Crafty/Crafty+ by Storz & Bickel

[l33t]

I would say they did put a battery door but I would be 2 days early Yeah I was a bit surprised with my serial number too. It looks solid... everything works as it should heat up times and battery seem fine Thanks bro, I really like my crafty

PS I compared it to a cy03xxxx it looks exactly the same...

 

[Vambo1980]

When I first had Crafty I had to wait for my daughter to come visit with her phone before I could dim those lights down!
Yes, the reclaim can be put straight on to an oil pad for vaping. Add a little flower for a nice sandwich.

After a couple of recent posts that mention factory reset I want to tell about this behavior, which I experienced with 2 different Crafty's, but only very rarely (once or twice each at most):
While in use, temp. set somewhere in normal range, I would notice the vapor getting hotter and the Crafty itself getting hotter. Run to get the app going to see what's up, and see that it's gone (on its own) to maximum temperature setting! A reset, either through the app or by button push/hold would put all back to default right away.


Hi!
Wow, do we welcome discussion like this. The battery replacement will just be a growing area of interest over time. I don't have the knowledge that you apparently do, but I do see that S&B could take a few tips from some smart users!
Someone with better memory may ring in to tell of one intrepid (legendary) FC'er who's kept his going hundreds of hours through multiple battery swaps, and has a mod to keep the unit from overheating so often. (has to do with that thermosensor's placement, as I recall).
Please keep up the quest and spread the word about user-sourced improvements to Crafty and Mighty!

I wouldn't call myself legendary but i have managed to keep my crafty going and documented it's in this thread somewhere.. Ive swapped out the battery a few times since original, purely for performance/heat up times. Soldering the heater cables to the main board and removing the blown thermal fuse is all i have done to keep her ticking, and it still performs like it always has.
up to 453 hours on my long standing companion.

I too have the problem randomly, with the unit going into max temp. It happens not very often and I'm not sure what causes it. A reset resolves this, i have a feeling this might have been resolved with updated firmware as i don't hear people mention it much. It did also do it on my first unit what firmware is you're crafty?

 

[MinnBobber]

Soldering the heater cables to the main board and removing the blown thermal fuse is all i have done to keep her ticking, and it still performs like it always has.
up to 453 hours on my long standing companion.

....................................
World champion !!!!
How many battery swaps have you done?
Was it just a blown fuse once/ the first time?

 

[Hawk]

I wouldn't call myself legendary but i have managed to keep my crafty going and documented it's in this thread somewhere.. Ive swapped out the battery a few times since original, purely for performance/heat up times. Soldering the heater cables to the main board and removing the blown thermal fuse is all i have done to keep her ticking, and it still performs like it always has.
up to 453 hours on my long standing companion.

I too have the problem randomly, with the unit going into max temp. It happens not very often and I'm not sure what causes it. A reset resolves this, i have a feeling this might have been resolved with updated firmware as i don't hear people mention it much. It did also do it on my first unit what firmware is you're crafty?

Would love to know the fuse and battery you replace with and where you get them. Once my warranty is up I'll be doing the same.

 

[Vambo1980]

....................................
World champion !!!!
How many battery swaps have you done?
Was it just a blown fuse once/ the first time?

The fuse blown and i had the red/yellow lights of death, i opened it up and found that the fuse had a poor connection to the board via a push fit type connection, the heat produced by this made the thermal fuse blow. I removed the fuse and soldered the heater supply cables directly to the PCB, at the time it was just to see if i could fix it and get it working with a view to replace the fuse later.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-crafty-by-storz-bickel.15984/page-212#post-814003

I've done 3 swaps, although i could have gone much longer between swaps I just like the fast heat up time and snappy performance with a newer cell. I am only using cheap Samsung 25R's 2500mAh and 20A rated i think, i brought a load about 18 months ago for some other gadgets i was upgrading. The performance does drop just like the original and any other battery, but i doubt it would last as many cycles as the original 2700 Panasonic. Its still much faster heating up than the original due to its lower internal resistance, and the extra impedance removed from the thermal fuse. The trade off is it gets a bit warmer and it has less overall capacity. Although that does not bother me as its always charged after every session and left ready to be picked up again, unless i take it out with me. If I remember correctly when a cell was first installed it heat up in 1.20seconds/190C which is nice, although the time increases to about 1.50 after the first 25/30 hours on a new 25R cell, then very slowly increases. Because I still have a few of these cells i will just change them out when i feel its taking a bit longer than I like to heat up.

Would love to know the fuse and battery you replace with and where you get them. Once my warranty is up I'll be doing the same.

I did not replace the fuse, i did order some replacement fuses but because i was loving the performance with the heater cables soldered directly to the board i never replaced it. If you are buying a battery specifically for the crafty i would not use the 25R. I'm sure somebody else will be able to guide you to a better battery to suit the needs required. You ideally want the best performing battery at the time of purchase, new cells are being brought out regularly. Capacity is not as important, discharge and voltage holding under discharge are more important, along with cycle life and temperature under discharge.

the thermal fuse is sw-127T 184C
http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/419006/Thermal-fuse-184-C-10-A-250-V-ESKA-SW-127T-1-pcs

 

[Hawk]

The fuse blown and i had the red/yellow lights of death, i opened it up and found that the fuse had a poor connection to the board via a push fit type connection, the heat produced by this made the thermal fuse blow. I removed the fuse and soldered the heater supply cables directly to the PCB, at the time it was just to see if i could fix it and get it working with a view to replace the fuse later.

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-crafty-by-storz-bickel.15984/page-212#post-814003

I've done 3 swaps, although i could have gone much longer between swaps I just like the fast heat up time and snappy performance with a newer cell. I am only using cheap Samsung 25R's 2500mAh and 20A rated i think, i brought a load about 18 months ago for some other gadgets i was upgrading. The performance does drop just like the original and any other battery, but i doubt it would last as many cycles as the original 2700 Panasonic. Its still much faster heating up than the original due to its lower internal resistance, and the extra impedance removed from the thermal fuse. The trade off is it gets a bit warmer and it has less overall capacity. Although that does not bother me as its always charged after every session and left ready to be picked up again, unless i take it out with me. If I remember correctly when a cell was first installed it heat up in 1.20seconds/190C which is nice, although the time increases to about 1.50 after the first 25/30 hours on a new 25R cell, then very slowly increases. Because I still have a few of these cells i will just change them out when i feel its taking a bit longer than I like to heat up.



I did not replace the fuse, i did order some replacement fuses but because i was loving the performance with the heater cables soldered directly to the board i never replaced it. If you are buying a battery specifically for the crafty i would not use the 25R. I'm sure somebody else will be able to guide you to a better battery to suit the needs required. You ideally want the best performing battery at the time of purchase, new cells are being brought out regularly. Capacity is not as important, discharge and voltage holding under discharge are more important, along with cycle life and temperature under discharge.

the thermal fuse is sw-127T 184C
http://www.conrad.com/ce/en/product/419006/Thermal-fuse-184-C-10-A-250-V-ESKA-SW-127T-1-pcs

Thanks for this! The battery question was more for where do you buy them with tabs? Or are you putting your own tabs? I have a couple of the new eFest IMR's that are 3500mah 20A which would be great to use but no tabs.

 

[Vambo1980]

https://www.nkon.nl/

 

[vapviking]

I would say they did put a battery door but I would be 2 days early

Took me four days to "get it". Ha!

I wouldn't call myself legendary but i have managed to keep my crafty going and documented it's in this thread somewhere.. Ive swapped out the battery a few times since original, purely for performance/heat up times. Soldering the heater cables to the main board and removing the blown thermal fuse is all i have done to keep her ticking, and it still performs like it always has.
up to 453 hours on my long standing companion.

I too have the problem randomly, with the unit going into max temp. It happens not very often and I'm not sure what causes it. A reset resolves this, i have a feeling this might have been resolved with updated firmware as i don't hear people mention it much. It did also do it on my first unit what firmware is you're crafty?

You are too modest.
Thanks for revisiting this important subject. Lots of new eyeballs on it, I'm sure.


Yes, my Crafty's with the 'soaring to max' behavior were earlier, though I don't recall exactly, it was 2 out of 3 of the ones I had, probably the 2.05 and 2.07. As you observe, maybe the issue has been addressed. I have a very well behaved Mighty now.

 

[ligi]

Anyone had the issue of the crafty not vibrating sometimes and send it back to S&B RMA? Do they change the unit?

 

[phried]

Anyone had the issue of the crafty not vibrating sometimes and send it back to S&B RMA? Do they change the unit?

I've read people just thump the bottom of the unit. Tried it yet?

 

[h3rbalist]

And that does what exactly?


My 3rd 2.10 replacement is intermittently failing to vibrate. It also has one intermittently failing blue LED.

It was like that out of the box.

I won't send it in until it stops producing vapour and fails completely.

Should I?

 

[Mrbrown81k]

My 3rd 2.10 replacement is intermittently failing to vibrate. It also has one intermittently failing blue LED.

It was like that out of the box.

I won't send it in until it stops producing vapour and fails completely.

Should I?

Im in the same position. Is your LED working but not completely and only sometimes? My unit is actually working better than ever other than that so Im not sending it in just yet. Have 1 more year left on my warranty. If this thing fails again Im upgrading to a Mighty.

 

[ligi]

I've read people just thump the bottom of the unit. Tried it yet?

I know what a thumb is - I know what the bottom of the unit is - still I am having problems to understand what I should try there ;-)
To be honest I am getting used to the vibrator not working ( annoying but the vapor is still good and this is what counts ) But I am getting a lot of usage-hours on the clock and was reading that there is a value ( anyone knows the exact one - I was reading 100 between the lines ) that after you cross it you might get problems with other RMA problems..
Also I would rather now send my crafty in than in summer ;-)

 

[vapviking]

I know what a thumb is - I know what the bottom of the unit is - still I am having problems to understand what I should try there ;-)
To be honest I am getting used to the vibrator not working ( annoying but the vapor is still good and this is what counts ) But I am getting a lot of usage-hours on the clock and was reading that there is a value ( anyone knows the exact one - I was reading 100 between the lines ) that after you cross it you might get problems with other RMA problems..
Also I would rather now send my crafty in than in summer ;-)

He wrote "thump" the unit (not thumb). Thump= bump, like a dull thud. But don't smack it hard against a hard surface.
These vibrators are usually a small weight mounted off-balance on a shaft that spins, and this eccentric motion yields a vibration/humming noise. Sometimes the little weight 'hangs', stuck at a point in its rotation that just won't quite be overcome by the small amount of current sent to spin it. "Thump" it, as in, "bump" it against the heel of your hand, which can shift the little weight to a more cooperative position. The vibrator is in the lower portion of the Crafty, so thump it down there...

 

[cloudsosmoke]

@ligi

few wks ago sent 176 hr in for

vibrate
slow heatup time (3m not 2m)
small bit broken off around bowl

sent new one - 'replacement machine for non-repairable device!' on invoice

s&b germany

 

[Mr.Sifter]

i know this thread is not representative for all crafty owners but it seems to me that the crafty is one fragile little device.
so many people telling about their second and third device.
is the reliability so low ?

 

[Mrbrown81k]

i know this thread is not representative for all crafty owners but it seems to me that the crafty is one fragile little device.
so many people telling about their second and third device.
is the reliability so low ?

I think its getting better, but if I had to do it over Id go for the Mighty. Seems more reliable , and cant stand having to charge my device after every 3 uses anymore. If you do go for a Crafty I highly suggest buying a backup portable.

 

[biohacker]

@ligi

few wks ago sent 176 hr in for

vibrate
slow heatup time (3m not 2m)
small bit broken off around bowl

sent new one - 'replacement machine for non-repairable device!' on invoice

s&b germany

Lucky you, sounds like you needed a battery replacement with so many hours and that heat up time. I bet S&B America would have billed for it!

I think my next car will be a Volkswagen! Golf R!

 

[cloudsosmoke]

yea i was surprised - thought theyd repair it

- its my second new since 5mts
first 26 hr with faulty button

being S&B - they didnt give much away as to why




i see US/EU/AUS/other difference as opportunity for us (humans) to get the best of all worlds .. hopefully .. eventually

in the future
maybe you (in US) will get more consumer rights (free replacement batteries under warranty) and the nice easy metric system (..so good)
and maybe we (in UK) will get legalization .. i think US states making recreational legal was a game changer


not to mention all the other good ideas that already exist in the world that could be swapped/reproduced




but first - we all must get stoned

 

[Crafty Vaper]

My third unit since December 2014 died today. 201 hours of use. Red orange lights at the end of my last session. I'll send it in tomorrow.

 

[Razshiro]

My third unit since December 2014 died today. 201 hours of use. Red orange lights at the end of my last session. I'll send it in tomorrow.

Maybe it's time to ask for a Mighty upgrade,no?

 

[Crafty Vaper]

I have a Volcano as my home basic unit, a Mighty for all things round the house and in the garden and I use the Crafty when I am cycling or wandering in nature.
I'm absolutely happy with S&B products and their customer service. Never had to pay for repair or changed new units. Let's see what will happen this time.

 

[Razshiro]

I have a Volcano as my home basic unit, a Mighty for all things round the house and in the garden and I use the Crafty when I am cycling or wandering in nature.
I'm absolutely happy with S&B products and their customer service. Never had to pay for repair or changed new units. Let's see what will happen this time.

Oh nice collection

No problem for the repair i guess this time, never had an issue with S & B Germany even more for LOTD(Led Of The Death). The best customer service i tried !!

 

[Sick Vape]

I have to say, finally owning a Crafty encourages one to join FC and say "this is one fine piece of hardware."

Thats exactly what I did.
Hello fellow vaporists.
"this is one fine piece of hardware."
Fuck Combustion

Sucks to have problems so soon out of the box. Lucky this doesn't stop the whole ride!
I could swear mine misses a beat every now and then (forgets to vibrate). But then I'm never really sure I can prove it! And well, it's been this way thru 3 Crafty's and a Mighty, so maybe it's just me?...
I think the best part about the vibration feature is that it can get you a new piece when it breaks.

My Crafty forgets to hum too, sometimes. It is not just you . I "forget" to send it back for replacement. It really doesn't bother me. But I understand it can be a problem for some.

 

[vapviking]

i know this thread is not representative for all crafty owners but it seems to me that the crafty is one fragile little device.
so many people telling about their second and third device.
is the reliability so low ?

I think its getting better, but if I had to do it over Id go for the Mighty. Seems more reliable , and cant stand having to charge my device after every 3 uses anymore. If you do go for a Crafty I highly suggest buying a backup portable.

I agree that Crafty has a rep for being tempermental (plus, I had 3 of them fail), though I am also willing to accept that there are tens of thousands of good-working Crafty's in the wild, and S&B has continued to make minor improvements to it on the fly. Service is great, so for the frustration of it failing and then mailing it out, you usually get rewarded with a new one (2 year ride on the warranty train). I now have a Mighty; for my use pattern, the Mighty is unquestionably a better fit. It seems if you are going to use the heck outta it, Mighty does that better.

The thing here that caught my attention is,"If you do go for a Crafty I highly suggest buying a backup portable." We must pause and reflect on that. Along with laying out $300+, and, uh, $$ for something to put in it, drop another hundred or three on a backup vape! Sadly, I happen to agree. Some folks just roll with it and get a second Crafty/Mighty. I have a Pax2 that only sees occasional use. It surely is a testament to the terrific performance of both the Crafty and Mighty, that owners are willing to go through a lot to have one.