Lot of good discussion on the standby/power down topic I think. It's obviously not a simple nut to crack. There are, as others point out, many schemes in use by other vapes.......it's not a new or not to be expected issue.
So, in the end, would it have been better to take the Firefly approach; button press while drawing on the device, combined with an on/off switch to prevent accidental button presses?
Good thought and pretty common I think, 'press the button, the fire comes on, stuff gets hot'? It will, I think be slower than say a vape pen? There's a lot of mass to heat up (compared to other designs) so we're talking a couple seconds? The e-cig guys would never accept that I think?
Also such a power button doesn't fit in well with the rest of the design. It's basically 'screw machine parts' (all round in nature, made on automated machine tools at high speeds), there's no easy place to put the button. It would call for a pretty major redesign (and scrapping 'old style' parts.......which I suspect they have a pile of?). The case would need the button, the switch included in a no doubt already very crowded circuit board and assembly would be harder to do I'd think. We're pretty far down the road to consider this one?
With all due respect, and IMHO, maybe they should have just licensed the ESV's technology. It seems ithe ESV does what you've described, without the need for a power switch.
Or, it could be used as some have suggested.....mainly as a single-user device, with a pause between hits. IDK though, as I chickened out and didn't order a unit. I'm waiting until it's clear the GH works as it should, without a high defect rate.
An interesting idea, also probably hard to incorporate at this late date?
Actually I don't think there's really an "ESV technology" to license. That is I don't really see a (defensible) patent. They use an actual airflow sensor (rather than sense average heater current shift), but that part is a standard part from the e-cig world. All those cheap one with 'glowing ends' that mimic cigarettes when you hit them? Yeah, they use that same (very cheap in fact) standard sensor. Madvapes (or someone like them) sells the sensors for a couple bucks (they have 3 wires, I've got some somewhere). Why some of the 'flames' are blue I have no clue on.....
Likewise, those same cheap e-cigs use the same 'never really turns off' (no power stitch) that ESV uses. Again, no license needed.
I don't think, however, that GH will heat up fast enough for this technique. ESV's heater has very low mass (it's an exposed 'pancake wound' spiral of Ti wire) and is very close to the load. More over the load has a more attractive 'aspect ratio', that is ESV's load is short and fat rather than GH's long and skinny. This alone makes it slower to heat all else being equal. In fact, given the fact that the heater runs very hot (it's 'glowing red' in use) and is very close to the load, I bet there's also some IR heating going on in addition to convection. That means fast action, not possible in GH due to the configuration. We're married to a routine that includes 'turn it on,
wait a few seconds, take a hit'. GH will just not be fast enough to rely on airflow to start up the cycle. By the time the vapor happens your lungs would be full or warm air?
I agree, it is basically a single user device. And probably a poor choice for a routine session vape. It's strength lies in a few quick hits. Much as many would wish otherwise (and may have been led to that opinion by early claims), I think this aspect (heat build up impacting extended use) was fated from the start. Our collective vape experience screamed 'this is too good to be true'.
While perhaps not optimum I think it's a 'workable' design for many. Some, unfortunately, will be disappointed by unrealistic expectations (where have we heard that before???) while others will find useful features to use against their individual requirements.......if they can ever get one......
IMO the GH guys have a LOT on their plates right now. But it sounds like they're directing resources in response to the problems, always a good sign. Hopefully we'll watch a timely recovery from what will come to be a minor stumble on the way to market? Be a great option to have for some when it's 'in stock, ready to ship'. Just because I haven't 'invested' yet, doesn't mean I won't jump into line to order one when the time comes.....even if the price is higher by then.
Regards to all. Those 'standing in waiting' and those of us watching those guys watching for the next update.......
OF
