mitchgo61
I go where the thrills are
Can you elaborate on what the FF folks told you about "cold units"?
So here's the thing: I have used the FF for the last few days, at least 10 sessions total. During all of my experimentation with draw technique, heat time, bowl fill, grind/no grind, etc... NOT ONCE have I felt there was significant vapor production while the button was pressed. The only time I have felt strong vapor production is after the button is released. And it seems that I can only get there by drawing quite hard for a period of time before releasing the button.
Question for other owners: Do you feel vapor production while you're pressing the button? If so, how soon after you press the button do you feel it?
It does not sound like your unit is working properly. On a freshly-loaded bowl, I hold down the button for a four count and then draw for like ten seconds, holding the button down for like 5 of those 10 seconds. The first hit is medium-sized. The second time I do this, I get a monster hit. I get huge hits like this no matter the grind or the material or its dryness. I even get uneven, charred bits if I hold the button down too long.
Either A. you aren't getting a good seal with the lid and air is getting into the path, causing you to not produce vapor (try squeezing the lid/body during a hit to see if this helps) or B. your unit just isn't generating enough heat.
There is a learning curve, and it takes a few weeks to really hit an intuitive stride with the FF, but man, you should be seeing decent if not excellent vapor production right away, given how long you're hitting the heat button.
Yes, I feel vapor production while holding down the button, usually around the ten second mark (five or six of which are during the draw, the first few seconds are pre-draw). I agree you will feel vapor *after* releasing the button, due to the heat still in the chamber being carbed out at the end of the hit. But again, if I did what you describe with my FF I would have monster clouds coming out of my face.
(I wasn't told much about "cold units", just that they had some units they felt "ran cold" and some that "ran hot". Sounds like you have a cold one, maybe too cold to work right at all.)
I would call them and have them send you a replacement. Tell them it simply isn't producing vapor, no matter what you do. It just doesn't sound like it's working right, and it doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong.
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