Discontinued The Grasshopper

[VapeKnight]

has it been 16 months? damn... I ordered mine almost two months before you. I've never like proprietary batteries but I'm still glad that my original kickstarter Ti hoppers are working and have never needed repair. I can't imagine ever giving HL any new business given that they haven't gotten their act together in this many years, but I will continue to use mine until they stop working or my existing batteries won't charge. Since some of my batteries are the originals that came with the hopper I have to charge them within 24 hours prior to use and even then I might still need several on hand to finish a sesh.

 

[Reefer Fiend]

For those who are endlessly waiting for a Hopper bubbler, there is an excellent alternative that is available today for $15 less. I own two of these, and I suspect this is the manufacturer of the Hopper bubbler. Check it out at GRAV® Small Upright Bubbler.

 

[Vaporific]

has it been 16 months? damn... I ordered mine almost two months before you. I've never like proprietary batteries but I'm still glad that my original kickstarter Ti hoppers are working and have never needed repair. I can't imagine ever giving HL any new business given that they haven't gotten their act together in this many years, but I will continue to use mine until they stop working or my existing batteries won't charge. Since some of my batteries are the originals that came with the hopper I have to charge them within 24 hours prior to use and even then I might still need several on hand to finish a sesh.

I stand corrected: 14 months from when I ordered my batts. You ordered them a bit prior to me. These batts in general don’t have long shelf lives. Granted, I probably charged them fully before putting the latest pre-fire ones in kitty litter but 2 of those have served fairly well being in rotation with two older ones (not original cells as those are long gone). Still love my pre order Ti but hard to keep loving it without enough adequate - and consistent (don’t get me started on this) - power. Using these types of cells was and is a bad idea overall.

I know Maxvapor710 has a corded option but portability goes out the window for me.

 

[fogbank]

Confirmed: 2 out of 5 of my pre fire batteries, the ones HL said to discard (properly) do not work after being on mothballs (actually kitty litter) for almost 8 months. I charged them in my Nitecore after unveiling them but they yield one draw each and then my Ti goes red. They’re useless. Not sure if it’s this particular batch or not. The shelf life appears terrible. Two others from the same batch have been used in constant rotation with two older batts (circa ‘17 or ‘18) and seem to be doing ok. The two oldest batteries are giving out though too so I’m getting low with cells.

WHERE THE HELL ARE THE BATTERIES I ORDERED 16 MONTHS AGO?? AND WHERE THE HELL IS HL?? TGIF to all.

I have two batteries that I acquired in June 2019. I kept them in storage since I acquired them. I probably put them in a Hopper and clicked it on/off once or twice during the last 12 months. I did not use them for any sessions, and I did not charge them. When I put them on my Nitecore D4 a few days ago they registered at about 3.96 volts. I charged both of them on the D4 and have tested one of them in an OG Hopper. I got 13 draws before the LED went red. I would consider that pretty good performance for a Hopper battery. I am still testing the second battery (2 draws so far). It may have helped that I didn't store the batteries fully charged.

I also have an order for 6 batteries that I placed more than 17 months ago

 

[Vaporific]

I have two batteries that I acquired in June 2019. I kept them in storage since I acquired them. I probably put them in a Hopper and clicked it on/off once or twice during the last 12 months. I did not use them for any sessions, and I did not charge them. When I put them on my Nitecore D4 a few days ago they registered at about 3.96 volts. I charged both of them on the D4 and have tested one of them in an OG Hopper. I got 13 draws before the LED went red. I would consider that pretty good performance for a Hopper battery. I am still testing the second battery (2 draws so far). It may have helped that I didn't store the batteries fully charged.

I also have an order for 6 batteries that I placed more than 17 months ago

Yeah, storing them fully charged is not a good idea. I have a tendency to do that so it’s a bit on me. It could also be part of why this batch was recalled though I’ve been vigilantly using 2 of them in regular rotation without issue. Sadly we’re ALL waiting for batteries.

I may do a full blown Hopper cleaning this weekend as my overall performance has degraded recently even using the regular rotation batts, not the 2 that are useless at this point. We wait, wait, wait...

 

[Baron23]

I just used the batts that HL said to put in kitty litter. Been using them regularly since I received them. Before the fire, one of the new batts immediately would not hold a charge and they actually responded and sent me another....then the fire, kitty litter recommendation, etc.

I have had zero problems with these batts but I do NOT leave them in a charger unattended.

Just my evaluated risk tolerance level...yours may well be different.

 

[fogbank]

The second battery that I had stored for about a year yielded 12 draws before going red on the 13th. I took 8-10 second draws. Temp setting varied between 2.5 and 4. When I put the battery back on the charger it read 3.78 volts. I consider that pretty good performance for a Hopper battery. I usually take 6 draws per bowl and recharge between bowls, so I really only need the batteries to last for 6 draws.

 

[vapemon]

Update from OG TO IO. I can basically finish my whole hit before my OG is ready to use. It's amazing

 

[Vaporific]

Test for echo? LOL
Used my Hopper for the first time today in a week (the TInymight has most of my attention). Some new batteries would be nice @Hopper Labs. Two that were mothballed for months which were pre-fire batts and recommended to be discarded (I did not however) barely worked. Maybe a couple of draws each and they're as good as garbage. I've been using two pre-fire batts in steady rotation since I got them, no problems (I've been very vigilant with them).

A local buddy gave me a couple of his pre-fire batts a few months ago and I put those in kitty litter too only to take them out and charge them last week. One took a full charge and one was topped off; I didn't ask if he recalled what state of capacity they were in. They both work fairly well and it's good to have a couple of extra decent batts around to augment my dwindling supply consisting of two batts that are a couple of years old at least and 2 pre-fire ones (now 4 in rotation with my last pre-fire one still in litter - and I'll bet it's no good like my other 2 that had been sitting idle for 8+ months).

I'll be curious if @VGOODIEZ posts his announcement here. It may help but not sure if it really matters, but the assistance may be welcome by some. The IO thread has the info. TGIF!

 

[Stu]

This thread is now re-opened and has been merged with content from NewFC. Read more about it here.

 

[Vaporific]

This thread is now re-opened and has been merged with content from NewFC. Read more about it here.

I beat you to the punch. THANK YOU and all the mods! You guys (and gal?) are awesome for maintaining this great community. If you need IT help next time, let me know - been doing it a long time.

While still running generally well 9+ months since its only RMA, the backend is getting hotter more frequently. And I just cleaned it too top to bottom - ISO, Deoxit, BluTac - and it’s running much warmer. Likely indicative of older and less efficiently run and stored batteries will do this. The wait for my replacement batteries drags on...

 

[Macicman]

The Hopper IO is a DopeGun(TM).

 

[VGOODIEZ]

Happy Saturday gang. Please have patience with me in regards to follow-up to your questions. I will get to everyone but I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment.

I feel this is critical information to set the correct expectation on battery replacement so I'm adding this here.

This is a cut and paste from Trevor's comments on our log:

Batteries are covered for 2 weeks from when they are shipped out. After that they are not covered for any reason. The only batteries that will be replaced where shipped in Sept, Oct,Nov of 2019 and have BOTH (GHB2 and Made in China on the label). There are over 120k batteries with GHB2 that do not have "Made in china" on the label. These are not coverd and do not have any known issues.

I hope this helps everyone with the right expectations on batteries. If you have a working Hopper with no working batteries you can holler at me and we will get you going.

 

[Abysmal Vapor]

@VGOODIEZ Congrats on becomming a HL representative,for sure they need a true CS Jedi to get them out of this mess .I am sure it will be a huge relief for many,hopefully this will stir the thread in a more positive direction. Are you just representing them only at the forum,or you are taking part in the official CS too ?

 

[VGOODIEZ]

@VGOODIEZ Congrats on becomming a HL representative,for sure they need a true CS Jedi to get them out of this mess .I am sure it will be a huge relief for many,hopefully this will stir the thread in a more positive direction. Are you just representing them only at the forum,or you are taking part in the official CS too ?

Thank you. I get the history. I have had malfunctioning Hoppers myself but out of the 8 hoppers I have somehow accumulated I have actually had good luck overall. Wish the same was for everyone.

To answer your question it's kinda both as one has to do with the other. I'm definitely handling forum communications here and other places. This includes status updates, product announcements and answering of questions.

Now I care about people so I want to help with their Hoppers if I can. I have a log setup and it's getting worked on both ends by me on one side and Trevor on the other. It seems to be effective so far as we have been able to resolve many issues quickly. Other cases will take more time but at least there is better communication around where the case is at. To clarify, they make the decisions. I will of course give my opinion and Trevor seems to trust that but it's his call on what can be done.

 

[Mr. Me2]

Happy Saturday gang. Please have patience with me in regards to follow-up to your questions. I will get to everyone but I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment.

I feel this is critical information to set the correct expectation on battery replacement so I'm adding this here.

This is a cut and paste from Trevor's comments on our log:

Batteries are covered for 2 weeks from when they are shipped out. After that they are not covered for any reason. The only batteries that will be replaced where shipped in Sept, Oct,Nov of 2019 and have BOTH (GHB2 and Made in China on the label). There are over 120k batteries with GHB2 that do not have "Made in china" on the label. These are not coverd and do not have any known issues.

I hope this helps everyone with the right expectations on batteries. If you have a working Hopper with no working batteries you can holler at me and we will get you going.

So... I got another hopper and extra batteries around November 2019. After HL’s fire, I safely disposed of all of the batteries that came with this hopper on the advice of HL.

How am I supposed to know now if those batteries have the markings stated in your post? We weren’t told to take pictures of the batteries before disposing.

I hope only “new” batteries shipped with hoppers bought at that time. Since the fire, I’ve been expecting replacement batteries. Reasonable expectations?

 

[slozukimc]

So... I got another hopper and extra batteries around November 2019. After HL’s fire, I safely disposed of all of the batteries that came with this hopper on the advice of HL.

How am I supposed to know now if those batteries have the markings stated in your post? We weren’t told to take pictures of the batteries before disposing.

I hope only “new” batteries shipped with hoppers bought at that time. Since the fire, I’ve been expecting replacement batteries. Reasonable expectations?

Did those batteries say Made in China?

 

[VGOODIEZ]

So... I got another hopper and extra batteries around November 2019. After HL’s fire, I safely disposed of all of the batteries that came with this hopper on the advice of HL.

How am I supposed to know now if those batteries have the markings stated in your post? We weren’t told to take pictures of the batteries before disposing.

I hope only “new” batteries shipped with hoppers bought at that time. Since the fire, I’ve been expecting replacement batteries. Reasonable expectations?

I cannot tell you anything beyond what was posted. If anyone has the original notification from hopper handy please email it to sales@vgoodiez.com. I have the communication somewhere but can't remember specifics.

At this point these batteries won't be dealt with until the GHB3 batteries are in anyway but I suspect there will be some sort of validation process for those seeking replacements. I'll see if I can get added clarification.

 

[Vaporific]

Batteries are covered for 2 weeks from when they are shipped out. After that they are not covered for any reason. The only batteries that will be replaced where shipped in Sept, Oct,Nov of 2019 and have BOTH (GHB2 and Made in China on the label). There are over 120k batteries with GHB2 that do not have "Made in china" on the label. These are not coverd and do not have any known issues.

That was from the IO thread. Welcome to this one. I’ll ask again since I’m in the group you mentioned above - will HL automatically send replacements or need we pester them lest they think we’d forget and go away? 120k batteries?? That’s a lot! Why aren’t these covered?

And...

At this point these batteries won't be dealt with until the GHB3 batteries are in anyway but I suspect there will be some sort of validation process for those seeking replacements. I'll see if I can get added clarification.

Are you implying those waiting for replacement batts must wait until GHB3 is produced? Or is there a large shipment of the latest GBH2 batteries on the way? I don’t care if they’re green or pink; with or without Hopper Labs or “GHB2” emblazoned on it as long as HL sanctions them, like very soon. So please clear the air with batteries in general for us legacy Hopper users running low on batteries - and patience (it’s been almost as long as waiting for my pre-order Ti which took 17 months to get). These are friggin batteries!

Appreciate the help. I see the IO is out of stock on your site. It figures.

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

To clear up the battery situation (and hopefully avoid some PM's on the subject)....GB3's are still in production and impacted by Covid19.

At this point these batteries won't be dealt with until the GHB3 batteries are in anyway

So are you saying GHB3s don’t exist yet and are still in production? That’s interesting because it conflicts with what Hopper Labs says:

I’m not concerned about GHB2 vs GHB3 but I am concerned about willful deception. Why tell us these new batteries are GHB3s if those are still In production? Most people don’t care and the ones that do care will not like being lied to. I would be happy with GHB2s for the rest of the life of my Grasshopper and Hopper io. All I want is honest answers and transparency.

 

[VGOODIEZ]

That was from the IO thread. Welcome to this one. I’ll ask again since I’m in the group you mentioned above - will HL automatically send replacements or need we pester them lest they think we’d forget and go away? 120k batteries?? That’s a lot! Why aren’t these covered?

And...


Are you implying those waiting for replacement batts must wait until GHB3 is produced? Or is there a large shipment of the latest GBH2 batteries on the way? I don’t care if they’re green or pink; with or without Hopper Labs or “GHB2” emblazoned on it as long as HL sanctions them, like very soon. So please clear the air with batteries in general for us legacy Hopper users running low on batteries - and patience (it’s been almost as long as waiting for my pre-order Ti which took 17 months to get). These are friggin batteries!

Appreciate the help. I see the IO is out of stock on your site. It figures.

So are you saying GHB3s don’t exist yet and are still in production? That’s interesting because it conflicts with what Hopper Labs says:

I’m not concerned about GHB2 vs GHB3 but I am concerned about willful deception. Why tell us these new batteries are GHB3s if those are still In production? Most people don’t care and the ones that do care will not like being lied to. I would be happy with GHB2s for the rest of the life of my Grasshopper and Hopper io. All I want is honest answers and transparency.

There is no willful deception here. I don't have all the answers and It appears I myself need to get clarification, which I will.

 

[vapviking]

(I had declared self-imposed holiday from the thread, but there has been some movement in the right direction on several of my issues, so I feel at least comfortable enough to offer the following)

There was concern about being repetitive on the thread?

Granted, the waiting has been very difficult all around.

My thought is that the best explanation we could have about batteries would involve a complete time-line, since inception, of the battery 'evolution'. Does not have to be graphic, but pictures would be great, showing the various wording versions and matte v. glossy, etc.
A simple "GHB's for Dummies" kinda thing, since we have so many dummies who keep harping on "battery issues" that are largely non-existent.

The purchasers of 'recalled' batteries should all know who they are.
Every customer making a purchase furnishes an email address.

I got an email about the "recall" on Nov. 13, 2019 subject line,
IMPORTANT: Battery Safety
and it said,

Hi xxxxx, Our records indicate that you were the recipient of a new GHB2 battery. Unfortunately due to a recent incident at Hopper Labs, and out of an abundance of caution, we are requiring that all of these batteries be removed from circulation. Read more here. This is a preemptive cautionary step at this time and we will inform you if that changes. Any battery with the following distinguishing marks should be disposed of immediately: A glossy label with the marks "GHB2" and "Made in China". To dispose of the battery safely please follow these steps: Place the battery in a non-flammable material such as sand or kitty litter as soon as possible. For transport place the battery (one per bag) in a clear plastic bag and take it to your municipal household hazardous waste (HHW) recycling center, or equivalent facility. Do not place them in the trash. Once the battery is remade or the safety has been fully re-certified to our satisfaction, we will replace these batteries free of charge. We are sorry that this precautionary step is required, but we do not take chances when it comes to customer safety.​

 

[Vapor_Eyes]

There is no willful deception here. I don't have all the answers and It appears I myself need to get clarification, which I will.

Sorry, to be clear it seems that what you are telling us is the actual facts. I just find it strange that the website says all recent batteries are GHB3 when they aren’t labeled that way. The deception seems to be on HL’s part. I think your involvement is a positive development and I welcome your efforts. I saw on Instagram that you offered to help HL for free and that shows how dedicated you are to helping us out!

 

[VGOODIEZ]

Sorry, to be clear it seems that what you are telling us is the actual facts. I just find it strange that the website says all recent batteries are GHB3 when they aren’t labeled that way. The deception seems to be on HL’s part. I think your involvement is a positive development and I welcome your efforts. I saw on Instagram that you offered to help HL for free and that shows how dedicated you are to helping us out!

I really need clarification myself. I have a list of other questions as well. I can promise you this, I will not be deliberately deceiving anyone. Bear with me gang... I'm getting bombarded and some folks are unnecessarily nasty.

 

[slozukimc]

I really need clarification myself. I have a list of other questions as well. I can promise you this, I will not be deliberately deceiving anyone. Bear with me gang... I'm getting bombarded and some folks are unnecessarily nasty.

When they act like an ass then simply tell them their email will be discarded and they can try again. As a business rep you have the right to not serve people who attack you.