About to make some new purchases, need some input

[elorei]

Hi all, I was a smoker for many years. I stopped completely 3 years back using "greensmoke" ecigs. They did not taste good, were expensive, and honestly I am half surprised they worked to get me off the real thing. But I am not going to bad talk them completely, as they *DID* work. A few months back I got into vaping with a Kanger T3S/evod/etc set up which I found enjoyable, but I want to make the plunge into something bigger.

I have shopped a round a lot, found some items I really like, and have some questions.

I am really interested in the Kayfun lite set up, and after a lot of research, talking to others with experience with them, etc, I have decided on the HCigar clone. People say it is the best bang for my buck, with good machining, etc. I thought I would mix this with a HCigar nemesis clone mech mod. And yes, the aesthetic value is part of the reason.

I have read a lot about the dangers of "near shorts" with sub ohm values, though I am not terribly interested in going that route, anyway, as I am more about the flavor (and my nicotine fix) than the massive clouds. I understand that quality batteries are a must, I know what happens if a battery decides to go into thermal runaway. That said, I am a cautious person, and want to make sure I am on the right track with safety, and of course, performance.

So, my questions:

If I am staying above 1ohm, do I need to still use 35 amp batteries?
Is it just safer to always stick with these?
Are these even the right choice for this resistance?
Should I go this route anyway in case I decide to lower my resistance?
Will they work across the spectrum of resistance or are they specifically for low resistance coil set ups?
Are efest a good choice? I have heard great things, but it is hard to tell what is advertising masked as a review.


Do I have to have a kick?
Is there a performance issue with using one?
Will it matter if I don't have one using lmr?

What safety concerns (or hell, any concerns) would you point out to someone in my position?
Are there any pitfalls I should avoid?


Thanks in advance!

 

[elorei]

Ok, so after some more digging, it would appear that Efest just makes up numbers for their products. That said, assume the lowest I will go will be .5 ohms. At 4.2 volts that puts me at that puts me at 8.4 amps. What battery should I be using?

Thanks again.

 

[Susan~S]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here!

1. IMR (Li-MN) or IMP/Hybrid batteries (both are "safe chemistry" & "high drain") should be used use on your mod. If you don't have one, get one. (See link #1)

2. When looking at amp draw you need to be looking at the continuous discharge amps, not pulse discharge amps. I use 25% of the continuous discharge amp for safety. (See link #2)

3. Make use you have an ohm reader or DMM (and know how to use it) BEFORE you get into rebuilding. All builds must be measured before you fire them on any mod.

Below is some great information by Baditude (our resident battery/safety expert).

1. Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?
- choose the safest and right battery for your applications here. Includes a list of name brand, high-drain, safe-chemistry batteries with mAh & amp ratings in 18350, 18490/18500, and 18650 sizes.

2. Continuous Discharge Ratings vs Pulse (Burst) Discharge Ratings
3. Rebuilding Tools & Safe Chargers
4. Information Resources for Your First RBA

 

[dice57]

I would still go with 30 amp continuous, whenever possible, just more useable power, with slower voltage drop off. But hey, that's just me. A Kick will turn a mechanical into a regulated, and give one all the benefits of a regulated mod. Consistent vape, an safety circuitry. I got the Evolv Kick2 when first trying mech. Had already maxed out me 15 watt regulated so wanted to sustain the level of vape, while I progressed on my builds and wicking lessons Having the 30 amp batts allowed me to drop below 0.5 ohms, and get there safely. Then just removed the kick and enjoyed straight mech and rba. It's a great way to learn the vape.

IMR is a safer battery chemistry and should always be used while vaping or the new hybrid chemistry batts are fine also.

 

[joesquid]

Welcome to ECF! I'm not a mech guy so I can't answer you mech questions. I like the safety features of regulated mods. I hear the Hcigar clones are pretty good as well as Ehpro. I have a couple Ehpro KFL+ V2's and love them.

 

[Kaezziel]

Welcome to the forum, elorei... you've got a lot of questions and I'm gonna see what I can do to help sort you out. Please keep in mind that I have no idea what your experience level is, so I am going to err on the side of caution here.

First off, I would recommend going with a regulated mod vs. the mechanical mod that you are considering. If this is your first foray into rebuilding, it is just better to learn on a regulated mod due to the many safety issues that can arise. Something like the iTaste MVP 2 or even the more powerful IVP 2 would serve you well in your learning process. Please do not take this tidbit of advice lightly... I've been where you are, and I just think that it is a lot easier to learn when you only have to focus on one thing at a time. In this case, learn the ins and outs of rebuilding before you have to worry so much about battery safety and overloading your batteries in a mechanical.

That being said...
If I am staying above 1ohm, do I need to still use 35 amp batteries?
No, you CAN go with a 20 Amp battery and still be perfectly fine at that resistance.

Is it just safer to always stick with these?
Yes, it is definitely safer to run a battery with a higher amp limit than you plan to run at. The Sony VTC series of batteries are the most recommended.

Are these even the right choice for this resistance?
Yes, though in all honesty, there are no 35A batteries that I am aware of.

Should I go this route anyway in case I decide to lower my resistance?
I would. You may find that running higher resistance on a mech just doesn't work for you and you may decide to drop the resistance.

Will they work across the spectrum of resistance or are they specifically for low resistance coil set ups?
High amp/High drain batteries will work perfectly fine in any mod you decide to choose.

Are efest a good choice? I have heard great things, but it is hard to tell what is advertising masked as a review.
Efest isn't a terrible choice, however they are known to inflate their specifications. Their 35A battery is actually a 20A battery... so take their specs with a grain of salt and do your research if you choose to use them.


Do I have to have a kick?
No, you do not have to use a kick, though with your current experience level, it would probably be a good idea.

Is there a performance issue with using one?
A kick will allow you to increase your voltage, but will also limit how low you can run your resistance. It is kind of a way to turn a mechanical into a regulated mod without a display.

Will it matter if I don't have one using lmr?
Don't know how to answer this one. I honestly don't know what lmr is...

What safety concerns (or hell, any concerns) would you point out to someone in my position?
Tons of safety concerns with mechanicals. You need to have and know how to use a multimeter to measure resistance, voltage, and how to check for shorts. Over discharging the battery is a concern, so you need to check your battery voltage fairly often. Shorts are a problem as they can cause you to exceed the max amp limit of your battery very quickly. Once a battery goes into thermal runaway, it WILL vent...

Are there any pitfalls I should avoid?
Once you head down the rabbit-hole, there is no turning back... this little hobby will grab you and refuse to let go!

I hope this helped some, and please ask any other questions that you wish. We're here to help other vapers along their paths and to try to make sure that everyone is as safe as they can possibly be. I hope that none of this has insulted your intelligence, but as I said earlier, I really don't know what your experience level is...

 

[elorei]

Thanks for the answers! I am dead set on the mech mod, though I understand what you guys are saying. I have a multimeter and am comfortable with using it, and will err on the side of caution. I would rather not like to carry a veritable pipebomb around with me.

I will look into the kick, as a "safety valve" when first getting my feet wet can't be a bad idea.

 

[Davantrac]

Thats a big thanks from this learner aswell. Just a query from me about over discharging batteries. Please explain more about this, how it happens, causes, can it be prevented with the kick? I've got my first mech mods on order, still waiting for them from FT. I've order the ohm meter, I have multi meters already. But I'm gonna stick with pre built coils and a kick to start and like you say learn 1 thing at a time. I'm also looking at the fogger v4 rta as my beginner for building coils because of the glass tank, would this be okay in single coil mode or go the kayfun route to learn.

 

[Kaezziel]

David, the best way to prevent overdischarge of your batteries is to check them with a volt meter. Recharge once they hit around 3.5v...
If your batteries overdischarge (somewhere around 3v or so, I think) they can vent once put on the charger... honestly there are a lot of variables that can cause a battery to vent/explode, but overdischarge is a BIG no-no

Not sure if the Kick has a low voltage shut-off or not... I've never used one, personally. I have both regulated mods and mechanical mods... see no reason to turn my mech into regulated...

 

[dice57]

Yes a kick will prevent over discharge, it just stops vaping. Usually when dipping below 0.2 ohms, is when one becomes more susceptible to over discharging a batt. cause even at 3 volts, the vape is still like 45 watts, and a decent vape. Pulling an IMR cell down to low, consistently, will diminish their capacity to take and hold a charge. I usually like to change out no lower than 3.5 volts. usually the vape has diminished enough to tell it's time to change, and response time gets longer too. And if getting a kick, get the kick 2, will max at 15 watts, and accept build as low as 0.5 ohms, up to 3 ohms. Do have to look for mods that will take a kick and 18650, unless willing to settle for a 490 + kick, then get 18650's latter. Was the reason I chose the Nemi clone as my first mech, would take the kick and 18650. Hmm, where did I put that kick any ways??? hmm.

 

[Roscoe01]

I have the ehpro kayfun and the build quality is fantastic. I also run mine on a mech and have no troubles on my efest 10 amps with mild builds .8ohm+. I do have to be mindful not to pick up the wrong battery to put in my sub ohm dripper. So with that said if u have the access to higher amp batteries I would get the best u can because the kayfun will change the way u vape. For the better of course.

 

[Davantrac]

I have vv/vw tesla, a vamo mukey on order and a couple of mech mods and kick rings so I can go anyway needed. I'm just trying to understand as much as possible and had never thought/heard about over discharging. Basically in a regulated mod or mech mod with kick it's nearly impossible to over discharge. But in a pure mech mod you really on taste and removing and testing the battery to stay safe.

 

[Roscoe01]

David. I have both kayfun and fogger. I don't suggest fogger as first rba. Kayfun more forgiving on wicking. Fogger is a better vape IMO but took me a week of frustration to get wicking dialed in and leaking stopped. Kayfun was set up and vaping perfect first build.

 

[Kaezziel]

I have vv/vw tesla, a vamo mukey on order and a couple of mech mods and kick rings so I can go anyway needed. I'm just trying to understand as much as possible and had never thought/heard about over discharging. Basically in a regulated mod or mech mod with kick it's nearly impossible to over discharge. But in a pure mech mod you really on taste,and vapor production and removing and testing the battery to stay safe.

Yep, you got it... just takes a little practice and hands on... you should pick it up pretty quick. I notice the drop in vapor production more than anything, and find that more often than not, when I measure my batteries during swaps they are usually right at 3.5v

 

[Davantrac]

Is there a coil building guide, or formula I suppose I'm looking for. I no it can't be exactly accurate but something along the lines....
xxx size kanthol, 2mm coil, 6 wraps = ?ohm
xxx size kanthol, 2mm coil, 7 wraps = ?ohm
yay size kanthol, 2mm coil, 6 wraps = ?ohm
2.5mm
3mm
And so on. Like I say I know it can't be exact but there must be a science or formula to this for beginners.

I would have started a new thread for this but the new post button has gone missing for me in this section.

 

[Kaezziel]

Check this one out, David.
Steam Engine

 

[Kaezziel]

Check this one out, David.
Steam Engine

Click the paperclip icon where it says "Coil Wrapping"

Edit:
Grrrrr... meant to edit my last post, not re-post it... sorry

 

[Davantrac]

More information than I thought I needed but that will do perfect. Cheers.

 

[Kaezziel]

No worries, mate... it's pretty much an all-inclusive vaper's tool!

 

[Davantrac]

Just had a good look around it and looks like it's gonna be a real big help. Thanks again. Is there an app for that?