E-Power Review

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cyberwolf

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The new e-Power electronic cigarette by smok Tech is an interesting addition to the wide variety of personal vaporizers (PVs) and accessories that MadVapes has become known for. On the outside it looks like a slightly beefier version of an eGo, the PV that has taken the market by storm lately. The difference is in the battery, and unlike the eGo, you can actually get inside and take a look at that battery.

A mod by any other name

Most factory manufactured kits are sold with a sealed housing that contains the battery, switch and circuitry. We have come to refer to these as ecig batteries, but the battery itself is actually a simple wrapped cell inside of that housing. Not so with the e-Power. The batteries in this PV are inexpensive and easily replaceable 1050mAh 14650 cells. Charging is accomplished by unscrewing the battery tube and removing the battery, which is then placed on the included charger. A second 14650 that is included with the kit can then be placed in the tube. The tube is vented at the end for safety.

e_03_08_200.jpg


This process will sound pretty familiar to anyone who has used a mod. It's fitting that MadVapes, a company known for their wide variety of mod parts, kits and complete personal vaporizer mods, should be making this product available. The e-Power is essentially a mod that looks like an eGo, which is a popular design, so this is likely a good thing.

Not your normal Mod Switch

Where the e-Power differs from a typical mod is in the switch. Rather than a simple momentary switch that is common to all but the advanced mods, the e-Power incorporates a control circuit. Testing indicates that this circuit regulates the output to 3.7V and also allows the lighted switch to blink when the battery is depleted. Mine actually stayed on constantly when the battery reached it's limit, but the effect is the same. These are welcome features in a mod, as batteries that are getting low in a typical mod will continue to work for awhile, but provide a less than satisfactory vape. These features should be especially appreciated by new vapers. The switch is also replaceable and it will be interesting to see what that component is sold for.

The kit

Also unlike the typical mod, the e-Power comes packaged in an attractive box similar to most other electronic cigarettes. I don't have anything against receiving just a cardboard box with a tube and some batteries, but the completeness of this presentation makes this kit just a bit more attractive to a new user. The first layer in the box houses an assembled e-Power, complete with a switch protector, and a second battery. The battery charger, five 24mg Marlboro flavored cartridges and a manual are found on the second layer. It's ready to go out right out of the box, but putting a full charge on the batteries before using will yield the best results.


e_01_02_200.jpg


As mentioned before, the obvious design target was the eGo and MadVapes and Smok Tech have hit it. From a distance, the e-Power looks very similar, with its cone over the atomizer and bright band in the middle. Closer inspection reveals a slightly larger and heavier PV. The e-Power is 99mm long and 17mm wide, compared to the 650mAh eGo's 71mm and 14mm measurements. e-Power and eGo cones and batteries are not interchangeable, but the unit does use the ubiquitous 510 fitting, so a wide variety of atomizers and cartomizers can be used. This is still a comfortable PV to hold and carry. In length and weight it is actually much closer to the 1000mAH eGo, which it should closely approximate in battery life as well.

e_7_500.jpg


Fit and finish are good. Everything screws together nicely and there are no rattles or loose components. The bright portion in the middle has a slightly cheap feel to it, but the coating on the rest of the unit is good. The cone is slightly longer than an eGo cone, meaning that it extends slightly beyond the atomizer. This has no effect when using cartridges or longer drip tips, but shorter drip tips end up a little too close to the cone. Regular sized cartomizers will be much more comfortable with a drip tip when using the cone.

e_05_06_200.jpg


At $45.99, the e-Power is attractively priced for a complete kit. Falling midway between the lowest Riva prices available and the higher eGo prices, it represents a good value. That value increases quite a bit when the cost of replacement batteries is considered. Stocking up on a couple of extra 14650s only costs $6.49 apiece, a bargain compared to buying extra eGo batteries.

Results

After using the e-Power for a couple of days, I think MadVapes has a viable contender in the ecig kit marketplace. I've easily gotten a day of heavy vaping out of one battery and the vape at 3.7V has been good with either the included regular atomizer or a low resistance one. Carrying a couple of extra batteries is convenient due to their smaller size and low cost. And it looks good, too. The e-Power should definitely find itself on the list of inexpensive PV alternatives. This mod will be right along side the other cone wearers that it's dressed up as.
 
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Lightgeoduck

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Nice review cyberwolf, as always.

The one thing I was hoping for,which would have pushed me into getting this is;

I wish they integrated the option of being able to charge it like the ego does. I do like the seperate battery and having a charger for it, but IMO being able to screw the entire device in a usb charger to charge would have been a nice feature, even if it isn't necessary :D
 

Goldenkobold

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I have serious concerns about the switch on these going out with low resistance atomizers, however that being said this thing is priced right and its a neat looking protomod. I have always been a fan of the lines of the ego unit and its cone to keep excess juice off the hands.

edit: I did notice you said the switch was replaceable, which depending on the price of that could make that issue go away completely.
 

cyberwolf

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Nice review cyberwolf, as always.

The one thing I was hoping for,which would have pushed me into getting this is;

I wish they integrated the option of being able to charge it like the ego does. I do like the seperate battery and having a charger for it, but IMO being able to screw the entire device in a usb charger to charge would have been a nice feature, even if it isn't necessary :D

Thanks. You know, that's something I completely overlooked and will have to add to the review. Compared to mods, the need to remove batteries is par for the course, but compared to an eGo, the charger is more cumbersome than a USB dongle.

I have serious concerns about the switch on these going out with low resistance atomizers, however that being said this thing is priced right and its a neat looking protomod. I have always been a fan of the lines of the ego unit and its cone to keep excess juice off the hands.

edit: I did notice you said the switch was replaceable, which depending on the price of that could make that issue go away completely.

Yeah, I'm very curious to see what that will cost. Overall the quality feels pretty good, but only time will tell.
 

tonyorion

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Got my e power today from madvapes, and I can only concur with the outstanding review by cyberwolf. I have become totally turned off by the self contained batteries due to their high failure rates (7 out of 10 egos due to electrical failure-two had to be tossed into a sand bucket when they became very hot and would not stop smoking, scary stuff! 3 Rivas with failed switches. It gets to be too expensive and annoying.) I got an Icon for vaping in public, but it's just an OK unit and very expensive for a mechanical switch system. The base Icon cost more than 2x the ePower kit.

The value for money seems to be outstanding: base unit, two batteries, two attys, 5 carts, and charger. The fit and finish seem good. The black powder coat should hold up well.

I am guessing that this is a regulated supply since mine tested out to 3.7 v as well on a freshly charged battery. The egos, I believe, at regulated at 3.4 volts.

My only complaint is the flavor of the carts (more of a personal preference. I stopped vaping tobacco flavors a long time ago).

There are those of you who like the mega ego carts, attys, and tanks. I personally dislike them: expensive to replace, unreliable, and I did not like the flavor. With the new wave of fluxomizers, smart carts, etc. at a fraction of the price of the ego, why would one bother with the ego system? Having said that, it will probably only be a question of time before someone comes up with a good looking adapter to use the ego system.

All in all a winner! It remains to be seen how reliable the unit is.

One thing that some people may want to see is a usb car charger, but I have trustfire two battery chargers that have a car charger and will handle these batteries.
 

Goldenkobold

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Yeah, I'm very curious to see what that will cost. Overall the quality feels pretty good, but only time will tell.

well at this price even if you just get a year out of it...its not a bad deal. If you can easily replace the switch or the switch proves to be a reliable long term switch then this would be direct competition with several mods out there or at the very least a smooth transition from contained units like the ego to true 3.7 devices in a familiar form factor.

I wonder if the switch could handle avidvapers 14650 high drain 950 mah battery.
 

DonDaBoomVape

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My goodness, CyberWolf! Another outstanding review! As I said to you at lunch on Friday, I'm going to retire now and just collect royalties on Vaping Guides. [Dealing with contestants like Goldenkobold and LGD in the video contest was exhausting.;)]

As for the device you reviewed, viewed as a mod (which, as you pointed out, it really is), the E-Power is the most inexpensive tubular mod out there. Previous to it, the Original (Hex) Copper ($75 for complete kit) or RoughStack (complete kit for the same price) – or, I suppose, the $50 Indulgence or DSE905 – was the entry point. This has got all of them beat ... in a shape that most vapers would find appealing.
 

WillyB

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Not your normal Mod Switch

Where the e-Power differs from a typical mod is in the switch. Rather than a simple momentary switch that is common to all but the advanced mods, the e-Power incorporates a control circuit. Testing indicates that this circuit regulates the output to 3.7V and also allows the lighted switch to blink when the battery is depleted.
A typical unfettered 14XXX Li-Ion under load with a Joye atty will hover at about ~3.7-3.8V right off the charger without any regulation.



I am guessing that this is a regulated supply since mine tested out to 3.7 v as well on a freshly charged battery. The egos, I believe, at regulated at 3.4 volts.

Unloaded, raw voltage for an eGo will be about ~3.9V right off the charger, and under load at about ~3.1V.

If both of your your 3.7V figures were with no atties attached, the actual vaping volts/watts will be significantly lower than a simple tube/box mod using the same 14650 cell.
 

cyberwolf

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Looks like the Exo 14500 I picked up awhile back, great idea, but, does this unit work with atty's or cartos below 2ohms? The switch on mine does not work with LR attys and cartos, same with my 1300mah Vgo.

Probably not. Madvapes states that it will work with 2.0 ohm and above. I have been primarily using one of the included atties which are 3.0 ohm, but it did work with an atty that reads 1.9 ohm.
 

makasin

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I think they are just being conservative and saying that 2 ohms is the limit just to prevent premature death of the switch and/or the battery. It should WORK though, like I dont see why they would put a resistance sensing circuit in it as that would cost more but who knows. Can someone please try a 1.5 ohm atty or 1.8? This is the only concern I have. I really like the idea of having a button cover. My ego's have fired in my pocket before and that sucked. Im using an Xhaler now but had this come out when i was shopping for a mod I would have ordered it in a heartbeat
 

coralie

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I recently ordered this, and have received it. I really like it. I REALLY like the price. It's the kit I'd get to give as a gift if I could think of someone it'd benefit that I haven't already purchased a kit for. I have several other ecigs and mods, and this one still fills a need that was previously unfilled. I've gotten too used to 3.7/4.2 vaping to be happy at 3.1 or 3.2 like my ego/riva/lux, but I don't want something that looks like a pipebomb or crackpipe, especially on flights or cruising around town. It's very sturdy, no jiggling like another mod I have. I haven't dropped it by accident so I don't know how it will fare when that invariably happens. Due to battery life, it's not as reliable as my chuck, and the hit is not as good as a freshly charged 18650 mod. I think I read that there's something that limits the voltage to 3.7. Still, it's a HUGE improvement from 3.2 and it'll do for me. I would definitely recommend this over wimpy stock 510s and ego/riva/etc.
 

DonDaBoomVape

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...I guess its a little similar to the 510N that bauway makes but looks a lot smaller...
I'm not sure about that. According to the Smoktech website, the e-Power is 147mm or 5 ¾" long (I assume with atty and mouthpiece) and 17mm in diameter. The body of VIP Vapor Cig's 510N is 4 1/3" long and probably about 21mm in diameter (to accommodate the 18650 battery). The visual comparison must be something like this (eGO shown at top):

eGOe-Power510N.jpg

The 510N's ~2500 mAh 18650 battery would provide more than twice as many puffs than the e-Power's 1050 mAh 14650 batt. I happen to prefer the Precise/Precious-like appearance, but that is subjective. It costs $19 more than the $46 e-Power.
 
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