Discontinued The Grasshopper

[jabba]

I need some assistance please.

I've had a stainless steel since July and a titanium for a couple of months. Love them both...and have two simply for backup purposes.

With my original order I received 1 battery, bought 2 more, and received 1 more with the titanium. I charge with a Nitecore...and typically on the low/slow setting. I am, by most FC folks standards, a light user. I could go a week without altogether...or I may have up to 20 draws per week....usually somewhere in the middle.

Battery life has been fine for me until recently. I'm not exactly sure 'how long' a batter lasts....but it seemed that I could go through a load or two...over the course of many many days....on the same battery. Recently it seems that ALL of my batteries in BOTH of my units allow 2 or three draws (maybe spread out over a day or three)....then I get the red light. It also seems that if I turn off...and turn back on....I get get another draw....then repeat....then another draw etc. I'd think it was my GH malfunctioning...but it seems to do it on both units. When I place in the Nitecore...the seemingly dead batteries do not show up as being totally depleted.

I rotated these batteries and had them numbered. I cannot imagine that I had ever charged a single battery 20 times total.

I ordered 3 more batts today to see if my batteries are the problem.

Anyone have similar experience??? Advice?

 

[tubasco]

Hey ya bud,

Yep they expect you to return your broken grasshopper body. I don't know what happens if you don't. They might refuse to send another replacement out for a future warranty request.

Yes, you can't even make another warranty request until the current one is closed...meaning parts returned.

 

[moondog]

I need some assistance please.

I've had a stainless steel since July and a titanium for a couple of months. Love them both...and have two simply for backup purposes.

With my original order I received 1 battery, bought 2 more, and received 1 more with the titanium. I charge with a Nitecore...and typically on the low/slow setting. I am, by most FC folks standards, a light user. I could go a week without altogether...or I may have up to 20 draws per week....usually somewhere in the middle.

Battery life has been fine for me until recently. I'm not exactly sure 'how long' a batter lasts....but it seemed that I could go through a load or two...over the course of many many days....on the same battery. Recently it seems that ALL of my batteries in BOTH of my units allow 2 or three draws (maybe spread out over a day or three)....then I get the red light. It also seems that if I turn off...and turn back on....I get get another draw....then repeat....then another draw etc. I'd think it was my GH malfunctioning...but it seems to do it on both units. When I place in the Nitecore...the seemingly dead batteries do not show up as being totally depleted.

I rotated these batteries and had them numbered. I cannot imagine that I had ever charged a single battery 20 times total.

I ordered 3 more batts today to see if my batteries are the problem.

Anyone have similar experience??? Advice?

I haven't had this problem yet so I can't speak from experience.
Maybe your hoppers are in need of some thread cleaning?

 

[MonsterWithoutBorders]

Yes, you can't even make another warranty request until the current one is closed...meaning parts returned.

Is there a way to tell that they have received your returned part.

 

[skyvaper]

Is there a way to tell that they have received your returned part.

They close your open case on the website which is how they track it.

 

[tubasco]

Is there a way to tell that they have received your returned part.

They will close the open warranty request when they do. The status will go from "Parts Shipped" to "Closed" or something like that.

And you can track the part to see for yourself when it's been delivered.

 

[vapviking]

Is there a way to tell that they have received your returned part.

Yes. If you follow the whole warranty status/progress, once they get the body back, you'll see that there will be a record that the warranty claim is "Closed".

In the event that one has sent their whole Hopper in, and something is replaced, they'll note the date your 'Repaired Unit Shipped' to you which signifies the closing of that case, I believe. For some reason that shows up in red.

 

[sk8man121]

Guys, let's talk about these hot back-ends. It's a problem (at least I would assume it is).

I've had my hopper for a few weeks now. Had to claim a warranty for a new body the minute it came in the mail, as I had cop lights upon first use (see prior pages in thread). The unit operates very well with the new body, but the back-end is still getting very hot almost instantly upon clicking it on for a hit. I thought cleaning the battery threads would fix this, but it hasn't.

Hopper Labs has told me that because the back-end completes the circuit, it's normal for it to get hot and not dangerous. But why, then, do some people say it doesn't happen to them and on units like mine the head gets almost as bad as the mouthpiece within 5 seconds? They've told me that if I want to have it looked at, I have to send the whole unit in, but why not just send out a replacement back-end?

Can anyone confirm that it's safe to use hoppers with hot back-ends? Risk of explosion and/or shock?

 

[JoeMama]

Friday I sent in the Warranty Request for a new backend per my post last week... Today GHL replied that they will be sending a new backend out to me. She didn't say when, so I'm hoping it means "imminently", like this week.

So far, flawless CS.

 

[MonsterWithoutBorders]

Friday I sent in the Warranty Request for a new backend per my post last week... Today GHL replied that they will be sending a new backend out to me. She didn't say when, so I'm hoping it means "imminently", like this week.

So far, flawless CS.

Almost the same flawless CS experience. Imminent also hoping for hopper.

 

[duff]

Almost the same flawless CS experience.

Practice makes perfect!

 

[BadDog No]

Newbie owner here with first impressions. Nice out of the box experience, classy packaging, but where is my leather sleeve? And shipping the batteries in a plastic bag; I mean a very nice little bag, but how about a box to store these batteries safely? Still, it's gorgeous. Took awhile to "commit" to pushing the clicker; it's a much more heavy duty mechanical switch than I expected. Tried the charger, ran for the instructions ("Oh, flashing red is good"). Put two other batteries in the D2 on LION LOW. They all could probably have been used out of the box, but it took me awhile to turn it on...
So the flashing red went to flashing blue, I set the temp in the middle, filled with medium grind and very little pack. Ideal for big clouds and maybe combustion if I push it according to what I've read. First hit was abbreviated as soon as I felt the heat in my mouth, 6 or 7 seconds was plenty. Always figured I'd use it with water anyway so I did. Always figured all those cloud videos on youtube were cheating and using some ejuice of some sort. Nope, this really does pour clouds. I'm impressed. The Supreme V3 hits harder, but you have to do butane. Have to try later with more of an "all day" pack (rough torn, harder denser pack). Fun addition. Thought some of the PR about superior extraction was just ad copy but this does kind of remind me of a more controllable Supreme. Yep, not sure exactly where it fits in the lineup, but it's a keeper!

 

[GreenHopper]

Just got this in my inbox:

Latest Blog Post: Grasshopper Batteries


Check out our latest blog post about the Grasshopper battery! Learn more about our custom lithium-ion cell and how the Hopper performs in winter weather.







We're moving Grasshoppers out the door faster than ever before! Last week, we shipped over 700 units and emailed a new batch of address confirmations. Be sure to be on the look out for your address confirmation as we make our way down the pre-order list!

Have an idea for a blog post or have a usage question you would like us to answer? Email blog@grasshoppervape.com with your suggestions.

Hopper Labs

OK HERE IS THE BLOG POST:

• By Hopper Labs
  
• In Grasshopper Batteries, Tips & Tricks
  
• Posted December 12, 2016

GRASSHOPPER BATTERIES

It’s getting colder, and snow has finally arrived in Colorado! Tis the season to prepare for the holidays, which a Hopper can certainly help with . Since many of us intend to get outside this winter, we’re taking the time this post to discuss the Hopper’s battery performance and the effects of cold weather.

The Hopper’s battery is a custom designed lithium-ion cell. The size and shape are non-standard, which you might find annoying. We chose to go this route to maximize the size of the battery without making the device any bigger. The Hopper was designed to be small, and there wasn’t a standard size that fit our parameters.

The battery is also a custom formulated chemistry that we worked with the factory to develop. The Hopper requires a high discharge battery to feed its 45-watt heater the power it needs. Your cell phone or laptop uses power at a slower rate compared to how large the battery is, making it much easier to produce. With the Hopper, we have a small package and need all the power out quickly, which is the most challenging type of battery to create.

We often get comments that the battery life on the Hopper is not as good as on other devices, and while that might be true, this is a trade-off between performance and size. With the Hopper, you can easily swap the battery on the go. If you use your power wisely, turning the device on and off between every hit, you can vape an enormous amount of herbs on a single charge.

Back to the cold weather! The cold means two things for your Hopper:

1. The battery will be cold when you start it up.
2. The air being heated by the device starts at a much cooler temperature.

A cold battery is an unhappy battery. Battery performance, in general, is worse when the battery is cold. If it is below 40 degrees and your Hopper is giving you the low battery indication when you first start it up, then you might want to pop your battery out and warm it in your hands for a few minutes. Once your Hopper is ready to rock, know that it is working double-time to warm up the icy cold air entering your device. Heating up cold air takes more energy and will result in shorter battery life.

In extremely frigid temps, your Hopper might display red and blue flashing lights. Warm it up in your pocket for a few minutes, and you’ll be ready to go.

The Hopper is built to withstand the winter weather, and we recommend enjoying it responsibly while you're out and about this winter season!

 

[BadDog No]

Good timing, all the above advice. A word to the wise? If you're lucky enough to catch the mailman in the act of delivery and you tear apart the cold cold package with your hot little hands and the battery in your 'hopper needs charging...Maybe it just needs to warm up. So with my regular pack (hand torn, medium to hard pack), you need to work a little more for clouds but it lasts longer. I'm doing the same 10 to 15 second pull with heat and then another 5 to clear it technique as I use with Milaana and FW4. Glad I have all 3 as the flavor, and believe it or not, the effects profile are subtly different. A sane person could get along just fine with any one, but luckily I crossed that bridge a long time ago.

 

[JoeMama]

Guys, let's talk about these hot back-ends. It's a problem (at least I would assume it is).

I've had my hopper for a few weeks now. Had to claim a warranty for a new body the minute it came in the mail, as I had cop lights upon first use (see prior pages in thread). The unit operates very well with the new body, but the back-end is still getting very hot almost instantly upon clicking it on for a hit. I thought cleaning the battery threads would fix this, but it hasn't.

Hopper Labs has told me that because the back-end completes the circuit, it's normal for it to get hot and not dangerous. But why, then, do some people say it doesn't happen to them and on units like mine the head gets almost as bad as the mouthpiece within 5 seconds? They've told me that if I want to have it looked at, I have to send the whole unit in, but why not just send out a replacement back-end?

Can anyone confirm that it's safe to use hoppers with hot back-ends? Risk of explosion and/or shock?

Sk8, I think some leavening is necessary to smooth out the misunderstanding... actually, if HL used those exact words "normal to get hot but not dangerous", it's disappointing that's what they'd say, when there are caveats to consider.

There's input on the Fix thread, FYI, that may help to determine what is "normal".
Grasshopper Fixes
In short, though... when you experiencing a HOT backend, click off, then adjust the temp dial back and forth a small amount (just a bit, maybe 1 temp mark back and forth). Click on, and try again.
If it still gets hot, inspect the set of threads on the backend assembly and look for oxidation. See if any comes off with ISO (or more betterer, DeToxit or Blu Tack). If you've done all this, and the backend is consistently hot, then I'd say with some confidence that you definitely have a hot backend issue...

However, and I don't mean to be facetious, but, if the threads are clean, and the temp dial wiggle doesn't help, and yet you are at least getting clouds at T5, then you will eventually get a new Hopper when the one in your hands fails. Dealing with a Warranty Return if you even have a semi-working Hopper will not be a fun experience.

I hope that helps a bit.

New Topic

Just got a Ship confirmation from GHL that they are shipping my GH2 batteries... coincidence that just today they also said they'd ship my new Ti backend (see post at top of page). I guess they like saving money on stamps, too. I wonder how long they've had those batteries....

Now then... @GreenHopper , thanks for the bulletin post...
I couldn't resist emailing the GHL blog, since they asked for ideas...
I sent this because it's what's on my mind... things like screen-removals, temperature dial twisting, external charging, etc, are also things we here broach from time to time, so maybe those topics will make their way on the blog... but first let's see if they even bother with this one:

Hi

It's nice to see you guys are stepping more out front and we are happy to be invited to comment on ideas.

I am just a member of the fuckcombustion.com forum (more properly called FC), and myself and others had caused the creation by a another member of a "Fix Resource".
It is careful not to "recommend" anything, but here's one tip among several that we'd certainly like your feedback on.

While ISO is the appropriate cleaning method for those (e.g.) weekly cleanings, we have found that using a material called "Blu Tack" has been a fantastic non solvent way to clean the back end threads. It takes but seconds to apply and remove and there you see the oxidation buildup from that poor battery doing all that heavy lifting passing current between those threads!

We get that this is just how it is with oxidation; but it would be comforting to hear what you have to say about the inevitable buildup of oxidation, where ISO just does not cut it over the long run.

What's your opinion? We'd like to know!

Yours Truly,
Batman
​

So I've served the ball, so to speak.... I hope it's received well!

 

[Baron23]

But why, then, do some people say it doesn't happen to them and on units like mine the head gets almost as bad as the mouthpiece within 5 seconds?

Why, indeed? Mine has not yet ever become even the slightest bit hot. So, I agree...consistent manufacturing should result in consistent device behavior and characteristics.
So, they tell some people its normal all the while there are other people whose device doesn't do it at all.

I hate spin.

 

[Hjalmark]

Should I go back to the shipping thread to bitch about usps slow tracking?

I ordered a new glass for the hopper, looks like they will be arriving in the same week, little sad I don't have a huge bong to really get the full hopper experience but think I will be chocking on clouds anyway

I am seriously planning out the day I receive it in the mail

This post is so useless and off topic I will also include a picture of this . . . Nihilist bong I feel in love with earlier today

14 mm joint but only 18cm tall so not sure yet, want something dead simple and starting to prefer mouth piece that small not big bong opening, also much easier on my bearded friends, also bet you I could find a whip to fit easy on the top of that

Still wish it was close to twice as tall and I would have bought it in a heart beat

So what are folks bubbling with them self when using the hopper with glass ?

 

[JoeMama]

Why, indeed? Mine has not yet ever become even the slightest bit hot. So, I agree...consistent manufacturing should result in consistent device behavior and characteristics.
So, they tell some people its normal all the while there are other people whose device doesn't do it at all.

I hate spin.

Yeah, and, @sk8man121 , this is what I'd meant about not meaning to be facetious... It's like GHL is saying, don't bother us until your device stops performing. I think if it made a loud screaming noises while producing thick clouds, they'd say it was normal.

 

[JoeKickass]

Well after half a year my Grasshopper arrived!

It really does heat up fast, and get hot. I measured power draw at 6 amps. Do you guys measure different?
6A = 24 watts at 4 volts. Not 45 but still very good. The Air is only 12 watts.

But that short airpath is a brutal mistress. Beautiful, compact, and great with glass but my lungs are burning.
I'm going to sound like Mad Max soon...

I think I'll just charge the batteries on a normal 18650 charger so I can monitor the voltages, I wonder how much time and effort they spent on the incredible in-pen charging system.

A v2 Grasshopper that is a bit chunkier for heat dissipation (small flashlight size), loses in-body charging, and goes to standard 18650's could be a bit more of a game changer.

 

[jivebuggered]

Friday I sent in the Warranty Request for a new backend per my post last week... Today GHL replied that they will be sending a new backend out to me. She didn't say when, so I'm hoping it means "imminently", like this week.

So far, flawless CS.

Has anyone forgot to send there faulty part back?? Has their faulty part decided to work again just before sending back (if you were)? I had don`t all the "fix`s" but still got a short dull red light for a second then nothing. I had tried many, many times before lodging a request. Hopper had sent me a new heater (front end?) It seems to work well again so thought I would give the faulty one another try and it worked again??

 

[tubasco]

Has anyone forgot to send there faulty part back?? Has their faulty part decided to work again just before sending back (if you were)? I had don`t all the "fix`s" but still got a short dull red light for a second then nothing. I had tried many, many times before lodging a request. Hopper had sent me a new heater (front end?) It seems to work well again so thought I would give the faulty one another try and it worked again??

You physically cannot file any more warranty requests until you send back the old part.

 

[ArthurJ]

Well, that was a major disappointment.
I think I have a defective unit.
The blue lights come, so the battery is charged, but the unit is producing no heat. According to the troubleshooting chart it's a heat sensor issue.
So I registered my device and put in a warranty request.

 

[duff]

After reading about pbw for months now, I ran out and bought some from a local brew shop and rushed home to clean both my Crafty and TI Grasshopper mps.

Being an astute donkey's ass, I got out a stainless steel bowl, put in a minuscule amount of pbw and a lot of hot water.
I thoroughly mixed the pbw, dropped in the separated Crafty mp and the Hopper's mp. Swished it about for a few seconds and let it sit for about five minutes.

Took out the Crafty's mp first since there are a ton of nooks and crannies in it that collects goo and I was anxious to see how the pbw performed.
Rinsed it thoroughly and to my surprise, it was as clean as a whistle. I could never get it that clean with iso and q-tips. Awesome.

Then I did the same procedure with the Hopper.
Looking into the mp, I was once again amazed at how thoroughly it had cleaned it.

As I dried off both mps, I noticed that the outside of the Hopper's mp had a discolored streak (almost smeared looking) thick line up the side. I'm guessing that this is a reaction of the titanium touching the steel bowl with the pbw.

I looked on the jar of pbw but it doesn't mention anything about metal to metal contact.

I will try again in a glass bowl and see what happens since the mp is already messed up.

The blue lights come, so the battery is charged, but the unit is producing no heat. According to the troubleshooting chart it's a heat sensor issue.

Does the blue light come on almost immediately?
If so, a new body is in your near (I hope) future.

Should I go back to the shipping thread to bitch about usps slow tracking?

Took 9 days to reach me in Pittsburgh and DHGate's tracking info is pretty useless.

 

[vapviking]

Friday I sent in the Warranty Request for a new backend per my post last week... Today GHL replied that they will be sending a new backend out to me. She didn't say when, so I'm hoping it means "imminently", like this week.

So far, flawless CS.

This may be the first report of a user being sent a new back end without returning the whole Hopper first. I'm aware that prior to making your claim you were able to check your unit with a known working unit. I had the very same experience, but HL had me send everything back, including a battery. All was returned to me, and a new back end included. That was only about a month ago.
The replacement back end started spiking heat within two weeks, so I know another claim is in the offing. Then yesterday that unit started giving red/blue flashing sometimes when turned on at ambient temp. Click off/back on and it's fine. Its' performance is "fair" in that it will produce pretty good clouds, though its' abv will not get as dark as my other Hopper's does at temp 5.

Guys, let's talk about these hot back-ends. It's a problem (at least I would assume it is).

I've had my hopper for a few weeks now. Had to claim a warranty for a new body the minute it came in the mail, as I had cop lights upon first use (see prior pages in thread). The unit operates very well with the new body, but the back-end is still getting very hot almost instantly upon clicking it on for a hit. I thought cleaning the battery threads would fix this, but it hasn't.

Hopper Labs has told me that because the back-end completes the circuit, it's normal for it to get hot and not dangerous. But why, then, do some people say it doesn't happen to them and on units like mine the head gets almost as bad as the mouthpiece within 5 seconds? They've told me that if I want to have it looked at, I have to send the whole unit in, but why not just send out a replacement back-end?

Can anyone confirm that it's safe to use hoppers with hot back-ends? Risk of explosion and/or shock?

When I use Hopper without cooling between hits the entire thing eventually gets hot. So there is truth to the 'heat there is normal' statement, but it is not really the whole story. So, one might get that line as an initial response.
When describing the problem to HL, one needs to impress that this shit can hurt, almost a burn or shock feeling has been described (and definitely felt by me many times - I always use the SS exactly because it has this trouble, and I let the wife use the much more comfortable Ti. I am not saying all SS are better than Ti; I think hot back end can happen to either model. (see @JoeMama).
I can't speak with certainty about the safety question, but I don't believe any explosions will result, nor any battery venting type stuff...
Having a known-working Hopper is a huge advantage when assessing wtf is wrong with the other one! Being able to say to HL,"this one's good, this one ain't" sure helps a lot.
Last, I think actually making a claim, as opposed to asking a question of c/s, might yield a different response. In the claim, be clear that you can tell a difference between 'normal' heat and this unpleasant experience that has not always been happening.

 

[ArthurJ]

Does the blue light come on almost immediately?
If so, a new body is in your near (I hope) future.

Yes! I barely notice a red light, almost immediately to blue is exactly right.