Discontinued Splinter Z by RBT

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BestBuds

BestBuds

The Dude
Plutonic said:
For those with both Splinter and Z experience, have you noticed any difference in their tendency to hotspot?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I do notice the Z is more even. I too was getting hot spots because I had the wattage up too high. I lowered it to like 33 or so and let the heater come up to temp for approx 5 seconds before I would draw [edit: slowly]. You can evenly vape a bowl in 3 to 4 hits that way.
Also, do you turn your stem after each draw? That's almost a habit for me now. Draw, 1/4 turn, draw, repeat.
 
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YaMon

YaMon

Vaping since 2010
I have a Custom Z that hot spots and a Zv1 that does not, that said every Splinter is slightly different as the heater is a ribbon of stainless steel mesh and that ribbon will have a different orientation/alignment from one Splinter to another. It's my belief these ribbon alignments result in different air paths, some with less resistance than others which is where the hot spots appear. Rotating the stem between hits makes this a non issue, at least for me.
 
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Plutonic

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Thank you @paehtod, @BestBuds, and @YaMon for the quick hotspotting feedback! Couple of things:

@paehtod and @BestBuds, you both advise a lower wattage, which is interesting because I'm using TC, so I've been focused on keeping the temp low(ish), but I've been allowing a max wattage of 50, and assumed that wouldn't hurt as long as I kept the target temp low enough. But maybe short bursts of high wattage to achieve or maintain temp are exacerbating the hotspotting? (Which suggests that hotspotting could occur more frequently in TC mode than in (low) power mode.) In any case, I'll try reducing the max wattage, thanks.

@BestBuds and @YaMon, you advise turning the stem. I confess I haven't done this because my hotspots are smack dab in the middle of the bowl so I didn't see how it would help. But maybe turning the stem changes the airflow in other ways, perhaps by altering the fit of the stem in the bowl? In any case, I'll give it a shot.

@BestBuds, you mention that you "draw quickly." Are you saying that drawing quicker reduces hotspotting? I thought it was the opposite, but I could be all wet.

Too bad there's no way to get inside the heater to noodle around with the placement of the mesh, but so be it.

Thanks again!
 
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YaMon

YaMon

Vaping since 2010
Plutonic said:
@BestBuds, you mention that you "draw quickly." Are you saying that drawing quicker reduces hotspotting? I thought it was the opposite, but I could be all wet.
Click to expand...
Draw strength could contribute to your hot spotting, the heater is so large in the Z that it will keep up with whatever effort you are able to put forth, so try different pull strengths and let us know how it goes.
 
MasterChief

MasterChief

Well-Known Member
I’ve noticed more hot spotting in TC mode than in wattage mode on my RXG3. In wattage I use it at 35-40w. My settings in TC are TCR 180 355-370f. I’ve tried it locked and unlocked.
 
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Shit Snacks

Shit Snacks

Milaana. Lana. LANA. LANAAAA! (TM2/TP80/BAK/FW9)
Plutonic said:
I have a v1 and a v2 Splinter and they both hotspot a little too easily for comfort (even when I'm pretty careful about temp and draw speed). I'm wondering if the longer heater of the Z makes it less prone to hotspotting. FWIW, "hot spot" and "hotspot" occur about half as frequently in this thread (5.7 occurrences per 1,000 replies) as in the Splinter thread (11.2 per 1,000).

For those with both Splinter and Z experience, have you noticed any difference in their tendency to hotspot?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

While there can be some variance unit to unit, I still find the biggest impact is technique. The way you draw, pack, and trigger affects hot spotting the most in my experience. It happens a lot with my Z because of how I use it at a high wattage through water, often not careful, meanwhile I take it slow and low in my V2 dry and see far less hotspoting because of my well-honed technique (I was an original Zteam beta tester, so fortunately these vapes have been might go to for a very long time now)

Plutonic said:
Thank you @paehtod, @BestBuds, and @YaMon for the quick hotspotting feedback! Couple of things:

@paehtod and @BestBuds, you both advise a lower wattage, which is interesting because I'm using TC, so I've been focused on keeping the temp low(ish), but I've been allowing a max wattage of 50, and assumed that wouldn't hurt as long as I kept the target temp low enough. But maybe short bursts of high wattage to achieve or maintain temp are exacerbating the hotspotting? (Which suggests that hotspotting could occur more frequently in TC mode than in (low) power mode.) In any case, I'll try reducing the max wattage, thanks.

@BestBuds and @YaMon, you advise turning the stem. I confess I haven't done this because my hotspots are smack dab in the middle of the bowl so I didn't see how it would help. But maybe turning the stem changes the airflow in other ways, perhaps by altering the fit of the stem in the bowl? In any case, I'll give it a shot.

@BestBuds, you mention that you "draw quickly." Are you saying that drawing quicker reduces hotspotting? I thought it was the opposite, but I could be all wet.

Too bad there's no way to get inside the heater to noodle around with the placement of the mesh, but so be it.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Yeah not packing too tight and drawing slower would be my first suggestion if you are using TC. For me like with Tubo, TC typically has me drawing faster harder to try for accurate setting, but if you set the temp below 400 I would imagine it is difficult... Of course this depends on the TC settings, why I have been sticking to wattage. Just simply not to try to figure it out even though it could be great
 
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Plutonic

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Thanks for clarifying @BestBuds, and thanks @YaMon and @MasterChief and @Shit Snacks for the additional suggestions. So go "slow and low" (draw and wattage), rotate the stem, and generally experiment with watts, draw, pack, and how long you're pressing if using wattage mode. I've been resisting refining my technique, but time to be a little less lazy.

I notice a lot of you are into wattage mode, which puzzles me a bit, because I don't understand why it wouldn't be preferable to set up TC mode using the same wattage, in which case you're never drawing more than that wattage, and if you're already at your target temp, the mod will automatically throttle back. What's not to like about that? Or do you not trust TC to deliver the right temp, or you're benefiting from a more extended heat soaking going on?
 
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BestBuds

BestBuds

The Dude
I started with a Milaana 2 so I like the unregulated feel. I haven't really figured out temp mode either. Maybe I am being just as lazy.:lol: first draw from a cold start I'll pre heat for about 5 seconds or so and when I hit it's a 10 second draw or so. If I'm going back for an immediate second hit I'll only preheat for 3 seconds.
 
MasterChief

MasterChief

Well-Known Member
@Plutonic I can’t seem to get any consistency in TC mode. The vapor seems to be hot and whenever I take long draws it leaves a hot spot in the middle. I’ll keep messing with it, but there’s not much I haven’t tried.
 
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Monk Debate

Monk Debate

The monks do be debatin’
Wattage mode makes more intuitive sense to me as well and I can adjust my draw based on how hot the vapor feels. I also never got consistently good results with TCR, wattage eliminated all my issues.

Unrelated, Vgoodiez has more WPAs in stock! I just grabbed one along with some extra screens and the Xl8r Jr.
 
Summer

Summer

Long Island, NY
I've been preheating for 10 sec. at 32/33 watts & then take 2 flavor hits @ this wattage & then bump up to 33-36w for a hit or two & then a final hit or 2 @ 36w. Altogether, a total of 5 hits. I never get hotspotting, never turn my stem, may or may not stir on the last hit determined by taste. I pack loose but fill the bowl up fully, then lightly tamp down the entire top. My draw is slow until I feel the vapor on the back of my throat at which point I speed up my draw for the last 3 -5 sec.
 
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Plutonic

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So if I'm understanding, when you use wattage mode you're maintaining power continuously (that is, you're not feathering the power button or anything), so once the wattage is set, your only method of controlling the delivery of heat to the flower is to vary the strength/speed of your draw, is that right?

Is it fair to say that unlike the situation with TC -- where if you sip you're getting air at your target temp, but if you draw more strongly you're also getting air at your target temp -- in wattage mode, the stronger your draw, the less increase there is in heat delivery, since as you move more and more air across a coil receiving constant power, the temp has to be going down, right? This could be a nice brake on heat delivery to the flower, a decreasing marginal utility of draw strength built into wattage mode. Or do you draw so slowly under wattage mode that you're not really affecting the coil temp?

I wonder what the coil temp using wattage mode looks like right after preheat (say @Summer's "10 sec at 32/33 watts"). I'd guess it would be higher than the usual target temps, since under TC mode, wattage drops to 10-12W after the coil gets to temp. Has anyone looked at real-time coil temps under wattage mode using the NToolbox, FWUpdater, or eScribe monitor?
 
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Plutonic

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I think I've become a power mode convert! I just used a Splinter v1 on a Paranormal at 33 watts, and during a 10 second preheat the resistance went from .214 to .302, which represents a coil temp of 487F (using a TCR of 180 and the formula here). But the moment I started slowly drawing, the resistance came down to .275 and it was very easy and natural to keep it there, which represents a temp of 361F. Got a couple of great hits with no hotspotting. I was surprised how easy it was to maintain a constant resistance while drawing (which of course equals a constant temp), and that the high preheat temp didn't seem to matter.

Thanks for all the advice!
 
bossman

bossman

Gentleman Of Leisure
MasterChief said:
@Plutonic I can’t seem to get any consistency in TC mode. The vapor seems to be hot and whenever I take long draws it leaves a hot spot in the middle. I’ll keep messing with it, but there’s not much I haven’t tried.
Click to expand...
What mod again? For a while now I've maintained that TC is worth the trouble with any dna or DNAc mod but otherwise not so much.

My thinking on that changed when I got a V2 and ended up getting great TC performance paired with the rxg3d. It's a lucky set of circumstances too since Herbie doesn't have a V2 yet so there isn't a custom V2 ecigprofile and the V2 doesn't like the Splinter ones Herbie did for the OG/V1.
 
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MasterChief

MasterChief

Well-Known Member
bossman said:
What mod again? For a while now I've maintained that TC is worth the trouble with any dna or DNAc mod but otherwise not so much.

My thinking on that changed when I got a V2 and ended up getting great TC performance paired with the rxg3d. It's a lucky set of circumstances too since Herbie doesn't have a V2 yet so there isn't a custom V2 ecigprofile and the V2 doesn't like the Splinter ones Herbie did for the OG/V1.
Click to expand...

I’m using the RXG3D.
 
MasterChief,
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rickybobby

Well-Known Member
VGOODIEZ said:
That should not be from us as we check every single one upon receipt from RBT but if it is we have other issues. Let me know if we can help.
Click to expand...

It's not from you. I live in Canada so the conversion rate + shipping really sucks. Otherwise I would have bought one from you 100%, I know I'm a new member, but I've been lurking on here and Reddit for a bit and have heard nothing but good things about your service.

Still waiting for them to get back to me so we shall see
 
bossman

bossman

Gentleman Of Leisure
MasterChief said:
I’m using the RXG3D.
Click to expand...
That's my favorite TC mod. I've never dialed mine in for a Z though. My V2 does amazingly good work at TC 180 36W .25ohms but as I've said before I mostly think temp isn't worth fucking with outside of the magical combo of the DNA mods and Herbie ecigprofiles. Takes all the config hassle and turns it into a preset expertly done by somebody who understands this shit better than us.

If you don't have a DNAc yet the $87 hcigar VT75D at GearBest is a good value and what my Z stays on anymore.

I've honestly considered getting a second rxg3d but right now all my Splinters have a mod so it'd have to be a screaming deal.
 
Monk Debate

Monk Debate

The monks do be debatin’
Since I’ve got the XL8R Jr coming, in the spirit of more portability, are there any existing dosing capsules that fit into Splinter stems?
 
Monk Debate,
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