Aromazap/Myrtlezap/CeramicRockZap

[MoeOnTheMoon]

Rick: Is it possible to swap out the standard 12 volt ac adapter for the 13.5 volt? How does the material look like it has gone through the MZ with the 12 volt one over the 13.5 volt one?

I'm wanting to have dark brown material after I am done. Is it possible to achieve this with the 12 volt, just over a longer period of time? Or is it only achievable with a 13.5 volt?

I'm going to use a water pipe with the device, but may sometimes vape through the stem directly. Is there a very noticeable difference in the temperature between the two voltages?

You can get brown with both. I tend to pack my stem on the loose side. The air flow is restricted but not as much as some who prefer the pull to be like a thick milkshake (I don't like thick milkshakes either. Hmm). I do notice my Zap runs a little warmer later in the evening. There is definitely a noticeable difference between the two votages. The Zap is hotter. The vapor more harsh (for me, some like it just fine).

Having sensitive lungs, I think I won't consider purchasing the 13.5 volt then. If the 12 volt is able to brown the material, then I am happy.

I am very happy with the 12 volt. It definitely hits hotter and better than my Launch Box. I love the LB for portable use, but the vapor is significantly less and ligher than with the MZ, for example.

I have not burnt any herb with the MZ but it does seem to get some of it brown. I think it may depend on how you load the stem. I don't like loading it tight because it takes too much lung power, that way, to get deep long inhales. So I load it short (not a full stem) and I pack it as loose as I can without the herb falling out. I get the impression that many pack it full and tighter, and I'm assuming that way you would get darker AVB (But have to pull much harder to get it.)

Does this make sense to any of you who pack it tight, or am I conjecturing incorrectly? (I am a newbie to the MZ, after all...)

Aero, I think if you have sensitive lungs - as I do - you'll be fine with the 12v that comes standard issue. By the way, once I get shorter stems, my bong will probably hold the mz on it's stem without tipping over easily. Now I have to hold it in my hand or it would tip. But man, I hadn't used a bong in years, and that full-mouth draw, with the cold water bubbling and then the vapor going through ice cubes... all I can say is "WOW!" I'm very glad I invested the $45 on the glass!

 

[lwien]

How are you getting brown with 12v? I wonder if mine is running cold. I have the 13.5v adapter on most of the time now and my abv looks a lot like this.

Do others get it significantly browner than that?

I see lots of green in there. My ABV comes out a very uniform very dark brown with a 12v.

 

[MileHigh]

I see lots of green in there. My ABV comes out a very uniform very dark brown with a 12v.

?

/edit ohh... you meant in the picture.

Well damn, are others getting dark brown as well?

 

[aero18]

I see lots of green in there. My ABV comes out a very uniform very dark brown with a 12v.

?

/edit ohh... you meant in the picture.

Well damn, are others getting dark brown as well?

I do in my Launch Box, but MoeOnTheMoon says that it cooks the herbs better in the MZ. So what's the consensus?

 

[reece]

Yeah mine can be darker than that MileHIgh. Not always. It kind of depends because sometimes I'll keep hitting a few times after I no longer see vapor because I still get some taste. It gets more and more dark when I do this. But many times I will stop once I no longer see vapor. So my collected abv isn't uniform. But when looking at individual bowls you can see the difference. If I pack tighter than I prefer it seems to get darker faster. More restricted airflow allows the air to get hotter. At night though, my clouds are noticeably thicker and the abv gets more brown faster.

 

[MileHigh]

Well what I notice is that the abv looks nothing at all like the duff from my VB whip vape, which is very uniformly brown and obviously well used. How does your MZ duff compare to a whip vape?

 

[aero18]

Well what I notice is that the abv looks nothing at all like the duff from my VB whip vape, which is very uniformly brown and obviously well used. How does your MZ duff compare to a whip vape?

Have you tried to draw much slower? Hard to believe that they can not be as dark as a whip vape when I am able to get herbs charred in my Launch Box, to the point that tar is visible on the screen.

 

[Rick]

MileHigh
That ABV looks very coarse to me. Did I also see seeds in the jar? If you are using anything that is mostly seeded, the quality is questionable in my opinion. Our ABV is a finer grind by a long shot. Not powder by any means either. Maybe coarse ground pepper? I would not get very good pulls of a herb consistency like that. Air cannot flow through the load properly when tip is packed properly with a semi leafy mix. Our ABV is a uniform medium brown. If you keep pulling or use a method as lwein described in the past(mixing and re-vaping), it will be darker. We do enjoy the lighter ABV soaked in a good drinking alcohol and filtered for special effects. Browner ABV has less goodies still available for recycling. We only use 12 volt transformers.

 

[mnmlh]

My ABV seems uniformly brown and in it's baggie, it is turning to finely ground powder. I vape under a light, and am surprised how long a stem lasts. So far, if I pack the stem as loose as possible, and I mean loose, I get a massive first hit. Sometimes I get a hit so thick I wonder how any other device could produce more usable vapor. Other times, I don't get the packing part right and the load suffers. This is with very dry, fairly decent material. I'll see if I can round up some pics of the ABV for comparison's sake.

edit: Well, these pics came out okay, but seem a little dark and muted compared to real life. How does it compare in browness to others' stuff? First is comparison with fresh and second pic is a closeup of ABV.

Looking more closely, it seems like it could get more brown, but not by much. It's very crumbly as is. This is my first vape, so I have no point for comparison.

 

[Cr8z13]

Here's my ABV:





It looks even darker in person, like dirt. I use the 13.5v plug exclusively. It definitely comes out lighter with the 12v.

 

[aero18]

Here's my ABV:


[url]http://img3695.imagevenue.com/loc417/th_52484_IMG_0422_122_417lo.jpg[/url]


It looks even darker in person, like dirt. I use the 13.5v plug exclusively. It definitely comes out lighter with the 12v.

Is it possible to get it as brown as the 13.5v if you vape the material longer?

 

[Cr8z13]

I can't say it's impossible but I haven't been successful. No special technique is required with the 13.5v so I don't even bother with the 12v except for diffusing oil.

 

[IAmKrazy2]

mnmlh, in my opinion you should break up finer. Try a grinder. Also, do i see some little stems? Even small ones should be removed IMO. You'll have better results with a finer grind and more surface area.

 

[mnmlh]

Agreed. I am using a grinder, but the pics are SO close up, even when I look at the pics, I can't make sense of it. This batch was a little stemy (even had a few seeds in it) and my friend couldn't get rid of it, so he struck me a deal since I just needed something for vaping, but it's doing just fine. I think dryness and quality are okay, but getting a finer grind would fix the inconsistency with some stemloads smoking better than others. I don't know what else to do to get it finer besides a coffee grinder which I'd prefer not to have to use. Ideas? I'll see how the next batch is and will keep posting progress. I'll eventually get a 13.5v brick and take a pic with all three stages from fresh to brown in one shot.

 

[MileHigh]

I dunno about the stuff in the picture I used, that is abv from an old thread about abv baking that I chose cause it's similar in color to mine. I use primo dispensary buds and a space case grinder, so I don't think quality or grind is the problem.

I don't pack the stem at all, I just inhale and scrape it in a circular motion along the bottom of the space case kief screen and fill it that way, maybe I should pack it tighter.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

I see lots of green in there. My ABV comes out a very uniform very dark brown with a 12v.

?

/edit ohh... you meant in the picture.

Well damn, are others getting dark brown as well?

I do in my Launch Box, but MoeOnTheMoon says that it cooks the herbs better in the MZ. So what's the consensus?

That's weird, aero18. I am coming to the conclusion that LB's run the gamut from barely hot enough to almost too hot. Mine runs VERY cool and I can only get very light vapor from it unless I really fill it up (3/4) with very fine herb. Then I get a few good hits on a fresh battery, but the rest are light after the first few.

It seems to this newbie MZ'er, that to get bigger and stronger doses it seems to work better to fill the MZ stem like 3/4 full and packed medium-tight with finely ground herb. Is that true for everyone? If I fill the MZ stem only about 1/3 full and the herb is moister and packed loose, I get lighter hits. I'm still at the experimenting stage, and as you know, medicating and experimenting does not lead to good note taking. (I wonder if any great chemists were stoners?)

 

[lwien]

I load up my stem. Suck in as much as I can and then take a bit extra and push it in with my finger so that the bud is level with the end of the stem. Pretty tight. 3 nice and slow draws. Bud is a very dark brown. Empty out bud on paper. Roll abv between fingers to help expose anything that didn't get vaped. Ends up very fine. Reload stem for one more draw. Done..........very, very dark brown. 12v adapter.

I grind my bud to a medium grind. I don't dry it out. I like the taste better when it's not crispy dry.

 

[mnmlh]

Also, do i see some little stems? Even small ones should be removed IMO.

Ah, I think I see what you mean. Those are red hairs. Thought I'd clear that up since it is partially a testament to Rick's product, and I don't want there to be any confusion. The most important thing is that I am blowing big clouds of vapor, which I am. Comparable to any videos I've seen of these types of vapes.

--

And just as a side note, after reading a few posts in the "other" thread a little while ago, (I guess some were deleted in this thread but not the other?) when it comes to the PD vs. MZ thing, don't you guys think that people might be splitting hairs on performance a little bit? No pun intended. I guess there are a few dual users on here that can comment further, but I'm getting seriously vaked and I am using so little material to do so. I smoked about 1/3rd oz of good stuff a week prior to getting this and now - about 1/3rd of that or more. Would I get more vaked on a PD when I have to put the stem down from my MZ after a little while anyways? Just some perspective to potential buyers out there, especially the noobs like me. I guess the whole health debate is the main factor, but I have made my informed decision on the matter. In the world of consumer products, some concepts are really good and can be built upon, but that doesn't mean that there is really any change except that of perception. That's marketing though, and marketing is what makes it happen.

Once again, I just went through the process of researching, deciding and buying. I've been pleasantly surprised. I've tried 3 other vaporizers in my life, one of which was a VG (learning curve didn't help), and this blows all of them out of the water. Needless to say, I'm hooked and want to try other products for the sake of variety, but if every other product suddenly went away and I was relegated to using the MZ forever, I don't think I'd wonder too much about what I am missing out on. It does what it is intended to very well.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

I dunno about the stuff in the picture I used, that is abv from an old thread about abv baking that I chose cause it's similar in color to mine. I use primo dispensary buds and a space case grinder, so I don't think quality or grind is the problem.

I don't pack the stem at all, I just inhale and scrape it in a circular motion along the bottom of the space case kief screen and fill it that way, maybe I should pack it tighter.

MileHigh, I'm pretty sure you need to grind a little finer and pack the stem in order to get higher temp through the herb. I use a space case too but I get it finer than that. I run it through 2-3 times and really grind. The finer the better.

I'd like to know what the consensus is here in this thread about drying one's herb, specifically in regards to using it in the MZ. I know I read in another thread that certain vaporizers work better with a very fine grind of dried herb. What is best for the MZ? If it's been said before, here, sorry, I have not read all the pages. Yet. Eventually I will.

I do love the taste of the fresh herb. But if it works better to dry it, I'll dry it. In any case I could probably pack some dry herb in, then a bit of fresh, then some dry and it would probably give me the taste and the good hits. Hmmm. Note to self: conduct this experiment soon...

Rick, what dryness and grind of herb do you personally recommend?

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

--

And just as a side note, after reading a few posts in the "other" thread a little while ago, (I guess some were deleted in this thread but not the other?) when it comes to the PD vs. MZ thing, don't you guys think that people might be splitting hairs on performance a little bit? No pun intended. I guess there are a few dual users on here that can comment further, but I'm getting seriously vaked and I am using so little material to do so. I smoked about 1/3rd oz of good stuff a week prior to getting this and now - about 1/3rd of that or more. Would I get more vaked on a PD when I have to put the stem down from my MZ after a little while anyways? Just some perspective to potential buyers out there, especially the noobs like me. I guess the whole health debate is the main factor, but I have made my informed decision on the matter. In the world of consumer products, some concepts are really good and can be built upon, but that doesn't mean that there is really any change except that of perception. That's marketing though, and marketing is what makes it happen.

Once again, I just went through the process of researching, deciding and buying. I've been pleasantly surprised. I've tried 3 other vaporizers in my life, one of which was a VG (learning curve didn't help), and this blows all of them out of the water. Needless to say, I'm hooked and want to try other products for the sake of variety, but if every other product suddenly went away and I was relegated to using the MZ forever, I don't think I'd wonder too much about what I am missing out on. It does what it is intended to very well.

mnmlh, I agree with everything you just said. A lot of it is marketing, I think, and self-promotion. Same thing.

lwien, that makes for a pretty hard draw doesn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with that. (There was a joke there but I censored myself.). Seriously though, it sounds like that would be a pretty hard draw. I'll have to try it.

My thing is that I like to try only a hit or two of one thing, then try a hit or two of another, so taking 3-5 hits off one stem is not preferable, to me. I've gotta figure out a system. Maybe I need 6-7 stems loaded with my various strains. Yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[lwien]

lwien, that makes for a pretty hard draw doesn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with that. (There was a joke there but I censored myself.). Seriously though, it sounds like that would be a pretty hard draw. I'll have to try it.

I draw with my lungs, not with suction. And when I draw, I do it very, very slowly. So slow that I can hardly tell I'm breathing in. Get very large clouds that way.

But now, I'm hitting it thru a bong. Same pack, same draw speed, but get much bigger clouds with only 2 and a half hits per bowl. One huge, one medium, and the 3rd kinda weak.

 

[MoeOnTheMoon]

lwien, that makes for a pretty hard draw doesn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with that. (There was a joke there but I censored myself.). Seriously though, it sounds like that would be a pretty hard draw. I'll have to try it.

I draw with my lungs, not with suction. And when I draw, I do it very, very slowly. So slow that I can hardly tell I'm breathing in. Get very large clouds that way.

But now, I'm hitting it thru a bong. Same pack, same draw speed, but get much bigger clouds with only 2 and a half hits per bowl. One huge, one medium, and the 3rd kinda weak.

Okay, now I've got MORE experimenting to do! I have not tried the very slow long draw with the MZ on a packed stem. I'll try that soon and report back.

 

[mnmlh]

My packing technique is the straw method but to basically let it fall out and then try a different section on my tray until I get a nice "hold" in there. Sometimes I will tap the end down on the surface while I am still sucking just a tiny bit and that will usually get everything to stay in there. I try and mess with it as little as possible from there on. I also use the slow, direct draw method. Fill up my lungs almost all the way and can get huge clouds. I will have to take some pics of that as well. This still nets 3 to 4 good hits, with the last one or two being a little light, but still very effective. No wasted vape on those! When I pack it, I can't get all to a crisp. With a finer grind, I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to. Moe - sounds like we both have some experimenting to do. BTW - the consensus it that drier herbs work better right? I think Rick even told me that in an email.

On that note, I am curious about grinding. I just got one for the first time to go with my MZ and thought about running the material through it more than once, but if anyone wants to educate me on the whole deal, it would save me some searching. What is the best way to do this? Seems like a lot of it would fall through un-ground, creating an inconsistent mix. Just turn the top over and do it upside down maybe?

 

[lwien]

My packing technique is the straw method but to basically let it fall out and then try a different section on my tray until I get a nice "hold" in there. Sometimes I will tap the end down on the surface while I am still sucking just a tiny bit and that will usually get everything to stay in there. I try and mess with it as little as possible from there on. I also use the slow, direct draw method. Fill up my lungs almost all the way and can get huge clouds. I will have to take some pics of that as well. This still nets 3 to 4 good hits, with the last one or two being a little light, but still very effective. No wasted vape on those! When I pack it, I can't get all to a crisp. With a finer grind, I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to. Moe - sounds like we both have some experimenting to do. BTW - the consensus it that drier herbs work better right? I think Rick even told me that in an email.

On that note, I am curious about grinding. I just got one for the first time to go with my MZ and thought about running the material through it more than once, but if anyone wants to educate me on the whole deal, it would save me some searching. What is the best way to do this? Seems like a lot of it would fall through un-ground, creating an inconsistent mix. Just turn the top over and do it upside down maybe?

Yup. Take off the bottom where the kief is collected. Turn it upside down and grind away.

Regarding dryness, it really is a personal issue. I don't like it crispy dry because it doesn't taste as well as when it's a bit fresher. And by the 2nd draw, it's gonna get as dry as you're gonna want it anyway.

 

[MileHigh]

In my experience the best thing to do with a space case-style grinder is to hold it upside down after you first load the herb and close it then grind until it is very loose then turn it back over and grind a bit more to make it fall through the holes.

Careful though, if it is too dry/powdery OR too sticky a very fine grind sometimes clogs the stem and you can't rip it in my experience.