Fluxer Heaters, induction heaters for Dynavap

[RustyOldNail]

Three qualified cells - KeepPower, Efest, and Vapcell high capacity. You want 10 amp continuous if possible but no less than 9.
Be sure to buy genuine cells. I get my Efest here and they have been genuine confirmed with tests and use - LINK

I have not used my old AW 18350 batteries in years, so time for research.

All these 18350 batteries appear to be re-wraps of the Chinese manufacturer “YDL”, according to “Mooch”, the Battery reviewer. They make a “YDL 18350D”, this is the brand you get with a new Davinci IQ2/Miqro device.

Awhile ago the VapCell re-wrap was considered a top choice, but it was discovered they switched to a different brand. I’ve bought and used VapCell, but this inconsistency in the 18350 version makes buying them now an “unknown”, which could apply to any company that does NOT make the battery, just RE-WRAPS them. It’s a MOVING target.

Never been a fan of EFest or KeepPower brands from my ECig days, and I can’t find a trusted review source for Efest, and not reviewed by Mooch. These 18350’s are not popular sized batteries to begin with.

REMEMBER: While it is fairly easy with some inexpensive meters, to determine if a cell is capable of holding its stated capacity in mAh, the tests to determine if that battery is delivering the AMPERAGE, is to test the current drain at HIGH AMPS. You need more expensive test equipment, that can drain the battery at a HIGH AMP RATE, and give you the actual battery temperatures at those higher amps. When the temperature exceeds the SAFE limit of the published specifications, that is the AMP LIMIT. Without the proper test equipment, we rely on reviewers, like Mooch to learn the ACTUAL amp limits, NOT the BLOATED/INFLATED amp numbers advertised by most battery manufacturers, which can lead to dangerous use. It’s has been, and still is a big issue with lithium batteries. Sales are more important then your safety! Be careful and educate yourself.

I’m going to buy the Epochs, based on the review I linked below. It’s the latest I could find.

https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/hgk7du
Here is the Mooch “KeepPower” review (same YDL 18350D):

Bench Test Results: Keeppower 10A 1200mAh 18350...bit overrated, looks like YDL 18350D

These tests below only note the ESTIMATED ratings for these batteries at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Panasonic, Molicel, or Sanyo can change at any time! This is one of the hazards of using...

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

 

[RobbIt]

I have not used my old AW 18350 batteries in years, so time for research.

All these 18350 batteries appear to be re-wraps of the Chinese manufacturer “YDL”, according to “Mooch”, the Battery reviewer. They make a “YDL 18350D”, this is the brand you get with a new Davinci IQ2/Miqro device.

Awhile ago the VapCell re-wrap was considered a top choice, but it was discovered they switched to a different brand. I’ve bought and used VapCell, but this inconsistency in the 18350 version makes buying them now an “unknown”, which could apply to any company that does NOT make the battery, just RE-WRAPS them. It’s a MOVING target.

Never been a fan of EFest or KeepPower brands from my ECig days, and I can’t find a trusted review source for Efest, and not reviewed by Mooch. These 18350’s are not popular sized batteries to begin with.

REMEMBER: While it is fairly easy with some inexpensive meters, to determine if a cell is capable of holding its stated capacity in mAh, the tests to determine if that battery is delivering the AMPERAGE, is to test the current drain at HIGH AMPS. You need more expensive test equipment, that can drain the battery at a HIGH AMP RATE, and give you the actual battery temperatures at those higher amps. When the temperature exceeds the SAFE limit of the published specifications, that is the AMP LIMIT. Without the proper test equipment, we rely on reviewers, like Mooch to learn the ACTUAL amp limits, NOT the BLOATED/INFLATED amp numbers advertised by most battery manufacturers, which can lead to dangerous use. It’s has been, and still is a big issue with lithium batteries. Sales are more important then your safety! Be careful and educate yourself.

I’m going to buy the Epochs, based on the review I linked below. It’s the latest I could find.

https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/hgk7du
Here is the Mooch “KeepPower” review (same YDL 18350D):

Bench Test Results: Keeppower 10A 1200mAh 18350...bit overrated, looks like YDL 18350D

These tests below only note the ESTIMATED ratings for these batteries at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Panasonic, Molicel, or Sanyo can change at any time! This is one of the hazards of using...

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

Great info thanks Rusty! Mooch is da man, again!

 

[RustyOldNail]

Great info thanks Rusty! Mooch is da man, again!

Yeah, I wish I had the gear to temperature test cells at 10-20-30 amps discharge. Looks like most if not all these 18350 cells are from the YDL Chinese factory, as there is not a huge demand for this size. Which means any differences between re-wrap brands, are probably due to production batches. So it’s about a $5.00/bat CRAP SHOOT.

Here is the latest Mooch chart I could find. It pretty much illustrates the YDL is the actual battery being rewrapped by resellers.

 

[kazz]

I've been using the Epochs in Flite #079 for a few weeks now. No complaints whatsoever. But I haven't used 350 batteries for several years, so I really don't have anything to compare them to.

 

[TommyDee]

I have not used my old AW 18350 batteries in years, so time for research.

All these 18350 batteries appear to be re-wraps of the Chinese manufacturer “YDL”, according to “Mooch”, the Battery reviewer. They make a “YDL 18350D”, this is the brand you get with a new Davinci IQ2/Miqro device.

Awhile ago the VapCell re-wrap was considered a top choice, but it was discovered they switched to a different brand. I’ve bought and used VapCell, but this inconsistency in the 18350 version makes buying them now an “unknown”, which could apply to any company that does NOT make the battery, just RE-WRAPS them. It’s a MOVING target.

Never been a fan of EFest or KeepPower brands from my ECig days, and I can’t find a trusted review source for Efest, and not reviewed by Mooch. These 18350’s are not popular sized batteries to begin with.

REMEMBER: While it is fairly easy with some inexpensive meters, to determine if a cell is capable of holding its stated capacity in mAh, the tests to determine if that battery is delivering the AMPERAGE, is to test the current drain at HIGH AMPS. You need more expensive test equipment, that can drain the battery at a HIGH AMP RATE, and give you the actual battery temperatures at those higher amps. When the temperature exceeds the SAFE limit of the published specifications, that is the AMP LIMIT. Without the proper test equipment, we rely on reviewers, like Mooch to learn the ACTUAL amp limits, NOT the BLOATED/INFLATED amp numbers advertised by most battery manufacturers, which can lead to dangerous use. It’s has been, and still is a big issue with lithium batteries. Sales are more important then your safety! Be careful and educate yourself.

I’m going to buy the Epochs, based on the review I linked below. It’s the latest I could find.

https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/hgk7du
Here is the Mooch “KeepPower” review (same YDL 18350D):

Bench Test Results: Keeppower 10A 1200mAh 18350...bit overrated, looks like YDL 18350D

These tests below only note the ESTIMATED ratings for these batteries at the time I tested them. Any battery that is not a genuine Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Panasonic, Molicel, or Sanyo can change at any time! This is one of the hazards of using...

www.e-cigarette-forum.com

Mooch's review is spot on. I never doubted most of these are 'branded' from a sole source. The fine print on eFest, for instance, does say thatb the true capacity is 1,100mah and they float right about there in my tests. I use the Opus BC-3100. But I also torchure these cells and they are damn robust where ever they come from. It was the eFest 14500 that didn't stand up at all. One observation when you are overtaxing cells is that they do not remain balanced after only a couple of weeks of cycling. These were rated to 9.25 amps or something. No fucking way! LOL I was pushing maybe 7 amps.

As a power plant though, 18350 on IH is a perfect marriage for size and convenience. I have been testing 3 sets long term and they are still meeting spec.

Glad Mooch is still taking data.

 

[FROMTHE6IX]

I would love to order one, I already put myself in the waiting list on your site, here from Toronto Canada

 

[TheBlackLodge]

Just got my Flite in and I love the color. Is the wall charger the same one used on the Flux Deluxe? The wraps on the 18350's look like they're gonna get chewed up quickly (They're in there tight!) so I'd like to keep them in place.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Just got my Flite in and I love the color. Is the wall charger the same one used on the Flux Deluxe? The wraps on the 18350's look like they're gonna get chewed up quickly (They're in there tight!) so I'd like to keep them in place.

Yes, the Flite uses the same charger as the FD. Glad it got there safely.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

HI all,

Sorry for not posting an update yesterday as I had intended. I took a break from Fluxer stuff this weekend to spend some time w/my family, something I needed to do.

My immediate plans for this week are two-fold:

First, the bulk of the heaters I shipped last week are being delivered this week, and I am sure there will be a few issues that come up. If you have an issue with one of my heaters, please send me an email (fluxerheaters@gmail.com preferred) and we will work out the appropriate next steps for repair, replacement, or refund. I want you to be happy with your heater purchase.

Second, I still expect to have a few Flite and Flix v2 available before the end of the week, but I don't know my remaining inventory just yet; that's also one of today's tasks, and I expect to post some info on what will be available later today.

Thanks again for your support for my heaters. As I said in my post last week, I hope the next few weeks are just a pause and not something more final. In the meantime, I'm still here and check this thread regularly, so please drop me a line with any questions or concerns.

Cheers,

 

[RobbIt]

Mooch's review is spot on. I never doubted most of these are 'branded' from a sole source. The fine print on eFest, for instance, does say thatb the true capacity is 1,100mah and they float right about there in my tests. I use the Opus BC-3100. But I also torchure these cells and they are damn robust where ever they come from. It was the eFest 14500 that didn't stand up at all. One observation when you are overtaxing cells is that they do not remain balanced after only a couple of weeks of cycling. These were rated to 9.25 amps or something. No fucking way! LOL I was pushing maybe 7 amps.

As a power plant though, 18350 on IH is a perfect marriage for size and convenience. I have been testing 3 sets long term and they are still meeting spec.

Glad Mooch is still taking data.

But I have so many 18650s lol!

 

[sesh732]

Flix v2 arrived I'm in love. It's so easy to use and adjust between the vv and pwm. Thanks Jeff!!!

 

[sesh732]

This is a nice battery discussion, reminds me of the cpf days. Thanks for the analysis folks! Hopefully this size battery will see more and more use, half a 650 seems to makes a lot of sense in this device

 

[kazz]

My Flix arrived today. I know that I am going to embarrass myself, but what is the wrench shaped thing made of circuit board material used for? And, the silicone things are supposed to be feet and not coil spacers, correct?

Try not to laugh too hard.....

 

[Cannabiker]

My Flix arrived today. I know that I am going to embarrass myself, but what is the wrench shaped thing made of circuit board material used for? And, the silicone things are supposed to be feet and not coil spacers, correct?

Try not to laugh too hard.....

The wrench removes the nut which holds the switch in place so you can remove the assembly from the case. I opened mine up to drop my coils just a bit to get the Flix closer in performance to my Flite--it was just a little on the aggressive side, now it's perfect.

 

[kazz]

The wrench removes the nut which holds the switch in place so you can remove the assembly from the case. I opened mine up to drop my coils just a bit to get the Flix closer in performance to my Flite--it was just a little on the aggressive side, now it's perfect.

Thanks!

 

[mr_cfromcali]

And, the silicone things are supposed to be feet and not coil spacers, correct?

Correct. Because the Flix v2 uses the cap-as-switch, it only comes with feet to support the case. It doesn't use silicone bumpers or switch covers, so it doesn't come with those. And as @Cannabiker noted, the wrench is to remove the nut on the on/off switch so you can access the coil if you want to adjust it.

Thanks again, and sorry those items weren’t better labeled.

 

[TheBlackLodge]

Ok so here's some initial Flite impressions:

1) It's not too much smaller than the Flux Deluxe, but the small difference makes a huge difference in pocketability
2) The PWM is fucking awesome, I've been trying to achieve similar results by taking breaks between bursts of heating, but those results were very inconsistent, unlike the PWM
3) Cap as switch works very well if your cap isn't dirty/misshapen, and solves any issues related to the buttons like the glass becoming detached
4) Having to remove the lid to change power states makes me appreciate the external switch on my Deluxes so much more

 

[FROMTHE6IX]

mr_cfromcali any update on making new orders, I'm from Toronto Canada, I already signed on the waitlist hope you don't stop making them​

 

[mr_cfromcali]

mr_cfromcali any update on making new orders, I'm from Toronto Canada, I already signed on the waitlist hope you don't stop making them​

Thank you, @FROMTHE6IX .

I don't have a formal update that I can share yet, but I had a very positive conversation this evening with someone who knows the specifics of how the new law affects the sale and shipment of Dynavap thermal extraction devices and induction heaters. This person was very encouraging about my situation and didn't believe I had anything to worry about, and forgive me for being vague, but they are in a position to actually know this. We're planning on talking again within a few days, and I hope to have some more info to share about my future plans and upcoming production schedule very soon.

That's the very latest. As I said, it's better news than I was anticipating, and it sort of came to me out of the blue. I hope to have a more complete answer to share within a few days.

 

[RobbIt]

Thank you, @FROMTHE6IX .

I don't have a formal update that I can share yet, but I had a very positive conversation this evening with someone who knows the specifics of how the new law affects the sale and shipment of Dynavap thermal extraction devices and induction heaters. This person was very encouraging about my situation and didn't believe I had anything to worry about, and forgive me for being vague, but they are in a position to actually know this. We're planning on talking again within a few days, and I hope to have some more info to share about my future plans and upcoming production schedule very soon.

That's the very latest. As I said, it's better news than I was anticipating, and it sort of came to me out of the blue. I hope to have a more complete answer to share within a few days.

Fantastic Jeff.

 

[fak]

Thank you, @FROMTHE6IX .

I don't have a formal update that I can share yet, but I had a very positive conversation this evening with someone who knows the specifics of how the new law affects the sale and shipment of Dynavap thermal extraction devices and induction heaters. This person was very encouraging about my situation and didn't believe I had anything to worry about, and forgive me for being vague, but they are in a position to actually know this. We're planning on talking again within a few days, and I hope to have some more info to share about my future plans and upcoming production schedule very soon.

That's the very latest. As I said, it's better news than I was anticipating, and it sort of came to me out of the blue. I hope to have a more complete answer to share within a few days.

This is great news! Hopefully you can sort out international payment/shipping and I can get my order back in soon, wish you the best!

 

[FROMTHE6IX]

Thank you, @FROMTHE6IX .

I don't have a formal update that I can share yet, but I had a very positive conversation this evening with someone who knows the specifics of how the new law affects the sale and shipment of Dynavap thermal extraction devices and induction heaters. This person was very encouraging about my situation and didn't believe I had anything to worry about, and forgive me for being vague, but they are in a position to actually know this. We're planning on talking again within a few days, and I hope to have some more info to share about my future plans and upcoming production schedule very soon.

That's the very latest. As I said, it's better news than I was anticipating, and it sort of came to me out of the blue. I hope to have a more complete answer to share within a few days.

That's so awesome, hope everything's goes well! I really want to order from you when the time happens! Thanks again for your hard work you do! Cheers from Toronto Canada!

 

[stark1]

Despite the snafu, mr_c came up with a solution!

 

[RustyOldNail]

18350 BATTERY TESTS - 4-2-21

In post #3528, several posts up in this thread, I posted a chart that shows the test results of a professional battery test reviewer (Mooch). There you will see that currently, it looks like most if not all 18350 sized lithium batteries are being made in the “YDL” Chinese factory. Every other brand, Epoch, Keepfinder, Vapcell etc., are all just companies that buy them from YDL in bulk, then re-wrap them with their company name. Some are more honest and accurate in the specifications they list, as well as print on the battery wrap.

So if all these 18350’s are made in the same factory, why do some seem to perform better or worse? Because, like many assembly lines, there can be many factors that effect the final product. Companies have their own in house tests to grade the batches, like grade “A”, “B”, etc. These categories are sometimes referred to as “bins”. So while a “C-grade” batch/bin battery still functions fine, it might not fully match the specs of a grade “A” battery, and are sold off, cheaper. So, you don’t really know what grade the re-wrap companies are using, and the next batch they buy, might be from a better or worse bin. So while we can’t directly buy from YDL, using legitimate online battery businesses to get your re-wraps from, is the best we can do, and of course test them yourself, to see what you got!

Even most inexpensive USB volt/mAh meters can tell you how many milliamps a battery can take on a charge. Not as accurate a measurement then using an analyzing type charger, that fully charges a battery, then discharges it down to a user set “cutoff voltage”. This is the TOTAL CAPACITY that battery can contain measured in milliamp hours = mAh. Most lithium battery manufacturers publish their test results in spec sheets. Those sheets give important information on how they performed the tests and obtained the results. Most use the industry standard of a 2.5 volt cutoff. That’s the lowest voltage limit the battery could be discharged to. I normally program my own tests to duplicate the manufacturers, so I can verify their claims.

NOTE: Most electronic devices, for a safety buffer, use a cutoff voltage of 3.0-3.3 volts. So these devices will not be able to use the minimal voltage left, down to 2.5v. It’s not a big deal, just something to be aware of, especially if you are only able to measure the milliamperes going into the battery while on “charge”, with a USB type meter. That would show you how many milliamps the battery was able to take in, from the devices cutoff (3.0-3.3) to the chargers 4.2 volt full charge cutoff. Almost all lithium batteries are considered fully charged at 4.2 volts, so that’s a known. Obviously, companies prefer to advertise the largest milliamp rating it can, 4.2 down to 2.5 volts, but most devices will shut down before then. Capacity is of course just one parameter, testing for amperage requires more equipment that can draw high amps and measure the temperatures while discharging and charging. Heat is a major enemy of batteries, and if they get especially HOT, bad things can happen, besides just degrading the battery.

TESTING:
I just bought (4) Epoch 18350’s, from 18650batterystore.com, at $4/each.
The #5 battery in my tests, is the YDL 18350D, it came with my Davinci Miqro.

TEST EQUIPMENT:
SkyRC MC3000, advanced charger/analyzer.
VapCell YR1030 AC Internal Resistance Meter.

CHARGER TEST PARAMETERS:
(Refresh C-D-C): CHG= .5A, DISC= .25A, TERM= .03A, CUT-VOLT = 2.5V, D-REDUCE= .03A.

EPOCH-YDL 18350 TEST RESULTS:
#1: 4-21: mAh= 1046 WH= 3.82 DC IR= 46 AC IR= 22
#2: 4-21: mAh= 1009 WH= 3.68 DC IR= 47 AC IR= 22
#3: 4-21: mAh= 1051 WH= 3.84 DC IR= 46 AC IR= 22.5
#4: 4-21: mAh= 1086 WH= 3.98 DC IR= 51 AC IR= 21.4
#5: 4-21: mAh= 1009 WH= 3.81 DC IR= 50 AC IR= 22
(***#5 is the YDL “purple wrap”, that came with Miqro)

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Any current 18350 battery advertising more then 1100mAh capacity, is false. The “mooch” high amp/heat tests, show they are all about 9-10 amps. Higher advertised amps, are either highly inflated, or not based on continuous use, a useless “pulse rating”. As this small size battery is not very popular, and thus not in huge demand, these specs probably won’t change much, until some new battery tech is invented.

REMEMBER: Battery “wraps” are just shrink wrap plastic, and what’s printed on them, may all be bogus!

 

[Cannabiker]

I am an idiot.

A while ago I posted about how my Flite had stopped working. It hadn't. The problem was purely operator error.

I'm not eager to reveal this, but I really don't want anyone to doubt the reliability of Fluxxer products. Not knowing it was operator error, Jeff took it in, and he replaced the battery management system, even though it tested fine, just to make sure there was no problem. Then, even though he never detected a fault, he returned it with a fresh set of batteries, just in case one of mine was bad.

A few days after I got it back, the same symptom returned. This time I saw the cause of the problem, and I realized the Flite is even more reliable and idiot-proof than I knew--you can install a battery backward without ruining the device.

Not only did I install a battery wrong, I did it twice.