Are mechs suitable for casual vaping?

[Emryz]

Hey all,

I got into vaping back when the ego-t was new tech and then fell off. I've got back into it recently with a loaned itaste vv. I've been really enjoying it and my aim is to fully quit cigarettes (again).

I have an istick and a lemo on their way.I made this choice because the istick fits the budget vs output and the lemo looks like a great way to get into RBAs which I want for cost effectiveness and vapor quality.

With that said, I'm wondering exactly who mechs are aimed at. I'm not wanting to chase clouds, I simply want a pleasant vape experience so I stay away from analogs. I love the form and quality of mechs and if I were to go that direction I'd most likely never sub-ohm. Would I be waisting my time and money on a mech?

Thank you to ECF and all of the users here.

 

[Arystalis]

My opinion is for people who like to tinker, have more control of their vape experience, and can build the coils to gear it towards flavor or just fill a room with vapor. I carry my mechanical around on a daily, at work, etc. Granted its more things to carry (batteries, juice, and cotton). But I will say a good twisted coil build will outperform my Kayfun on my Cana30 box mod. I don't think putting money towards vape gear is a waste, as long as its not analogs. It's mechanicals and RDAs, there's bit more involved with learning battery safety, coil building, and knowing a bit of ohms law. All I can say is poke around the forums and do a bunch of research, watch Youtube videos, it's how I learned along with going to local shops and soaking up knowledge there.

 

[tj99959]

I've been using mechanical mods pretty much since I started vaping. They are the 'do anything you want' PV in my book. If you want to vape at 2 ohms ... you can, if you want to sub ohm ... you can. If you want to use a tank ... you can. If you want to use a dripper ... you can. I often mention that one of my mechanical mods spent a week at the bottom of a duck pond. Try having that happen with any other type of PV, and see how it works out for you.

 

[Emryz]

Thank you both for your responses. You guys basically cleared up the impression I had on mechs. I will most likely be looking in that direction soon. Just need to get my coil chops up on par.

 

[nyiddle]

Would I be waisting my time and money on a mech?

Nah, not at all! There are plenty of people who use mechs and aren't "cloudchasing". Kind of bothers me that there's a stigma around mech mods, and that if you're not sub-ohming you shouldn't be using one.

Look at people like Igetcha69 -- he RARELY builds sub-ohm coils, and he ALWAYS uses mech mods. I don't think I've ever seen him with a regulated device.

It's a matter of personal preference. A mech mod can be used with any sort of RDA/RBA/whatever. Really the limitations come from devices like the MVP2. With a low amp limit and a low max voltage/wattage, you're sort of limited to only putting clearo's on top of it. The MVP2 will NOT perform too great with an RDA.

There is some learning curve stuff, but really, if you're trying to quit smoking then picking up vaping as a "hobby" as well as a cessation technique really helps take your mind off the cigarettes.

 

[ckquatt]

Yep! Occasionally I am one. I have a Nemesis and a Z-Atty that I use here and there with a respectable 1.3 or so ohm mesh wicked coil. Im not into sub ohm or cloud chasing AT ALL!

Hell I dont even dual coil on my RDAs or RBAs. No need! (for me). Im extremely happy with a single 1.1 to 1.3 ohm rayon wicked coil on my Reo. (1.1 for my 12mg juice, 1.3 for 18mg juice) that set up makes me do my happy throat hit dance!

Once I step down to 6mg juices I may have to go lower ohms to keep the thoat hit where I want it, but thats all I look for when building. As long as the TH is right where I want it ill raise or lower the ohms to my "sweet spot". Would that be .8? Maybe. We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Sent from my Atari 2600 using Tapatalk

 

[dice57]

once learned in the way of vape, ohm's law, and becoming a competent, consistent builder, find mechs to be me preferred apv. Surely, I do love me high amp regulated mod, gives one the ability to push high watts at safe amps, and all that ra, ra, but when it comes right down to it, there is just something elegant about a mech and it's built rba. No circuits to fry, have juice in both ends, ya got vape baby.

Regulated mods are probably the best and safest way to get into, frak, building and extreme vaping, but there is just something about a mech, if one knows what they are doing, nothing beats the elegance, beauty, or simplicity, what a direct short to a battery can produce. or something like that.

To tell the truth, my most casual vape is one from a mech. Have Erlkonigin riding Wu Tangs Torched Dragon, with a 0.6 oh build. It's my lowest watt most casual APV being used, currently. So Yeah, mechs can be casual, or down right serious, that's one of their beauties, mechs can be built to ones personal specifications, if one of those is casual, heck, not a problem, can build casual.

 

[AndriaD]

I've been using mechanical mods pretty much since I started vaping. They are the 'do anything you want' PV in my book. If you want to vape at 2 ohms ... you can, if you want to sub ohm ... you can. If you want to use a tank ... you can. If you want to use a dripper ... you can. I often mention that one of my mechanical mods spent a week at the bottom of a duck pond. Try having that happen with any other type of PV, and see how it works out for you.

I agree with all this, and I am not a sub-ohm vaper either, so also add "If you want to put a Kick in it to give it *some* of the functionality and safety of electronic variable-watt devices... you can." That's what I do, so that my vape is the same from start to finish, no quality-drop as the battery drains. Mechs are not just great looking and versatile, they also might save a vaper who wants something other than BT's cigalikes, after the FDA gets done "regulating" -- even the best quality electronics will all eventually fail, but a mechanical mod is low-tech, and could be repaired by anyone patient enough to learn how, which means they're virtually indestructible -- at least by normal usage, with high quality batteries.

You really need batteries with high continuous-amperage ratings, for the safest use with a mech under any conditions, but particularly as the ohms get lower -- the amp drain gets higher.

Also, something I realized AFTER I got a mech -- you need a battery charger that has a digital readout, to give you a way to check the batteries you're going to use in a mech -- the vv/vw devices generally have that built right in to the mod, so you don't think of it -- until AFTER you have the mech, and have to play musical-battery-tube with your regulateds just to check the mech batteries -- it's a pain. the Efest Luc2 can be found for ~$25 on eBay, and it's a very good charger, very versatile.

Andria

PS: Welcome to ECF!

 

[rse1]

Hi Emryz,
Mechs were originally popular because they were easier/cheaper to build/buy and were more dependable than the regulated power sources for vaping. Now it seems that most mech users are pushing battery boundaries in chasing clouds with sub-ohm coil builds (I met a guy in a vape shop who was building 0.03 ohm coils and he was cooking his 26650 batteries, but was satisfied with the clouds - I immediately told him he was endangering himself and everyone around him and moved to the other side of the room).

The original reasons for going with a mech are still valid and you would NOT be wasting money investing in one, just be aware that you have fewer protections for your battery and need to recharge when the battery gets too low (under 3.6 volts). I met another guy in a vape shop who had just invested in a couple of 26650s and had drawn them both so low that he couldn't charge them anymore. A battery a day gets pretty expensive.

As long as you use reasonable caution and maintain awareness of your battery condition a mech can be a fine investment for a satisfying vaping experience. I have owned and used several. Lately I have found myself gravitating back to regulated units for their ease of use and early warning features of battery condition. The current switches and electronics seem much longer lasting and more dependable than the original versions.

 

[tj99959]

Yep! Occasionally I am one. I have a Nemesis and a Z-Atty that I use here and there with a respectable 1.3 or so ohm mesh wicked coil. Im not into sub ohm or cloud chasing AT ALL!

Hell I dont even dual coil on my RDAs or RBAs. No need! (for me). Im extremely happy with a single 1.1 to 1.3 ohm rayon wicked coil on my Reo. (1.1 for my 12mg juice, 1.3 for 18mg juice) that set up makes me do my happy throat hit dance!

Once I step down to 6mg juices I may have to go lower ohms to keep the thoat hit where I want it, but thats all I look for when building. As long as the TH is right where I want it ill raise or lower the ohms to my "sweet spot". Would that be .8? Maybe. We'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Sent from my Atari 2600 using Tapatalk

I would point out that raising the wattage when you lower the nicotine content doesn't lower your nicotine consumption. (you will just use more juice/hit, so the nicotine consumption will pretty much stay the same)

 

[vaperature]

I have yet to get into mech mods. Sooner or later I will try one simply because I'd like to know as much as possible about the vaping experience, but right now I'm vaping an RBA at 1.4 ohms with mesh wick off an MVP 2 set at 3.8 volts and it works like a charm, and I have the ability to change voltage / wattage. Since you can't do that with a mech mod (correct me if I'm wrong, but the very definition of "mech" means it's at a fixed voltage) I do wonder what's the point if you aren't going to sub-ohm or something.

 

[dice57]

Seriously, if you are happy with the vape ones got, just enjoy it, till one feels driven to expand. never mind, scratch that.!!


Vape long and acquire Prosper.!!!!

 

[Firestorm]

I have a large collection of mechanical mods that I use casually and for almost all of my vaping. I don’t know who they’re aimed at, but mechanical mods were created long before the sub-ohm vaping craze. I do not sub-ohm. I am a flavor chaser and I mostly use KFLs built at 1.3ohms. Although I exclusively use RBAs, a mechanical mod does not imply or require the use of RBAs – I was using cartomizer tanks when I first started buying and using mechs.

I’ve seen it stated in this thread and others that mechanical mods are for people who like to tinker, but I don’t agree with that. As I stated above, you don’t need to use RBAs on mechanical mods. You can use a mechanical mod without ever learning to wrap coils (that’s how I started). I don’t want to tinker with my mechanical mods. I want them work reliably all of the time with no tinkering. I do enjoy that I can completely take them apart and clean them, but I expect them to work flawlessly “out of the box” without searching forums for solutions to design or manufacturing problems. That’s why I’m a proponent of doing research and buying authentic mechanical mods directly from modders who stand behind their products and offer customer service to address any potential outstanding issues.

I’ve spent a lot on mechanical mods – probably more than I should have and I don't believe that I've wasted my time on them (they are my preference). I enjoy their simplicity, the small form factor of the 18350 configuration, and the aesthetics that they offer. I can’t say whether or not they’re right for you, but I’m very happy with the path that I chose that led me to be a mechanical mod user.

 

[tj99959]

When I started vaping the FDA was involved with a lawsuit, customs was seizing shipments of e-cig products, and the end of vaping was looming over our heads. So I started looking for ways to become self reliant, and that meant learning how to make & use my own PVs, atomizers, and liquids. Judging by the numbers of mechanical mods, RDAs, and DIYers we see now, I guess I wasn't the only one.

 

[Emryz]

Thanks to everyone that has responded to this thread. I feel like I have a better (correct) view of mechs now.

 

[ronnbert]

I agree with all this, and I am not a sub-ohm vaper either, so also add "If you want to put a Kick in it to give it *some* of the functionality and safety of electronic variable-watt devices... you can." That's what I do, so that my vape is the same from start to finish, no quality-drop as the battery drains. Mechs are not just great looking and versatile, they also might save a vaper who wants something other than BT's cigalikes, after the FDA gets done "regulating" -- even the best quality electronics will all eventually fail, but a mechanical mod is low-tech, and could be repaired by anyone patient enough to learn how, which means they're virtually indestructible -- at least by normal usage, with high quality batteries.

You really need batteries with high continuous-amperage ratings, for the safest use with a mech under any conditions, but particularly as the ohms get lower -- the amp drain gets higher.

Also, something I realized AFTER I got a mech -- you need a battery charger that has a digital readout, to give you a way to check the batteries you're going to use in a mech -- the vv/vw devices generally have that built right in to the mod, so you don't think of it -- until AFTER you have the mech, and have to play musical-battery-tube with your regulateds just to check the mech batteries -- it's a pain. the Efest Luc2 can be found for ~$25 on eBay, and it's a very good charger, very versatile.

Andria

PS: Welcome to ECF!

I agree completely, and digital chargers are nice, since they charge faster and have better features (doesn't overcharge, some can recover overdrained batteries), but I do want to add that a DMM can be used to determine the voltage of a battery. I got one for free today with a coupin (not misspelled, I call 'em coupins) and did test the volt on my 18650. I just hate having to throw a battery on to charge to test a battery and waste a charge cycle for a 3.9 0r 4.0 level. I like to get them down to 3.7 or 3.8 at least. Even a cheaper one at Harbor Freight will do the trick. I forget where I heard this but: a smart person will buy a cheap meter and expensive leads

 

[AndriaD]

I agree completely, and digital chargers are nice, since they charge faster and have better features (doesn't overcharge, some can recover overdrained batteries), but I do want to add that a DMM can be used to determine the voltage of a battery. I got one for free today with a coupin (not misspelled, I call 'em coupins) and did test the volt on my 18650. I just hate having to throw a battery on to charge to test a battery and waste a charge cycle for a 3.9 0r 4.0 level. I like to get them down to 3.7 or 3.8 at least. Even a cheaper one at Harbor Freight will do the trick. I forget where I heard this but: a smart person will buy a cheap meter and expensive leads

What's a DMM? I'm not familiar with that, but it sounds very useful. I actually have 2 chargers now, so I guess I'm "backed up" on that aspect. I got the Nitecore inTellicharger i4 when I first started with removable batteries, and it's fine, never had a problem with it, but once I got a mech, I saw a real need for a charger with a digital readout. I think it's actually beneficial for this type of batteries to charge early and often; I've occasionally charged when they were still at 3.8 or 3.9, but since getting the mech and getting used to it, I've developed a "feel" for about how long a battery lasts in it -- I use 18350s with a Kick, and since I don't use the mech a great deal (and have my Kick set fairly low, about 9w), I can generally get 2 days' use out of an 18350 -- of course, my ADV in my Vamo, I go thru an 18650 daily! I need to get a couple more '650s, since I do use them pretty much continuously. I was really glad to discover that two of my favorite vendors, DesertVapes and Sweet-Vapes, are authorized AW resellers -- I got a couple of "AW" 18350s when I got the mech, only to discover that they're counterfeit, so I took them completely out of the rotation, since I have no way of knowing what they REALLY are -- they're now my "in case of extreme emergency when all else fails" batteries.

My own application of "cheapness" is to buy dirt-cheap mods, high-quality batteries, and medium-to-high-quality chargers, mainly just because even though I'm usually broke, the LAST thing I want is an exploding battery. But given my very conservative vaping (2 ohm kayfun coils, 3 ohm cartos), I figured that the extreme-amp batteries were really a lot more battery than I need.

Andria

 

[Topwater Elvis]

DMM = digital multi meter.
DVOM= digital volt ohm meter.

 

[the mechanic]

never mind.

 

[AndriaD]

What battery do you use? What size wire? what mix VG==PG?

Who are you asking, and which device did you mean? You didn't quote, so there's no way to know.

Andria