Apologies for the reddit links, but imgur links turn into blank black boxes for some reason.
We have been undertaking a consistent set of tests to produce graphs of temperature and power behaviour of various mods in temperature control mode to work out which mods do what they say on the box. See list that follows. DiCoDes and Vsticking will be released in the next week or two.
YiHi Sx Mini G Class: Temperature Control Testing Results: YiHi Sx Mini G Class (YiHi SX550j board) : electronic_cigarette
Vaporesso Gen: Temperature Control Testing Results: Vaporesso Gen SS Profile : electronic_cigarette
DNA 75C LostVape Paranormal Using Steam Engine SS316L Profile: Temperature Control Testing Results: DNA 75C LostVape Paranormal Using Steam Engine SS316L Profile : Vaping
DNA 75C LostVape Paranormal Using DJaquith 3.5 SS316L Profile: Temperature Control Testing Results: DNA 75C LostVape Paranormal Using DJaquith 3.5 SS316L Profile (same mod, different SS316L profile) : electronic_cigarette
Geekvape Aegis Solo Stock SS316L: Temperature Testing Results: Geekvape Aegis Solo Stock SS316L Profile : electronic_cigarette
Innokin Proton Stock and Custom SS316L: Temperature Control Testing Results: Innokin Proton : electronic_cigarette
LV Therion DNA 167 Using Steam Engine SS316L Profile: Temperature Control Testing Results: LV Therion DNA 167 Using Steam Engine SS316L Profile : electronic_cigarette
Geekvape G-Box Stock and Custom SS316L: Temperature Control Testing Results: GeekVape GBox Stock SS Profile : electronic_cigarette
Volcano Ecigs Lavabox M DNA 75 Steam Engine 316L Profile - https://www.reddit.com/r/aussievapers/comments/gjazh3/temperature_control_testing_results_dna_75/
LV Drone DNA 250C Stock SS profile (note this is in preview form): https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/fxs1x0/preview_on_dna_250c_and_input_sought_temperature/
Temperature Control Testing results for the DNA 75C board (Lostvape Paranormal) using the Steam Engine SS316L profile are available he
Temperature Control Testing Results: DNA 75C LostVape Paranormal Using Steam Engine SS316L Profile : Vaping
OR imgur.com/a/EOL9hRE
TLDR: You might expect that the DNA75C results would be better than the DNA75 (original) results, and while the results are largely comparable in most states, there is some overheating and more volatility compared to the classic DNA 75 under the same conditions, shown here imgur.com/a/7Pe3Gad. However, under the "new" test using a dual coil high mass low to mid resistance build, the result was one of the best I have ever seen for any state on any mod in terms of accuracy and flatness (but I have no prior results for this test to comapare to). Using the stock SS316L profile or DJAquith 3.5 did not produce better results. You can see the results using the DjAquith 3.5 results, he imgur.com/a/Abf57Fi. The Steam Engine 316L profile was still the most accurate according to this rig/analysis and as best as I could tell from my thermocouple.
See imgur.com/a/Yem5bdF for the full set of charts, results and tests, the attached is the one of 7 tests/states/charts.
TLDR: These are hands down the best out of the box results I have seen from from a cheaper mod so far. Compare the result to the DNA 75 and its not too far off in most states imgur.com/a/7Pe3Gad. You could argue this is better than a DNA out of the box because you dont have to do anything to ensure its pretty much accurate (A DNA mod requires the Steam Engine SS316L profile to be installed via escribe for best accuracy...anyone who says DJacquith or stock should see my test results on those profiles before commenting).
This Aegis Solo looks like a better result than previous Geekvape tests like the G-Box reddit.com/r/electronic_cigarette/comments/gf5pft./temperature_control_testing_results_geekvape_gbox/.
I am told there are two different types of boards running different Geekvape mods so maybe check before applying this result to other Geekvape mods. The controller in this mod is as follows I believe: ARM Cortex-M0 Nuvoton NUC220LE3AN. I think the other mods with this controller include the Aegis Mini/Nova/Max, ONLY! Without this component, the Geekvapes dont appear to perform well.
Temperature control testing results are available for the DiCoDes Dani 25 using the stock SS profile, he imgur.com/a/89GNaPJ
or
Temperature Control Testing Results: DiCoDes Dani25 tube mod (~$300 USD) : electronic_cigarette
TLDR: This is a $400 AUD mod that doesnt produce a premium temperature control experience in many states. The method of temperature control this mod uses produces a wavy temperature experience you can both hear and feel in most cases. Like PWM, it creates a band of temperature outcomes from pulsing more power than it needs to keep the coil temperature maintained. It mostly succeeds at providing dry hit protection, but unless you are using high resistance high or high mass builds, there are smoother and more accurate outcomes on a range of cheaper mod. The TCR value can only be set in 5C steps so that makes it impossible to dial in but fortunately the built in SS mode (TCR92) is reasonably accurate and consistent on average. Overall the default SS setting is slightly under the set temperature. Between the premium priced boards, both DNA and YiHi methods produce a better temperature control outcome than this DiCoDes board in terms of smoothness, accuracy and range around the set temperature (I think objectively?). If someone wants to lend me a different DiCoDes to test, I will pay for shipping and be very careful with it.
Temperature control testing results for the YiHi Sx Mini G Class are now available here and there are some particularly interesting issues to discuss imho: imgur.com/a/os23png
or
Temperature Control Testing Results: YiHi Sx Mini G Class (YiHi SX550j board) : electronic_cigarette
TLDR: This is an unusual one. You can get a sense from these charts of where the YiHi SxMini G Class got its reputation for being fast, accurate and smooth in temperature control mode, especially for when it came out a few years ago. But this mod created a range of challenges for our testing methodology and rig because of the pulsed (PWM) approach it takes to temperature control. What we do know for sure is that it does dry hit protection, and the temperature outcome falls within within a fairly narrow range that averages out to a fairly accurate and flat result, if a smidge too hot in most cases. But if what we are seeing is real, there may be a key difference that arises with this kind of temperature control method, where high fixed high power pulses produce rapid, tight, almost sawtooth changes in temperature in a narrow band. This is happening so fast it cannot be perceived in most states. This may be the basis for some of the subjective preferences for YiHi/PMW mods I have heard, such as it feeling "punchier" and producing better flavour (possibly from higher temperatures being reached which may have implications for those seeking to avoid thermal decomposition of their juice). Some insights may be drawn from the oscilloscope image at the end
The results are in for the Smok Mag for SS temmperature control testing, and if you set the TCR to 75, you actually get a pretty damn good result. Full charts, analysis and conclusions he
imgur.com/a/KQKCH1H (manually link, for some reason imgur links dont work on this forum)
OR
Temperature Control Testing Results: Smok Mag Custom SS TCR 75 (Decent when tweaked) : electronic_cigarette
Results of temperature control testing for the Vsticking VK530 may be found he
Temperature Control Testing Results: Vsticking VK530 (YiHi Sx530 board) - the cheaper cousin of the Sx Mini G Class : electronic_cigarette
Or
imgur.com/a/h3Km5Ht
TLDR: This Vsticking VK530 mod is a more recent cheaper cousin of the Sx Mini G Class - the form factor, battery door and overall look are very similar (and much better design than the GTRS Vboy with the Sx 500 chip). Its missing some of the features of the G Class in terms of bluetooth and SxQi, but costs about a third of the price (here in Australia). Its performance is very similar to the Sx Mini G Class (results for that he imgur.com/a/os23png) except for very low ohm, low mass builds where it falls a bit short (common for cheaper mods). It seems like it might operate at a slightly lower maximum frequency for the reduced cost but its not easy to tell, and subjectively is indistinguishable (at least for me but I build over .4 ohms generally). Again, well functioning dry hit protection despite some of the temperature spikes, and on average fairly flat and accurate results (drawing a line through the striping), if you dont mind the temperature striping and are not concerned about possibly higher ranges of temperatures during a short puff (with possibly implications for thermal decomposition of the juice, see G Class results for further discussion). This is one of the best results we have seen for a mod in this price range for other than those low mass low ohm builds (but a great result on lowish ohm high mass builds like the dual coil test at the end). NOTE: Temperature control results were terrible when using the wallpaper that has a live power needle dial showing (dont ask me why, you could hear and feel the pulsing in most states with this wallpaper- has been verified by u/Lendord replicating for me).
See imgur.com/a/5KlI6TJ for a full set of charts, results and test analysis. Attached is one of half a dozen tests/charts for this mod, just as an example.
TLDR: This mod doesnt do a good job of protecting against dry h its with the stock SS profile and plenty of cotton singed during testing, especially at low resistances - only once did I see the "No liquid" message. Note: the standard SS profile is set to a TCR of 105 and does not produce good results. However, using a TCR of 102 produced a better result in terms of smoothness and accuracy, but the mod is slow to hit the set temp and can still burn cotton in some states. Mid-ohm resistances around 0.45 ohms seemed to fare best on this mod, with decent power available and reasonably flat, accurate results on TCR mode using 102, and decent dry hit protection was obtained. Not a gold star result, but quite usable with a little tweaking - this is a very cheap dual 18650 squonker after all, and not a bad option for that category.
Imgur version of post with all charts and analysis he imgur.com/a/vc6hvEr
Eleaft iStick Pico 75 - TC bang for buck that is remarkable - Temperature Control Testing ResultsArctic Fox Firmware 190624 Stock SS316 Profile : Vaping
The attached is the first of 7 charts/states tested and does not represent overall performance - see IMGUR or Reddit for full report and analysis, or the TLDR summary. See a full list of mods tested so far, at the bottom of the full post for comparison.
TLDR: I bought this little mod for merely $15 bucks in a sale, and yet other than one (repeatedly tested) very different outcome for a (rarely realistic) completely dry MTL coil, it performs very well as a temperature control device, with good power (unless youre a very high mass dual coil vaper, in which case you need a dual cell mod), tight and accurate temperature control that is arguably largely comparable to DNA in most states (see imgur.com/a/EOL9hRE for current DNA series comparison). Its hard to beat in terms of price for performance...lets see how the stock firmware compares in an upcoming test. This Arctic Fox firmware provides a lot of the functionality of a DNA device, its free, and its compatible with a lot of Eleaf, Wismec and Joyetech mods! More testing required to see if it holds up across that range.
I've got another one of my most likely idiotic middle of the night burning questions. On my mods that have temperature control they usually will have all the usual Metals you know stainless steel nichrome titanium but then they'll also have an option just called TCR or called temperature control TCR. Can someone explain the difference to me like what exactly is TCR compared to temperature control and choosing which metal you're using?
Wondering if its possible/safe to use temperature control on a RDA clone? Because clones don't use peek insulator or does that not matter?