Fluxer Heaters, induction heaters for Dynavap

[TommyDee]

CaS - a little cleaning of the cap. Don't ruin colored caps! ISO should be enough but some grunge may need more.
If there are flower bits on the contacts in the heating chamber, a stripped q-tip with a little ISO to moisten it.

Try a heavy PWM (more off than on) for the time being. Test sipping is allowed you know I'm curious to know if the flower will still scorch if you just use intuition on when to draw instead of the click. A lot of times I will draw the cap from the IH and it clicks mid-air. I have a pretty good feel for that now, but that isn't how an IH should be tuned. Not that I know if a generic tune is ever possible.

[ @Texus ]

 

[Texus]

CaS - a little cleaning of the cap. Don't ruin colored caps! ISO should be enough but some grunge may need more.
If there are flower bits on the contacts in the heating chamber, a stripped q-tip with a little ISO to moisten it.

Try a heavy PWM (more off than on) for the time being. Test sipping is allowed you know I'm curious to know if the flower will still scorch if you just use intuition on when to draw instead of the click. A lot of times I will draw the cap from the IH and it clicks mid-air. I have a pretty good feel for that now, but that isn't how an IH should be tuned. Not that I know if a generic tune is ever possible.

[ @Texus ]

OK. I'll try cleaning the cap, and I'll lower everything down to keep out of that combust zone.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

OK. I'll try cleaning the cap, and I'll lower everything down to keep out of that combust zone.

Thanks, @Texus . The new 16mm glass shipped today and should be here by this time next week, so the wait shouldn’t be too long.

 

[Momor]

Thank you @TommyDee for your detailed answer.

what's your session like and how is your DV collection

I only have a Ti Woody S and a BB9 with Ti tip also.

Let him know what you would like the heater to do and I know he can interpret your vision

The difficult par for me is that i'm not really sure of what i want from mi IH. My VapCap stayed in a drawer for a loooooong time because i don't like the torch heating (noise of the jet lighter, having to use both hands and pay quite close attention to what you're doing).
I think i'll follow you and ask for the TommyDee standard. If it doesn't suite me i think i can still put a piece of cork/silicon and the bottom of the heater to tune it down (i choose PB switch).

And yeah, kudos to @mr_cfromcali for trying to make the perfect heater for everyone.
You're both awesome

 

[rvarick]

Would you happen to have a milligram scale on hand for science and one more data point?

Great idea! I did have a scale on hand (also for science of course ). Below are the results, with weights pulled in as another data point. It seems that weight (by itself) doesn't seem to be THE factor in heatup time. It must be more related to the composition of the cap, or a combination of other factors; at least based on my limited sample below:

Cap Year	Type	#	Weight	Heatup time (secs)
2019	PhantoM	2800065	0.83	11.78
2019	C-Vap	N/A	0.79	10.82
2020	Captive	0800463	0.84	10.42
2019	Standard	2550300	0.83	10.1
2019	Standard	0830502	0.85	9.27
2019	Standard	2520107	0.82	9.22
2019	Standard	DY6-9350	0.85	8.8
2019	Low Temp	2890171	0.82	7.74

Thanks, @Texus . The new 16mm glass shipped today and should be here by this time next week, so the wait shouldn’t be too long.

I decided to reach out about switching to the 16mm coil. My cooler 15mm setup is still giving me charred flavor on the second hit, where my ideal session is 3 clicks; one for flavor, one for clouds, one for cleanup.

 

[Prophecy]

My Flite is still on the way to me, hope for arriving beginning of the next week.
Can not await to hold this little nice heater in my hands but reviews of the heating from the flite from others here concerned me a bit for my flite with the 15mm coil, have also asked for the coolest coil postion out of the box.

Has anybody here the same setup with the coil on the coolest setting out of the box and can say me how the heating is with it, especially with a TI-Tip and smallest bowl setting?

 

[rvarick]

My Flite is still on the way to me, hope for arriving beginning of the next week.
Can not await to hold this little nice heater in my hands but reviews of the heating from the flite from others here concerned me a bit for my flite with the 15mm coil, have also asked for the coolest coil postion out of the box.

Has anybody here the same setup with the coil on the coolest setting out of the box and can say me how the heating is with it, especially with a TI-Tip and smallest bowl setting?

I have the cool setting on mine currently and use Ti tips, but with the full bowl setting. I want clarify that the aggressiveness is probably fine, or even preferred for some users. It's not like "immediate combustion" or anything in my case. It's also going to be manageable to tone it down by using PWM, or by raising the tip/cap out if you have the button switch.

For my preferred experience, + the hotter-running caps I have and my interest in using the "full" power setting, and because mine has a CAS switch (which doesn't allow raising the cap/tip out of course) - I've decided to try for something cooler instead.

 

[DHV8654]

For my preferred experience, + the hotter-running caps I have and my interest in using the "full" power setting, and because mine has a CAS switch (which doesn't allow raising the cap/tip out of course) - I've decided to try for something cooler instead.

I have a cAs model as well, I feel it is a little too close to combustion for me even with PWM. I like the cAs and want to keep it. I just need this cooled down. I'm ok with less clicks and longer time until the click.

 

[Prophecy]

I have the cool setting on mine currently and use Ti tips, but with the full bowl setting. I want clarify that the aggressiveness is probably fine, or even preferred for some users. It's not like "immediate combustion" or anything in my case. It's also going to be manageable to tone it down by using PWM, or by raising the tip/cap out if you have the button switch.

For my preferred experience, + the hotter-running caps I have and my interest in using the "full" power setting, and because mine has a CAS switch (which doesn't allow raising the cap/tip out of course) - I've decided to try for something cooler instead.

Thank you for this informations, I have also a CAS switch choosen I think I will test first a little bit and play with the PWM mode and see how it goes.
If necessary I will change to the 16mm coil.

 

[BawlmerMerlin]

Contrary to most new Flite owners here, I have the CaS model requested "hot" and, using a Ti tip with low temperature cap, I love it! Admittedly, I need to be attentive to the click, but I am getting great flavor and bigger clouds than using either my Flix or FD, although the Flix does seem plenty "hot." That seems to me a remarkable achievement, making me begin to consider that perhaps I need to adjust my FD to be slightly more aggressive (?)

Happy Camper here!

 

[Zoltani]

Sorry I've missed a few inquiries -

@Zoltani - On full charge PWM disabled, any cap should click in about 6-8 seconds. That is the normal tune. There are caveats of course.
Knowing exactly what cap you have is difficult. If your heater is set to hot, it will take longer to add the additional heat.
The rate heat is applied is cap-dependent. However, each cap in the same heater takes on the same amount of energy to the click, give or take very little. Is there a serial number on your cap?

I do not see a serial number on the cap.

I'm not sure why it takes so long to click, 16 seconds. I have to remove from IH after the first click on the first cycle or it gets a little too roasted.

 

[TommyDee]

I have one cap un-serialized and that was a C-Vap. I believe some of the OG caps had no serial number. Having good separation between clicks puts it in the legacy category.

I once ruined a cap trying to get a dent out. It moved the click profile way up there. The cap became an outlier from the rest of the herd. I believe it is serving as a concentrate cap elsewhere at the moment.

It sounds like you are still tuned a little too hot but not because of the coil size. Is this your only cap?

@zolltano - 1075, 1066,1034 mah on the refresh charge. The Opus had them all at 4.15V at the end of the refresh.
I'll run these throughout today and see what the voltage is for each cell when I detect the LV signal from the device.

 

[Zoltani]

I have one cap un-serialized and that was a C-Vap. I believe some of the OG caps had no serial number. Having good separation between clicks puts it in the legacy category.

I once ruined a cap trying to get a dent out. It moved the click profile way up there. The cap became an outlier from the rest of the herd. I believe it is serving as a concentrate cap elsewhere at the moment.

It sounds like you are still tuned a little too hot but not because of the coil size. Is this your only cap?

That makes me wonder if all of the dents in the top of my cap has changed the heating profile. I get a solid few seconds between clicks with CaS full power. I've been finding if I take out after the first click or just after then it gives me a good bake without combustion. Waiting until the second click is almost guaranteed combustion. Using PWM I've primarily been using the button and I can wait until the second click without worry, it is more forgiving. I did finally get the CaS to work with the PWM, but I need more testing to see how it bakes. I still prefer using the button with PWM but with a flatter cap it would work great I'm sure.

This cap is the only cap I have. It has no serial number that I can tell but has the dynavap logo with made in usa below. On the digger there is a stylized D, those are the only clues.

I'll have to pick up a couple of new caps, interested to try low temp cap and a new regular cap.

 

[TommyDee]

When dealing with the average of 1, the outcome is fairly narrow. If the clicker itself has ever been crushed, then yes, the profile will change.

And - since I have not heard of a faithful double click since the 20-M was introduced, I am fairly confident that you have an OG cap - quite rare. These had honest click separation. One to tell you to pay attention, and one on the edge of loosing your attention again.

This video might be timely for you @Zoltani - this is how replacement caps will act. Fortunately, Flite really does well with them. Enjoy;

 

[RustyOldNail]

TOMMYDEE TV !!!

 

[TommyDee]

@Zoltani - LEDs dimmed on a 2020 cap, finished to the click and rested a few minutes; resting voltages - 3.35v, 3.34v 3.22v One cell had a lower capacity as well. Seems normal at these low levels.

In case you missed it, this is a random set of 3 out of 6 that have been floating about with extensive use in the last 5 months or so.

edit; Total for the above stats was 10.806WH for the charge using the BMS. 4.2V x3 on the nose - 12.6V on the nose for the charger.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Thanks @TommyDee !! Thanks so much for taking the time to put this together!

Tommy's technique is verrrrry repeatable, and I say that after testing it verrrrry thoroughly. BTW, although you can't see this in the video, his "heartbeat" setting for PWM is such that it just barely ticks to an "off" state - call it 97% on, 3% off. You can hear it but you can't see the LEDs blink ever so slightly.

Tommy's method - or maybe "Tommy's Technique™"? - is a great way to use the PWM function. There are other ways, too, and I look forward to seeing people share their discoveries. I will share some of my own techniques when my schedule frees up a bit.

Finally, I may not be able to fulfill your every wish to the degree Tommy suggests in his video -- but I always want the things I make to work well for the people that buy and use them, for as long as possible. I want you to enjoy using your Fluxer device.

GREAT video, Tommy! Thanks!

 

[invertedisdead]

You can also heat it while empty, force cool to the click, quickly load, and reheat to get big first hits, with maybe a bit more flavor and body for a first draw. Used to milk a 15" beaker with the OG using that method or the one in Tommy's video.

 

[lemonSkunkie]

is it possible to use the flite while charging?

 

[Jethro]

I think I MIGHT actually get my Flite this week after being in a seemingly endless holdup in Memphis. Tracking shows it's in NH this morning! Woot!

 

[TommyDee]

@lemonSkunkie - Personally it doesn't bother me use FireFlite while charging. The risk is the charger, not Flite. I am not sure what Jeff's policy is.

 

[Iholland17]

@lemonSkunkie - Personally it doesn't bother me use FireFlite while charging. The risk is the charger, not Flite. I am not sure what Jeff's policy is.

Can you elaborate on the risk to the charger? Out of habit I usually keep my flux delux plugged in when driving. Bad idea?

 

[TommyDee]

I have killed cheap chargers asking them to do what they were designed to do. These chargers don't like having unlimited power pulled from them, much less what is expected of them. Internally they blow a fuse but it also means they are dead.

Jeff picked a charger that actually shows when the CC mode goes to CV. That is a rare feature on run of the mill charge warts. This means that the charger should be protected internally from over-current for extended periods of time, which means that the 10 seconds we demand at a time is not a big deal.

Generically, charge warts are only little power supplies with little regard to over-current protection. They just die on abuse. Being 12.6V specific does invite the opportunity for the maker to put a proper charge circuit inside as the use-case is obvious. If the charger changes LED colors or shuts off, then it is likely a proper CVCC charger.

Flite will pull power from where it can. Generically, it is not a problem. I tend to overthink things a little and my reply is more about completeness. You are now informed ;]

 

[Iholland17]

I have killed cheap chargers asking them to do what they were designed to do. These chargers don't like having unlimited power pulled from them, much less what is expected of them. Internally they blow a fuse but it also means they are dead.

Jeff picked a charger that actually shows when the CC mode goes to CV. That is a rare feature on run of the mill charge warts. This means that the charger should be protected internally from over-current for extended periods of time, which means that the 10 seconds we demand at a time is not a big deal.

Generically, charge warts are only little power supplies with little regard to over-current protection. They just die on abuse. Being 12.6V specific does invite the opportunity for the maker to put a proper charge circuit inside as the use-case is obvious. If the charger changes LED colors or shuts off, then it is likely a proper CVCC charger.

Flite will pull power from where it can. Generically, it is not a problem. I tend to overthink things a little and my reply is more about completeness. You are now informed ;]

Oh ok. Good to know! As long as it doesn't fry the heater or the batteries! Phew! Thanks again for dropping knowledge @TommyDee!

 

[Iholland17]

In the same general subject, does it cause much stress to the heater or batteries to leave it on all the time? I have a bad habit (or laziness) of not opening the lid of my FD to turn it off.