Fluxer Heaters, induction heaters for Dynavap

[pxl_jockey]

Just wanted to stop by and say I love you @mr_cfromcali ! Really appreciate this thread and the way you’ve gone about making these IHs. I get excited knowing that a bunch of members are about to receive theirs & we’ll have more thoughts and opinions about the FD and soon the Mother Fluxer will make its debut!

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Monday Fluxer updates:

Hi all,

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I put in a lot of time on the project over the weekend and have several interesting updates to share.

I'll start with some old business:

Flux Deluxe Batch #1 Fulfilment items: Remember when I said they'd go out last week? Yeah, me too, but by the time I had finished assembling the goodie bags and was ready to mail them Saturday afternoon, it was 4pm and the post office had closed. It was closed yesterday (Sunday), and today is a federal holiday (no mail service), so they will go out tomorrow. For reals. No kidding. So help me God.

Stickers:

The new stickers arrived on Friday, which is another reason it has taken me a while to send the fulfillment items. Check 'em out:

New, smaller sticker.

Old sticker (left), new sticker (right)

A friend did these, and I hope you guys like them. Everyone who gets a heater will get two of each size (batch #1 folks, too). They'll come loose, so you can affix them yourself or not, as you choose. I will also include the lid/serial number label (a duplicate for some, but omitted from many Euro shipments for customs purposes).

More on the subject of lid labels and mailing fulfillment items point in a future post.

Flux Deluxe Batch #2:

This batch will total about 65 heaters when it's finished. That's a lot of heaters, and that also means a lot of battery packs.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the battery packs for the Flux Deluxe are fussy and take at least as much time and effort to assemble as the PCBs. For batch #2 I decided to split battery pack production into several groups. The thought of doing 65 at once was daunting, and also seemed likely to cause its own delays.

My "get stuff done" project for the weekend was to build as many battery packs as my supplies on hand would allow me to build. That turned it to be thirty (30). I don't know if that sounds like a lot, but trust me, that's a lot, lol. But they're done now, and that means I'll be able to start shipping some heaters this week!

Pics:

I am going to wrap this post up for now.

I will have another post later today with some more technical details about the project. In addition to making heater parts this weekend, I also put in some R&D time, and it yielded some interesting developments.



More to come on that!

 

[Tupak420]

Thanks for the updates and good to hear your making time for R&D.

Hope you got some family time in as well.

 

[wilky]

how long the wait and how do i get on the list? thanks

 

[mr_cfromcali]

how long the wait and how do i get on the list? thanks

Send me a PM or an email so we have a conversation stub, and I'll reply with more info on ordering. Current waiting time for a Flux Deluxe is likely six to eight weeks.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Fluxer R&D News:

14mm vs 16mm Work Coil Diameters

One of the nice things about diving into a goal-oriented project like this is that you don't know exactly where it's going to lead. You know in general terms what you want to do ("I want to build a small, portable induction heater," say), but you don't really know the path you are going to follow to get there.



When I began researching induction heaters back in June, I read widely on the subject, because I didn't know a lot about it coming in and wanted to understand the field better as a whole, beyond the simple mini IH devices we were using. I read pretty widely, including an interesting article on customized commercial induction heating applications (can't find the link, sorry) and as one might expect, there is a considerable amount of engineering involved in customizing and refining commercial induction heating applications to make them effective and efficient. One of the areas that receives a considerable amount of engineering time in these custom applications is the work coil, and it isn't a one-size-fits-all item.

These are some of the variables in play for choosing an ideal work coil:

• Diameter of the work coil
• Number of turns in the work coil
• Size (gage) of the wire used to form the work coil
• Composition of the wire used to form the work coil
• Size and composition of the object being worked
• Power being applied to the heater
• Etc., etc.! - there are many more, too

Specific work requirements cause engineers to alter their work coil formulations to suit the needs of each situation. Which, you know, only makes sense.

The Mini-ZVS heaters that are commonly used for Dynavap heating come with a work coil that is pretty good for our needs, and its size can be altered for an even closer fit.

The standard inner diameter for the work coil most commonly used for Dynavap-specific induction heaters is 16mm. This is the outside diameter of the Cloupor M3 Vaporizer tank, which has become the glass insert of choice for these Dynavap IH projects since @Pipes pioneered these devices. It's a bit smaller in diameter than the Mini-ZVS work coil, but the stock coil can be wound a bit tighter so that it works with this insert. Indeed, the resulting 16mm ID coil works pretty well, as we all know.

I always wondered, though, is 16mm ID coil the best size, or just a very convenient size? Well, I finally have some answers.

I ordered a couple of 14mm OD tanks with which to experiment, and they arrived with my last order of Cloudpor M3 tanks.

I finally poked at this problem over the weekend and built out a heater with a 14mm ID work coil, and I can say that I learned a few things:

14mm ID work coil vs 16mm ID work coil


The 14mm ID work coil heats differently than the 16mm ID coil. Neither size is necessarily better, but they do have different heating characteristics.

• The 14mm coil heats more quickly, and the heat penetrates the Dynavap's chamber more efficiently and more thoroughly.
• The 14mm coil also provides less margin for error - respect the click and react to it quickly, as it is more likely to combust than the slower-to-react 16mm coil.
• The Deluxe with the 16mm coil is well suited to a number of relaxed, dip-and-sip hits
• The Deluxe with the 14mm coil is suited to clearing your Dynavap in about 3 big hits

To those who asked about how to get a hotter hit with their Flux Deluxe: Use a 14mm ID coil.

A car analogy: In terms of responsiveness, using the 16mm coil is more like driving a sedan, while using the 14mm coil is more like driving a sports car. And as some of you know, not everyone likes driving a sports car

So what does this mean for you, the potential Fluxer Heater customer? It means that in the future you will have a choice of heating coil diameters. They'll be the same price, so this will be a matter of personal preference.

What does this mean for you if you are a Flux Deluxe Batch #2 customer? It means that you have the option of the smaller coil if you want it, but I won't be able to complete your heater until the smaller diameter inserts arrive.

What does this mean for you if you are a Flux Deluxe Batch #1 customer and want a smaller coil? PM me. It isn't hard for me to make this switch, but you'll need to send me your heater, and if you are outside the US the shipping is pricey, as we both know.

Now, I'm sure just by reading my description, some of you have already decided you want to try this, and some of you have already decided you DON'T want to try this, lol. If you aren't sure, stick with the standard 16mm option, as it is more forgiving and available immediately.

I ordered 50+ of these 14mm inserts over the weekend, and they will probably be here in 10 days or so. Once they get here I can build out some heaters with smaller coils, and at that time I'd love to get them to a few of you existing FD owners for evaluation and feedback. Probably stick to people in the US to get some quick evaluations (and domestic shipping is a lot quicker and cheaper), but I'd really like to get some more people trying the smaller coil size ASAP, so people who might want it can have some unbiased opinions of its merits and/or detractions. I think it is something of a game changer, at least for my device, as the better penetration of the smaller diameter coil may be a better complement for the smaller diameter wire I use in the Deluxe.

Finally, I want to acknowledge a mistake I made in an earlier post. I had posted about some qualitative heating differences I had observed between using glass inserts with thick 2.5mm walls and glass inserts with much thinner 1.2mm walls. At the time I asserted that the heating differences were due to the thickness of the glass and/or its presumed impurities. This was likely wrong, as I now think it was the proximity of the coil to the work piece that made the difference. Anyway, @analytika questioned my assertion, and I see on further review that he was right to do that, and I was wrong about the possible cause. Oops - sorry.

So...that's concludes part 1 of my R&D for the weekend.

Part 2 of my R&D post will cover some improvements I'm making to increase the range of the temp control circuit, thanks to the extra protection offered by the new pyrex switch covers! I still need to write that post, though, so that post may not happen until tomorrow.

 

[-dab8-]

Fluxer R&D News:

14mm vs 16mm Work Coil Diameters

One of the nice things about diving into a goal-oriented project like this is that you don't know exactly where it's going to lead. You know in general terms what you want to do ("I want to build a small, portable induction heater," say), but you don't really know the path you are going to follow to get there.



When I began researching induction heaters back in June, I read widely on the subject, because I didn't know a lot about it coming in and wanted to understand the field better as a whole, beyond the simple mini IH devices we were using. I read pretty widely, including an interesting article on customized commercial induction heating applications (can't find the link, sorry) and as one might expect, there is a considerable amount of engineering involved in customizing and refining commercial induction heating applications to make them effective and efficient. One of the areas that receives a considerable amount of engineering time in these custom applications is the work coil, and it isn't a one-size-fits-all item.

These are some of the variables in play for choosing an ideal work coil:

• Diameter of the work coil
• Number of turns in the work coil
• Size (gage) of the wire used to form the work coil
• Composition of the wire used to form the work coil
• Size and composition of the object being worked
• Power being applied to the heater
• Etc., etc.! - there are many more, too

Specific work requirements cause engineers to alter their work coil formulations to suit the needs of each situation. Which, you know, only makes sense.

The Mini-ZVS heaters that are commonly used for Dynavap heating come with a work coil that is pretty good for our needs, and its size can be altered for an even closer fit.

The standard inner diameter for the work coil most commonly used for Dynavap-specific induction heaters is 16mm. This is the outside diameter of the Cloupor M3 Vaporizer tank, which has become the glass insert of choice for these Dynavap IH projects since @Pipes pioneered these devices. It's a bit smaller in diameter than the Mini-ZVS work coil, but the stock coil can be wound a bit tighter so that it works with this insert. Indeed, the resulting 16mm ID coil works pretty well, as we all know.

I always wondered, though, is 16mm ID coil the best size, or just a very convenient size? Well, I finally have some answers.

I ordered a couple of 14mm OD tanks with which to experiment, and they arrived with my last order of Cloudpor M3 tanks.

I finally poked at this problem over the weekend and built out a heater with a 14mm ID work coil, and I can say that I learned a few things:

14mm ID work coil vs 16mm ID work coil


The 14mm ID work coil heats differently than the 16mm ID coil. Neither size is necessarily better, but they do have different heating characteristics.

• The 14mm coil heats more quickly, and the heat penetrates the Dynavap's chamber more efficiently and more thoroughly.
• The 14mm coil also provides less margin for error - respect the click and react to it quickly, as it is more likely to combust than the slower-to-react 16mm coil.
• The Deluxe with the 16mm coil is well suited to a number of relaxed, dip-and-sip hits
• The Deluxe with the 14mm coil is suited to clearing your Dynavap in about 3 big hits

To those who asked about how to get a hotter hit with their Flux Deluxe: Use a 14mm ID coil.

A car analogy: In terms of responsiveness, using the 16mm coil is more like driving a sedan, while using the 14mm coil is more like driving a sports car. And as some of you know, not everyone likes driving a sports car

So what does this mean for you, the potential Fluxer Heater customer? It means that in the future you will have a choice of heating coil diameters. They'll be the same price, so this will be a matter of personal preference.

What does this mean for you if you are a Flux Deluxe Batch #2 customer? It means that you have the option of the smaller coil if you want it, but I won't be able to complete your heater until the smaller diameter inserts arrive.

What does this mean for you if you are a Flux Deluxe Batch #1 customer and want a smaller coil? PM me. It isn't hard for me to make this switch, but you'll need to send me your heater, and if you are outside the US the shipping is pricey, as we both know.

Now, I'm sure just by reading my description, some of you have already decided you want to try this, and some of you have already decided you DON'T want to try this, lol. If you aren't sure, stick with the standard 16mm option, as it is more forgiving and available immediately.

I ordered 50+ of these 14mm inserts over the weekend, and they will probably be here in 10 days or so. Once they get here I can build out some heaters with smaller coils, and at that time I'd love to get them to a few of you existing FD owners for evaluation and feedback. Probably stick to people in the US to get some quick evaluations (and domestic shipping is a lot quicker and cheaper), but I'd really like to get some more people trying the smaller coil size ASAP, so people who might want it can have some unbiased opinions of its merits and/or detractions. I think it is something of a game changer, at least for my device, as the better penetration of the smaller diameter coil may be a better complement for the smaller diameter wire I use in the Deluxe.

Finally, I want to acknowledge a mistake I made in an earlier post. I had posted about some qualitative heating differences I had observed between using glass inserts with thick 2.5mm walls and glass inserts with much thinner 1.2mm walls. At the time I asserted that the heating differences were due to the thickness of the glass and/or its presumed impurities. This was likely wrong, as I now think it was the proximity of the coil to the work piece that made the difference. Anyway, @analytika questioned my assertion, and I see on further review that he was right to do that, and I was wrong about the possible cause. Oops - sorry.

So...that's concludes part 1 of my R&D for the weekend.

Part 2 of my R&D post will cover some improvements I'm making to increase the range of the temp control circuit, thanks to the extra protection offered by the new pyrex switch covers! I still need to write that post, though, so that post may not happen until tomorrow.

Great updates! If using the 14mm ID coil, couldn’t people turn down the knob inside the unit (I forget the word, potentiometer?) to find a happy medium between the 14mm and the 16mm versions? You had mentioned this knob as a way to increase or decrease power I think.

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Great updates! If using the 14mm ID coil, couldn’t people turn down the knob inside the unit (I forget the word, potentiometer?) to find a happy medium between the 14mm and the 16mm versions? You had mentioned this knob as a way to increase or decrease power I think.

Yes, @-dab8- , you are correct - the temp control will allow for some degree of compensation, especially with the range extension that feature is going to get. That feature is a can of worms ( ), though, and I want to frame its discussion a bit before we dive into it. Expect an on-topic post, probably coming tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[Ayesosa]

I’m on the list and can’t wait till I get my hands on a IH. Keep up the great work mr_cfromcali.

 

[WelshBrok]

Just emailed to get added to the list . Been lurking around all the IH threads for a while and finally decided this is the one I want. Cheers mr_cfromcali

 

[wilky]

me too,i got a pipes induction heater but i do like the look of this

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Tuesday Fluxer Update

Hi all,

Yesterday's updates were extensive. Today's are brief by comparison.

Flux Deluxe Batch #1 Fulfilment items: Shipped! Huzzah! Let me know when you get 'em, PM me if you have questions, etc. These have been on my mind since the first of the year, so it was a great relief to finally (!) bring them to the post office today. Some mental closure for me for batch #1.

Flux Deluxe Batch #2: Batch #2 is up next, and I appreciate your patience while I was wrapping up batch #1.

Batch #2 is coming together nicely, with a number of battery packs, cases, and circuit boards ready to be assembled into heaters. Barring anything unusual, I expect to start shipping heaters from batch #2 as early as tomorrow or Thursday! I will begin contacting the first of you later tonight (Pacific time) and tomorrow to confirm your orders.
14mm ID coil: The more time I spend with the 14mm coil, the more I like love it. I can't wait to get it into the hands of the more experienced IH users in this thread (and everyone else, tbh!) and solicit some other opinions on it. I'm sorry if this reads as hype - even though I'm a vendor I try not to engage in that too much, believe it or not - but this coil is getting me to a [6] in about 3 hits, and my tolerance is fucking absurd at the moment.

I did not think these heaters had another trick to show me. I was wrong.

I found a vendor that claims to have some of the correct 14mm inserts here in the US, so I should have some inserts on hand for batch #2 as soon as next week. Please ask for the 14mm coil if you'd like to give it a try.

Temperature control R&D news: I was all set to announce an extended range of control for this feature, pending additional testing, but that same 'additional testing' last night showed a serious issue lurking at the extreme of the new range, so I'm not going to extend the range of control at the time being. I know the current range of control isn't very wide, but it's better than nothing, and will continue to be the range of control for now.

Stay tuned, though - I do have a nifty (optional) Temp Control UI tweak planned, and I will preview that as soon as the parts arrive near the end of the week.

That's it for now. Thanks, all! Batch #2 is coming up very soon!

Cheers,

 

[Tupak420]

Now you have me contemplating the 14mm. Sending you an email now.

Oh, thanks for providing such awesome updates

 

[YaMon]

@mr_cfromcali what's the clearance difference to the switch with the 14mm vs the 16mm? Just wondering if the decreased distance would cause the switch too deteriorate?

 

[ClearBlueLou]

So...does the control currently available *soften* (attenuate) the hits being delivered with the 14mm?

 

[Moses Baca]

I dunno. This morning you said, 'less margin for error, react quickly, more likely to combust' and I'm thinking that doesn't sound like my typical session. Now you're saying you love it? I dunno.

edit to add - I got my batteries and charger today!

 

[ClearBlueLou]

I guess he found out what it’s like to clear a ‘cap in three hits....

 

[Tupak420]

I dunno. This morning you said, 'less margin for error, react quickly, more likely to combust' and I'm thinking that doesn't sound like my typical session. Now you're saying you love it? I dunno.

edit to add - I got my batteries and charger today!

Less margin for error doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing or something to dislike. I'm actually interested in this more now because of that. Coupled with the Temp control, seems like a best of both worlds (Slow Roast to Hard hits.)

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Really quick answers for now because we are making dinner.

14mm vs 16mm coils = different strokes for different folks.

@mr_cfromcali what's the clearance difference to the switch with the 14mm vs the 16mm? Just wondering if the decreased distance would cause the switch too deteriorate?

??? It's a difference of diameter. No harm will come to the switch, and there's even less of a chance now that the switch caps are standard. No risk here, except for an increased risk of combusting due to the hotter/briefer heating time.

So...does the control currently available *soften* (attenuate) the hits being delivered with the 14mm?

Yes - the control is the same for both coils. The range of adjustment is not very large - not large enough to make the 14mm coil behave like the 16mm coil, for example. It's enough to take the "edge" off the 14mm coil, if you want to dial it back a bit, but 'slow roasting" is not in the cards at the moment, at least not with the current control circuit, as it lead to overheating issues with the power relay. I'll keep looking into it, see what I find. I now have a choice for a hotter coil, and I didn't have that option on Friday, so I expect this will change as I sample more control circuits. Apart from my pending UI tweak, though, I don't have another circuit under evaluation at the moment, so this probably won't see a different range for some time.

I dunno. This morning you said, 'less margin for error, react quickly, more likely to combust' and I'm thinking that doesn't sound like my typical session. Now you're saying you love it? I dunno.

I also said it was like driving a sports car vs a sedan. What can I say - I like driving sports cars.

I guess he found out what it’s like to clear a ‘cap in three hits....

Yeah...nah Not my first rodeo. I know what I like. This was pretty damn good.

I don't know if any of you have any experience with turbocharged petrol motors, but that was a previous hobby of mine. When you get the fuel mix just right on a turbo EFI motor, the motor practically sings. This had that feel to it - like the 14mm ID coil (made with 16ga wire) was a better, more well tuned size for heating a Dynavap. IDK - like I said, I want to get it into your hands and have you guys experience it. Otherwise we're in "dancing about architecture" territory.

Less margin for error doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing or something to dislike. I'm actually interested in this more now because of that. Coupled with the Temp control, seems like a best of both worlds (Slow Roast to Hard hits.)

No on the slow roast, but yes, I think many experienced users will prefer the hotter, more efficient hits of the 14mm coil. Not all of you, but definitely some of you.

OK, gotta go make dinner.

Cheers,

 

[ClearBlueLou]

Enjoy your dinner!
Thank you for your answers, thanks for helping me step through my understanding of all this.

So the next question is, does that control play a role in your enthusiasm now following your caution earlier (heck, I might’ve imagined that caution)? Your description is certainly compelling!

 

[mr_cfromcali]

Enjoy your dinner!
Thank you for your answers, thanks for helping me step through my understanding of all this.

No problem. Your questions are good, so please keep asking them.

So the next question is, does that control play a role in your enthusiasm now following your caution earlier (heck, I might’ve imagined that caution)? Your description is certainly compelling!

That's another good question, @ClearBlueLou . I'll try to explain my thoughts.

This temp control circuit grew out of the resistor+capacitor (RC) debounce circuit I came up with. It takes advantage of the fact that the familiar blue MOSFET power relay (shown below) accepts a wide variety of input signals and, impressively, faithfully translates those signals to deliver its output. If you give it a 12V input signal, it will give you a strong output, but you can also give it a weaker 3V input signal, and it will give you a similarly weak output. You can even give it a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal and get a PWM output - that was something I tried when I first began to experiment with these induction heaters (see page 1 of this thread). However, I stopped using PWM to control these devices after @stardustsailor explained to me (in post #2 of this thread) that is was very hard on the heater's MOSFETs, and thus a bad idea for that reason.

For the Flux Deluxe, I control the MOSFET relay with an analog input signal that is based on voltage. I am NOT using pulse width modulation. The initial resistance for this circuit is a very low 100 ohms, but you can add up to an additional 10k ohms of resistance, which is the range of attenuation I permit you to apply to control the circuit. It's enough control to be noticeable, but it's not enough to dominate the circuit, even when the full 10k ohms of resistance is applied. My research showed that you need approx. 13k to 15k ohms of resistance to really exert full control over the heating process, but that amount of resistance was detrimental to the relay's lifespan.

So for now, the range of control is less than one might like, but it's safe, and it's what's currently available.

What changed, from my perspective, is that I now know for sure that 10k resistance is about what I can use with this circuit. If I want to affect the heating process beyond that, I need to look elsewhere for ways to do that.

At the same time I confirmed the above, I also discovered that the 14mm ID coil did a damn fine job of vaporization, as I explained in my earlier post. I was not expecting that. So "looking elsewhere" yielded some quick results, lol.

So that's what's up with this circuit. The temp control circuit is not going to get a range extension at this time. Full stop. At the same time, I have observed that the smaller diameter coil offers a very intriguing and compelling alternative heating profile to that of the more relaxed 16mm coil. It was not the target I was aiming for, but I'll take a happy accident.

It's good to have choices. I was hoping the temp control feature was going to allow the Deluxe users to have a "slow roast" experience, but I can see that this feature isn't capable of providing that. I'll continue to keep my eyes open for other ways to offer that.

This other thing, though, is definitely it's own thing. Hopefully I can get some units into other people's hands soon to evaluate so we can hear some impressions from other Flux Deluxe users. [updated for clarity]

Thanks again for the question, @ClearBlueLou . I hope the above answer is helpful.

 

[7oli5]

So after using the device for around 10 days I have a couple of suggestions that would improve my experience. They are based on how I am using the device and my personal taste so for each his own Im just giving food for thought.
-I dont like having to use both hands open up the device every time I want to use it. I know its for safety but worst case scenario it turns on in your handbag and a pen somehow finds its way in the hole..? Not sure how dangerous an outside switch would be but my heater sits on a coffee table all day long so that sort of precaution is compromising ease of use in my opinion. At least we should be given the option depending on type of use.
-Not sure how bad it is for battery life to keep it on standby all the time but I would rather have it switched on and just use electricity when the circuit closes when you insert a vapcap.
-which brings me to the last point that the standby green light is pointlessly using power (for safety I assume) and when in a dark room watching movies it is annoying.
-Lastly, I would suggest aborting mother fluxer project and modify it. Make it 2 battery and use the extra space for storing a vapcap (mother case would also fit XL) and some herb. That would be the ideal on the go setup for me. If you make this, I demand to be one of the alpha testers
Battery is good but for me doesnt last as some people here say (perhaps my fault for sometimes leaving it on standby between bowls). I vape 2-3 bowls daily and needs charging after around 5 days of use.

Overall very satisfied with the purchase and build quality

P.S. rubber band is an overkill the magnets are quite strong I dont think I will ever need it

 

[mr_cfromcali]

So after using the device for around 10 days I have a couple of suggestions that would improve my experience. They are based on how I am using the device and my personal taste so for each his own Im just giving food for thought.
-I dont like having to use both hands open up the device every time I want to use it. I know its for safety but worst case scenario it turns on in your handbag and a pen somehow finds its way in the hole..? Not sure how dangerous an outside switch would be but my heater sits on a coffee table all day long so that sort of precaution is compromising ease of use in my opinion. At least we should be given the option depending on type of use.
-Not sure how bad it is for battery life to keep it on standby all the time but I would rather have it switched on and just use electricity when the circuit closes when you insert a vapcap.
-which brings me to the last point that the standby green light is pointlessly using power (for safety I assume) and when in a dark room watching movies it is annoying.
-Lastly, I would suggest aborting mother fluxer project and modify it. Make it 2 battery and use the extra space for storing a vapcap (mother case would also fit XL) and some herb. That would be the ideal on the go setup for me. If you make this, I demand to be one of the alpha testers
Battery is good but for me doesnt last as some people here say (perhaps my fault for sometimes leaving it on standby between bowls). I vape 2-3 bowls daily and needs charging after around 5 days of use.

Overall very satisfied with the purchase and build quality

P.S. rubber band is an overkill the magnets are quite strong I dont think I will ever need it

Thanks.

I'm taking note of your suggestions, and frankly they're very good. Now that I have a base model, I'll see what I can do to offer these sorts of options in the future. Some of your requests are easier to accommodate than others - I can probably sneak a simple jumper or DIP switch onto the board for disabling the green LED, for example, more easily than a different or additional external switch. But I'll look into each of your requests for the future.

WRT to the Mother Fluxer - I have a different enclosure in mind for an all-in-one unit. I'm not ready to discuss it yet, but it's in my head. I just revved the PCB for the Mother Fluxer, so that will get some test builds in its current form when those get here. We'll see where it goes from there.

Question: Does FC let you post a poll? I'd be happy to see a show of hands for the next Fluxer project. If more people prefer an all in one unit, I'll look into that more aggressively. Thanks.

Battery is good but for me doesnt last as some people here say (perhaps my fault for sometimes leaving it on standby between bowls). I vape 2-3 bowls daily and needs charging after around 5 days of use.

This is more consistent with what I see, although I don't leave mine on all day. Seems like a standard usage profile.

Thanks, @7oli5 !! Great comments, all.

 

[Copacetic]

If you do decide to post a poll @mr_cfromcali can you include a 'smallest possible iduction heater' as one of the options please?
I ask as I'd love a tiny IH for extreme portability.
I know there are technical obstacles which may prevent anything smaller than the Flux Deluxe but if it can be done I'd be very keen.
Even if it needed to be charged daily.
It'd be interesting to see what proportion of respondents would also want a tiny IH.

 

[F-UCTD]

I second that a small portable IH heater would be great. What about a recessed hole where you place the vapcap deeper into the heater would that work? Forget it if I'm talking gibberish I'm very medicated and I'm not the most mechanically minded man.