Arizer Solo

[steiner666]

thats not flux. its glue. its used to create strain relief on the wires so they dont break off during assembly and repair. i dont think the smell is solder flux. from my experience with electronics, the smell is typical of products designed with heaters in them. i am prett confident the smell will go away with use.

yeah once i got at it with some tweezers and started pulling it off it does seem to be a lot moore like glue in nature (pulled off really stringy). Either way, flux or glue, responsible for the smell/taste or not, i dont htink it belonged in my vape when others are obviously fine without it. The wires are soldered on well on the bottom side of the circuitboard, so i dont think they need any reinforcement like this.

now to wipe every surface down that i can and throw it back together...

 

[Hippie Dickie]

i really doubt those wires would get hot on the circuit board -- too far away from the heater itself, and none of the components should get all that hot.

 

[aesthyrian]

Nice work Steiner and of course vapelexus. If I was inhaling gobs of shitty solder or flux that would explain the smell/taste and likely the headaches as well.

How would you inhale any globs of solder or flux? It doesn't look like there is anyway for a glob of anything to travel through the unit from the motherboard up through the tiny air intake holes, into your herb and through the herb and then through the 2 or 4 holes in your stem.

Seems extremely unlikely IMO.

 

[Hippie Dickie]

i think the concern is outgassing from the blob.

 

[VapeNStone]

Well guys and gals. Kevin at Arizer finally emailed me back. Looks like I'm sending my unit in to get repaired or replaced because there is obviously someone wrong with it

 

[steiner666]

Well I'm totally happy with the solo flavor-wise now. I don't know how much of it was me pulling off that glue-like substance, or wiping down the inside of the housing as well as every other surface i could with iso and rinsing it with water (the housing only, that is, still no oven access atm), or just from it dissipating on its own over time (im sure thats part of it but i know i helped it along), but its much better now. I can only smell hot electronics smell (like the smell of an electric iron), and i think thats unavoidable just because of what the thing is and how small it is. I still really think they should have isolated the airpath better, and this issue could have been avoided altogether.

ANyway, i just ordered the AC power adapter and a straight, 4-holed stem off vapeworld (they just got both, you have to email or call them for it) for an acceptable total of about $53. I originally wasnt planning on buying the (imo over-priced) adapter, but I see myself using this thing at home a lot more than i originally planned, and it will be nice to not have to worry about battery charge and lifespan so i can just take my time and vape worry free at home and know that my solo will always be topped off and ready to go when i need to take it somewhere. with a screen and silicone tip on the straight stem i think it will be much better for use with bong, could only be perfected by a GG stem...

 

[t-dub]

self edited.

 

[Papa Woody]

i really doubt those wires would get hot on the circuit board -- too far away from the heater itself, and none of the components should get all that hot.

I would have to agree. Does your exposed circuit board smell like the smell? The inside of my M104 cap smelled exactly like the heated smell and taste did before I baked the cap. IMO, I still think it's the paint.

 

[pain101]

mmmm fixed my stem issue for the moment. not perfect, just shoved in a piece of surgical tubing i had from ages ago, in the FIRST broken stem i had, which broke clean at the elbow area. i also find with the tube its easier on my throat/mouth in terms of heat/dryness

 

[aesthyrian]

I originally wasnt planning on buying the (imo over-priced) adapter, but I see myself using this thing at home a lot more than i originally planned, and it will be nice to not have to worry about battery charge and lifespan so i can just take my time and vape worry free at home and know that my solo will always be topped off and ready to go when i need to take it somewhere.

The AC adapter is totally worth it if you plan to use your solo often. It is a bit pricey but the build and quality is very good. The solo is all I ever use now thanks to the AC adapter.

 

[ilovebOObs]

does anyone have a pic of the ac adapter? and specs? maybe we can find a cheaper alternative for it.

 

[OhTheAgony]

It has the same specs as a PS2 Lite power supply but uses a slightly different plug. Don't get the cheap one you can find on ebay if you plan on using one of these.

edit: 8,5V 5000mAh

 

[vaplexus]

thats not flux. its glue. its used to create strain relief on the wires so they dont break off during assembly and repair. i dont think the smell is solder flux. from my experience with electronics, the smell is typical of products designed with heaters in them. i am prett confident the smell will go away with use.

But lots of people are saying the smell got worse, mine included, which didn't stink when it was new. Is it possible that the glue is heating up? If it is neat on yours and liquid on his that is all I could imagine is happening.

Tonight i will dig into the solo an see if i can pinpoint the source of the smell. Stay tuned.

I did some exploration. I think the smell is coming from the area under the heater/crucible, where the small circuit board is that connects to the main board. i ran both ceramic and SS on full and used my nose to figure out where the smell was. i also heated up the metal case, both the cap and body shell, with a butane hot lighter. there were no smells coming off the case or cap. mild smells coming off the main board area, more-so on the ceramic, no smells in and around the hot crucible, just the "smell" of heat. but when i smelled under the head unit where that small board is, that seemed to be where most of the smell it.

now i think that most of the air is going to be drawn from around the outside of the glass mouthpiece especially if you do my ring mod. i think very little air is going to come in from under the head where the smell is. however the smell is going to carry to the outside of the solo and so perhaps its more a case of the smell emanating from around the solo getting into our noses but not so much through the mouthpiece. but then those that claim there is a bad taste are going to argue with that. :roll eyes:

It might be possible to take the head apart and soak the plastic parts and the circuit board in some ethanol/methanol/isopropanol mixture to clean off any flux and other manufacturing crap. I'd do it if I was bothered by the smell but its just too much work. if i were going to do it that's what i'd do though. i might even take out the main board and soak and clean that too in the same solution. you usually have to give it a light brush with something like a toothbrush being careful not to break anything.

its tempting but right now i just want to USE to the solo for its intended purpose.

 

[vaplexus]

It has the same specs as a PS2 Lite power supply but uses a slightly different plug. Don't get the cheap one you can find on ebay if you plan on using one of these.

edit: 8,5V 5000mAh

I've been using the cheap ebay one with the right plug replaced on it. seems to work ok. but i keep checking it for heat and signs of malfunctioning - no problems yet. i'll let you know if there are any....

also oddly it won't work with my ceramic solo: i set the temp and then its just about to start the heater and it beeps and turns off.

 

[OhTheAgony]

Ok, that's 2 - 2 then I guess. Mine also worked fine, but I stopped using it after someone reported his spontaneous melted and someone else mentioned his just stopped working.

 

[ilovebOObs]

man u guys work fast!!!hahaha yeah a good adapter is pretty pricey already so i think buying oem may be worth it and safer.

has anyone painted their solo or done any customs to it? tempted on powder coating mine a lime gren to match my laptop.

 

[steiner666]

I originally wasnt planning on buying the (imo over-priced) adapter, but I see myself using this thing at home a lot more than i originally planned, and it will be nice to not have to worry about battery charge and lifespan so i can just take my time and vape worry free at home and know that my solo will always be topped off and ready to go when i need to take it somewhere.

The AC adapter is totally worth it if you plan to use your solo often. It is a bit pricey but the build and quality is very good. The solo is all I ever use now thanks to the AC adapter.

Yeah i decided to just shell out for the official adapter instead of risking some cheaper, possibly dangerous 3rd party option. Its going to get used, and a LOT, so i want to make sure it's something i wont be worried about melting or something. Good to hear that is seems to be worth the price. Now, to clarify, this adapter also charges the battery in addition to letting you use it from an outlet - if so will it charge while you use it? Or does it only provide direct power for use without touching the battery charge at all? I kinda hope its the last option, so i can leave my solo plugged in to it all the time without worrying about it doing something dumb like topping off the charge too frequently.

while i look forward to receiving the adapter and straight stem with it, it's the screens that I'm most eager to get. the smoke shop around here only had brass screens, and they wanted like $5+ for a 4-pack or so. I got 100 SS ones for that much online, lol...

 

[guitarscreamngrowler]

well im picking my solo up around 2 tom cant wait crossing my fingers for a good 102m

 

[aesthyrian]

I originally wasnt planning on buying the (imo over-priced) adapter, but I see myself using this thing at home a lot more than i originally planned, and it will be nice to not have to worry about battery charge and lifespan so i can just take my time and vape worry free at home and know that my solo will always be topped off and ready to go when i need to take it somewhere.

The AC adapter is totally worth it if you plan to use your solo often. It is a bit pricey but the build and quality is very good. The solo is all I ever use now thanks to the AC adapter.

Now, to clarify, this adapter also charges the battery in addition to letting you use it from an outlet - if so will it charge while you use it? Or does it only provide direct power for use without touching the battery charge at all? I kinda hope its the last option, so i can leave my solo plugged in to it all the time without worrying about it doing something dumb like topping off the charge too frequently.

Actually the AC adapter can only be used to power the solo while in use, it does not charge the solo though. You will have to use the charger that came with your solo. In this case it's exactly what you want, it simply bypasses the use of the battery.

 

[WatTyler]

It has the same specs as a PS2 Lite power supply but uses a slightly different plug. Don't get the cheap one you can find on ebay if you plan on using one of these.

edit: 8,5V 5000mAh

I've been using the cheap ebay one with the right plug replaced on it. seems to work ok. but i keep checking it for heat and signs of malfunctioning - no problems yet. i'll let you know if there are any....

also oddly it won't work with my ceramic solo: i set the temp and then its just about to start the heater and it beeps and turns off.

That's what happened to my ceramic Solo when I tried to put 9v through it (as it says on the bottom), instead of 8.5v. I figured it was some minor ploy to make people buy the Arizer adaptor rather than a widely available 9v model?

I picked up an official Sony PS2 power supply on ebay for about 9- seems genuine- although apparently even Sony had problems in the past with a malfunction in them.

 

[smokum]

Although this doesn't result in defining 'where' the smell is coming from on my SS M105, I thought I'd make mention of something I tried and found last night.......

Mine doesn't 'taste' at all, it only smells during use ! I found this out after trying a vape using a nose plug (the nose pinch type one uses for swimming), as I suspected I was simply dual breathing through both my nose AND my mouth at the same time while inhaling.

So, for me, this was my bad taste issue part of the problem. I did confirm by following my finding up and again using the M105 'without' the nose plug and the bad taste returned.

Just another part of the problem to consider since what I was smelling WAS affecting what I was tasting.

 

[cluffy]

Although this doesn't result in defining 'where' the smell is coming from on my SS M105, I thought I'd make mention of something I tried and found last night.......

Mine doesn't 'taste' at all, it only smells during use ! I found this out after trying a vape using a nose plug (the nose pinch type one uses for swimming), as I suspected I was simply dual breathing through both my nose AND my mouth at the same time while inhaling.

So, for me, this was my bad taste issue part of the problem. I did confirm by following my finding up and again using the M105 'without' the nose plug and the bad taste returned.

Just another part of the problem to consider since what I was smelling WAS affecting what I was tasting.

No comment of my own, just this: smell/taste

 

[smokum]

Thanks for sharing that link cluffy ! Interesting statements regarding the process of adaptation too.

 

[VaporEyeSore]

I just seen this Solo on ebay and wanted to pass it by you guys. Its new stainless bowl 2 tubes (not sure if one is straight 3 hole or not) and it claims to have a 110/240v transformer implying it will work in US and EU without an invertor.
This comes in at about 120 with free shipping and a probable extra 20 duty fee but 140 for a stainless bowl Solo seems like a no brainer to me so whats the catch? Are these ebay items still under full manufacturers warranty? Does the transformer work for both voltages and i will just need a cheap adaptor or will I have to buy a 220 to 110 invertor aswell?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/280767281845?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[cluffy]

smokum, your post made me think about the relationship between taste and smell and that link seemed very appropriate. Since it has references and it's not Wikipedia I thought it was worth posting. Who's to say what's really true though??? <vaked, not fried>