Help me put together a single 21700 setup

[swampcrawler]

Hi guys. I’m a new member here. Put down the Marlboros and picked up a mod back in October. Fell in love with vaping and now mix my own juice, wrap my own nichrome, etc. I’m currently using a Drag with a CCI 28mm Hive. It’s a good setup. But of course I was curious about Mech mods. Did my research, learned battery safety, amp limits, etc.

A work friend let me borrow his Vgod single 18650 and yup. I definitely want to switch to a mech.

I want a nice setup but do need to try to keep it to around $300 for 4 batteries, the mech, and an RDA as well as something compact to check voltage on a 21700 battery. My current little coilmaster ohm checker thing only works with 18650.

As of right now I’m looking at the Purge B2b v4 and Samsung 30t batteries. I’m looking for recommendations on other mods I should look into as well as RDAs to match said mods. And a voltage checker.

I’d really like to go with something all copper. Love that look. But black or brass could also work. Thanks folks!!

 

[lupinehorror]

get a dreamer mech and an ardent rda and you'll have plenty of change left for cells and many other things.

 

[bombastinator]

Nichrome. Old school.

Mechs have advantages and disadvantages. The fact that you want a 2x700 system reduces some of the problems. Any device you get should in theory be properly vented simply because it’s designed for new batteries. Worth checking first though. Mooch's blog | E-Cigarette Forum Should have data on batteries you will need. He also has a video series called “minding your mechs”. It’s like 5 or 6 videos.

Another issue you may find is that you may want to carry a lot of spare batteries. Mechs have a sort of balloon effect where voltage changes according to how much juice is left in the battery. As a result they work best when batteries are full or close to full. @Mooch has advice on how to safely carry batteries as well.

Out of curiosity what made you feel that mechs were what you wanted?

 

[Zaryk]

Imrbatteries has the Samsung 30T's on sale for $6.99 right now f you buy 6-12 it's $6.75-$6.50 each?

18650batterystore has them for $5.99 each (not on sale).

Samsung 30T 21700 3000mAh 35A Battery - INR21700-30T

 

[Don29palms]

I'm waiting for a Coilart Mage v2 stacked to get here. You can't go wrong with any Purge mod. I have a Slam Piece and an Ultem Squonker. Both are great mods. RDAs are hard to recommend. My Culverin RDA on the Broadside Brizo is one of my favorites.

 

[Don29palms]

I can second the ultem squonk by purge. Solid piece of gear. I also like my vicious ant spade 21700 just as much. For a budget option, the squeezer is probably best in its price bracket.

A Vicious Ant mech squonker is on my "I will have one" list.

 

[muth]

My side piece arrived a couple days ago and I am really enjoying it. Fogging up the house without even trying.

Wait till you have to clean the windows. You'll switch to an MTL

 

[Zaryk]

Never purchased from there before ? Always find better prices after you have made a purchase though.

I get all my batteries from there now. Better prices than imr, and they ship the same or next day. I had a bad experience with imr where they took a very long time to ship my order, so I don't use them anymore.

 

[t8kiteasy]

I'm waiting for a Coilart Mage v2 stacked to get here. You can't go wrong with any Purge mod. I have a Slam Piece and an Ultem Squonker. Both are great mods. RDAs are hard to recommend. My Culverin RDA on the Broadside Brizo is one of my favorites.

My side piece arrived a couple days ago and I am really enjoying it. Fogging up the house without even trying.

 

[Ben85]

No MTL devices i do not use any longer. I have them ,but just do not use them. They do not suit my vaping style any longer.
I might break one out every once and a while but I do not use it very long.

After years of cloud I have returned to mtl. I am so glad I did. Your juice lasts longer, your batteries last longer and vintage gear is a treat to collect and use. I got to the stage where clouds were needed because I was using the wrong strength juice. MTL and high nic is spot on for me. Just a shame so much of my gear is now useless DL.

 

[swampcrawler]

Nichrome. Old school.

Mechs have advantages and disadvantages. The fact that you want a 2x700 system reduces some of the problems. Any device you get should in theory be properly vented simply because it’s designed for new batteries. Worth checking first though. Mooch's blog | E-Cigarette Forum Should have data on batteries you will need. He also has a video series called “minding your mechs”. It’s like 5 or 6 videos.

Another issue you may find is that you may want to carry a lot of spare batteries. Mechs have a sort of balloon effect where voltage changes according to how much juice is left in the battery. As a result they work best when batteries are full or close to full. @Mooch has advice on how to safely carry batteries as well.

Out of curiosity what made you feel that mechs were what you wanted?

Thanks for the tips man. I was aware of Mooch’s work and I’ve absorbed a bit of it. I’m also aware of the battery life issue, which is why I borrowed a mech to try before spending the money on one. Running my Drag at 130 watts on some giant fused Claptons, I’m already leaving the house with 6 batteries every day... I’m not sure why that is. According to pretty much everyone I should be fine on maybe 4 cells for a day using my VTC5s...

As for why I’m wanting to switch, I just love the look, size and performance of the Tube mods. Plus, weird as it sounds, I like the intricacies and limitations of them. I’ve always liked things that require a bit more involvement. For example I used to be a big time deer and hog hunter. Rather than using a perfectly efficient .308 rifle, I hunted with a custom single shot pistol that fired a cartridge nobody even makes ammo for anymore. Little more work, a lot more fun!

 

[bombastinator]

Thanks for the tips man. I was aware of Mooch’s work and I’ve absorbed a bit of it. I’m also aware of the battery life issue, which is why I borrowed a mech to try before spending the money on one. Running my Drag at 130 watts on some giant fused Claptons, I’m already leaving the house with 6 batteries every day... I’m not sure why that is. According to pretty much everyone I should be fine on maybe 4 cells for a day using my VTC5s...

As for why I’m wanting to switch, I just love the look, size and performance of the Tube mods. Plus, weird as it sounds, I like the intricacies and limitations of them. I’ve always liked things that require a bit more involvement. For example I used to be a big time deer and hog hunter. Rather than using a perfectly efficient .308 rifle, I hunted with a custom single shot pistol that fired a cartridge nobody even makes ammo for anymore. Little more work, a lot more fun!

What pistol? One of those old 1970’s rifle cartridge precision target jobs?

The drag battery thing makes sense. 130watts is a heck of a lot of power. After you scrape the top off the power curve you’re in boost/buck and the things are going to just suck the power down. Also exotic coils are extremely power hungry. Have you tried mesh? There’s radiator coils too which are Truly difficult to deal with. They’re so fragile you have to build and check them for hot spots by supporting them with a ceramic rod. I kinda sorta found a way around that by building them in high ohms, spaced, and really really large. Got around the ceramic rod, but you need an atty with a lot of space in it, and they’re still so fragile they’re almost impossible to rewick. Mesh seems to solve both problems. I’m running a profile at 30w currently. Have you looked at fusing as well?

 

[swampcrawler]

What pistol? One of those old 1970’s rifle cartridge precision target jobs?

The drag battery thing makes sense. 130watts is a heck of a lot of power. After you scrape the top off the power curve you’re in boost/buck and the things are going to just suck the power down. Also exotic coils are extremely power hungry. Have you tried mesh? There’s radiator coils too which are Truly difficult to deal with. They’re so fragile you have to build and check them for hot spots by supporting them with a ceramic rod. I kinda sorta found a way around that by building them in high ohms, spaced, and really really large. Got around the ceramic rod, but you need an atty with a lot of space in it, and they’re still so fragile they’re almost impossible to rewick. Mesh seems to solve both problems. I’m running a profile at 30w currently. Have you looked at fusing as well?

It was an original TC Contender that had been worked over by a local gunsmith. Trigger was right around 1.5lbs. Fitted with a Match Grade Machine 10 inch barrel in 357 Remington Maximum, essentially a 357 Super Magnum.Dan Wesson and Ruger made revolvers for it back in the day but the cartridge pressure was too high and it tore up the guns. But in a closed breach single shot it’s a beast.

Anyway, radiator coils are something I’ve never even heard of. I’ll look into it. I’ve been running fused Clapton’s, dual 26 core with a 36 wrap, N80. 6 wraps, 3.5mm at about .2 ohm. Slow to ramp. Lots of metal to get hot lol.

I’m likely going to go back to plain ole N80 or N90 round wire coils with the mech. I like the fast ramp time and vapor production and I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor. I can always Tailor my juice mixes to give me what I’m looking for.

Would a smaller fused Clapton, say 28 core with a 40 wrap perform much better? I’m not experienced with a bunch of different builds.

 

[Zaryk]

It was an original TC Contender that had been worked over by a local gunsmith. Trigger was right around 1.5lbs. Fitted with a Match Grade Machine 10 inch barrel in 357 Remington Maximum, essentially a 357 Super Magnum.Dan Wesson and Ruger made revolvers for it back in the day but the cartridge pressure was too high and it tore up the guns. But in a closed breach single shot it’s a beast.

Anyway, radiator coils are something I’ve never even heard of. I’ll look into it. I’ve been running fused Clapton’s, dual 26 core with a 36 wrap, N80. 6 wraps, 3.5mm at about .2 ohm. Slow to ramp. Lots of metal to get hot lol.

I’m likely going to go back to plain ole N80 or N90 round wire coils with the mech. I like the fast ramp time and vapor production and I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor. I can always Tailor my juice mixes to give me what I’m looking for.

Would a smaller fused Clapton, say 28 core with a 40 wrap perform much better? I’m not experienced with a bunch of different builds.

I run single battery mechs (squonks) exclusively. The coil I use is a N80 28x3/40 fused clapton. It has pretty much instant ramp up, and after testing it there is very little difference between it and a similar round wire build. Without actually measuring it you probably wouldn't be able to tell a difference in power consumption.

There wasn't a big difference in flavor, but the Clapton lasted much longer and was a whole lot easier to wick up without distorting the coil.

 

[bombastinator]

It was an original TC Contender that had been worked over by a local gunsmith. Trigger was right around 1.5lbs. Fitted with a Match Grade Machine 10 inch barrel in 357 Remington Maximum, essentially a 357 Super Magnum.Dan Wesson and Ruger made revolvers for it back in the day but the cartridge pressure was too high and it tore up the guns. But in a closed breach single shot it’s a beast.

Anyway, radiator coils are something I’ve never even heard of. I’ll look into it. I’ve been running fused Clapton’s, dual 26 core with a 36 wrap, N80. 6 wraps, 3.5mm at about .2 ohm. Slow to ramp. Lots of metal to get hot lol.

I’m likely going to go back to plain ole N80 or N90 round wire coils with the mech. I like the fast ramp time and vapor production and I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor. I can always Tailor my juice mixes to give me what I’m looking for.

Would a smaller fused Clapton, say 28 core with a 40 wrap perform much better? I’m not experienced with a bunch of different builds.

They’re weirdos. 32g round wire done as like 3-4 parallel touching coils, many wraps. the idea is maximum juice heat, minimum air heat. Real ..... to build. I’m not an exotic coil expert. Sort of the opposite. Knitting up exotic coils is something I avoid. Radiator coils are a way to not have to do complicated wire knitting and gain efficiency. The trade off is not a net gain that I have found though. I was poking about the edges for a while trying to simplify things. Best solution seems to be mesh coils though.

 

[t8kiteasy]

Imrbatteries has the Samsung 30T's on sale for $6.99 right now f you buy 6-12 it's $6.75-$6.50 each?
The B2BV4 is a nice set up you can pick up the money shot cap and the Carnage RDA separate though. You might be able to keep it at around $325.00 for mod/batteries/RDA?

I have been using my TG side piece for the past 24 hours and love it too, but a little more advanced for someone just starting on mechs.. mechs do have there limitations as posted above . You are limited to the battery drain and sag.. With 21700's you get better run time though. EDIT:
Purge Mods Murdered Out Back To Basics V4 Mech Mod .
You can get this set up with RDA and batteries from elsewhere.

 

[t8kiteasy]

18650batterystore has them for $5.99 each (not on sale).

Samsung 30T 21700 3000mAh 35A Battery - INR21700-30T

Never purchased from there before ? Always find better prices after you have made a purchase though.

 

[Skunk!]

It was an original TC Contender that had been worked over by a local gunsmith. Trigger was right around 1.5lbs. Fitted with a Match Grade Machine 10 inch barrel in 357 Remington Maximum, essentially a 357 Super Magnum.Dan Wesson and Ruger made revolvers for it back in the day but the cartridge pressure was too high and it tore up the guns. But in a closed breach single shot it’s a beast.

Anyway, radiator coils are something I’ve never even heard of. I’ll look into it. I’ve been running fused Clapton’s, dual 26 core with a 36 wrap, N80. 6 wraps, 3.5mm at about .2 ohm. Slow to ramp. Lots of metal to get hot lol.

I’m likely going to go back to plain ole N80 or N90 round wire coils with the mech. I like the fast ramp time and vapor production and I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of flavor. I can always Tailor my juice mixes to give me what I’m looking for.

Would a smaller fused Clapton, say 28 core with a 40 wrap perform much better? I’m not experienced with a bunch of different builds.

I always liked thinner claptons with more cores. 3×28/38 or 4×30/40 are nice. You get a good amount of surface area and a flat lower mass wire. Geekvape triple core Ni80 FC wire is nice and also can be found cheap. I like AVS and Kbee wire personally.

 

[Mordacai]

Hello @swampcrawler, on my trawls around the net I noticed that Thunderhead Creations make 21700 mech mods. 3 in total, 2 tube and 1 squonk box.

 

[Don29palms]

MDX Big Logo Copper Kit