guyonthecouch
Well-Known Member
Does the Alpine start heating automatically once the vape is in the chamber? Or do you have to press the vape down onto a switch(like portside mini) to engage it?
Alpine 2020/2021 - Induction Heater
- Thread starter fatbiker
- Start date
LabPong
Well-Known Member
The heater starts with the vapcap pushing down the button in the tube like a Pipes IH. You push in the external power switch on (it's too damn small for my big thumbs) and then the heater on/off is the second switch in the tube.
It is in the correct place as being in the center of the very small cube......but any heat from the tube after firing off.....is not going to effect the cap cooling in any measurable way.
So far I am only slightly worried about the weird power display lights........should of just used the nice one Pipes uses...more lights to follow current draw down better I think. But hoping the oddness of the 3rd light going out when heating up will not be a distraction to actually current to lights % readings.....but to me...its not a good meter setup. Only neg from me so far besides the very small power button.
As far as clicks.....I think I recall hearing about 80+- from the 1000mah cell. This Alpine IH clicks to heat like my Jarhead and Skeletor....about 9 seconds.
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floribud
Well-Known Member
Well this is how my Vortex attaches to the magnet. Clearly they used the wrong type of magnet. A Dynavap magnet will center your Vapcap on either side of the magnet. This pretty ruins the look of the box, and makes the Vapcap much less stable...especially if you use this outside. I hate to say this but they've got to fix this. This was even inspected. There's an inspection sticker inside. Do they consider this acceptable? I hope not.
Having said that well it works pretty well. On/Off button is tiny, can use the mouthpiece end to turn it own and off. Heatup time is 9-10 seconds. It's pretty gentle at least on my Ti Tip Vortex here. Great flavor, but extraction is a little slower than my home made one, but then I custom tuned my homemade one to match what I considered a perfect heat, so that's not a good comparison. It's definitely a good temp, maybe going a second or two beyond the click can make it just a bit roastier if you like. Overall I love the size and the way they've tuned it, but this magnet thing has got me worried about quality control
babaganush
Well-Known Member
I feel like that's gonna mess with my OCD. I wonder if theres a simple way to pry out the magnet and replace it with one that works with the vapcap without messing up the wood.
floribud
Well-Known Member
I think you'd have to break off the wood and get sent a new wood piece with the correct magnet in it, and maybe some new glue. Anyway, I'll give them a chance to make this right before I order a Versa.
thunderstealer1337
Well-Known Member
mine is still stuck in preshipment mode from 7/2, oh wells
TommyDee
Vaporitor
Worth the wait @thunderstealer1337 - even if it takes another round trip, I can tell you it hits the mark when it is all said and done. I've put a fork in it and its all over my face. IT IS DONE!
Mono Loco
Well-Known Member
Saw this posting on Reddit ... guts ovda' Alpine: Alpine 2020 Attic View (no Basement)
thunderstealer1337
Well-Known Member
how is the click to activate, is it light like the apollo or hard like the caldron
The caldron leaves divots on the caps, apollo doesnt
The caldron leaves divots on the caps, apollo doesnt
Mono Loco
Well-Known Member
The Caldron has just been updated (as well as the PSM and the Bare Bones) to incorporate a silicone disc, full diameter of the glass tube (nested in a custom 3D-printed housing) as the heat-shield atop the activation switch. This revision distributes the pressure of the switch "more better" over the CAP instead of focusing it in the center like his "gemstone dome" did = less divot potential! Fluxer Heaters followed suit, as well, replacing his Pyrex button disc with a silicone disc.
InvisiKat
Well-Known Member
Not only is the wrong magnet, it is a zinc plated magnet. It really should be a bright nickel to keep the shine on things.
However, this did solve it for me for the time being;
Standard 1/4" diameter, 1/8" thick.
I tried this with the magnet from my old lucid IH and it didn’t work, what kind of magnet do I need to order to do this? Also why do you like to add feet to it?
TommyDee
Vaporitor
The 1/4" magnet is an ordinary axially polarized magnet. I've never found a decent dipole magnet. Not even sure if they'll stack. The smallness of the 1/4" lets the VC center as we expect.
I have a glass table so the bevel edges will scratch the ano on the bottom. And it has a much softer landing being put back down on the table.
I have a glass table so the bevel edges will scratch the ano on the bottom. And it has a much softer landing being put back down on the table.
Mono Loco
Well-Known Member
I believe ... the Lucid magnet, even his original builds, were official Dynavap (DV) Dynamags, so diametric poles . The Aspen appears to NOT be diametric, but rather axial. TommyDees smaller-diameter 2nd-ary magnet is axial and two stacked axial magnets will center just fine. If a disc magnet is larger in diameter than than the Dynavap (DV) tip, a diametric magnet will center the DV, but an axial magnet will not. However, if a magnet is smaller in diameter than the DV, then it WILL center the DV even if the magnet is axial! It seems counter-intuitive, but it is so! So ... bigger is not always better.
TommyDee
Vaporitor
You left out that the pair of magnets are stronger together making a lighter vapcap act like Weebles. 
Nice summation however @Mono Loco . I wonder how long it'll be before I try to get into mine. Seems to be well cemented.
I'm still working on day two of using the Alpine 2020. Got up late so little progress but we're resting on 2 green lights as of now and we're at least 5 caps in for the day.
I have a theory about the green lights and what they represent.
See if anyone else can follow on their's;
All readings are resting voltages;
3 GRN - FULL CHARGE
2 GRN - 11.1V
1 GRN - 10.6V
0 GRN - Charge Me Already!
Looking forward to seeing the fire voltage at 1 GRN.
Mind you, this is a prediction!!! Working on verification throughout the evening. Working hard at it no less!
And the vape coming from the Alpine has subsided in intensity. We're down to a normal level of herb escape and finger oils I'd expect. The 'industrial' scent I reported earlier might have been misleading. It was something else invading the living room from who knows where, but not the A'20.
The bottom of the cup is a silicon pad. seems to do the job. That's going to be the test of time. Ask any maker
Nice summation however @Mono Loco . I wonder how long it'll be before I try to get into mine. Seems to be well cemented.
I'm still working on day two of using the Alpine 2020. Got up late so little progress but we're resting on 2 green lights as of now and we're at least 5 caps in for the day.
I have a theory about the green lights and what they represent.
See if anyone else can follow on their's;
All readings are resting voltages;
3 GRN - FULL CHARGE
2 GRN - 11.1V
1 GRN - 10.6V
0 GRN - Charge Me Already!
Looking forward to seeing the fire voltage at 1 GRN.
Mind you, this is a prediction!!! Working on verification throughout the evening. Working hard at it no less!
And the vape coming from the Alpine has subsided in intensity. We're down to a normal level of herb escape and finger oils I'd expect. The 'industrial' scent I reported earlier might have been misleading. It was something else invading the living room from who knows where, but not the A'20.
The bottom of the cup is a silicon pad. seems to do the job. That's going to be the test of time. Ask any maker
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InvisiKat
Well-Known Member
Wanted to share this here - I noticed that while my alpine is charging, the part plugged into the outlet gets very hot, but not so hot you can’t touch it. This seems to go away once the device is fully charged.
Also it seems like it sparks more than my other electronics when plugging it in. Is that normal?
Also just a note, my battery did not last a full day.
Also it seems like it sparks more than my other electronics when plugging it in. Is that normal?
Also just a note, my battery did not last a full day.
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fatbiker
Well-Known Member
I have not noticed any sparking.
I used it a few times and then charged it a bit. I didn't notice if the charger was hot. I will pay attention the next time I charge it. I have been using it quite a bit and have not drained the battery yet so I cannot comment on the battery length.
LabPong
Well-Known Member
I have the most recent Caldron....the Alpine feels just a little bit softer pressure to activate the heater switch.
One man's day = another man's week or hour possibly.......
Manufacture mentioned months back it should fire off about 80+- heatings per charge. Tommy said he was going to count a full charge heating cycle range for us....not sure if he has drained a full charge yet?
InvisiKat
Well-Known Member
I have the most recent Caldron....the Alpine feels just a little bit softer pressure to activate the heater switch.
One man's day = another man's week or hour possibly.......
Manufacture mentioned months back it should fire off about 80+- heatings per charge. Tommy said he was going to count a full charge heating cycle range for us....not sure if he has drained a full charge yet?
Oh yeah I got about 20 clicks on the first battery charge, but I go 5 seconds past the click every time so that adds up!
TommyDee
Vaporitor
@InvisiKat - the connector should not get hot. Contact the manufacturer. 20 clicks with +5 is still only the equivalent of 40 clicks. However, if you are going by the battery lights to determine charge state, it is probably fuller than you realize. I was measuring the voltage at the power plug.
I am very impressed with the lasting power of the battery. Although the lights went to 1 green light when resting, it still has a lot of power remaining. I was reading 11.2V when 1 green light was active. The meter is therefore extremely conservative.
I am not using the supplied charger for several reasons. First being the fact that I don't know enough about the BMS being used. I have read that the charge circuit is only good for 500ma of charge current. The charger will supply 2 amps. Works fine if you minimize the discharge level before charging but a deep cycle with a heavy charge is not something I want to see on my new toy. I am limiting the charging input to my A'20 to 1/2 amp and I am upping the voltage to 12.5v as that is what I have available. This is my OCD but I'm watching this over the product line.
Looking smart there @acstorfer . Great art!
I am very impressed with the lasting power of the battery. Although the lights went to 1 green light when resting, it still has a lot of power remaining. I was reading 11.2V when 1 green light was active. The meter is therefore extremely conservative.
I am not using the supplied charger for several reasons. First being the fact that I don't know enough about the BMS being used. I have read that the charge circuit is only good for 500ma of charge current. The charger will supply 2 amps. Works fine if you minimize the discharge level before charging but a deep cycle with a heavy charge is not something I want to see on my new toy. I am limiting the charging input to my A'20 to 1/2 amp and I am upping the voltage to 12.5v as that is what I have available. This is my OCD but I'm watching this over the product line.
Looking smart there @acstorfer . Great art!
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InvisiKat
Well-Known Member
Mine actually ran out of battery. It started to take longer to heat up then died mid cycle.
you obviously know more about this than I could ever hope to. I have my power supply from my lucid customs, would this be safe to use with the alpine?
edit: nevermind spoke to Randall (maker of the alpine) and he said not to use this power supply. Sounds like I’m just worrying about the heat generation too much, since it is not too hot to touch.
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