Discontinued The Grasshopper

[Vaporific]

Good luck!!!!!!

Depends on what’s wrong. Just got an update from HL today saying that they’re working on October (2018) units now, though technically mine was sent in and received in September - but it wasn’t logged as received until October. Go figure - just another example of poor operations and tracking. And lame excuses and answers from them.

My wait continues...

 

[vapviking]

Was quoted 3 weeks on repair. I'll believe it when I see it

Some folk's lives roll easy...

Oh, @Vaporific , I got a response today saying they were working on August '18
(my month). Seems they're working on everything at once!

 

[Baron23]

So, my second GH, which was returned to them as they shipped it back unrepaired with the one they intended to ship back that was repaired, has supposedly been fixed.

I got the email to confirm my address and gee, if you want to order other stuff, let us know and we will modify your cart for free shipping and ship it back to you with your unit. Right? We have seen these emails before...standard Hopper.

So, on 21 Aug, I wrote:

"Wrt to free shipping, I would indeed like an additional four batteries, I have added them to my cart, but they have been and are still out of stock. I would not like to pay for batteries that cannot ship with my Hopper. Please advise if you can fulfill my order for four batteries now. If so, then please do modify my cart for free shipping and I will complete the order. If not, please so advise and I will empty my cart until batteries come into stock."

No reply.

I then posted to the ticket two days later on the 23rd:

"Hopper - please respond and confirm that you received my confirmation of my shipping address.

Also, if you could answer my question about battery availability and free shipping back with my RMA GH, I would appreciate it.

Thank you."

A day later, on 24 Aug, I get a tracking number email from them on my GH's return, no response to my inquiry.

Two more days later, on the 26th they replied:

"We have sent the unit. Batteries are not available until next month."

No shit, Sherlock. I knew they shipped it because....I got the tracking number from them...so knew I wasn't getting any batteries.

My GH is to be delivered by USPS today....hopefully its working wonderfully.

But Hopper Labs CS just never fails to disappoint, does it? I mean, they can't answer an fairly regular and reasonable inquiry before its overcome by events.

And if they get batteries in a month, I'm buying a lottery ticket as it will be day of extraordinary luck.

Question to those who have recently bought a GH...did it come with a battery...a single battery. Could you order more than just one battery from them with your new GH which, with out batteries, is a paperweight?

 

[Vaporific]

But Hopper Labs CS just never fails to disappoint, does it?

Nope, HL wonders and incompetence never cease. Sigh...

Question to those who have recently bought a GH...did it come with a battery...a single battery.

I’ve not ordered a new unit but new units come with a single battery from what I recall reading herein many pages ago in light of the recent battery supply fiasco. If you’ve recently purchased batts separately somehow you’ve indeed won the Golden Ticket...

 

[Baron23]

If you’ve recently purchased batts separately somehow you’ve indeed won the Golden Ticket...

No, no...I haven't gotten a battery order through but wow, I would be annoyed if I spend what $265 on a Ti GH and it only came with one battery which....we know....doesn't last all that long and takes a while to recharge.

NOW, LADIES AND GERMS, AN ANNOUNCEMENT

Praise the Lord and pass the butter beans. Give credit where credit is due.
Hopper returned my OG Ti GH from RMA today and it runs just like it did when new!! Holy shit.

Ran it at 4.2 and killed a .8 g load of Sour Gorilla in two huge draws while milking the FC-188. No dry out the load draws. Just vapor and rather dark AVB. I think I will actually have to drop a bit to 3.8 - 4 on temp dial.

This is marvelous and all I ever really wanted....I just wanted my OG back working they way it did, and they finally did it (eh, three times out to CO? haha)

Like the OG before, and unlike my other GH which returned from RMA a couple of months ago, I only get the merest flicker in the blue light....not even there mostly. My other GH, needs to run on temp 5 to work just ok and its only on Temp 5 that I don't get a lot of blue flickering when I draw.

Anyway, I'm very happy with my OG now. THIS is what I remember a GH to be for the 18 months it worked well (def not daily driver and used lightly, cared for very well).

If this one dies, maybe I'll just buy a new one...or not.

TBH, with all of my criticism of Hopper Labs notwithstanding, my OG did work for a year and a half and if I get another year out of it post RMA, then I really kind of got my money's worth, right? Now if it dies in three weeks, we will be having a different kind of convo! hahahah!!

Wow, I'm buzzed! haha

 

[Vaporific]

No, no...I haven't gotten a battery order through but wow, I would be annoyed if I spend what $265 on a Ti GH and it only came with one battery which....we know....doesn't last all that long and takes a while to recharge.

NOW, LADIES AND GERMS, AN ANNOUNCEMENT

Praise the Lord and pass the butter beans. Give credit where credit is due.
Hopper returned my OG Ti GH from RMA today and it runs just like it did when new!! Holy shit.

Ran it at 4.2 and killed a .8 g load of Sour Gorilla in two huge draws while milking the FC-188. No dry out the load draws. Just vapor and rather dark AVB. I think I will actually have to drop a bit to 3.8 - 4 on temp dial.

This is marvelous and all I ever really wanted....I just wanted my OG back working they way it did, and they finally did it (eh, three times out to CO? haha)

Like the OG before, and unlike my other GH which returned from RMA a couple of months ago, I only get the merest flicker in the blue light....not even there mostly. My other GH, needs to run on temp 5 to work just ok and its only on Temp 5 that I don't get a lot of blue flickering when I draw.

Anyway, I'm very happy with my OG now. THIS is what I remember a GH to be for the 18 months it worked well (def not daily driver and used lightly, cared for very well).

If this one dies, maybe I'll just buy a new one...or not.

TBH, with all of my criticism of Hopper Labs notwithstanding, my OG did work for a year and a half and if I get another year out of it post RMA, then I really kind of got my money's worth, right? Now if it dies in three weeks, we will be having a different kind of convo! hahahah!!

Wow, I'm buzzed! haha

Very glad to hear! I’m happy, and jealous, of you. I really do miss my Hopper when just a couple of good quick hits will do. How old (or new) are your batteries? It sounds like they got the heater sorted out. I need a “new heating assembly” but not sure if that’s more extensive or complex an issue than with yours. Or just BS from HL so they couldn’t give me a free body and waiting forever for all the individual parts for one.

We’ll see. There’s always hope. Enjoy your Hoppers!

 

[kilo]

Just received my repaired Hopper under warranty. Took a little more than a month but it came back undamaged and working better than ever. For some reason I've been very lucky with my three RMA experiences. One in '18 took a few months but that was when they were swamped because of that issue with faulty components.

 

[vapviking]

Had my share of faster turn-arounds, but also my fair share of long term run-arounds. Waiting currently on 2 of the really long ones...

 

[Baron23]

How old (or new) are your batteries?

Ah, they are #2 but I'm not sure how old they are. The real factor is how many charge/discharge cycles are on them and the answer is not very many as both my GH went belly up shortly after I bought four more replacement batteries.

We will see.

 

[slozukimc]

Ah, they are #2 but I'm not sure how old they are. The real factor is how many charge/discharge cycles are on them and the answer is not very many as both my GH went belly up shortly after I bought four more replacement batteries.

We will see.

There may be another issue for some......with the long RMA times some are dealing with, are the batteries going bad in wait?

 

[Vaporific]

The real factor is how many charge/discharge cycles are on them

True. Also it’s how much charge they have when they’ve been sitting for a period of time. They shouldn’t be fully charged if they’re sitting too long without being used.

Took a little more than a month but it came back undamaged and working better than ever.

Wow, that was fast. I’m going on my 12th month. What was the issue? I think HL is randomly servicing units and it’s all BS at this point. Just my two cents...

 

[slozukimc]

Received my third Hopper yesterday and I think this Grasshopper is on meth! On low it is as hot as my other good working one and on high it turns the herb black.

Edit: I have swapped parts around and have confirmed that the body of this one is where the problem lies. My other is the back end.

 

[Cheesequake]

Huh. Yesterday I was quoted 3 weeks on repair and today I get the final testing notice. Weird. Hope I get it back quicker than expected

 

[PPN]

How did you get all this updates? I'm waiting for my 12 months old rma unit like @Vaporific and @Cheesequake and I only get an update if I ask them through their website but it doesn't look they want to inform me of the repairs progress, all replies was pretty laconic...

And to hear about some guys who get their rma unit shipped back to them in a month give me criminal ideas

 

[Baron23]

How did you get all this updates? I'm waiting for my 12 months old rma unit like @Vaporific and @Cheesequake and I only get an update if I ask them through their website but it doesn't look they want to inform me of the repairs progress, all replies was pretty laconic...

And to hear about some guys who get their rma unit shipped back to them in a month give me criminal ideas

I too do not understand how some are turned around quickly and others have been in RMA purgatory for up to a year!!

I suspect those waiting a year....that Hopper lost your vape and ain't saying. How the frak can it take a year to fix a vape. No way. Bullshit flag all the way on that and that's kind of what I would tell Hopper through their ticket system.

I mean, WTF!!

 

[vapviking]

I suspect those waiting a year....that Hopper lost your vape and ain't saying. How the frak can it take a year to fix a vape.

I actually believe, in principal, the stated strategy that HL has said they must needs follow.
They said they could only afford 'x' resources devoted to warranty repairs; any more would make the company untenable. Not that I endorse any aspect of their business 'strategy', but they are still in business (I believe...).
This still does nothing toward explaining the (apparently) extremely uneven process by which the 'next' Hopper is selected for repair.

And, @Baron23, to your point about new purchasers only getting one battery with their new Hopper, on the (battery) product page, HL specifically 'recommends' 2 batteries.
I wonder just how long they can go on selling new units before even their private stash runs to zero? How many months' delay did they anticipate anyway?

 

[Vaporific]

How many months' delay did they anticipate anyway?

I believe the original estimate was May or May/June. We’re heading into September and they again have no credibility. They’re beyond pathetic. I’ll be writing them again soon to give them an unpleasant piece of my mind.

 

[Cheesequake]

I feel for you guys that have been waiting forever and I can promise I would be making a big stink if I was in your position. Not to rub salt in the wound or anything but I just received shipment confirmation for my repaired hopper. And for whoever was asking my only communication to them has been through the warranty form on the website.

 

[Baron23]

This still does nothing toward explaining the (apparently) extremely uneven process by which the 'next' Hopper is selected for repair.

Yes, the point is that some GHs are coming back in 6-8 weeks maybe and others have been in RMA purgatory for a year or more.

This can NOT be about prioritization of resources. There is NOTHING that can justify a year delay.

After a year, they ought to just send you a new unit as they clearly are not fixing yours.

Hopper Labs makes my head hurt

Wrt to batteries and "How many months' delay did they anticipate anyway?"

WTF knows at this point.

 

[PPN]

Is nobody tried to mod a Hopper to make it usable with a modbox? I thought it only need to cut the battery compartment and stick a 510 connector to the heater... I know it's a no wire design but I don't see why it might not be possible to close the electrical path solded to a 510 threading....?

Is the GH resistance a known number?

 

[Hjalmark]

Go back 500 pages and there was a guy who made a hopper battery pack that used a external battery pack with a hopper battery shaped plug that you screwed into your hopper and then your screwed the clicker on top.

Also think my hopper maybe died after 3 weeks of use ... *sigh* I need a trustworthy portable

Is nobody tried to mod a Hopper to make it usable with a modbox? I thought it only need to cut the battery compartment and stick a 510 connector to the heater... I know it's a no wire design but I don't see why it might not be possible to close the electrical path solded to a 510 threading....?

Is the GH resistance a known number?

 

[Vaporific]

Go back 500 pages and there was a guy who made a hopper battery pack that used a external battery pack with a hopper battery shaped plug that you screwed into your hopper and then your screwed the clicker on top.

Also think my hopper maybe died after 3 weeks of use ... *sigh* I need a trustworthy portable

Sorry to hear! They are temperamental units, either they work well and optimally or work like crap. There’s little in between.

Honestly, I have two HR Furies, a F2 and Snap (Fury clone), and they are so consistent and reliable it’s not funny. True, they don’t heat up as quick as Hopper and not really great for one or two quick draws, but they’ve never failed me and the AVB is always consistent. They simply work well, easy to operate and clean, etc. Not as small as a Hopper but convection and precise temp control.

I’ll be writing HL a strongly worded nastygram over the weekend calling them out on their BS with my nearly yearlong RMA. It’s complete BS at this point from what I’ve read herein the last year (and well prior to that too as I’ve followed this thread from the beginning but only have been actively posting the last year and half or so when I knew my unit needed to be serviced - and then it finally died).

 

[Hjalmark]

Sorry to hear! They are temperamental units, either they work well and optimally or work like crap. There’s little in between.

Honestly, I have two HR Furies, a F2 and Snap (Fury clone), and they are so consistent and reliable it’s not funny. True, they don’t heat up as quick as Hopper and not really great for one or two quick draws, but they’ve never failed me and the AVB is always consistent. They simply work well, easy to operate and clean, etc. Not as small as a Hopper but convection and precise temp control.

I’ll be writing HL a strongly worded nastygram over the weekend calling them out on their BS with my nearly yearlong RMA. It’s complete BS at this point from what I’ve read herein the last year (and well prior to that too as I’ve followed this thread from the beginning but only have been actively posting the last year and half or so when I knew my unit needed to be serviced - and then it finally died).

Yep hopper is fragile as fuck, I manage to get my going again but it started doing 2 sec red light to blue and no heat but felt like it was still generating tiny micron of heat so I just kept turning it on and sucking hard, I noticed the clicking of the heater is way more prominent but then finally it was like some sensor got unglogged and it started giving me full heat again

Let's see how long it hangs on because it did a similar thing earlier today

 

[slozukimc]

Yep hopper is fragile as fuck, I manage to get my going again but it started doing 2 sec red light to blue and no heat but felt like it was still generating tiny micron of heat so I just kept turning it on and sucking hard, I noticed the clicking of the heater is way more prominent but then finally it was like some sensor got unglogged and it started giving me full heat again

Let's see how long it hangs on because it did a similar thing earlier today

I think it’s dirty contacts in the back end.

I wonder what Hopper has to say about using a mild contact cleaner on the back end.........seemed to work for my oldest unit.

 

[Hjalmark]

I think it’s dirty contacts in the back end.

I wonder what Hopper has to say about using a mild contact cleaner on the back end.........seemed to work for my oldest unit.

I did and do regular ISO swaps off parts and did that also now, but think the problem is alot to do with the tiny size of heater and parts in a tiny tube with bunch of holes and tiny particles going into thinks they should not be

BTW pretty fucking blasted now on the hopper