Table of Contents
Welcome to the NOVA electronic smoking pipe “how-to” guide. We hope that you find this guide informative and helps you go from unboxing to smoking in no time! This guide is specifically for NOVA itself, but we do have “how-to” guides for accessories that you can view HERE. Should you have any questions after reviewing the information, feel free to connect with us by email at [email protected]. We can assure you that you’ll receive a human response promptly.
Quickstart Guide Video
NOVA Parts Explained
NOVA is comprised of three parts:
- Battery/lighter module
- Pod housing
- Mouthpiece
Connections
Mouthpiece – connects to the Pod Housing magnetically. To remove, grab the mouthpiece tip and pull sideways to break the magnetic connection.
Pod Housing – connects to the Battery Module magnetically, but is then twisted 90° to lock in place to avoid accidental disconnection.
Mouthpiece with built-in stir and packing tool
The mouthpiece tip is spring-loaded so that it can be pushed in and rotated. Doing so extends the Stir Tool into the pod so that material can be packed and/or stirred easily without having to remove the mouthpiece.
IMPORTANT: Always rotate the mouthpiece tip clockwise to avoid accidentally unscrewing the Stir Tool.
This video demonstrates how the mouthpiece is disassembled for cleaning and also the action of pushing in and rotating to pack/stir the pod.
Loading Pods
Loading pods is one of those fun rituals in anticipation of elevating your day, a party, or other event. Armed with a set of preloaded pods, consuming when and where you need to has never been easier. To start, it’s recommended to use ground material, since it allows air to be uniformly pulled through the pod, resulting in the most effective combustion. Following are a few helpful tips to load your pods for the best possible experience:
- With ground material in your grinder or other storage container, scoop material into the pod and gently compress it with the tip of your finger, or the flat part of the loading tool.
- Pods can be loaded up to 3/4 full (see “Maximum Fill Level” example in the picture). As a check on the fill level, insert a pod cover and verify that it can be completely inserted.
- Pod material can also be compressed while installed in NOVA using the mouthpiece. Simply pressing on the mouthpiece tip will push the stir tool into the pod and will compress the material as needed.
- When loading a small amount of material, be sure to gently compress the material close to the bottom of the pod to ensure proper combustion.
- WARNING: Be careful not to pack the material too tightly, since this will restrict airflow and reduce the arc lighter efficiency.
NOTE: Using whole nugget, or pinched material, may successfully light, but it typically doesn’t produce consistent results and is not recommended.
This short video demonstrates various methods of filling the pods to achieve a consistent smoking experience.
Puffing Style
There’s no right or wrong way to puff/draw on the NOVA, but we’ve found two styles are the most common. This short video shows the two styles: 1) puff, puff, pull; and 2) long pull.
Troubleshooting
If you find it difficult to inhale, it means the air path through the mouthpiece is clogged with resin or herb particles. Using the mouthpiece cleaning tool (included in the Accessories box), carefully insert the sharp end into the air slots in the Stir Tool to loose the resin. For a visual on this process, watch the NOVA Quick Cleaning Guide video below.
If you’re able to inhale, but not getting any smoke, check the following:
- Remove the pod housing and check for ash on the arc nodes. A buildup of ash will interrupt the firing of the arc lighter. Blow across the arc nodes or use the cleaning brush to clear the ash.
- The pod housing may not be in the fully-closed position, causing the arc lighter to not properly fire into the pod. Ensure either “NOVA” or “CIPHER” logos are aligned with the button.
- The pod is over-packed with herb. Since air needs to be pulled through the pod, over-packing will restrict airflow, causing the arc lighter to not pull up into the bottom of the pod to ignite. Refer to the pod loading section in this guide for suggestions on proper pod loading techniques.
The mouthpiece is designed to be disassembled for cleaning. This is done by holding the Stir Tool and rotating the mouthpiece tip in a counterclockwise direction. This ‘unscrewing’ process may accidentally occur when using the mouthpiece to stir the contents of the pod. When stirring, it’s recommended to always rotate in a clockwise direction so that the Stir Tool doesn’t unscrew from the mouthpiece tip. To see how the mouthpiece disassembles, watch the NOVA Deep Clean Guide video below.
All consumer electronics with a battery will eventually fail to charge. If you experience the LED flashing blue for more than 1.5 hours, contact Cipher Support for assistance by emailing [email protected].
Cleaning & Maintenance
The act of smoking is a somewhat messy operation that produces residual ash and resin. In order to keep NOVA in good working order, as with other devices used for smoking, you’ll need to devote a little time to cleaning and maintenance. Specifically for NOVA, the areas to focus on are the air path through the mouthpiece, the ceramic pods, and the arc nodes. The following sections outline the cleaning methods we recommend, with a set of videos demonstrating the cleaning process.
Arc
When smoking, ash will buildup in the bottom of the pod, and smaller ash particles will fall through the bottom onto the arc lighter. This will eventually cause the arc to not light properly. Cleaning the arc lighter is easy, simply remove the Pod Housing from the Battery and blow across the arc nodes. If this doesn’t clear the ash completely, use the included brush to gently wipe across the arc needles. The material around the arc nodes is glazed ceramic, so it’s very easy to clean without using any cleaning solution (which we don’t recommend).
Pod Cleaning
NOVA pods are made of high-grade, heat resistant, food grade ceramic. They’re virtually indestructible, and very easy to clean due to the glazed surface. To maintain the best flavor and smoking experience, it’s important to clean the pods on a regular basis. Prior to reloading a pod, look inside to ensure that at least the opening at the bottom isn’t clogged as shown in the “Dirty Pod” image. When clogged, it’s difficult for the arc lighter to penetrate through the holes to properly ignite the material. Here’s a few cleaning tips:
- Blow method: After consuming a pod, remove it from NOVA and blow through the bottom of the pod. Generally, most of the residue inside the pod will be ejected when using this method frequently.
- Cleaning brush: In addition to the blow method, use the cleaning brush, or a Q-tip, to wipe around the inside to remove most of the residue.
- Hot water rinse: When resin builds-up on the inner walls and bottom, drop the pod(s) in a small container filled with hot soapy water and gently swirl it a few times to loosen the residue. Then, use a Q-tip, paper towel, or similar cloth to wipe away the remaining residue.
- 91% Isopropyl alcohol soak: For deeper cleaning, pods can be soaked for at least 30 minutes in 91% Isopropyl alcohol. Give the container a few swirls to further loosen residue buildup, then wipe the inside clean with a Q-tip, paper towel or similar cloth. Finally, rinse under hot water and allow to dry.
Mouthpiece Cleaning
Sticky resin is a natural byproduct when smoking flower, which builds-up over time in and around the slotted airholes in the stir tool. To maintain optimal airflow and flavor, we recommend cleaning the mouthpiece regularly using one of three methods:
- After smoking: While resin is still warm, and can be easily ejected from the air path, blow into the mouthpiece to clear loose material back into the pod. NOTE: you can also blow into the mouthpiece with it removed from NOVA, but it’s highly-recommended to cover the stir tool with a napkin or other disposable material to catch the resin and avoid staining clothes.
- Periodic: A periodic soaking of the mouthpiece in 91% Isopropyl alcohol for at least one hour is recommended to remove buildup that will occur in the Stir Tool slots and internal air path. It’s difficult to state a specific frequency for this type of cleaning, since it depends on the amount of resin produced from your material, but we recommend at least once per week.
- Deep-cleaning: Over time, resin and material buildup inside the mouthpiece may not be adequately cleaned using the previous two cleaning methods. To maintain optimal airflow and flavor, disassemble the entire mouthpiece and soak for at least one hour in 91% Isopropyl alcohol. As shown in Figure 4, the mouthpiece is constructed of four parts. To disassemble, grab the Stir Tool with one hand and turn the Mouthpiece counterclockwise. Be careful and go slow so the spring doesn’t shoot out. A spare spring is included in the Accessories box in case the spring gets lost. After soaking, rinse all parts in warm water, let dry, and then reassemble.
Cleaning Guide Videos
To summarize the cleaning process visually, we’ve created a set of videos that demonstrate cleaning best practices starting from a quick cleaning through deep cleaning.
