I have been vaping with one of these and a few different SmokTech eGo Mega Dual Coil Cartomizers (EMDCC's) for 3 days now, and since I saw some questions about the unit I thought I'd post a review with some observations, etc.
I'm kind of a vaping noob yet (6 weeks) and not particularly photogenic, and can't put the time into editing a video right now, so I will hold off on doing a video review of it -- maybe later. But I'll share some things I've discovered about this battery mod. I apologize in advance for the poor focus on some of the pictures - the camera I used takes high-quality pictures but is a bit limited on how well it can focus on close-ups..
INTRO
I purchased a Joyetech eGo 18650 Battery Mod tube with black finish and the Control Switch. I had been looking at these for a couple of weeks, noticing how the battery life after charging has been gradually declining on the 2 SmokTech 900 mAH eGo batteries that came with my first vaping kit. I am using SmokTech EMDCC's, and vape somewhere between "moderately" and "frequently". (probably about 2-3ml a day).
JoyeTech eGo 18650 Mod (Black) - Switch Installed
After roughly 6 weeks of use, the SmokTech 900 mAH batteries are supporting my level of vaping for about 4-5 hours before they are drained and have to be put back on the charger. So I was looking for something that would give me longer battery life and allow me to keep using the EMDCC's I have until the Provari I am waiting for is available to be ordered again (one with "Freakin' JEDI Blue" lighting!!!!). I also decided that whatever I chose as an extended life eGo battery mod/option would have to be 18650-based so could use the same batteries in the Provari later.
Here are a few pics to compare the size of the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod to a SmokTech eGo 900mAH battery:
A pic of both, with an EMDCC sitting on top of each (and an anodized aluminum drip tip as well)
REGULATED MOD
There are a couple of different 18650 type mod battery options out there, but I chose the Joyetech because I wanted a regulated mod for safety reasons. Everything I have been able to find about this mod says that it IS regulated -- all but one report says it is regulated at 3.3 volts, and one other says 3.5V, I can say after vaping it for 3 days that it hits about the same through my EMDCC's that my SmokTech 900mAH's did -- at least when they are fairly fresh off the charger. So while I don't have the setup to test the voltage output under load, I can more or less confirm -- albeit rather un-scientifically -- from the taste/hit/etc of the vapor that it is probably pretty close to 3.3 volts.
GENERAL OPINION / APPEARANCE
The unit is pretty well-made and solid. It definitely has some weight to it without a battery. If you don't believe in big, fat, or heavy batteries then you'll probably want to avoid this unit. But then again, people who don't like big/heavy batteries really shouldn't be looking at anything that uses an 18650...
Even just the 18650 battery outside of the mod basically dwarfs a 900mAH eGo batt
The Tube
The tube exterior is made of aluminum and is fairly heavy-gauge, The bottom end of the tube does not come off that I can see. I'm not sure there is even a "cap" on the bottom, it may very well be the same piece of aluminum as the outer tube. There appears to be a thicker sleeve inserted inside the tube body -- or it may just be how the top of the inside of the tube was machined/cast, and how the threads were cut for the screw-on switch assembly. At the bottom of the inside of the tube, a coil spring reminiscent of what you would see on the bottom of a flashlight is screwed to the bottom of the tube to make negative battery terminal contact.
Here's a few pictures of the tube, to show the internal construction:
Negative battery contact coil spring screwed into the bottom of the tube
A little more focus/angle on the top end of the tube:
On the black model I purchased, the black isn't just paint or simple adhesive paper/plastic. It is a soft rubber or silicon grip sleeve with the "Joyetech" logo printed on one side of the bottom and "eGo-T" printed on the other. I'm not sure if other colors this is available in are made of the same "soft grip" material or not (especially the "steel" finish). But it feels decent in the hand and adds a nice finished touch to the overall appearance.
The tube does not have any ventilation holes in it, either in the side of the tube or the bottom. More on this later.
The Switch
The switch button has a slight rubbery feel to it (vs. hard plastic), but it IS a solid button and there is a very definite positive click that you both hear and feel when you push the button in. It seems to be well-made and I really don't imagine this switch wearing out anytime soon. Don't misinterpret my saying the button feels rubbery to mean it's a soft/flexible membrane-type button that is likely to "deform" from pushing it in where the edge of it can get stuck under the edge of the hole in the casing and make the battery get stuck "ON". It's not like that at all. It's a "hard" button, but it has a nice rubbery/soft grip feel to it.
Ergonomics: Contact surface of the button goes "straight up and down" rather than angled with the taper of the switch
I do like that Joyetech put the button on the "taper-down" area, rather than "above it" after the diameter tapers down from 18650 diameter to eGo diameter. There is another 18650 eGo mod out there someone makes that puts the button higher up -- probably in the interest of using a standard eGo battery switch/top cap rather than creating a custom one for their mod like Joyetech did. I think it would be at least slightly more awkward to have to "reach" farther to find the button on the other mod, but that's just my opinion. "Finding" and pushing the button on the Joyetech either with my thumb or my index finger (depending how I'm holding it) is easy, comfortable and natural.
The button is translucent and lights up a fairly bright white when pushed in. It's won't blind you, but you will definitely know it's on, especially in lower light conditions.
Fits well in the hand - also shows the color of the button when activated
The 5-click lock/unlock feature is nice safety feature to prevent accidental power-ons, hot pockets, etc. The logic in the control unit seems to be slightly "forgiving" and seems to prefer slightly slower repetitions to rapid presses to reach your 5 count. It will flash quickly 3 times when changing lock/unlock state for visual confirmation.
When the battery is drained, the button will start flashing rapidly when you push the button in for a vape, and then stop flashing after several seconds. I did get one more vape out of it afterwards, waiting a few seconds after the flashing stopped, but the next time I pushed the button it started flashing rapidly again and would only do that afterwards. It's pretty awesome that I can say I have only managed to drain a battery once so far after vaping with this for 3 days.
The unit is also stated to have a 16-second cutoff time.
PRECAUTIONS
There are a couple of things I have discovered so far that folks considering one of these probably need to know:
1. Get some Noalox or other anti-seize/anti-galling/anti-oxidant compound
The threads were cut pretty well on my "specimen" of the JoyeTech 18650 eGo mod, however both the switch/cap and the tube are made of aluminum and these are pretty fine threads. It wouldn't take too many cross-threaded incidents before the threads are damaged.
Note: Noalox is already on the threads here and "worked in"...
Threading the cap onto the tube is not really difficult when there is no battery in the tube, but with a battery in the tube, the threads don't really "want" to engage smoothly without a little "help" -- and I could feel some friction, even after gently pushing downwards slightly on the switch to overcome the negative terminal's coil spring tension while threading it onto the tube. I had already bought some Noalox and had it ready to go, but I wanted to test what the threading action would be like with a battery in the tube without it. If you are very, very careful, you can probably get away with not using some Noalox or other suitable lube for a little while - but if you're SMART, you'll get something to lube the threads with and KEEP them well-lubed.
Just a little dab wiped around the threads in the tube with the tip of your pinky, or a q-tip or something, will greatly reduce the chances of damaging your threads and make removing/reinstalling the switch/cap nice and smooth.
You might want to check with your local hardware, electrical supply, or home improvement stores before you decide you have to order it with your next vaping supplies order. This stuff isn't hard to find. Some (but not ALL) of the vendors in our scene are charging "an awful lot" for a 1/2oz tube of this stuff -- I've seen it going as high as $8! But trust me, you're going to want to keep these threads lubed regularly.
2. EMDCC (and possibly other eGo attachments) - "No Going Back"
Again, I'm sort of a vaping noob. I've only been doing this for about 6 weeks. There may be something that can be done to correct this issue, but I want to point it out in case anybody else considering one of these is in a similar scenario, so you'll be aware of it beforehand.
Once I put one of my "active" EMDCC's (one that already had liquid in it) that I had been using with the SmokTech 900 mAH batts onto the JoyeTech, it would no longer fire on any of our SmokTech batts. It works fine on the JoyeTech, but it won't fire if I take it back off of the JoyeTech and put it back on any of my SmokTech batts.
The 510-threaded round "shaft" part of the eGo connector on the JoyeTech 18650 mod switch is considerably taller than it is on my SmokTech eGo batteries. Probably at least 1mm taller. I believe the difference in height between the center post and the end of the 510 threads between the two batteries is causing the center contact post area of the EMDCC to be pushed upwards farther into the body of the cartomizer when it is threaded down onto the JoyeTech, so that it can't contact the center post on the SmokTech batts anymore. But like I said, the EMDCC works FINE on the JoyeTech, even after removing it and putting it back on.
I'm guessing this means that one of the two manufacturers of "eGo compatible" hardware I'm screwing together here isn't making their stuff to the right eGo dimensional specs. Didn't JoyeTech invent the eGo connector?
I could probably mess around some and fix this by grinding some length off the top of the JoyeTech's 510 thread shaft or something, but frankly, I don't want to go grinding on this switch, and I don't really plan on using the SmokTech batteries anymore except in some kind of emergency situation. In that case, I can just put a new EMDCC on it or use a 510 (non-eGo) device, or something. No big deal. But something that is probably good to be aware of, in case you have SmokTech eGo batts or another brand that is similarly shorter than JoyeTech's 510 threads are on an eGo connector.
IMPROVEMENT IN BATTERY LIFE
This is the reason to buy one of these - so you can use a MUCH larger battery with your eGo gear than you are ever likely to find a "manufactured" eGo battery for. Oh, and as a side benefit you also get to PICK the batteries to go inside the tube.
Not all batteries are created equal... I chose AW IMR "high drain" 2000mAH 18650 batteries, again with a view to the Provari in my future and with great concern to using the (relatively) safest chemistry and most reliable batteries available near my face. Don't scrimp on your batteries and charger - these forums and the internet have many stories of exploding and flaming batteries, and links to reliable information about rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries - and you should read them.
I can't speak for using other brands of batteries or protected AW's with the JoyeTech, but I'm sure others out there will share their experiences. At least one vendor selling these (Stormy's Vapor Cellar) has noted a couple examples in the product details of some 18650 cells that DO or DO NOT fit well in the tube. The AW IMR 2000 hi-drain cells I'm using fit fine.
In my case, my SmokTech 900mAH eGo batteries had gotten down to lasting me around 4-5 hours before they were drained and needing to go back onto the charger. Note, this is not 4-5 hours of constant use, but rather getting me through 4-5 hours of my day/evening, with the amount of vaping I'm doing and my "usage pattern". I typically hold the button down at least 10 seconds, actually taking about 2 inhales of vapor, before I exhale. This is probably kind of hard on the batteries, but I do it because the vapor from the first few seconds doesn't have as much flavor until the coils have warmed up a bit. This is probably a 3.3 volt/EMDCC thing. Side Note: I'll probably try to pick up a few 1.25 Ohm SmokTech 510 cartos to try out with this JoyeTech and my ACTv4 tank to tide me over until I can get my Provari. Anyway, I digress....
The first fully-charged AW IMR 2000mAH battery lasted me 27-28 hours. ie, I put the first freshly charged battery into the JoyeTech sometime between 3:30pm and 4:00pm on one day, and it was between 7pm and 8pm the next evening before it was time for a different battery. So, this is a huge improvement in battery life.
Speaking of battery life -- another feature, if you care to utilize it, is the ability to recharge your 18650 by screwing the mod into the standard eGo USB charger. The one with a short USB cord, screw-on 510 connector, and 420mA output. I don't plan to do this myself unless I'm in a real pinch, and haven't tried it myself yet, because I picked up a Pila IBC and would rather trust my batteries to the Pila. I also have spare 18650's. But the eGo USB charger is said to work by others who have tried it with this mod.
SAFETY
I'll need to defer somewhat to the more experienced mod gurus and vapers here, but one observation I have about this unit is that it doesn't seem to be designed to handle a gas vent/thermal runaway situation very well. I say this because I don't see where a battery is going to be able to vent gases without something rupturing. The epoxy-fiberboard-looking material under the top cap (where the positive terminal is) looks to be the weakest material anywhere around the battery compartment. I may be completely wrong here though, and welcome anyone who knows what they're talking about straightening me out.
The battery is pretty much enclosed by solid aluminum pipe everywhere but the top...
If I'm right, then the safety of the unit will depend more upon its regulation shutting the load off before an excessive current draw can occur - and using batteries that can handle the discharge rate the "load" (atty, carto, etc.) is asking for. Unfortunately I don't know what the current draw limit is on this unit before the regulator turns it off, assuming it has a limiter. I've not been able to find any information about it. I've not even found any specs about the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod on Joyetech's website. If anyone can find data on this, please share it.
So for absolute maximum safety, use a high-quality protected battery like an AW protected 18650.
The unit is also said to have a 16 second shutoff. Mine stayed on for just over 19 seconds before it turned itself off.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod battery mod seems to be fairly nicely-built. For about $30-$35 you can get a REALLY large eGo battery upgrade mod and a high-quality 18650 battery, which should give you a LOT longer battery life than you can get with a manufactured eGo battery. And when it's time to replace the battery cell, you can easily replace it without having to break the unit open and resolder anything.
It's probably not for everybody - as not everyone would want the size or the weight. I admit I am going to need to figure out some kind of a "holster" setup because I won't want to carry this around in my pants pocket - but I won't want to put my Provari in my pants pocket when I get that either. Incidentally, this looks to be pretty close to the size of the Provari with an extender cap on it.
There are a couple of minor "question marks" about this product for me right now, but overall I do have confidence in the mod. I'd like to see at least one appropriately-sized and located gas ventilation hole - even if they would only ever be there just to ease some folks' minds. The mod obviously has a regulator in it, so while the chances are probably pretty low of this mod "turning into a pipe bomb", a vent hole or three would also help protect the user from a catastrophic battery failure or seriously defective battery, such as an internal battery short.
I also believe some electrical specs/data on the product should be readily available from JoyeTech as soon as the product is put on the market, so that end users can reasonably be expected to know what the device can and can't do, and what they should not try to do with it. For example, publishing the specs on the current draw limits of the switch and regulator.
But as I said, at least it HAS a regulator, and one with at least enough smarts to tell you when the battery has drained to a certain voltage, and at least two safety features (5-click shutoff, and "16 second" cutoff). So even with the unknowns, it certainly wouldn't be the riskiest mod that can be found out there.
It does seem to work quite well, and I'm happy with it. It will get me the extra battery life I was looking for, and tide me over until I can get my Provari.
I hope this review is helpful and points out an interesting item or two. I'll try to get some pics posted, and update it as I can. All comments etc. welcome of course.
Nic-holio
I'm kind of a vaping noob yet (6 weeks) and not particularly photogenic, and can't put the time into editing a video right now, so I will hold off on doing a video review of it -- maybe later. But I'll share some things I've discovered about this battery mod. I apologize in advance for the poor focus on some of the pictures - the camera I used takes high-quality pictures but is a bit limited on how well it can focus on close-ups..
INTRO
I purchased a Joyetech eGo 18650 Battery Mod tube with black finish and the Control Switch. I had been looking at these for a couple of weeks, noticing how the battery life after charging has been gradually declining on the 2 SmokTech 900 mAH eGo batteries that came with my first vaping kit. I am using SmokTech EMDCC's, and vape somewhere between "moderately" and "frequently". (probably about 2-3ml a day).
JoyeTech eGo 18650 Mod (Black) - Switch Installed
After roughly 6 weeks of use, the SmokTech 900 mAH batteries are supporting my level of vaping for about 4-5 hours before they are drained and have to be put back on the charger. So I was looking for something that would give me longer battery life and allow me to keep using the EMDCC's I have until the Provari I am waiting for is available to be ordered again (one with "Freakin' JEDI Blue" lighting!!!!). I also decided that whatever I chose as an extended life eGo battery mod/option would have to be 18650-based so could use the same batteries in the Provari later.
Here are a few pics to compare the size of the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod to a SmokTech eGo 900mAH battery:
A pic of both, with an EMDCC sitting on top of each (and an anodized aluminum drip tip as well)
REGULATED MOD
There are a couple of different 18650 type mod battery options out there, but I chose the Joyetech because I wanted a regulated mod for safety reasons. Everything I have been able to find about this mod says that it IS regulated -- all but one report says it is regulated at 3.3 volts, and one other says 3.5V, I can say after vaping it for 3 days that it hits about the same through my EMDCC's that my SmokTech 900mAH's did -- at least when they are fairly fresh off the charger. So while I don't have the setup to test the voltage output under load, I can more or less confirm -- albeit rather un-scientifically -- from the taste/hit/etc of the vapor that it is probably pretty close to 3.3 volts.
GENERAL OPINION / APPEARANCE
The unit is pretty well-made and solid. It definitely has some weight to it without a battery. If you don't believe in big, fat, or heavy batteries then you'll probably want to avoid this unit. But then again, people who don't like big/heavy batteries really shouldn't be looking at anything that uses an 18650...
Even just the 18650 battery outside of the mod basically dwarfs a 900mAH eGo batt
The Tube
The tube exterior is made of aluminum and is fairly heavy-gauge, The bottom end of the tube does not come off that I can see. I'm not sure there is even a "cap" on the bottom, it may very well be the same piece of aluminum as the outer tube. There appears to be a thicker sleeve inserted inside the tube body -- or it may just be how the top of the inside of the tube was machined/cast, and how the threads were cut for the screw-on switch assembly. At the bottom of the inside of the tube, a coil spring reminiscent of what you would see on the bottom of a flashlight is screwed to the bottom of the tube to make negative battery terminal contact.
Here's a few pictures of the tube, to show the internal construction:
Negative battery contact coil spring screwed into the bottom of the tube
A little more focus/angle on the top end of the tube:
On the black model I purchased, the black isn't just paint or simple adhesive paper/plastic. It is a soft rubber or silicon grip sleeve with the "Joyetech" logo printed on one side of the bottom and "eGo-T" printed on the other. I'm not sure if other colors this is available in are made of the same "soft grip" material or not (especially the "steel" finish). But it feels decent in the hand and adds a nice finished touch to the overall appearance.
The tube does not have any ventilation holes in it, either in the side of the tube or the bottom. More on this later.
The Switch
The switch button has a slight rubbery feel to it (vs. hard plastic), but it IS a solid button and there is a very definite positive click that you both hear and feel when you push the button in. It seems to be well-made and I really don't imagine this switch wearing out anytime soon. Don't misinterpret my saying the button feels rubbery to mean it's a soft/flexible membrane-type button that is likely to "deform" from pushing it in where the edge of it can get stuck under the edge of the hole in the casing and make the battery get stuck "ON". It's not like that at all. It's a "hard" button, but it has a nice rubbery/soft grip feel to it.
Ergonomics: Contact surface of the button goes "straight up and down" rather than angled with the taper of the switch
I do like that Joyetech put the button on the "taper-down" area, rather than "above it" after the diameter tapers down from 18650 diameter to eGo diameter. There is another 18650 eGo mod out there someone makes that puts the button higher up -- probably in the interest of using a standard eGo battery switch/top cap rather than creating a custom one for their mod like Joyetech did. I think it would be at least slightly more awkward to have to "reach" farther to find the button on the other mod, but that's just my opinion. "Finding" and pushing the button on the Joyetech either with my thumb or my index finger (depending how I'm holding it) is easy, comfortable and natural.
The button is translucent and lights up a fairly bright white when pushed in. It's won't blind you, but you will definitely know it's on, especially in lower light conditions.
Fits well in the hand - also shows the color of the button when activated
The 5-click lock/unlock feature is nice safety feature to prevent accidental power-ons, hot pockets, etc. The logic in the control unit seems to be slightly "forgiving" and seems to prefer slightly slower repetitions to rapid presses to reach your 5 count. It will flash quickly 3 times when changing lock/unlock state for visual confirmation.
When the battery is drained, the button will start flashing rapidly when you push the button in for a vape, and then stop flashing after several seconds. I did get one more vape out of it afterwards, waiting a few seconds after the flashing stopped, but the next time I pushed the button it started flashing rapidly again and would only do that afterwards. It's pretty awesome that I can say I have only managed to drain a battery once so far after vaping with this for 3 days.
The unit is also stated to have a 16-second cutoff time.
PRECAUTIONS
There are a couple of things I have discovered so far that folks considering one of these probably need to know:
1. Get some Noalox or other anti-seize/anti-galling/anti-oxidant compound
The threads were cut pretty well on my "specimen" of the JoyeTech 18650 eGo mod, however both the switch/cap and the tube are made of aluminum and these are pretty fine threads. It wouldn't take too many cross-threaded incidents before the threads are damaged.
Note: Noalox is already on the threads here and "worked in"...
Threading the cap onto the tube is not really difficult when there is no battery in the tube, but with a battery in the tube, the threads don't really "want" to engage smoothly without a little "help" -- and I could feel some friction, even after gently pushing downwards slightly on the switch to overcome the negative terminal's coil spring tension while threading it onto the tube. I had already bought some Noalox and had it ready to go, but I wanted to test what the threading action would be like with a battery in the tube without it. If you are very, very careful, you can probably get away with not using some Noalox or other suitable lube for a little while - but if you're SMART, you'll get something to lube the threads with and KEEP them well-lubed.
Just a little dab wiped around the threads in the tube with the tip of your pinky, or a q-tip or something, will greatly reduce the chances of damaging your threads and make removing/reinstalling the switch/cap nice and smooth.
You might want to check with your local hardware, electrical supply, or home improvement stores before you decide you have to order it with your next vaping supplies order. This stuff isn't hard to find. Some (but not ALL) of the vendors in our scene are charging "an awful lot" for a 1/2oz tube of this stuff -- I've seen it going as high as $8! But trust me, you're going to want to keep these threads lubed regularly.
2. EMDCC (and possibly other eGo attachments) - "No Going Back"
Again, I'm sort of a vaping noob. I've only been doing this for about 6 weeks. There may be something that can be done to correct this issue, but I want to point it out in case anybody else considering one of these is in a similar scenario, so you'll be aware of it beforehand.
Once I put one of my "active" EMDCC's (one that already had liquid in it) that I had been using with the SmokTech 900 mAH batts onto the JoyeTech, it would no longer fire on any of our SmokTech batts. It works fine on the JoyeTech, but it won't fire if I take it back off of the JoyeTech and put it back on any of my SmokTech batts.
The 510-threaded round "shaft" part of the eGo connector on the JoyeTech 18650 mod switch is considerably taller than it is on my SmokTech eGo batteries. Probably at least 1mm taller. I believe the difference in height between the center post and the end of the 510 threads between the two batteries is causing the center contact post area of the EMDCC to be pushed upwards farther into the body of the cartomizer when it is threaded down onto the JoyeTech, so that it can't contact the center post on the SmokTech batts anymore. But like I said, the EMDCC works FINE on the JoyeTech, even after removing it and putting it back on.
I'm guessing this means that one of the two manufacturers of "eGo compatible" hardware I'm screwing together here isn't making their stuff to the right eGo dimensional specs. Didn't JoyeTech invent the eGo connector?
I could probably mess around some and fix this by grinding some length off the top of the JoyeTech's 510 thread shaft or something, but frankly, I don't want to go grinding on this switch, and I don't really plan on using the SmokTech batteries anymore except in some kind of emergency situation. In that case, I can just put a new EMDCC on it or use a 510 (non-eGo) device, or something. No big deal. But something that is probably good to be aware of, in case you have SmokTech eGo batts or another brand that is similarly shorter than JoyeTech's 510 threads are on an eGo connector.
IMPROVEMENT IN BATTERY LIFE
This is the reason to buy one of these - so you can use a MUCH larger battery with your eGo gear than you are ever likely to find a "manufactured" eGo battery for. Oh, and as a side benefit you also get to PICK the batteries to go inside the tube.
Not all batteries are created equal... I chose AW IMR "high drain" 2000mAH 18650 batteries, again with a view to the Provari in my future and with great concern to using the (relatively) safest chemistry and most reliable batteries available near my face. Don't scrimp on your batteries and charger - these forums and the internet have many stories of exploding and flaming batteries, and links to reliable information about rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries - and you should read them.
I can't speak for using other brands of batteries or protected AW's with the JoyeTech, but I'm sure others out there will share their experiences. At least one vendor selling these (Stormy's Vapor Cellar) has noted a couple examples in the product details of some 18650 cells that DO or DO NOT fit well in the tube. The AW IMR 2000 hi-drain cells I'm using fit fine.
In my case, my SmokTech 900mAH eGo batteries had gotten down to lasting me around 4-5 hours before they were drained and needing to go back onto the charger. Note, this is not 4-5 hours of constant use, but rather getting me through 4-5 hours of my day/evening, with the amount of vaping I'm doing and my "usage pattern". I typically hold the button down at least 10 seconds, actually taking about 2 inhales of vapor, before I exhale. This is probably kind of hard on the batteries, but I do it because the vapor from the first few seconds doesn't have as much flavor until the coils have warmed up a bit. This is probably a 3.3 volt/EMDCC thing. Side Note: I'll probably try to pick up a few 1.25 Ohm SmokTech 510 cartos to try out with this JoyeTech and my ACTv4 tank to tide me over until I can get my Provari. Anyway, I digress....
The first fully-charged AW IMR 2000mAH battery lasted me 27-28 hours. ie, I put the first freshly charged battery into the JoyeTech sometime between 3:30pm and 4:00pm on one day, and it was between 7pm and 8pm the next evening before it was time for a different battery. So, this is a huge improvement in battery life.
Speaking of battery life -- another feature, if you care to utilize it, is the ability to recharge your 18650 by screwing the mod into the standard eGo USB charger. The one with a short USB cord, screw-on 510 connector, and 420mA output. I don't plan to do this myself unless I'm in a real pinch, and haven't tried it myself yet, because I picked up a Pila IBC and would rather trust my batteries to the Pila. I also have spare 18650's. But the eGo USB charger is said to work by others who have tried it with this mod.
SAFETY
I'll need to defer somewhat to the more experienced mod gurus and vapers here, but one observation I have about this unit is that it doesn't seem to be designed to handle a gas vent/thermal runaway situation very well. I say this because I don't see where a battery is going to be able to vent gases without something rupturing. The epoxy-fiberboard-looking material under the top cap (where the positive terminal is) looks to be the weakest material anywhere around the battery compartment. I may be completely wrong here though, and welcome anyone who knows what they're talking about straightening me out.
The battery is pretty much enclosed by solid aluminum pipe everywhere but the top...
If I'm right, then the safety of the unit will depend more upon its regulation shutting the load off before an excessive current draw can occur - and using batteries that can handle the discharge rate the "load" (atty, carto, etc.) is asking for. Unfortunately I don't know what the current draw limit is on this unit before the regulator turns it off, assuming it has a limiter. I've not been able to find any information about it. I've not even found any specs about the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod on Joyetech's website. If anyone can find data on this, please share it.
So for absolute maximum safety, use a high-quality protected battery like an AW protected 18650.
The unit is also said to have a 16 second shutoff. Mine stayed on for just over 19 seconds before it turned itself off.
CONCLUSION
Overall, the JoyeTech 18650 eGo Mod battery mod seems to be fairly nicely-built. For about $30-$35 you can get a REALLY large eGo battery upgrade mod and a high-quality 18650 battery, which should give you a LOT longer battery life than you can get with a manufactured eGo battery. And when it's time to replace the battery cell, you can easily replace it without having to break the unit open and resolder anything.
It's probably not for everybody - as not everyone would want the size or the weight. I admit I am going to need to figure out some kind of a "holster" setup because I won't want to carry this around in my pants pocket - but I won't want to put my Provari in my pants pocket when I get that either. Incidentally, this looks to be pretty close to the size of the Provari with an extender cap on it.
There are a couple of minor "question marks" about this product for me right now, but overall I do have confidence in the mod. I'd like to see at least one appropriately-sized and located gas ventilation hole - even if they would only ever be there just to ease some folks' minds. The mod obviously has a regulator in it, so while the chances are probably pretty low of this mod "turning into a pipe bomb", a vent hole or three would also help protect the user from a catastrophic battery failure or seriously defective battery, such as an internal battery short.
I also believe some electrical specs/data on the product should be readily available from JoyeTech as soon as the product is put on the market, so that end users can reasonably be expected to know what the device can and can't do, and what they should not try to do with it. For example, publishing the specs on the current draw limits of the switch and regulator.
But as I said, at least it HAS a regulator, and one with at least enough smarts to tell you when the battery has drained to a certain voltage, and at least two safety features (5-click shutoff, and "16 second" cutoff). So even with the unknowns, it certainly wouldn't be the riskiest mod that can be found out there.
It does seem to work quite well, and I'm happy with it. It will get me the extra battery life I was looking for, and tide me over until I can get my Provari.
I hope this review is helpful and points out an interesting item or two. I'll try to get some pics posted, and update it as I can. All comments etc. welcome of course.
Nic-holio
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