Anyone have heat issues with Drippers? (Novel warning!)

Or is it just me?

I was very kindly given a Velocity (v1 clone by Tobeco if my research is up to snuff) by @Whiterose0818 recently (Thanks again!!) which provided me a wonderful new way to try vaping.

To date, I’ve owned four different types of atty’s (aside from the Velocity):

  • then ‘graduated into’ the Nautilus Mini
    (which served it’s time and purpose honorably!)

The above were VIF’d to a 30+yr friend (my ‘brother’), along with the mod that I bought (Encore Legacy) when I switched after a month and a half into quitting, transitioning to sub-ohm, in hopes that he could quit too since he’s had multiple bypasses already. This led to my (still) favorite so far, as I’ve tested several others in retail stores, and not found anything yet that compares to it flavor wise. (I’ve looooong thought about the Crown, and the Herakles Plus though, and did a shit ton of research on both of those PLUS others in the hunt…)

  • the Cleito RTA w/‘fat boy’ tank
    (Which I absolutely love, but got it mostly because I hated replacing coils just two 5-packs in. Also because I could see the FDA writing on the wall (back in March), and I didn’t want to be left in the cold for replacement coils.)

  • then I got the Wismec Theorem.

    1st off: LOVE the ramp time on this (using the SS ‘notch’)! Easy peasy to wick (using ‘wrap your own’ claptons -not home-built mind you, just wrapped from bought wire)! Hate, hate, hate :rage: the substandard no-quality-checking POS glass substrate they chose to use (instead of REAL pyrex or suitable equivalent). Broke my first glass after a week and a half into having it, because it chipped on the way up off the deck, regardless of the fact that I was being super careful and gentle in the process. It was the ramp time on this that got me asking @Whiterose0818 for thoughts about SS and coil types…had no IDEA it’d lead to such kindness. (Also, I apologise brother for not getting back to that msg quicker -but the more I got to testing things, I figured it’d be better to toss the question up here so everyone could share their input, which meant, I had to do my due diligence in proper researching, etc. I hate half-assing things)

  • How I vape:
    These days? Mostly in the 36-55w range (though limited by coils/builds ATM). Quickly finding my way into the SS category (Thanks again to @Whiterose0818), and further, toying with the idea of ‘crazy folks’ builds category (hive, tiger, etc -purchased- not building, I’ve only got SO many hours in a day LOL) though strictly to gauge the differences between flavor. I refuse to get into serious coil building too!!

Chain vaping (for me) means (and I had to literally take a few sessions and monitor just how much and how long I do) this:

  • take a good long 5-7 second pull…
  • exhale, wait two-three seconds
  • take another 5-7s draw
  • rinse and repeat for a total of 4-6 times in a row.
    Then I might take a couple minutes break…then resume another ‘run’.

I can (and have) easily killed 30ml bottles in less than a day, and sometimes more. I have no ‘average’ to go by, as I don’t really monitor it.

Anyways…the point of all this is thus:
Of the above units, I’ve never had an issue with heat (with respect to the tank itself) getting so hot that you don’t want to hold/touch it. Also, more worrysome is having it heat up the (very thickly silicone sleeved) device, and including the battery inside thus diminishing it’s life span!!

Methodology and findings:

** Not a full ‘scientific inquiry’ but as precise as I could muster without going ‘off the rails deep’ (and I know this is FAR more than alot would go, so I know…I know…but some appreciate it -or so I’ve been told before! This is for those types’ edification I guess -others like me! lol)

I used a Fluke 62 Infrared Thermometer for temps (fresh 9v battery installed)

  • Device: Sigelei Spark 90w in wattage mode, set to 40w IIRC (all three devices were tested at the same wattage though, I did make sure of that!)
  • waited 10m between sessions
    (not enough to fully cool the mod itself, but checked the temps of the subsequent tank the instant it was screwed on, so the mod didn’t have time to transfer any residual heat to the ‘fresh tank’)
  • battery was a Samsung 25r5

Test #1 (Theorem)
Started out with a ‘cold’ (unused in the last 24+hrs) atty, took the temp, then started the stopwatch sessions and proceeded chain vaping.

Point Of Aim: at the cotton (between the coil, and the deck -before going into the resevoir below) I chose this primarily due to the idea that this should be the ‘hottest’ consistent spot, without ‘retaining extra heat’ via the deck etc. (And already i see a flaw in my logic as I type this >< -though the data is still interesting, and revealing. More on that thought shortly…)

Reference Temp: 80F (It was hot indoors the day I did this, and IIRC 102+ outside before heat index)

1st draw: 83 F
2nd draw: 86 F
3rd draw: 86.5 F

Battery Temp: 88 F

Continued vaping from there…but that was as ‘hot’ as it got. Still ‘cool’ to the touch when removed.

Test #2 (Cleito with RTA deck)

Point Of Aim: Two points.
The base itself (1st number), and then (2nd number) the deck itself. It took a few test tries to find the actually proximity of the coil edges (inside the chimney) relative to the chimney casing, but once located, I used the nearest/hottest point, since that heat’s directly transferred to the liquid inside the resevoir)

Reference Temp: 86F / 80F
(no idea why the base would be hotter just sitting, have to assume that 10-15m cooldown from earlier use -prior to testing the Theorem- wasn’t enough time for the base to reach ambient, however, it was enough time to cool the chimney to room temp, so I rolled with it.)

1st draw: 87F / 85F
2nd draw: 87F / 88F
3rd draw: 88.5F / 92.5

Battery Temp: 88 F

Continued vaping from there…but that was as ‘hot’ as it got. Slightly warm to touch when removed, but far from uncomfortable.

Test #3 (Velocity clone)
Dual 2.5mm kanthal claptons reading a total of .27ohm. Testing for this was a bit different, as it heat up so fast, and I couldn’t get a stable reading due to the temps climbing so fast between draws (while adhering to the 2-3 seconds between pulls) that I couldn’t take an accurate (read as: steady/stationary) measurement!

Point Of Aim: hottest point of casing nearest the hotter coil.

Reference Temp: 80 F (as it hadn’t been used in the last 16-18hrs)

1st draw: 88-92F
2nd draw: 98-102F

By this time, I was already seeing peaks in the 120F range And my mind raced to “Oh shit!! I wonder what the battery’s seeing?!” So I shut it down full stop post haste.

Stopped vaping right there…as even with the thick assed silicon sleeve Sigelei provided in their infinite wisdom (which, up until now, had really just been a ‘ooh, nice on the fingers’ gadget until I had a dripper).

The body of the atty was ‘F’in hot’ (now at 105F from heat continuing to disperse from the coils through the body) and the chassis of the Spark was at 96F (sleeve off) on the top and to the side!!! Temps gradually lowered as I went down the body to the bottom which now stood at 88F (sleeve off) -battery cover side.

Now, after taking a couple moments to take those readings, I pulled the battery cover off, and checked where the battery met the post and then the top of the battery itself (as before) and saw a whopping:

Battery Temp: 102 F.

This can’t be good for battery life (IMO), nor do I like the ‘discomfort’ of the mod getting so hot -through the silicone sleeve- that it’s almost enough to want to put it down. Much less the idea of what the electronics inside the mod are being subjected to (being the electronics tech. that I am)!

Oh! And about the whole ‘saw a flaw’ bit above, it hit me as I was typing that out, that I probably should have used the metal deck as a reference point on the Theorem, since it would retain more heat than the cotton would. But the thought at the time was that, the liquid stored in the cotton at that point would be just as hot, if not more than the deck, due to it’s “direct” association with the coil before touching the deck. >< Ah well. I was trying to be as logical and methodical as I could at the time I took the readings!!

Anyways… bottom line is this: Is this common for using drippers??? Or is this just my ‘dumb luck’ in action?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences!

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I could just type “Ditto” for this whole post. I’m a big fan of ceramics just because of the impeccable flavor, but they run hotter than anything else. Likely more radiant infrared. It’s also related to sub-ohming and all the extra current getting used, but these devices are made for it including batteries. It sure is smart to be worried/aware. The Fluke thermometer is a great idea. I just use a big bucket of sand …into which I put my head :wink: . I like my Stainless Steel Cuboid which seems to handle heating exceptionally well. I’ll just be over here …chain vaping. Thanks for the work!

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i dont vape enough on drippers to add any input, sorry…but we should be getting some valuable info soon. @bradslinux arent you a dripper?

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Hmmm. Short story short. I upgraded to a single battery to a dual battery at the same time I started building my own coils (for an rda and rdta).

Sure it got warm, because to not hot. Then I had to send my segelei 213w pos back and was left with my single battery mod again. The mod could not properly run my rda and rdta at 50-60w. Either it could not push the power fast enough or would get really hot.

Got my ipv5’s in (dual bat) and life is all good. So my theory is (not scientific) I was asking the battery to do too much work on a single battery mod. A home built dual Clapton, weave, braided, staple, or whatever needs to pull more than the battery can provide for a chain vape session.

And no it’s not good for the battery to get that hot.

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Agreed, but more than that it’s the electronics and how it handles the task with a single battery. I have an eLeaf Pico and it outshines the Kanger KBOX 40W doing all the same advertised vaping tasks …So I’d add 2015 electronics vs 2016 electronics …which is the real shame of the FDA Deeming cr@p as it will effectively kill any more improvements …that’s a real loss to just the safety of future vaping

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Yup, drip a lot. If you like a dripper but want thermal isolation from the mod and from the drip tip, buy an authentic painted Alliance V2+. It is worth the money. No lip skin on the driptip due the their teflon like paint.

dripping now on that 20ga Ti build in my Gear dripper review thing. Heats the big Efusion aluminum blocks pretty hot. Doesn’t bother me, cost of a good vape.

I come from a copper mech, so I’m used to running borderline too hot to touch.

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@Chrispdx you may be into something there. The 0.4 ohms that I’ve been running (on average) might just be the “sweet spot” for a single 18650 setup. Dropping that in half (0.2 ohm load) effectively doubles the workload that both the electronics and the battery have to deliver. So theoretically, there’s roughly a 50% increase @ 0.3 ohms.

@BoDarc I definitely have to agree with the capabilities of the device correlating with the advances in technology and implementation by the engineers (as they gain a better understanding of the device’s actual vs. intended use.) I know that it was a drastic difference in performance between my first subohm mod (which I bought in late March) that was at least a two year old design that was on clearance ($29) because the consistency of vape delivery on that was abysmal. That’s why I bought the Sigelei only 3-4 weeks later.

@therabidweasel Thank you for your input as well! First I’ve heard about the Alliance v2, so I’ll have to look into that! I’ve also been looking at the 22mm Tsunami as I got to test that in a shop one day and loved it -but didn’t get to spend any time with it, so don’t know if it acts like the velocity clone, or if it’s a difference between clone and original. (that’s also part of what I’m trying to flesh out)

I’ve also been looking at upgrading to a small form factor dual 18650 mod due to battery life issues. So far the best I’ve found (price is important, but so is function, and I’d like to try TC using SS, though not an absolute requirement) had been the Sigelei 213 (not Fuchai) and the Cuboid 150w.
Unfortunately however, with all the issues with the 213’s… I’m not riding that boat. The big downside with the Cuboid is the idiocy of the engineer that programmed the thing to only go UP in selecting wattage (and then round-robin back to the lowest setting). But if that’s all that’s left in the (roughly) $40 price-point, then that’s what it’ll have to be.

I like the fact that the new Eleaf 200 is only $35 on avg. but moving to a three battery setup means not only added expense in batteries, but also having to spend another $30-$40 on a charger on top of it. (thereby turning $40 + $18 for married batteries, into $40 + $27 + $40 charger). I can’t manage that much right now and factor in buying Nicotine before it’s taxed, at least 2 gallons of Vg, and then more sample flavors on top of it all. So I have to factor in price.

Thanks for all the awesome feedback so far! Please keep it coming!

they are out of stock at the moment, but here is a DNA200 for under $60:
http://www.ecig.com/hotcig-dx200-kit.html?___SID=U

i have been told they will be restocking these at this price

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i have seen the IPV5 for under $40…
shit, what am i talking about? there are a TON of sales going on right now…you can find something

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Wow! Definitely signed up for that BIS notification! Ty!

Yeah I know there’s been a ton of sales, and unfortunately, I’ve been behind the curve trying to snag things (often due to having to research issues /glitches/etc) or just being “late” to the sale (same day it’s posted, but stuff just flying off the shelves because everyone’s in a panic. /thanks again FDA (now officially amended to mean: F%$&ing Dumb Asses, at least in my book)

Rest assured, I’ve been steady looking! Lol
(both on Reddit and vape.deals (as well as my email)

EDIT: will now look into the IPVv5 too!

dude, i’m here to tell you: a DNA200 for under $60 is unbelievable! there was a time when ALL DNA200s were right at $200! that is a super sweet find at $55! shit, they sell replacement/additional batteries for $20! i know you have a budget, and i am not tryna make you look or feel bad, i’m just reporting, brother.
if you wanna move this to a private message, i will help you. we can discuss your budget and see whats available. only if you want, brother…i’m not forcing myself on you

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I would have to second @Whiterose0818 's opinion on the DNA 200 devices.

With several places currently having them in stock and much cheaper than we have ever seen before now is the time to get one.

I truly never thought I would own one but I must admit after buying the VT133 the DNA 200’s are truly that much better.

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Back to the original topic I would like to point out that the velocity dripper as good as they are, are also well known to hold more residual heat in the build deck.

Some people have used a 510 heat sink between the atty and the mod to help with this problem.

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@Sprkslfly i have a heatsink to send you, if you want one…i dont use it. unless you plan on buying a different RDA, then i’ll save my money, lol…

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I gotta know what you think of that device. I have been contemplating it for a month now.

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I currently have 3 evic vtc minis 1 rx200 1 vt133 and previously 1 ipv4 as far as tc mods go and all I can tell you is the vt133 does temp control so much better than any of them I am totally sold on the DNA200 hands down.

One thing you have to do is squeeze the battery cover together just a little so it fits snug but other than that it is by far my favorite mod to date.

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Definitely agree with @Whiterose0818 and @wvsanta on the dna mod’s. Best move I’ve ever made. I love my vt 133. Only complaint is the door. However,I did get extra battery doors and they are finished properly with a rubberised texture. Far better than the original door that it comes with.

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FYI @Dan_the_Man vape nw use coupon code 20%off4thJuly and the vt133 is like 79dollars and ships free

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LMAO -Yeah it is! But I clicked on it the instant you linked it, and it’s OOS. That’s why I mentioned I definitely added my email to the BIS (back in stock) notification. :wink:

And no harm at all man… you’re not embarrassing me, nor imposing yourself by ANY stretch of the word!! I appreciate the offer man, but all I can do is look into things as they unfold! (First I’m hearing of ‘heatsinks’ in the realm of vaping. Though work with them almost everyday in electronics. lol)

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Thank you! Because that’s another one that I’ve been ‘eyeballing lately’ since I figured “I’ll never get near 200w”…

What differences do you note between the two??
Outside looking in, there shouldn’t be a lick of difference IF they’re using the same chipset (and assuming you’re using the same battery set in both)…but I know the DNA’s had a hard time early out (from what I’ve read) and they had some hurdles to overcome. The 133 kinda looked like the sweet spot, as I thought IF I get up to higher wattage as a result of going to lower impedance coils, then I shouldn’t need much more than 70-90w (at least I would think)…

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