I was contacted by Vaping UK, and asked if I would review an interesting piece of Vaping gear from Queen of Vapes. They sent out the Canopus RDA free of charge, for the purpose of this review.
About Queen of Vapes.
Queen Of Vapes ecig shop is staffed by ecig users who are always available to offer help and advice by email or by calling our store. Priding ourselves in our products and customer service, we hand pick exclusive premium products that feature the newest technology available to vaping world
The Canopus RDA by Solar is described on the Queen of Vapes website as follows:
"Canopus by Solar brings a new concept to the world of dripping. Named after the 3rd brightest star in Earth's night sky, Its name comes from the mythological Canopus, who was a navigator for Menelaus, king of Sparta.
Canopus from the ground up: Want bottom airflow? got it. Don't want bottom airflow? no problem! Want Clouds? Sure! Want Flavour? Yeah, Want to stand out in a cloud of vapour? Why Not? This could the most amazing RDA you ever brought, it does everything! All of these features on an authentic design designed deck."
And is available to purchase direct off the Queen of Vapes website for £19.99
Presentation.
The Canopus RDA arrived packaged neatly in a small round presentation tin, with a small clear viewing window in the top.
As you open the tin, you can then remove the contents of the kit, which are neatly packed in a foam cut out lining.
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| Contents of Canopus Kit |
The Canopus kit includes:
1 x authentic Canopus RDA by Solar
1 X clear cooling adapter
1 X 510 drip tip adapter
1 X Tools & Spares
1 x Blue Treated LED Bulb
The spares bag includes the following items.
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| Canopus Spares Kit |
Features and Spec
Model : Canopus
Manufacturer: Solar
Type : RDA
Body Material : Stainless Steel
Terminals : 2 Positive, 2 Negative
Terminal connection : Philips Screws
Coil Configuration : Single, Dual. or Quad Coil
Air Holes : 18 diamond airflow holes & 2*3-size holes in the base.
Air Flow Control : Twist Airflow & plug
Connection : 510 threaded,
Width : 22mm
Height : 43mm
Price : £19.99
The Is essentially a Mutation X v4 RDA, with the addition of the clear cooling chamber, and the included LED.
The Mutation X style RDA comes complete in the tin, with the separate clear plastic cooling chamber. Then in combining them together with the addition of the LED, you then create the Canopus RDA.
We will start by breaking down the complete RDA, then will build it back up and install the LED and put a build in it, and try out the completed Canopus.
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| Mutation X Style RDA Component Parts |
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| RDA Component Parts including the cooling chamber |
The stainless steel base, is plain with no distinguishing markings are serial numbers, which you normally find on the base of dripper. The centre of the base plate, has the threaded 510 connection, with what looks like a stainless steel centre pin.
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| Base section of the Canopus RDA deck - with 510 Connection |
The stainless steel centre pin has a cross thread cut in it, which should not be adjusted, unless you want to remove the T-block centre post.
As you work up from the base plate, up the sides of the RDA deck, and below the three o-rings, machined into the base plate, are the first set of air holes, which run up through the base into the deck.
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| Air holes in base section |
The RDA has 3 o-rings running around the base, which are used to secure, the RDA chamber, and prevent any leaks. It's worth rubbing some Ejuice, around the orings to keeps them from drying out.
RDA deck.
The machined stainless steel RDA deck on the Canopus is a three post design, with a centre T-Post block.
The T-Post Block, houses two positive terminal holes, with small philips head screws to secure you coil tails. The negitive posts are machined into the deck itself.
The Canopus deck has a deep juice well, that moulds itself around the bottom airholes. The air holes on each side vary in size, allowing for fine tuning of the bottom airflow, by blocking off the holes you dont need. These coils allow for great airflow direct onto the coils,
The deck itself has quite a few machining marks on it, but no real sharp edges.
RDA chamber.
The stainless steel RDA chamber has 18 diamond cut holes, 9 on each side, running up each side in a diagonal lines, which is supposed to assist in the air movement within the chamber.
The base of the chamber has two vertical holes cut of the the side, to allow for adjustment of the bottom air-flow holes.
Air-Flow Control Sleeve.
Sitting within the chamber, is the adjustable Air-Flow Control Sleeve, which allows complete adjustment of the side airflow holes.
The combination of blades allow for you to run it in single or dual coil mode, and allow you to fine tune the air-flow, by closing of each line of holes 3 at a time. or close it off fully to just run using the bottom air flow holes.
Above the the blades you have a single o-ring, which sits just below the threaded top section, which allow for you to screw on the top cap, or the clear airflow chamber.
Air-Cooling Chamber.
The Canopus over the Mutation X features the addition of the Air-Cooling chamber, which is made of clear plastic, with a thread top and bottom section on it.
The short clear chamber comes pre-installed with the black 510 drip tip adapter, which can be simple unscrewed in preparation, for assembling the Canopus.
Top Cap.
The Rda comes with a stainless steel top cap and sloping delrin drip tip.
The top cap has a threaded base which can be either screwed directly into the air-flow blade, or into the air-cooling chamber, when in use with the LED set up of the Canopus.
Component Construction.
The top cap simple screws down onto the air-cooling chamber.
Ensure not to over tighten it, due to plastic being threaded into metal. Once securely in place you can then attach the top cap and air-cooling chamber to the top of the air-flow blade, by again screwing it in place.
The blade can then be pushed into the outter chamber, once in place you can adjust you desired airflow level, by twisting the blade, to open and close off the holes.
The top section of the Canopus is now complete and ready for the build and LED installation.
Coil Build & LED installation.
Once the RDA deck is secured onto your build platform, you can then install the coil.
For the purpose of this review I used the the supplied pre-set coils.
After loosening the + & - philips screws on the right hand side, you can then simple slide the coil in place, and tighten down the screws, and straighten the coil using the screw driver.
And then snip of the tails of the coil, and give it a pre-heat to set the coil, this coil was reading ot 0.9ohms on the Coil Master 521 Tab .
You can then unscrew the screws on the left hand side, and insert the LED from the opposite side, ensuring that the LED tails do not touch the coil in any way.
its a matter of trying the LED both ways round, until you get it to light, you wont damage it, it just wont light up.
Once in place and only after testing, you can then bend the LED upwards, being careful not to snap it off.
The tails of the LED can then be snapped off, and you can test fire it again to ensure that it still heats the coil, and lights the LED.
The coil can then be wicked, I used CoilMaster Organic Cotton.
The cotton tails can then be carefully pushed down into the juice well, and you are ready to juice.
Once you are all juiced up you are ready to give it a final test fire.
The top section of the Canopus can then be fitted, and installed on your choosen atomizer.
And you ready to vape in style with you blue glowing Canopus, the light floods out of the air holes, and drip tip, and eliminates the vapor as it escapes out of the RDA.
Aesthetics and Build Quality
I thought that the Canopus was going to be a bit of a novelty Dripper, for parties etc, all about look - but not substance, and I must admit i was realy pleasantly surprized when it arrived and i started putting it all together, it is a really well build and machined bit of kit, and machined with really good tolerances, and all fits together snugly, and hold together really well.The threading all seems good, although the air cooling chamber makes a bit of a squeek when you first put it together.
When constructed, I think it has a great look, and the cooling chamber, doent seem to add as much height as i thought it would, and it looks like it has always been there, and part of the dripper.
You are defiantly going to stand out with this one, and at night, will be drawing attention to your self. no one for a sneaky vape.
Performance & Real World Experience
I haven't used the Mutation X RDA, so this was my first real experice of this type of dripper, with the bottom airflow. I have been really impressed, with the both sets of air flow wide open, its like sucking in with zero resistance. and producing a staggering amount of vapor on the exhale.My personal favorite set up was, to completely close of the side air-holes, and have the bottom holes open on both side, it still produced a hugh amount of vapor, but seemed to turn up the flavour. and produced a great vaping experience.
For home use, I also really liked the addition of the LED, and liked the effect it gave, would I use it out and about, not sure, and in the car at night i found it quite distracting. Plus and Blue light going on and off in your car, may also attract the wrong type of attention, if you know what i mean.
Recommendation.
Would have I have bought this RDA off the shelf, No probably not. But having been using it, would i replace it, if i lost it, YES i think i would, as i really like the vaping experience it delivers, with a hugh range of airflow and coil options.MVR RATING
Features & Spec: 8 / 10
Aesthetics : 8 / 10
Build Quality : 7 / 10
Ease of Build: 9 / 10
Performance : 8 / 10
Overall : 8/10
Supplied by : www.queenofvapes.co.uk
