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Status 10/26: DNA-40D mods in full production

Current lead time

Estimated lead time for XPV orders 1-5 business days from payment. Demand for the DNA-40D XPV remains robust so we need to keep the increased lead time.

Temperature info page posted

Here is our temperature information page with some collected thoughts and links to resources:

 Technical: DNA-40D & temperature protection

Temporary repair timeframe increase

We continue to accept and complete repair jobs concurrently with production, however due to the current high volume of both orders and repairs, we need to raise the repair timeframe to 2-5 days. This is a more accurate estimate, as repairs are handled individually and usually require ongoing communication with the owner.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and as always thank you for your ongoing interest and support!

 

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Status 10/14: It’s on

Current lead time

Estimated lead time for XPV orders 1-5 business days from payment. We have added a few days to the estimated lead time window to accommodate the expected surge of orders today. We also do have only so many mods listed to make sure we do not oversell the lead time. We will replenish as needed and as we meet our obligations.

New products launched!

Today we launch the following products:

XPV DNA-40D with Temperature Protection

XPV DNA-40D with Temperature ProtectionUpdate to our flagship product using Evolv’s spectacular new DNA 40D board with temperature protection. We are introducing them at a special price of $204.99 for a limited time, and while supplies last we will ship them with SONY VTC5 batteries which we kept on the side just for this launch! As you may know, that alone is up to a $15 value these days. Mods will ship with a sample package of nickel wire (see item description) and you can purchase additional packs of wire.

XPV DNA-40D with Temperature Protection

Pure nickel Ni200 wire for DNA-40D

DNA boards and chargers

DNA 40D retail boxWe know there are many out there looking to get their hands on the DNA 40D board for their own projects, so we are offering a limited number of bare boards in retail box. We also have the Evolv charge boards available for DIY.

Evolv DNA 40D (retail box)

Evolv Micro-USB Charging Board

As always thanks for your interest and support for Protovapor!

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Status 10/10: The revolution is here!

Evolv clears the table

So, perhaps you’ve seen this:

Evolv today with the help of esteemed vaping personality Phil Busardo announced its latest product, the DNA 40D with temperature protection. We were lucky enough to be involved in the beta testing for the new device and we can say with confidence that this technology changes vaping as we know it on a fundamental level. This isn’t just evolution, it’s revolution, down to the very building blocks of vaping.

Just about everything we know about vapor technology is now obsolete. The ability to control temperature is a feat several orders of magnitude more sohpisticated than anything currently seen in vaping, and we can tell you it absolutely works! This is true innovation, and on balance Evolv is without question the most innovative company in the industry.

Protovapor is all-in

At Protovapor we are big believers in Evolv’s technology and business model. While we have felt the pinch from cloning and the wattage war, we always knew Evolv’s product would be worth waiting for. We were right. This is what everyone has been waiting for … even if they don’t know it yet!

Announcing the Protovapor XPV-DNA40D

XPV DNA-40DsWe will be releasing DNA 40D-equipped XPV mods on the official launch day, October 14. We have boards and materials on hand and are ramping up for production to get these mods into as many hands as possible. We will include some sample Ni200 wire so users will be able to hit the ground running. We are also working on a temperature control primer of sorts, based on our experiences with the new technology. We will also have Ni200 wire available, and most likely some retail DNA 40D boards.

How will this affect lead time? It depends. As of right now, it is at the minimum 1-3 days. We are gearing up to meet expected additional demand in the early days after launch but it’s entirely possible demand could start putting pressure on the lead time again. As this is a new product launch, and a revolutionary one, we will probably accommodate some lead-time increase if it is needed. We won’t let it get as high as in the past, however.

We will post an announcement when the mods are available for order on Tuesday. Stay tuned!

Also since the last status post was just yesterday, here’s a reminder:

Matte black cases restocked

We have finally received our shipment of matte black cases. They are back in stock and available.

Better 510 upgrades

We have come into a number of matte black case halves which allow us to do the 510 upgrades without the thick top spacers. For a limited time, any 510 upgrade ordered for shop installation can be done with these case halves at no extra charge. For black cases it is automatic, and it can be requested for any other color of case. We also have a limited number of slight blemish case halves in grey, ice blue, red, gold and green, which can also be requested in a shop 510 upgrade. Yes, two-tone cases!

Speaking of two-tone cases

As an experiment and in conjunction with the DNA 40D launch, we will work with customers to deliver two-tone cases. The options for color areas are: case front (button side), case back (screen side), top and bottom plates. Here are the scenarios:

  • If you order 2 mods, you can mix and match colors any way you like between the two.
  • If you would like a black case front with any color back, it is available.
  • If you would like a grey, ice blue, royal blue, red, gold, or green case counter color, we have slight blemish case parts available and will supply them in order from best to worst.

We do not guarantee we can always do the two tone, but we will do our best. Select the color of the case back (screen side) that you want, then write what else you want in the comments on your order. We will contact you to finalize.

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Status 10/9: Black is back

Current lead time

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders 1-3 business days from payment. Effectively, the lead time is eliminated; this is the lowest it will be. Since mods are still made to order, we have a small window built in to accommodate surges in ordering. If the window starts growing again, we will throttle sales to make sure lead time remains here.

Matte black cases restocked

We have finally received our shipment of matte black cases. They are back in stock and available.

Better 510 upgrades

We have come into a number of matte black case halves which allow us to do the 510 upgrades without the thick top spacers. For a limited time, any 510 upgrade ordered for shop installation can be done with these case halves at no extra charge. For black cases it is automatic, and it can be requested for any other color of case. We also have a limited number of slight blemish case halves in grey, ice blue, red, gold and green, which can also be requested in a shop 510 upgrade. Yes, two-tone cases!

Stuff

Things are going to get real interesting around here soon. Stay tuned.

 

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Status 9/16: XPV sale! No lead time!

Current lead time

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders 1-3 business days from payment. As of this posting, effectively, the lead time is eliminated; this is the lowest it will be. Since mods are still made to order, we have a small window built in to accommodate surges in ordering. If the window starts growing again, we will throttle sales to make sure lead time remains here. You order it, we make it, you get it.

Sale price on XPVs!

SALE!To kick off Q4, we have put all XPV products on sale for $189.99. We would like to start Q4 off on the right foot as we look to bring future products to market.

Matte black delayed

Unfortunately, our case supplier has made a couple of errors and we have not yet received our matte black shipment. We estimate earliest arrival early next week. As before, if you would like to order another color and wait for matte black, we can make arrangements. Just contact us.

Sony VTC5 option suspended

As mentioned in the previous status, Sony VTC5 batteries have become very difficult to get and quite expensive. Given that we have what we consider two alternative batteries that perform equivalently in the the current XPV application, we have suspended the Sony VTC5 battery option indefinitely. The Samsung INR18650-25R and LG ICR18650HE2 are the two recommended batteries for the XPV DNA30.

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Status 8/26: Samsung 25R added, some housekeeping

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders

7-12 business days from payment. See this page for details on how the lead time works.

XPV ordering will remain open

As of this posting, XPV ordering is open and will remain open until further notice.

Samsung INR18650-25R now available

Samsung INR18650-25RAs you may be aware, the Sony US18650VTC5 battery we currently use in full size XPVs is seeing a global supply shortage. Theories of why abound, but the bottom line is we are finding it increasingly hard to get VTC5 batteries in a timely manner and at a reasonable price. Luckily, two excellent alternatives exist for DNA30 devices, which do not require all of the 30A continuous capacity offered by the VTC5 cell. These are the LG 18650HE2 2500mah 20A battery, which we already offer, and the Samsung INR18650-25R 2500mah 20A battery, which we are now offering. All three of these batteries perform essentially identically at the loads demanded by the DNA30 board. The Samsung performed very well in our testing and is now the default battery on XPV mods. The VTC5 can still be ordered while supplies last but there’s no guarantee we will be able to restock in the future, or offer it without charging a premium.

510 upgrade DIY instructions posted

We have posted the DIY instructions for the 510 upgrade. Again we do not recommend doing the upgrade yourself if at all possible. We have the experience of doing hundreds of these installs, while an inexperienced person doing it for the first time is likely to run into issues or at least frustrations.

Service Procedure: 510 Upgrade

Black matte cases coming

Black matte cases have been reordered, we expect them back in stock in 10-15 business days. If you have an order in the queue or would like to make an order for one, and would like to wait for the black matte cases, please contact us.

Sales policy clarification

Protovapor has always had an All Sales Final policy, which implicitly included preorders for XPV mods, however given the long lead times we have been flexible with those requesting refunds. With our shortening lead times, we now start the production process on an ordered mod much more quickly, meaning we incur costs sooner. This renders us unable to refund orders, so please order with that in mind. The Shipping and Returns policy page has been updated to be clearer on this.

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Status 8/7: Getting ‘caned

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders

10-15 business days from payment. See this page for details on how the lead time works.

XPV ordering is: OPEN

As of this posting, XPV ordering is open.

A bit of rain

Double hurricane, what does it mean?!
Double hurricane, what does it mean?!

Well, As Seen On TV™, Hawaii is currently under a hurricane warning as not one, but two hurricanes have decided to pay a visit. While we do expect to close the shop at least one day, we do not anticipate any delays to shipments, at least originating shipments. Depending on how the weather affects the islands, it’s possible mail could move a bit slower once with USPS. Hopefully we emerge unscathed and none the worse for wear.

Local news links:

Hawaii News Now

KITV Honolulu

KHON Honolulu

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

FDA comment deadline imminent

All vapers should be filing comments with the FDA on the impending regulations on the vaping industry. Please take a minute to do so if you have not already. Any comment helps. See the following links for information:

CASAA streamlined comment information

CASAA call to action (full info)

 

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Status 7/26: 510 upgrade available

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders

12-18 business days from payment. See this page for details on how the lead time works.

XPV ordering is: OPEN

As of this posting, XPV ordering is open.

510 upgrade now available for purchase

510 upgrade
We have launched the 510 upgrade as an ala carte product. You can now purchase it for your older XPV mods. Please read the descriptions well for how the arrangements work. We intend to keep these continuously available, however we do have a set number we will sell at a time, so we can manage the turnaround times.

510 Connector Upgrade – USA

510 Connector Upgrade – International

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Status 7/16: On the case

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders

15-20 business days from payment. See this page for details on how the lead time works.

Additional delay update

At this time the additional delay is resolved and there is no additional delay beyond the lead time estimate.

XPV ordering is: OPEN

As of this posting, XPV ordering is open.

New cases in!

Grey and greenWe have received a new shipment of cases. These are designed to work natively with the new 510 connector, so we are back to the standard-thickness upper spacers and clip spacers. Case length remains 110mm.

We restocked all colors except silver, which we will be phasing out. We believe grey is close enough to silver that we do not need to stock both colors, and we did not receive feedback from anyone wanting to keep both. Any silver cases on order are of the older design and will continue to ship with the thicker top spacer. As usual, we will accept color change requests, please try to let us know by the end of this week.

Gloss black now available

Gloss and matte blackWe have added gloss black (left in photo) to the color options. All cases prior to this addition have had a matte finish; gloss black is a smooth, polished finish. It is a handsome finish. For cases already ordered with black color, we will assume matte black unless you contact us to change.

The new new blue

Ice Blue vs Royal BlueThe current batch of blue cases is closer to the original lighter blue. In order to make sure the distinction is understood, we are calling this color “Ice Blue” (top in image) as opposed to the immediately previous “Royal Blue” (bottom). We are completely out of royal blue cases, so any blue case that has not been shipped yet will be ice blue. If you would like to change colors, contact us with the change request.

Black screws now shipping

Top screw colorsWe have finally secured black screws that are designed correctly for our cases and are now using them standard on all cases with black trim. Going forward we will use black screws with black trim mods, silver screws with alumide trim mods. If you have a specific request to get the other color on your order, please write the request in the comment section of your order. For already-placed orders, contact us.

For existing mod owners, black screw sets can be ordered.

More about screws

For any mods with the new 510 connector that shipped prior to 7/15, we have been using a variety of different top screws in an effort to find the best match, as the original batch of screws we received from our vendor were very poor quality. We have finally received matching, good quality screws from our vendor. For these specific orders, we will ship a new set of screws free if you do not like the screws your mod came with. Contact us with requests.

About the new 510 connector

510depthSo far we have heard of relatively few issues with the new 510 connector. We hope it is working well for everyone. The connector has a depth range of approx. 3.5mm to 5mm. The relevant measurement on an atomizer is from the shoulder above the atomizer’s 510 threading to the tip of the atomizer’s positive contact (see image). This covers a wide range of atomizers, but atomizers with very long connection depth, especially those with long positive contact pins, may not screw down all the way until the shoulder contacts the connector. It is best if the shoulder does bottom on the connector, so you may want to adjust the center pin on the atomizer if it is possible. If it is not adjustable, it may be possible to reduce pin stick-out by filing down the pin itself or the insulator beneath the pin (usually delrin). Or you may want to use a different atomizer.

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Status 7/2: De feet!

Current estimated lead time for XPV orders

20-25 business days from payment. See the FAQ for details on how the lead time works.

Additional delay update

The past couple of weeks have been difficult as we dealt with transitioning our design to the new connector, which so happened to coincide with a large spike in orders in the production queue. Through this week the additional delay is 4-5 days. At the end of this week, we expect the additional delay to be eliminated as there was a lead time update which accounted for the additional order volume at the time.

XPV ordering is: OPEN

As of this posting, XPV ordering is open.

Announcing ModFeet!

ModFoot ABCD

Today we launch a new accessory for XPV mods, the ModFoot. It is meant to provide a more stable base for XPV mods when placed on desktops or other flat surfaces. There are two options, a 3-pack of plain feet and a BigFoot model. Click here.