Thinking of getting a Provari

[Dixie1954]

I am a light weight as far as vaping goes. I am trying to get prepared gear wise in case the FDA locks us down to prefilled cartos and ecigalike types. I vape at usually 8Ws so a Provari 2.5 will work for me. Here is my biggest question - can I use a samsung 25R5 18650 high discharge flat top in it - if not why not? Thanks for your time.

 

[KenD]

The Provari 2.5 requires button top batteries, so the 25r won't work.

Sent from my M7_PLUS using Tapatalk

 

[oplholik]

I just tried my 2.5 with an extension with a Samsung flat top, and it wouldn't fire. Maybe stretching the spring might help it, I dunno. Maybe some one will come along and tell you for sure.

 

[3mg Meniere]

Drop one of these magnets on a flat-top and you have a button-top $1.08 Round Super Strong Rare-Earth Neodymium NIB Magnets (10-Pack) 10-pack - 5mm*1.5mm / perfect for use on batteries at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

 

[VNeil]

The use of a magnet to simulate the button top voids the warranty, and for good reason... The Positive contact of the Provari 2.5 is inside a small notch on the electronics board. That forms a mechanical version of polarity reversal protection. It requires a button top to make contact with the battery terminal. If you use a magnet on a flat top you are defeating that reverse polarity protection. If that magnet ends up on the negative terminal of the battery, it will fry the board, generating much heat.

 

[Dixie1954]

Well I found out I needed button top batts lol see I do not know a thing about replaceable battery mods. What I was asking - is the Provari really picky about the brand of battery?

 

[VNeil]

When I bought my first two P2.5's a little over a year ago I bought the AW batteries sold by Provape because I read a lot of confusing opinions on this, and I didn't want to think about this too hard . And a year later I am satisfied with my decision. Provape now also sells E-Fest button top batteries (they only sold AW the last time I bought Provari batteries).

As best I understand it, the P2.5 is not terribly picky about the battery. But the battery's positive button must conform to the standards. For example, I have heard of button top batteries that did not work because the button was presumably either too small or too wide. The battery must be unprotected (IMR chemistry) and must be a high drain type.

Here is my argument for preferably buying the batteries directly from Provape or at least the identical models from very reputable dealers:

1. You are not a battery expert.
2. Nor do you want to be How many hours of your life do you want to waste trying to save a couple bucks per battery ? (which presumably is the only reason to look elsewhere)
3. You are trying to vapocalypse proof yourself. You want your entire mod to be as reliable as possible
4. At the current price of $79 I think the P2.5 is an excellent vapocalypse proof-er and I've bought a couple more myself.
5. You get a one year warranty (real, meaningful warranty), why screw that up with a possibly questionable battery? If you buy the battery from Provape then there can never ever be any question about battery choice.
6. There are supposedly a lot of counterfeit batteries out there, and most you would find for much less would be at least suspect. How much time do you want to waste learning about cheap counterfeit batteries? And certainly don't buy them from eBay or Amazon unless you really know what you are doing.

 

[WillyZee]

You should buy one ... use the AW batteries, they are good for more charge cycles.

 

[VNeil]

An interesting cost consideration... the Provari Classic, P3 and Radius all use flat top batteries. Only the P2.5 requires button top, and that is part of the reason they are so heavily discounted.

The Provari Classic sells for $70-$100 more than the P2.5 now. However, you can buy Samsung 25R batteries from Illumn.com, for example, for $5 and that is a very reputable dealer that many people here use. So... while you are saving a lot of money on the mod by buying a P2.5 you will likely end up paying as much as $8 more per battery than you have to. If you buy 4 you will spend $32 more, eating into the minimum $70 savings on the mod itself. Over the course of many years it might actually be cheaper to buy a Classic.

This without consideration to the issue Willy Zee brought up. I'm not sure we could reliably quantify how many more charge cycles you might expect to get from an AW over a Samsung, for example.

 

[WillyZee]

AW Batteries have become my only consumable vape expense ... I actually consider eLiquid almost free.

Batteries cost me under $50 per year


Sent via iPhone

 

[oplholik]

@VNeil , I use my Classic in 18500 mode with AW button tops and it works just fine, so I assume that I'm good with that, hopefully. My P3 I do use flat tops in 18650 mode.

 

[VNeil]

@VNeil , I use my Classic in 18500 mode with AW button tops and it works just fine, so I assume that I'm good with that, hopefully. My P3 I do use flat tops in 18650 mode.

Nothing wrong with AW's. They are just rather expensive compared to Sammy 25R's. I'm not familiar with 18500 flat tops so no opinion at all on the relative merits of alternatives.

 

[oplholik]

Actually, I don't think anyone makes a 18500/18490 flat top.

 

[KenD]

Actually, I don't think anyone makes a 18500/18490 flat top.

At least Tensai do.

Sent from my M7_PLUS using Tapatalk

 

[oplholik]

Tensai must be about the only ones then. Haven't heard of them until now tho. Thanks.

 

[r77r7r]

Tensai must be about the only ones then. Haven't heard of them until now tho. Thanks.

There is a list of most ecig batteries floating around. Sizesx Ampsx Mahx flat-top/....-top.

 

[Lemwise]

Have you though about buying the Yihi SX Mini M Class? (or the new ML class) It's a rock solid device with a build quality that matches Provape's (I personally think it even exceeds it a bit). 8 watts may be enough for you right now but if you want to get a dripper in the future and vape at a higher wattage you won't have to buy another device. The same goes for if you want to get into temp control.

 

[edyle]

I am a light weight as far as vaping goes. I am trying to get prepared gear wise in case the FDA locks us down to prefilled cartos and ecigalike types. I vape at usually 8Ws so a Provari 2.5 will work for me. Here is my biggest question - can I use a samsung 25R5 18650 high discharge flat top in it - if not why not? Thanks for your time.

if you only vape at 8watts you should consider getting a couple cheap mechs with 5-15 watt kick modules.

 

[3mg Meniere]

Like $15.92 Nemesis Style Mechanical Mod - 18350 / 18500 / 18650 mod at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping and $5.82 Authentic Sigelei Variable Wattage Kick Module for Mechanical Mod - 5-15W at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping I have two, and a backup kick. All I am using at present. Much more economical. And yes, I use flat-top 18650's with the aforementioned magnets.

 

[Dixie1954]

Don't shoot me but I bought a few Vamo v5s last night. I will use the Sammy 25R 18650s in them. I will still ponder whether or not to get a Provari I like the Polished Dragon 2.5 best.