Mono Loco
Well-Known Member
INDUCTION HEATERS ("I.H.) for DynaVaps ... what's available these days??? (MAY 2020)
The following was first posted on the OG FC website ... soon to become a "Legacy Product". I have updated it somewhat.
* For those of you who don't actually know what an Induction Heater is, here is a poor general description. An induction heater is an electric-powered (either plug into a wall outlet, or battery) heater that can heat metal objects without generating heat (except that heat which radiates off the metal object being heated!). The heat is magically "waiting" inside a coil chamber, but it is potential heat, not real. if you stick your finger in the coil, you will not feel heat. If you stick a Popsicle stick in there, it won't get hot. If you stick a screwdriver tip in there, however, it WILL get hot ... it will get RED HOT if you hold it in there long enough! I don't know how it works, but it works well for heating DynaVaps, without the annoying Hissssssss of butane and without the cost of butane refills.
With this COVID-19 Stay@Home order, I find myself on the internet more than ever. I'm still waiting for our new (well, not so new anymore, I suppose) Governor to fulfill his campaign promise to LEGALIZE. When he does, I'm going to be ready! I already have the ugly, but effective, Dental Heater one, and Pipes has me on his list! (I finally caved, after not pursuing Pipes' offerings because I wasn't a fan of having the momentary tactile activation switch located in the "bottom of the heat chamber". But ... his strong following of groupies convinced me to re-think my reasoning.) I'm currently not partaking (sigh...) so there's no rush for me. Until it's legal here, I am simply refreshing my old notes and looking into new offerings for future reference - there are so many nice looking option these days! All this research has lead to I.H.-VAS ... dang, I better get a job!
I decided to share my list from my notes here. Other than putting Pipes at his rightful place on top, the remaining order is random. I'm merely making a list, with minimal details ... no specs., reviews, or recommendations. Like all of Pipes' offerings, most use a momentary pressure switch located in the bottom of the heat chamber that is activated by inserting the vaporizer and gently pressing it down a bit. If there are any units that I missed (very likely) please add them for everyone's sake. ;-)
#1 - by member @Pipes , the Godfather of them all, the original ... the OG IH .
His is a time-tested (since 2016!), proven design with stellar support. His info. can be found here: Pipes' GUIDE
He basically offers (currently) THREE models: An AC plug-in Desktop (pretty small), a slightly larger (but still pretty small) LiPO Battery model, and a DIY "drop-in" pre-assembled module that can be enlosed in you own custom case.
a) Battery Powerd model: Portside Mini (aka, "PSM") - uses a LiPO battery, ala' R.C. gear= $105
b) AC (wall plug-in, with an AC/DC power inverter brick) model: Cauldron (replaced his JarHead model) = $80
c) Bare Bones (B.B.) "kit" form. You buy the guts "a-la-carte" from him and make your own enclosure.
$35 Main Driver Module ... with Male connectors already on the power-lead dongles = includes the heating coil, the board, the glass tube, the switch, etc. ... all the required stuff PRE-ASSEMBLED in a tidy, compact package = NOT a bunch of loose parts! You just add (also available from him) either the:
$5 AC jack, ("Home Harness") with pre-attached Female connectors (and, of course, a suitable Power Brick, like the one also available form Pipes for $20), or ...
$20 Pre-wired Battery Harness, complete with BMS board all wired-up and complete with connectors in place
.... also available are AC adapters, Car Adapters, Battery Chargers .... basically, everything you'll need, in a more or less "plug-n-play" format!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2) Fluxer Heaters = member @mr_cfromcali = website here: Fluxer Heaters Website
He's a very busy guy, with a pretty long wait-list (as is MONTHS). His Signature model (Flux Deluxe) units use (3) x 18650 LiON batteries. Lots of options. His product's developmental history is good reading ... all detailed in his extremely transparent threads ... on the OG site, anyway (?). His offerings are a bit fancier than Pipes', which is NOT to say that they are "better", just different. Pipes' uses the commonly available driver boards that most Home DIY-ers use ... BUT ... he tweaks them with added components for safety and efficiency. The Fluxer units, on the other hand, are not only designed in-house, but use custom-made proprietary boards and carefully selected specific components.; sleek aluminum cases in several colors (wood options, too!)
- Flux Deluxe BASE = $150 (batteries not incl.)
- Flux Deluxe STANDARD = $175 (batteries not incl.)
- Flix = to be released soon - projected price @ $115, a nifty AC desktop unit that can run on voltages from 7.8-12.6v for variable heating behavior
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3) www.dynavap.com = finally, an "OEM" offering ... kinda'. DynaVap collaborated with LUCID CUSTOM to form "DynaTec". DynaTec has a model called the Apollo 2. It is currently out of stock at Dynavap.com, but is sold at retailers, too. It is an AC model, not battery, but I imagine a Battery option will follow soon. I've seen it listed for $130.
Its safety feature is that if you hold down the pressure activation switch for more than 15-seconds, it turns itself off. The innards are very streamlined, being custom proprietary stuff. It's larger than many other IHs, but still small.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4) Mag Heater - A portable Induction Heater for the DynaVap
From Germany - several modesl (both AC and battery) including some with fancy adjustable heat-sensing features - you can literally set the digital thermostat to a desired temperature.
- Basic “Compact” = $165
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5) www.vaphotbox.com =
- the "VHB", Vap Hot Box, ABS plastic chassis, (2) x 18650 Batts = $150
- the "VHB Micro ", small wooden cube chassis, AC powered = $180
* uses a finger-press momentary switch on the outside of the chassis, NOT the more common "at the bottom of the Heat Chamber" light-pressure tactile switch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6) Toggen Gear Alpine 2020
- the "Alpine 2020", a classy brushed aluminum chassis w/ walnut veneer top, 1000mAh battery = $169.99 will be sold by: Source Vapes
A brand new offering = not even shipping yet! pre-orders were @ $99.99 (maybe still are ???)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7) (various sellers, eBay, Amazon, AliExpress) = SKJ Lab J28-3 = “dental heater” = $50. The true purpose of these devices is to heat small dental tools that are then used to carve wax for making dentures and and the like. They are not as powerful as most of the other designs out there, but they do work. In fact, some users prefer them, claiming that they heat more slowly and evenly, giving a smoother, less harsh but more flavorful vaping experience. YMMV. This bargain-priced unit is not as convenient because it requires the user to insert, hold still, wait, withdraw, reinsert, and wait some more before reaching the click. It's slower to heat than the other types, but still better than a torch and hard not to consider at its price. DDave Mods has a glass insert accessory that allow for hands-free heating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8) Etsy seller: JojosCreationShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9) VapOven - in the UK (a lead from member @ VegNVape) ... Website HERE
- the heater is contained within a fairly plain wooden housing and there's both an AC powered and a battery powered version. Plus, they offer DIY kits, both AC and Battery. Unlike Pipes' drop-in pre-assembled plug-in modules of his B.B. model, these kits are bundled loose components and require more effort and skill to assemble ... but they include clear instructions with wiring diagrams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10) a maker in Vietnam ; Ladat••• (u/Ladat420) - Reddit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11) Some Woodworkers are using Pipes' B.B. kits to make some real Eye Candy !!!
- F.C. member: phattpiggie (Phattpiggies Wood Shed - he does more than stems!)
- Timberhead Designs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, there are several postings on Reddit that give good instructions and have schematics.
The main group is: r/inductionheaters There are also members of that group that make and sell "home-made" units. Buyer Beware.
Check out these cool enclosures:
One of the best guides is by user u/beasthoss. It can be found here: Beasthoss DIY GUIDE
Cheerio, all!
~ Scott
The following was first posted on the OG FC website ... soon to become a "Legacy Product". I have updated it somewhat.
* For those of you who don't actually know what an Induction Heater is, here is a poor general description. An induction heater is an electric-powered (either plug into a wall outlet, or battery) heater that can heat metal objects without generating heat (except that heat which radiates off the metal object being heated!). The heat is magically "waiting" inside a coil chamber, but it is potential heat, not real. if you stick your finger in the coil, you will not feel heat. If you stick a Popsicle stick in there, it won't get hot. If you stick a screwdriver tip in there, however, it WILL get hot ... it will get RED HOT if you hold it in there long enough! I don't know how it works, but it works well for heating DynaVaps, without the annoying Hissssssss of butane and without the cost of butane refills.
With this COVID-19 Stay@Home order, I find myself on the internet more than ever. I'm still waiting for our new (well, not so new anymore, I suppose) Governor to fulfill his campaign promise to LEGALIZE. When he does, I'm going to be ready! I already have the ugly, but effective, Dental Heater one, and Pipes has me on his list! (I finally caved, after not pursuing Pipes' offerings because I wasn't a fan of having the momentary tactile activation switch located in the "bottom of the heat chamber". But ... his strong following of groupies convinced me to re-think my reasoning.) I'm currently not partaking (sigh...) so there's no rush for me. Until it's legal here, I am simply refreshing my old notes and looking into new offerings for future reference - there are so many nice looking option these days! All this research has lead to I.H.-VAS ... dang, I better get a job!
I decided to share my list from my notes here. Other than putting Pipes at his rightful place on top, the remaining order is random. I'm merely making a list, with minimal details ... no specs., reviews, or recommendations. Like all of Pipes' offerings, most use a momentary pressure switch located in the bottom of the heat chamber that is activated by inserting the vaporizer and gently pressing it down a bit. If there are any units that I missed (very likely) please add them for everyone's sake. ;-)
#1 - by member @Pipes , the Godfather of them all, the original ... the OG IH .
His is a time-tested (since 2016!), proven design with stellar support. His info. can be found here: Pipes' GUIDE
He basically offers (currently) THREE models: An AC plug-in Desktop (pretty small), a slightly larger (but still pretty small) LiPO Battery model, and a DIY "drop-in" pre-assembled module that can be enlosed in you own custom case.
a) Battery Powerd model: Portside Mini (aka, "PSM") - uses a LiPO battery, ala' R.C. gear= $105
b) AC (wall plug-in, with an AC/DC power inverter brick) model: Cauldron (replaced his JarHead model) = $80
c) Bare Bones (B.B.) "kit" form. You buy the guts "a-la-carte" from him and make your own enclosure.
$35 Main Driver Module ... with Male connectors already on the power-lead dongles = includes the heating coil, the board, the glass tube, the switch, etc. ... all the required stuff PRE-ASSEMBLED in a tidy, compact package = NOT a bunch of loose parts! You just add (also available from him) either the:
$5 AC jack, ("Home Harness") with pre-attached Female connectors (and, of course, a suitable Power Brick, like the one also available form Pipes for $20), or ...
$20 Pre-wired Battery Harness, complete with BMS board all wired-up and complete with connectors in place
.... also available are AC adapters, Car Adapters, Battery Chargers .... basically, everything you'll need, in a more or less "plug-n-play" format!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2) Fluxer Heaters = member @mr_cfromcali = website here: Fluxer Heaters Website
He's a very busy guy, with a pretty long wait-list (as is MONTHS). His Signature model (Flux Deluxe) units use (3) x 18650 LiON batteries. Lots of options. His product's developmental history is good reading ... all detailed in his extremely transparent threads ... on the OG site, anyway (?). His offerings are a bit fancier than Pipes', which is NOT to say that they are "better", just different. Pipes' uses the commonly available driver boards that most Home DIY-ers use ... BUT ... he tweaks them with added components for safety and efficiency. The Fluxer units, on the other hand, are not only designed in-house, but use custom-made proprietary boards and carefully selected specific components.; sleek aluminum cases in several colors (wood options, too!)
- Flux Deluxe BASE = $150 (batteries not incl.)
- Flux Deluxe STANDARD = $175 (batteries not incl.)
- Flix = to be released soon - projected price @ $115, a nifty AC desktop unit that can run on voltages from 7.8-12.6v for variable heating behavior
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3) www.dynavap.com = finally, an "OEM" offering ... kinda'. DynaVap collaborated with LUCID CUSTOM to form "DynaTec". DynaTec has a model called the Apollo 2. It is currently out of stock at Dynavap.com, but is sold at retailers, too. It is an AC model, not battery, but I imagine a Battery option will follow soon. I've seen it listed for $130.
Its safety feature is that if you hold down the pressure activation switch for more than 15-seconds, it turns itself off. The innards are very streamlined, being custom proprietary stuff. It's larger than many other IHs, but still small.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4) Mag Heater - A portable Induction Heater for the DynaVap
From Germany - several modesl (both AC and battery) including some with fancy adjustable heat-sensing features - you can literally set the digital thermostat to a desired temperature.
- Basic “Compact” = $165
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5) www.vaphotbox.com =
- the "VHB", Vap Hot Box, ABS plastic chassis, (2) x 18650 Batts = $150
- the "VHB Micro ", small wooden cube chassis, AC powered = $180
* uses a finger-press momentary switch on the outside of the chassis, NOT the more common "at the bottom of the Heat Chamber" light-pressure tactile switch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6) Toggen Gear Alpine 2020
- the "Alpine 2020", a classy brushed aluminum chassis w/ walnut veneer top, 1000mAh battery = $169.99 will be sold by: Source Vapes
A brand new offering = not even shipping yet! pre-orders were @ $99.99 (maybe still are ???)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7) (various sellers, eBay, Amazon, AliExpress) = SKJ Lab J28-3 = “dental heater” = $50. The true purpose of these devices is to heat small dental tools that are then used to carve wax for making dentures and and the like. They are not as powerful as most of the other designs out there, but they do work. In fact, some users prefer them, claiming that they heat more slowly and evenly, giving a smoother, less harsh but more flavorful vaping experience. YMMV. This bargain-priced unit is not as convenient because it requires the user to insert, hold still, wait, withdraw, reinsert, and wait some more before reaching the click. It's slower to heat than the other types, but still better than a torch and hard not to consider at its price. DDave Mods has a glass insert accessory that allow for hands-free heating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8) Etsy seller: JojosCreationShop
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9) VapOven - in the UK (a lead from member @ VegNVape) ... Website HERE
- the heater is contained within a fairly plain wooden housing and there's both an AC powered and a battery powered version. Plus, they offer DIY kits, both AC and Battery. Unlike Pipes' drop-in pre-assembled plug-in modules of his B.B. model, these kits are bundled loose components and require more effort and skill to assemble ... but they include clear instructions with wiring diagrams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10) a maker in Vietnam ; Ladat••• (u/Ladat420) - Reddit
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11) Some Woodworkers are using Pipes' B.B. kits to make some real Eye Candy !!!
- F.C. member: phattpiggie (Phattpiggies Wood Shed - he does more than stems!)
- Timberhead Designs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finally, there are several postings on Reddit that give good instructions and have schematics.
The main group is: r/inductionheaters There are also members of that group that make and sell "home-made" units. Buyer Beware.
Check out these cool enclosures:
One of the best guides is by user u/beasthoss. It can be found here: Beasthoss DIY GUIDE
Cheerio, all!
~ Scott
Last edited by a moderator:
Will probably open a dedicated MH thread once I get my long awaited Slim Automatic IR.
