Arizer Solo

[imor jones]

allright my Solo M1A4 is heating while charging...so i hope i got a new model...
thanks for ur answers guys.
and now vape on :-)
its the first time to use a solo for me. but i know the iolite and the vapogenie....

 

[spoutti]

Hi guys, got 2 new solos in my hands and here are a few observations. One of them was just for a charge before giving it to my friend.

Both rejected my may2013 oem chargers. The one i still have worked perfectly with it after, but not the 1st time.. Weird.
The new bowls are more gray, so i feel wrong saying ss bowl. So maybe its a ss alloy bowl or ss coated bowl. But its different and at least on of them aint pure ss.
No need for my pvhes with the 2014 models. Still usefull for my may2013 solos, i strongly recommend starting with oem stems now.
The 2014 level 4 heat is equal or hotter than level 5 on my may2013. My guess is level 2 is now 190 celcius and every other level are +5 degrees.

1st, I tested my new 2014 straight at level 5 and was amazed at the new power! Faster extraction, monster clouds. I thought arizer significantly enhanced the 2014 solos . Just to understand, a couple bowls later, that 2014 level 5 was hotter than may2013 level 5 Explaining the popcorn taste i didnt get on my may2013 level 5.. I need to do more testing with my oem stem on my may2013 as i exclusively used my pvhes for the last months. I think there is a flavor output difference and the 2014 cooks the herbs more if used slowly instead of clouds every 2 breaths. I sometimes get darker abv with my 2014 on level 4.

So now i will call my solos by date instead of serial numbers; the new 2014 start like my may2013 MA14xxx. And I will do more testing. Now

 

[fernand]

Mine is also a M1A4A TYPE. With the turnover they are seeing, I don't think there ARE any oldies in the pipe, even if you wanted one. In a head shop maybe, but even there they be selling them little fellas like hotcakes.

Mine runs while plugged in. It's pretty clear that if it detects 9 volts at the power jack input, it runs, and if 12 volts it goes to the charger. Maybe now on the recent model they let a 12 volt input go to both circuits, simple enough, though it likely doesnt charge much that way.

Cute little device. I was about to vape my morning tonic that's 0.05 grams of 19% Red Congolese in my Firefly. Put a domed brass screen in and ran the Solo at 3. Very similar results to a Firefly run, dark camel ABV.

The Firefly lingers on taste and is recognized as a taste freak's dream. The solo didn't maybe quite reach or surpass the Firefly taste, but close. Keeping temp at 3 was a big factor. I don't expect you can get superb taste at very high temps, and clearly the Solo would be a high temp vaper's main machine. anyway, nice new family membee, hell for $139 it's great. May as well have tool choices.

 

[Maine420]

My Jan 2014 Solo's charger crapped out on me after 1 month. I then used the charger from my 2013 Solo on the 2014 Solo. worked for me. BUT, my 2014 model Solo crapped out on my while using while plugged in, 2 weeks ago. So now I'm back to my 2013 Solo, and enjoying it more than the 2014 model!

 

[Snappo]

Yes, also it seem in response to 'demands' from customers, the air holes in the bottom have been opened up. It draws easier but the concentration of the vapor coming out is diluted down in the process. Introducing more cold air that must be heated steals heat from vaporization.OF

Spoutti reports that his 2014 unit is noticeably hotter and heats quicker, enabling "faster extraction, monster clouds". If this is the case, perhaps the easier draw through the larger holes does NOT impair the vapor density output. It appears that Arizer found a way to please the 'easy draw' crowd without displeasing the 'cloud chasers' (enlarged holes & quicker hotter temp algorithm). Nice!

1st, I tested my new 2014 straight at level 5 and was amazed at the new power! Faster extraction, monster clouds.

 

[Nytron]

My Solo just crapped out after around two years of use. Upon cold start, the temperature readout displays 4/7 or higher right away (at this point the heater is actually completely cold). It reaches 7/7 almost right away and then stops heating. It seems the thermistor is off by 4, making the unit unusable due to there not being enough heat for vapor production.

A similar issue happened with my Extreme vape. In that case, the heater stopped working due to continuous beeping noise. It was just out of warranty by like a matter of a few months. I was offered by Arizer to get a "discount" on new unit, which was more than what I paid for it from Got Vape.

We're almost to page 1000. What are the cliffnotes of the different solo versions? Like a changelog from m107 to current versions.

Thank god I own a HI vape, this thing is built like a tank.

Arizer support just said they'd repair for no charge. Awesome company.

 

[2clicker]

Mine is also a M1A4A TYPE. With the turnover they are seeing, I don't think there ARE any oldies in the pipe, even if you wanted one. In a head shop maybe, but even there they be selling them little fellas like hotcakes.

Mine runs while plugged in. It's pretty clear that if it detects 9 volts at the power jack input, it runs, and if 12 volts it goes to the charger. Maybe now on the recent model they let a 12 volt input go to both circuits, simple enough, though it likely doesnt charge much that way.

Cute little device. I was about to vape my morning tonic that's 0.05 grams of 19% Red Congolese in my Firefly. Put a domed brass screen in and ran the Solo at 3. Very similar results to a Firefly run, dark camel ABV.

The Firefly lingers on taste and is recognized as a taste freak's dream. The solo didn't maybe quite reach or surpass the Firefly taste, but close. Keeping temp at 3 was a big factor. I don't expect you can get superb taste at very high temps, and clearly the Solo would be a high temp vaper's main machine. anyway, nice new family membee, hell for $139 it's great. May as well have tool choices.

i havent followed the firefly thread very close, but how could a mostly SS air path taste better than a mostly glass air path?

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

i havent followed the firefly thread very close, but how could a mostly SS air path taste better than a mostly glass air path?

He didn't say that, he said the Firefly lingers on taste and is "a taste freak's dream" meaning it's excellent for taste. The Solo is close to it at level 3 in his/her opinion

 

[spoutti]

Spoutti reports that his 2014 unit is noticeably hotter and heats quicker, enabling "faster extraction, monster clouds". If this is the case, perhaps the easier draw through the larger holes does NOT impair the vapor density output.

My level 5 on my 2014 model is hotter than level 5 may2013 model.

Right now, im trying to see if its just hotter, because early experimentation seems to gets me worst taste from my march2014 level 4 than my may2013 at level 5. So maybe the different faster heating bowl gives worst taste than the older ones? Or may2013 level 5 is march2014 level 3? Or my sampling abilities needs honing? I need lots more bowls of testing and comparing before being sure.

Speaking of wich

 

[2clicker]

He didn't say that, he said the Firefly lingers on taste and is "a taste freak's dream" meaning it's excellent for taste. The Solo is close to it at level 3 in his/her opinion

i see. he is saying they are comparable. i find that hard to believe as well, but ive never used a firefly.

i thought that by saying the firefly is a taste freaks dream (top notch taste) and the solo comes close on 3 (close to top notch) meant he thought the firefly tasted better than a solo. that would surprise me considering the build materials.

 

[Snappo]

My level 5 on my 2014 model is hotter than level 5 may2013 model.

Right now, im trying to see if its just hotter, because early experimentation seems to gets me worst taste from my march2014 level 4 than my may2013 at level 5. So maybe the different faster heating bowl gives worst taste than the older ones? Or may2013 level 5 is march2014 level 3? Or my sampling abilities needs honing? I need lots more bowls of testing and comparing before being sure.

Speaking of wich

I see: It appears that Arizer found a way to please the 'easy draw' crowd without displeasing the 'cloud chasers' (enlarged holes & quicker hotter temp algorithm) - BUT, you are finding that taste may be compromised in the deal? Please let us know if your 2014 model doesn't quite live up to the taste standards we've come to expect from prior models. Further testing seems warranted!
Thanks!

 

[mitchgo61]

i see. he is saying they are comparable. i find that hard to believe as well, but ive never used a firefly.

i thought that by saying the firefly is a taste freaks dream (top notch taste) and the solo comes close on 3 (close to top notch) meant he thought the firefly tasted better than a solo. that would surprise me considering the build materials.

I think the FF has WAY better flavor than the Solo. Which is a tall order, because the Solo is outstanding in the flavor dept. But I have barely touched my Solo since getting the FF.

Just my opinion. I can't explain it. Maybe on paper it shouldn't be true, but in my mouth, the FF is way superior in flavor.

 

[2clicker]

Just my opinion. I can't explain it. Maybe on paper it shouldn't be true, but in my mouth, the FF is way superior in flavor.

fair enough... i really need to try a FF to compare.

 

[fernand]

I agree, the FireFly tastes better. In the end the Solo has a metal oven with a glass path, the FireFly has a glass bowl and lid, then a stainless steel path. Not very different. And I don't think we can assign taste properties to materials so easily, it's more in the overall design. We're not the only two people to think the FireFly rules on flavor.

The vapor coming off the FireFly convection chamber is cooled by the SS pathway in the lid, that could be a factor, it's a clever design, while the Solo hits right up the tube. I still suspect the more gradual heating on the FF, and its lower default temp plays a big role. If the 2014 Solo runs hotter than originally, then if it were run maybe at 2 initially, and the vapor cooled with a longer pathway, it would come even closer. At 3 I was done, judging by the color, taste and texture, I didn't find I wanted anything remaining in that ABV, it's just heavy head terpene stuff. I'm not complaining at all, the Solo is a lovely unit, and more versatile in some ways, but the FireFly deserves its laurels where it shines.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

My level 5 on my 2014 model is hotter than level 5 may2013 model.

Right now, im trying to see if its just hotter, because early experimentation seems to gets me worst taste from my march2014 level 4 than my may2013 at level 5. So maybe the different faster heating bowl gives worst taste than the older ones? Or may2013 level 5 is march2014 level 3? Or my sampling abilities needs honing? I need lots more bowls of testing and comparing before being sure.

Speaking of wich

Giving it more airflow would make the air cooler so I wouldn't be surprised if the temps were a little higher on the open airflow Solos to compensate.

 

[OF]

Mine is also a M1A4A TYPE.

Mine runs while plugged in. It's pretty clear that if it detects 9 volts at the power jack input, it runs, and if 12 volts it goes to the charger. Maybe now on the recent model they let a 12 volt input go to both circuits, simple enough, though it likely doesnt charge much that way.

I get you don't want to believe it, but there is no "M1A4A TYPE", I (and a lot of others) have units with that number that don't heat up with the charger plugged in. This is, I think, why the fellow from Germany had to check if his did to know which model? Do not 'trust' model numbers........

Actually, that's not at all clear to me. Why do you think it's so? As I understand it the new models will charge at a lower voltage than before (where PA function was), but the charger doesn't provide enough power to heat the unit on it's own. It needs a battery to help. It didn't before, the same charger can't now. The label on the bottom is a hold over from the prior model, there is no real PA mode, it no longer breaks voltages into 3 bands like before it seems? It used to flash at you to 6.9 Volts, run PA from there to 9.0 (at about 2.5 Amps) then flash again until 10.1 Volts (this time with beeps) and charge normally (at about .85 Amps) after that. The new version does not do that, right?

I understand the old PA (8.5 Volts) now charges (where the old model would not)?

OF

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

New models have more airflow? Darn i was thinking its hard to inhale. If i push my bent stem all the way down it will pretty much block airflow entirely. I lightly twist and pull up on the stem, while inhaling, so i can feel when the air holes are no longer blocked.

I still have yet to "milk" a rip. Was wondering about the speed of inhaling. I notice the temp reading drop when i inhale. Im getting vapor but not the huge clouds i had myself pumped up to see.

Does humidity effect the density of vapor we observe during exhale? Its dry as fuck where i live. Can i start blaming the weather???

The battery talk has been on my mind all day. Read your reply this morning OF. Tripping me out man. Trying to absorb it all. Definitely have some questions. The part about stopping the charge early is hard to swallow. Goes against everything i have ever read regarding Lithium batteries.

What chemistry are these batteries anyway? Im mostly familiar with Lithium Polymers used on RC toys. Guessing vaporizers use a more stable battery so we dont light our pockets on fire?

 

[Pipes]

New models have more airflow? Darn i was thinking its hard to inhale. If i push my bent stem all the way down it will pretty much block airflow entirely. I lightly twist and pull up on the stem, while inhaling, so i can feel when the air holes are no longer blocked.

I still have yet to "milk" a rip. Was wondering about the speed of inhaling. I notice the temp reading drop when i inhale. Im getting vapor but not the huge clouds i had myself pumped up to see.

Does humidity effect the density of vapor we observe during exhale? Its dry as fuck where i live. Can i start blaming the weather???

The battery talk has been on my mind all day. Read your reply this morning OF. Tripping me out man. Trying to absorb it all. Definitely have some questions. The part about stopping the charge early is hard to swallow. Goes against everything i have ever read regarding Lithium batteries.

What chemistry are these batteries anyway? Im mostly familiar with Lithium Polymers used on RC toys. Guessing vaporizers use a more stable battery so we dont light our pockets on fire?

I do not have a newer model but that's what's been mentioned by many members.
As you pointed out, I do the wiggle and twist stem technique myself. Sometimes block on purpose for a bit to build up a good hit. Speaker of...

Have you tried the manufactures recommendations. Fill bowl, do not pack with medium to fine grind of dry herb. Heat to your desired temperature (5 for me), Wait an addition 30-40 seconds, (seems like forever when your waiting) enjoy. Or something like that.
I found the 2 - 5,6 draws are awesome and you can take as much as you could possibly handle. Settles down after that but goes for quite a while. The weather and such I imagine would play some minimum role but can't see that preventing huge hits sometime.

I totally agree with OF's advise with batteries. Damage (wear) is mostly done at the extreme ends of charging/discharging. Specially the over discharging. Most smart devices are adjusted to meet the batteries manufactures published specs which is pushed highly into boosting the mah rating. What folks seem to look at. Mean while shortening the number of cycles. Seems folks don't take note of this. As OF has mentioned in previous posts, the military pays extra to have their chargers cut out at a few mvs short of "full" charge.
Not sure about Lifpo chemistry. I know you can hammer them a bit more but think again they have low cycle ratings.?? Not sure.

 

[OF]

The battery talk has been on my mind all day. Read your reply this morning OF. Tripping me out man. Trying to absorb it all. Definitely have some questions. The part about stopping the charge early is hard to swallow. Goes against everything i have ever read regarding Lithium batteries.

What chemistry are these batteries anyway? Im mostly familiar with Lithium Polymers used on RC toys. Guessing vaporizers use a more stable battery so we dont light our pockets on fire?

I get it that it's counter intuitive and all, but that's the way science works in this case.

We're using Li ion batteries, like laptops in fact. The issue is 'cycle life' (the number of times you can recharge it until it gives too short a run time. It's mostly effected by the chemistry at one plate (positive IIRC) when the charge is complete (runs out of chemicals to convert). The longer it spends at this 'all the chemicals used up' state the more the battery degrades.

Want to do some useful reading on it? Check out:
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_prolong_lithium_based_batteries

The text around table 4 discusses this aspect of increasing battery life span (as well as heat and DoD in other places). BTW, the Military typically specifies charging to much lower voltage (typically 3.9 or so) for this very reason. The swap run time (charge more often) for longer battery life (not having to replace batteries in units in the field). There's a clue there too.

This stuff is well established in the field, proven by lots and lots of testing.

As you might guess, the usual rationale for going to the highest allowed voltage has to do with marketing:
"Chargers for cellular phones, laptops, tablets and digital cameras bring the Li-ion battery to 4.20V/cell. This allows maximum capacity, because the consumer wants nothing less than optimal runtime. Industry, on the other hand, is more concerned about longevity and may choose lower voltage thresholds. Satellites and electric vehicles are examples where longevity is more important than capacity."

Makes sense. Long run times sell vapes. And if it lasts more than the warranty they make money selling you a new battery or maybe even a whole new Solo..........

My advice on routine based on the LEDs on Solo comes from measuring a couple to determine what the calibration is......or at least was when I did it. It too may have changed with the new model? It's aimed at avoiding deep discharge (the last LED goes out at about 7.2 total, although they're often unbalanced by then (one lower than the other)) or charging too high (the last LED lights at about 8.1 total, again no guarantee about balance). The protect PCB will cover really serious problems (shuts down if either gets over about 4.3 or under 2.7 or so in my tests), but damage to the battery happens long before that.

OF

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Anyone recommend any domed screens to use with the solo?
Ps happy 1000!

Hey, I just so happened to have measured the screens I used to make my dome screens, they are in fact 3/4" stainless steel screens. I've got my bent stem load reduced by 50%, helps conserve material while having enough flower to satisfy my want for thick hits. My dome screen is flat like the stem bottom, not an actual dome shaped screen.

 

[fernand]

I'm really impressed with how evenly the ABV browns in the Solo. I managed to make a half-assed dome out of a little brass screen. Not very durable. I was thinking maybe just make a little pad a few mm thick out of fine brass wool, torch it and flatten it nicely so it's textured more like a little screen, and stuff it in to reduce the "chamber" size. I've been using brass wool pillows to vape concentrate in my FireFly, it's a very malleable and useful material. [yes I know that brass can contain various metals that if pulverized or melted can be bad to inhale. I don't believe anything like that happens at 400 deg F, and there are lots of other metals to worry about.]

@OF, lighten up please. I was just saying I have a unit with the same initial characters in the series number or whatever you want to call it. I don't know if the numbers are sequential and represent a "model". In response to what people said, I checked that my unit did in fact start to heat up while plugged in, like others of this type? The label on the bottom clearly hints at the design's intent. I don't know the exact voltages, and if it no longer works as spec'ed, I'm very interested to learn about it, as I thought a low cost regulated 9 volt supply could be used to operate it.

 

[ataxian]

@OF. I don't know if the numbers are sequential and represent a "model".

Regardless of the numbers they all work well.
2 years apart! maybe more?

 

[pakalolo]

New models have more airflow? Darn i was thinking its hard to inhale. If i push my bent stem all the way down it will pretty much block airflow entirely. I lightly twist and pull up on the stem, while inhaling, so i can feel when the air holes are no longer blocked.

I still have yet to "milk" a rip. Was wondering about the speed of inhaling. I notice the temp reading drop when i inhale. Im getting vapor but not the huge clouds i had myself pumped up to see.

Your description leads me to believe that you're pulling too hard. I think you'll get thicker vapour with a slower draw. Just pull until it starts to feel restricted, no harder. Try microhits (small gentle puffs) and see if that helps.

 

[fernand]

So much cool glass too!

I ordered the only Gong adapter I could find, a "PVHEGonG Female 18MM Shorty Turbo" as an adapter to a bubbler. I see it's a shorter chambered stem, and I read that these have somehow a looser draw, but don't know anything more about them. What can you tell me?

Anyplace to find generic adapters, like an equivalent of the famous stealth straw adapter

Is there any indication there has been a change in the temp settings from the published :

• Level 1-50°C / 122°F (15 sec)
• Level 2-185°C / 365°F (1 min)
• Level 3-190°C / 374°F (1 min 10)
• Level 4-195°C / 383°F (1 min 30 sec)
• Level 5-200°C / 393°F (1 min 50 sec)
• Level 6-205°C / 401°F (2 min 10 sec)
• Level 7-210°C / 410°F (2 min 30 sec)

For my daytime vape Level 2 or 3 is very good.
Thanks

 

[Snappo]

Your description leads me to believe that you're pulling too hard. I think you'll get thicker vapour with a slower draw. Just pull until it starts to feel restricted, no harder. Try microhits (small gentle puffs) and see if that helps.

What works for me: Set desired temp and let cook an extra 30 seconds after solid red light; take a few short very light draws to prime load with convective heat; wait a few seconds and then take a few longer soft 5-8 second draws. If longer session/more extraction is desired, raise temp and start process over. Same process if using water tool. Enjoy!