Category: Recent News
THE DNA-200 WRAP UP – THE BOARD, THE SOFTWARE & SOME OF THE DEVICES
A PBusardo Review – The DNA-200 Episodes I, II & III – The Board, The Software, & Some Of The Devices.
Now that Episode III is complete, I’ve consolidated all of the posts into a single, all encompassing one.
Episode I, The DNA-200. In this video we take a look at the board itself, the features as accessed by the device, and the numbers.
Episode II, Parts 1 & 2, The EScribe Software. In these videos we take a look at the EScribe software. They are one part tutorial, one part review.
Episode III, The Device Comparison. In this video we take a look at some DNA-200 device offerings. Note that this is not a full review of the devices. No individual thumbs up, thumbs down, or overall thumbs are given. Just a look at each with some pluses and minuses pointed out. The ratings are EXTREMELY subjective. Look for what is important to you!
The Links:
Evolv
EScribe Software Found Here
EScribe User Manual
EScribe Training Course
DNA 200 Themes Facebook Group
Sweet Spot Vapors TI Wire
Steam Engine Website
HCigar – The VT200
VaporDNA – Hcigar’s Recommended Vendor Website for the VT200
HotCig – The DX200
Hot Fire Tech – HotCig’s Recommended Vendor Website for the DX200
GearBest – Where my DX200 came from
Opus Vapor – The Opus 200
Flawless Vape Shop – The Tuglyfe DNA-200 Box
Vaporshark – The VaporShark DNA 200
Steam Monkey – The Vero
Volcano – The Lavabox
Wismec – The Reuleaux
Clear Mist Vape – Wismec’s Recommendation for the Reuleaux
The Post Review Follow-up:
- 11/3/15 – There is some confusion over the charging capabilities in the Volcano Lavabox. I’ve confirmed with both Evolv and Volcano that they use standard 1A charging like all the rest except for the Shark which uses 2A “Zip” charging. It appears they have now removed the “Internal 90-Minute Lightning Fast Charging” comment from the website.
The Evolv Recommended Procedure For Calculating TC Material .csv File:
Note: Any manufacturer supplying TC wire or coil heads should be able to provide you with a .csv file. If they’re not, IMHO, they’re not doing their jobs.
Run extension wires (kanthal is best of the easily available stuff, it has a very very small TCR) to the coil and back to the DNA 200.
Fire up atomizer analyzer. Short the kanthal together at the far end to get the resistance of the kanthal and mod. Then connect the kanthal to the coil under test.
Put the coil in a flask, fill the flask with the mineral oil and put the thermometer measuring the oil temperature. Put the whole apparatus on the stove.
Don’t start a fire. Use an oil with a high flash point and low conductivity. Silicone oil works best, but it is a bit spendy. Transmission fluid works if you keep it under 450F or so.
You can use this sort of setup to generate a TCR curve for anything with a little care and practice. The oil is easy to measure, and it keeps the coil at a nice uniform temperature. Stir the oil so you don’t get hotspots and don’t set your thermometer on the heated bottom.
You’ll then need to take the temps and resistance readings at room temperature, and at increasing temps to come up with the file. Here are the contents of the SweetSpot Vapor TI .5mm .csv file to model your file after:
Of course, unless you have some pretty special equipment, you’re not going to be able to get readings as accurate as this.
The Evolv Recommended Procedure For Calculating The Mod’s Resistance:
Note: This value should be calculated by the mod’s manufacturer.
Coming Soon
The Default Battery Curve .csv File Contents:
Note: This is provided so that you’ll be able to tell if the EScribe Battery Analyzer was correctly run by the mod’s manufacturer. If you see these values in place and the device DOES NOT use Evolv’s recommended battery, the FullyMax FB900HP-3S, 11.1VDC, 900mAh (10Wh) then they are probably incorrect and you should run the tool with your mod and battery to get the best possible accuracy from your battery bar.
The Default Mod Resistance:
Note: This is provided so that you’ll be able to tell if the mod’s resistance was correctly calculated by the mod’s manufacturer. If you see a zero here, it was not done. Although it can be measured by you (see above), it requires specialized equipment which you may not have. I’d recommend contacting the mod’s manufacturer as they should be the ones calculating this. This value will lead to improved temperature accuracy.
The Default Case Thermals:
Note: This is provided so that you’ll be able to tell if the EScribe Case Analyzer was correctly run by the mod’s manufacturer. If you see these values in place and you DO NOT have an Evolv DNA-200 Reference Device, then they are probably incorrect and you should run the tool with your mod to get the best possible temperature accuracy.
The Spreadsheet Seen In Episode 3:
Note: Again, the ratings are EXTREMELY subjective. Look for what is important to you!
| DEVICE | PRICE | WARRANTY | BATTERY (mAh) | Wh (Calculated) | Wh (Measured) | WIDTH (mm) | HEIGHT (mm) | DEPTH (mm) | OVERALL (WxHxD) | WEIGHT (g) | MATERIAL | FINISH | 510 | THREADING | SPRING LOADED | COLOR OPTIONS | BATTERY REPLACEABILITY | BATTERY LIFE | GRIP | ERGONOMICS | PROPERLY CONFIGURED | BUTTON FEEL | LOOKS | ADDITIONAL COMMENTS | SCORE (P-Y) | MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE | MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED VENDOR - IF APPLICABLE | WHERE MINE CAME FROM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HANA V200 | 199 | 4 months | 950 | 10.545 | TBD | 40 | 92 | 24 | 88320 | ?? | Aluminum | ?? | ?? | ?? | 1 | 1 | ?? | 1 | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | 3 | ?? | https://www.hanamodz.com | |||
| Hcigar VT200 | 169.95 | 1 year | 1300 | 14.43 | 9.99 | 55 | 96 | 25 | 132000 | 200.5 | Aluminum | Metal | Brass | Brass | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Battery life score changed due to actual measurement. | 20 | http://www.hcigar.com/ | http://www.vapordna.com/ | http://www.hcigar.com/ |
| HotCig DX200 | 149 | 30 day, 90 day DNA | 900 | 9.99 | 9 | 52 | 90 | 26 | 121680 | 218.2 | Aluminum | Rubberized | Gold Plated Stainless | Stainless | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 23 | http://www.hotcig.net/ | http://hotfiretech.com | http://www.gearbest.com | |
| Opus 200 | 229 | 6 months | 1000 | 11.1 | TBD | 55 | 94 | 23 | 118910 | 198.1 | Aluminum | Metal | Silver Plated Brass | Stainless | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 17 | http://www.opusvapor.com/ | http://www.opusvapor.com/ | ||
| Tuglyfe DNA-200 Box | 200 | 90 days | 1200 | 13.32 | TBD | 47 | 95 | 27 | 120555 | 217.3 | Aluminum | Cerakote | Brass | Stainless | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 18 | http://flawlessvapeshop.com | http://flawlessvapeshop.com | ||
| VapeCige VTBox200 | 160 | ?? | 1800 | 19.98 | TBD | 55 | 99 | 32 | 174240 | 300 | Aluminum | Painted ?? | Copper ?? | Stainless ?? | ?? | 1 | 4 | 4 | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | 5 | Waterproof Buttons | ?? | TBD | http://www.gearbest.com | |
| VaporShark DNA-200 | 199.99 | 4 months | 900 | 9.99 | TBD | 48 | 90 | 24 | 103680 | 170.6 | Aluminum | Rubberized | Gold Plated Copper | Stainless | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2A charging +1 | 24 | http://www.vaporshark.com | http://www.vaporshark.com | |
| Vero | 260 | 30 days D, L | 2500 | 27.75 | TBD | 58 | 98 | 34 | 193256 | 219.8 | 3D - Fused Nylon | Textured Nylon | Brass | Stainless | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 20 | https://www.steammonkey.com/ | https://www.steammonkey.com/ | |
| Volcano Lavabox | 169.99 | 90 days | 900 | 9.99 | TBD | 46 | 95 | 28 | 122360 | 200.3 | Aluminum | Metal/Rubber Grip | Brass | Stainless | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 20 | http://www.volcanoecigs.com/ | http://www.volcanoecigs.com/ | ||
| Wismec Reuleaux | 169.99 | 90 days | 2500 | 27.75 | TBD | 50 | 84 | 40 | 168000 | 319.4 | Zinc Allow | Painted with UV Coating | Gold Plated Brass | Stainless | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | -1 | 26 | http://www.wismec.com/ | http://www.clearmistvape.com | http://www.wismec.com/ |
- 12/18/15: The VaporShark is starting to show signs of the finish coming off:
- 12/18/15: I’ve experienced an issue with the Volcano Lavabox. The screen has gone blank due to an issue with the fire button hitting the ribbon cable that connects the screen to the board. The unit was quickly replaced by Volcano and they’re looking into the cause of the problem. Although I cannot confirm it, I’ve heard the Reuleaux has a similar issue.
The Video – Episode I – The Board:
The Video – Episode II, Part 1 – The EScribe Software:
The Video – Episode II, Part 2 – The EScribe Software:
The Video – Episode III – The Device Comparison:
The Photos:
A NOTE ABOUT THE ESCRIBE VERSION SEEN IN THE VIDEO…
Getting a lot of questions about this, so thought I’d do a post.
You saw me using version 1.0.34… but it’s not available. Yeah, I know.
Evolv supplied me with a later beta release of the software with the hope that it would be ready in time for public release and sync to the video.
Looks like that didn’t happen. I’ve contacted them and recommended they release it as soon as possible so I can stop fielding the same questions and comments over and over again.
I’m sure (hope) it will be released soon.
Thanks all. Now back to your regularly scheduled broadcast.
ANOTHER ONE FOR EPISODE 3 – THE COMPARISON – THE LAVABOX BY VOLCANO
- Love the look of this one!
- Love the feel of this one!
- Love the interchangeable colored grips!
- Love the ease of battery replacement! (it is a little tough getting the balance connector past the main connector)
- Would love to see the grips be snap-on or magnetic as apposed to screw-on for rapid changing.
- Not a fan of the fire button 🙁
When I first saw this, I thought it looked “manly”. Which is why Dimitris will hate it unless he can get a nice pink grip for it.
Since the device has the same shape on either side and the fire button is flush with the device, I find myself hunting for the fire button at times even with the grip telling me the orientation.
The flush mounted fire button was done intentionally to prevent it from being accidentally pressed.
So this is where everyone is going to be different. Some will not mind the button, but for me, the first time I need to hunt for the button… well… you know.
Expect to pay $169.99 for this one from Volcano.
If I change my mind and wind up liking the button, can you guys have a luau in my honor? 🙂
Photos show it next to a Shark 200 for a size comparison.
COMING SOON – THE PROVAPE RADIUS
THE PROVAPE RADIUS
Two very surprising things here:
- It’s not a tube!
- It has more than one button!
I know VERY LITTLE about this device, and here’s the extent of it:
- It’s a 18650 device, with MicroUSB charging which can also be used to
updated the firmware/software. - Its the first ProVari with three buttons
- Its the first ProVari that is not a tube
- Initially available in 4 colors
- Looks like it adopts the P3 connector
- It’s made of polycarbonate and Stainless Steel
- Full specs will be available on the ProVape website Tuesday Oct. 13th around 9AM PST.
- Pre-Orders start 1 hour later at 10am PST.
THE LAST “OFFICIAL” E-LIQUID REVIEW – 5 FROM INNEVAPE & LAST CONTEST WINNER!
This is the last “official” e-liquid review from me. All (most 😉 ) of the reasons why were posted up on TasteYourJuice.com.
In this video we get in the golf cart and take a look at 5 from Innevape:
Heisenberg (The Blue)
Pearnapple
Roadrip
Shanghai Oak Aged Blend
Private Stock Oak Aged (Street Shout Out)
All liquids tested were 12mg. Their standard “Premium” line is 30/70 PG/VG. Their Oak Aged is 35-40 PG, 60-65 VG. Some VG is lost in the aging process.
Been a long time since I’ve done a juice review so something that I failed to mention in this video is that all the bottles had child resistant and tamper evident caps.
We also announce the winner of the last contest.
The Links:
Innevape
Innevape Testing Results
The Video:
From William
Phil, Thank you, for all you do for the vape community/family! I had my last Camel Bold Crush on November 14 2014. This November 14 2015 will be my first year cigarette free in 22 years.
Yes that is right! I smoked for 22 years and the day I started vaping I never touched another cigarette. My very first set up was a Vamo V5 with an aspire nautilus and 18mg juice. Since then I’ve moved on to dripping and sub ohm tanks and even lower nic level to 6mg and on 11-14-15 I’m going to drop again to 3mg!
The reason I quit smoking cigarettes was due to my youngest son Sam. He was born premature at 27 weeks weighing 2lb 1oz and 21inches long he fought for his life for 3 1/2 months in the local hospital NICU. When he finally got to come home he was on oxygen periodically because his lungs were still not fully developed. I started thinking one day while outside lighting a cig that if Sam can fight for his life being so small that I can fight for my life and give up these damn cigs so I can be around for him.
(Literally seconds after being born he almost died)
(Look close on his arm that’s mine and my wife’s wedding band that’s how small Sam was)
I tried numerous things for 3 yrs to give up smoking, patches, gum, prescription medication blah blah blah, nothing worked Phil. I googled vaping, started reading, watched some of your YouTube videos and the next day I was vaping and never touched another cig. So MY SHOUT OUT IS FOR MY SON SAM!!! I owe my new release on free breathing to him and you for your videos and advocacy for the vape family.
Thank you for your time I really hope you get time to read this, because vaping saved my LIFE and my son Sam saved my LIFE.
Some stories are too good to keep on the Success Stories page, so this one will be posted here as well.
It’s a wonderful story and a good message. If you don’t want to quite smoking for yourself, think about quitting for all of those people who care and depend on you. I’m sure they’d be quite happy to have you around longer in life.
And William, don’t go dropping your nic level at the expense of vaping a bunch more liquid!! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this William and WAY TO GO SAM! Glad you’re both doing so well!
BENVENUTO A FLAVOURART!
Welcome to FlavourArt!
NOTE:
There was some miscommunication over the videos’ release. Turns out that they need to be approved by the University of Milan before publicly released. My apologies.
Part 1 is now back up. It needed a quick edit and had to be re-uploaded. So sorry for the loss of your YouTube comments on the original Part 1.
Part 2 is back up with no edits required.
In this set of videos we visit with FlavourArt!
In Part 1 we kick off an interview with the key people at FlavourArt. We also tour their facility and see how flavors come together.
In Part 2 we continue with the interview, see some of the effort driven by FlavourArt with the ClearStream Onward program to ensure their products are as safe to vape as possible, see some of their in-lab testing equipment used for quality assurance/analysis and wrap up the interview.
The Links:
FlavourArt Website
Original ClearStream Project Video
Original ClearStream Results
Clearstream Onward Information
FlavourArt AP/DI results
Fem2 Ambiente
Email Contacts:
Shaun Casey: scasey@flavourart.it
Sales: rhong@flavourart.it
General Information: support@flavourart.it
The Video – Part 1:
The Video – Part 2:
The Photos:
NEW IN THE QUEUE – THE DIO BY S.P.Q.R.
Another rock solid, well build , but PRICEY mod @ $325.00… this one featuring the Yihi SX-350J for those fans of that board and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Really love the angled/slanted buttons on mods.
In addition to the features below it does have a spring loaded 510 pin and an onboard micro USB charge/update port.
SPQR is an acronym of a Latin phrase, Senātus Populusque Rōmānus (“The Senate and People of Rome”) They’ve adopted the Roman these for their mods and liquids.
From the site:
This is it.
The S.P.Q.R. DIO
The Dio has been engineered from the ground up for silent, efficient performance. It starts with a YiHi SX350J processor that is surrounded by a custom aluminum alloy accompanied by a refined 316L stainless steel that’s been cold forged, making it two times harder. Complimented by our gravity sensor system, the power of the YiHi processor allows for deep customization to make sure you get a finely crafted vape experience. S.P.Q.R. sets high standards for design aesthetic and function, this engineering leads to not only a piece of hardware, but a piece of functional art.
The S.P.Q.R Dio Includes:
• 1x S.P.Q.R. Dio Device
• 1x USB Cable
• 1x User Manual
• 1x Warranty Card• Powered by the YiHi SX350J processor. • Temperature control. Anti-dry burning
technology.
• Output Joule:10J-60J. 200-580° F/100-300°C. • Resistance: 0.05-0.3ohms(Joule mode).
• Joule (the unit of energy,watt*time).
• Single battery 60W regulated, 85W in bypass mode (direct connection mode, allowing your device to become a mechanical mod).
• Output Voltage: 1.0 – 9.5 Volts.
• Resistance: 0.15 ohm – 3.0 ohm (Power mode). • Four modes: Powerful+, Powerful, Standard, Soft.
• Buck-Boost&Boost, DC-DC Converter.
• Charges via USB, takes one 18650 battery.
• Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Peek Insulator & Oxygen Free Copper.
• Ergonomic design.
• Rotary display (Auto-flip).
• Gravity sensor system.
• Upgradeable software, Graphic user interface. Reverse Polarity, output short, low resistance, low battery voltage, and overheat protection.
NEW (MAYBE) IN THE QUEUE – THE SMOK X CUBE II
Not sure I’m going to take a look at this one in favor of the new mini version that’s coming. It just feels big, flimsy, and the magnetic battery cover barely holds on, and mine (first one I opened) came complete with scratches. Although it does boast a nice feature set.
In a way I also like the button which is the entire side of the device. So no matter how you’re holding it, if you squeeze it, it will fire.
Looks like originally you had to pay $2.99 to activate temp control, but it now comes from the factory with the feature built in. That’s a good thing. 🙂 Be sure of this when buying yours if interested to avoid another charge.
The good news is that they sent a bunch so look for some contests featuring the device soon.
Here are some specs:
- Customizable button colors including fades and scrolls.
- Bluetooth 4.0 with the Smok Smart BEC software
- 160W
- Spring loaded 510 pin
- Top O-led display and control buttons
- Magnetic battery cover
- .06-3.0 ohms in temp mode
- .1-3.0 ohms in wattage mode
- 200 to 600 Fahrenheit, 100-300 Celsius
- Firmware upgradable, but no on-board charging through the USB port, you’ll need an external charger
- Wattage memory locations
- Zinc Alloy and Stainless Steel construction
- Latest firmware supports temp control with stainless steel wire.
- Expect to pay around $60 for this device.
NEW IN THE QUEUE – THE FULGORIS BY DIABLO MODS
A rock solid, well made box mod with a recessed compartment that fits 23.5mm or smaller atomizers giving it a more compact feel and offers a bit of added protection to your tank.
This one uses a genuine Evolv DNA-40, but the old screen gives it a dated look. It takes a single 18650 battery. The pin isn’t spring loaded, but it is adjustable.
This is going to appeal to a limited few due to the price and how the atty sits in the device. The price is 265 Euros which works out to be about $296 US.
The depth of the 510 connection within the device may it desirable for the tank crowd, but perhaps not so much a viable option for the dripper crowd, and a definite no go for those using attys over 23.5mm.
A concern I did have was… what happens when I try to unscrew the atty/tank and it gets stuck OR the tank starts to unscrew from the base leading to a potential juice catastrophe? There’s a solution for that. You unscrew the small screw from the front of the device and the top cap comes out with your atty. Then you can then either unscrew from the top cap, or position it for proper airflow should your device require airflow from the 510 connection. You can also use this feature to index your genesis style atomizer.
IMHO, this screw should be a quick release button or similar. This would make the device much more usable for someone like me who prefers a Kayfun V4 and who constantly grabs the base of the K4 when unscrewing it to shut down the liquid flow.
Also, the rather extreme recessing of the small control buttons on the bottom of the device make them a bit difficult to press.
From their website:
Something new, that was our though when we started designing Fulgoris. It has been on the drawing table over a year before the first prototype and it has seen some changes during it’s designing period. It is designed to be powerful and compact device that you can carry with you anywhere you go.
Fulgoris is fitted with DNA40 board to give you the latest and greatest from Evolv. It also takes 18650 battery inside so you get proper vape time even when using higher power.
Dimensions: 50,5mm (L), 26mm (W), 92mm (H)
Board: DNA40
Battery: 18650 (easily changeable without tools)
Materials: Aluminum and brass
Top Cap: 6-way adjusting to line up your atomizer just the way you want
510-connection: adjusting
Atomizers: Can be used with 23.5mm or smaller atomizers
Store
