Quartz Banger Heat Retention: 5 Main Factors

Why is my banger not retaining heat? 

This is a question asked by many dabbers. There are 5 main reasons your banger is not retaining heat. Quartz Banger heat retention is determined by the banger’s Thermal Mass, Proper Heating Time and Heating Method, Excessive Cooling Time, and Proper Banger Saturation (Dab Size). 

Understanding banger heat retention. 

Let's breakdown the 5 main factors of heat retention. 

• Thermal mass refers to the size and thickness of the banger, thicker bangers have greater thermal mass and therefore hold heat for longer. Banger thickness applies to both the side walls and bottom of the banger. 

Banger walls vary in size with some being 2mm thick going up to as much as 4mm thickness.

Likewise Banger Bottoms are typically 4mm up to 6mm thick with other designs like the diamond bottom banger going up to as much as 12mm or even 16mm. 

The bottom of the banger is the most crucial area for heating as this is where the concentrates spend most of their time and with the dabs being in contact with the bottom as much as it is, can cause the bottom to cool the fastest. 

Not all thick bangers are full weld however almost all full weld bangers are thick bangers and offer better heat retention. Larger bangers whether in height or width or both also have larger thermal mass and can retain heat slightly better than a banger of the same thickness which is smaller. 

Understanding the banger wall thickness and banger bottom thickness is a great way to understand the potential heat retention of a banger. We try to have every measurement listed within the specifications field of our description so you can see which would suit your preferences. 

• Proper Heating Time To Achieve Proper Temperature Levels is crucial for achieving the proper temperature to withstand the initial temperature loss once the dab hits the banger. Depending upon the thickness and size of the banger the overall heating time may vary. Likewise the torch strength and style will impact how long the banger needs to be heated. 

As a rule of thumb, bangers typically require 45-60 seconds of heating. Bangers should only be heated with a dabbing torch, do not bother using a soft flame lighter to heat a dab torch as this will take forever and lead to a disappointing dab. When using a dabbing torch there are a few to choose from, single flame, dual flame, triple flame and even quad flame torches. 

The size and strength of the flame(s) will impact the heating time. The precision of the flame also impacts the heating time and intensity of the banger.  

• Proper Heating Method allows for better heat retention, in general it is recommended to heat the bottom of the banger for 30 seconds, then heat the sides of the banger evenly for 15 seconds, then move back to the bottom of the banger to heat for another 15 seconds. Depending on the strength of the dab torch, size of the banger and personal preference, this heating schedule can change, however the general percentage of 50% bottom, 25% sides followed by 25% of the time at the bottom is recommended, whether the total heating time is 60 seconds, 45 seconds or even 90 seconds. It does take some time to learn your torch, banger and temperature preference to understand your preferred heating time. 
• Excessive Cooling Time: cooling time is important to prevent burning the concentrates however finding the right timing is crucial for an enjoyable and efficient dab. Don't wait long enough and you have yourself a hot dab which can be burned. Wait too long and the dab wont vaporize properly. Generally the cooling time should be somewhere between 25-50% of the heating time. If you heat the banger for 60 seconds, allow the banger to cool for 15-30 seconds. Much like heating time cooling time
• Proper Banger Saturation (Dab Size) Over-saturating a banger by placing too large of a dab for the banger size and temperature (also known as vaporization rate) is a sure fire way to cool down the banger and prevent proper vaporization of the dab. There are mitigating factors to this such as vortex airflow carb caps and banger inserts like terp pearls and terp pillars. Take a look at our dab sizing chart to see what size dab is ideal for your banger size. 

All of the heating equations can be enhanced by utilizing a dab temp reader. We carry many different styles ranging in price from $30 up to $300. There are infrared dab temp readers and touch dab temp readers. 

If you’ve gotten to this point of the blog you should now have a powerful understanding as to why your banger is not retaining the heat as expected. There are other factors such as airflow levels and proper carb cap matching to enable proper airflow which can aid in retaining heat better.