Gear Best Clearo for Pure Gold?

[baltik]

On the subject that Walrus brought up - I love my 900mAh eGo-C passthrough for the USB charging without the annoying proprietary adapter and the form factor. However I too am on the lookout of an equivalent automatic version of this since my buddies invariably keep holding down the button way too long torching all my oil.

walrus - are you having the same contact issue that Choppa described?

 

[walrus]

On the subject that Walrus brought up - I love my 900mAh eGo-C passthrough for the USB charging without the annoying proprietary adapter and the form factor. However I too am on the lookout of an equivalent automatic version of this since my buddies invariably keep holding down the button way too long torching all my oil.

walrus - are you having the same contact issue that Choppa described?

With the battery not making contact with the center pin? No, I haven't had it with any of the batteries I mentioned in my above post. I have had that issue in the past with some ego batteries but have always been able to fix it by gently prying the center pin of the battery up with a small paper clip.

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

Got it fixed thanks!! Pulled the center pin down a little on the Bud Cartomizer. Maybe the positive center pin on the variable voltage battery is unusually low. Or the center pin on the Bud Pen battery is too high. I can see the difference eyeballing them next to each other. Im using the Clearo that came installed on the Bud Pen so it had been "set" to that distance.

I have a caliper here to get a pretty close measurement if anyone knows the spec between the top of the battery center pin and the top of the pen. Just kinda curious now.

So you can also slightly manipulate the height of the battery center pin? It seems like if these things moved easy, they would have problems with intermittent contact after a few times taking it on and off. Almost need one side to be spring loaded. I wondered if the batteries were spring loaded but i never really pushed hard to find out ahaha!! They didnt move from the multimeter probes i prolly would have felt it.

 

[walrus]

Got it fixed thanks!! Pulled the center pin down a little on the Bud Cartomizer. Maybe the positive center pin on the variable voltage battery is unusually low. Or the center pin on the Bud Pen battery is too high. I can see the difference eyeballing them next to each other. Im using the Clearo that came installed on the Bud Pen so it had been "set" to that distance.

I have a caliper here to get a pretty close measurement if anyone knows the spec between the top of the battery center pin and the top of the pen. Just kinda curious now.

So you can also slightly manipulate the height of the battery center pin? It seems like if these things moved easy, they would have problems with intermittent contact after a few times taking it on and off. Almost need one side to be spring loaded. I wondered if the batteries were spring loaded but i never really pushed hard to find out ahaha!! They didnt move from the multimeter probes i prolly would have felt it.

Center pin contact issues are usually easily fixed by pulling the center post of the atomizer out slightly so it contacts the battery, exactly like you described. Be careful that the pin is not left touching the sides of the atty or it will short when you try to fire it.

You shouldn't really have to mess around with the post on your battery, they are meant to be fixed. However, sometimes the center post can get pushed down a bit to the point where it will not make contact with the atomizer. If that happens you can get a pin or paper clip or something and pry up on the post gently from the sides

 

[Roth]

Still enjoying using my EJMix for travel purposes.

Still going strong on my 2 original Sapphires, but I'm just not sold on their performance. They still haven't leaked once on me, which is a testament to them. However, after trying the Aspire BDC, I've seen how much vapor performance I'm missing with the Sapphires. Don't get me wrong, they work, but I'm looking for more.

As I mentioned previously, I've tried the Aspire BDC Epen, but was disappointed with the amount of leakage.

I just placed an order for a couple Kanger EVOD BCC.

From reading the reviews, they seem promising. You can add or remove wick to help accommodate thicker or thinner juices. I'm hoping this allows me to avoid any leakage.

I also picked up an SLB 650 mAH VV battery. My Vision Spinner is still working, I just really wish I could see how much charge is left. Nothing worse then running out of charge when you need it. That, plus the slightly larger capacity (while still being compact) and the digital display and larger voltage adjustment sold me on it.

Will report back after some usage!

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

Is more vapor production less tickly on the throat? Sometimes a thick cloud of smoke is easier to gulp down. Not sure if vapor and smoke are comparable by feel in the throat.

Im digging the Bud cartomizers. Can take a rip way bigger than i can handle. This stuff is expando mundo!! Have only done 1 gram so far. Air flow gets clogged when i dont use it for a couple days.

Guess i could ask Buddy Tech directly. But im curious how long do you guys hold the power button, and how long is safe?

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

Check it out i tested some batteries with the Budd clearomizer. Here are the numbers.

~BUDD pen battery fully charged: 3.32v
BUDD pen battery with some use: 3.24v
~Ego C Twist set to 3.2v: 3.17v
Ego C Twist set to 3.9v: 3.45v (same results using fully charged or slightly used battery)
~VB Dabbler battery: 2.78v

 

[Roth]

Got my Kanger EVOD in the other day, and I'm absolutely loving it. Fully recommended after initial use, long term testing for leaks still needed.

I've only used it for 48 hours so far, but if it keeps up this performance, it will be my go to without question. It's about the same height as the Sapphire, and the same diameter if you're using the pen cap cover with the Sapphire. The EVOD is a bottom fill like the Aspire EPEN. But unlike the EPEN, the EVOD's mouthpiece is NOT removable. While I'd like the option, it's not a big deal. I actually find the mouthpiece to be extremely comfortable, my favorite of the ones I've tried so far.

The biggest thing though, I've had ZERO leaks with the EVOD so far. Granted, I've only been using it for 48 hours, but I had leaks in the Aspire within the first day. The vapor production of the EVOD is great too, far better then the Sapphire.

The real test will be a long term leak test. One other benefit of the EVOD, is the apparent ability to mod the wicking system. It's easy to add or remove some of the wick, to help accommodate thinner or thicker juices. I've kept mine stock so far, but my current batch of juice is a little thicker then my previous. It's ~20-25% EJMix. Still very much a liquid, just viscous.

The EVOD also has replaceable heads too, for when they eventually burn out. They are very easily replaced too.

I'm also very pleased with the new battery I picked up too.






@GetToTheChoppa When using the Sapphire, I'd hold the battery button down for ~5-7 seconds, depending on the current vapor production. I believe most batteries have an auto off feature after ~10 seconds in order to protect your atomizer.

I also do find the vapor from the EVOD a little easier on the throat then the Sapphire.

 

[Haywood]

I just ordered a couple of KangerTech Protank 3 Mini clearomizers from Fasttech. (link). Since they're coming from China, I expect to have to wait the usual two weeks or so before they arrive.

I have high hopes that they will be a suitable replacement for the GotVapes Sapphire clearos I've been using for a year or so. They're the same diameter as an eGo battery, use eGo threading rather than 510 threading, (so if you want to attach them to a battery that doesn't have eGo threading you'll need a 510-to-eGo adapter available everywhere for a couple of bucks). They use a pyrex glass tank rather than a cheaper plastic tank. They use a dual coil replaceable atty at 1.5Ω. They take a standard 510 drip tip, rather than one that's built in and not replaceable. They hold a little less than 1.5mL of liquid when full (= 1.5 grams of Pure Gold), and fill from holes in the bottom of the clearo (so you can fill it when it's not empty without making a mess and loosing your precious ambrosia).

So why am I trying something besides my much loved GotVapes Sapphires? The batch of V4's I have just don't seem to be working quite as well as they used to, GotVapes has been out of stock on the V5's for a month or so, and I'm going to run out of my stash of V4's in another month. The batch of V4's I got a while back lose their easy draw after only a gram or two of Pure Gold has been through them. I used to be able to put five or ten grams through them before the draw tightened up, but now I've been tossing them after only two grams have been vaped. I don't care for a super tight draw. The old ones NEVER leaked, no matter what I subjected them to, but about half my V4's have leaked a little when I fly with them (talking about an airplane here, not my state of mind).

I'm also not a fan of duck-bill mouthpieces, which the Sapphire's require, and the Protank 3 Mini lets you use whatever mouthpiece you prefer (I like short Delrin mouthpieces). The Protank's have easily replaced atty's and you can even buy third party atty's (link) that use a micro-coil and organic cotton which are reported by the e-cig people to rival the most expensive RDA rigs in flavor, throat hit, and vapor clouds. Or if you're so inclined, you can build your own coils (not as trivial a thing as coiling a true rebuildable atty, as it involves using resistance and non-resistance wire and working with tiny parts).

Everything about the KangerTech Protank 3 Mini clearomizer sounds like it will be a winner for Pure Gold, or for any concentrate that has been dissolved in a suitable carrier (either a PG and/or VG mix of your own, or with ejmix). It's a perfect match to an eGo style battery, it holds about the right quantity of liquid (I don't know about you, but I don't want to be using a fat 3 to 5 mL tank; hell, a half mL of liquid will hold me and my friends for days). It's easy to clean, made of the right stuff, and did I mention:

They're really cheap! $7.14 each with free shipping!

Standard KangerTech dual coil replacement atty's are also pretty cheap at Fasttech, with a five pack costing $8.16 (that's $1.63 each for the mathematically disabled among us).

Now that all said, they're brand new and not available yet outside China, so there are zero reviews. I haven't even had one of these in my hand, let alone tried it out. So all that I've read could turn out to be bullshit. They could leak like a sieve for all I know. But I suspect not. Of course, I'll let everyone know once mine arrive, and if they manage to suck for thick liquids (like Pure Gold), you'll all be the first to know. I also plan on ordering a couple of the "third party" atty's I mentioned and linked above, though I must warn you that unlike the clearo and stock atty, the "third party" custom micro-coil isn't cheap ($9.75 each). Yes, that does sound ridiculous; it costs more than the whole Protank 3 Mini. But it's supposed to last for months, and even comes with extra organic cotton which is easily user replaced, and in the grand scheme of things, if it makes the experience much better than the stock atty, it's a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of what we're all putting into it.

Some pictures. Remember it's smaller than the pictures would lead you to believe. Its diameter is the same as a standard eGo battery.

 

[Sinclue]

Very interested to see how they work out. I'm down to my last Sapphire.
Fingers crossed.

~

 

[Roth]

Those do look very nice @Haywood, will very interested to see how they turn out. I'd like to be able to add a glass tank to my collection. If those don't leak, I'll be picking one up.

 

[Haywood]

Yeah, the real leak test is going to be in an airplane.

If this does work out, I was thinking maybe instead of spending the $10 each for the custom atty's from the UK, I'd just bite the bullet and buy/make one of the little arc welders to join resistance and non-resistance wire. It's not like I haven't wound coils or anything, it's just that I don't happen to have one of the little welders. Not sure how Pure Gold is going to wick with cotton though (never tried it).

As long as I don't wind up wasting a bunch of Pure Gold in this experiment, I'll be happy however it works out...

 

[arrr]

@Haywood just keep in mind the protanks use chrome plated brass NOT stainless steel.

 

[Haywood]

Yeah, I noticed that too. I'd be happy to pay double for a SS version, but I doubt that's gonna happen.

What do I have to fear from chrome plated brass?

 

[2clicker]

i have been running ejmix in an Anyvape devide mini and its great except for the leaking. but i have recently heard that the protanks and davide tanks arent supposed to be completely screwed down to your mod/device. this is the cause of the leaks so ive been told. the protanks are suppose to fit a tad loose to prvent this.

ill keep an eye on this to see how you like your new mini PT3. looks there there is a new mini Davide that is a top filling version. i may try a newer version just hate leaking.

oh and a .5ml tank would be perfect for me using ejmix.

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

If anyone gets desperate a have a couple Budd carts sitting here i haven't used yet. Ran outta pure gold and keep meaning to sign up with tetra labs directly.
My regular delivery has a bag full of tetra products. Makes me wonder how many months/years it's been traveling around town with him.

Does light and heat effect pure gold?

 

[Haywood]

I get my Pure Gold in the (factory sealed) ampules. I have some that are six months from purchase (no idea how long they were in the dispensary) and the only difference I see is that they've gotten a little darker. I "store" them in the little sealed glass vials the ampules come in, in a lightproof case, at room temp (~70°F).

 

[Alevin]

Hey Guys,

On vacation and i brought some PG with me with a v4 sapphire empty cart. I hadn't used pure gold in these carts for 6 months but i'm still having the same problems i had the first time around. After the first 30 or so hits it seems like the cart no longer works. I checked the bottom and the little coil down there is not off centered or moving freely. I then removed the blue plug at the top and then put it back in and voila... it worked. Now it seems every time it seems if there are 5 minutes between hits i have to remove the blue plug and replace it. Anyone have any ideas how to get around this or a fix?

 

[Haywood]

Glad you discovered the "trick" to fixing the vapor lock in Sapphire clearos. I think it's been mentioned a number of times in this thread. When my Sapphire's start to vapor lock, I've found that simply removing and reinserting the plug is enough, and I usually go a number of days before having to do it again. How full are you filling your Sapphires with Pure Gold? I never fill mine past 3/4 full as I found they don't work very well when completely full. You can try leaving the blue plug off for a minute or two before putting it back in, and then after putting the Sapphire back together, try a couple of hard pulls without firing your battery (i.e., dry pulls).

Not sure how you could non-destructively check the coil in a Sapphire though...

 

[Alevin]

Hey Haywood,

Thanks for the response. I filled it with one capsul it's now about down to the level of the wick. Do you notice it vapor locking when it gets low? I literally have to remove the plug if I take a 5 minute bbreak between hits. It's happening a lot more frequently than it's happening for you. I can confirm it has nothing to do with the coil because removing the blue plug and putting it back in fixes it.

 

[Alevin]

Now that this cart is running low I'm trying to figure out if the vapor lock is caused by it being low and whether or not I should put my second ampule in this cart or should I put it in a new one?

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

Since the carts are so cheap i would toss it and use a new one.
What temperature are you at?

 

[Haywood]

I only occasionally get the vacuum lock. Once or twice maybe per Pure Gold load. Certainly not every time. As Choppa asked, what battery and voltage are you using? I run my voltage pretty low, at 3.5 volts, as higher voltages kill my lungs with Pure Gold.

My standard routine with undiluted Pure Gold and the Sapphire clearos is to fill a new one with one ampule (0.5 grams worth), which fills the clearo half way. When it gets down to one quarter full, I add another Pure Gold ampule, taking the clearo to three quarters full. From then on, I just "cycle" between three quarters full and one quarter full, until the Sapphire starts to get a noticeably harder draw. Then I finish off the remaining Pure Gold until the clearo doesn't give any more vapor, and then I toss it and start a new one. Note that you can get a bunch of not-quite-thick hits even after there is no Pure Gold left in the visible part of the clearo (it's what's still left in the coil/wick area).

 

[GetToTheChoppa]

You the man haywood!! I like your avatar.

By temperature I was wondering the actual outside temp he lives at.

Think I remember reading the Pure Gold gets pretty thick below 50* F and doesn't flow as well.

I've been ripping the pure gold with my dabbler battery. Runs at 2.8v.

 

[Alevin]

I'm using a joyetech ego c at 3.7V. I don't know what the problem is. I'm never hitting it for more than 3-5 seconds. Don't know why I keep getting the vapor lock. Maybe the problem is w my battery. No idea why this is happening. The same thing has happened to me on the past w puregold.