Vap Hot Box - Dynavap Induction Heater

[Omni_xl86]

Just received my hot box on the 27th and have been using it fairly heavily since. I know I’m new here, and I don’t want people to think I’m just here to advertise for vhb because I’m certainly not.

I signed up here to purchase a portside mini in October and was very happy with it. I just needed a longer battery life and had seen that the vhb was getting upwards of 100 heat cycles. Before purchasing my portside I had bought two apollo 2 units, one ac and one rechargeable. At first the Apollo had me blown away but I had seen some reddit posts and read on here that the psm hit much harder.

When Compared to the Apollo 2 the VapHotBox hits significantly harder. Comparing to the portside mini I think the heating profiles are similar, however the psm heats a good bit faster maybe half the time for a click. If you’re using the VapHotBox you have a bit more control as well, you can hold the cap at a different depth to achieve much different results.

Overall though I really prefer the vhb simply for the longer battery life. If the psm could incorporate this kind of battery life it would probably win out for the build quality imo but the vhb is still fairly stout. Since receiving it I’ve been using it exclusively and I don’t really see that changing any time soon. I know I can get through a weekend camping without having to worry about charging the heater.

 

[swieder711]

Just received my hot box on the 27th and have been using it fairly heavily since. I know I’m new here, and I don’t want people to think I’m just here to advertise for vhb because I’m certainly not.

I signed up here to purchase a portside mini in October and was very happy with it. I just needed a longer battery life and had seen that the vhb was getting upwards of 100 heat cycles. Before purchasing my portside I had bought two apollo 2 units, one ac and one rechargeable. At first the Apollo had me blown away but I had seen some reddit posts and read on here that the psm hit much harder.

When Compared to the Apollo 2 the VapHotBox hits significantly harder. Comparing to the portside mini I think the heating profiles are similar, however the psm heats a good bit faster maybe half the time for a click. If you’re using the VapHotBox you have a bit more control as well, you can hold the cap at a different depth to achieve much different results.

Overall though I really prefer the vhb simply for the longer battery life. If the psm could incorporate this kind of battery life it would probably win out for the build quality imo but the vhb is still fairly stout. Since receiving it I’ve been using it exclusively and I don’t really see that changing any time soon. I know I can get through a weekend camping without having to worry about charging the heater.

Thanks for the write up. Great to see a comparison of your experience with the different IHs.

Have you looked inside the VHP? Can you post some pictures of its guts? I am thinking about buying a VHP and would like to see the build quality before.

 

[beyond6strings]

Just placed my order for one.

 

[AcidFlashbang]

Thanks for the write up. Great to see a comparison of your experience with the different IHs.

Have you looked inside the VHP? Can you post some pictures of its guts? I am thinking about buying a VHP and would like to see the build quality before.

To me their lack of transparency makes it seem like their internals are just the IH kit everyone buy on Amazon.

 

[beyond6strings]

My IH arrives Thursday. Can’t wait to try it out and report back. I’m not a tech guy so I won’t know anything about the innards, but I do know how to use a vapcap and will give my thoughts on performance vs the venerable Caldron.

 

[beyond6strings]

I got the VHB yesterday afternoon and although I've only done two capfuls I can say that it works on a par with my Caldron and I'm only going a second or so past the click. I am using a single click, 'high temp', cap that I reserve for IH use, so it would operate differently with a normal cap.

I'll see how it lasts and how the batteries hold up. But overall I'm impressed with the build, it's small enough to be truly portable, and it's dead easy to use; turn it on, drop a vapcap into the heater, press a button and wait for a click. Good job Steve.

 

[beyond6strings]

I've been working the VHB hard the past week, and I'm very impressed. I hadn't charged it since Sunday morning when I realized today that I've been using it for 4 days heavily with no change in performance. It's charging now, and will have a full charge in an hour or so.

I love having a portable IH. Since I've combined a Simrell Collection Vortex with an IH my vapcapping days are better than ever.

There are lots of choices in the IH market right now. This is a fine choice, and Steve handled customer service questions quickly and concisely.

 

[swieder711]

I just ordered the battery powered VHB. Hopefully I won't have to wait too long.

 

[Newcastle]

To beat a dead horse....Has anyone noticed that a tactical switch will cave the cap in enough to put it out of service. The button technique is what caught my eye.

 

[Grumpyrider]

just ordered my vhb today. He said I should have it next week. How's everyone loving there's?

 

[Redline]

I ordered one April 1st, cant wait for mine to get here. Probably still have a couple more weeks of waiting.

 

[Mono Loco]

Maybe one of you folks can open-up your VHB and take some pics of its guts for those of us who are excited by such techno-porn.

Pipes has shown us his, Mr. C from Cali has shown us his Flux Guts, and we got to see the Apllo II's insides here on FC thanks to some posted pics.

 

[swieder711]

I replaced my Caldron with the Vape Hot Box. The VHB is slightly bigger, but the portability outweighs that issue.

Been using it for about a week. It hits a little softer than the Caldron. Not a big difference.

Battery is rated at 100 sessions with 4 to 6 hits per session.

Overall very happy with my upgrade.

I sold my Caldron in about 20 minutes for $75 which helped offset the cost of the VHB at $150.

 

[Newcastle]

I am about to order one. How long is the wait time currently.

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

I've had one for a few months now. Its been great. Sometimes I use it simply because I don't want to listen to the click clack of the button on my torch. I only charge it once every 3-4 weeks, using it for 1-2 sessions a day 4-5 days a week. One thing I noticed is it doesn't seem possible to combust. In cold weather I've gone 8-10 seconds past the click and gotten full extraction and no threat of overheating. It seems like you can hold the button down forever and plateau at a temperature below combustion temps. I'm sure it can burn your load though, on a fresh charge if you go past the click for some obscene amount of time you can burn your load. But for my usage, it seems combustion proof--if I want full extraction I heat past the click for 3-7 seconds depending on ambient temperature and battery level. It gets me thorough extraction with zero burning consistently and effortlessly.

 

[Grumpyrider]

I've had one for a few months now. My Dynavap experience has gone from great to really great. Sometimes I use it simply because I don't want to listen to the click clack of my torch lighter. I only have to charge it once every 3-4 weeks, using it for 1-2 sessions per day, 4-5 days a week. One thing I noticed is that it doesn't seem possible to combust. In cold weather I've gone 8 seconds past the click and gotten full extraction but it doesn't seem like there's a threat of overheating. It seems like the power is capped at a level where it can't reach combustion temps. I'm sure it can though, on a fresh charge and a hot summer day, maybe if you go past the click for some obscene amount of time you could burn your load. But for my usage, it seems combustion proof--if I want full extraction I simply heat past the click for 3-7 seconds, depending on ambient temperature and battery level.

Mine will definitely combust if I go more than 6 or so sec past the click. But I also asked him to make mine heat lower on the cap for bigger hits so that might be why I love it.

 

[thunderstealer1337]

I have 1, its on its 3rd day now havent charged it. Easily seen 20 bowls?? 60+ hits already?

I like it over my caldron and my apollo2

Because of longer heat up time about 8-10 secs vs 5-6 (modified caldron) and 6-8 (stock apollo2)
No wires is a biggie cuz I use my IH's upside down and constantly move them around on the table.
Easier to hit upside down, the apollo was kinda clunky to hit upside down, the caldron I always used upside down, way better to not have a tactile switch on bottom of IH to constantly put pressure on my dropdown adapter for my water piece.

Also nobody will show you internals because you have to rip the magnet off to get to the 4th screw.

Why did I get this over a portsidemini? From reports I would most likely have to charge the psm like 2x a day, I have nothing against pipes cuz I own a caldron. But this thing is advertised at 100 hits per charge.....

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

Also nobody will show you internals because you have to rip the magnet off to get to the 4th screw

Actually he told me that there is no screw beneath the magnet.
I get the sense that he doesn't want anyone opening it because he meticulously jam packed everything in there (he could have easily used a bigger casing), and so hes the only one with the special knowledge of exactly how it needs to come apart. And he thinks there's too much potential for someone to be careless and break something opening up a unit with an internal layout that they're not familiar with...
What concerns me is, what happens if in the future he is unavailable for some reason and a customer needs their batteries swapped? That's the only issue I have.

 

[TommyDee]

A module and a shrink wrapped 2S/BMS package neatly bundled inside. And you don't have to remove the magnet [after all] LOL As @mccringleberry said.

 

[thunderstealer1337]

Lol why would you cover up the 4th hole and not put a screw in it first, that would make the box be all kinda loosely goosey only 3 screws in it.

If it's held on by 3 screws that just makes no sense. It's like cars/trucks hub cap covers is hiding that the wheel is only attached with 5/6 lugnuts. Who would do this

Also this unit has breather holes right next to the coils, it heats up way less from repetitive use vs the caldron. The caldron entire body gets pretty warm, the Apollo with custom board never gets warm, but again this design feature is a improvement over others. This is why I don't care about the internals, nothing will match the custom coil/board of the apollo2. It is all about workmanship and I can't seem to find any issues on reddit on these units like say vs the alpine2020 lol

 

[whatitdew]

I got one of these and I love it. I’m not opening mine up if I don’t need to, so dont ask lol
only thing I dislike is the ABS case, would rather have a stronger material. And maybe a bigger magnet in a different placement.
It has replaced my PSM.

 

[thunderstealer1337]

I honestly dont get the hype of super quick heatups? I really dislike the caldron/apollo2 now after realizing it required so much technique to extract the cap. The vhb you put it in - it clicks - you hit, no fancy techniques needed, no heating up and not hitting on 1st load etc. (Not worried about combusting too like with the caldron if you go .5 sec to far)

For instance single flame torch = long heat up times like say a vaphotbox

Double flame torch = Apollo2

Quad flame = Caldron/PSM

I can find like thousands of posts stating single flame is king because of the extraction, well the vhb is the longest heatup time simulating a single flame torch, and blows the competition out of the water when comparing capacity to any other portable. LIke 5x or more.

 

[Nomad #111]

I'm glad to find this thread. I have had a Vaphotbox Micro for about a month now. I love it. Its beautifully made with a beautiful piece of cherry wood and performance is excellent. I'm surprised by the negativity. In my view this is an excellent product.

 

[thunderstealer1337]

lol I was able to kill my vhb charge in less then 2 days over the weekend - I did probably go through 50+ caps within 24 hours... it was the weekend dont judge me

Interesting enough, at the very end, it was taking like 12+ seconds to heatup, and no matter what I could not get it to combust!

This is probably the only con of this device is the performance degrades when battery life is low, but portability still wins.

 

[hinglemccringleberry]

Some would call this the epitome of getting ripped off. I say, buy nice or buy twice.