Thekidthatshigh
Member
Do you guys know how to get the longest lifespan out of you battery. Like charging all the time or just when it's dead. Or do the same rules apply to a generic lithium ion battery.
Discontinued The Firefly Vaporizer
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havealight101
Norski
Same rules, depleting them all the way is most likely not ideal.
The FF may have a shut off voltage to protect the cells from full discharge, I'm unsure though.
Having a few batteries, I just switch them out after every couple loads.
The FF may have a shut off voltage to protect the cells from full discharge, I'm unsure though.
Having a few batteries, I just switch them out after every couple loads.
darkrom
Great Scott!
I beat the piss out of batteries pretty hard. I charge when I'm near a charger and I don't worry about it when I'm not. So far so good with all my other devices. I think that charge "patterns" are less important on current technology than people believe. If my devices are degrading from constant charging and discharging...I can't even notice, so I'm not too worried.
At $30 per battery firefly batteries are fair IMO. I'm still yet to kill the battery on a day out. I rip through 5 cera batteries easily on that thing with herb, but I am happy with battery life so far. So much so that I just ordered the battery, not the external charger. I can charge both to full in under 1.5 hrs. I'll just charge at night and enjoy during the day and always have 2 full batteries per day to work with. Unless the thing stops holding such a good charge/so many bowls, I don't think I'll bother taking both with me most days.
genericandorwittyusername
Well-Known Member
There must be a temp sensor somewhere in the device presuming the instruction manual isn't mistaken (no idea where, but there were a couple chips that I couldn't read, and this isn't my area of expertise). It says that the indicator light will glow amber if the device overheats.
Also I have to presume that the ceramic/glass around the heating coil retains some heat. I did notice when I stress tested mine that the coil was glowing less brightly on activation as the device got hotter. That indicates to me that there is a sensor somewhere (though I suppose it could be an estimate based on current drawn over time as fernand mentioned above, perhaps that's why it needs so much processing power?), and that the retained heat is helping at least a little bit.
Another thing I've noticed is that even right after a few hits, I can empty the bowl (ten seconds or so to brush all the material out) and the screen at the bottom is cool to the touch, so definitely not much conduction happening. Most of the retained heat must be below the bowl around the heating coil, and in the aluminium body of the device.
Perhaps if someone else has done a stress test they can chime in with their experience. Takes about ten minutes to drain the battery running it almost continuously, and it gets very very hot. I put mine on a cold surface half way through to cool it down because it was becoming uncomfortable to hold. Didn't actually see the amber light though, so I can't comment on whether or not that line from the manual is accurate.
[URL='http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/best-of-the-firefly-vaporizer-thread.16628/']
[/URL]
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Thekidthatshigh
Member
Just tried it and I LOVE it! Thanks you all for talking me into buying it! It only took a day to get here with the 10 dollar shipping. I got as high off like .2 as I would with .5 or .6 with the Pax! It is perfect for my style of smoking
Thanks that's exactly what I wanted to hear.
Mines does not seem to be like that
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Load to just above the rim of the bowl, tamp down lightly.
Press button, wait for 3-4 seconds, begin drawing slowly and steadily.
First draw - leave the button depressed until it automatically shuts off. Continue drawing slowly and steadily until no more vapor is felt.
Subsequent draws - leave the button depressed until I start feeling vapor, then release. Continue drawing slowly and steadily until no more vapor is felt.
Tap gently between hits to stir. Open and stir once near the end of the session to get the remaining goodies.
Thats weird. I get around 4 bowls off a charge from my cera. And can get 2 cera batteries for $15.
Just got replacement ff yesterday. Only got about 3 bowls and a couple hits off a 4th but ill have to keep playing with it.
I really like how versatile it is, ive gotten great results from everything ive thrown in so far
darkrom
Great Scott!
Interesting. I do things a bit different. Fill to about the rim loosely, not packed much if at all.
I press the button and wait 3-4 seconds and draw slowly, ramping up faster gradually over the hit, while remaining SMOOTH AND STEADY (very important on convection vapes imo).
IDK what you mean by automatically shuts off. I just press and continue to hold for the entire duration of my hit. Is that not what everyone else is doing? I might shut it off half way through or 3/4 of the way through my hit, but its just one long press and hold during the hit, not multiple hits.
Very similiar but the less full packing I find ensures even vaping.
ElPic
Take my money
If it can help some you, Shelby from Firefly live chat gave me that technique on how to properly use the FF!!
>When you prepare your material, instead of grinding it, we recommend to hand tear your material and make it leafy as possible. We have also found that a chapstick cap is a good measurement of dry material to load into the chamber. You can use the opposite side of the chapstick to lightly tamp down on your material in the chamber. Make sure it is not overflowing, and then seal the lid tightly.
Regarding using the Firefly, please ensure the battery is fully charged so the unit does not die down during usage. Once the unit is charged and ready to go, I recommend preheating the unit and material. This preheating is only necessary at the beginning of your sessions to ensure the material is warmed up properly.
Simply hold down the heating button for about 8 – 10 seconds. Around the 8-10 second mark begin to draw. Make sure when you go to draw from the unit you continue to hold the heating button down. When drawing from the Firefly you will want to take a nice long, slow and steady draw.
I have personally found the air flow a little easier if let the heating button go for only a second to allow some cool air to pass through, than immediately press the button again so the material continues to create vapor. This will use up more of your battery, however will produce a great stream of vapor that has superior taste.
Keep in mind as the heating button is pressed, the unit is gradually heating up to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It took me a couple of days to key in on my preferred temperature and method, but I have loved my Firefly ever since. I hope you will have a great experience as I did after using these tips.<
>paste from email receive by info@firefly.com<
>When you prepare your material, instead of grinding it, we recommend to hand tear your material and make it leafy as possible. We have also found that a chapstick cap is a good measurement of dry material to load into the chamber. You can use the opposite side of the chapstick to lightly tamp down on your material in the chamber. Make sure it is not overflowing, and then seal the lid tightly.
Regarding using the Firefly, please ensure the battery is fully charged so the unit does not die down during usage. Once the unit is charged and ready to go, I recommend preheating the unit and material. This preheating is only necessary at the beginning of your sessions to ensure the material is warmed up properly.
Simply hold down the heating button for about 8 – 10 seconds. Around the 8-10 second mark begin to draw. Make sure when you go to draw from the unit you continue to hold the heating button down. When drawing from the Firefly you will want to take a nice long, slow and steady draw.
I have personally found the air flow a little easier if let the heating button go for only a second to allow some cool air to pass through, than immediately press the button again so the material continues to create vapor. This will use up more of your battery, however will produce a great stream of vapor that has superior taste.
Keep in mind as the heating button is pressed, the unit is gradually heating up to a temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It took me a couple of days to key in on my preferred temperature and method, but I have loved my Firefly ever since. I hope you will have a great experience as I did after using these tips.<
>paste from email receive by info@firefly.com<
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2 Paces
Well-Known Member
The Firefly has an auto shutoff (at about 30 seconds I believe). Even if you keep pressing the button, the unit will stop heating and the green light will stop flashing and glow constantly. Unless you let go of the button & re-press it at this point, the unit will no longer produce heat.
mitchgo61
I go where the thrills are
The glass bowl can get hot, for just a few seconds. I've never felt the screen/bowl floor surface get particularly hot. The body of the FF, though, as you noted, can get quite warm. It's rare for me that it gets as warm as you describe, but in a fast, battery-draining session, it can get very warm. I have never seen the yellow light...a couple users here have reported it.
Interesting, given that FF have warned other users not to pulse the heat button in a single hit to avoid restarting the heat cycle and over-heating the hit. Just goes to show you how personally variable everyone's experience is.
The heater shuts off automatically after the button is held down for anywhere from 30 to 45 seconds, depending on the FF unit. I personally never (or almost never) hold it down long enough for it to shut off automatically...I do a four second precount, draw while holding for another say 10 seconds, and keep drawing for another five or so after letting off the button. Something like that. It's so intuitive to me now after two months with the FF that I really don't think about it anymore.
Quetzalcoatl
DEADY GUERRERO/DIRT COBAIN/GEORGE KUSH
Yup, full charge prior to first use, then don't fully discharge them and don't fully charge them after.
2 Paces
Well-Known Member
Is this documented fact?
I have heard so many different things about batteries that I no longer know what to believe. I have heard the exact opposite of what you just said, namely that it is best not to charge them over and over if they don't need it.
I am not saying that what I heard was correct, but it really is hard to know what to believe when nobody offers citations or research or anything of the sort to back up advice on how to treat batteries...
Shiggity
Well-Known Member
Here is a link to Battery University. Great resource! Look at table 2.
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries
Also I disconnect the batteries from the charger after they are fully charged. I am not sure if this charger keeps trickling or not but it is best to be safe.
mckeen
Tumrgrwer
Simple Guidelines for Charging Lithium-based Batteries
- A portable device should be turned off while charging. This allows the battery to reach the threshold voltage unhindered and reflects the correct saturation current responsible to terminate the charge. A parasitic load confuses the charger.
- Charge at a moderate temperature. Do not charge below freezing.
- Lithium-ion does not need to be fully charged; a partial charge is better.
- Chargers use different methods for “ready” indication. The light signal may not always indicate a full charge.
- Discontinue using charger and/or battery if the battery gets excessively warm.
- Before prolonged storage, apply some charge to bring the pack to about half charge.
- Over-discharged batteries can be “boosted” to life again. Discard pack if the voltage does not rise to a normal level within a minute while on boost.
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
With a 2s 7.4v battery I would assume it is a LiPo battery. I have been working with these cells in other applications for 10 years- primarily powering aircraft and unmanned air vehicles and camera gimbals/systems.
You all are right, you do not want to over-discharge the cells. LiPo cells are quite volatile when over-discharged and can cause permanent damage. I do not have a unit, but I am doubtful there are any balance leads on the battery to measure capacity and voltage per cell. Lipos do not recover from discharges below 3v per cell and good cells should top off at 4.2 volts per cell.
Do not store on a full battery, it will contribute to shorter life spans. LiPo batteries are best stored at 50% or approximately 3.7-3.8v per cell for increased shelf life. I store all my batts at 3.8 if I am not using them for more than 3-4 days. NOTE this is the exact opposite of how one should care for NiMh batteries, which are best maintained by toping off the battery and storing fully charged.
Regarding over-discharging, perhaps the manufacture or distributor can add their knowledge, but any device using LiPo technology, likely has a built in LVC (low voltage cutoff) to avoid causing any damage to batteries or running the battery to dangerously low levels. Does anyone know if these FF units have an LVC?
I am also assuming, but I believe it probably also has an auto shut-off to stop charging after it reaches a certain voltage.
Here is what can happen on an overcharge. This is just one cell, imagine 2x the explosion with a second cell:
You all are right, you do not want to over-discharge the cells. LiPo cells are quite volatile when over-discharged and can cause permanent damage. I do not have a unit, but I am doubtful there are any balance leads on the battery to measure capacity and voltage per cell. Lipos do not recover from discharges below 3v per cell and good cells should top off at 4.2 volts per cell.
Do not store on a full battery, it will contribute to shorter life spans. LiPo batteries are best stored at 50% or approximately 3.7-3.8v per cell for increased shelf life. I store all my batts at 3.8 if I am not using them for more than 3-4 days. NOTE this is the exact opposite of how one should care for NiMh batteries, which are best maintained by toping off the battery and storing fully charged.
Regarding over-discharging, perhaps the manufacture or distributor can add their knowledge, but any device using LiPo technology, likely has a built in LVC (low voltage cutoff) to avoid causing any damage to batteries or running the battery to dangerously low levels. Does anyone know if these FF units have an LVC?
I am also assuming, but I believe it probably also has an auto shut-off to stop charging after it reaches a certain voltage.
Here is what can happen on an overcharge. This is just one cell, imagine 2x the explosion with a second cell:
Vitolo
Vaporist
"triggered by overloading"....
BUT---> setup prior to overloading to explode.
What battery comes in a mylar bag?
They had two sealed leads going into the bag to charge that battery.. which triggered a reaction. that reaction does not simply occur in a cell phone etc during a charge, to the best of my knowledge..
The explosion in the video was man-assisted is what I am inclined to believe.
BUT---> setup prior to overloading to explode.
What battery comes in a mylar bag?
They had two sealed leads going into the bag to charge that battery.. which triggered a reaction. that reaction does not simply occur in a cell phone etc during a charge, to the best of my knowledge..
The explosion in the video was man-assisted is what I am inclined to believe.
FlyingLow
Team NO SLEEP!
I am absolutely not inferring this is typical- That was a manmade reaction and not the same cells as used in the FF. Excuse me if I caused any confusion.
The cells are LiPo though, meaning they are the same chemistry as the batteries in the FF. This was merely a fun demonstration of a Lipo reaction.
The cells are LiPo though, meaning they are the same chemistry as the batteries in the FF. This was merely a fun demonstration of a Lipo reaction.
poonman
Well-Known Member
I was hoping that would be the case , for all LI-on battery
operated vapes .
fernand
Well-Known Member
Part of the reason for all the variation still might be differences between units: exact length of the coil, exactly how it's positioned, and who knows about the electronics tolerances. It can apparently take more pre-heating on some FireFlys.
Notice on the photos of the disassembled unit how the coil on one side is pushed against the white base, you can see the blackened ceramic, so it would be losing heat in that area. Gently pulling the coil a bit up on that side could solve that. As to a sensor, they can read chassis temperature and amperage on the board. I rather expected a sensor near the coil. In the end it all matters little, as it seems we get to a satisfactory result with a little patience.
A chap stick cap of shredded material would be a bit much for me, 0.1 g is a good bowl, and 0.05 g makes a nice little load under a screen "hat" to keep it down. The ability to switch herb types after a small portion is fantastic. That's more efficient even than a MFLB.
As to the preferred "hand tearing" of herb, there are Microplane parsley choppers that use a scissors mechanism, but don't the aluminum post grinders just grab and tear it anyway?
FWIW these batteries have 5 contacts.
Notice on the photos of the disassembled unit how the coil on one side is pushed against the white base, you can see the blackened ceramic, so it would be losing heat in that area. Gently pulling the coil a bit up on that side could solve that. As to a sensor, they can read chassis temperature and amperage on the board. I rather expected a sensor near the coil. In the end it all matters little, as it seems we get to a satisfactory result with a little patience.
A chap stick cap of shredded material would be a bit much for me, 0.1 g is a good bowl, and 0.05 g makes a nice little load under a screen "hat" to keep it down. The ability to switch herb types after a small portion is fantastic. That's more efficient even than a MFLB.
As to the preferred "hand tearing" of herb, there are Microplane parsley choppers that use a scissors mechanism, but don't the aluminum post grinders just grab and tear it anyway?
FWIW these batteries have 5 contacts.
Quetzalcoatl
DEADY GUERRERO/DIRT COBAIN/GEORGE KUSH
Not usually. Samsung had an issue recently with one of their newer phones, overheated from charging and popped. The thing is Samsung only wanted to replace the faulty phone if the guy signed NDA's and promised not to tell anyone about it ever, which only made it a bigger deal. It's not something that should happen but it can...
darkrom
Great Scott!
The firefly survived being in a hit and run car accident yesterday. I was trading the car in TODAY, until some bitch in a mercedes tboned me and ran. Firefly was on the seat and went flying and is 100% undamaged, even cosmetically. Meanwhile my car is as close totaled as you can get...you know without actually being totaled :/
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