Educating myself on batteries - looking to the experts

[pbusardo]

Hello gang.

I'm thinking about buying my first mod.

I've been vaping for almost 2 years and I've been very happy with my (then) 510 and now my eGo.

In playing with my 5V passthrough, I've come to find liquids will taste better, produce more throat hit, and vapor on a normal resistance atty then on the eGo. Note that I've been using a LR atty on the eGo to get me into a lower nic level with the same throat hit. I'm beginning to understand the "sweet spot" of liquids I've heard others talk about.

So I'm considering the Pro-Vari, but I first need to educate myself on batteries.

On the Pro-Vari site, I see this 18650 batt @ 1600 mAh for $12.50.

AW IMR 18650 batteries

Now I go on ebay and I see this 18650 batt @ 3000 mAh for $2.00.

18650 3000mAh RECHARGEABLE BATTERY 3.7v for toys camera - eBay (item 310279795893 end time Mar-13-11 19:11:00 PDT)

I'm sure there is a lot going on here that I don't understand so I'm looking to the experts for some information, suggestions, and guidance.

Thanks all!

 

[Security101]

One in Hong Kong and the others are in the USA...

My only guess - other troubles, delays and costs with the Hong Kong ones, and don't really know the manufacturer (of course we may not really know the manu's with the ones here either - but there already here!)

Jim

 

[tybin]

i would add my two cents. it's probably a trustfire battery. All i can say, is I had one, now i don't The aw batteries carry a consistent vape

 

[Stownz]

I'm starin at the 18490s and 18650s for my provari. You can buy them other places, sometimes even cheaper.

The thing about batteries as that the companies themselves tell you how much MAH they have. I was unaware that any of the LIon batteries we use in mods are made in the USA, I thought all of them were from china. I think it is 10440s that are rated as MUCH higher then they actually are.

In any event, the importance of the 18650 designation is to make sure they will fit in your mod. Yes the size of LiOn batteries we use dirrectly relates to Mah: aka: there are no Magic batteries out there that have 3x the capacity at the same size for your mod.

The choices we have are:
Protected or Unprotected: easy choice there
High drain vs regular: I can't really tell a difference between the two, but I felt better buying high drain.

Provari is just selling AW batteries. Same specs from every vendor on the web. The ebay guy is lying (or his manufacturer is)

 

[tybin]

you could just go with the aw battery supplier listed in the suppliers' subforum

 

[unsure]

IMR batts will give you sustained power till they are out regular will drop slowly so if your planning on LR attys then get the IMRs. AW is the brand I suggest over BDL. if your looking for a 1st time mod and of course not as good as a Pro-Vari then check this deal out.....
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-cigarette-suppliers-forum/160858-3-7-volt-510-box-mod-2-14500-trustfire-batteries-charger-30-free-shipping-plus-20-ml-juice.html

 

[BuzzKill]

Battery information from Battery University

read this , also you get what you pay for so !

 

[pbusardo]

IMR batts will give you sustained power till they are out regular will drop slowly so if your planning on LR attys then get the IMRs. AW is the brand I suggest over BDL. if your looking for a 1st time mod and of course not as good as a Pro-Vari then check this deal out.....
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/e-cigarette-suppliers-forum/160858-3-7-volt-510-box-mod-2-14500-trustfire-batteries-charger-30-free-shipping-plus-20-ml-juice.html

Thanks, but I don't think you got why I'm looking at the Pro-Vari:

In playing with my 5V passthrough, I've come to find liquids will taste better, produce more throat hit, and vapor on a normal resistance atty then on the eGo. Note that I've been using a LR atty on the eGo to get me into a lower nic level with the same throat hit. I'm beginning to understand the "sweet spot" of liquids I've heard others talk about.

I'm really looking to be able to adjust the voltage. I like the Pro-Vari, but don't really need that much adjust-ability. I also like the Darwin, but IMHO the price it outrageous.

And finally, I don't want to have to open the case and mess around with a tiny pot screw.

Are there any other simple variables out there with maybe a 3-way switch that will give me 3.7, 4.4, and 5V?

 

[crackbag]

Box Mods

inexpensive compared to the provari and darwin, nice and VV

under 100 will get u batts and a charger with it also (little sister)

cant go wrong there man if you do not want to pay for a provari

honestly if it was me and i had a do over i would have ordered the provari before anything else and been done

 

[pbusardo]

Yeah, the more I look, the more I realize that the ProVari has everything I'm looking for so eventually, I probably pull the trigger and grab myself one.

 

[crackbag]

took me a few weeks to decide. its alot of money to spend once you buy batteries a charger and if you chose the bigger batteries and extension cap your at 250 bucks like me lol THEN you have to wait 3 weeks to get it BUT it will be worth it LAST PV you will ever buy! and BUY THE BATTERIES THAT PROVARI HAS THE AW RED ONES! ive asked many people and they said only buy those for it they are considered "the safest" of all and high drain

 

[wv2win]

......I'm really looking to be able to adjust the voltage. I like the Pro-Vari, but don't really need that much adjust-ability. I also like the Darwin, but IMHO the price it outrageous.

And finally, I don't want to have to open the case and mess around with a tiny pot screw.

Are there any other simple variables out there with maybe a 3-way switch that will give me 3.7, 4.4, and 5V?

Unless I'm reading it wrong, when you add the cost of the batteries and charger and possibly the extender cap, you are around the same price as the Darwin. And of course with the Darwin, you don't have to switch batteries as it is a pass-through, also. With the 2 year warranty on the PV and 1 year warranty on the batteries, I don't see it as being more expensive, especially when you have to pay $25 more to get the extended warranty on the ProVari. I'm not knocking the ProVari, I just don't see it as being less expensive for what you get. I think the ProVari is top of the line along with the Darwin.

 

[crackbag]

wonderful observation! i didnt look at it that way either i just bought everything for the provari cept a charger and i did the black one but changed it to the chrome one last night.. the only real thing that made me chose the provari over the darwin is the button and i wanted a larger mod. i have a BB from altsmoke and enjoy the tube mod

 

[pbusardo]

Unless I'm reading it wrong, when you add the cost of the batteries and charger and possibly the extender cap, you are around the same price as the Darwin. And of course with the Darwin, you don't have to switch batteries as it is a pass-through, also. With the 2 year warranty on the PV and 1 year warranty on the batteries, I don't see it as being more expensive, especially when you have to pay $25 more to get the extended warranty on the ProVari. I'm not knocking the ProVari, I just don't see it as being less expensive for what you get. I think the ProVari is top of the line along with the Darwin.

You are correct, so it's a matter of favored form factor.

A few slight drawbacks to the Darwin,

1) Batteries die with time and the Darwin does not have a user replaceable battery.
2) The Darwin has moving parts. Moving parts break over time.
3) I've read that the Darwin's threads are not as good as the Pro-Vari.

Considering the popularity of these two mods, it's only a matter of time that similar mods with variable voltage settings, digital displays, etc, etc become available.

With competition comes lower prices.

 

[DC2]

Considering the popularity of these two mods, it's only a matter of time that similar mods with variable voltage settings, digital displays, etc, etc become available.

Yes, this.

This is exactly why I am waiting.
The next generation of mods is going to be something to see.

 

[pbusardo]

Yes, this.

This is exactly why I am waiting.
The next generation of mods is going to be something to see.

Right! And don't forget how cheaply our Asian friends tend to make electronics. Once they see a market and ramp up, ProVari knock-offs are going to be available at Heaven-Gifts for $75!!