What does this mean? I know the original 20 runs MEAN, so does this device run MEAN also.
Also what is "step down"?
I don't have that info yet, but I have asked for it...waiting for an answer.
MEAN vs. RMS is complicated and should be explained by someone more experienced with an oscilloscope than me.
Before the original V2 Zmax was released, about 2 years ago...everything with Chinese electronics in mods was tuned for "MEAN" outputs. It wasn't until a German site
HERE showed the differences between mean and RMS.
RMS was a more accurate way of tuning PWM to output actual voltage levels as those being shown on your screen.
The article that was published was then forwarded to Smoktech and they were the first Chinese company to change their newest Zmax (V2) into RMS. This alteration made the V2 Zmax one of the hottest selling VV/VW devices ever sold, right up with the V2 Vamo...which also followed suit after the Zmax.
Needless to say, it set off a firestorm throughout China's e-cig makers and most others followed and tuned their devices for RMS outputs.
"Step down" is describing the controller capabilities.
Example....let's say you want to vape at 3.8V and you insert a freshly charged battery that meters at 4.2V
Without a step-down regulator inside, the device cannot reduce the voltage of the battery to meet it's set output level of 3.8V, so even if you set it at 3.8V, you'll actually be vaping the voltage level of the battery....which will decrease as it discharges. Once the battery's voltage hits 3.7V, the boost regulator of the controller will "STEP-UP" the voltage of the battery to 3.8V
The 20W iStick does not have step-down capabilities...what's known as a BUCK circuit. (Reduces battery voltage)
The 20W iStick has a step-up regulator inside....what's known as a BOOST circuit. (Increases battery voltage)
Most 18650 (or larger) mods have a buck/boost circuit which can do both, reduce the cell's voltage or increase it to whatever setting you desire.
But here's a fact that not very many peeps are aware of....
A buck circuit is FAR superior than a boost circuit because it's significantly more efficient.
Buck regulators are absolutely necessary for batteries wired in series, which adds the voltage of each cell together. (2 batts in series = 8.4V) A buck circuit does not require having to use any of the batteries store power to meet the set voltage, it just restricts it's output (for lack of a better term). So if your in series batts are 8.4 V's and you wanna vape at 4.0V, a buck circuit is required.
Now, a boost circuit is the opposite. In order for the boost circuit to increase your battery's voltage, it has to use a portion of it's stored power (mah's) in order to kick the voltage higher. So your battery will drain faster and faster as it discharges. The lower the voltage of the cell, the more power the boost circuit will use to boost the voltage.
This is why when you're using a VV/VW mod it seems that your battery voltage stays between 4.2V and 3.8V for a much longer time than 3.8 to 3.4V....
So having a buck circuit and batts wired in series will significantly increase your mod's performance and overall vape times.
However, having batts in series....comes inherent risks associated with matching pairs of cells and the need to balance them at all times. Unbalanced cells can explode, so having them wired directly to the device inside eliminates the possibility of the cells becoming unbalanced. It makes such a device much safer than having replaceable cells.
This how laptop batteries can be so safe, even though there can be many cells inside of a battery pack. They're permanent and cannot be replaced for very good reasons....balancing.
