Discontinued ThermoVape

[Shit Snacks]

Cool. Sound troubleshooting technique sometimes calls for stuff like this, simple experiments to confirm/eliminate possibles one by one.

Which PA are you using?

Good luck.

OF

Well no luck with the other strain, and I was actually trying it through a different outlet and started to notice an off taste/smell, but I think I might have to put a hold on the experimenting for tonight though, getting tired from using my Underdog now.

I'll keep at it I guess, I'm thinking I'll borrow a friend's T1 when i can too, that way I'll be able to know for sure if mine is in fact broken in some way or not, but the way things are going right now my moneys unfortunately still on broken...

I have the official Thermovape PA I believe, purchased from another member

 

[OF]

I have the official Thermovape PA I believe, purchased from another member

It has a 6 Volt, 4 Amp 'wall wort' with it? Pretty simple and dependable. I don't recall anyone having any troubles with it. The Pipe's unit is a bit different scheme.

Thanks.

OF

 

[Dangus]

Perhaps one of the coils died?

 

[OF]

Perhaps one of the coils died?

Possible, but very easy to spot and it will still function some. And doesn't it behave normally on batteries?

OF

 

[Shit Snacks]

Possible, but very easy to spot and it will still function some. And doesn't it behave normally on batteries?

OF

No no, i havent tried with batteries myself since my gf had it, but she claimed she just couldn't really get any vapor with it anymore. And then when I plugged into the PA I had that symptom, so that's why i suggested it is the T1 itself (that and the now-disproven theory about the backwards batteries).

Yup the PA has the wall wart and everything

I looked for the coils and its actually hard to tell, like sometimes both go and sometimes one maybe. The alarming thing was the taste/smell that started the last time I tried, further indicating perhaps there is something wrong with the element. I just never thought it could glow seemingly bright and strong and not produce any vapor, that's the most baffling.

I may be able to borrow my friend's T1 this weekend, so then I'll know for sure that mine is damaged in some way. Unless anyone else pipes up with similar experience.

 

[OF]

No no, i havent tried with batteries myself since my gf had it, but she claimed she just couldn't really get any vapor with it anymore.

I just never thought it could glow seemingly bright and strong and not produce any vapor, that's the most baffling.

I may be able to borrow my friend's T1 this weekend, so then I'll know for sure that mine is damaged in some way. Unless anyone else pipes up with similar experience.

My misconception, thanks for clearing it up. I get confused on details like that sometimes since I'm thinking of many different folk's problems and of course the other guy is worried about the only problem that really matters........

It can be hard to 'read' the core since it saturates in the end. Your best chance is as it heats, when the coils are only 'a little red'. You are, I think, quite right if the core is hot, it should make air hot and hot air should make vapor. Something is amiss I think, the question is what.

Borrowing your friend's unit (and batteries) is a great plan. Substitution with known good parts is a very powerful troubleshooting tool indeed, just be sure you don't end up with two broken units (only possible through mishap or multiple failures of course, but Murphy looks for such opportunities.....).

Good luck, it would be great if you can sort it out. Otherwise it will be covered by TV on warranty as I understand it.

OF

 

[Shit Snacks]

Well, after using my friends T1 today, I can see that mine is definitely broken in some way, the core/element itself as its the same with the PA or good batteries compared to the working one. And it does seem that it is the coil, in fact only one side is heating up so I guess it is not getting quite hot enough overall so that's why glow but no vapor I suppose. Is something like that still covered under warranty? I forget the current policy now that it's discontinued. I did contact Zeki a year ago where he sent me a new switch, should I just email him again?

At the very least if its not covered and they won't repair it, I'm sure my friend will let me have his since hes mostly a combuster now (but I did just get him to buy a Daisy, so maybe he's coming back!). Because let me tell you, aside from these issues with my T1 suddenly failing, now that I have a working one i can see how the PA is fantastic. As is the WPA, so thanks to @llamaman001 for hooking me up with those and reinvigorating the T1 for me!

So far this is exactly what I wanted, turning the soso portable (bc of the battery dependency) to an incredible plug in vape. Especially though my new inline honeycomb bubbler
(http://www.dhgate.com/product/honey-comb-and-in-line-percolator-glass-bubbler/183730847.html)
the hits are incredible. Thick cloudy, heavy, with every hit being like its off a fresh battery, but better. I'm eveb thinking this will be able to replace my LSV as my home-bubbler heavy hitter...

The PA is really where you get to appreciate the power of the T1, and the WPA helps you reach even combustion levels with the size of the hits you can take. For anyone on the fence or unknowing of these two thermovape accesories, I strongly suggest you pick at least one up asap to breathe new life into your T1 (especially as new hotshot portables like Elevape, Inhalater, and eventually/hopefully Grasshopper begin to steal its thunder in the battery-powered arena).

Now hopefully I can figure out what to do about my T1 and resolve it soon, so i can complete this otherwise succesful T1-rejuvination project once and forall!

 

[OF]

Is something like that still covered under warranty? I forget the current policy now that it's discontinued. I did contact Zeki a year ago where he sent me a new switch, should I just email him again?

Excellent news. Yes both times, it should be covered.

Regards,

OF

 

[llamaman001]

Glad your enjoying it brother! The PA makes the T1 a VERY nice desktop unit for sure! Have fun man.

 

[Cheerios]

I purchased a T1 roughly a month ago and it has been a great vape to own (when it works). I have cleaned out the mouth piece and battery tube and nothing has really been working. The batteries are charged and well, however, the coils are not passing off any sort of heat.

Any idea what to do to fix the issue or assess what may be wrong with it. I just spent $80 and it worked about 3-4 times. I really don't want to recycle my first item I purchased from FC.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Well, after using my friends T1 today, I can see that mine is definitely broken in some way, the core/element itself as its the same with the PA or good batteries compared to the working one. And it does seem that it is the coil, in fact only one side is heating up so I guess it is not getting quite hot enough overall so that's why glow but no vapor I suppose. Is something like that still covered under warranty? I forget the current policy now that it's discontinued. I did contact Zeki a year ago where he sent me a new switch, should I just email him again?

At the very least if its not covered and they won't repair it, I'm sure my friend will let me have his since hes mostly a combuster now (but I did just get him to buy a Daisy, so maybe he's coming back!). Because let me tell you, aside from these issues with my T1 suddenly failing, now that I have a working one i can see how the PA is fantastic. As is the WPA, so thanks to @llamaman001 for hooking me up with those and reinvigorating the T1 for me!

So far this is exactly what I wanted, turning the soso portable (bc of the battery dependency) to an incredible plug in vape. Especially though my new inline honeycomb bubbler
(http://www.dhgate.com/product/honey-comb-and-in-line-percolator-glass-bubbler/183730847.html)
the hits are incredible. Thick cloudy, heavy, with every hit being like its off a fresh battery, but better. I'm eveb thinking this will be able to replace my LSV as my home-bubbler heavy hitter...

The PA is really where you get to appreciate the power of the T1, and the WPA helps you reach even combustion levels with the size of the hits you can take. For anyone on the fence or unknowing of these two thermovape accesories, I strongly suggest you pick at least one up asap to breathe new life into your T1 (especially as new hotshot portables like Elevape, Inhalater, and eventually/hopefully Grasshopper begin to steal its thunder in the battery-powered arena).

Now hopefully I can figure out what to do about my T1 and resolve it soon, so i can complete this otherwise succesful T1-rejuvination project once and forall!

Well, I've got my original T1 back from its core rebuild and its as good as new! Anyone who has an old T1 lying around that doesn't heat up, pay the $20+ and send it in to Thermovape. You will thank yourself you did! And again, if you can, get yourself a power adapter and waterpipe adapter as well, mine is still doing perfectly as my heavy hitter set up!

 

[Cheerios]

Can I send it to Thermovape even though I do not have a receipt (I purchased from FC)?

If so, would you mind posting what procedure I need to go through in order to send it to Thermovape?

 

[OF]

Can I send it to Thermovape even though I do not have a receipt (I purchased from FC)?

If so, would you mind posting what procedure I need to go through in order to send it to Thermovape?

It should not be a problem, I don't recall it ever has been reported to be? Instruction are on the Thermovape page.

OF

 

[catbird]

I am also having an issue with some TV gear not heating up -- my Ultra. I guess there is a problem with the switch? All 5 batteries equally don't work, so it doesn't seem to a battery issue, and neither the revolution nor the evolution heats up. So the switch is the common factor, though it doesn't seem all that subject to breakage. Anyway, it worked a few weeks back. I've used it fewer than 10 times (got it from the classifieds, but condition was unused). I've been thinking to get some fresh batteries regardless, but after charging and trying them each again, I realized I was having another issue entirely.

 

[R.John.Blake]

I purchased a T1 roughly a month ago and it has been a great vape to own (when it works). I have cleaned out the mouth piece and battery tube and nothing has really been working. The batteries are charged and well, however, the coils are not passing off any sort of heat.

Any idea what to do to fix the issue or assess what may be wrong with it. I just spent $80 and it worked about 3-4 times. I really don't want to recycle my first item I purchased from FC.

Are you sure the switch is seated properly, allowing contact between the batteries and the core?

That's happened to me once where the core wouldn't heat up but after some fiddling with the switch, everything was back to normal.

 

[catbird]

Are you sure the switch is seated properly, allowing contact between the batteries and the core?

That's happened to me once where the core wouldn't heat up but after some fiddling with the switch, everything was back to normal.

I did fiddle with it a bit to see if there was some alignment issue, and there's nothing that I can see, but still I'm not sure...

EDIT: I just realized you were not even actually replying to me, yet your response totally applies. Weird.

 

[R.John.Blake]

I did fiddle with it a bit to see if there was some alignment issue, and there's nothing that I can see, but still I'm not sure...

If I remember correctly, I once boiled the middle piece (without the switch) and the steel thing inside the delrin had slid up. When I put everything back together again, without realizing what had happened, the core didn't fire up. When I saw that there something wrong with the middle piece, I forced it back down and that seemed to do the trick. (This is a separate incident from what I mentioned earlier.)

 

[OF]

Are you sure the switch is seated properly, allowing contact between the batteries and the core?

That's happened to me once where the core wouldn't heat up but after some fiddling with the switch, everything was back to normal.

Yep, I think you've got it.

Remove the core. Pull the switch and ring out. Seat the ring in the bottom of the counterbore squarely with a pen of similar (or do like I do and used the switch body reversed. Put the switch back, pushing it as far forward as possible. Finally screw the core back so it pushes the switch out a bit as it seats.

Otherwise you get a gap between the switch and core due to the o-ring. A very common problem. In an emergency, you can run without the ring but need to be careful changing/charging the batteries.

OF

 

[catbird]

If I remember correctly, I once boiled the middle piece (without the switch) and the steel thing inside the delrin had slid up. When I put everything back together again, without realizing what had happened, the core didn't fire up. When I saw that there something wrong with the middle piece, I forced it back down and that seemed to do the trick. (This is a separate incident from what I mentioned earlier.)

It's the Ultra, so no delrin sleeve to shift and mess up the assembly. The battery connecter doesn't appear out of place to my eye when I look down the interior piece (of the two switch pieces) but it doesn't seem like something I'd be able to eye if it were. Compared to my t1, I notice with the Ultra that the battery pokes up higher out of the inside piece, above the rim, which is perhaps relevant, and I guess I thought it sort of fit better, but idk/remember. The batteries aren't flush with the top of the inside piece with the t1 either, but those batteries stick out much less. Not sure if this is meaningful as there could just be a difference between these two handles in the proportion of the switch pieces in relation to the batteries.

Yep, I think you've got it.

Remove the core. Pull the switch and ring out. Seat the ring in the bottom of the counterbore squarely with a pen of similar (or do like I do and used the switch body reversed. Put the switch back, pushing it as far forward as possible. Finally screw the core back so it pushes the switch out a bit as it seats.

Otherwise you get a gap between the switch and core due to the o-ring. A very common problem. In an emergency, you can run without the ring but need to be careful changing/charging the batteries.

OF

hmmm... there is no O ring in my assembly. I am fairly confused since it looks fine. There is something off about the feel of the switch, like the range of motion seems limited, and there's something unsatisfying about holding it up but this also may be a difference between the Ultra and t1 that is tripping me up.

EDIT: Oh! Could the problem be with the adapter piece? The piece within the spring appears to sit lower within the Ultra-to-REV/EVO adapter, than in the adapter for the t1. So maybe it is not reaching and connecting with the heater core. An issue with the spring could also explain the limited motion. I'm going to explore this.

EDIT: oops, just realized I mistakenly made back-to-back posts, but can't change this now.

 

[OF]

There definitely should be a ring, there's (almost) nothing you can see by way of failure. Part of the trouble is you can't see inside the switch nor is they any way for debris to escape. The switches, but when I asked TV 'how often' they said '1 time in 20 or 30', the other times the switch itself is just fine by is mechanically goofed up not making contact on top. You can't expect to lift the switch up against resistance with your thumb on the slide. If it gets bound up, you can't push it hard enough to free it without it springing back into trouble.

You might consider sending it in?

Good luck, but from what you describe it's a switch/placement issue I think.

OF

 

[catbird]

Yeah, I'll send it in. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't some adjustment I could make/something I wasn't seeing. Thanks.

EDIT: Where should there be an O ring? The only one I have is the one for the evolution.

 

[OF]

EDIT: Where should there be an O ring? The only one I have is the one for the evolution.

Between the switch and the adapter it sits in, over the black plastic part. Pull the switch out and look carefully down the hole. It should be black.

Just how are you so sure there isn't one in there if you didn't know where it is?????

OF

 

[catbird]

You are right, there is an o-ring in the adapter, and where it should be is fairly obvious. I can't even explain what I was thinking without feeling completely dumb, because it's pretty dumb. When @R.John.Blake was describing opening up the switch, I didn't realize the middle piece he referred to was the adapter as in the middle between the body and the cart. This makes a lot more sense, but my mind, specifically because he mentioned the delrin sleeve, went to the middle piece of the handle, and I was scratching my head trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong with the inner metal body piece, and then how it could involve an o-ring. Then I had my own little revelation that it was the adapter after you guys had already clearly identified this. I am admittedly kind of dense about such things, and like forgot about the adapter's involvement in this process. Also once again I was constrained in my thinking by confusing TV terminology. I will have to fight the urge to delete the content of my past posts about this.

 

[Cheerios]

I readjusted the o-ring, it seemed to be a little crooked, waiting for batteries to charge up, hopefully this works.

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[OF]

I readjusted the o-ring, it seemed to be a little crooked, waiting for batteries to charge up, hopefully this works.

Thanks for the help everyone!

You cannot disassemble the switch (5 pieces IIRC) without wrecking it most likely and for sure can't put it back together without the tooling TV uses.

Send it in remains my advice if you can fix it by resetting the o-ring (which solves almost all such problems, switch failures are quite rare these days last I heard).

OF