Xmax V3Pro air path

[DivingBadger]

Yes, it appears many "rebrands" of the Xmax V3Pro get their own features... I saw one with Titane chamber and 410 max T°, another which featured a 446°F max T° but the one you found beats all the others with its 500°F max T°, hope it comes with a stronger battery with higher discharge rate though.
Do you know others manufacturers offering a such wide range of customization in order every rebrand get its own features?

Hi,

More than half an year ago I wrote here that the device has weird taste when heated up empty. I have a doubt that it is vapor from solder at the heater, you wrote me that you will check with the manufacturer how the heater wires are attached but never came back to me ..

I have poured 99% Iso Alcohol in the heating chamber and it leaks out from the USB C port on the bottom. How is this isolated air path from the electronics if it can't even isolate them from gravity fed liquid ?

And I'm not the only one with this issue:

Comment from another owner in the reddit:


I'm having the same problem right now. On my second unit with the same soldering smell..

I'm in contact with Topgreen, but they are trying to sell this as normal. This is some toxic shit. got some crazy headaches and nausea out of it.

Ive read a post from Topgreen here a while ago where they said one can pour iso inside of the heating chamber and after a while flip the vape and pour it out of the top again. But for me, everything came out of the USB C port at the bottom. you could see how the display was soaked in iso from the inside etc.

This proofs, that the air way is in fact not isolated and that it is what it smells like - solder, hot plastic fume of the display, cables and circuit board.

I was really hoping a new unit would solve this, but no.

Very sad, because I like this vape a lot, when using it at a friends who says his unit (few years old) did not smell this hardcore at all at the beginning.

 

[herrlipp]

Hi,

More than half an year ago I wrote here that the device has weird taste when heated up empty. I have a doubt that it is vapor from solder at the heater, you wrote me that you will check with the manufacturer how the heater wires are attached but never came back to me ..

I have poured 99% Iso Alcohol in the heating chamber and it leaks out from the USB C port on the bottom. How is this isolated air path from the electronics if it can't even isolate them from gravity fed liquid ?

And I'm not the only one with this issue:

Comment from another owner in the reddit:


I'm having the same problem right now. On my second unit with the same soldering smell..

I'm in contact with Topgreen, but they are trying to sell this as normal. This is some toxic shit. got some crazy headaches and nausea out of it.

Ive read a post from Topgreen here a while ago where they said one can pour iso inside of the heating chamber and after a while flip the vape and pour it out of the top again. But for me, everything came out of the USB C port at the bottom. you could see how the display was soaked in iso from the inside etc.

This proofs, that the air way is in fact not isolated and that it is what it smells like - solder, hot plastic fume of the display, cables and circuit board.

I was really hoping a new unit would solve this, but no.

Very sad, because I like this vape a lot, when using it at a friends who says his unit (few years old) did not smell this hardcore at all at the beginning.

Does this go for all XMAX3 units? Because I own an official one currently (had it about 4 months) and I’d hate to have to get rid of it before time. It’s really discreet and it does about 75% of what the 3x more expensive Mighty does. A great little machine for the price.

 

[DivingBadger]

Does this go for all XMAX3 units? Because I own an official one currently (had it about 4 months) and I’d hate to have to get rid of it before time. It’s really discreet and it does about 75% of what the 3x more expensive Mighty does. A great little machine for the price.

Dont know. Im also curious. You can easily check yours by deep cleaning with 99% Iso. When you sip ISO in the heating chamber if it starts leaking out from the USB C port then is the same.. Just make sure it evaporates before turning it on again.

 

[XpeeN]

Dont know. Im also curious. You can easily check yours by deep cleaning with 99% Iso. When you sip ISO in the heating chamber if it starts leaking out from the USB C port then is the same.. Just make sure it evaporates before turning it on again.

I saw many comments here that say to NOT do specifically this, and that if you clean the chamber with iso you should flip your device.

 

[DivingBadger]

I saw many comments here that say to NOT do specifically this, and that if you clean the chamber with iso you should flip your device.

It should not be a problem and is per instruction of the topgreen/Xmax representative.

I'm attaching photo of his reddit comment.

The issue is that mine starts leaking from the USB C port instead of the air inlets. The other owner has the same trouble with his.

So our air paths are not isolated and we are inhaling toxic solder and heated electronics fumes.
The other owner went through 2 replacements without improvement . I'm wondering if in the last year the manufacturer stopped to insulate the air path with the new devices.

 

[Grass Yes]

So our air paths are not isolated and we are inhaling toxic solder and heated electronics fumes.

Why would cold air do this? I mean I assume you have a laptop with a fan.

I don't mind electronics in the air path, but other folks do. Obviously it should not be in the vapor path, but I've never heard anyone claim the Xmax v3 pro air path was isolated.

 

[DivingBadger]

Why would cold air do this? I mean I assume you have a laptop with a fan.

I don't mind electronics in the air path, but other folks do. Obviously it should not be in the vapor path, but I've never heard anyone claim the Xmax v3 pro air path was isolated.

Because on empty device higher temperature and a bit longer session, I can smell and taste the toxic solder fumes, the whole device body warms up.

I have read in the representatives comments that is with isolated air path otherwise I wouldn't have bought it.
It is literally written in the first comment of this topic.
I'm attaching screenshot again.

 

[Grass Yes]

Because on empty device higher temperature and a bit longer session, I can smell and taste the toxic solder fumes, the whole device body warms up.

I've had an v3 pro for years and I've never smelled that. I admit I don't use session mode often, but I vape primarily for flavor and if there were a smell I would notice. There were issues with the cure on some silicone, I believe but I've never heard of anyone "smelling solder".

I have read in the representatives comments that is with isolated air path otherwise I wouldn't have bought it.

I haven't seen this claim from Xmax, but I believe you. I'd love to see more information on the specs if how it is isolated if that is the case.

 

[DivingBadger]

I've had an v3 pro for years and I've never smelled that. I admit I don't use session mode often, but I vape primarily for flavor and if there were a smell I would notice. There were issues with the cure on some silicone, I believe but I've never heard of anyone "smelling solder".

I haven't seen this claim from Xmax, but I believe you. I'd love to see more information on the specs if how it is isolated if that is the case.

I have added photo of the literally first comment in this thread.

 

[Cheebsy]

My, possibly incorrect, understanding and memory of this is that there is a thin silicone seal. A flappy one... So under normal circumstances it seals against the top of the electronics chamber forcing the incoming air through the vents and into the heater. So, pouring liquid, or blowing through the device, wouldn't necessarily behave like you would expect for an isolated device. However, the probability is that under normal usage circumstances you wouldn't draw air through the electronics... If you block off the vents, do you notice a lot of restriction? If so it's probably isolated pretty well.

 

[DivingBadger]

My, possibly incorrect, understanding and memory of this is that there is a thin silicone seal. A flappy one... So under normal circumstances it seals against the top of the electronics chamber forcing the incoming air through the vents and into the heater. So, pouring liquid, or blowing through the device, wouldn't necessarily behave like you would expect for an isolated device. However, the probability is that under normal usage circumstances you wouldn't draw air through the electronics... If you block off the vents, do you notice a lot of restriction? If so it's probably isolated pretty well.

My taste and smell receptors are working fine and I have been working enough with solder to recognize solder fumes smell.
It can be tasted and smelled when run empty otherwise the CBD flavor masks it. Perhaps dirty devices also will mask it even if run empty.
The device doesn't behave as described in the representative deep cleaning instruction. Mine doesnt leak anything from the inlet air holes but leaks from the USB C port.
If I block the inhale holes and try to inhale, I will probably completely displace the gasket or epoxy seal and make it worse, so I will not try it.

Here is disassembly of it https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/XMAX+V3+Pro+Disassembly/157413
It doesn't show how the wires are attached to the heater though and I have the suspicion that the epoxy sealing is either completely missing or not applied correctly.
That's why I'm writing to the representative and as I already commented here earlier, he wrote in this thread 8 months ago and promised to come back to me with an answer about how the wires are attached to the heater but he never did. Yesterday, I got a question on my thread in the reddit from the other owner if I have found solution to the problem. That lead me to try as well to clean it with ISO and found the same leakage from the usb c port. I very rarely use this vaporizer and only when I want fast on demand hit and I'm out of the gas for the Dynavap, because I think it omits toxic fumes.

Have you tried to deep clean yours and/or run it empty at high temperature ? How does it behave/taste ?

 

[kokolokokolokon]

@DivingBadger Maybe you have a defective unit. I cleaned mine several times with iso, most of the time with the device upside down, but others not (and i use to do hard cleanings, not light cleanings). After that i always run it a couple of 6min sessions at max temp to be sure there is no more iso. I never noticed a solder fumes smell, just hot air and the chamber smell itself

 

[Photonic]

I don't understand why you wouldn't try the recommendation to block the air holes and see if the draw is restricted... How can it make things worse, especially if you already taste solder, etc?

It would also be another data point to share with the manufacturer as you try to get support.

Either way, I hope you get it worked out.

 

[Petetbay]

My taste and smell receptors are working fine and I have been working enough with solder to recognize solder fumes smell.

I not sure there’s a solder smell, you might think there is, more likely it’s the heater construction using FeCrAl (Kanthal) that in the past some people how been sensitive to in other devices using Kanthal in the heater. If that’s the case you should just try for a refund and select a device without Kanthal in the heater.

 

[maremaresing]

Kanthal smell was my suspicion as well. I have/had several of these v3pro, and have never had an issue with airpath isolation or "solder smell". I do think the inability to access the airpath shows blatant disregard for consumer safety, but most electronic portable vapes also have this flaw.

If/when I need to do a deep clean flush of the airpath on this vape, I'd probably invert it and submerge the heater part in ISO and move it around, rather than pour directly through the top.

 

[DivingBadger]

@DivingBadger Maybe you have a defective unit. I cleaned mine several times with iso, most of the time with the device upside down, but others not (and i use to do hard cleanings, not light cleanings). After that i always run it a couple of 6min sessions at max temp to be sure there is no more iso. I never noticed a solder fumes smell, just hot air and the chamber smell itself

I don't understand why you wouldn't try the recommendation to block the air holes and see if the draw is restricted... How can it make things worse, especially if you already taste solder, etc?

It would also be another data point to share with the manufacturer as you try to get support.

Either way, I hope you get it worked out.

I've tried to block the air inlets and it restricts the air flow but not substantially. The flow with the air inlets unblocked also feels a bit restricted so it creates negative pressure and I'm sure I'm inhaling all the farts from the electronics there is.

No answer from the representatives yet.

 

[maremaresing]

The restriction comes from the holes in the heater shield or the base of the oven chamber or somewhere along the way in the heater. The vents on the side of the v3 pro are massive, way larger than the heater bottlenecks. Even in use, what part of this design do you think would "choose" air behind an isolation shield vs the readily available air outside the device?

I'm wondering if you are getting air leak between whatever mouthpiece you are using, and the device, or around the peek plastic ramp collar above the oven.

Either way, the likelyhood that you got a device that exhibits behavior none of ours does is rare, but getting a second device that does the same thing is nearly impossible. I'm betting you are smelling the heater. It's not like the circuitry gets hot and off gasses way down at the bottom of the device.

Take a look at this image:

I 100% believe that ISO could make it's way past that silicone gasket at the bottom of the collar. I do not believe that air would get past that when it has a massive opening right there on both sides to use as an intake.

 

[DivingBadger]

The restriction comes from the holes in the heater shield or the base of the oven chamber or somewhere along the way in the heater. The vents on the side of the v3 pro are massive, way larger than the heater bottlenecks. Even in use, what part of this design do you think would "choose" air behind an isolation shield vs the readily available air outside the device?

I'm wondering if you are getting air leak between whatever mouthpiece you are using, and the device, or around the peek plastic ramp collar above the oven.

Either way, the likelyhood that you got a device that exhibits behavior none of ours does is rare, but getting a second device that does the same thing is nearly impossible. I'm betting you are smelling the heater. It's not like the circuitry gets hot and off gasses way down at the bottom of the device.

Take a look at this image:

I 100% believe that ISO could make it's way past that silicone gasket at the bottom of the collar. I do not believe that air would get past that when it has a massive opening right there on both sides to use as an intake.

The silicone gasket probably is not where the leak is from. I'm 99% sure that is from the base of the heater case where the wires gets out. It is supposed to be sealed with some kind of epoxy and probably mine hasn't been sealed properly, they have forgotten to seal it or decided to skip it. On top of that I'm not convinced that these wires are not soldered to the heater and the solder is not releasing fumes as well, I have asked them about that 9 months ago.. Still waiting for them to get back to me.

 

[maremaresing]

You aren't the first person I've talked to who has looked at that image and wondered how the air gets into the heater. The gap between the outer metal shell and the inner brown part is where.

So you think you got two randomly picked devices from different batches that both exhibit this solder smell, which you insist is different from the kanthal heater smell?

What type of solder do you think is used in there that would be off gassing.

Again, I'm not trying to ruin your day or go to bat for a faceless company. Just not sure it's what you think it is. Either way, I think a lot of vaporizers are designed with wires and electronics in a completely inaccessible airpath (including a brand new released one everyone loves). And, like the others, consumers are happy to remain ignorant as long as the device hits hard. Which I obviously don't like.

 

[DivingBadger]

You aren't the first person I've talked to who has looked at that image and wondered how the air gets into the heater. The gap between the outer metal shell and the inner brown part is where.

So you think you got two randomly picked devices from different batches that both exhibit this solder smell, which you insist is different from the kanthal heater smell?

What type of solder do you think is used in there that would be off gassing.

I can see the air path and also see from where is leaking Iso in the electronics.
This is not isolated air path if air from the electronics is sucked into the heater mixed with the air from the air inlets and then inhaled.

I'm asking them before I put apart my device and destroy it in the process. If I find solder in the heater, I will probably go further to find out what kind of solder is.
I've been waiting for an answer 9 months regarding the solder question and also they are claiming that the vaporizer has isolated air path, mine clearly doesn't have.
If you pour ISO in the heating chamber and it leaks into the electronics that is not isolated air path.

 

[maremaresing]

At the very least, it's not ISOlated.

 

[XMAXVAPORIZER]

Hi @DivingBadger , I'm glad you bring that topic here, it's a valid concern and I understand it. Even when the Xmax V3Pro was released in Sept 2021 the isolated airpath was questionned...
At first somebody noticed the buttons to giggle when he was blowing in the device, first batch device get isolated airpath feature although it appeared the separation wall wasn't airproof so it was improved to be sturdier for next batches.

After some months... and a lot of weed vaporized some of our customers got issues with the airflow to be more restricted than usual. That's why our engineers tried to find a method to get rid of the resin build-up in the heater's chamber. They tested that method (to pour some iso in the heater chamber) and decided it was working well and I received the instruction to share it with peoples who get restricted airflow issue...
Although they tested the method with brand new devices only... and it appears, like you said, some devices to let to pass the iso on the internals/battery compartment... We think the leak is coming from an offset separation wall due to ineluctable falls or due to peoples blowing/coughing in the device...

As well, the fact some iso can pass doesn't means the vaporpath to be not well isolated, for sure it's not a spaceship seal totally airproof, as you can see in one of the picture you posted (I shared myself that guy post here and in Reddit!) that "separation wall" is simply the black silicon seal you can see right below the air inlet, it block off the path to the internals, probably not fully but well enough in order, when you draw, the air is following the less resistance path... So, no reasons to get solder fumes or air passing through internals... Under normal use (if you don't fully block-off the air inlet).

Hope my explanations to be reassuring... let me know if not...

ps: About the seal at the bottom of the heater, it may happen you are right and it let to pass tiny air amount if it was not properly installed... especially if you are blocking-off the air inlets and force to get some "drops" of air to pass... or when pourring iso directly in the chamber. Please, simply block-off the air inlets and check the difference when you try to pull through your device... I have numerous V3Pros in hands and none of them let you to draw on with air inlets blocked-off... Do you think it's not a good enough proof of the isolated airpath?

Let me know if you still have questions, I will be glad to help... if I can!

 

[DivingBadger]

Hi @DivingBadger , I'm glad you bring that topic here, it's a valid concern and I understand it. Even when the Xmax V3Pro was released in Sept 2021 the isolated airpath was questionned...
At first somebody noticed the buttons to giggle when he was blowing in the device, first batch device get isolated airpath feature although it appeared the separation wall wasn't airproof so it was improved to be sturdier for next batches.

After some months... and a lot of weed vaporized some of our customers got issues with the airflow to be more restricted than usual. That's why our engineers tried to find a method to get rid of the resin build-up in the heater's chamber. They tested that method (to pour some iso in the heater chamber) and decided it was working well and I received the instruction to share it with peoples who get restricted airflow issue...
Although they tested the method with brand new devices only... and it appears, like you said, some devices to let to pass the iso on the internals/battery compartment... We think the leak is coming from an offset separation wall due to ineluctable falls or due to peoples blowing/coughing in the device...

As well, the fact some iso can pass doesn't means the vaporpath to be not well isolated, for sure it's not a spaceship seal totally airproof, as you can see in one of the picture you posted (I shared myself that guy post here and in Reddit!) that "separation wall" is simply the black silicon seal you can see right below the air inlet, it block off the path to the internals, probably not fully but well enough in order, when you draw, the air is following the less resistance path... So, no reasons to get solder fumes or air passing through internals... Under normal use (if you don't fully block-off the air inlet).

Hope my explanations to be reassuring... let me know if not...

ps: About the seal at the bottom of the heater, it may happen you are right and it let to pass tiny air amount if it was not properly installed... especially if you are blocking-off the air inlets and force to get some "drops" of air to pass... or when pourring iso directly in the chamber. Please, simply block-off the air inlets and check the difference when you try to pull through your device... I have numerous V3Pros in hands and none of them let you to draw on with air inlets blocked-off... Do you think it's not a good enough proof of the isolated airpath?

Let me know if you still have questions, I will be glad to help... if I can!

When I block off the air inlets on mine it is still possible to draw on but with increased resistance.
By looking at the photo of the hole where the wire go through, it is tiny opening so if not sealed, it will restrict air flow.

How the wires are attached to the heater ?