Hey Y'all, new smok user!

[Stratospheros V]

Hey there guys, I started vaping in order to quit smoking and have been clean for about a month now! As easy as the transition was (and I knew it would be; my girlfriend lent me an Ijust 2 stick a while back but I went back to cigarettes when it broke down) I have been plagued by worries and minor (?) problems leading me to believe I'm holding a pipe bomb. A little bit of expert knowledge and intervention would be greatly appreciated

I recently bought a Smok GX 2/4 kit with the TFV8 Baby beast. The batteries, however, were sold separate from the kit in a little box with sharpie on it. The code on the batteries reads "LGDBHG21865" and below "P148E272AG". I can find no results on a google search that is helping me determine whether they are fakes or not. At first I was just determined to find the Amp rating for the batteries. I went back to the shop and asked for some sort of certification, and they referred me to mooch's battery testing on this site. After perusing, I still couldn't even find the exact battery and now I am noticing the mod tends to get a bit hot when I am using it regularly. Like, the pcb says 23 or so when it starts but quickly cooks up to 40 Celsius after 10 drags or so and starts notching up even before the atty gets hot. My brother lent me a TFV12 tank with a T12 coil, which is when I really started noticing the heating but it still heats up with the smaller tank and higher resistance coil (T8's, 0.15)

Is the coil or the battery at fault right now? With the batteries being wired in series, are they putting out 20 or 40 amps? What can I change to have this mod work safely? Or do I need a different mod, wired in parallel to get the same effect? I have tried calculating the current that is being drawn (power in watts (130) x nominal voltage (7.2) = 18.05 amps)
But my LCD displays 30+ amps when I am hitting it?

Cringeing myself at the cringes I'm giving you guys, thank you all for any help. Any questions or pictures are welcome

 

[Stratospheros V]

Also, I'm pretty sure the device is wired in series but why does the voltage on the display read 4.2? Am I missing something?

 

[r77r7r]

LG HG2 Review (20A, 3000mAh)

Also read Mooch"s recent post on fake LG's.

 

[suprtrkr]

Welcome to the board, and don't sweat so much. HG2 batteries are entirely appropriate for that mod. The bad news is, I haven't any way of knowing if they actually are HG2s, or counterfeits. I couldn't tell if I had them in my hands. The only way to know is to subject them to testing, or to buy them from known reliable suppliers. It is entirely normal for board and atomizer temps to rise during use. If they get hot enough the machine gets uncomfortable to hold I would be worried, but not before. You have a regulated mod, so the calculations get complex regarding available amps as the board does some electronic magic on it. In general, series wired batteries are good for the maximum amps of the weakest battery. This is not something you need to worry about. A good rule of thumb is 60 watts per 20A battery (Mooch rates the HG2 at 18 amps). So, to stay safe, in a two battery mod with HG2s, stay at or below 100 set watts on the machine and you should be fine. If you're really worried, I below attach Mooch's latest chart. The light blue section at the bottom shows some trusted vendors who sell only authentic cells. You can also find some higher-amp batteries if you really need more than 100 watts.

 

[r77r7r]

LG LGDBHG21865 3.7v 3000mAh 18650 - VapeHit | E-Cigs | Electronic Cigarettes | E-Liquid

 

[OlderNDirt]

Welcome @Stratospheros V

Great choice in mod! Pretty advanced for somebody new, but sounds like you have some sense and available help. Hope you like it as much as I am enjoying mine. A different mod should not be needed unless there is a defect. I would look closely at the batteries first.

I'll admit that I don't pay that close of attention to what it reads unless something seems off. Not clear what wattage you run or how quick your 10 drags are, but still shouldn't be "hot." Your Big Baby should be fine in dual or quad mode at or below 80 watts without getting "hot." If running the TFV12 at or above 100 watts, which it probably needs, should only be done in quad mode. Warm is fairly normal, but hot? Never experienced anything close to hot with mine.

So, the batteries. I agree with the others that they are most likely LG HG2's that should be good. You have a mod that you should have a set of 4 married for quad mode and another pair married for dual mode. I would suggest getting a verified pair from a vendor in @suprtrkr 's linked table and see if it stays cool/warm in dual mode with the Big Baby. If it does, look at getting a set of 4 for quad mode and give the TFV12 a run. If not, take it back to the shop with the batteries you got from them. Let them determine if it is the mod or the batteries (or if what seems to be hot to you is nothing more then warm).

Not saying your shop is pulling anything (they could have been sent some fakes), but share what you learn/find and how they work with you should give you an indication.

Let use know how it goes!

 

[Letitia]

Welcome to ECF. New here myself & unfortunately cannot help you with this, just chimed in to say hello. I only buy batteries from Liion Wholesale. Always trust Mooch. Any vendor on his list will do right by you.

 

[Stratospheros V]

Thank you so much for the info.
I am okay with turning my wattage down, but when my coil says 60-350w but best between 130-200w, is it okay to drop the wattage down and take long hauls? I don't seem to get much vapour out of the lower wattages like 90-100 is this bad for the coils? I really can't afford a new battery or coils for the week.

 

[suprtrkr]

Thank you so much for the info.
I am okay with turning my wattage down, but when my coil says 60-350w but best between 130-200w, is it okay to drop the wattage down and take long hauls? I don't seem to get much vapour out of the lower wattages like 90-100 is this bad for the coils? I really can't afford a new battery or coils for the week.

You cant hurt anything by turning the power down. Try closing the air a bit for better vapor.

 

[Mike McVape]

I have 3 Smok GX2/4s and have never seen my pcb's above maybe 34C at most heavy chain vaping. Attys definitely get warmer than the mod. Really suspect a battery issue. The GX2/4 in 4 battery mode with 4 known to be good 20A batteries can kick big time power no problem. With HG2's easily 200W without pushing the batteries and I wouldn't be afraid to take 'em up to maybe 300W. However my old lungs can no way handle that so have only briefly tested up to 250W.

I really love the OPUS CT3100 charger for it's additional test capabilities. First thing I do when I get new battery set is test them! Recently got 4 counterfeit LG HG2's, 2 tested ~1600mAh other 2 ~2200mAh not even close to ~3000mAh spec, they never went into a mod. (refunded)

Going from Big Baby Beast T8 to Cloud Beast King TFV12 T12 is huge difference. (I have both) TFV12 is designed for high power massive clouds with lots of airflow. Cloud chasing the end.

 

[OlderNDirt]

Do as you like, but I would be getting the mod and the batteries checked out since it is "running hot" before cranking it up to 130 - 200 watts with the TFV12. The Big Baby at 50 - 60 watts should provide a satisfying vape until you get that sorted out.

 

[BrotherBob]

Is the coil or the battery at fault right now? With the batteries being wired in series, are they putting out 20 or 40 amps? What can I change to have this mod work safely? Or do I need a different mod, wired in parallel to get the same effect? I have tried calculating the current that is being drawn (power in watts (130) x nominal voltage (7.2) = 18.05 amps)
But my LCD displays 30+ amps when I am hitting it?

Welcome and glad you joined. I have provided a little more information which might help choosing/evaluating batteries.
Might like to read:
18650 Battery Buying Guide for Vapor Users – Wake and Vape Blog
(9) Battery Basics for Mods; the Ultimate Battery Guide | E-Cigarette Forum
Calculating battery current draw for a regulated mod | E-Cigarette Forum
Battery Safety: Will You Marry Me? - Mt Baker Vapor
A Guide to Safe Charging - The Complete Guide to E-Cig Safety
Guide to Choosing a Battery Charger | E-Cigarette Forum