Discontinued Thermovape Cera

[nopartofme]

I've got some questions bouncing around in my head… I want to make sure I understand exactly what's going on under my nose when I'm using the LL cart.

I've read OF's three step process on how to use TET's convection vapes optimally. My understanding is that the first step is to let the coil heat to max temperature. Secondly, you take small puffs to bring heat into the herb. Finally, at the third step you take your inhalation of whatever size you like.

I want to make sure I'm clear on how step two works. Is the idea simply to bring the flowers from room temperature to hot-but-below-vaporizing temperatures, in order to then actually vaporize the actives in the next step? Or, is there some part of the vaporizer that you are aiming to heat up in this step? If it's the flowers that you're trying to heat, how long is this heat retained? I imagine a significant temperature drop within a matter of seconds, but I could be wrong.

My other question is regarding draw speed. How easy is it to pull too hard? Would too much airflow cool the coil or just not heat the air enough? It's hard for me to gauge how much I'm heating the air as the ceramic mouthpiece cools so effectively! Perhaps too effectively from a newbie's perspective? Unless you're using it with a water tool (mine broke), there's seemingly no feedback to go on as to whether you're getting vapor at all, or how thick it is.

On a related point, the draw resistance surprised me. I think I'm noticing it a lot just because of the no-feedback issue which leads me to think "maybe I'm pulling too slowly" over and over, until I'm fighting with the thing to get air through…

If I turn off my thinker a little and just sit back and pull through it casually, I do get medicated without noticing for certain when I'm actually get the vapor. Part of my problem could be lingering habits from combustion days, where physical feedback (pain!) was a pretty reliable indicator of how much smoke you got and thus how high you were about to be. Even so, it's hard not to wonder if I could be using the Cera more efficiently.

 

[dankd420]

I want to make sure I'm clear on how step two works. Is the idea simply to bring the flowers from room temperature to hot-but-below-vaporizing temperatures, in order to then actually vaporize the actives in the next step? Or, is there some part of the vaporizer that you are aiming to heat up in this step? If it's the flowers that you're trying to heat, how long is this heat retained? I imagine a significant temperature drop within a matter of seconds, but I could be wrong.

Can't comment much on the other parts, but step two is basically cooking off the moisture in the buds. By getting the moisture out before vaping more of the heat can focus on the goods, instead of being wasted on heating water.

DankD

 

[Dreamerr]

I wonder if someone maybe can compare the LL draw to the solo as you need to heat the herbs in the solo as well. I would think a stock stem solo comparison might and I said might clear up some LL questions. I still hold out hope for me and LL cera if not how it is now then the maybe an improved version which I am not sure how that would be accomplished. We still have that holding the bottom issue as well.

Is it possible that pure convection and LL is not the best combo?

 

[OF]

I want to make sure I'm clear on how step two works. Is the idea simply to bring the flowers from room temperature to hot-but-below-vaporizing temperatures, in order to then actually vaporize the actives in the next step? Or, is there some part of the vaporizer that you are aiming to heat up in this step? If it's the flowers that you're trying to heat, how long is this heat retained? I imagine a significant temperature drop within a matter of seconds, but I could be wrong.

As DankD said, you're a mite off here at step 2. You want deep 'medium fast' pulls, say 15 seconds to a lung full. You need to heat the load, that means moving hot air from the core into the load. The 'puff' part is after a few pulls you puff a bit out to see if the vapor is really there (as you point out, it's not easy to detect due to the cooling). When you get a solid test puff, dump the partial hit in your lungs and go for it.

The insulation works very well, the load will still be ready to go a minute later (or very nearly so).

The science behind it is simple and neat. After reaching 'the magic temperature' extra heat energy goes into making vapor, not getting it hotter (until the THC is gone at least).

Fiddle around, don't be shy, it'll come to you. As you notice even casual use is effective, but follow those test puffs and you'll find the vapor.

Best wishes.

OF

 

[Haywood]

I want to make sure I'm clear on how step two works.

You want deep 'medium fast' pulls, say 15 seconds to a lung full. ...[snip]... When you get a solid test puff, dump the partial hit in your lungs and go for it.

OF has pretty much given you the straight poop, but I wanted to add a little bit. One slightly different method for step two is to take "mouth hits" until you see some vapor in your exhale. Like you're puffing on a pipe or cigar while lighting it. So you do your step one and let the Cera core preheat. Then you just puff a mouthful and exhale, without taking the hit into your lungs, noting the flavor and if there's any vapor when you exhale the puff. That's a good one second strong pull into your mouth, then the exhale to check for taste and vapor, then another good one second strong pull into your mouth, etc. Keep the Cera button pressed down the whole time during step two. When your puff exhale has some vapor visible (and you get some flavor in your mouth), switch over to step three, the full lung inhales. Depending on how moist your herb is, this can take many (half a dozen or so) mouth hits before you start seeing and tasting vapor. Again, one second strong hit, one second exhale from mouth, one second strong hit, one second exhale from mouth; repeat until you see some vapor on the exhale before switching to step three.

Now this is a little wasteful of the delicious terpenes and other flavorful and spiritual things that come with the first hits off a fresh load, so once you become more attuned to your Cera, and to the different timing requirement for different strains and moisture contents, you can shift over to taking the step two mouth puffs into your lungs before exhaling. Once you know your Cera and your strain's characteristics, you'll find yourself doing a few strong short puffs to get the load hot and dry, and then just lots of step three and full lungfuls. And because the moisture content plays a big part in the timing of the technique of when to switch from step two to step three, you'll find with a given fresh load, your technique will change slightly between the first/second hits, and the subsequent hits, due to the moisture mostly being gone after a couple of good hits. This all becomes second nature in a short while and you won't even realize you're doing it.

have fun; don't hurt yourself.

 

[hooperbell]

After reaching 'the magic temperature' extra heat energy goes into making vapor, not getting it hotter (until the THC is gone at least).

Fiddle around, don't be shy, it'll come to you. As you notice even casual use is effective, but follow those test puffs and you'll find the vapor.

Best wishes.

OF

This is just a really elaborate way of saying it is not a pure convection vape?

 

[OF]

This is just a really elaborate way of saying it is not a pure convection vape?

No.

Basic Physics/Chemistry. Heating method has nothing to do with it.

OF

 

[Ken-oh]

As of about 2 hours ago, I am finally a Cera LL owner. This is my first vaporizer after many years of combusting. Since around the time I ordered, I've been seeing a lot of advice for drawing on the CLL similar to what OF and Haywood just posted, and it worked right away for me. It's somewhat slow and methodical, but definitely an effective delivery system with the right technique. Some people might not have the patience for this particular vaporizer or get what they want even with the right technique, but so far I'm getting exactly what I hoped and expected from it. Now I'm just waiting for the battery to get topped off after my quick first test. These damned high capacity batteries are a double edged sword.

I'll post a more thorough review in the next few days.

 

[Tweek]

Could you do a few quick vids of your vg core in action? Inhales, exhales, the sound of the core etc?

Here is a short vid I chopped together of the sounds I describe. You won't see any vapor here, as I was not taking any draws.

 

[jivebuggered]

I have been using the solo for quite a while now originally because it was too cold to go out to the shed to use Extreme Q or my now sold Silver Surfer. The Solo is a potent little performer but took me quite a while to get use to the harder draw. Now that i have gotten used to the Cera LL in comparison i would say the "bowl" in the LL is slightly bigger then the Solo cone. The draw and smoothness in the Cera is by far the best i have come across as is the "hit". I still tend to add the shavings of "bubble" with flowers in the Solo i just find it easier at the moment to clean. To sum up the Solo is almost as potent a hit as the Cera however is slightly harsher and harder to draw. I feel you would get bigger "clouds" with the Solo but not worth worrying about.
On a other note i was looking for a simple and cheap carry case for the Cera and found a slightly padded leather (fake) pencil case with a few compartments. I also found a great shock protector using a spare piece of black hot water pipe insulation (3/8"x 1/2" ID) and just used plastic caps on either end. Of course i could not use the "safety pin" so one would need to take out the battery if you were worried about ignition. Once in the foam the whole lot would go into the pencil case so i am now happy.

 

[Highnstein]

Received my Cera EO on Friday... Hard to put down. The design is amazing. The way everything comes apart and how easy to clean it is makes this one of the best vapes I have ever owned. This truly is a leap like OF mentioned.

 

[Rocco]

Ahhh man this makes me wish mine was here already! Im coockoo for Cera puffs!

 

[SameOldTim]

This is just a really elaborate way of saying it is not a pure convection vape?

I can assure you the Cera is Pure Convection. You can test it out by leaving the top cap on and turning it on, you wont see any vapor coming off it until you draw the hot air through it.

Update: we are waiting for another batch of batteries to ship out full kits. We should be getting them today or at the latest tomorrow. In the mean time we are going to ship some orders that don't have batteries in them to keep stuff going out the door.

Also: We only have about 10 of the All-Glass mouthpieces left.


Cheers,
Tim

 

[Skeena]

Is there a chance of shipping the orders with 2 of the weaker batteries?

 

[SMELLYcat]

I love my CERA. My 3rd review

EO cart can not get any better. From small doses to huge clouds it is incredible. User friendly, easy to load, taste is awesome. My EO sessions are usually short, due to how efficient Cera is.

LL cart and I have had many meetings over the last few day. LL cart is my new best friend! I got the silicone heat tip. Its ugly but works great at protecting from the heat. So its function over fashion. Now I just picked up a T1 GonG adapter for my buddy LL. Not only does it look like a kick ass light sabre, but it works even better then I hoped. I use it like a glass MP. Since the tip is far enough away it only gets warm when Cera is HOT. Great addition to any owners collection. Plus its a ground glass 14mm male end.

I HOPE ALL THE MACGYVERS ARE HUNTING FOR LATCHING SWITCHES CANT WAIT TO ADD THAT TO THE COLLECTION

 

[nopartofme]

Thanks for the help, OF and Haywood. I slept on the advice last night while my battery charged, and when I loaded it up this morning for a fresh start I got much more vapor than I had been getting before. Almost without trying, it felt like. The small bit of changed understanding as to it's properties went a long way, it seems. I'm really enjoying this thing!

 

[iamn3ko]

So my LL seems to light up quicker than my EO, my EO takes a good while to get going.

Is this right?


I see all these amazing reviews on the EO like vapor just pours out immediately.

I feel like I have to hit my EO harder than my LL to get a good hit


Any suggestions?

 

[nickzzzx]

So my LL seems to light up quicker than my EO, my EO takes a good while to get going.

Is this right?


I see all these amazing reviews on the EO like vapor just pours out immediately.

I feel like I have to hit my EO harder than my LL to get a good hit


Any suggestions?

It takes at least a 5 second warmup to get the vapor flowing out of my CEO.
Edit: once it is fully absorbed into the ceramic and fully saturated

 

[Tweek]

So my LL seems to light up quicker than my EO, my EO takes a good while to get going.

Is this right?


I see all these amazing reviews on the EO like vapor just pours out immediately.

I feel like I have to hit my EO harder than my LL to get a good hit


Any suggestions?

The material you place into the cart, has to melt down onto the ceramic wafer. It might be stuck on the side and need time to melt down. Did you do the prerequisite load up of the ceramic as well?

 

[iamn3ko]

It takes at least a 5 second warmup to get the vapor flowing out of my CEO.
Edit: once it is fully absorbed into the ceramic and fully saturated

Yeah see my EO takes its time, a good 15-20 sec warm up

And Tweek, yes I did do the Pre-requisite load up. I started with a little and melted it down good. Slowly added more, melted down

 

[SMELLYcat]

Yeah see my EO takes its time, a good 15-20 sec warm up

And Tweek, yes I did do the Pre-requisite load up. I started with a little and melted it down good. Slowly added more, melted down

That time sounds right to me (from Cold) 10-15sec starts producing. 20sec huge clouds. I have the 2900 batteries. I don't think that is a long time? Once its warmed up Its even faster. That is what I have found with mine.

 

[nickzzzx]

That time sounds right to me 10-15sec starts producing. 20sec huge clouds. I have the 2900 batteries. I don't think that is a long time? That is what I have found with mine.

This is what I am experiencing as well. From cold it takes 5 seconds till first wisps of vapor (just enough to taste), then after 10-15 seconds it's at full temp producing large amounts of vapor very quickly.

 

[Tweek]

I have had to wait around that time as well. Usually if I am picking it up after its been cold for a while, or if I load it up with smaller amounts that need to make their way down. Any time the unit is left on its side or operated upside down, oil will move away from the heat source and will need some time to make its way to the ceramic.

Other causes could be battery power is low or if you are using a protected battery, warm up times will be much slower in my experience.

 

[nickzzzx]

So I know the porous ceramic rings are stacked on top of each other under the top ceramic wafer, but where does the heater coil lay? Isn't there a long and skinny ceramic cylinder somewhere?

 

[J.D.420]

Hey FC I made a little latching switch mod of my own:

Got latching switch on ebay. It's actually an illuminated switch but wiring the leads for the LED is tricky with the tight space constraints. Otherwise it works great. For the LL core it is a must have IMO. Only rated at 3 amps though so longevity may be an issue but should do till a better solution comes up.