battery frustration!!!!

[murphydoodle]

I am currently using an 808 and I'm OK with everything but the battery life. I have only been vaping for a week, but the 2 hr lifespan is making me nuts! So... I'm looking for max battery life for minimum cost. I looked at the Sparki3, which seems to be a long battery life for a little money ($27.99 starter kit).

Are there better options? I know many of you will recomend an eGo. Can you give me the pros and cons of whatever you recommend? Model to model comparisons would be even better.

I am really analytical sometimes, but I don't have much electrical knowledge. I am still getting confused trying to read all the technical info about batteries, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Iffy]

Many folk here recommend the e-Power. Since I have over a doz eGo batts, I'll wait a while.

 

[doots]

a mod with an 18650 battery or at least a mod with a 14500 you will find will give you much longer vaping times and also be much more economical in the end.. There are many mods on the forum here that dont cost much to start with.
madvapes and others sell box mods that are low cost. good luck!

 

[wv2win]

The E-Power/eGo/Riva category of PV will generally give you 4-5 hours of standard vaping time. When I read that someone is getting 2 days of vaping on one of these models, the only thing it tells me is that they are very light vapers who only hit the thing once an hour or less. But anyone of these models would be significantly better than what you have.

In general, the larger the battery and the larger the mAh rating, the longer the battery can hold a charge. However, some of the higher tech PV's with better circuitry can provide exceptional charge time.

The PV I use has an 1800 mAh battery and for a heavy vaper (every 10 minutes on average) like myself, I get 21+ hours on a charge unless I am using dual coil cartos. Then it drops to about 12-13 hours.

 

[cskent]

My 18650 battery mods last all day and then some on a single cell. My 14500's will go about 6 to 8 hours. If you're looking for an inexpensive mod and don't care about the look of it too much try a boxmod. For around $40 you can get everything you need. Try Madvapes.com. They also sell the e-Power which takes a 14650 battery that'll probably last you around 8 hours on a charge.

 

[Huffelpuff]

Hi - I'm just as over the short lifespan of the ecigs - bought myself a boxmod on the classies this week and LOVIN IT!! Ordered two new batteries so that I can rotate throughout the day. Am finally vapin the way I need to b to stay off of the analogs. Took me like 2 days to get used to the attys and the cartos on the box but now am in vape nirvana.

Good luck in your search - would def. consider the classies - less expensive and fun way to try out something new.

 

[murphydoodle]

Thanks everyone! I would still love more opinions, but here is what I'm getting so far- I need to learn more about battery numbers and what that converts into. What about using two batteries at once like the Old Goat 5V. It uses 2 14500 batteries. Does that mean it will last twice as long as another mod that uses 1 14500 battery?

 

[yeebiz]

IMHO a good next step would be to head to Liberty Flights and pick up a Riva 901 kit. You can use your current cartos and you can pick up a kit for $30. Use coupon code october20 for 20% off. Good battery life and still a reasonably small unit.

 

[Shadow102]

Thanks everyone! I would still love more opinions, but here is what I'm getting so far- I need to learn more about battery numbers and what that converts into. What about using two batteries at once like the Old Goat 5V. It uses 2 14500 batteries. Does that mean it will last twice as long as another mod that uses 1 14500 battery?

To answer your question about the Old Goat 5V, its two 14500 won't last you twice as long as a single cell 14500, this is because the Old Goat 5V runs the batteries in series (3.7V+3.7V) then steps down the voltage to 5V. It'll last about the same length of time as a single 14500 3.7V mod.

As far as learning about what the battery numbers mean, there are 2 important numbers to notice on all batteries for mods, the first one is the size, (14500, 10440, 16340, 18650) the second number is the mah (milliamp-hours) this gives you an idea how long each battery charge will last, general rule of thumb for standard resistance attys and cartos is 100mah=approx. 1hr of average usage. Your 808 is probably the 180mah version which is why its only lasting you around 2 hours.

 

[MickeyRat]

Thanks everyone! I would still love more opinions, but here is what I'm getting so far- I need to learn more about battery numbers and what that converts into. What about using two batteries at once like the Old Goat 5V. It uses 2 14500 batteries. Does that mean it will last twice as long as another mod that uses 1 14500 battery?

No and just starting out, I wouldn't recommend going to 5V. I agree the 2 hour battery life on the mini bats is a killer. A riva or eGo is usually the next step. The epower is pretty much the same with a generic battery. Other options are to step over to madvapes. They have some very inexpensive box mods that take 14500 batteries. You'll need to get batteries, a charger, and an adapter to use your 808 cartos on one. I get around 6 hours off a 14500. Another option is to take a look at the maxi roughstack. DO NOT GET THE KIT. It's 6V and that's not for you yet. Get the roughstack a couple 18650 batteries a charger and an adapter. Those batteries should last you all day.

 

[dormouse]

Which KR8 battery size are you using? If you are using the short ones, they are only 180/220mah. The standard aka 78mm size batteries (measuring the colored part) are 280/320mah. And there is an XL size
(the first mah is the original model or vapor4life and the second is what the SmokelessImage/Bloogplanet style has)

I would not recommend an Ego if you want to use the prefilled KR8 cartos since KR8 is 3.7v and EGo is around 3.3v. The Riva 510 kits at Liberty-Flights.com only are known to be all the new version Eastmall models which are 3.7v. You can use 510 stuff on them (i.e. the most stuff) or with an adapter use the KR8 cartos if you want. Or get another 3.7v model or a mod (3.7 or variable voltage). That's my suggestion.

 

[Boodle]

Congrats on making the switch The little batteries are frustrating over time, but it's served you well. I'll always be grateful for my overpriced mall kit that helped me switch to vaping. If only I'd known about ECF. Have fun finding the right step-up for you. We all have opinions. Only yours matters. You've got a lot of good info to sort through. I'll add to your pile:

I'm not an e-Power fan (yet). The complaints are that a kit is only one unit and it's a new product offering with issues. I understand you can switch out batteries like a mod but you still only have one unit. Part of the fun of vaping is having several batteries loaded with different flavors. The 18650 e-Powers are having issues. Hoosier was selling his bare-bones e-Power model for $15 with a warning, no warranty because of problems. I suspect they'll get a lot better in future generations if the market demands. Being an early-adopter on these could be risky imo.

KGO is my first choice for a new or upgrading vaper because of higher voltage than eGo and Riva and two batteries rather than one e-Power in the kit and KGOs have been around a while. Mine have been working for 5-6 months and function like new. It's a better, harder hit (video below) and at 1100 mAh, a batt will last most vapers more than a day. FYI 100 mAh = aprox 1 hour of moderate vaping. A KGO batt should deliver around 11 hours of moderate vaping on a charge.

The KGOs have an elegant, sleek look and are not as fat as a Riva/eGo. The titanium and chrome models are very nice looking when you can find them in stock. $45 for a kit with 2 batts, charger etc.

Many here cheer for the Riva Lite Bundle at LF for $30. I do too when price is #1 factor and it's a vaper's first kit. I'd go the extra $15 for a higher voltage KGO with much higher mAh. KGOs vape like a mod with a Fat Batt price. I don't take my Silver Bullet or Omega mods out of the house because I'm female and they're large mods. I get as good a vape with a KGO and don't feel weird about it in public.

You won't make a huge error getting a Riva or eGo. They're good fat batt models also. KGO is a better unit imo.

ECF suppliers that sell KGOs
Hoosier E Cig Supply
BreezEsmokes click KGO on list on left

KGO video info
hoosierecigsupply.com 1100mAh eGo battery whips AW 18650 IMR - YouTube
K-GO : DUAL COIL CARTOMIZERS - YouTube

 

[JD1]

+1 for the e-power. I recommend the 14650 model. It's rated at 1050mah but usually last me around 12 hours, less if I'm using lr cartos on it. I vape 2.5 ~ 3 ml per day, which I thought was pretty heavy, but after reading a couple of threads I've decided that's moderate. Madvapes and hoosierecigsupply have them if you want to check them out.

 

[yeebiz]

Congrats on making the switch The little batteries are frustrating over time, but it's served you well. I'll always be grateful for my overpriced mall kit that helped me switch to vaping. If only I'd known about ECF. Have fun finding the right step-up for you. We all have opinions. Only yours matters. You've got a lot of good info to sort through. I'll add to your pile:

I'm not an e-Power fan (yet). The complaints are that a kit is only one unit and it's a new product offering with issues. I understand you can switch out batteries like a mod but you still only have one unit. Part of the fun of vaping is having several batteries loaded with different flavors. The 18650 e-Powers are having issues. Hoosier was selling his bare-bones e-Power model for $15 with a warning, no warranty because of problems. I suspect they'll get a lot better in future generations if the market demands. Being an early-adopter on these could be risky imo.

KGO is my first choice for a new or upgrading vaper because of higher voltage than eGo and Riva and two batteries rather than one e-Power in the kit and KGOs have been around a while. Mine have been working for 5-6 months and function like new. It's a better, harder hit (video below) and at 1100 mAh, a batt will last most vapers more than a day. FYI 100 mAh = aprox 1 hour of moderate vaping. A KGO batt should deliver around 11 hours of moderate vaping on a charge.

The KGOs have an elegant, sleek look and are not as fat as a Riva/eGo. The titanium and chrome models are very nice looking when you can find them in stock. $45 for a kit with 2 batts, charger etc.

Many here cheer for the Riva Lite Bundle at LF for $30. I do too when price is #1 factor and it's a vaper's first kit. I'd go the extra $15 for a higher voltage KGO with much higher mAh. KGOs vape like a mod with a Fat Batt price. I don't take my Silver Bullet or Omega mods out of the house because I'm female and they're large mods. I get as good a vape with a KGO and don't feel weird about it in public.

You won't make a huge error getting a Riva or eGo. They're good fat batt models also. KGO is a better unit imo.

ECF suppliers that sell KGOs
Hoosier E Cig Supply
BreezEsmokes click KGO on list on left

KGO video info
hoosierecigsupply.com 1100mAh eGo battery whips AW 18650 IMR - YouTube
K-GO : DUAL COIL CARTOMIZERS - YouTube

Wow. This is a such an intelligent, informative, and elegant answer that I want to switch my answer to this. I think I am going right now and buying like 14 kits of this. Bravo!

 

[madjack]

...good info above...I am an average-heavy vaper using 4-5ml day and get around 7hrs from my Rivas with 750mah batts...the 1100mah Kgos would give me 10-12 hrs...I can't recommend an E-power since I don't own one and have read of many folks having problems and a couple of respected vendors dropping them from their lineups due to QC issues...some however, have had no problems with them and love 'em...the RoughStaks (maxi/mini) from MadVapes are nicely inexpensive mods but do have an "industrial" look to them which will not suit many for use in public...the advantage the E-Power and RoughStak have over the eGo/Riva/kGo is non-proprietary batts...they can be had for 5-7bux Vs 12-20bux...as in all these things, YMMV and the choice is yours..............
madjack

 

[stace]

The KGOs have an elegant, sleek look and are not as fat as a Riva/eGo.

Huh? That's really odd. We have both the Rivas from Liberty Flights and Kgos and they are exactly the same diameter, though of course the Kgo is one inch longer than the Riva.

But that aside, I second everything else you said. I agree that for those that like to vape multiple flavors throughout the day you can't beat the convenience of having more than one PV. That's part of what makes the Rivas and Kgos so appealing to me. They perform fantastically (for me and my husband) and they are inexpensive enough that you can purchase a couple of kits and always have charged batteries at your disposal.

We also like the slightly higher voltage of the Kgos but there are a few flavors that we prefer on our Rivas. I realize we could achieve the same thing by using a higher resistance carto on our Kgo with those flavors but prefer to keep things simple with only one type of carto. I love the longer battery life of the Kgo but when I'm on the go and would prefer something a bit more subtle I like the smaller form factor of the Riva. They both get a lot of love here for different reasons.

Also wanted to mention that there is another vendor, Dark City Vapor, that carries the Kgo. We ordered our first kit there and have nothing but good to say about Bill at Dark City. Excellent service and a slightly lower price. However, he only has the rubberized black in stock. But if you don't mind the black the current $42 sale price plus the 15% off coupon code (ECFDCV) is a great deal.

 

[wv2win]

To answer your question about the Old Goat 5V, its two 14500 won't last you twice as long as a single cell 14500, this is because the Old Goat 5V runs the batteries in series (3.7V+3.7V) then steps down the voltage to 5V. It'll last about the same length of time as a single 14500 3.7V mod.

As far as learning about what the battery numbers mean, there are 2 important numbers to notice on all batteries for mods, the first one is the size, (14500, 10440, 16340, 18650) the second number is the mah (milliamp-hours) this gives you an idea how long each battery charge will last, general rule of thumb for standard resistance attys and cartos is 100mah=approx. 1hr of average usage. Your 808 is probably the 180mah version which is why its only lasting you around 2 hours.

A 5 volt PV won't last twice as long, but the performance (quality of throat hit, consistency) will be a good bit better. It will provide warmer vapor that better simulates a cigarette.

 

[Boodle]

The KGOs have an elegant, sleek look and are not as fat as a Riva/eGo.

Huh? That's really odd. We have both the Rivas from Liberty Flights and Kgos and they are exactly the same diameter, though of course the Kgo is one inch longer than the Riva.

But that aside, I second everything else you said. I agree that for those that like to vape multiple flavors throughout the day you can't beat the convenience of having more than one PV. That's part of what makes the Rivas and Kgos so appealing to me. They perform fantastically (for me and my husband) and they are inexpensive enough that you can purchase a couple of kits and always have charged batteries at your disposal.

We also like the slightly higher voltage of the Kgos but there are a few flavors that we prefer on our Rivas. I realize we could achieve the same thing by using a higher resistance carto on our Kgo with those flavors but prefer to keep things simple with only one type of carto. I love the longer battery life of the Kgo but when I'm on the go and would prefer something a bit more subtle I like the smaller form factor of the Riva. They both get a lot of love here for different reasons.

Also wanted to mention that there is another vendor, Dark City Vapor, that carries the Kgo. We ordered our first kit there and have nothing but good to say about Bill at Dark City. Excellent service and a slightly lower price. However, he only has the rubberized black in stock. But if you don't mind the black the current $42 sale price plus the 15% off coupon code (ECFDCV) is a great deal.

I was at VapeFest yesterday (Saturday) and saw the Riva kits at the Liberty Flights booth. The ones on display were short and looked chunky in the box. They had several bright colors. Not bad, just not long and sleek looking like my KGO. Prolly because they were the shorter 650 mAh kits and the added rubberized coating made them look wider. Great guys running the US LF biz out of Cali. Professional and friendly bunch. It was fun getting to meet the vendors we order from and recommend.

I've shopped with Dark City Vapor once and had a great experience. Shipping was fast and items were as advertised. I appreciate (very much) that their cartos are each wrapped individually and have a sticker on each one labeled LR. I have a mystery bowl of new cartos that lost their boxes and came with no wrappers. I don't know if they're LR or for HV.

I didn't know Dark City carried KGOs. Nice price, wow. Thanks much for that info.

 

[Xaiver]

If your goal is cheap and effective, with nothing linked to 'pretty', and possibly not extremely durable... I would add my voice to the Madvapes category. They have quite a few mods, which are plastic, and pretty cheap, considering what you're getting.

Custom Mods

If this is what you're thinking of, bear in mind that you're also going to have to order some batteries and a charger. Most of them accept 14500 batteries, which are about AA size (Don't use AA's...bad idea) and they go for around 5 dollars apiece. The chargers are around 10 bucks, and they work for multiple sizes of batteries.

Best of luck!
-X

 

[sonicdsl]

One other option would be to go with the Go-Go PV. This was my first, and still my favorite. Yes, it's a proprietary thread, but there are adapters now, so it can pretty much use anything. I like them because the batteries are 1300 mah and will last 1-2 days, give or take, depending on how hard you vape. The cartos are very easy to fill also.

This guy currently has the best price I've seen, but someone may have seen it somewhere else. He also has excellent customer service, and stands behind everything he sells. If something's wrong, he will do everything he can to make it right!

Home | Go-goUSA.com

So lots of good choices here. Good luck with your search!