The Lotus Vaporizer

[El Rawn Hubbard]

Hey, I like that finish washer idea. Trying it out with the alu pipe.

I'm finally frustrated enough with my hotspotting issue that I've written to Lotus for input; looking for the same here. The hotspot follows the blue dot, always, unless I try to keep the temperatures *really* low (like, too low to really be useful). Thoughts?

Hiya, I have exactly the same issue, photos look identical to mine.

Apart from, as you say, reducing the heat the only way I've found to stop this happening is to lower the inhale speed (I have to do this with the RBT Splinter too, for example) and, instead of completing the 360° flame circle I only complete about 270° of the circle, making sure that the 90° (quarter circle) which the flame doesn't touch is where the char spot would be.
So the flame moves in a back and forth circular motion instead of completing the circle.

It works for me but does make it less straightforward to use.

After looking at those photo's I can't help but wonder why you have so much build up on the hot plate? Are you holding the lighter too close and getting soot?

As for the hot spotting, have either of you cleaned inside the cap recently?

Even air flow is important and it doesn't take much of a restriction to stop the cap from working properly.

 

[GoldenBud]

the domed screen for Solo II is fully compatible with Lotus WPA. hooray

 

[chlorophyll_man]

I've realised that my hotspot/charring was user error.
I had been directing the flame at an angle which caused the flame to skirt across the cap heating one side more than the other. I could see that this had been happening when I unscrewed it and looked at the heat pattern on the metal foil inside.
I've since been focusing on keeping the flame perpendicular at all times and have no hotspot now.
The reason I had been holding the flame at a slight angle was because the lighter would splutter out mid-draw when pointing the flame downwards/perpendicularly, so I just need to keep an eye out for that.

 

[GoldenBud]

I've realised that my hotspot/charring was user error.
I had been directing the flame at an angle which caused the flame to skirt across the cap heating one side more than the other. I could see that this had been happening when I unscrewed it and looked at the heat pattern on the metal foil inside.
I've since been focusing on keeping the flame perpendicular at all times and have no hotspot now.
The reason I had been holding the flame at a slight angle was because the lighter would splutter out mid-draw when pointing the flame downwards/perpendicularly, so I just need to keep an eye out for that.

The key is just moving around the center, not staying on same point more than 1~ second, the flame at its hottest point is at temp of around 800 C.. and also preheating is important.. around 3-8 seconds of preheating depends which size of cloud you want

 

[Showerhead]

Hey, I like that finish washer idea. Trying it out with the alu pipe.

I'm finally frustrated enough with my hotspotting issue that I've written to Lotus for input; looking for the same here. The hotspot follows the blue dot, always, unless I try to keep the temperatures *really* low (like, too low to really be useful). Thoughts?

View attachment 5813View attachment 5814

Yep I'm having the same hotspots, I think it's just how the lotus works

i kinda gave up on the lotus, to much time and work for the perfect hit

 

[GoldenBud]

i kinda gave up on the lotus, to much time and work for the perfect hit

try preheating for 6 seconds then inhale.. stir every 2 hits.. don't step inside the circle too much..zero hotspots i get and i extract it well

 

[Greenteam]

After looking at those photo's I can't help but wonder why you have so much build up on the hot plate? Are you holding the lighter too close and getting soot?

As for the hot spotting, have either of you cleaned inside the cap recently?

Even air flow is important and it doesn't take much of a restriction to stop the cap from working properly.

Very good suggestions! I had no problems with my Lotus at the beginning and after excessive use I had gradually more problems with hotspots, till I realised that the screen in the cap was kind of clogged partially, except of one small area and I supposed that this area caused the spotting, because the hot airflow finds its way through the cleaner area of the screen. After cleaning the inside of the cap and the screen everything worked perfect again. You can have the same issues when the screen of the pipe is dirty. Now I never have this issues. I love the Lotus for easy instant on demand hits!

 

[feralcomprehension]

After looking at those photo's I can't help but wonder why you have so much build up on the hot plate? Are you holding the lighter too close and getting soot?

As for the hot spotting, have either of you cleaned inside the cap recently?

I don't think I'm holding it too close; been using a dynavap with great success for over 2 years and haven't had issues like that. It did seem to get sooty all of a sudden; dunno what to make of that as nothing in my setup changed, same torch, same butane.

My lotus was new in November and the problem has existed from the start. I've had it apart multiple times, nothing dirty inside, the debris screen is still shiny.

I've realised that my hotspot/charring was user error.
I had been directing the flame at an angle which caused the flame to skirt across the cap heating one side more than the other. I could see that this had been happening when I unscrewed it and looked at the heat pattern on the metal foil inside.
I've since been focusing on keeping the flame perpendicular at all times and have no hotspot now.
The reason I had been holding the flame at a slight angle was because the lighter would splutter out mid-draw when pointing the flame downwards/perpendicularly, so I just need to keep an eye out for that.

I wouldn't read too much into the heat pattern on the inside; somewhere in this thread Max from Lotus indicated that was a byproduct of the manufacturing process. He did mention the angle of the torch being important, but I just now got a hotspot and was very careful to keep the torch perpendicular the whole time.

The key is just moving around the center, not staying on same point more than 1~ second, the flame at its hottest point is at temp of around 800 C.. and also preheating is important.. around 3-8 seconds of preheating depends which size of cloud you want

Yeah, I do exactly that, and also pull the torch further away for the middle part of the draw to avoid too much concentrated heat.

Yep I'm having the same hotspots, I think it's just how the lotus works

That's three.

try preheating for 6 seconds then inhale.. stir every 2 hits.. don't step inside the circle too much..zero hotspots i get and i extract it well (emphasis added)

Yes, I preheat every time, trying to stop just short of barely glowing. Easier in a dark room. You say to stay outside the center circle? I'm definitely not doing that; pretty sure the instructions at least imply to heat the dimple so that's what I've done from the start.

Very good suggestions! I had no problems with my Lotus at the beginning and after excessive use I had gradually more problems with hotspots, till I realised that the screen in the cap was kind of clogged partially, except of one small area and I supposed that this area caused the spotting, because the hot airflow finds its way through the cleaner area of the screen. After cleaning the inside of the cap and the screen everything worked perfect again. You can have the same issues when the screen of the pipe is dirty. Now I never have this issues. I love the Lotus for easy instant on demand hits!

I've been having this issue since it was bran-fresh out the box.

I'm getting good support from Lotus- I really want it to work and I'm confident we'll get it sorted.
Thanks to all for trying to help!

 

[GoldenBud]

Yes, I preheat every time, trying to stop just short of barely glowing. Easier in a dark room. You say to stay outside the center circle? I'm definitely not doing that; pretty sure the instructions at least imply to heat the dimple so that's what I've done from the start.

I almost never heat it at Radius=0 (middle of the circle) , usually on Radius=X (the edges of the circle) and rarely on Radius=2X
now i took the big guys tip and uses almost 1 inch of flame (Honest torch.. but at its highest flame almsot) without preheating. top flavours! (on Radius=X)

and yes, keeping the screen/device clean is important.. my WPA gets cleaning within every 1-2 days...I never let the magnet on the WPA to be dirty. not even abit hehe...also about the screens... I clean them with some pick tool

 

[feralcomprehension]

I'm usually circling at 0.9x, so I'll walk the ridge. Standby

I swapped in a fresh lower screen, preheated for about a 5 count, then took a 20s draw while circling the ridge at about 1 rev/s. Same hotspot every time.



It's really green opposite the dark spot at about eight o'clock; the heat is concentrated there even under low heat.

 

[FlyingLow]

Any one have a spare set screw for the end of their pipe?

Been missing mine for a while now... have it taped up.

 

[Greenteam]

Any one have a spare set screw for the end of their pipe?

Been missing mine for a while now... have it taped up.

Maybe you can look up for 'headless' srews or grub screws in a hardware store or Amazon? Something like this? I don't know the proper sice at the moment

Amazon.com: uxcell 50Pcs M2.5 x 3mm Stainless Steel Hex Socket Set Grub Screws Headless Cup Point : Industrial & Scientific

Amazon.com: uxcell 50Pcs M2.5 x 3mm Stainless Steel Hex Socket Set Grub Screws Headless Cup Point : Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

Although this one has a hexagon shaped groove, I'm sure there will be also slotted grub screws

 

[El Rawn Hubbard]

Yep I'm having the same hotspots, I think it's just how the lotus works

No it isn't.

If everything is clean and functional, hot spots are user error.

It could be any combination of over-loaded/tamped the bowl, flame running too hot/long or inhalation speed not matching the lighter and load size.

 

[feralcomprehension]

No it isn't.

If everything is clean and functional, hot spots are user error.

It could be any combination of over-loaded/tamped the bowl, flame running too hot/long or inhalation speed not matching the lighter and load size.

Your surety is remarkable; have you used my Lotus? Are you asserting that manufacturing tolerance and/or errors do not exist?

Look at the hotspot pictures I posted- that hotspot has existed with my Lotus from new and it's location is 100% predictable based on the position of the disc; if it were user error then there would be some user-based variation, instead it always appears 90* counterclockwise from the stir pin, and it's always very small in diameter, regardless of variations in technique- small circles, big circles, back and forth, torch close, torch further away, full bowl, light bowl, soft pull, harder pull, firm tamp, light tamp, right hand, left hand, different lighters, etc...

I'm not new at this, burned my first joint in 1984, fucked combustion in '16 with a MFLB and then switched to a Dynavap in '18. Those devices trained me to know what hot feels like and how to modulate the energy input to produce vapor without combustion.

I'm also an engineer and well aware of the importance of controlled experiments. In an effort to take user error out of the equation I read every post in this thread, read through the "best of Lotus" thread twice, and watched at least a dozen "how to use the Lotus" videos- I've done what I can do. If you're right and it is user error (which I very much doubt at this point) then this device is way too finicky to be as popular as it is; something is wrong with mine and I don't believe it's the user.

 

[GoldenBud]

Your surety is remarkable; have you used my Lotus? Are you asserting that manufacturing tolerance and/or errors do not exist?

your device is clean? your plate isn't dented or so? you use the right length of flame? you take slow draws?
from the picture in comment #7535 , it seems your WPA isn't clean at all. you need to seal the WPA to the cap.....clean the magnet too

 

[vaping herbs]

Hi there,
I just wanted to buy a Lotus vaporizer at verdampftnochmal.de. But I got the info that the production of the lotus is discontinued and thus there will be no more spare or wear parts in the future.
Is there any truth to it?

 

[Greenteam]

Hi there,
I just wanted to buy a Lotus vaporizer at verdampftnochmal.de. But I got the info that the production of the lotus is discontinued and thus there will be no more spare or wear parts in the future.
Is there any truth to it?

I don't know, but I wrote them an email last week asking if they could sell me a spare aluminium pipe (although there is no one listed in their shop, I know they have it but only as a set with a cap and a WPA) and they answered that it is not possible to sell the pipe as a single component and probably they will not restock it in the future. They didn't tell me that the Lotus will be discontinued in general. I think they try to get rid of their stock. I noticed that with other vapes too (mostly older vapes or vapes they have in stock for a long time), often the full set is available but not the single components

 

[msl]

Right now, only the short stem aluminum pipe (no cap, pipe only) is available. https://lotusvaporizer.com/stem-short/

 

[colgorkan]

There is an announcement from early January that they are out of stock on the aluminum stems. ETA is late February.

 

[msl]

The short aluminum stems are in stock, I ordered mine a few days ago and it shipped right away.

 

[GoldenBud]

which case do you use for the lotus's jhook for traveling? any recommendation? thanks

 

[SquirrelMaster]

I just received this email from Lotus.

I want to thank you for being a loyal Lotus customer. I will be retiring soon and shutting down the Lotus company as it now exists. There will shortly be a presence on eBay to keep everyone supplied with maintenance items: screens, hot plates, etc. If you are thinking of buying a cap or WPA, please do it soon while stock is available. The company may exist with another owner in the future but that is not assured. Thanks for a great 10+ years, – Max Jitter

 

[Ripstar]

I just received this email from Lotus.

I want to thank you for being a loyal Lotus customer. I will be retiring soon and shutting down the Lotus company as it now exists. There will shortly be a presence on eBay to keep everyone supplied with maintenance items: screens, hot plates, etc. If you are thinking of buying a cap or WPA, please do it soon while stock is available. The company may exist with another owner in the future but that is not assured. Thanks for a great 10+ years, – Max Jitter

Well shit, I was just about to order one soon. Might have to do that sooner than later....

 

[JEMSKU]

Well shit, I was just about to order one soon. Might have to do that sooner than later....

When vapman came to a similar end, is the reason I own one. I've always been tempted by this one...

 

[FlyingLow]

Cheers to Max, thanks for what you brought to the vape world!
This unit was critical when I needed to kick combustion, I am forever grateful!