I think I’m ready for Mech Mods!

[Bravoroni]

Hey Guys,

I have been wanting to use a mech mod for quite some time now. But I didn’t want to rush into things, given that they can be dangerous if not used properly.

To prepare I have studied ohm’s law and have a pretty decent grasp on it. And have a calculator app on my phone.

I have checked out Mooch’s battery recommendations and have a good idea of what batteries to use and which to avoid.

I still do have a few questions I was hoping an experienced Mech user could help me answer:

- What would be the “sweet spot” as far as resistance and safety go for a dual coil set up? Obviously I want to go as low as possible and have a hard hitting vape. But I also want to be safe. I plan to use a dual 18650 Parallel mod (The Clutch X18). I would be most likely be using Sony Murata batteries as I cant find any Samsungs where i live. I’m thinking somewhere around 0.17-0.2? Or would it be safe to go lower than that? I will of course test my build on an ohm reader and regulated mod before throwing it on the mech to be safe.

- Are there any other general safety tips? Ive heard that you want to screw the Atty down all the way first, before inserting the batteries. And then insert the batteries. And when removing the batteries i heard you want to slightly unscrew the atty first, and then carefully remove the batteries? Can anyone please confirm if this is correct.

- Is its safe to chain vape on a dual 18650 parallel mod? When I say chain vape I mean like maybe taking 5-6 big hits back to back. Then waiting 3-5 minutes, dripping some juice and then doing another 5-6 hits.

- Is there anything I should be monitoring while I’m vaping? Like the heat of the batteries? From what I’ve read, the batteries drain quite fast on a mech. And after some experience you will just kind of know when they need charging because the vape experience changes. Is there anything I’m missing? Or something i should be looking out for?

- I can only vape in my kitchen. And sometimes there might be a little bit of water on the counter from someone’s drink sweating, or drops after someone washed their hands etc. Is this a risk? I will of course do my best to keep all surfaces dry. I’m not talking about large amounts of water or submerging or getting the mod really wet. But just what one might find on a kitchen counter.

- Any other tips you could throw my way would be great!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hawise]

Hey Guys,

I have been wanting to use a mech mod for quite some time now. But I didn’t want to rush into things, given that they can be dangerous if not used properly.

To prepare I have studied ohm’s law and have a pretty decent grasp on it. And have a calculator app on my phone.

I have checked out Mooch’s battery recommendations and have a good idea of what batteries to use and which to avoid.

I still do have a few questions I was hoping an experienced Mech user could help me answer:

- What would be the “sweet spot” as far as resistance and safety go for a dual coil set up? Obviously I want to go as low as possible and have a hard hitting vape. But I also want to be safe. I plan to use a dual 18650 Parallel mod (The Clutch X18). I would be most likely be using Sony Murata batteries as I cant find any Samsungs where i live. I’m thinking somewhere around 0.17-0.2? Or would it be safe to go lower than that? I will of course test my build on an ohm reader and regulated mod before throwing it on the mech to be safe.

You're missing some key pieces of information here:

1. Which Sony/Murata battery model will you be using? Different models have different CDRs, so it's important to know.
2. When you say 0.17 - 0.2 ohms on a dual coil setup, is that 0.17 - 0.2 ohms per coil or for both coils?
3. How much of a safety margin do you want to factor in? This is very much a personal choice.

Once you answer these questions, you can use Ohm's law to make sure you're staying within the CDR of your batteries. We'll be happy to verify your calculations for you.

- Are there any other general safety tips? Ive heard that you want to screw the Atty down all the way first, before inserting the batteries. And then insert the batteries. And when removing the batteries i heard you want to slightly unscrew the atty first, and then carefully remove the batteries? Can anyone please confirm if this is correct.

- Is its safe to chain vape on a dual 18650 parallel mod? When I say chain vape I mean like maybe taking 5-6 big hits back to back. Then waiting 3-5 minutes, dripping some juice and then doing another 5-6 hits.

General Safety Tips:

• Where are you buying your batteries? Counterfeits abound, and even the most well-intentioned vendors can be taken in at times. It's important to stick to Mooch's reliable vendor list to reduce (but not eliminate) your risk of counterfeits.
• My brief search indicates that the Clutch X18 has a hybrid connection. This means your tanks' 510 connection absolutely must have a protruding positive pin to prevent a short circuit.
• It should be safe (or at least as safe it ever is) to chain vape provided your whole setup is safe - you're within the CDR, preferably with a nice fat safety margin.

- Is there anything I should be monitoring while I’m vaping? Like the heat of the batteries? From what I’ve read, the batteries drain quite fast on a mech. And after some experience you will just kind of know when they need charging because the vape experience changes. Is there anything I’m missing? Or something i should be looking out for?

It's always good to keep an eye out for overheating batteries. As to how fast batteries drain on a mech, it depends on the resistance of your coil and the capacity of the batteries.

On a mech, your vape will get cooler and weaker as the batteries begin to drain and their voltages drop. Without the low voltage cutoff you have in a regulated mod, it's possible to overdrain the batteries. If they go too low (I can't remember the exact voltage, so I recommend checking Mooch's blog) they will be damaged and no longer safe to use. Never try to recover an overdrained battery, because you can't know what damage has already been done and whether they're still safe to use.

 

[Bravoroni]

You're missing some key pieces of information here:

1. Which Sony/Murata battery model will you be using? Different models have different CDRs, so it's important to know.
2. When you say 0.17 - 0.2 ohms on a dual coil setup, is that 0.17 - 0.2 ohms per coil or for both coils?
3. How much of a safety margin do you want to factor in? This is very much a personal choice.

Once you answer these questions, you can use Ohm's law to make sure you're staying within the CDR of your batteries. We'll be happy to verify your calculations for you.



General Safety Tips:

• Where are you buying your batteries? Counterfeits abound, and even the most well-intentioned vendors can be taken in at times. It's important to stick to Mooch's reliable vendor list to reduce (but not eliminate) your risk of counterfeits.
• My brief search indicates that the Clutch X18 has a hybrid connection. This means your tanks' 510 connection absolutely must have a protruding positive pin to prevent a short circuit.
• It should be safe (or at least as safe it ever is) to chain vape provided your whole setup is safe - you're within the CDR, preferably with a nice fat safety margin.

It's always good to keep an eye out for overheating batteries. As to how fast batteries drain on a mech, it depends on the resistance of your coil and the capacity of the batteries.

On a mech, your vape will get cooler and weaker as the batteries begin to drain and their voltages drop. Without the low voltage cutoff you have in a regulated mod, it's possible to overdrain the batteries. If they go too low (I can't remember the exact voltage, so I recommend checking Mooch's blog) they will be damaged and no longer safe to use. Never try to recover an overdrained battery, because you can't know what damage has already been done and whether they're still safe to use.

Hey thanks for the awesome reply!

I plan to use 2 X Murata VTC5A 18650 batteries. According to Mooch’s blog they have a CDR of 25A. And since I have 2 in parallel, I suppose that gives me a total of 50A. To be extra safe I will use Mooch’s suggestion of using half of one of the batteries. So basically 25A + 12.5A = 37.5A which I have to work with.

According to my calculations that means I should build somewhere around 0.11 or higher. I will probably go for around 0.13-0.17 just to be extra safe. When I say 0.13-0.17 I mean in dual coil setup. Meaning when I’m dual they will ohm out to 0.13-0.17 (so 0.26-0.34 each)

As for buying the batteries, unfortunately none of the vendors on Mooch’s list ship to me (I live in Hong Kong) I went to a trusted vape shop today and bought the Murata VTC5A’s. My only other option would be to use AWT or Efest batteries. I know that Mooch recommended strongly against the “50A rated” AWT’s so I’d rather avoid them if possible.

I will definitely check that the pin on my atomizer is hybrid safe and protruding enough.

I also plan to monitor the heat of the batteries. The nice thing about the Clucth x18 is the easy magnetic doors. So I can pull them off and feel the batteries to make sure they are not getting too hot.

Thanks again for your detailed reply. And please let me know if I’m forgetting or missing anything.

 

[Z-Lee]

Hey thanks for the awesome reply!

I plan to use 2 X Murata VTC5A 18650 batteries. According to Mooch’s blog they have a CDR of 25A. And since I have 2 in parallel, I suppose that gives me a total of 50A. To be extra safe I will use Mooch’s suggestion of using half of one of the batteries. So basically 25A + 12.5A = 37.5A which I have to work with.

According to my calculations that means I should build somewhere around 0.11 or higher. I will probably go for around 0.13-0.17 just to be extra safe. When I say 0.13-0.17 I mean in dual coil setup. Meaning when I’m dual they will ohm out to 0.13-0.17 (so 0.26-0.34 each)

As for buying the batteries, unfortunately none of the vendors on Mooch’s list ship to me (I live in Hong Kong) I went to a trusted vape shop today and bought the Murata VTC5A’s. My only other option would be to use AWT or Efest batteries. I know that Mooch recommended strongly against the “50A rated” AWT’s so I’d rather avoid them if possible.

I will definitely check that the pin on my atomizer is hybrid safe and protruding enough.

I also plan to monitor the heat of the batteries. The nice thing about the Clucth x18 is the easy magnetic doors. So I can pull them off and feel the batteries to make sure they are not getting too hot.

Thanks again for your detailed reply. And please let me know if I’m forgetting or missing anything.

I'm not sure if you've watched this, but I enjoy watching Vaping Bogan. This gives you a rundown of how to get it set up properly, how to disassemble and clean, and what the fuse is going to do for you. Supposedly the fuse is set to pop at 37 Amps. In the video however, he explains that he set up an atty using an allen key as a fuse @ 0.49 ohms, which comes out to be much higher than 37A, and the fuse didn't pop. But that it will protect you against accidentally putting your batteries in, in series. He states that you're probably okay with a 0.08-0.09 build, but it sounds like you're leaning on the safer side which is probably good.

I know that Mooch recommended strongly against the “50A rated” AWT’s so I’d rather avoid them if possible.

There's no such thing as a 50A rated battery - not even close, which is why Mooch says to stay away from them. If they're willing to lie this drastically about its capabilities, then what else are they lying about? You made a good battery choice.

I have yet to get into mechs, but I'll dip my toes in it eventually. Cheers.

 

[Coyote628]

Mech mods. Dont think. Know.

 

[zoiDman]

...

- Any other tips you could throw my way would be great!

Thanks in advance!

Here is Two pieces of Advise from a former Mech User.

1 - Always Double Check the Ohms of your build after your RBA/RTA is Fully Assembled.

Meaning, I can do a Build on a RBA and go thru all the motions of Fluffing Cotton and Checking for Hot Spots. And Everything is Cool. And my Build's Ohm are where I Need them to be.

But when I put the RBA Cover on, if the Coil Legs I trimmed are Too Long and touch the RBA Cover side, or if the Top of the Coil(s) touch the inside of the RBA Cover, now I have a Dead Short. And if I don't Check it before putting the RBA on my Mech, I Find Out about it when I Push the Fire Button. Not what you want to happen when using a Mech.

There are No Low Atomizer Warnings on a Mech. So ALWAYS Double Check your Ohms with the Atomizer Fully Assembled.

2 - Give Yourself a Safety Margin. And Resist the Urge to Build down to the Bleeding Edge of what is supposed to be Theoretically Possible CDR for a given Battery(s).

Chances are that you are going to be Checking your Ohms using a Regulated Mod or maybe one of those Building "Tabs". These Are Not High Precision Measuring Tools. They are Inexpensive Mass-Produced Devises where a +/- 10% Accuracy (or Greater!) is not uncommon.

So Consider what the Real Amp Draw would be if what your Device gave you an Ohm Reading that was Higher than the what the Actual Ohms of your Build Is.

Now, this Isn't so Critical if a Screen says that you 1.0 build is 1.1 Ohms. No Big Deal. But when you are in a Race to the Bottom, and you are Very Close to the X-Axis on the curve, it is a Really Big Deal when your Build is really .04 and the Screen says it is 0.11 Ohms. The Amps Increase Very Rapidly as you get down to those Theoretical Limits of what is considered "Safe".

So Give Yourself a Little Breathing Room. And add a Bit to the Ohms that you think are the Lowest to account for Built-In Error of whatever you are using to Measure with.

 

[mimöschen]

Don't use Subohm Tanks on a mech. Most of them have a floating 510-pin which can cause a lot of trouble. Not even with an RBA-head.

 

[SlowTalker]

Can't advise on battery issues but I do vape in my kitchen sometimes and know what you mean about moisture. If I am cooking I "glove" my mod so I don't get whatever is on my hands on my mod. Otherwise I keep a dry dishcloth folded up on the counter and set my mod on that.

 

[Superuser187]

I think I’m ready for Mech Mods!
Booooooom!!!!!

Famous last words




I am jk ofc

 

[tj99959]

Been a mechanical mod user for over 10 years, and have Never had a problem of any kind.

I have a simple rule, ..... NEVER DO SUB OHM ON A MECH MOD!!!!!!!
That's what we have all those fabulous regulated mods for, so you can do it safely.
A 2.0 ohm coil is much safer to use on a mech mod than a 0.2 ohm coil.
So you have your numbers backwards!

And, if your opinion differs ........ I don't give a rats azz.

 

[AngeNZ]

Hey thanks for the awesome reply!

I plan to use 2 X Murata VTC5A 18650 batteries. According to Mooch’s blog they have a CDR of 25A. And since I have 2 in parallel, I suppose that gives me a total of 50A. To be extra safe I will use Mooch’s suggestion of using half of one of the batteries. So basically 25A + 12.5A = 37.5A which I have to work with.

According to my calculations that means I should build somewhere around 0.11 or higher. I will probably go for around 0.13-0.17 just to be extra safe. When I say 0.13-0.17 I mean in dual coil setup. Meaning when I’m dual they will ohm out to 0.13-0.17 (so 0.26-0.34 each)

As for buying the batteries, unfortunately none of the vendors on Mooch’s list ship to me (I live in Hong Kong) I went to a trusted vape shop today and bought the Murata VTC5A’s. My only other option would be to use AWT or Efest batteries. I know that Mooch recommended strongly against the “50A rated” AWT’s so I’d rather avoid them if possible.

I will definitely check that the pin on my atomizer is hybrid safe and protruding enough.

I also plan to monitor the heat of the batteries. The nice thing about the Clucth x18 is the easy magnetic doors. So I can pull them off and feel the batteries to make sure they are not getting too hot.

Thanks again for your detailed reply. And please let me know if I’m forgetting or missing anything.

This is a handy ohms law type calculator for playing around with builds, and to see how your wattage changes:
Power Resistance and Current Calculator by Vaping Hardware

And like those above, I suggest starting with a conservative build for your first time. You already have so much to think about, and check - especially when using a hybrid mech.

One more thing: Every time I put a freshly charged battery into my mech mod (and reg. for that matter), I thoroughly inspect the wrap for dints, scratches or tears. If it doesn't pass muster, it gets rewrapped.

 

[Ed Brown]

I always test a new build on a regulated mod first to make sure the resistance is what it should be, and that there are no shorts.

 

[sonicbomb]

The first rule of Mech Club, you do talk about safety.

Understanding Battery Capability/Capacity | E-Cigarette Forum

Understanding the relationship between power and coil resistance | E-Cigarette Forum

Ohms/Watts Law - Calculating safe amp usage | E-Cigarette Forum

Choosing a coil for a single battery unregulated device | E-Cigarette Forum

Battery Safety | E-Cigarette Forum