather I think there's a list of useful (and safe) cleaning techniques individuals can pick from? Some work better than others, of course, which is why we come here to compare notes?
OF
OF
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry you take it that way, that's not the intent. My goal is reliable and useful information for those looking for it. I just want to set the story straight.
I get it that you might not care what bothers me, nobody might, but not having that sort of information available concerns me.....it's better than guessing or acting on misinformation. It's what sometimes gets me to investigate and report 'the bottom line'. I personally really don't care much for all the 'I just pulled the trigger on...', I just got shipping notification...' and so on so posts. I'm not sure what it contributes down the road. I guess we all have to ignore some posts (or parts)?
OF
PhotoRider
Diagnosed with level 11 G.A.S.
Sometimes its just sharing between friends 
However, when you are looking for technical details it does make extracting that info more difficult.
Sometimes the ole bottomline isn't that thin or in flux, but like you not having the correct for best information known is important to me. Not having readily available bothers me also.
However, when you are looking for technical details it does make extracting that info more difficult.
Sometimes the ole bottomline isn't that thin or in flux, but like you not having the correct for best information known is important to me. Not having readily available bothers me also.
OF
Well-Known Member
Again, I'm sorry if being right bothers you. That was not the intent. I try, whenever possible, to cite references. I have long experience in this general area and TV products specifically and wish to share that.
I tend to stay out of areas I'm not comfortable in, like say the corded vapes.
Perhaps if you find my posts too long, or boring, or otherwise offensive you can simply skip ahead and try not to take it personally?
OF
Tom Funk
Well-Known Member
Just had some great customer service from TET. I was undercharged for my order, and when I brought this to Zeki's attention, he thanked me for my honesty by leaving the charge as it stood. Top company!
Steama, Chill mate. Didn't your mum ever tell you that if you don't like a kid, just play with someone else. No need to tell them how much they shit you.
OF, thanks for pointing out what is only logical. Shouldn't be necessary, but sometimes is. Saved others from the job. Thanks for taking one for the team.
Oh. And after following this thread and the old Cera thread from the beginning, I finally lashed out and ordered a Cera along with my T1 core rebuild. Will be happy days in a couple weeks.
TF
Steama, Chill mate. Didn't your mum ever tell you that if you don't like a kid, just play with someone else. No need to tell them how much they shit you.
OF, thanks for pointing out what is only logical. Shouldn't be necessary, but sometimes is. Saved others from the job. Thanks for taking one for the team.
Oh. And after following this thread and the old Cera thread from the beginning, I finally lashed out and ordered a Cera along with my T1 core rebuild. Will be happy days in a couple weeks.
TF
OF
Well-Known Member
Don't you just hate that?
A lot of years back I knew a guy, Another Aussie in fact, that was the most money conscious guy you can imagine. He split household expenses with his room mate straight down the middle, they had a half cent postage stamp they traded back and forth to cover the odd penny. It came from his stamp collection and was worth about four dollars at the time.
He used to term such stores that undercharge 'long change artists' (pun on 'short change artist', someone who cheats you). He'd get indignant in public, insist he wasn't going to put up with it, demand they take the money or he'd call the cops....... Sometimes it'd go on for a long time before folks caught on and started laughing. I miss him.
Thanks for the fun ride down memory lane.
OF
VapoRoor
DAB-a-DAB I'll dooooo
Aha! WAY TO JOIN THE TEAM!
PhotoRider
Diagnosed with level 11 G.A.S.
OF
Well-Known Member
Great! Experimental data is a good thing. I'm not sure right off what the idea being tested is, but that will likely sort itself out and my not following doesn't change the data collection of course.
I think it's worth noting there's some variation cart to cart and it seems the common experience is they tend to 'run hotter' when new which might be difficult to isolate?
Thanks for volunteering. I'm looking forward to what you find.
OF
I almost forgot... I don't know if anyone else already confirmed this, but I ordered batteries from fasttech.com and they seem legit. (far, far earlier in the thread we were speculating whether they were selling the real deal, as they are in china) My best friend got a Cera, and instead of ordering batteries from one of the usual US sources or thermovape, I ordered a pair of NCR18650PD from http://www.fasttech.com/products/1420/10001980/1233700-panasonic-ncr18650pd-18650-36v-2900mah-rechargeabl
for approximately $14.50 shipped. Before I ordered I did some research on the website, and it turns out this site is commonly mentioned on flashlight forums (where they discuss batteries a LOT), and according to them the cells are the real deal. I don't know how I would prove conclusively that they are authentic cells, but the batteries I got for my friend perform exactly as I would expect them to from everything I have read (as compared to my CGR18650CH's).
So, basically if you don't mind ordering from china, and want your batteries for cheap, I highly recommend buying from fasttech.com because while shipping might take a few days longer than ordering from the USA (mine took 5 or 6 days), the price is about 44% cheaper than the least expensive online source I could find here (Obtronic- I paid $25 shipped for a pair of CGR18650CH versus $14 from fasttech, who were unfortunately sold out of them at the time)
Hopefully this info helps someone else save some cash.
Edit: forgot to add the link for CGR18650CH batteries:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/14...anasonic-cgr18650ch-rechargeable-2250mah-3-7v
for approximately $14.50 shipped. Before I ordered I did some research on the website, and it turns out this site is commonly mentioned on flashlight forums (where they discuss batteries a LOT), and according to them the cells are the real deal. I don't know how I would prove conclusively that they are authentic cells, but the batteries I got for my friend perform exactly as I would expect them to from everything I have read (as compared to my CGR18650CH's).
So, basically if you don't mind ordering from china, and want your batteries for cheap, I highly recommend buying from fasttech.com because while shipping might take a few days longer than ordering from the USA (mine took 5 or 6 days), the price is about 44% cheaper than the least expensive online source I could find here (Obtronic- I paid $25 shipped for a pair of CGR18650CH versus $14 from fasttech, who were unfortunately sold out of them at the time)
Hopefully this info helps someone else save some cash.
Edit: forgot to add the link for CGR18650CH batteries:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/14...anasonic-cgr18650ch-rechargeable-2250mah-3-7v
I ordered 8 CGR18650CH from fasttech. Sold two, have 4 charged once and stored for long term. And the two ive currently been using with my cera. Those two work well with EO but withh the LL it just gets really hot and produces whipsy vapor.
If i put in some NCR18650PD i also got from fasttech i get much bigger and better results, even from a cold start. I dont know if the CGRs were just stored imporoperly or are not legit, but the 2 ive been using are definitely not what i was expecting. Especially compared to the NCRs. Again, havent tried them all and I havent heard anything from the person i gave the other 2 two so cant say for sure.
nopartofme
Over the falls, in a barrel
Very strange! This is almost the opposite of my experience, except I can get great performance out of my NCR too; I just have to wait a few seconds longer on the warmup. CGRs get me there just a bit quicker. I got mine from Amazon back in March or April and they're still chugging along.
It sounds like you're charging the batteries to 100% before storing them long term? I believe it's better to store them at 50%, which should be how they arrive from the store anyways so no charge is necessary or advised before storage.
I'm planning on being the guinea pig for the use of Sony's new US18650VTC3 in the LLC, but they're currently sold out at FastTech. Haywood got me interested in these in this post a few months back, and Pipes just mentioned they're working well for him in the FlashVape.
LLC is my daily driver so I'll be giving these guys a good hard testing. I might pick up some fresh CGR18650CH to test alongside, for fairness.
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No they are stored at about 70%. I just charged them once and then drained them for about 10 minutes....to be fair i only drained them and did not try those yet with anything loaded.
The two ive been using work well in the EO but I barely can get any sized decent hit with the LL especially compared to the NCR. Like barely anything with CGR compared to huge rips with NCR in the LL...
Oh and its not good to keep them how they come. it varies quite a bit so its better to charge and then drain rather than trust that they are actually at 50% when you get them.Anyways excited to hear bout those batteries
Hmm... I'm sorry to hear that about the CGRs. Perhaps return the 2 that aren't working properly? I believe the site has like a 45 day return policy. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the CGRs are discontinued? I guess I just don't like the idea of going back to paying 25 a pair lol.
Please let me know how this story ends- I was most certainly hoping to get more CGRs from fasttech