Batterie safety help

[FinlayG]

So I'm thinking about getting into mechanical mods and was hoping for a few tips and explanations on battery safety and ohms law. I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? Also was wondering what ohms I should stick to when using a Sony vtc3 18650. Thanks for the help

 

[Stoneface]

There is a forum just for batteries here:
Batteries and Chargers

Mooch is our resident battery expert, and he just started making videos:
Minding Your mAhs – Episode 1...Mooch finally starts doing videos

This is Mooch's blog with tons of good information:
Mooch's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

There are other members who can explain this better than I ever could to you, but these links will get you a great start. Good luck, and welcome to ECF

 

[Stoneface]

.... I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? ....

Once you start learning about battery safety, you'll quickly learn that the greater risk lies in using low ohm builds. However, there are special risks when using mechanical mods because they don't have any built-in safety mechanisms. The electronic mods usually have some safety features built into the circuitry.

The Mechanical Mods forum link:
Mech Mods

 

[Bonskibon]

Welcome! It's good that your asking questions before using a mech mod as those can be very dangerous if you don't know and understand what your doing. I have a couple myself that I haven't used yet so I'm no expert and will leave answers to those who are (in my opinion). Just make sure you ask everything that your thinking about mechs so people can better help you understand them.

 

[BackDoc]

So I'm thinking about getting into mechanical mods and was hoping for a few tips and explanations on battery safety and ohms law. I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? Also was wondering what ohms I should stick to when using a Sony vtc3 18650. Thanks for the help

Good Questions, Pay close attention to the advice given here and it will serve you well "stoneface" has provided you with some great resources, and seek out "Badatude" as well.......a wealth of information..........and Welcome to the Forum Finlay!

 

[IMFire3605]

As stated above, the higher risk of a battery catastrophe is with a very, very, very low build. Lower your resistance (Ohms) the higher the strain on the battery in how many amps are requested. Basic Ohm's Law formula to figure this is Voltage/Resistance=Amps, voltage is the easiest variable as Li-Ion batteries we use, and especially your VTC3 batteries are 3 to 3.2volts lowest safest charge to be drained down to, and highest fresh charge is 4.2volts when right off the charger, and highest amps are pulled during fresh charge of a battery, so that figure to use is 4.2volts.

4.2v/2.0ohms=2.1amps
4.2v/1.0ohms=4.2amps
4.2v/0.5ohms=8.4amps
4.2v/0.25ohm=16.8amps

Because the only safety mechanism with a mech sits above your shoulders and between your ears, you have to be meticulous with how you build your tank/rda on a mech, have to continually check RDA post connections to make sure there are no loose connections, even a high ohm build if a coil shifts and shorts out can lead to a potential battery incident, no check atomizer or short error codes with a mech. After that the next issue would be draining the batteries down to far on their charge, again no error codes with a mech of check battery or battery low indicators, as stated above suggested absolute lowest charge on a battery should be no lower than 3volts, multi-meter helps here to check battery charge regularly as part of your mech cleaning regimen. Trust me, mechs need a lot of routine cleaning a maintenance to keep them is safest tip top shape, inspecting and checking your batteries at those times is also crucial, inspecting them for black arc spots, dents, any mishapings, tears in the battery wrapper. Take it slow and research mech usage thoroughly before purchase and using one, only stupid question about using a mech is the one never asked.

GL in your safe mech usage journey.

 

[papergoblin]

So I'm thinking about getting into mechanical mods and was hoping for a few tips and explanations on battery safety and ohms law. I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? Also was wondering what ohms I should stick to when using a Sony vtc3 18650. Thanks for the help

Great job asking before hand, instead of just "figuring it out". There's a load of stuff to look into on ohms law and batteries, plus mech safety such as what style of mech you're wanting.

I always ask anyone that wants to go into mechs, why? I'm curious/nosy, lol but what has brought you to wanting to go to a mech mod? What mod(s) do you use now and what atomizers, do you know what coil resistance you use generally?

Use the links given and search about battery safety, you can Google Mooch followed by battery, safety etc. It'll bring up pages of things that will have relevant information.

 

[FinlayG]

Thanks for the replys will defiantly follow up on all your points

 

[stols001]

Hey FinlayG, welcome to ECF. I'm no mech expert (although I do read up on these threads since one day I want to try one and it helps me learn) but you are getting excellent advice above, and kudos to you for coming here and asking questions first. It's always great when people do that before they have purchased a mech mod and then have become somewhat attached to using that one even if it may be a really poor choice for a first mech mod, or they clearly aren't ready yet.

You're getting some great advice, if you follow it, I'm sure you'll have a good experience, well, at the very least, not a catastrophic one or anything. There's a ton to learn and welcome

Anna

 

[zoiDman]

So I'm thinking about getting into mechanical mods and was hoping for a few tips and explanations on battery safety and ohms law. I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? Also was wondering what ohms I should stick to when using a Sony vtc3 18650. Thanks for the help

Hi FinlayG. Welcome to the ECF.

You can Calculate Battery Amp Draw on a Mech Mod by using Ohms Law...

Volts / Resistance = Amps

So if I throw a little Algebra on it I get...

Volts / Amps = Resistance

So if I know what the Maximum Constant Discharge Rate (CDR) is for a Battery, I should be able to Calculate what the Lowest Resistance should be for a Given Battery.

Mooch has tested the Sony VTC3 and rated it to be around 28A CDR.

Sony VTC3 1500mAh 18650 Retest Results...a hard hitting 28A 1600mAh battery

So to give myself a little Safety Margin, I'll use 24.5 Amps.

4.2 Volts / 24.5 Amps = 0.17 Ohms

A Freshly Charged Sony VTC3 in Good Condition whould need to provide around 24.5 Amps with a 0.17 Build on a Mech Mod.

Since I have a couple of Different Batteries Brands in my Vape drawer, I take out a Sharpie Marker (or a P-Touch Label) and write 0.17 Ohms on my 0.17 Battery.

And that becomes the Lowest Resistance I would consider for that Battery.

Now you Don't have to Build at the Lowest Possible resistance. And usually can get about the Same Hit by using a Slightly Thinner Wire/Slightly Higher Ohms than the Thicker Wire/Lower Ohms.

But 0.17 Ohms would be the Limit I would use for that Battery.

 

[Baditude]

seek out "Badatude" as well.......a wealth of information...

Thanks for the props, BackDoc.

These blog articles should get you on the right track @FinlayG.

A Beginner's Guide to Your First Mechanical Mod

• Covers the differences between a mechanical vs. regulated mod, essential safety accessories, optional safety accessories to add layers of safety to your mech, routine maintanance, use of proper batteries, proper ventilation, low resistance vaping, and faux hybrid mods.

Battery Basics for Mods: The Definative Battery Guide for Vaping

• A popular and 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.

Deeper Understanding of Mod Batteries Part 1

• For those who want to learn the differences between IMR, IMR/hybrid, ICR, and LiPo batteries. What do those numbers and letters on batteries mean? What's an amp rating and why is it more important than the mAh rating when choosing a battery for vaping?

Ohm's Law Explained for Vapers

• My attempt at explaining Ohm's Law in simple 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. Recently revised to be even more simple. Warning: Includes graphic photos of mod explosions.

Information Resources for Your First RBA

• An essential read and referrance guide for someone new to rebuilding coils. Includes a multitude of useful links on battery safety, mod safety, coil meters, coil building, and the differences in the three types of RBA's.

Are You Using a Rewrap (Rebranded) Battery?

• Learn what a rewrap cell is. If you are using rebranded cells, does that mean it is inferior, poor quality, or even dangerous? Which batteries are suspected to be rebranded batteries?

As previously stated, Mooch is the vaping community's battery guru. Mooch's blog

The face behind the name:

 

[sonicbomb]

Start with a simple single coil above 0.5 ohms. Master this before moving onto dual coils or a lower resistance

Use a quality 20+ amp battery, understand what the amp requirements of your build are and never exceed the CDR. I recommend the Samsung 30Q, Samsung 25R or the LG HG2 from a reputable dealer.

Use steam-engine to model your build before you even touch any wire

Always measure the resistance of your build with a resistance meter before firing it

Keep your mech spotlessly clean. I use ketchup to remove any tarnish, rinse and dry.

If you want a hot vape and massive clouds, then a high power regulated device is the way to go, not a single battery mech.

sonicbomb's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
Understanding the relationship between power and coil resistance | E-Cigarette Forum
Ohms Law - Calculating safe amp usage | E-Cigarette Forum
18650 Battery Ratings -- Picking a Safe Battery to Vape With | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[BrotherBob]

So I'm thinking about getting into mechanical mods and was hoping for a few tips and explanations on battery safety and ohms law. I understand that there's a risk in doing low ohm builds on a low amp battery but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? Also was wondering what ohms I should stick to when using a Sony vtc3 18650. Thanks for the help

Welcome and glad you joined.
Good luck with the mechs.
"but is it also a risk putting a high ohm coil on a high amp battery? " Not as much as working with 0.5 ohms or lower.
Might like to read:
why do people choose a mech over regulated?
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blog-entry/15-inexpensive-mechanical-mod-rda-setup.6589/
Mech mods exploding: history repeating, with no end in sight / Vaping.com - Your One Stop Vapor Shop | vaping.com
Volt Meter 510 Connector by Tobeco
Mech mods & RBAs: Basic to advanced user guide: Pts. one & two | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Ralph_K]

Once you know your amps if you wanted to know watts its Volts*Amps=Watts

 

[suprtrkr]

Hi and welcome. You've gotten great advice above. For safety's sake, heed all of it. As a practical tip, if you're thinking about a one-battery tube mod, keep your coils at .5Ω or above or battery life will suck. Also build using 28ga wire or smaller diameter, or ramp time will be huge. A one battery tube just doesn't have the oommph to go much lower in ohms or to use heavier wire.