Discontinued Hopper io
- Thread starter VegNVape
- Start date
MonkeyTime
Well-Known Member
Surely you’d just unscrew the backend before applying it?
Yes, but I'm recommending that before he unscrew it, he give himself a little clearance between the clip and body. Then once he's removed it, dipped it and it's dried, when he screws it back on and the clip has close to a mm of new depth on the inside of the clip with the plastic, he won't rub it off against the body.
I hope that made sense. I'm thinking post dip, you're thinking pre....
I am thinking an epoxy that dries clear and has a rubbery finish like plasti dip.
Terpenetime
Well-Known Member
If you hold the clip and rotate the hopper it’s possible to remove the back end without leaving any scratches on the body. I have two hoppers and they are both unmarked, so it is possible if you take a little care.
rnartian
Earthling flora is... fascinating.
Yeah, same. I've always wanted a deep blue or green Ti hopper, but went with a secondhand SS one instead. Maybe a Ti Hopper IO is in my future?Once everything is in stock, batteries and all stuff sorted and I hear some good feedback on here I will look at purchasing this device. as it has always interested me (a working one anyway)
Poostuff
Please delete
Looking forward to the release of the io, I’m not too fussed about clips or minor scratches but I do have a serious question to ask @Hopper Labs
I’d like to know if we’ll be safe from combustion with this model.
I have had a lot of replacements especially when the GH was being sold by resellers over here.
Unfortunately two of those were Grasshoppers that melted down the plastic in the chamber while using.
One was a Ti & the other an SS.
To have this happen while using does pose some serious health risks in my opinion, especially for it to happen to me twice with two different Hoppers.
I have no idea why this happened but I’d like to be confident that I won’t have this issue with the IO. Is this something you can confirm?
I’d like to know if we’ll be safe from combustion with this model.
I have had a lot of replacements especially when the GH was being sold by resellers over here.
Unfortunately two of those were Grasshoppers that melted down the plastic in the chamber while using.
One was a Ti & the other an SS.
To have this happen while using does pose some serious health risks in my opinion, especially for it to happen to me twice with two different Hoppers.
I have no idea why this happened but I’d like to be confident that I won’t have this issue with the IO. Is this something you can confirm?
We have made some big improvements to the temperature sensing and specifically to the reliability of the sensors. We spent a lot of time developing a new embedded sensor and have trialed it on Grasshopper. I doubt you'll have any problem with combustion.
If you have not had those units replaced already let me know.
If you have not had those units replaced already let me know.
Poostuff
Please delete
The SS was replaced by a reseller but the Blue Ti I bought direct & wasn’t able to get an RMA response, so unfortunately this was eventually refunded & that’s why it’s still here.
I have another SS that needs an RMA for different reasons but I’m giving you guys some time to recover before submitting it again.
Thanks for the response @Hopper Labs & best of luck with the release, I’m glad I got an order in.
I have another SS that needs an RMA for different reasons but I’m giving you guys some time to recover before submitting it again.
Thanks for the response @Hopper Labs & best of luck with the release, I’m glad I got an order in.
Here is the first set of improvements explained.
Front-end:
• New Process and Tooling for Screen Threaded Assembly.
This change makes the screen assembly tighter which translates to a much lower chance that the screen comes unscrewed accidentally. I know some people purposefully take this screen out, which you could still do but our goal was to eliminate it accidentally coming out from the factory.
• Internal pathway tweak for slight cooling improvement
Small geometry changes to the FE assembly which gives a little more of an air gap inside. The simulation shows a small improvement and it all adds up.
• Better threading mesh on Screen Assembly, less waste during production
Mostly an internal tweak but for those who do take the screen out you should be able to thread it back in easier than before.
Body:
• New interface between Chamber Assembly and Body
• Added copper strip overlay into the threading
Both of these items address a critical power transfer point that had the potential in the Grasshopper to cause loss. There is an assembly interface to make the device possible to build at the chamber/body joint. The power must flow through this area and over time the electrical resistance of this interface could increase. With io it was a major goal to eliminate/midgate all of these possible loss points, to increase power delivery and battery life.
• Added Laser welding to PCB support to body interface
Similar to the above but at this interface, we were able to make a laser weld to do the job. Laser welding is a great technology that allows pinpoint welds to be made without adding material. The weld creates a permanent low resistance electrical pathway.
• Switched to new machine handled PCB to PCB support solder interface
Switching to machine handled soldering here means tighter control of the process and also more time for QC. One of the recent improvements to the assembly process has been the introduction of low-cost cameras that take pictures of an assembly to 1. To build closed-loop feedback systems for automation and 2. To allow the computer to compare images of the correct outcome to those it is completing now and flag any anomalies for a human to review.
Front-end:
• New Process and Tooling for Screen Threaded Assembly.
This change makes the screen assembly tighter which translates to a much lower chance that the screen comes unscrewed accidentally. I know some people purposefully take this screen out, which you could still do but our goal was to eliminate it accidentally coming out from the factory.
• Internal pathway tweak for slight cooling improvement
Small geometry changes to the FE assembly which gives a little more of an air gap inside. The simulation shows a small improvement and it all adds up.
• Better threading mesh on Screen Assembly, less waste during production
Mostly an internal tweak but for those who do take the screen out you should be able to thread it back in easier than before.
Body:
• New interface between Chamber Assembly and Body
• Added copper strip overlay into the threading
Both of these items address a critical power transfer point that had the potential in the Grasshopper to cause loss. There is an assembly interface to make the device possible to build at the chamber/body joint. The power must flow through this area and over time the electrical resistance of this interface could increase. With io it was a major goal to eliminate/midgate all of these possible loss points, to increase power delivery and battery life.
• Added Laser welding to PCB support to body interface
Similar to the above but at this interface, we were able to make a laser weld to do the job. Laser welding is a great technology that allows pinpoint welds to be made without adding material. The weld creates a permanent low resistance electrical pathway.
• Switched to new machine handled PCB to PCB support solder interface
Switching to machine handled soldering here means tighter control of the process and also more time for QC. One of the recent improvements to the assembly process has been the introduction of low-cost cameras that take pictures of an assembly to 1. To build closed-loop feedback systems for automation and 2. To allow the computer to compare images of the correct outcome to those it is completing now and flag any anomalies for a human to review.
Cheesequake
Free Men Don't Ask
First vape I've been truly excited about in years. Can't wait.
Terpenetime
Well-Known Member
I’m loving the transparency on display here from Hopper Labs.
vapviking
Old & In the Way
@Hopper Labs has been coming through for me (via pm) on a warranty issue that's around 14 months old (original projection was 7 to 12 days! but I'm over it...).
In fairness, a couple of months ago I had told him to take his time, that I didn't have dire need at the moment.
We recently have resolved that the replacement body will be sent out, plus a purchase of a leather sleeve, glass vial and a battery!! (so that I can power the thing at all). I believe it will all be mailed out soon.
@Hopper Labs did tell me that I could leave the warranty unfulfilled and upgrade it sometime towards an io, but that HL has not set the policy or terms for that sort of thing yet. I opted to have my long-standing warranty cleaned up and a new body here soon.
Love the most recent io post ^.
Thanks to all at HL, keep up the good work.
In fairness, a couple of months ago I had told him to take his time, that I didn't have dire need at the moment.
We recently have resolved that the replacement body will be sent out, plus a purchase of a leather sleeve, glass vial and a battery!! (so that I can power the thing at all). I believe it will all be mailed out soon.
@Hopper Labs did tell me that I could leave the warranty unfulfilled and upgrade it sometime towards an io, but that HL has not set the policy or terms for that sort of thing yet. I opted to have my long-standing warranty cleaned up and a new body here soon.
Love the most recent io post ^.
Thanks to all at HL, keep up the good work.
elykpeace
exVASted
Yeah I can say you have me interested. I missed the first preorder of io. I also called it an iou and you will have to deliver on these promises! But I will be grabbing one when released. Will the list be opened up again for preorders (site launching) soon I know you gave a date 4-20 so I'm hoping that deadline will be met. And will pfe fit the io
Also will the og gh be phased out ? These are a lot of improvements
rnartian
Earthling flora is... fascinating.
Thissss. This is the info I've been WAITING for!
Vaporific
All who wander are not lost...
Thissss. This is the info I've been WAITING for!
“I will be using my warranty unit lost in the fire for a deposit on one of these 70w Ti versions.”
This is what I was saying last page. I’m curious if this will be a general agreement with HL or on a case-by-case basis with individuals. I however do not have a non-working unit - just curious...
Cheesequake
Free Men Don't Ask
I asked about skipping my repair and using it towards credit for the IO. They offered $80 credit so I think I'll just wait for repair and pay full price for my reserved IO.
vapviking
Old & In the Way
I would make the same decision at this point, about not taking the credit offered. I haven't pre-ordered an io.
Once again, I'm having mixed feelings about the Hopper io roll out, and just where in the pecking order the og Grasshopper is going to 'wind up'.
Common sense tells me that geez, the og is fucking awesome when working, so just keep on going to warranty until, well, a lifetime(?!?).
Buying an io at $80 discount means $175 net for a SS io - which is a lot more than I paid for any of the current Hoppers I own. And guess what, we have no track record at all on this one, just a whole lot of rear view mirror.
The big question (for me) will be, For just how long is HL going to market and support the og Grasshopper? This is not a question for which I'm expecting an answer...
I'm not saying that Hopper io will not be worth the price HL is asking for it. I really hope it is and that I can afford one. I do want the ride to keep going!
rnartian
Earthling flora is... fascinating.
Yeah, that's one of the reasons why when I first heard of the IO, I was kind of "Hmm." about the whole thing. Because, sure, the improvements warrant calling it a whole new hopper. But given that the Hopper OG wasn't completely functional for several years and there are people with over a year of RMA, or who have had their hopper in RMA longer than in their hands, it feels almost... insulting. The hopper didn't need an improvement, it needed an overhaul. It felt like it was still in Beta for a long time, so throwing $100+ dollars on the current price tag and relying on promises that have been unfulfilled before feels... sketchy, at best.
I'd also like to know the future of the regular hopper. Will it become obsolete? If so, what happens to all the lifetime warranties? Will they still produce them, and just create a hopper with the better heater and battery life, and a hopper with worse (and the tendencies to fail)?
Not insulting Hopper Labs btw. I do enjoy my hopper. I just wish it was as reliable, stable, and usable as I want it to be. And I wish I could look forward to the IO with optimism and excitement, rather than wariness and worry.
Vaporific
All who wander are not lost...
Has your unit been RMA’d? Mine was and it’s like having a new vape - and reliable working Hopper - again. Just saying. I think they got the internals all figured out and stable - but it did take a few years. And they claimed the RMA backlog was significantly reduced however that is subjective at best: my RMA took a year almost to the day and I got it back 7 weeks before the fire.
So there is hope with the vape itself, current incarnation and potentially the IO, however on the flip side HL continues to wade a bit with outstanding RMAs and cash flow. The customer service has improved a bit too but has a way to go.
My repaired Ti simply rocks again and I haven’t used much else in my limited vape arsenal - when it works well it simply works well...
Cheesequake
Free Men Don't Ask
I don't. Mine has been RMA'd twice since they supposedly got it all figured out and it is currently sitting at Hopper Labs. Still extremely excited for the IO though I think it will be incredible.
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Vaporific
All who wander are not lost...
Sorry you’re still having issues. Were the RMAs quick or long? I had sensed there were fewer problems but not in your case. Quality control was a big issue early on and it seemed it was getting better. But not of course from your point of view
I’m hoping the IO launch goes well and looking forward to the early reviews. I’ll stay on the sidelines this time around until then...
rnartian
Earthling flora is... fascinating.
Not yet! Was waiting until their backlog was a bit lower, but then the fire happened. Mine works, it just runs a bit cool (and I have no batteries), so I'm hesitant to send it in and have no convection vape for an undetermined amount of time. Hoping to see where they are a bit after the IO launches. Cause, man, I really do love my Hopper... when it works.
Improvements Explained continued...
Heater:
• New Generation 6 (io v1.0)
From the very beginning, Hopper Labs has invested more time and effort into the design of the heater than any other aspect of vape. We firmly believe that the heating is core tech behind a great vape. That's why we have continued to push the bounds of what is possible. Generation 6 brings instant convection and represents years of effort to get to this point.
• Lowest draw resistance we have ever made (estimating 35% lower or more than originals)
A lower draw resistance allows you to move more air through the heater with less effort. That translates to more heat per unit/time applied to the plant material. Not only is the draw experience nicer for the user but the device can run for less time, saving battery life.
• Higher power (65w) and..........70w units
• New binning process allows Ti units to get 70w heater units!
The goal was no heat-up time, instant on! We were able to drop more power into the heaters and get to that level. Convection heater design is a complex business, overcoming thermal mass on heat up and transferring that generated heat directly to the air and nowhere else is challenging. A lot of time has been spent making these aspects industry-leading.
One aspect of the Grasshopper and now the Hopper io that is rarely discussed is the fact that the heater only ever reaches the maximum vaping temp set by the user. We do not use a coil of wire that gets to 1000s of degrees and rely on the air "mixing" to the correct average temp. We heat all the air to the perfect temperature in a constant stream. Not only are there health advantages to keeping that max temp of any part of the vape lower but it provides a more even and efficient experience.
• Heater design has been extensively tested and is highly reliable
Heater reliability was one of the biggest problems in the Grasshopper. Many of you will know that the heater was previously built by a 3rd party and starting in 2018, after many problems with them, opened an in-house production line. This has allowed us to rapidly make changes, however small to continually improve the reliability and performance.
Heater:
• New Generation 6 (io v1.0)
From the very beginning, Hopper Labs has invested more time and effort into the design of the heater than any other aspect of vape. We firmly believe that the heating is core tech behind a great vape. That's why we have continued to push the bounds of what is possible. Generation 6 brings instant convection and represents years of effort to get to this point.
• Lowest draw resistance we have ever made (estimating 35% lower or more than originals)
A lower draw resistance allows you to move more air through the heater with less effort. That translates to more heat per unit/time applied to the plant material. Not only is the draw experience nicer for the user but the device can run for less time, saving battery life.
• Higher power (65w) and..........70w units
• New binning process allows Ti units to get 70w heater units!
The goal was no heat-up time, instant on! We were able to drop more power into the heaters and get to that level. Convection heater design is a complex business, overcoming thermal mass on heat up and transferring that generated heat directly to the air and nowhere else is challenging. A lot of time has been spent making these aspects industry-leading.
One aspect of the Grasshopper and now the Hopper io that is rarely discussed is the fact that the heater only ever reaches the maximum vaping temp set by the user. We do not use a coil of wire that gets to 1000s of degrees and rely on the air "mixing" to the correct average temp. We heat all the air to the perfect temperature in a constant stream. Not only are there health advantages to keeping that max temp of any part of the vape lower but it provides a more even and efficient experience.
• Heater design has been extensively tested and is highly reliable
Heater reliability was one of the biggest problems in the Grasshopper. Many of you will know that the heater was previously built by a 3rd party and starting in 2018, after many problems with them, opened an in-house production line. This has allowed us to rapidly make changes, however small to continually improve the reliability and performance.