Silver Surfer Vaporizer

[Vapordreamer]

Something terrible happened a few months ago to my SSV.
I connected the whip to a water pipe but stuck the tubing too deep inside the downstem which led to a kind of vacuum effect.
Then the water shot through the tubing right into the heating element and the electronics :/. Now the heating element does not get hot anymore although the amber light at the base still glows.

R.I.P. SSV heating element

This SSV was abot 4 years old which means there is no guarantee anymore (it was voided anyway since according to the manual guarantee does not cover spills).

Do you think I can still have it repaired by 7th floor somehow (bought it from a german retailer, cause I am in Europe)?

Should I just dispose of the unit and keep all the accessoires like HCs, whip and knob?

Anyway I ordered a new one already since SSV is my favorite desktop Vaporizer by far of all those I have tried.

 

[mak770]

changing the element is easy, you just need to get one from 7th floor

 

[p1ssbucket]

@Vapordreamer if you haven't tried emailing or calling 7th floor first try that out. Really shitty and sorry to hear about that. Actually got a little water in my tube the other day and got it away from hitting the wand just in time.

 

[p1ssbucket]

Actually, can't edit my old post, but you know if the element doesn't heat up but the amber light still comes on when you power it on that's a good sign. I would think hopefully just the element would take the hit but I'm sure 7th floor will help you diagnose it properly.

 

[Tosin Abasi]

I finally found my sweet spot! And on top of that, keeping the whip near a light so I can see the vapor better has been giving me much more control over how much vapor I'm actually inhaling. I can now take puffs when I please or big rips just measuring visually. It's completely stopped the combustion issue I was having. Whatever works I guess. I'd definitely suggest getting a view on the vapor intake for someone new to the SSV.

 

[Tweak]

I'd definitely suggest getting a view on the vapor intake for someone new to the SSV.

A mirror also helps.

Glad you found your sweet spot.

 

[zor]

Yeah man, seeing the vapor production and density is a key factor to my enjoyment of the SSV as I can gauge my intake exactly as you describe.

I've had my SSV for over two months now, without a doubt I'm in love with this thing. Some build quality issues I still experience with the loose fitting oil nail kit heat cover, but overall I couldn't be happier....well...I guess I could be happier if I had two

 

[chimpybits]

I finally found my sweet spot! And on top of that, keeping the whip near a light so I can see the vapor better has been giving me much more control over how much vapor I'm actually inhaling. I can now take puffs when I please or big rips just measuring visually. It's completely stopped the combustion issue I was having. Whatever works I guess. I'd definitely suggest getting a view on the vapor intake for someone new to the SSV.

Not sure if you're vape-bonging, but this is a major reason I prefer connecting a glass/water piece. I sure like watching the vapors fill the can. Admittedly, incorporating a glass piece does complicate the ritual; however, the visual feedback is a big help especially for noobs.

 

[grokit]

The glass piece that I pictured recently is opaque,
but I can view the vapor through the wand if it's clean enough

 

[p1ssbucket]

Anyone using the really fancy stuff from us plastics?

I would like to get some really fancy whip but I can't justify that stuff that is min 10 feet and $20 a foot...

 

[Tweak]

Anyone using the really fancy stuff from us plastics?

Link? I've used the generic silicone and the Tygon 3350.

The Tygon 3370 looks very intriguing but expensive: "The ultra smooth inner surface and the ability to be cleaned and sterilized repeatedly"

 

[zor]

I bought this tubing and replaced the stock tube with it (cut out a ~ 4-foot long piece). It is SO much better than stock, pliable enough to insert the wand into the tubing instead of the other way around (tighter, more secure fit, don't need to deal with the tube crimping), and not as fussy either. The price was right, too.

 

[Vitolo]

Some individuals can not handle the texture of a silicone whip... they find the texture disturbing (I am one of them!).
When new, it feels like the skin on the palm of a babies hand.
It gets dust or particles on it and feels unusual to the hands.
One other factor is that 7th floor tubing has a polished finish.. I have used some of these whips for YEARS of service.
Silicone tubing will after a few weeks of service will allow resins and stickiness to bleed through.


About the tackiness that forms outside the tubing at the vaporizer end of the tubing.
People think silicone is impervious, but it is not.
THC residues are strange and can enter hot silicone to an extent,
The residues stay still after that.
You can clean the outside of tubing where the stickiness has come through with Iso... and it will work only to show up again in hours.(even with non use)
This is something that I learned to ignore, and the only cure is to cut down the tube an inch at a time to remove that tacky portion.. or just live with it...
and eventually replace the tubing.
7th Floor Tubing (similar to Tygon) does not do this.

Interesting note about the tackiness.
It seems worse when the tubing is cool.
The reason is that the tube is then .. without heat in contracted state. The oils have exuded a tiny bit, as they seem to stay still.
when you start to vape, the tackiness mysteriously vanishes.
This is because the tube has expanded under the heat, and the material has "re-enveloped" the THC oils.. (silicone does have some permeability)... while at the same time your suction on the tube causes a vacuum bringing the resins down away from the tubings surface.

Now that I said that about Silicone..
I still do use it for some vaporizers, that require a smaller bore whip.. as 7th floor type tubing is less flexible in smaller lengths, and stiffer if smaller diameters.

Anyone using the really fancy stuff from us plastics?

I would like to get some really fancy whip but I can't justify that stuff that is min 10 feet and $20 a foot...

I have tried every tubing that US Plastics sells.
7th floor tubing is superior to me than them all... as it has a special blend that makes it more flexible than any Tygon that US Plastics produces.
Old fact from the beginning of SSV history:
To have this special blend produced, 7th floor had to commit to buy enough to wrap around the earth 9 times.
I still used US Plastics for a variety of tubing, but have stopped because this year they stopped shipping with USPS, and the shipping rates have become offensively high.

 

[zor]

hahaha, I completely understand that tactile preference, but as I abhor holding babies I don't have that association I've only been using this tubing for a week now, so far so good but I appreciate your experience and caveats, I'll keep an eye out. Right now the benefits of the tubing greatly outweigh the negatives, but again it has only been a week. Thanks for the heads ups!

 

[Tweak]

I have found the exact opposite. 7th floor tubing barely stretches while silicone can stretch to quadruple it's size. I can fit EQ sized silicone hose (5/16 X 7-16) over the outside of my SSV wand, I would love to see someone try with 7th floor tubing. At one point I was using 7th floor on my nano wand, until the heat was enough to melt it.

All I know is that Silicone is safe enough to cook/eat on and for medical use, yet 7th floor won't let us know what is in their tubing. They have stated one of the components is Vinyl, which is a known carcinogen and poses environmental health threats in making and disposal.

@zor , I've found that using some Mean Green/Simple Green works great for cleaning your Silicone hose.

 

[grokit]

Here's a great pic of ssv wand/heater cover options, from the current massdrop.

• looks like the middle one has an eu cord?

 

[p1ssbucket]

I almost bought a spherical hc wand cover today. Thanks for the link! Maybe a gg? So many options.

 

[Trifectic]

Hey guys just got an ssv after I decided I wanted a new vape. I bought this barely used on ebay and was ecstatic when it arrived! Although I believe there's a problem. When trying to take off the heater cover I noticed it was surprisingly difficult to get it off and eventually it came off along with a metal cylinder stuck in the glass hc. I also need to crank it up around max temp to get quality vapor. When around 12 or 1 the amber doesn't even glow. It's only around the 3 o clock or up that the amber begins to glow. Should I push for a refund?

 

[chimpybits]

Hey guys just got an ssv after I decided I wanted a new vape. I bought this barely used on ebay and was ecstatic when it arrived! Although I believe there's a problem. When trying to take off the heater cover I noticed it was surprisingly difficult to get it off and eventually it came off along with a metal cylinder stuck in the glass hc. I also need to crank it up around max temp to get quality vapor. When around 12 or 1 the amber doesn't even glow. It's only around the 3 o clock or up that the amber begins to glow. Should I push for a refund?

Hi Trifectic, I believe you have the old style heater cover which uses a metal cylinder/sleeve and shims to get a good fit of the heater cover onto the heating element stand. It sounds like this sleeve has slipped onto the glass. This video shows how to properly assemble this old-style heater cover. Be sure to give your ceramic element a slight pull upward to make sure it is all the way up.
My ceramic heater only very faintly glows at 12 and brightly at 3. SSV's are all different as the glass knob's placement varies.
Anyway, I have the old-style heater cover too and it sounds like your SSV is normal - except for the displaced metal sleeve which needs adjusting.

 

[p1ssbucket]

What would cause me to start having uneven cooking issues?

With both my SSV stock wand and nano-wand I get really dark charring on one half of the bowl and the other half stays green. Only with really tiny loads I avoid this.

This didn't happen to me for a long time and I haven't changed any of my techniques! What could I have done?

I do tend to leave it running 24/7 turned 3/4 of the way up since that's my favorite temp.

 

[Vitolo]

Inspect HC for cracks and snugness to base
Clean HC inside and out (cool it first)
clean screen, and reinstall (dome side up)

Prolong element life by reducing the temp during your sleep time from 3/4 to closer to the lowest temps, so it will warm fast for 1st hit of the day, but not have to work overnight (or whenever you rest)

 

[grokit]

The element inside the hc could have shifted, the element needs to be as centered as possible within the hc.

 

[shredder]

Thanks for your insights.
I only have your old colored whips.
I have only tried applying heat in the form of dipping it in boiling water, no soap.
Are the clear whips more flexible? I literally just had an order with 7th floor ship out too!

Who sells the best silicone tubing?

Even with the whip bent on itself like it is, having the nano-whip is really amazing for getting a great hit out of small loads.


I like hitting the angled WPA dry more than the stock mouthpiece.
Edit: cool, I combined hot water and scissors to stretch it out. Got it stretched just enough to fit over it. Awesome airflow kickass tube. I dunno how much a vapor bros mini wand costs but if you already have a nano this rocks, if you don't have a nano but you have a whip to use I am pretty sure those nano stems cost next to nothing. Might get one with a glass honeycomb screen too.

Nano-whip works so nice

I know it's back in the thread a bit, but thanks for this post! I'm a new surfer. I picked up a used ssv minus a wand. I ordered a wand and some silicone whip tubing, but in the mean time I used this tip about using a nano stem to get some vapor going. Anyway, it worked great so thanks!

 

[p1ssbucket]

Glad someone else enjoyed the nano wand! Great for small loads!

Thanks for the tips I cleaned out my Hc and it was great. I guess I blew back some weed in there at some point. and it was messing with the airflow.

 

[shredder]

Now that I know this thing works, I'll take it apart tomorrow, and clean it good. It smelled a bit after being on an hour or so. I think it might have been dust on the heater.

It came with a ground glass heater cover, so I ordered a regular ground glass wand, screens, from 7th floor and some silicone tubing from amazon all Saturday. But nothing shows shipping from 7 th floor yet. I have three other working vapes, so I won't suffer, lol.

Is there some instruction as to how the heater and heater cover are supposed to line up? I know it's supposed to be centered, but should the heater tip be even with, under, or extend over the heater cover opening?

Edit-oh and the temperature setting. Since we're all slightly different on the dials, is about 75% turned up or loaded about right? I imagine the heater placement will affect the temp setting though, huh?