Are you saying it's a little unsafe to use a mech at those ohms? What would you consider safe with 28 gauge Kanthal?
Mechanical Mods in 2016: What's the point?
- Thread starter Vaper Bob
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A kick module gives you some of the protection that your Provaris give you. If you use a mech without a kick (or something similar) you are basically building an incendiary bomb without a fuse, should something go very wrong. And sometimes things can go very wrong, especially if you are new at the game.
Kicks generally have a power limit of around 14W and apparently a minimum resistance level at around 1.2 ohms. So a mech + kick has very similar limitations as a Provari 2.5.
(eta: double checking my numbers, I forgot there are two kicks now, the V2 goes up to 15W and down to 0.5 ohms)
As a USA vaper, looking at all the uncertainties of our upcoming deeming regs, I've thought a lot about mech mods as a potentially more reliable "lifetime mod" since there are no electronics. But although I think I know enough to handle a mech as well as most people, I'm just not terribly comfortable with the idea of an incendiary bomb without a fuse, relying solely on my own skill and daring, and some luck, to keep it from shorting out some day. And if I add a kick, I am adding electronics that can fail, and after thinking all that out I'm not sure I'm not better off, for long term coverage, to have plenty of spare Provaris, which have proven to be very reliable and totally safe.
I'm not trying to walk you to a particular decision here, I'm just trying to simplify what are some complex issues, with considerable unknowns.
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I'll use the dripper with a P3 to begin with. But if I used a mech without a kick, whats the sensible ohms range I should aim for using 28 gauge Kanthal?
There is no simple answer to that. How close to the Edge Of The Envelope do you want to live?
Until you understand exactly what I just said, and all the implications, you aren't ready for a mech (in my very humble opinion, of course).
Again in my humble opinion, I would not run a mech over 10A. Not because it can't be run higher, but because of where I think a sensible place to be, relative to the various fuzzy edges of those envelopes. That puts your max at 35W, and resistance at about 0.4 ohms. And I would not do that on my first build. My first builds would be about 1 ohm (minimum), delivering about 12-16 watts, from the top of the battery down to about 3.5V where you want to recharge it (some recharge before that). That's just my fuzzy sense of what is "appropriate" for a newby mech user (more specifically me, I don't know you and what you know, and especially what you don't know)
I'm what people call a tootle puffer. I hardly vape over 4v and around 9 to 12 watts. If I build coils it ends up around 1.2 to 1.4 ohms. Otherwise I use 1.6 ohm Nauti coils on a Kabuki. So I don't intend pushing the envelope on a mech. Your guide of 10 amp max is well appreciated. Thank you.
Remember that on a mech mod you build to a specific range of power. If you want 9-12 watts you build to 1.4 ohms, and you will vape roughly that range as the battery voltage declines.
Interestingly, and perhaps frustratingly, when you calculate power at a given resistance on a mech, you need to estimate the actual voltage delivered by the battery under load. Your battery should charge to 4.1 or 4.2 volts in an unloaded state, but when you apply a load the voltage drops. For the 1.4 ohms I used 4.1V to 3.5V but you may not get close to 4.1V even on your first puff.
There is something to be said for regulated mods
You may find a mech somewhat frustrating with a Kabuki or any other mod using a factory coil. The 1.6R coil I have in my Kabuki right now measures somewhere between 1.74R and 1.9R depending on which Provari I ask. And it is typical for Nauti coils to come out a bit high, but there is also sample variation. Assuming 1.74R I calculate the range from about 7.0 to 9.7 watts as the battery dies, and the 9.7W assumes I actually get 4.1V under load; I may be a hair overoptimistic there but I have no way of measuring my battery output under load (it takes a special device I don't own inserted between the mod and the atty).Remember that on a mech mod you build to a specific range of power. If you want 9-12 watts you build to 1.4 ohms, and you will vape roughly that range as the battery voltage declines.
Interestingly, and perhaps frustratingly, when you calculate power at a given resistance on a mech, you need to estimate the actual voltage delivered by the battery under load. Your battery should charge to 4.1 or 4.2 volts in an unloaded state, but when you apply a load the voltage drops. For the 1.4 ohms I used 4.1V to 3.5V but you may not get close to 4.1V even on your first puff.
There is something to be said for regulated mods
What I'm trying to point out here is that, at least in my experience, the Kabuki seems to like a very restricted range power, yet you don't have a lot of control over that. Mechs probably work better with drippers and rebuildable tanks designed for a lot of power. My drippers, for example, are probably happy over a wider range of power than my Kabuki. The trick with a rebuildable, of course, is building coils with acceptable precision. If you have the same experience with your Kabuki you need to sit down with a pencil and paper or a spreadsheet and work out the expected power ranges to determine if it will be acceptable to you.
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I have a few mods, Don't use 'em much these days - but they are beautiful and shiny and beckon to me from my desk sometimes.
Mods are awesome especially if you get a kick for them.
Mods are awesome especially if you get a kick for them.
I'm saying so long as you are at that kind of ohms, there's no point doing without the simple protections.
Some people use mechs because their regulated mod does not go down to the ohms they want to vape.
Short circuit protection is very important with lithium batteries.
Sometimes just putting your topcap on will short out on the coil.
maybe you drop your device, and the coil happens to pop or shift and cause a short.
Well noted. Thank you.Remember that on a mech mod you build to a specific range of power. If you want 9-12 watts you build to 1.4 ohms, and you will vape roughly that range as the battery voltage declines.
Interestingly, and perhaps frustratingly, when you calculate power at a given resistance on a mech, you need to estimate the actual voltage delivered by the battery under load. Your battery should charge to 4.1 or 4.2 volts in an unloaded state, but when you apply a load the voltage drops. For the 1.4 ohms I used 4.1V to 3.5V but you may not get close to 4.1V even on your first puff.
There is something to be said for regulated mods
FWIW.....I use the Origin dripper on a GP mod almost daily as I have several RTA's and RDA's in rotation. You will be pleased with the Origin!! I run dual vertical coils that measure out to be around .8 ohms (1.6 ohm per coil...28 ga kanthal) for about a year with Sony VTC4 and VTC5 and AWR batteries and love the setup on a mech mod!!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I didn't read through every post, but if it hasn't been said yet, take a moment to read about Ohms law and battery safety. I started with a mech and I completely understand the appeal. I see it as (another member put it) stick shift vs an automatic....but my variation is that the stick shift doesn't have seat belts and the automatic does.
All I ask is that you be careful - doing RDA's and mechs right out of the gate is awesome, just make sure to read up on all the implications as you can. Battery venting is legitimately scary.
Best of luck, and congrats on the awesome choices!
All I ask is that you be careful - doing RDA's and mechs right out of the gate is awesome, just make sure to read up on all the implications as you can. Battery venting is legitimately scary.
Best of luck, and congrats on the awesome choices!
Just 6 weeks after I started this thread questioning the relevance of mechanical mods in the current environment of high powered, high tech regulated devices and swearing I wouldn't join the dripping "culture", here are my new toys !
The Mod is an MCR made in Manchester, England. Copper Nickel 18650 sleeve and firing button with polished stainless steel end caps. MCR put it together this way at my request.
Dripper is an Origen v3. The flavour is in a different class from any tank I've used so far.
Currently using single 28 gauge 2.5 mm Kanthal coil with Cotton Bacon resulting in 1 ohm. 18650 AW IMR Battery rated at 20 amps.
Thank you for all of you who posted here and encouraged me to try this. No tattoos though..........yet!
The Mod is an MCR made in Manchester, England. Copper Nickel 18650 sleeve and firing button with polished stainless steel end caps. MCR put it together this way at my request.
Dripper is an Origen v3. The flavour is in a different class from any tank I've used so far.
Currently using single 28 gauge 2.5 mm Kanthal coil with Cotton Bacon resulting in 1 ohm. 18650 AW IMR Battery rated at 20 amps.
Thank you for all of you who posted here and encouraged me to try this. No tattoos though..........yet!
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