Discontinued Hopper io

[tryingtowin]

LOL so my back end had a magnet that popped out..so i started to pop it off and looked around..then I saw the gold contact point was angled funny and saw that the spring tension was causing it..another megnet popped off and again it twisted...So i popped off the final 3rd one...The whole assembly came out nicely...The magmets are glued down holding the entire back end together

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[RustyOldNail]

Interesting, they usually blow up from the top end.

 

[JBone65]

Stocking up in advance of medical license expiration on 7/29. Expecting recreational weed to pass in November anyway.

Found an ounce of Do-Si-Do for $45 this morning. Amazing fruity flavor. Derived from Girl Scout Cookies and Face Off OG, both of which were derived from the same Durban Poison and OG Kush. The end result is supposedly indica dominant but I like it.

It's great in the desktop vape, the flavor from roughly 0.3 g carried thru 10 temp steps. Will load it in the io this evening. The first couple of low temp hits in the io are always amazing. Sometimes I adjust the temp step amount, the number of steps, the duration of particular hits, etc., to try and balance them out, to make the 7th & 8th hit approximately as good as the 3rd & 4th. I usually get excited and hit it too hard at first so that not much flavor is left for later hits. Sometimes, if the weed can't deliver satisfying hits, rather than feel unsatisfied, I take bigger temp steps and less hits overall.

 

[RustyOldNail]

LOL so my back end had a magnet that popped out..so i started to pop it off and looked around..then I saw the gold contact point was angled funny and saw that the spring tension was causing it..another megnet popped off and again it twisted...So i popped off the final 3rd one...The whole assembly came out nicely...The magmets are glued down holding the entire back end together

20220722-155341 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220722-155341 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

20220722-155354 hosted at ImgBB

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ibb.co

20220722-155321 hosted at ImgBB

Image 20220722-155321 hosted in ImgBB

ibb.co

20220722-155336 hosted at ImgBB

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ibb.co

Interesting, they usually blow up from the top end.

 

[Vaporific]

Yeah the flavor is good on the first two draws then after that it starts to get more toasty. I think the Hopper extracts fast that’s why. I can finish up a bowl in a few hits if I try. Normally, I tempt step. Two hits on the second dial, then finish it at 4 or 4.5 natively. No WPA or anything. I think a lot of the vapes I have are like this though. Good flavor in the beginning, then it dies off.

It took almost a month for me to get mine. It was almost day 30 that I had to check on the site to see they had updated it to shipped.

I’m a big native user with all my vapes so we have that in common too. Indeed flavor drops off after the second pull, and then it’s just extracting what’s left on slightly higher temps. I also temp step a few times too. Usually 4-5 draws per load for me. So, there is a bit of hope I may get my batteries after all. I hope so but won’t be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. I have a few that are still good (and a few older ones with diminished capacity).

 

[tryingtowin]

Looking at the design its very clear greed was a motivator in the design because they didn't want to have their tech stolen.

Looking at the back end and finding out the magnets are holding in the circuit board and springs (Yes I know it can pop open from other areas) it gave me an idea because if they didn't design it this way as to hide whats behind it all.

They could have simplified this entire warranty issue by simply making the guts of the backend user replaceable by simply making it threadable instead of spring locked under tension. I get they have to make more money by selling them whole, But the guts being the gold pin and a spring with the circuit board inside would simply be shipped and user swapped simply by unthreading it and replacing it..EASY PEASY.

The same applies to the heater guts..that whole thing also sits on it's own assembled internal unit..if they made these 2 simple pcs that make this device work we wouldn't all be in this mess..especially them..lifetime warrant would cost them NOTHING compared to now + all the time it takes them + all the mail bs ontop of shipping out product.

WOW let it be known im high AF as I write this thanks to the GH team...BUT clearly greed will be their downfall as all this could have been avoided.

So if you take any lesson out of my thought greed is not the answer!

 

[Vapetrees]

Looking at the design its very clear greed was a motivator in the design because they didn't want to have their tech stolen.

Looking at the back end and finding out the magnets are holding in the circuit board and springs (Yes I know it can pop open from other areas) it gave me an idea because if they didn't design it this way as to hide whats behind it all.

They could have simplified this entire warranty issue by simply making the guts of the backend user replaceable by simply making it threadable instead of spring locked under tension. I get they have to make more money by selling them whole, But the guts being the gold pin and a spring with the circuit board inside would simply be shipped and user swapped simply by unthreading it and replacing it..EASY PEASY.

The same applies to the heater guts..that whole thing also sits on it's own assembled internal unit..if they made these 2 simple pcs that make this device work we wouldn't all be in this mess..especially them..lifetime warrant would cost them NOTHING compared to now + all the time it takes them + all the mail bs ontop of shipping out product.

WOW let it be known im high AF as I write this thanks to the GH team...BUT clearly greed will be their downfall as all this could have been avoided.

So if you take any lesson out of my thought greed is not the answer!

Hey I’m sure they’re reading this. Hopefully they’re able to do something like that. I wonder what they’re up to…

 

[JBone65]

Speaking of backends, my clicker is acting up more and more. The ISO soak didn't change anything as far as I can tell. I'm guessing it won't last more than a month. If anyone has one to sell, please send a message.

 

[tryingtowin]

Speaking of backends, my clicker is acting up more and more. The ISO soak didn't change anything as far as I can tell. I'm guessing it won't last more than a month. If anyone has one to sell, please send a message.

Inspecting the back end theres nothing mechanical that looks like it could internally be damaged..it seems to be softeware or chip/circuit board related..this back end is about 2yrs old and internally was very clean

 

[Thebigsmoke]

Was in the process of cleaning when I noticed that I couldn't see light thru the intake ports. Then I noticed there was a minor air flow restriction. Although I couldn't unscrew the chamber and element when I tried a while ago, it was already loose when I tried this time. Found the element covered with what could be lint or something just like lint. Soaked the element in 91% ISO, cleaned it and let it dry. Hand tightened the chamber, will probably have to torque it down at some point.W

Works fine with the $37/oz Tropicana Cookies and the $62/oz Cracker Jack I just found. I like to shop Oklahoma dispensaries for deals and there are some incredible deals to be found right now.

Hi jbone65 could you tell me how to remove the chamber/element from the hopper io oven. Mine stopped heating properly a few months ago I dipped the whole body in 99% iso and it seemed to heat a lot better however it started to leak what appears to be a type of grease seeping out of the top of the oven when warm. I'd like to take the chamber out see if I can clean it.

 

[Vaporific]

Hi jbone65 could you tell me how to remove the chamber/element from the hopper io oven. Mine stopped heating properly a few months ago I dipped the whole body in 99% iso and it seemed to heat a lot better however it started to leak what appears to be a type of grease seeping out of the top of the oven when warm. I'd like to take the chamber out see if I can clean it.

Did you let it dry long enough after soaking the body? I hope it’s not grease but perhaps some spent material with ISO that’s running out. I think this is one of the biggest issues with Hoppers: over time ‘gunk’ accumulates around or behind the heater. Soaking is the only was to clean it - unless you can remove the heating chamber.

Which can be done. Others have done it and I did it last year stupidly with a pair of pliers. I DO NOT recommend using tools to do so. Use your hand if you can do it. It simply unscrews from the body HOWEVER there’s a slender metal ring around the heater housing and mine broke when I removed my IO’s heater from the body last year (and also bent the edge of the heating chamber so the frontends wouldn’t screw on easily - it was bad). I unbended the circumference of the heater as best I could but it still was a pain to unscrew and screw on a frontend. I ended up buying a gently used one from someone on FC which did the trick, mostly (the replacement works fine yet I liked the heater a bit better on my original IO body).

And now with HL all but dark, I’d also suggest using lots of caution about fiddling extensively with these devices as RMAs don’t seem to be happening and their accessories, and likely parts, inventory is paltry if all but non-existent. Good luck. You may want to search the thread too before you attempt removing the heating assembly from the body.

 

[vapviking]

Hi jbone65 could you tell me how to remove the chamber/element from the hopper io oven.

*****

I'd like to take the chamber out see if I can clean it.

I think your terminology is confusing, because when the chamber is removed, the heater comes out with it, but I don't think taking that assembly apart is a good idea @JBone65 may know more than I.

You can take the assembly out of the io body for inspection or cleaning.

The chamber 'capsule' is threaded in to the body, just needs to be unscrewed.
Pliers not a good idea on rounds.
Two very small strap wrenches?
As it is removed, watch for a thin strip of copper foil to fall out. That is an attempt at a thread lock.

 

[JBone65]

Sometimes I have been able to unscrew the heater/chamber when hot, sometimes it won't and the thin wall cylinder can easily be deformed if you apply too much torque. Just be patient with it.

I assume you are cleaning the entire chamber and the top of the screen in-situ with ISO and Q-tips.

You might can go years before a severe buildup of resin or other debris occurs upstream at the heater element, but it does happen.

A lot depends on whether or not you can see daylight thru the intake ports. If you can, and you can draw air freely thru both sections, there should be no problem. Over the years I've had more problems with gunk downstream inside the MP.

That's the real test IMO: Can you draw air freely thru both screens.

 

[Thebigsmoke]

Hi everyone thanks for the replying.
jbone65 When I seen your pics I assumed that the oven could slide out of the body if that makes sense? I didn't know that the chamber actually screwed off. now that you mentioned it I think I remember your old pics with the metal shim?. I was thinking it's grease seeping out as it smelt like it I assumed this was to help slide the heating element into the body. It seeps out at the top where the plastic or ceramic perforated design between the iner oven metal and outer body. I dunked it a few months ago as it was barely heating.
After the iso dunk I left it to dry for a few hours I then turned it on and could hear a sizzle from some of the iso. I could feel the unit get warm like it should I then noticed the brown grease smelling substance seeping out. I kept doing burn offs until it stopped seeping. I tried the hopper in a glass piece it was working better and feels warm but it stops producing vapour after a second of drawing. If i sip it realy slowly ican get vapour but it really easy to over power.
I haven't gone back to it as I was afraid of inhaling some sort of grease.
Edit. Just to add I can see through the holes and the draw is completely free especially after the iso dunk. I'm just looking to try and take it apart for a better clean I have nothing to lose a hopper lab's aren't going g to fix it

 

[JBone65]

Sounds like a buildup of cooked brown resin, possibly diluted with ISO. The volume of tar-like gunk will grow and eventually start coming out and plugging the opening in the tip. It will also plug off the MP screen. The best solution is a long soak, maybe several hours or a full day, in ISO (91% is best if you stumble across it but any should work if you take extra time to dry) with occasional swishing around. I usually put 1/2" of ISO in a small plastic cup and just rotate the MP every now and then. You can probably clean it in 5 minutes if you know what to look for but the ISO soak should remove any resin. The ISO should turn brown. You can also reach into the tip of the wet MP with a toothpick and gently scrape the hidden top of the screen. When all is said and done, you should be able to see light clearly thru the MP and draw air very easily.

Obviously clean everything you can reach with a wet Q-tip, especially the male/female threads so the MP will go on/off smoothly. The male threads are easy to overlook deep in the corner inside the MP. Keep using Q-tips until you can't make them dirty.

I usually avoid getting ISO on the heating elements, doesn't normally get dirty down there. Blow air thru everything and dry it thoroughly or your first load will be problematic.

It's unlikely but you could have a plugged off heating chamber. Did you say you can see lights looking sideways thru the intake ports? Light's not easy to see when it's clean, but you know you probably have a problem if you can't see bits of light and air flow is restricted. No air flow, no heat.

 

[JBone65]

Inspecting the back end theres nothing mechanical that looks like it could internally be damaged..it seems to be softeware or chip/circuit board related..this back end is about 2yrs old and internally was very clean

I hope I don't get dinged for back to back posts. I could merge them but they're unrelated topics.

It's as if my clicker will push the spring and some "receiver" all the way down, as designed, but something often prevents the receiver (or cylinder) from advancing and it remains in the same mode (either on or off). It's as if I can't quite push it far enough but there could just be a buildup or something preventing rotation.

It does feel like the spring is kinda sticky. It might benefit from some sort of dry or nonconductive lubricant.

I suspect there is some sort of rotation involved because the problem seems to cycle between the on mode and the off mode, and sometimes it functions normally.

 

[vapviking]

I hope I don't get dinged for back to back posts. I could merge them but they're unrelated topics.

It's as if my clicker will push the spring and some "receiver" all the way down, as designed, but something often prevents the receiver (or cylinder) from advancing and it remains in the same mode (either on or off). It's as if I can't quite push it far enough but there could just be a buildup or something preventing rotation.

It does feel like the spring is kinda sticky. It might benefit from some sort of dry or nonconductive lubricant.

I suspect there is some sort of rotation involved because the problem seems to cycle between the on mode and the off mode, and sometimes it functions normally.

Most all of that is the classic clicker failure. Either it won't turn on or won't turn off, it is fickle. It is also an intermittent issue - so it may only drive you crazy sometimes!

 

[kadjo]

When did this become discontinued? I see the websites are still up. I may need batteries!

 

[JBone65]

When did this become discontinued? I see the websites are still up. I may need batteries!

The website would allow ordering of batteries a month ago. I ordered one and received two. If the website still works and you can still order one, there is a good chance you'll receive it 3-4 weeks later, maybe.

 

[rnartian]

Nor are they proficient in updating order status within their portal. Too much volume and transactions and not enough people to provide correct status updates. They’d rather we forget about things than answer us. It’s been like that for a long time, ingrained with how their business operated (and continues to operate - or lack thereof).

Will they close their doors for good after the batteries supply runs out? Do they have anything else remotely available? It doesn’t sound like it. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll again rise from the ashes but who really knows? The indications aren’t good however.

I think their lifetime warranty was their undoing. Too many custom faulty parts, too many repairs. They had no idea how difficult this business would be to run. They took the tech route of marketing > consistency. They could have hired help but they didn't want to cut the profits. The lifetime warranty especially was a bad idea, as they spent more time fixing than innovating.

I went to check on their Reddit and saw it was gone and came here to see if there were any updates. Unfortunate. I might still order batteries, since I do have a functioning OG that runs, however poorly, and I still adore the form factor. Incredible device ruined by incompetence.

How should I store the batteries for longevity? Still on the fence of ordering some.

 

[RustyOldNail]

How should I store the batteries for longevity?

3.8 resting voltage, well sealed at refrigerator temperature.

 

[Vaporific]

3.8 resting voltage, well sealed at refrigerator temperature.

In the odd chance I ever receive my batteries I ordered 16 days ago, what do you mean by “well sealed”? My fridge temp is 37F (it says so on the door). TIA & TGIF!

 

[RustyOldNail]

In the odd chance I ever receive my batteries I ordered 16 days ago, what do you mean by “well sealed”? My fridge temp is 37F (it says so on the door). TIA & TGIF!

Ziplock bag inside of Rubbermaid food containers, or anything you might use to seal your bud, like Ball jars etc……

 

[kadjo]

Guess I won't be getting that stainless steel case....

 

[ka9vto]

I have a Ti Hopper coming 8/2/22