Question regarding VAMO

[bdot]

Hey guys,

I recently picked up a VAMO and I have a question about using it in single battery mode.

I have a rba and have a 2.5ohm coil setup. I vape at 10 watts. Rms mode.

In single battery mode(350 or 650) the vamo will vape fine from a full charge but once the battery indicator drops down to about 3.8 volts my vapor production and flavor go out the door.

I compared it to my friend's provari running the same volts I'll set the vamo to and it fires fine, providing me with the same vapor/flavor as my vamo with a fully charged battery. Even when the provari battery indicates the battery is at 3.4v.

The batteries I am using are AW IMR 18650 2000 mAh and eFest IMR 18350 800 mAh batteries.

I have not tried a stacked battery setup yet.

Is this normal behavior? If not, what could be wrong?

 

[kiwivap]

I don't have any drop off with vapor/flavor running my Vamo with an 18650 or an 18350 AW IMR. There's been a few times that the only way I've known the battery was low is when I hit the 3.2 volt cut off. I vape lower than 10 watts though. I don't see why that would make a difference. A couple of things to check - have you checked the batteries with a multi-meter? How old are the batteries? 3.8 volts shouldn't be a cut off with the Vamo, especially not with batteries capable of high drain.
My next question is what juice delivery system are you using? It may not be an issue with the batteries, but an issue with your juice delivery system clogging up or something like that.

 

[Rule62]

I haven't experienced this problem. I picked up a Vamo last week, and am pretty impressed so far. Nice mod for the price. I use mine in single 18350, "mini" mode. Make sure, if you're using it as VW, that it is set to RMS mode.

 

[tomhh]

using the vamo too and didnt experience problems like that at all. in fact its surprising how well it works even with battery charge below 3.5v. maybe u need new batteries?

 

[tulianjan]

Odd... I haven't noticed any problems like that since I got mine last week, I'll check today and see

 

[bdot]

Thanks for the replies.

@kiwivap I have not tried checking the batteries with a multi-meter. I will try that once i get my hands on one.

The 18350 are brand new, maybe only like 3 charge cycles now. (noticed that it has been getting a bit better. vapor seems to be dropping off at 3.6v now). the 18650 are about 4 months old. Never kept track on how many charge cycles I've had with them but it may not be more than 10.

I'm using an AGA-t with a SS wick. I'm positive this is not the issue because when I started to get the vapor drop off, I swapped my aga-t onto a friend's provari and it vaped fine. Also, putting fresh batteries into the vmod also solves the issue. So I'm thinking its either a problem with the battery or the vmod itself.

@rule62 I do have it set to RMS mode.

One thing I did notice today was when I hit 3.6v in my battery, I dropped down to 7.0 watts and it seemed to vape better. Any explanation why?

I assumed that if I had it set to 10w but 10w was not achievable then it would give me as much as the battery could handle. Anyone able to clarify this?

 

[Rule62]

Thanks for the replies.

@kiwivap I have not tried checking the batteries with a multi-meter. I will try that once i get my hands on one.

The 18350 are brand new, maybe only like 3 charge cycles now. (noticed that it has been getting a bit better. vapor seems to be dropping off at 3.6v now). the 18650 are about 4 months old. Never kept track on how many charge cycles I've had with them but it may not be more than 10.

I'm using an AGA-t with a SS wick. I'm positive this is not the issue because when I started to get the vapor drop off, I swapped my aga-t onto a friend's provari and it vaped fine. Also, putting fresh batteries into the vmod also solves the issue. So I'm thinking its either a problem with the battery or the vmod itself.

@rule62 I do have it set to RMS mode.

One thing I did notice today was when I hit 3.6v in my battery, I dropped down to 7.0 watts and it seemed to vape better. Any explanation why?

I assumed that if I had it set to 10w but 10w was not achievable then it would give me as much as the battery could handle. Anyone able to clarify this?

What brand of batteries are you using? I've noticed that the batteries that are being supplied in some of the Chinese kits are very poor quality. I use only AW IMRs, and never have a problem with them. I bought an Imotion VV a while back, which came with a pair of 18650s, and the performance was so poor, I thought the unit was defective. As a last ditch effort, I put in one of my old AWs, and it worked perfectly.

 

[Kable]

What brand of batteries are you using? I've noticed that the batteries that are being supplied in some of the Chinese kits are very poor quality. I use only AW IMRs, and never have a problem with them. I bought an Imotion VV a while back, which came with a pair of 18650s, and the performance was so poor, I thought the unit was defective. As a last ditch effort, I put in one of my old AWs, and it worked perfectly.

This was mentioned in the OP. aw imr and efest imr.

 

[bdot]

Kable is right. AW and efest.

So I just got a hold of a volt meter and my batteries are reading fine. 4.2 at full charge. I decided to use the volt meter to check the of my mod and found something interesting. In NO2 mode with a fully charged 18650, my reading for the voltages off my multimeter seem low:
NO2
setting --> measured
3.5v --> 2.2v
4.0v --> 2.8v
4.5v --> 3.4v
5.0v --> 4.2v
5.5v --> 4.9v
6.0v --> 5.8v

however, in NO1, the readings seem much more accurate:
NO1
setting --> measured
3.5v --> 3.5v
4.0v --> 4.0v
4.5v --> 4.5v
5.0v --> 5.0v
5.5v --> 5.5v
6.0v --> 5.9v

is there any reason for this? I thought NO2 (rms) mode was more accurate than NO1. I may try NO1 today and see how it vapes.

 

[Thrasher]

lol good chance the modes are mislabeled in the menu

 

[Boden]

The VAMO is pulse width modulated. The Meter you are using only checks Vavg. That is why when the VAMO is set to Vavg the settings are correct according to the Meter. The problem is that the meter is wrong when the device is set to Vrms as it will not mesure Vrms.

3.5v --> 2.2v
4.0v --> 2.8v
4.5v --> 3.4v
5.0v --> 4.2v
5.5v --> 4.9v
6.0v --> 5.8v

These numbers look correct for a pulse width device set to Vrms measured on a Volt Meter that mesures voltage via Vavg.

 

[kiwivap]

The VAMO is pulse width modulated. The Meter you are using only checks Vavg. That is why when the VAMO is set to Vavg the settings are correct according to the Meter. The problem is that the meter is wrong when the device is set to Vrms as it will not mesure Vrms.

3.5v --> 2.2v
4.0v --> 2.8v
4.5v --> 3.4v
5.0v --> 4.2v
5.5v --> 4.9v
6.0v --> 5.8v

These numbers look correct for a pulse width device set to Vrms measured on a Volt Meter that mesures voltage via Vavg.

Yep - you need an RMS meter or oscilloscope to measure it in RMS mode.

 

[kiwivap]

lol good chance the modes are mislabeled in the menu

No. See Boden's post.

 

[Dzaw]

Back to the problem the OP was having with vapor production -



FWIW stacked batt mode eliminates this problem nicely, and gets you darned near the same total vape time between needing to change batts. Also, two 18350's charging in tandem will be ready sooner than a single 18650, making it more likely that you'll be able to swap-n-vape right away!

 

[kiwivap]

This isn't a provari thread, and the provari does not have variable wattage.
Just for once could we have a thread about a specific pv that isn't hijacked by a provari advertisement.
The Vamo has very accurate voltage regulation with RMS.
See here:
Akkuträger VAMO VV/VW Chrom (aka Telescopic VV XSTAR) » Mountain Prophet
That was on version 1, and so mentions the 6 watt bug. Version 2 has fixed that. Take a look at the numbers.

All the major reviewers have given the Vamo the thumbs up.
Here's Phil Busardo's review - please do take note of the numbers.



I also recommend reading what others posted here in this thread - they are not experiencing low vapor production or inaccuracies with the Vamo.

 

[Caridwen]

This really is getting tiresome.

Please read and respond to the OP's question.

 

[Dzaw]

Just pointing out that the OP compared the performance he was getting to his friend's provari in real life - thus the provari comparisons being made in the thread.

Stepping up from 3.7v(nominal) to 5 or even 6 volts, no, there is no surprise that the provari is better at this job than the vamo. Again, I love my vamo and don't own a provari, but it is still no surprise.

Stepping down 7.4v(nominal) to 6 or less, the vamo does a very admirable job and will give you AT LEAST all of the power a provari can!

 

[kiwivap]

Just pointing out that the OP compared the performance he was getting to his friend's provari in real life - thus the provari comparisons being made in the thread.

Stepping up from 3.7v(nominal) to 5 or even 6 volts, no, there is no surprise that the provari is better at this job than the vamo. Again, I love my vamo and don't own a provari, but it is still no surprise.

Stepping down 7.4v(nominal) to 6 or less, the vamo does a very admirable job and will give you AT LEAST all of the power a provari can!

But this isn't correct Dzaw, that's the problem. 2.5 ohms at 10 watts - is 5 volts. The Vamo can go higher than 5 volts in single 18650 mode on voltage setting. On the watts setting you can go from 13-15 watts, depending on the ohms used. It has been tested. Check the link I posted. It's also been found to maintain the voltage under load.
So that's where your point is incorrect. And if you don't actually own the other pv then I don't know why you are trying to make the point - because what you are saying isn't the answer.

There are a few things that may be affecting performance for the OP - possibly the batteries, which may need more charge cycles.
The OP is having an issue with some kind of drop off when his battery gets to 3.8 volts. It's not a commonly reported issue with this pv.

 

[Dzaw]

you posted up master Phil's review - and I have no argument with the results he was showing. Nor do I have any argument that the battery or atomizer may well be the culprit.

However, when the OP specifically points out that the same type of battery doesn't have this problem in his friend's provari - I then have to wonder if this is at all surprising.

Following Master Phil's works on this and similar PV's you will find that the other PV's that offer the same feature set (including two battery modes, stacked or single) were putting out pretty much identical results to the vamo. You will also find that in the upper reaches of the voltage range, with the upper ends of current demand, they all suffered a bit in single battery mode - however, he also points out that those limits disappear in stacked battery configuration.

And so, I must then point out that if the device is seeming underpowered in single batt configuration, as has been observed (though to a much lesser extent) in the relevant reviews, and if the OP was able to test the same type of batter at th3e same charge level in a competing device that does not have the same issue, then it would fall to reason that the device in question is less efficient/effective at stepping up the voltage from a single batter than the competing device.

The fact that the competing device happens to be a provari is irrelevant to the discussion, up until the point where I asked a pretty obvious question - is this surprising? No, a high quality american made PV is almost guaranteed to be more efficient and effective than a minimal cost chinese made PV. This is a huge portion of the cost difference between them.

You can scream 'my vamo is as good as any provari' until you're blue in the face - and heck, I'll agree with you. However - it doesn't change the fact that the op is getting less power out of his than he expected, and that this phenomenon was observed by the very reviewer you pointed to! It won't change either the fact that the OP has nothing to lose by trying it in stacked battery mode, where he will get 95%+ of the vape time he would get in single battery mode without the power limits.

 

[kiwivap]

you posted up master Phil's review - and I have no argument with the results he was showing. Nor do I have any argument that the battery or atomizer may well be the culprit.

Good. I just call him Phil.

The Zmax puts out the same results as the Vamo. It started the ball rolling with vv/vw that also has RMS. The Vamo probably has the same internals. If not they have been manufactured along the same lines.

The OP was vaping in watts. He was using 2.5 ohms at 10 watts. A better comparison would be another vw mod. If you want to push up above 13 watts then use two 18350s.

The reviews are not saying it is under-powered - far from it. It has a lot of punch. But if you want to take it up over 13 watts and go to 15 watts then use two batts. Reality is very few people would want to vape up at 15 watts. What the reviewers have pointed out is that if you want to go to the highest possible heat then use two 18350s. And yes, for pushing voltage limits then two batts is probably better as well.

You're assuming that because one pv is much more expensive it must be much better. But the Zmax can handle higher voltage than the Provari - and the Vamo performs like the Zmax. Here's a post showing how the provari drops off at a voltage the Zmax can handle:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...-pics-tips-tricks-quirks-157.html#post7660171
The Vamo shouldl be the same as the Zmax on this. With two 18350s in voltage mode the Zmax can go up close to 6 volts with a 1.5 ohm atty. That's around 23 watts! The provari drops out and can't do it. So this point you keep trying to make is not only irrelevant but also incorrect.
The whole point about maximum power potential with two stacked batteries is just how high it really can go.

The reviewers are not saying what you are. Mountain Prophet for example - single 18650 - the Vamo goes over 10 watts fine. Phil Busardo's video from the 21:35 minute mark - hits 10 watts fine at different ohms. On voltages - hits 5 volts fine and maintains under load even with a low battery. Struggles a bit at 6 volts with a low battery. Low battery meaning down around 3.2 volts. The OP said his battery was at 3.8 volts, setting was 10 ohms. This shouldn't be an issue.
The Vamo has variable wattage. The comparison would be better against a variable wattage device. For the OP - vaping with his battery at 3.8v shouldn't cause a loss in vapor production. I'm not screaming that one pv is better than another by the way - I'm just pointing out why your comparison is not relevant.