Vaping Convergence: The DNA40 Board & The Dr. Farsalinos Scientific Study

November 1, 2014

On October 14, 2014 Evolv released their revolutionary DNA40 board. I plan to cover this issue is greater detail in future posts but I wanted to provide you with a highlight and my own perspective. The signature feature of this “game changing” board is it’s ability to eliminate dry hits and the taste of burned/contaminated juice. A serious problem which most vapers have experienced using drippers, RTA/RBA, and clearos. The ability to eliminate dry hits and the taste of burned/contaminated juice effects vapers at all experience levels using many different kinds of delivery devices. The feature is called Temperature Protection and requires the use of Nickel 200 (Ni200) wire for your coils or heads. Ni200 wire is available for those that build their own coils and we already see the Kanger T3S head and the Nautilus temperature sensing head using Ni200. For the last ten days I’ve been using my purchased ProtoVapor XPV 40 DNA40 Mod and primarily my Magma Drippers. The challenge I always had from my drippers is the wick going dry and that horrible tasting hit when it went dry or began to go dry. Because of this, I had significantly reduced the use of my drippers.

After a Ni200 build in my drippers, I no longer experience dry hits or the taste of contaminate/funky juice. In very simple terms, the DNA40 board automatically senses the average temperature of your coil which rises as your wick goes dry.  As your wick goes dry it automatically reduces the Wattage/Power to your delivery device based on the maximum parameters (Temperature for taste and wattage for Power) which you have set. Dialing it in takes some trial and error tweaking but once you nail it the DNA40 board handles the details automatically. As your wick begins to dry out the taste of the vape will begin to fade and lack the bright flavor you previously had with a fully saturated wick. Vapor production will also begin to fade. And the screen will display a Temperature Protection warning during the later stages. During this time, your draws will get shorter and shorter and you never experience dry hits or the taste of contaminated juice.

So what does any of this have to do with the Dr. Farsalinos Scientific Study titled “Temperature of evaporation, liquid consumption and vapor analysis in realistic conditions” which I covered in this post? First and foremost, exactly what chemicals and at what levels are released when we encounter a dry hit or the taste of burned/contaminated juice. Do any of these released chemicals at a specific level pose a health risk. Dr. F plans to study these issues. I can also provide you with additional insight as to the value of the Dr. F study via a portion of my response to “pushback” from a member of the activist movement:

– It appears to me that you may be unaware of the DNA40 board and it’s implications. I’m speaking from first hand experience since I own and use a Mod which uses the DNA40 board. It’s ability to eliminate dry hits and the taste of burned/contaminated juice is revolutionary and spans delivery devices for all vapers. Dr. F plans to study this board and it’s implications. This in fact IS a significant scientific contribution as opposed to your “we aren’t convinced it will add much to our scientific knowledge base.” Your effectively sacrificing/compromising a Vapers ability to make an informed decision with respect to “health” for your fixation with the FDA regulators and your failure to grasp the scientific implications. I understand and respect the inherent trade off’s germane to any decision but I respectfully believe that in this case “health” and significant new Science should trump your regulatory concerns.

– Sub OHM and High Wattage vaping is a rapidly growing trend in the Vaping Community which Dr. F plans to study. You are unable to provide any previous Scientific study with respect to these issues . This in fact IS a significant scientific contribution as opposed to your “we aren’t convinced it will add much to our scientific knowledge base.” This will certainly be a focus of the FDA’s sponsored study’s and without a Scientific retort and or independent confirmation the Vaping community continues to loose the PR battle.

– You fail to grasp the significance of the Dr. F study with respect to PR. A battle we desperately need to win. Finally, the Vaping industry has taken proactive steps without regulations to perform it’s own “health/safety” studies via the Dr. F study and the release of the DNA40 board. Both addresses this critical issue. A rare opportunity squandered given the convergence of the DNA40 Board and the Dr. F study.

The crowd funded page for the Dr. F study is here. Please contact your Vendors and encourage them to contribute. They are the primary target for funding. As of the date of this post, 5 Pawns, Innokin Technology, Electronic Cigarette Trade Association of Canada, Costa Vapor, and ATMOS LAB are already featured Vendor contributors, which requires a donation of $500 or more. A paltry sum for most vendors. Naturally, “consumers” like you and me can contribute if we are so inclined and I’m proud to say that I have.

Edited for clarity on 11/18/14