Discontinued Pax Vaporizer by Ploom

[c0rpse]

Has anyone made a nice 3D printed waterpipe adapter yet? Or really anything besides the many different silicone rubber boot methods?

My PAX is going to be my only flower vape for a while, so I would like to hook it up to my waterpipe, but I'm not really a fan of rubber.

 

[Wizsteve]

Hi i have my pax 2 months ago ... i use normally like 3 ovens a day .. that' s considered heavy use ?

nope that's low usage to normal heavy would 9 oven a day i would say 1- 3 grams would be low to normal
5 plus grams would be heavy.(well maybe)

Remember these things was made with tobacco in mind, a pack a day habit would be nearly one oz.With that in mind vaping a ounce a day becomes normal usage.everything else is light usage.

 

[OregonStoner]

I thought most electronics rated batteries by charge cycles and not use cycles? If you get 300 charges before a drop, doesn't that mean you can charge it, do multiple sessions till the battery is low, then charge it for 1 cycle?

I actually received a second email from Harriet at Ploom. She said that she mistakenly used the term "oven loads" instead of charge cycles. Her full response below.

Thank you for your email.

Just to clarify... the battery will be at 80% the original charge capacity after 300 complete charge cycles, not 300 oven loads. Sorry for that mixup In the event that you find your device to be not functioning at a battery level that works for you, we would love for you to reach out to us. We will inspect your device throughly to rule out any other underlining issues that might be affecting the battery level. If we find the issue to be battery degradation, we will offer you to trade in your device for a coupon or hold on to your device. We will let you make that decision. We want you to fully enjoy your device and anything less than that is completely unacceptable by our Ploom standards!!

 

[GraffiX]

I actually received a second email from Harriet at Ploom. She said that she mistakenly used the term "oven loads" instead of charge cycles. Her full response below.

Outstanding news, thanks for the follow up out here and that sounds much more in line with what should be expected out of a battery, I'm glad Ploom acknowledged this! Perhaps even more importantly, Ploom's customer service/warranty is definitely the real deal all around!

Made my whole week, thanks brother!

 

[VapeMan980]

So what is it like being medicated with the Pax? Is it like the being medicated with the Solo or more like the feeling I'd get from smoking a bowl?

Since it is a combustion vaporizer...

 

[GraffiX]

So what is it like being medicated with the Pax? Is it like the being medicated with the Solo or more like the feeling I'd get from smoking a bowl?

Since it is a combustion vaporizer...

The Pax is not a "combustion" vaporizer. The two terms "combustion" and "vaporizer" are mutually exclusive in the context of a cannabis vaporizer.

The term you're looking for is "conduction". The Pax is a conduction vaporizer. No combustion takes place in a Pax.

 

[VapeMan980]

The Pax is not a "combustion" vaporizer. The two terms "combustion" and "vaporizer" are mutually exclusive in the context of a cannabis vaporizer.

The term you're looking for is "conduction". The Pax is a conduction vaporizer. No combustion takes place in a Pax.

Thanks @GraffiX..

So what is it like being medicated on the Pax? More like a bowl, Solo, or somewhere in between?

 

[GraffiX]

Thanks @GraffiX..

So what is it like being medicated on the Pax? More like a bowl, Solo, or somewhere in between?

No worries brother!

Summary at the end for those that don't like reading.

I don't use the Solo, but I do have a few Volcano's, which I guess some of us would describe as the "gold standard" of vaporization.

Using that standard, the Pax is very similar in that respect to what you would get from any other high-quality vaporizer.

Like most, I find that vaporizing is distinctly different feeling and provides a different medication vibe than any combustion methods (joints, bowls, bongs, etc) provide.

Without getting technical and scientific, I would summarize the medication from a Pax, when compared to any combustion, as being more efficient, and I find that with regard to the cannabinoids that they're processed and delivered much more efficiently. The effects, once you're used to them, seem to be "cleaner" and perhaps even less "dopey" than combustion.

I find vaporization effects most similar to the effects when consuming properly prepared cannabis edibles, though with vaping those effects come on more quickly and dissipate more quickly than eating.

When comparing vaping to combusting, I find that the effects come on in about the same amount of time (~1-5 minutes), but the vaping effects come on smoother. When I was combusting, that 2nd hit always was where I'd feel the effects come on, your eyes would go "japanese", eyelids get heavy, and that burnt flavor was all part of it. When vaping, it seems to come on at the end or after the vape session, the pleasant taste of vaped flavanoids/terpinoids, no ragged throat, no overwhelming smell of burning cannabis on your breath or clothes, etc.

Also, consider that, compared to vaping, combustion destroys a considerable amount of the delicate cannabinoids in the process, where vaping destroys very few if any. The result is that, with any quality vaporizer, you get a more efficient intake of the medicine that matters, and certainly a different ratio of the 100's of cannabinoids than if you were combusting that same material.

I will say, however, that chemically speaking, when combusting for medicine, there are many other factors that one subconsciously associates with the effects, such as the feeling of the smoke going in/out (particulate matter entering your lungs), the coughing and/or holding it in (oxygen deprivation), and many of the flavanoids/terpinoids are being burned. These all add up to a very different experience than vaporizing, and for some, they feel "vaping isn't as good".

I'll wrap it up by saying: Remember that first time you got high....or not? Many folks I know, myself included (and I'm going WAAAY back here!), the first time or two getting high felt they didn't get high at all! It was the 3rd or 4th time that you said "ahhhhh, THIS is what it's all about!". The same thing holds true for vaporizing IMHO, particularly after one has been combusting it all along. The first few times I vaped, I felt like a LOT was missing, and I wasn't really getting medicated. But that 3rd attempt on the Volcano....BOOM!!! It was like getting hit with atomic doob. Couldn't even finish the bag.

Summary: IMHO, vaping with a Pax is very similar to vaping with any other quality vaporizer, and very dissimilar to any form of combustion.

Hope that helped, have a kind day brother!

G

 

[Wizsteve]

Thanks @GraffiX..

So what is it like being medicated on the Pax? More like a bowl, Solo, or somewhere in between?

i had weekends i could not remember using the pax i tend to vape more because it can go anywhere you go and so easy to use .it holds alot so no reloads when taken bath no worries about wet fingers.

 

[Jethro]

I agree... since getting my Pax my consumption of flowers has gone way up since it's sooooooo much more enjoyable than combusting! It feels better, it's less "dopey" like Graffix said. Lots of times before I would resist smoking a bowl until much later in the day because it would make me sleepy and sometimes I would even get "couch locked". But vaping... I can do that first thing in the morning and still have energy all day. I pack about the same amount of flowers in the Pax as I would roll in a joint. A joint would last me most of the day, but with the Pax I can easily go through 3 ovens a day. It's kind of a bummer to my wallet and has increased my tolerance quite a bit.

 

[VapeMan980]

I agree... since getting my Pax my consumption of flowers has gone way up since it's sooooooo much more enjoyable than combusting! It feels better, it's less "dopey" like Graffix said. Lots of times before I would resist smoking a bowl until much later in the day because it would make me sleepy and sometimes I would even get "couch locked". But vaping... I can do that first thing in the morning and still have energy all day. I pack about the same amount of flowers in the Pax as I would roll in a joint. A joint would last me most of the day, but with the Pax I can easily go through 3 ovens a day. It's kind of a bummer to my wallet and has increased my tolerance quite a bit.

Yep... Vaping is definitely more enjoyable than combusting IMO... It's a cleaner medicated state.. Less paranoia too. It saves a lot of product but since it is more enjoyable and easier to use because of the lack of smell sometimes it can have the opposite effect. Kind of how you mentioned you smoke more

One of my family members got a Volcano. I tried it and thought it was really cool. That's how I got introduced to the world of vaporizers..

Btw I don't know because I don't have one but I'm starting to think that the whole "cleaning the Pax sucks," is overrated.. I know I'm one of the few stoners who always cleans his bowl once a week. Sure I don't have to clean it that much but when I do I get cleaner, harder and better tasting hits...

The Solo you don't have to clean the stem every week but you should if you use it a lot. Just like a bowl, if you do you will get more enjoyment out of the product..

Lazy stoners is probably the reason people bitch about cleaning the Pax.. lol... How hard can it be to take 10-15 mins out of your day?

 

[Wizsteve]

Yep... Vaping is definitely more enjoyable than combusting IMO... It's a cleaner medicated state.. Less paranoia too. It saves a lot of product but since it is more enjoyable and easier to use because of the lack of smell sometimes it can have the opposite effect. Kind of how you mentioned you smoke more

One of my family members got a Volcano. I tried it and thought it was really cool. That's how I got introduced to the world of vaporizers..

Btw I don't know because I don't have one but I'm starting to think that the whole "cleaning the Pax sucks," is overrated.. I know I'm one of the few stoners who always cleans his bowl once a week. Sure I don't have to clean it that much but when I do I get cleaner, harder and better tasting hits...

The Solo you don't have to clean the stem every week but you should if you use it a lot. Just like a bowl, if you do you will get more enjoyment out of the product..

Lazy stoners is probably the reason people bitch about cleaning the Pax.. lol... How hard can it be to take 10-15 mins out of your day?

i learned a few tricks so unlike other i really seldom need to clean mine i don't use the lube i use the stuff i got for my coffee maker it food grade high temp lube it seems to seal better and protects the spring from resin .really the only part i ever clean i like my paxes well seasoned(so much so i smear honey oil inside the oven than load )

 

[Teedub]

a few tricks you say?

 

[OregonStoner]

I had my consumption rise briefly after purchasing my Pax, but it has since dropped down to a point that I use less than half as much as when I had combusted my herbs.

I can get many, many hits off of one oven load. I am guessing that I continue vaping my oven loads much longer than most members do. I use Vapor stepping from low to medium heat, switching to more heat when there is no more vapor being produced on low or if the vapor becomes too thin. I have found that giving the load a stir provides denser vapor and I do this very often while plooming. I have also stepped up to the high setting a couple times but the taste is very poor and the effects make me want to sleep, so I avoid high and dump the load after medium heat no longer produces.

I get get a full days worth of use from my Pax with a fully packed over load. I use a nail head to tamp the herbs into the oven until it is packed very tight. This means a little more restriction when inhaling, but I really don't want to draw in a lot of air around the over door anyway. I want vapor, not heated outside air.

The Pax has become my favorite addition to my fishing vest. I have used this vaporizer around many people out on the streams and lakes and I have not had one reaction or suspicious look while using it. The Pax becomes almost completely hidden when held inside of a fist, with only the mouthpiece being slightly visible. The fact the Pax can be turned on and used with one hand makes this a very hard portable to beat for stealthiness.

 

[GraffiX]

Well, it's funny how many little projects one can find to do when you're down with an injury.

Today was no exception, so I took on a little project to resolve something that's been bugging me since I obtained my first Pax:

The Weighted Base Mod!!

I've seen that Ploom offers a weighted base...if you want to go spend ~$40 for another base and a 12v car charger. Not me, not a chance....see my previous external battery mod tutorial earlier in this thread for more info on that (this also explains the arch-like cutout in my base cover which you'll see in these images, to allow for a barrel connector, yours won't have this cutout unless you've performed my battery mod).

It irked me that the base that comes with the unit is unweighted. It's very lightweight and slides around easily, particularly on a glass tabletop, etc. So I set out to resolve this issue. Sure, there are probably dozens of ways to accomplish this, but I wanted to make sure that my project:

- Uses things I had on hand
- Is completely reversible
- Looks decent and clean
- Provides even weight
- Provides enough weight

Well, that list narrows down the options considerably, but fortunately, I was able to meet all of those items on the list, so on with the modification tutorial!

Materials Used:

- 8 hex nuts (measured with a caliper, 4.6mm high by 10.6mm wide), the thread pitch is irrelevant here

- Quake Putty (this stuff is awesome to have on hand. Comes in a small envelope and is used to attach valuable items on shelves, etc, and is completely reversible, leaves no stains, etc. It's cheap, and unless you're building a museum, an envelope will probably last you a lifetime of small projects)

- Black Tape (I really hate using black tape for it's intended purpose and prefer solder and shrink tubing, but for this project it is perfect. Don't worry, we're not soldering or doing anything with wires!)

- A toothpick or 2, and a small flat blade screwdriver. (We will use these tools to clean up excess putty and for a bit of shaping)

Time to accomplish: 30 - 45 leisurely minutes start to finish

References:
- The top of the unit will be called the cover
- The bottom part of the unit that separates from the cover will be called the insert

1. Take apart the base. You can do this by turning the base over and sticking a thumbnail or other slim object in the seam where the top cover meets the bottom insert. There is no glue/adhesives/etc holding any of these parts together, they "snap" together.

I started at the barrel socket, stuck my thumbnail in there to separate the seam, and gently lifted up on the insert to lift it past the "snap" point. Holding that in place so it didn't return to a "snapped" position, I then did the opposite side in the same fashion, releasing the front side of the insert, and now carefully lifting it out of what is the top cover (the part you set your Pax on).

I then carefully popped out the green board from the insert by gently lifting at the barrel connector. It will come out, and you will have 3 pieces, shown below (never mind the hex nut for now,obviously not there on yours...yet :

2. Using your Quake Putty, take 2 of the hex nuts, stack them, and roll up a little "snake" of putty that will fit down the hole, push it through, and using your fingers on both sides, squeeze the putty in there tightly. You want it to fill the threads tightly. Don't worry about excess at the moment, you will see that it's easily cleaned up with no mess.

Take your 2 hex nuts with the putty and make sure that one side has some putty on it to adhere the stack to the cover. You can clean up the hole facing you at anytime. Push them into place as shown in the image below. Don't use a giant glob to adhere it, just a thin coating is fine. Use the correct orientation to make it clean and stable with a flat side of the 2-nut-stack against the long side of the cover, as shown below (the flash washed out the detail of the hole, shown better in later pics):

3. Repeat Step 2, so you have (2) 2-nut-stacks side by side. Now take another small "snake" of putty and force it down into the triangle spaces along the sides of the cover where the "nut stacks" meet the sides. Push enough to fill the gaps tightly, and clean up the excess, as shown below:

4. Pack the 2 triangular spaces which are facing the insert with the putty as shown below. What you're going for here is to create a flat face, so bring the putty out to the edges just to the "points" of the nut stacks (sorry, the image is pretty blurry here, but you get the idea) NOTE where I didn't pack putty in to make a "perfect rectangle", I left those spaces to keep the end result clean, as you'll see in following pics:

5. Clean up any excess at this point. If you haven't yet, use the toothpicks and tiny flat screwdriver to clean up any excess. The above image doesn't show it very well, but you want nice clean lines, as best as you can get. Quake Putty cleans up really easy which you'll see...like a soft smooth rubber cement without all the sticky. Again, above image looks crappy, but the edges are flat and the excess is cleaned up.

6. Now take a strip of black tape, cut it to length (too much is better at this point, don't cut it too short!), and place it over the nut stacks as shown below, lining up the corner and edges.

Make the cut shown as well. Line it up with the flat edge and cut to the depth shown:

7. Fold the black tape over the nut stacks and firmly smooth it into place. Here you can clearly see the shape of it all, how the edge is flat and square and clean. The tape folds almost to the bottom, but not quite. Not a problem, don't worry about this.

8. Now cut the length of black tape to fit as shown. Fold the edges down, then around the corner to make a nice clean install. You can use the flatblade to press it into place and make nice clean edges.

9. We are now going to add weight to the other side to even things out. Using a SINGLE nut, press the Quake Putty into the nuts to fill them and then arrange the nuts and press into place as I've shown in the image below.

In this image, you will note there are two small "stops" against the back wall of the insert where I've placed the 3 nuts. These two "stops" are what hold the green circuit board in place, so be sure yours are below this, as mine are, when you place them in there:

10. Secure the 4th nut into place as shown. This image shows the proper placement of the 4th nut, but after I've replaced the green circuit board. I recommend you put this nut in place, THEN place the green circuit board back in place. You'll note that placement is very important, as are the size of these nuts (measurements given at beginning of tutorial). There are a few places where there are tight clearances, so be deliberate and take your time. This image was snapped before I snugged the 4th nut tightly up to the wall:

11. You can now snap the insert into the cover, and you are finished! Notice how the base still lays perfectly flat, and is perfectly weighted! Makes a HUGE difference in the stability of the base, and over the next 24 hours+ the Quake Putty will harden into place even further (though it's usable immediately)

Also note how the right angle barrel plug just clears that corner at the stress relief point. This is why we don't make a "perfect rectangle" out of that area, we need that corner "cut" to allow the barrel plug to attach correctly.:

Another very verbose tutorial, I know, but I wanted to give plenty of details, as the devil is always in the details!!

I'm very happy with the way this turned out, and it feels like a very high quality item now, FAR more stable than it was without the weights (which is why Ploom likely offers a weighted base...for a bunch of extra money).

You'll note that the unit is very balanced, with 4 "weights" on each side of the unit. Also note that the barrel arch is still 100% clear through to the socket so you can continue to use this base with my external battery charge mod tutorial.

The cost for this mod is negligible, and even if you don't have the stuff laying around, you can purchase it all for a few bucks tops, spend a few minutes of your spare time, save yourself ~$40 and make your base really stable in the process.

Here's a link to the Quake Putty I used, called "Quake Hold!", it's $4 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Quakehold-88111-Museum-Putty-Neutral/dp/B0002VA9NA

Most importantly is, that if for some reason you decide you don't like it, etc, it is 100% REVERSIBLE! There will be no trace if you choose to remove the mod (for what reason I can't imagine, but I felt it was a much better option that glues/epoxies/etc).

All in all I'm really very happy with the way it turned out, and I hope you found this to be helpful and useful.

Peace and kind energy brothers and sisters!

G

 

[Jethro]

Nice mod there! I just hot glued mine to a block of wood. Pretty redneck but it gets the job done. I have another charger to use if I want to start charging right after a session, so I can charge while Pax sits upright.

On the subject of cleaning, I don't find I need to clean that much, once every two weeks. And I will go through 2 ovens a day at least.

 

[Jerry Vedder]

There was a discussion about clouds. I was blessed with a jar of fresh keif. I've been mixing some into what I have ground up. A lot more cloud action going on now. When I do a straight oven of grind I add some keif later on when I give the oven a stir. It gives the oven some flavor. I'm thinking a 50/50 mix. Don't know about an oven off 100% keif.

 

[Jethro]

I don't understand the complaint of the lack of clouds with the Pax, I can make clouds that are CRAZY with this thing. And I never go higher than medium heat.

 

[btka]

I often wonder where the clouds are coming from (dansity and amount of clouds)... also using the second screen methode
Even if not filled half full... if only the taste would be better ( ok its conduction)... and less plastic materials maybe...

 

[GraffiX]

Nice mod there! I just hot glued mine to a block of wood. Pretty redneck but it gets the job done. I have another charger to use if I want to start charging right after a session, so I can charge while Pax sits upright.

On the subject of cleaning, I don't find I need to clean that much, once every two weeks. And I will go through 2 ovens a day at least.

Nice, I like the simplicity of simply putting another base on it! Necessity is the mother of invention!

On cleaning, I'm about the same, though I find that I end up cleaning it about once a week regardless, it's sort of become a habit at this point. I actually enjoy it! Probably could go 2 weeks though, but I wouldn't go much longer than that.

I don't understand the complaint of the lack of clouds with the Pax, I can make clouds that are CRAZY with this thing. And I never go higher than medium heat.

^^^ This x1000! ^^^

I feel exactly the same way!! I always use medium, and I blow ridiculous clouds, so large in fact that they linger for a bit, and when i exhale in the sunlight coming through a window, it's almost shocking.

There was a discussion about clouds. I was blessed with a jar of fresh keif. I've been mixing some into what I have ground up. A lot more cloud action going on now. When I do a straight oven of grind I add some keif later on when I give the oven a stir. It gives the oven some flavor. I'm thinking a 50/50 mix. Don't know about an oven off 100% keif.

The mix is fine, but I wouldn't use 100% kif as it will likely melt down and just get messy. The 50/50 works pretty well, though I've only done it a handful of times as the herb I'm medicating with is more than adequate for both medication and huge clouds of happiness.

I often wonder where the clouds are coming from (dansity and amount of clouds)... also using the second screen methode
Even if not filled half full... if only the taste would be better ( ok its conduction)... and less plastic materials maybe...

I never understood the complaint about taste. I have many vapes, and again, comparing to what I consider the gold standard Volcano, the flavor is top notch from the Pax. Never any odd tastes, no plastic, chemical, or electrical smell like MANY of the others I've tried. I figure you'd probably already considered this, but is it possible you got a counterfeit? If it's genuine, I'd maybe put in a call to Ploom and find out why you are getting such a bad taste. The entire vapor path is stainless save for the last bit of the mouthpiece, and those don't smell at all. Just a thought!

 

[1guitarguy]

Hello fellow Pax owners. I thought I'd put in my two cents worth regarding the Pax I bought used a couple of years ago. Like many of the previous posters have said, the warranty doesn't cover a unit purchased from a private party.

I called the nice folks at Ploom and asked them if and when my unit might need repair and it is not covered by the warranty if I could just pay for the repair? Nope! Anyway I have not had many issues with my Pax that cleaning didn't solve.

But I do have one item that maybe is similar to what someone else's is doing. Mine heats up just fine and then when the green light goes on maybe 10-12 seconds later the unit goes into standby and the light turns blue. A quick push on the mouthpiece resets it and it goes green after a brief warm up and then back to blue 10-12 sec. later.

Also when I shake the unit to see how much of a charge is left, it no longer indicates, and the light remains it's current color. Again I can live with this because I keep it in the charger when not in use.

I had retired my Pax several months ago in favor of my Arizer Solo. Today I took the Pax out and have vaped 2 tightly packed chambers. That's probably why I am babbling like this in this post, I am f&%#d up, but in a good way!

Anyone having advice or answers to my Pax issues, please respond and I thank you for your help.

 

[OregonStoner]

Hello fellow Pax owners. I thought I'd put in my two cents worth regarding the Pax I bought used a couple of years ago. Like many of the previous posters have said, the warranty doesn't cover a unit purchased from a private party.

I called the nice folks at Ploom and asked them if and when my unit might need repair and it is not covered by the warranty if I could just pay for the repair? Nope! Anyway I have not had many issues with my Pax that cleaning didn't solve.

But I do have one item that maybe is similar to what someone else's is doing. Mine heats up just fine and then when the green light goes on maybe 10-12 seconds later the unit goes into standby and the light turns blue. A quick push on the mouthpiece resets it and it goes green after a brief warm up and then back to blue 10-12 sec. later.

Also when I shake the unit to see how much of a charge is left, it no longer indicates, and the light remains it's current color. Again I can live with this because I keep it in the charger when not in use.

I had retired my Pax several months ago in favor of my Arizer Solo. Today I took the Pax out and have vaped 2 tightly packed chambers. That's probably why I am babbling like this in this post, I am f&%#d up, but in a good way!

Anyone having advice or answers to my Pax issues, please respond and I thank you for your help.

I would probably try Ploom again for warranty service. It appears that they do not ask for a copy of your purchase receipt so tell them the serial # of the unit and see what happens from there.

That fact that you can't leave the standby mode or check the battery charge tells me that the motion sensor in your Pax has failed. Just slightly moving your Pax around should take it off of the standby mode.

 

[VaporsVaporizer]

Hello fellow Pax owners. I thought I'd put in my two cents worth regarding the Pax I bought used a couple of years ago. Like many of the previous posters have said, the warranty doesn't cover a unit purchased from a private party.
Anyone having advice or answers to my Pax issues, please respond and I thank you for your help.

I'm not sure if the serial # is tied to the purchaser , since anytime i've needed service, after checking my serial #, they ask for name and address. They will of course be able to tell if it's a legit Pax ,by the serial #.
If you know the person you bought from , if all else fails , have them send it in for you.

 

[pakalolo]

I'm not sure if the serial # is tied to the purchaser , since anytime i've needed service, after checking my serial #, they ask for name and address. They will of course be able to tell if it's a legit Pax ,by the serial #.
If you know the person you bought from , if all else fails , have them send it in for you.

There's no way that the serial number is registered to an owner unless the Pax was bought directly from Ploom.

 

[StickyIcky]

I purchased the pax a month and a half ago.
It is not worth the $270.00.
It was progressively getting worse after each cleaning.
The unit cannot handle the stickyIcky.
The mouth piece is really a poor concept.
Now I have to send it back to be either fixed, or exchanged.
At least my Davinci Ascent lasted 4 and half months before being sent back for
Exchange.
There has to be better made units for portable vaporizers than the Pax.

I don't work for any vaporizer company,
I just vaporize.