Eleaf Istick 40W

After several days living with my new istick 40W from cvapor.com I think it’s time for a review

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Many of you are already familiar with its techs, but for the others:

1-40Woutput, works with 0.05-1.00ohs (TC) 0.15-3.5ohm (VW) coils

100-315oC/200-600oF (ΤC mode)

Built in 2600mah battery

Colors:Black, silver, grey, blue

Dim: 36.2X22.3X77.3 mm

Self adjusted ss 510 pin

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Its SN is engraved at its upper part, next to the nicklace slot, while at its bottom part there are the usb charging port and the CE symbol

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Comparing to the istick 30W, their external differences are:

The istick has a round fire button, it is slightly wider, its buttons are placed opposite the atty connection, not under it. Finally, the 40’s oled screen isn’t as bright as the 30’s.

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Functions:

Fire button: 5 quick clicks to activate and deactivate the mod

Fire+ < Press and hold for stealth mode in and out

When activated, Press and hold <+> to lock the buttons

When deactivated, Press and hold <+> to switch the screen for right or left handed users

< or > to increase/decrease watts and temperature

Fire + >: Press and hold to lock/unlock the atty.

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Protections:

Short circuit, 10sec cut off, high mod temperature, low battery, high atty temperature.

Vaping with the istick 40

I tested the istick with an Eviva Atmistique RTA and a Kayfun Lite+.
Comparing to the dna40 it’s far more simpler and easier to use. It takes only one click to do anything, while at dna40, even for increasing the temperature 5 degrees you have to lock (5 clicks) press and hold 2 buttons, press the +, press the fire and unlock with 5 clicks. With the istick you simply press one time the > button to increase the temperature one step.

With one click you can set anything: switch mode, + or – watts, temperature, lock-unlock the atty or the mod etc.

But please notice that using the istick 40, one cannot set a maximum wattage while working in tc mode. This function is available at dna40 chip based mods, where you can set e.g. the temperature to 450oF and also set the watts to 20, thus forbidding the mod to cross the 20w limit, even if that means that the temperature never reaches 450oF. Istick’s watts when in tc mode has a standard upper limit of 40W.

Well, how about the chip? Is it any good? A little parenthesis here: Eleaf’s policy to use built in LiPo batteries is now tested. The istick40 is a powerfull and battery-stressful mod when vaping at 40W with a 0.2 coil or when vaping at 550oF with a 0.1 coil. Is this policy right at istick40?

Should a vaper change the internal battery with an LG HG2 or similar, if they plan to use it for serious subohm vaping? I’d rather suggest it, although I don’t have the sheets to prove it. I can only notice that the battery lasts quite longer when used in 12W than when used in 220oC.

So… speaking about the chip… it was a pleasant surprise that it performs extremely well in tc mode comparing to its price and doesn’t give you headaches if your other mod is a dna40.

I tried to switch the same atty between the istick and a dna40 as many times as I could.

The dna40 chip is better but not that better. The istick’s ohm reading wasn’t always accurate but 90% was. You need to set it a 10% more degrees and 0.2-0.3 watt to perform the same.

I tested the two mods twice each with a new dry coil. I fired and the results were:

Istick: yellow both times, dna: 1 time white, 2nd time light brown.

When the tank is empty, both mods decrease the power to the minimum

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Problems

Sometimes, the atty seams to get weak current and the temperature protection signs appears. Just take out the atty and screw it again. As the coil gets old, you need to increase the temperature to continue vaping the same. With the dna I increase about 10-15%, with the istick I increase the temperature up to 20%. I noticed no problems working with the atty unlocked.

Finally… to buy or not to buy.

It’s a mod you’ll never cry for the money you paid for it. Very small and convenient. Its chip is generic but performs well. In VW mode it’s even more powerfull then the istick30. When vaping with a dual coil subomh, you’ll never feel the mod failing while inhaling. I thought that as a VW it’ll be a good one, but in tc mode it’ll perform poorly, but the mod is very decent. With a killer design and an overkill price. Even as a back up mod, it’s a very smart buy, unless you need a two battery over 50w mod.

3 Likes

Very good review, thank you ! I was hopeing you would touch on Titanium coils with the Eleaf 40w TC.Last night I recoiled all my tanks to Titanium and it appears to me the Eleaf is far from accurate using Titanium Wire. Of course there is no setting for Ti Wire so I guess I should expect it to be flaky. Are you planning of trying Ti Wire. Would be glad to hear your input on the subject…

well, this subject has been reached at the ecf. No, istick’s tc tecnhology is only compatible with ni-200 coils.
As for future adjustments… eleaf has a mass production logic that minimizes changing their products.
I once asked them to have the small isticks in more cheerful colors, such as gold and red and their reply was disapointing. considering this, don’t put your money in a future ti update.
In another newer model perhaps. But I don’t think in istick40.

Personally, I don’t intend to use Titanium coils for the next couple of months. Just try to adopt to a handfull of new hardware I got and a few more that on the way.

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You should just experiment - set the temperature to the lowest and slowly go up from there…

It turns out the titanium wire I have is an alloy that doesn’t really come close to the temperature coefficient of grade 1 titanium, so I’ve had to lower it a lot on my XCube 2 - but it explains why it works so well with dual coils on my IPV 4S (dual coil = half the coefficient)…

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Nice Review !I noticed you have the Hcigar Vt40 …how do you like it ?

That ll be my next review.
Nice chip, ugly and big box.
Should have made it way smaller.
After all it s only a 40w single battery mod

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Great review, thanks

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Thanks for the review. I think you just saved me some frustration.

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Thanks for the review, I’ve had mine a few weeks now and value for cost makes this little knockabout a no brainer.

As an aside… you mentioned the issue with temp adjust on other mods. I don’t have any high end models, but this D2 has that one fault IMO.
Like some others, I prefer to leave the watts relatively alone and adjust the temp. Having to go down into a menu to adjust that… sucks. Really, really sucks. :frowning:

At least the Sig75 keeps both onscreen at all times and lets me toggle between with just a simple click of the + & -.
Love that.

Just found out that Busardo feels the same (he like the 40TC as well).

And now the 40TC does Titanium.

Turn it off… hold Up and Fire for 20 seconds.
Display will show “Ti - On”.
Center button will now cycle through Power/Ni/Ti.

:smile:

4 Likes

Good to know. Thanks. :v:

How? Is there a firmware update somewhere?

Strike that - Just tried, it looks like it’s working - Haven’t tried a Ti-coil…

Apparently it’s been there the whole time. It worked with mine. Couldn’t believe it. You and I got our Eleaf 40wTC around the same time so it should work on yours as well…

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