First, i'm new here and navigating is pretty easy on this site but i haven't found what i'm looking for... I've only been "vaping" for about a month now. I've learned alot from reading threads on this site and from just the web in general. I'm eager to learn more about different mods and one day would love to be able to build my own. What i'm trying to find info on is a "kick" How do they work? What do they do" Etc.? Can somebody tell me or post a link to the thread on the ECF forum that explains more about "kicks" Please? thanks in advance!
A kick?
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DO YOU WANNA GET KICKED? - YouTube
SOME OF MY FAVORITE VAPES : KICK UPDATE - YouTube
If you happen to find a vendor that has them in stock could you post a link to it here. I would love to get one myself.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE VAPES : KICK UPDATE - YouTube
If you happen to find a vendor that has them in stock could you post a link to it here. I would love to get one myself.
The "Kick" is a device that goes inside an 18650 single cell mod (APV) and controls output wattage to your atomizer or cartomizer. There's some instructions and descriptions here...AltSmoke.com | Personal Vaporizers | Electronic Cigarette | Ecigs | The Kick by Evolv - Kick - By Evolv - Accessories. Although it's designed to run in an 18650 battery device, the length forces the use of a shorter battery, such as an 18500, unless an extension tube is available as an accessory.
Most variable devices control voltage, but controlling wattage means you're going to get more consistency. Atomizer resistance varies from one to another, and atomizer resistance also changes with use. Battery voltage also drops as you vape. The Kick adjusts voltage up or down to keep the same wattage.
Most variable devices control voltage, but controlling wattage means you're going to get more consistency. Atomizer resistance varies from one to another, and atomizer resistance also changes with use. Battery voltage also drops as you vape. The Kick adjusts voltage up or down to keep the same wattage.
In practice I can tell you I had a Silver bullet mod and had a kick installed. I found that the kick chewed up my batteries much faster than without. I suppose it would depend on how much you kicked up the voltage in your mod but to me the trade off was not worth it. It was pretty bad. Like nearly 50% the battery life. I was unimpressed with the kick. It worked the way it was supposed to but seemed very inefficient when compared with other VV mods.
Unless you have a mod that you really like i would suggest spending your money on a better mod.
Unless you have a mod that you really like i would suggest spending your money on a better mod.
It's not surprising that it would go through batt's quickly. Since it runs on a single 3.7v battery it's gotta have a boost circuit to achieve any voltage higher than the battery can deliver on its own. Ohm's law rules and if you're increasing voltage you're going to have to get the power from somewhere to compensate for it. That probably means increased usage of available battery amperage, thus lowering runtime. That's my theory anyway.
No you are absolutely correct however, I believe because of the compact design of the kick makes it very inefficient possibly because of the space constraints. I have had lava tubes that used 18650's and they got twice the run time as my silver bullet kicked.
Now to be fair a kick works diffently instead of just being VV the kick adjusts voltage as the ohm load changes so it creates a more consistent vape , not just bumping voltage regardless of what the ohm load is.
Either way, In terms of efficiency, I achieve better results from IMR 18350 (half the size) in a purpose made vv than from a kicked 18650. Just my 2 cents.
Well if you put a kick in your SB and replaced the 2400mAh 18650 batter with a 1100mAh 18500 battery a large reduction in charge life is to be expected. That's why Altsmoke makes an extension sleeve so that the 18650 can be used. Since I vape in the 7.5-8 watt range I notice very little reduction in charge life because it allows me to use SR instead of LR atties/cartos which use less amperage.
I am glad you posted to join the discussion TJ however you are assuming that battery life changed in my SB with the substituion of battery size.
This would be incorrect. I had AW IMR 18650 1600 mah batteries before the kick. I did buy the extension collar. So I used them after the kick was installed. The batteries did not change. Am I correct in assuming that you are suggesting, getting a double capacity batteries to extend runtimes.
For curiosities sake have you used your 2400mah batteries in a vv device like a lavatube, provari or smoke vv just as a runtime comparison ? Maybe my batteries were getting weak ?
Personally I only use AW IMR batteries. They are the safest batteries money can buy. I know various (insert wordhere)Fire batteries and panasonic sell high capacity batteries to make up for the drain. Becareful though, the majority of those batteries are UNPROTECTED. Unprotected or non safe chemistry batteries are a terrible mix for tube pv's like the SB. It has really beefy threads and looks like they would hold a ton of strain. The weakest link looks to be the 510 connector which appears to be pressed in. No one looks cool with a 510 connector hanging out the back of their head.
Your setup maybe completely safe, just want to point it out for those who maybe new to vaping and arent aware that such hazards exist.
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Pansonic makes an 18650 Protected 3100mah battery that I'd trust as much as any AW.
In fact, under forced shorting tests, it outperformed a similar AW IMR, reaching a much lower terminal temperature.
The venting of the SB is adequate to prevent the connector from firing out of the tube.
The switch is also designed to come out before the pressure would be sufficient to displace the connector.
Depending on how it's done, a press fitting can be much stronger than a bolted fitting anyway. So that isn't necessarily a factor in a PV manufactured as well as the SB. I would expect that press fitting can take more strain than the bolted fittings on lesser devices.
There are pics of that somewhere around here. The switch moved about 1/8" or so after a battery event and the connector didn't budge.
In fact, under forced shorting tests, it outperformed a similar AW IMR, reaching a much lower terminal temperature.
The venting of the SB is adequate to prevent the connector from firing out of the tube.
The switch is also designed to come out before the pressure would be sufficient to displace the connector.
Depending on how it's done, a press fitting can be much stronger than a bolted fitting anyway. So that isn't necessarily a factor in a PV manufactured as well as the SB. I would expect that press fitting can take more strain than the bolted fittings on lesser devices.
There are pics of that somewhere around here. The switch moved about 1/8" or so after a battery event and the connector didn't budge.
Actually... It's surprising that the battery would be depleting faster. The kick is misleading, because it states increases in wattage. Well, a battery can only supply so much wattage, and no device on earth can change that. A IMR18500 is rated at 1600mah and 3.7v. Which means that battery only has the potential to supply 5.92 watts...no matter what device you stick on the end of it. The only way to increase wattage on a pv is to use a larger battery, or add another battery in series (or parallel, but NOT on a pv).
The kick is actually a potentiometer (a variable resistor). When you turn up the "watt" dial, you're actually just increasing resistance, which increases volts, which decreases current draw...which would decrease the rate of battery depletion.
However... A person probably gets a little carried away on the trigger when their pv is clicking at 5v...which would surely increase the battery depletion rate.
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I'd recommend that people who are interested in variable wattage get the real thing instead if they can afford it, which is the Darwin, although Evolv has been so focused on the Kick that they aren't making many these days.
Run time is pretty much dependent on the wattage/voltage being equal with both types of units. If I use the same atty/carto at the same power settings, and the same bat, on both my SB & LT the run time is close to the same.
As far as safety, that's why I put the kick in my SB in the first place. The kick gives it electronic short protection, thermal protection, over discharge protection, etc,etc. Plus the benefit of being regulated voltage.
As for using protected Li Ion bats instead of IMR's, it's just a matter of understanding the limitations of the non high drain battery. Since I am only asking the bat to push 1.5 amps or so, (7.5 watt range) it is perfectly safe.
Unless I'm mistaken, your Silver Bullet utilizes a sacrificial battery spring that collapses from heat caused by a short or excessive current, taking the battery out of the circuit. It's safer in any event since this is a simple, reliable and predictable form of mechanical protection.
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Super-T has them in stock. Here's a thread about it-
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/super-t-manufacturing/238041-kick-evolv-coming-super-t.html
I checked and they show up as in stock on the website.
The kick that I own is pretty inconsistent. Vapes great one time then very little the next. Anyone else experience this? Based on my experience with my kick, I like vv mods. I modded my own and it hits every time with a properly wet carto. With vv you have to calculate the power you want and adjust the voltage based on your atty resistance but I have more consistency with them.
Good luck and happy vaping!
Good luck and happy vaping!
Haha.. Yeah, understatement of the year. While your ordering your Darwin, might as well pick up a unicorn as well. I hear they make nice house pets.
I don't remember the Darwin being all that available even before the Kick. It's easier to get your hands on a Leprechaun.
You are quite correct. Between the SBs design, strength, venting and the collapsible spring, an IMR isn't necessary. I'd rather choose the 50% extra capacity of the Panasonic NCR18650A 3100mah protected battery than the typical 2000mah IMR. It's 50% bigger for $3 more. Yeah, I'll take it.
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