Hello and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here!
Do batteries matter? What's up with the different voltages?
Most batteries are labeled with their "nominal" voltage. A fully charged battery is 4.2 volts. When a battery is discharged down to 3.5v-3.6v that when I recharge it.
Batteries and their chemistry & CDR/amp (continuous discharge rating) and how low you build are EVERYTHING when it comes safety. Could be the difference between having a great vape or venting your battery or vaping on a "pipe bomb".
The highest CDR of any battery will be a 30A battery (Sony VTC4 is one option). Any battery claiming 35A, 38A,40A, etc is "mislabeled" with the pulse rating. See
@Baditude's blog post below on the Purple Efest batteries.
You are going to want a safe-chemistry, high-drain battery with a high CDR. How high? I'll quote
@tj99959 as this is the practice I follow with regards to headroom.
"I try to never exceed 50% of the CDR (continuous discharge rating) of a fully charged battery (4.2v). So with a 30A battery, that would be 15A. This
Ohm's Law Calculator tells me that a .28 ohm build is as low as I would want to use.
The reason that I place a 50% limit is because as a battery ages the mAh of the battery degrades, as the mAh degrades so does the batteries c rating (amp limit). So down the road, your 30A battery may only be a 15A battery."
Using a
20A battery (Samsung 25R's are my go-to) I would not build lower than
0.4Ω
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If you are new to mech mods and rebuildables I highly recommend you spend some time with
@Baditude (one of our resident battery/safety experts) and visit his blogs. You are now 100% in control of your own safety (and others around you). Make sure you purchase an ohm reader and a voltmeter or DMM so you can measure your builds, check for shorts and measure the remaining charge on your batteries.
Baditude's Blog - Table of Contents: The blogs that address battery safety, Ohm's Law, CDR (continuous discharge rating/Amps) and how they all work together are detailed below:
BATTERIES
Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?
* Another essential read to understand which batteries are safe to use in mechanical and regulated mods. Includes a frequently updated list of recommended safe-chemistry, high-drain batteries with their specifications.
Purple Efest Batteries not as Advertised
* A cautionary blog that reveals that the purple Efest batteries may not have the specifications advertised. Also includes a commentary on "continuous discharge ratings" vs "pulse discharge ratings" of battery specs.
OHM'S LAW
Ohm's Law for Dummies (Vapers)
* My attempt at explaining Ohm's Law in layman terms and how it relates to
vaping.
Explain it to the Dumb Noob: Ohm's Law Calculations
* As simple as it is to use, some people have a tough time grasping the concept. Warning: Includes graphic photos of mod explosions.
BATTERIES - WHERE TO BUY
Only buy batteries from a reputable supplier (not ebay or Amazon) as there are many counterfeit batteries being sold. Here are several reputable battery suppliers in the US.
*
RTD Vapor <= has the Sony VCT4's in stock
*
Illumination Supply
*
Lighthound
*
Orbtronics
*
Battery Junction**
Note: **Ships to Canada
