I'm trying to source some replacement screens for my ZX, and trying to decide between the 250μm and 300μm hole diameter ones (12.7mm).
Anyone have any comments on a preference between them? I'm thinking that the 250μm will allow less particles to get into the bong water, but the 300μm will have better airflow.
The 250 micron should be about the same as the ones I send out with the ZX kits. Either one should work well.
I would tend to agree. The amount of material that makes it past the screen and into my ash catcher is far too high with the standard screen IMO.
I wish the slot that holds the screen was larger, so I could fit in 2 or even 3 screens (like I do in my Herborizer Ti glass bowl). This massively reduces the amount of particulate that gets through, has scarcely any impact on drag restriction and means I don't have to clean my glass as much.
I use all my vapes with glass but no water. With the herbo, I can go 3 or 4 days with no cleaning. With the ZXB, the screen is already starting to clog and my ash catcher is filthy after just 2 or 3 bowls.
Stacking screens is okay in the heater, but in my experience if a screen clogs easily by itself, then stacking them together makes for even worse clogs as the debris will then be trapped between screens and much harder to brush out.
If anything I think perhaps the bowl screens should have larger openings.
I feel like we tend to have to choose a compromise somewhere between a clogged screen or debris in the glass. I'm pretty surprised you're getting a lot of debris in your glass and you're using an ash catcher. I run everything direct with no catchers or pass-thru's and there's extremely low amounts of debris in my rig. Almost all of it is trapped at the first right angle turn and never makes it into the water chamber.
Are you stirring?
IMHO stirring is really bad for any dry herb vaporizer and is likely a main cause of screen clogs and contaminant introduction in glass.
Once the moisture has been evaporated out of the plant it is too easily pulverized when agitated.
I never stir anymore; and I brush the bowl out after every load (upside down!! I always see people brushing bowls in the normal orientation, we want to try to get those contaminants to fall out of the screen rather than be pushed through it.)
I have some finer mesh screens, I didn't personally like them but if you send me your last order number I'll try to send you some when I get home. Keep in mind the finer mesh is much more flimsy.
dang can't imagine there may not be any more of these out in the world! what a marvel of vape engineering. I love this thing so much and it's making me consider the ZXL - really just a bigger bowl is the only thing I'd want to try differently right now. ZX is bliss.