Arizer Solo

[OF]

OF can and likely will explain a bit clearer.

BTW, Yahoo, holidays and off to an Europe excursion for 10 days....

No need to, you've done your usual bang up job. Keep it between 10 and 15 Volts in, Solo has an on board switcher as a charger, it'll do the voltage conversion with 90% or so efficiency (that is as the input voltage goes up, the current drawn goes down. The 'extra voltage' is converted to more current rather than heat).

Enjoy your holiday. Please behave, we can't go bailing you out like last year........

OF

 

[Detonator]

I'm afraid it's worse than that. LiPo batteries are 3/3.2 volts compared to LIon at 3.6/3.7. Full charge is LiPo 3.7 v compared to Ion 4.2 v.
You have to remember that there is no regulator involved here so the batteries voltage is it.
Therefore, even using the ion cells are not likely using the full battery capacity from the donor battery. As they should be useful down to 3 volts or so before needed a charge. But to satisfy the receiving batteries charge circuit, that is too low.
So we want to make as much use of the discharge curve as possible.
Maybe 4 LiPos would be a better fit...?

OF can and likely will explain a bit clearer.

BTW, Yahoo, holidays and off to an Europe excursion for 10 days....Woot!!!!
Need the dry out as well.....

At full Charge each LiPo cell is 4.2 volts a 3S LiPo is 12.6 volts fully charged and I've heard you never want them to drop below 80% of full charge which would be 3.36V Personally I never let mine go below about 3.6v per cell..

But the RC's I run have automatic low voltage cut offs that stop the LiPo's from going below about 3.6 automatically...

If you were trying to charge a 2 cell ( in the solo ) from say a 3 cell 12.6v or 4 cell 16.8 ( fully charged ) how would you stop them from discharging too fast? or below desired levels?

When I had my Solo apart I actually thought of drilling a hole and putting a splitter on the battery wires and running a couple wires to the outside of the Solo so I could hook up an external 2 cell LiPo,,, but quickly gave up on the very stoned idea..

 

[OF]

If you were trying to charge a 2 cell ( in the solo ) from say a 3 cell 12.6v or 4 cell 16.8 ( fully charged ) how would you stop them from discharging too fast? or below desired levels?

There is no danger of their discharging too fast, any more than there's a danger of overrunning the mains charger. Solo's internal charger limits current draw to under one Amp (which is why it needs a battery, one Amp is not enough to run Solo on it's own). It varies from Solo to Solo and changes as the battery charges, but numbers between the 'low six hundreds of mA and 830mA or so' are common. .6 to .8 Amp. Automatically.

There is an internal charge controller in Solo, right? You watch the lights.....

And, as was said earlier, use of protected cells means the cells are protected? And for sure don't use four, that gives you an out of range potential, risking Solo. Stay between 10 and 15 Volts, not a spec more, is my advice.

And this is not a matter of "if you were trying to charge" it's been done successfully. The unit I showed the photo of is real, it's the 3 generation of the idea, first used to power my Purple Days in the garden. Used since on several vapes and with the 5 VDC USB converter a lot more. And I've made them for several others, none of which report problems.

Your call, but this scheme works. And is reliable and safe IMO.

OF

 

[WeedyGirl1979]

Happy weekend all! Just wanted to relay a cool experience I just had.
So I was out with my travel Solo. I have a new Ed's stem (which is super awesome) but I was using my bent stem as usual. Get out of my car and start to go into my house when I notice that my stem's fallen out. I hope that it fell in my car, but then I see it on the ground- totally intact, on top of asphalt and grit. Good stuff, everyone, let me tell you.
I plan to beep Sunday out, please join me!

 

[lookhigh]

The SOLO thread is quite, what next cannabis legalized all over the world

 

[Vicki]

The SOLO thread is quite, what next cannabis legalized all over the world

We wish!

My Solo is running great, BTW.

 

[ataxian]

No need to, you've done your usual bang up job. Keep it between 10 and 15 Volts in, Solo has an on board switcher as a charger, it'll do the voltage conversion with 90% or so efficiency (that is as the input voltage goes up, the current drawn goes down. The 'extra voltage' is converted to more current rather than heat).

Enjoy your holiday. Please behave, we can't go bailing you out like last year........

OF

@OF your the professor concerning power!

The SOLO has 2 x 18650's and really powerful.

The Air has one battery?
Wouldn't the SOLO be stronger than the air?

The GIZMO I use all the time!

 

[OF]

The SOLO has 2 x 18650's and really powerful.

The Air has one battery?
Wouldn't the SOLO be stronger than the air?

The GIZMO I use all the time!

Yep. Air has half the battery so it pushes it twice as hard. The results (in terms of heating the same stem) are basically the same. No magic, it only gets half the sessions, or a bit less by way of penalty for pushing harder. Say four against 8 sessions, basically half, but the Air is also 10 minutes per against 12. The beep in Air is also more quiet, and the battery meter less useful.

I agree, the Gizmo is useful indeed. I built an adapter for it (and changed the program a bit) so it now works on Air, ESV, pen vapes, and a few other 'USB charger' things I've got kicking about. Very handy, I like the shorter charging and the beeps when it's done. Glad you like it.

Thanks.

OF

 

[Derrrpp]

Wow. I just used the "apply-lighter-to-outside-of-dirty-solo-stem-until-vapor-forms" reclaim method, and... while it is perhaps a crude method, it most definitely works!

I love my Solo!

...And now I must hit "Post Reply" before I lose all coherence...

 

[ataxian]

Wow!

...And now I must hit "Post Reply" before I lose all coherence...

I use the SOLO everyday!
For the $ it's the best portable on the market as far as I'm concerned!
DEATHSTAR OG in a SOLO phves stem!

My @Pipes stand is always in use!

 

[Derrrpp]

I just used the "apply-lighter-to-outside-of-dirty-solo-stem-until-vapor-forms" reclaim method, and... while it is perhaps a crude method, it most definitely works!

Well I must say, I would not recommend anyone do this. Way too harsh. I can suck on a solo cranked up to 7 (or my VG which is even harsher) all day long and not irritate my throat, but this was too much... It feels like I was applying the lighter directly to the back of my throat, instead of the solo stem lol. I think I will be scraping the reclaim or doing an iso wash next time...

At least others can learn from my mistakes

 

[OF]

Well I must say, I would not recommend anyone do this. Way too harsh.

At least others can learn from my mistakes

Understood, you can sure get carried away with it if you're that sort. OTOH, lots of guys swear by it which to me means it's pretty subjective and subject to individual differences?

Looked at from an objective POV the condensate is simply vapor that condensed. Nothing chemical happened. Enough heat will soften then evaporate it again into exactly the same (good) vapor it was before. Provided you go slow enough. A torch lighter can supply way more heat (in both degrees and calories) than the Solo ever can, you can get very very high rates of production compared to Solo. But the vapor is the same, only more dense. Unlike say turning up the heat on your Solo, where the chemical nature of the vapor changes.

While not for everyone, it is, I think easy and safe if you keep it between the ditches. Get heavy handed with the fire (only natural of course) you can live to regret it for sure. I think anyone interested in such stuff give it a (careful) trial.

While a few might swear at it, many swear by it?

OF

 

[Derrrpp]

While not for everyone, it is, I think easy and safe if you keep it between the ditches. Get heavy handed with the fire (only natural of course) you can live to regret it for sure. I think anyone interested in such stuff give it a (careful) trial.

While a few might swear at it, many swear by it?

I agree. Just because I wasn't a fan of it doesn't mean people should be dissuaded from trying it. In fact, I remember hearing from others in this thread that it was too harsh for them, and I tried it anyway.

It definitely works! I think I just went overboard with the flame and made it too hot. Maybe I'll experiment with it more someday in the future, and be more careful about it. (It usually takes more than once for me to learn my lesson anyway )

 

[Stu]

I agree. Just because I wasn't a fan of it doesn't mean people should be dissuaded from trying it. In fact, I remember hearing from others in this thread that it was too harsh for them, and I tried it anyway.

It definitely works! I think I just went overboard with the flame and made it too hot. Maybe I'll experiment with it more someday in the future, and be more careful about it. (It usually takes more than once for me to learn my lesson anyway )

Next time stick the stem into any 14mm downstem (inverted) and torch while vaporbonging. It takes away some of that harshness and it's almost like taking a hit off of a nail. Your glass might break (happened to me once), so for full disclosure you should take that into consideration as well.

 

[pseudox]

Hey guys, would like to share some solo accessories I haven't seen on here. Instead of the latest stem or gong, I would like to talk about lighting. Since I do not have the best lighting at my place, it is pretty hard to see the vapor I get from my solo/d020 setup. I found a good way to increase vapor visibility is 2 tailstanding flashlights called Sky Ray Kings. They are about the same size as a soda can. One has 7 emitters and one has 3. With the right batteries they can put out light for awhile. They are on my coffee table, and it looks really cool blowing vapor over the lights.

Here are the lights

Here is what the vapor looks like

 

[TheWhisper]

At first I was like , but then I scrolled down to see the vapor picture, and now I'm .
m

 

[Frederick McGuire]

Hey guys, I haven't really been around this thread for the last few hundred pages, but @rakka was asking me about how the solo paired with one of my newest pieces of glass from the cheap bubbler thread and I thought you guys might be interested too

awesome gifs @Frederick McGuire... Just wondering if you think the matrix pillar would work well with the Solo?

The smaller bubblers are great but looking for something with more volume for bigger hits. Got that with a 12" bong no doubt, massive hits but it was double honeycomb perc and was very chuggy and a hard draw

It works better than I was expecting it to

I tried my solo with the FC-186 (Stevens stereo matrix just in case I got the model numbers mixed up) and I felt the solo just had too much restriction for it to be an enjoyable pairing...

This combo was much nicer, the pillar still seemed to function well even with the restriction of the solo.

The drag from the solo was definitely noticable, but that's just part of the solos design...

I have disagreed with other members about how the solo pairs with other glass pieces in the past (eg toro microverter - I thought they paired nicely, another member hated the combo ), so it may just really be a preference thing, but im happy with how well they paired.
(Side note, IME the perfect mate for the solo is the old school VXL HydraCirc Hydratube - it's how I use my solo 90% of the time now )

^^^
strain: cluster bomb,
Solo set to [4]
First hit
Water level: Maybe 1/2cm water in dry chamber.
Pvhes 18mm gong stem.

^^^
Same stem
After 3 hits at [4] I bumped it up to [7]
Same water level as before.

After that hit I poured out a bit of water to get it back to the "normal" water level.

Got another 2-3 hits out of it.

It definitely smoothed out the vapor a fair bit, as I didn't cough anywhere near as much as I normally would finishing a stem at [7].

^^^ that's a ceramic solo, I think an M102...

I've had it a few years now and while it's certainly showing some signs of age, it still vapes well

 

[Stananton]

Hi,
My 2013 solo charger just died on me. Can I use any 12V 1000mA charger or are there any other details which I should pay attention to?

 

[sickmanfraud]

Hi,
My 2013 solo charger just died on me. Can I use any 12V 1000mA charger or are there any other details which I should pay attention to?

If the problem turns out to be the battery, the Hi Capacity ones work longer than the "stock" Solo batteries and even I was able to switch batteries.

 

[Stananton]

If the problem turns out to be the battery, the Hi Capacity ones work longer than the "stock" Solo batteries and even I was able to switch batteries.

No, the battery works fine. Charger is the problem. When I plug it in, red light (on the charger) lits up for 3 sec and then slowly fades. Charging doesn't start, it only brings solo to standby mode ready for heating.
I am asking because ARIZER charger would cost me 20E + 15E shipping, while I can buy "similar" charger from 2E to 10E locally.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Yes it should given that it's got the correct plug. If it's not it will give you a strange light show.

 

[OF]

Hi,
My 2013 solo charger just died on me. Can I use any 12V 1000mA charger or are there any other details which I should pay attention to?

Yes it should given that it's got the correct plug. If it's not it will give you a strange light show.

What the Q man just said. 12 VDC at one Amp (or more) is fine no matter where it comes from provided the connector is right. Solo uses a standard but not common connector. If you're at all handy cutting the cord off the dead one and splicing together is worth considering.

When I got my first Solo I did this for other reasons (I wanted to measure charging current) and cut the charger cord and put two of these common 'no soldering' connectors in bridging the cut:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005CMP434/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058RLD9C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

In your case, one of the first type (female) on the cut end would almost certainly made up with the 'standard' connector on the new charger. These are universally used in the CCTV ('security camera') industry. For years I used to just ask 'those guys' and they would give them to me for the asking. Enough to keep odd jobs (like this) covered. Then I started buying them and using them 'all over'.

I'd be willing to bet if you went to a local CCTV tech he'd give you a couple and maybe even scrounge up a supply or two for you, they commonly have a box of small supplies of this type in the truck since every camera comes with one and big systems usually use one (larger) supply to power all cameras through wiring (the reason they use so many). In fact the industry has special cable with one coax conductor for the video back from the camera and two power wires out to it.

Oh, yeah, center positive or no joy.

Good luck.

OF

 

[Dr. Soxhlet]

Here is what the vapor looks like

Great idea! I do that on a sunny day in our rather dark house, leaving a gap in the curtains a couple of inches wide.
Provides a similar experience.

 

[Stananton]

Thanks people!
I'll use connector from old original charger and will connect it with 12V 2A charger.

Another question

I really like SOLO, it's my first vaporizer and it never let me down since January 2013 but I only use it for evening sessions at home nowadays.
Is it worth it to invest in power adapter? Or maybe its better to save some more money and buy small stationary unit, for example Enano?

 

[FLelder ent]

Thanks people!
I'll use connector from old original charger and will connect it with 12V 2A charger.

Another question

I really like SOLO, it's my first vaporizer and it never let me down since January 2013 but I only use it for evening sessions at home nowadays.
Is it worth it to invest in power adapter? Or maybe its better to save some more money and buy small stationary unit, for example Enano?

I have both the Solo and the Enano, I would get the Enano instead of a power adapter, you will be glad to have both available to use. I love them both, and use them both daily.