Discontinued The Grasshopper

[Delta3DStudios]

These batteries still worry me. This is a 45W device. Assuming they are using 3.7v it takes ~12A. I have never seen a battery this size handle more than 10A continuous, in fact 10A may be a stretch for a battery this size I would of guessed, just at the sixe, that it would be more to 7-8A. Even if they are pulling 5v from the battery it will still be 8A which may fit under the specs of the battery but its close. And the fact you got two of them dead is not reassuring. I buy tons of these batteries for vaping and never had any DOA. This is a lot of Amps to be pulling on dangerous chemical batteries and I hope to hell they are not some cheap Chinese manufacturing.

Obviously I must be missing something because I don't think they would get it CES checked if it did not comply with safety standards but it still doesn't feel right to me. I truly wished they gave the specs of the battery. Too bad I won't be getting one til November because I would love to do some testing on the battery.

Yes, you're missing the fact that the heater is not 45 watts. This is misinformation. The heater is pulsed hundreds of times per minute to generate the heat. The heater can consume UP to 45 watts of power, but it does not constantly consume 45 watts. Average power consumption of the heater is based on the temperature setting and draw speeds of the user.

 

[Hawk]

Yes, you're missing the fact that the heater is not 45 watts. This is misinformation. The heater is pulsed hundreds of times per minute to generate the heat. The heater can consume UP to 45 watts of power, but it does not constantly consume 45 watts. Average power consumption of the heater is based on the temperature setting and draw speeds of the user.

I am only going by what it says on their website. If its not the case they really should change it. Still someone should not have received to dead batteries.

"A 45 watt heating element means that there is always power to spare, no matter how aggressive the user."

 

[tubasco]

I ordered a titanium version at the end of august. Now at the end of september I just ordered a stainless steel version for a friend. My order ID in august was 19000 something, and the new one is 22000. So I find it interesting and hopeful that there have been 3000 more orders in the past month, that means they are still getting a constant flow of capital to workout issues and increase production.

i think its been determined that the order numbers are not in numerical order.

 

[Jack Sprat]

I am only going by what it says on their website. If its not the case they really should change it. Still someone should not have received to dead batteries.

"A 45 watt heating element means that there is always power to spare, no matter how aggressive the user."

Perhaps it would be wise to ask Hopper Labs your specific questions as no amount of speculation here will be able to satisfy your curiosity, but an email to them should.

 

[zymos]

Agree in principal, disagree that emailing them will necessarily answer any specific questions.

 

[WoodyWeedPecker]

These batteries still worry me.

The batteries may have been drained because of the hot back end issue he was having. Some kind of short-circuit. With a new back end, they will probably be ok.

 

[Hawk]

The batteries may have been drained because of the hot back end issue he was having. Some kind of short-circuit. With a new back end, they will probably be ok.

Then that is a much bigger worry. You short circuit these batteries and they will vent.

 

[tubasco]

Then that is a much bigger worry. You short circuit these batteries and they will vent.

multiple people have said the batteries do NOT even remotely get warm during use. even if they did vent a little they are completely sealed off from the air path. All this speculation is ridiculous. Go look up your favorite restaurant on Yelp. If you based your opinion on all the negativity there you wouldn't go to that place anymore. 99% of the grasshopper owners that are online are bitching about malfunctions and errors that are likely NOT the norm. If all owners of functioning units were to report on their good experiences then that would far outweigh the negatives we see (and by default assume to be the norm.)
Maybe "worrying" should be reserved for when we have a grasshopper in our hands and experience an issue first hand. Even then "worrying" is a pointless waste of energy.
I'm taking a break from FC until my hopper gets here. The endless speculations are too much...

 

[Deadshort480]

I have to agree. I have read no accounts of GH batteries venting. No reason to spread fear over something that hasn't happened.

 

[Mr. Niceguy]

The batteries may have been drained because of the hot back end issue he was having. Some kind of short-circuit. With a new back end, they will probably be ok.

The GH does nothing with these two batteries inserted. No Light no charging no heating. With both back ends.

 

[Old School]

Could this gunk or black marks be coming from the infamous back end switch?
Is there some kind of wear/friction happening with the plunger from having to turn it on/off multiple times?
I don't own one yet but having to cycle that switch so many times makes me wonder.

In fact most likely some good old fashioned arching as it has been pointed out these things are pulling some serious amperage...
I sure would love to hear some manufacturer explanation surrounding all of this back-end business.... I know it is what is holding me back from pulling the trigger.... that and all the feeling their way through as they go as far as mass production goes.... hoping they iron things out....like everybody else here...

 

[Averyminya]

When you first push the button it is on, contact made ie momentary push switch on an e-cig.. The click is kind of like a holder for the first contact made on/off don't have to hold it for power.
I just tried that on my hopper and got the same result as you. A bonus momentary hold switch or click on/off switch. I would say use it if you don't want the loud click can't see it damaging anything.

Super stealthmode! The only noise there could be is the whirring the device makes.

Are the lights bright? I'm wondering if there is a way for the hand to cover the led lights but still have nice airflow, since they are the air intake holes.

 

[CE24]

Super stealthmode! The only noise there could be is the whirring the device makes.

Are the lights bright? I'm wondering if there is a way for the hand to cover the led lights but still have nice airflow, since they are the air intake holes.

The lights still do the same sequence, there is one led that shines through all the holes. Not very bright during daytime, and not super bright at night. So don't know why you couldn't hold it like we used to hold a cig in the army at night, cupped in your hand still plenty of air

 

[Averyminya]

The lights still do the same sequence, there is one led that shines through all the holes. Not very bright during daytime, and not super bright at night. So don't know why you couldn't hold it like we used to hold a cig in the army at night, cupped in your hand still plenty of air

Thanks for the reply This is nice information to tide me over for the next 3 weeks or so!

 

[Mr. Niceguy]

Some kind of light trap ring that you put around the GH would be cool.

 

[GHWhatWhat]

The back end heating issue is nothing to do with a short circuit, it is simply a point of high resistance. it would not bypass any built in battery protection circuit. The drain on the battery during normal use should be fine assuming a quality supplier, the only time it will actually be pushing close to 45w is a short burst during the 5 second warmup. Good batteries of this type are comfortably capable of short bursts significantly above their constant current rating.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Some kind of light trap ring that you put around the GH would be cool.

It would have to fit over it and go down at a 90 degree angle a bit, you can't cover the holes since that's where the air flows into.

 

[Mr. Niceguy]

It would have to fit over it and go down at a 90 degree angle a bit, you can't cover the holes since that's where the air flows into.

I think it would be enough if that ring has a distance of 0,5mm to the GH body so that the holes are covered but air can flow trough additional holes between the original holes. On the up- and downside of the ring it could be closed. No, or only few light could shine trough the rings holes but air can flow.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

I think it would be enough if that ring has a distance of 0,5mm to the GH body so that the holes are covered but air can flow trough additional holes between the original holes. On the up- and downside of the ring it could be closed. No, or only few light could shine trough the rings holes but air can flow.

I don't think covering the holes is a good idea, but I realize now that I didn't explain my idea very well. A ring made from, say, black colored silicone placed above the holes (not over them as in covering them, but literally sitting over the holes), that has a "skirt" that goes down far enough to cover the LED lights, but far enough from the actual body of the GH that it doesn't cover or restrict the holes. 90 degree angle down from the ring, but it would be like a really really short barrel parallel/over the body of it.

 

[Mr. Niceguy]

I don't think covering the holes is a good idea, but I realize now that I didn't explain my idea very well. A ring made from, say, black colored silicone placed above the holes (not over them as in covering them, but literally sitting over the holes), that has a "skirt" that goes down far enough to cover the LED lights, but far enough from the actual body of the GH that it doesn't cover or restrict the holes. 90 degree angle down from the ring, but it would be like a really really short barrel parallel/over the body of it.

I didn't explain my idea very good too. It's a little bit difficult for me to explain such technical descriptions in english.
Yes, I also thought of a black silicone ring that sits on the holes but doesn't cover them.
I think I know what you mean with that skirt, good idea.
I thought of that ring having the same holes like the GH itself, but turning the ring so, that the silicone-ring-holes lay between (and above) the holes of the GH.
Like this:
__ _____ _____ __
_____ _____ _____

 

[Delta3DStudios]

It would have to fit over it and go down at a 90 degree angle a bit, you can't cover the holes since that's where the air flows into.

I think it would be enough if that ring has a distance of 0,5mm to the GH body so that the holes are covered but air can flow trough additional holes between the original holes. On the up- and downside of the ring it could be closed. No, or only few light could shine trough the rings holes but air can flow.

I've got a few ideas in mind for how to cover the lights/airholes without preventing airflow. Once I have a hopper in my hands I'll begin experimenting with various shroud designs.

 

[delloy]

I dont understand all the fuss about the one LED. This vape is discreet enough as is in my eyes. Will people really take a second glance with all the ecigs on the market. With the use ecigs get in public no one really bats an eyelid. And if they dont notice the lights once covered they sure as hell are gonna smell the vapour are they not? Just all seems a bit pointless to me and a fuss over nothing. And I'm in the UK where it isnt MJ friendly at all and this doesn't bother me one tiny iota

 

[Mr. Niceguy]

I love to vape in cinema. Not when the film is new released, but 2 or 3 weeks later when the seats around are empty. That's the only case I would use such a light trap.

 

[lookhigh]

Can the lights not be covered by a finger?

 

[zymos]

as I'm sure has been mentioned, the light is coming out through the air intake holes.
So, no.