The Firefly 2 vaporizer

[NoCo970]

my favorite way to vape with the FF2 is with whole nuggets. I hit it a couple of times, flip the nugget and repeat. Then I dump it out, crumble it up and put it back in for some punch.

Mad props my friend this is awesome. I just tried this earlier this morning since I feel like I've got this device figured out. Impressive results, I rather used a few smaller nuggets though, but flipped just like you stated a couple times and eventually I didnt even need to break it up really just pushing it back down crumbled it up during each fluff.

Not to mention the time this just saved me. Cleanups are even easier too! I don't like grinders and have been forced into using one the last couple days because its too sticky. This saved my life.

 

[stickstones]

Mad props my friend this is awesome. I just tried this earlier this morning since I feel like I've got this device figured out. Impressive results, I rather used a few smaller nuggets though, but flipped just like you stated a couple times and eventually I didnt even need to break it up really just pushing it back down crumbled it up during each fluff.

Not to mention the time this just saved me. Cleanups are even easier too! I don't like grinders and have been forced into using one the last couple days because its too sticky. This saved my life.

Yeah man...I am a nugget guy with all vapes now, if they can take it. Better taste, stronger sessions...what's not to love!

 

[blue80217]

From my perspective the air ports are on the NW & SW aides of the photo away from the solder. Air intake is in the center hole...so I guess unless the air swirls in there a lot I dont see that as being a big problem. And if Im not mistaken there is a bottom plate that has ridges to block flow to the backside of the devcie which doesn't seem to be shown here. Am I wrong?

Edit* no im not mistaken if you look in the second photo you can see the second plate bottom row third item in....dont think the design is flawed you can see there would be a miniscule amount if it were. I think the smell is actually the batteries. I got the same smell. Smells no different than a very warm new battery

 

[blue80217]

I've heard it described as hella hot!

@stickstones contacted them:

http://fuckcombustion.com/threads/the-firefly-2-vaporizer.20281/page-148#post-1009358

I have tryed to work my FF2 and I could not get anything out,It was as if the air was going though another part of the ff2 and it wood get real hot omost like something was blocking the air flow

 

[Baron23]

@Elac Great pics and teardown

My only concern here is how close the solder gets to its melting point. If the solder remains inert at its normal operating temperature then I'm not really concerned. If It's getting within even 50-100 degrees F of its melting point my concern begins to rise a lot.

I also notice in your pictures that the circuit board is also extremely close to the heating element and solder/clips. I could be wrong but I'd have to assume that so long as the circuit board isn't melting the solder should be ok as well since I would think the circuit board and solder in that picture have to be close to the same temperature when in heavy use.

It might be a bit dangerous but I'd love to see a stress test of this heater while it's opened up and see if the temperatures of various components can be measured to see exactly what we're dealing with here.


I have to say i hope that in the next generation of portable vapes manufacturers start to isolate the vapor path from the electronics completely. For the Firefly 2 I'd be soooo much more comfortable if the electronics were located even 2-3 inches further from the heating element itself.

I don't know but FF has told @stickstones that there is no lead in their solder, we know this is an oven that will get up to at least 400 F, so I surmise they are using silver solder with variations of that material melting at 670 - 800 C (NOTE: that is C and not F). We will never know for sure unless they decided to tell us and I don't expect that.

Just a thought about the possible solder.

 

[stickstones]

I have tryed to work my FF2 and I could not get anything out,It was as if the air was going though another part of the ff2 and it wood get real hot omost like something was blocking the air flow

Sounds like you're having the same problem as @Icon13

 

[NoCo970]

I have tryed to work my FF2 and I could not get anything out,It was as if the air was going though another part of the ff2 and it wood get real hot omost like something was blocking the air flow

Let me first start by saying I'm not at any point trying to be rude her to this is a true story.

Friend who tried using this vape had a tendency to hold hand or fingers over the port holes at the end of the device restricting airflow, making it hot.

I'm not saying this is anyones issues but I thought I would mention it if anyone else has a friend use it and do the same.

 

[Icon13]

...great news...it had been awhile...
...icon13...sure we can work something out...had mine for over 3 months...can count times on one hand that I used flower in this thing...perfect concentrate vape...imo.

And there lies the problem. I want an excellent portable flower Vape. That is what I'm looking for. It's not that I don't like concentrates, I just don't like butane and ethanol or isopropyl. I'm all about that cold water bubble hash, and heat extraction (Dawsonator actually produces nice, clean heat extracted hash oil in the wand ). Perhaps this is why the Firefly 2 did not live up to my expectations. I would not call the unit I got an excellent flower vaping machine.

Further posting regarding the Dawsonator will be considered just that. Please take any further discussion of that vape to another thread.

The only other times I brought it up besides the last post was to compare and contrast the units. I can only go off of what I know from experiences with other vaporizers in order to form an opinion of the Firefly 2. I think the comparisons are absolutely relevant. I would like to hear more comparisons about the Firefly and other vaporizers as well. This is useful information to the potential buyer who will most likely be reading this thread while making up their mind.

Sounds like you're having the same problem as @Icon13

Yeah, and we are not the only ones. There are people on other forums reporting the same issue as well. I really believe has something to do with the air Flow Restriction or an air leak somewhere in the unit. That is why I was talking about why it might be a bad design to have the solder in the direct Vapor path entry point. If Chang in China puts too much solder in that spot it will restrict the air flow. If he makes a hundred vaporizers that day then he is making a hundred worthless vaporizers a day which are falling into the hands of people like me and you. That is why I stated it was a design flaw that could lead to Quality Control issues. Of course, that might not be the issue at all, but it seems to be some sort of manufacturing defect leading to poor QC of some units.

 

[kcmochris]

I have tryed to work my FF2 and I could not get anything out,It was as if the air was going though another part of the ff2 and it wood get real hot omost like something was blocking the air flow

As others before me have offered their support, I hope this helps. Try not to get discouraged. We'll help best we can with our input and suggestions. Hopefully we can get you tuned in, or at least know strongly that it should go back for repairs.

As @NoCo970 mentioned above, air flow is key! What has riddled a good number of pages back there is lid issues. More specifically, the user really making sure they've got a good seal before going in! Sometimes, when there's music playing or it's noisy I can mis-seat the top lid and not notice until a good 10 seconds in (I will elaborate on the noise affecting my usage shortly).

What's great about the FF2's simplicity is that I can tell relatively quick when the airflow is messed up. I'm gonna go out on a limb (there are others really great at trouble-shooting) and highlight two, overarching variables to have on lock before getting worried. I had trouble with consistency in the beginning--BUT, I had faith after having a couple good hits in between some really poor ones. [Quick question that I hope you see: Have you ever achieved a successful pull from you FF2?]

1) material
-Dry v.s. moist
-coarse grind (the more ground up my herb is, the faster it vaporizes and also less production on the back-end/ending hits of the bowl....plus, it creates a mess, effects air path, AHH. Coarse grind!
-Pack! -- more is better, IMO. But I only fill to the brim...at most I'll fill enough that when I tamp down with the lid it fits nice and level.

2) air flow
-for me, the most indicative "landmark" on the path to a good hit is a high-pitched whistle that emits from the mouthpiece. Yes. A whistle. When I pull too softly, it might barely whistle and I cannot sense hot air or vapor. When I pull too hard, I cannot hear the whistle anymore.
-You're looking for that sweet spot. This can be felt, literally, via draw resistance. Long, slow draw. LSD. When there's too much ambient noise I obviously cannot hear the whistle. But like I said, when you're at the sweet spot, you achieve the right draw resistance (which is actually logical to me: the stronger the pull, the more goodies extracted from material) and you can feel whether you're getting that vapor or, well, just hot air.
-Also, you should be able to taste your vapor. I could also describe the vapor as being "heavier" when compared to just reg. ol' hot air with no goodies.
-With a good pack (of higher grade material), a clean mouthpiece and a great seal -- the only remaining variable is the draw. That's where the whistle comes in for me. If that seal is not great (believe me, very easy to not seat that magnetic lid just right), you will get airflow. BUT IT WILL BE TOO MUCH. And there will be zero draw resistance. The air will move too quickly through and over your material and you will not properly heat your bowl at the desired temp. [NOTE: This also occurs when you have a good seal but your draw is much too strong and hard]. Therefore, simply re-seat your lid. Sometimes it takes me more than once, but best believe I do it because when I achieve that optimal draw resistance I get fantastic pulls.
-Going further, I also notice that when I'm drawing too hard, either a) the whistling fades away and I just hear the whoosh of my draw, or b) I'm getting a LOT of air and minimal vapor. You need just the right amount of air flow, passing over the heating element/coil, and through your materials. That's why everyone is recommending that long, slow draw. Remember, at LEAST 10+ second draws. And really, I go until the green light turns off (auto=30 secs).

EDIT:
And as sticks points out below, check for clogged holes. With an empty bowl, switch to concentrate mood and activate the buttons...you should see the glowing red-orange behind each of the holes in the pattern once it's heated.

If Chang in China

...chain?

 

[stickstones]

@blue80217 - the most common reasons why we might get no air flow is either the holes in the screen are clogged by debris or concentrates, or the bowl is packed too tightly with material that is too finely ground. And as @kcmochris has said, we can suffocate it if we hold it wrong as well. I also look for the whistle when I draw.

@Icon13 - I thought you said you sent your unit in for inspection, is that right? If so, what was the resolution?

 

[Icon13]

I bought my device through a third party vendor. They coordinated with firefly to have my unit sent in. I received the unit back in the exact same condition that I sent it in. I was informed that they only checked the heating element. They made sure my heating element got hot. They did not check for a restrictions or air leaks. Furthermore, they are not even allowed to test the units for their intended use.

I was very dissatisfied with this resolution and let Firefly know it. They said they would escalate the situation and somebody from their San Francisco office would contact me back. That never happened. Instead the vendor took care of me and told me that they would deal with firefly themselves.

Furthermore, I would recommend buying your unit from an authorized third party to begin with. It seemed like I received my unit before people who were on the Firefly waiting list before I had pre-ordered. This is because the vendor purchased 2000 units, and they probably get priority over some of the people on the Firefly waiting list.

 

[Atanyrhate]

I sure can't wait for that app update...

 

[stickstones]

Instead the vendor took care of me and told me that they would deal with firefly themselves.

Thanks for the back story. How did the vendor take care of you?

 

[jdent3]

Has anyone had a battery konk out? I believe one of my batteries is faulty as it only works for about 4 puffs and then dies. Also when I charge it it finishes in about 5 minutes. It's the same battery everytime my other one works great

Both batteries used to work so I know somethings up. I've been playing around with it trying to see if it's a software glitch rather than a faulty battery but no matter what I do the battery dies super quickly. I was wondering if anyone had some tips of things to try to see if it's a software glitch thinking the batteries dead.

 

[Elac]

@mitchgo61: It's great that they tell you this:

"The solder we use for the heat coil is food safe and the same as the solder used for plumbing pipes, food machinery and brewing applications."

If I was to plumb for someone and they asked what solder I use I'd simply tell them this...
This is the silver solder I use and it's MSDS...

http://www.bernzomatic.com/product/ssw300-3-oz-plumbing-solder/
Http://worthingtonindustries.com/ge...035_bernzomatic_plumbing_solder_silverenglish
This 100% clarifies what is what.
Nothing Firefly can't also do.
Of course my solder was purchased in America and must comply to our safety standards to be sold as solder safe for plumbing. Not saying theirs doesn't.

 

[Vapenado]

Mouthpieces back in stock on the FF site:

https://www.thefirefly.com/firefly-2-mouth-piece-bpa-free.html

Itd be nice if the chargers would become available....been waiting 3+ months for my order...

 

[blue80217]

I have gotten successful draws very few,I would get 1 good hit and the next 10 tryst are rather to much air or none at all,

 

[MonsterWithoutBorders]

Yeah man...I am a nugget guy with all vapes now, if they can take it. Better taste, stronger sessions...what's not to love!

Tried nugget last night. This seemed to work with less grind worry. Two draws turn nugget upside down. Two more draws. Break up nugget. Multiple draws and even though very dry looking abv i seemed to be getting an effect. So i left it till this morning too c if there was any left. There was a little. Maybe there are some cannibinoids that wait around for high temp.

 

[stickstones]

Have you u

I have gotten successful draws very few,I would get 1 good hit and the next 10 tryst are rather to much air or none at all,

Have you used any other vapes before? If so, which ones?

 

[Mikipo]

Hi, I've owned the mighty for about 6mo and the volcano for about 1y. I made the mistake to buy the ff2 2 days ago. It's simply terrible.

'I have gotten successful draws very few,I would get 1 good hit and the next 10 tryst are rather to much air or none at all,"

- experienced that too

- very highy draw resistance

- overheat after 4 sessions: red button blinks and gets very very hot.

- burnt taste on high

- almost no clouds on medium high

- needs stiring

- worst of all is the sour throat sensation i have. 4 sessions on high with this amazing star trek futuristic vape got me a 2 day throat pain.

For a heavy user this device is a total joke. I mean if you do one session per hour and like throat pains then go get it.

Please stop telling ppl that this is a good device and that there is a learning curve. Stop the bs, you will be more appreciated. I don't think that your winnings on this justify the hype. It will all come back to you. As they say..fool me once

mod note: Please review the rules, especially the product/company section. Warning point issued.

 

[jdent3]

Hi, I've owned the mighty for about 6mo and the volcano for about 1y. I made the mistake to buy the ff2 2 days ago. It's simply terrible.

'I have gotten successful draws very few,I would get 1 good hit and the next 10 tryst are rather to much air or none at all,"

- experienced that too

- very highy draw resistance

- overheat after 4 sessions: red button blinks and gets very very hot.

- burnt taste on high

- almost no clouds on medium high

- needs stiring

- worst of all is the sour throat sensation i have. 4 sessions on high with this amazing star trek futuristic vape got me a 2 day throat pain.

For a heavy user this device is a total joke. I mean if you do one session per hour and like throat pains then go get it.

Please stop telling ppl that this is a good device and that there is a learning curve. Stop the bs, you will be more appreciated. I don't think that your winnings on this justify the hype. It will all come back to you. As they say..fool me once

Play around with your grind consistency and draw speed. Also stir every 2 hits. Don't expect it to give you clouds like your Mighty. I have a Mighty and it serves a different purpose. The Firefly 2 clouds are smaller but very potent and tasty.

 

[Elac]

Hi, I've owned the mighty for about 6mo and the volcano for about 1y. I made the mistake to buy the ff2 2 days ago. It's simply terrible.

'I have gotten successful draws very few,I would get 1 good hit and the next 10 tryst are rather to much air or none at all,"

- experienced that too

- very highy draw resistance

- overheat after 4 sessions: red button blinks and gets very very hot.

- burnt taste on high

- almost no clouds on medium high

- needs stiring

- worst of all is the sour throat sensation i have. 4 sessions on high with this amazing star trek futuristic vape got me a 2 day throat pain.

For a heavy user this device is a total joke. I mean if you do one session per hour and like throat pains then go get it.

Please stop telling ppl that this is a good device and that there is a learning curve. Stop the bs, you will be more appreciated. I don't think that your winnings on this justify the hype. It will all come back to you. As they say..fool me once

Exactly my feeling too...
Definitely not a device for heavy users.
Concentrates give a much better experience, but the draw restriction and overheating is a joke. This should have been honestly marketed as a device for occasional to light users, made primarily for concentrates with the option to use flower if needed. And a few more truths be told.
Pesonally with top quality herb I can go through 5+ bowls, drain 2 batteries watch an hour fly by and still not be 'medicated' enough. But one pack in my Focus and i'm satisfied.
Go figure.
That's why my Firefly2 has become the 'frog' for science class. Giving me more enjoyment that way.

 

[greenextinguisher]

I don't think anyone here has represented the FF2 as a replacement for a Mighty and a Volcano. They are two of the most powerful vapes that anyone can operate without thinking. The regular mentions of stirring and taking the lid off should be a strong enough signal to anyone that doesn't have the patience for it. Four sessions in a row on a direct draw convection vape is probably going to dry the shit out of your throat, yes.

The FF2 is a top tier device for many types of use and if you spend a little time reading this thread before you purchase, you'll understand what you are getting into and what you need to do to get the best out of it. I don't have much trouble getting a Mighty-sized cloud or two out of each bowl after a little practice, but its not a great substitute for many Mighty sessions. Four Mighty sessions back-to-back would have people calling me whitey bulger. ha!

Sounds like you should try concentrates @Mikipo, if you want the FF2 to keep up with your tolerance. Otherwise, the FF2 should be on reup, one-hitter or flavor savoring duty where it belongs in your lineup. Otherwise, you may want to mosey on over to the Milaana thread.

 

[Elac]

Unfortunately this thread with all it's helpful info was not this advanced when many people including myself preordered one. All we could go on was what the manufacturer said with their video and such and what little reviews that where available from the net. Ones that raved about this product. Like Engadget:
https://www.engadget.com/2016/03/01/firefly-2-vaporizer/
Or the Vapecritics video.
Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.
- G. I. Joe

 

[smoking2long]

I'm back from Portland and only have a very small piece of wax that was brought back (too chicken). So I've been using bud and I would agree with others that this valpe excels with concentrates, but not so much with bud. I can take the ABV from the FF2 and load it into the Ascent and get 6 more hits. The same was true for the Iolite and the Hammer, can't get it dark enough. Overall I think it's overpriced for what it does, although I'm still in the learning phase. Maybe that last piece of wax will make me a bigger fan of this vape, problem is I have no supplier of concentrates and live too far away from legal.