Looking for ideal box mod/RDA combo

[nightrain5150]

Since making the transition from analog about a year ago, I've graduated from ah Ego/CE4 combo using 100% PG e-juice to a ProVari 2 Mini with a Nautilus using max VG which was the bee's knees for a while. When I tried a mech mod it was the closest thing to replacing the traditional cigarette experience I've ever encountered and the ProVari/Nautilus felt like I was sucking air through a straw. My current setup is a V3 Tronix Flip clone with a Patriot clone and a custom cap with three big holes (saving me the trouble of drilling). I've gotten okay at building a dual coil .4-.6 using .28 kanthal 5/6 wraps. I use two Efest 35A batteries, which I understand are actually relabeled LG 20A batteries that peak at 35A but most of their battery life have a lower amperage.

1) Can anyone recommend better 18650 batteries given my setup? Also, I've never used a multimeter (only an ohm meter) and I think the efest batteries I have are running out of juice. How do I use a multimeter to measure the battery remaining life?

2) If I wanted to see if there was a box mod that could give me the same hit and amount of vapor as my current setup. I hate to say it, but I'm tired of the robo-dildo jokes and prefer the form factor of the box. Are there box mods that are mechanical, or do they invariably tend to to be VW? What is something that would be a superior substitute to the Flip clone I have now? I saw the Sigelei 100w, but a reviewer on YouTube made a compelling case that it's overkill. If that's the case, what is another reliable box mod that can handle .4 coils? Do they usually tend to use two batteries, and are there special precautions to take with a two-battery capacity box mod?

3) What's a better RDA that is less likely to leak juice?

 

[Cool-breeze]

To start with I'm happy to rehome that provari for you... just saying. At .4 ohm on a full charged battery you are pulling just over 10 amps. Sony vtc5 was one of the most popular and liked batteries on here last time I looked. There may be something newer out but that battery would be more than enough to cover your needs. Concerning the DMM, that can be used to measure the battery's current charge. Over time the battery will reach "full charge" at a lower voltage than 4.2 hence the battery is getting older. Now I have been using mods with 18650s for about 6 months so I have not had a battery drop beneath 4.1 and some change yet so I do not know how low I would let the battery go before I toss it. A battery typically has a solid year worth of use but I would suspect when its "full charge" is down to about 4.0 I'd start replacing them but that is just a guess. A DMM can be used to help you monitor your battery's charge.

Are there box mods that are mechanical? YES, the well loved REO is a mechanical box mod. They are nifty lil things. But I believe the contacts and insulators are recommended for .5 and up. That may have changed since I bought mine in june. The REO also leaks less, IMO, than other RDA toppers because its a bottom fed device so excess is taken back down to the bottle. Any dripper though is going to leak if its not near dry on the coil and its not upright. Liquid plus big air holes = mess when careless. A kayfun type topper might suit you well as its a tank that is designed to be rebuilt but rarely leaks.

 

[Brettanomyces]

I was just going to mention the REO. To add to what CB mentioned i would say that if the kayfun intrigues you but you're concerned about having good airflow(the KF has a fairly tight draw) I would check out the Lemo RTA.

 

[Dfinch]

If you want mechanical box, it's hard to beat the REO.

A benefit of the Sigelei is the dual batteries. You probably don't need 100w (I typically run my .3 plume veil at 65w and occasionally up to 80w, and my Big Dripper at 50w), so when you run it lower you get the benefit of better battery life than a mechanical and a consistent, regulated power level.

 

[K31Scout]

Welcome! I agree with the others that the ideal box mod is the Reo Grand LP. I have the RM2, Atomic and Magma on mine, all bottom feed modified. The new Reo's have gold contacts and springs and sub ohm lower than .05 easily.

I use a Nitecore i4 charger that displays voltage level other stats. What charger are you using? After vaping 8 hours on a 1 ohm single coil I will be down to 3.9v on a Samsung 25R battery. If in doubt change batteries throughout the day. Set the multimeter to DC and the voltage range of our batteries which start out at 4.2v

 

[Susan~S]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here!

The Kato is another mechanical box mod.

Check out a blog post by Baditude (our resident battery/safety expert) regarding a list of batteries safe to use in vaping. Battery Basics for Mods

Here are some other useful links on tools:

1. Written Tutorial on How to Use Your Multimeter

2. Video on How to Use Your Multimeter

3. A voltage indicator will measure the voltage of your battery and voltage under load with an atomizer attached or an Omnitester can measure both coil resistance and also the voltage of your battery.

 

[nightrain5150]

Thank you all for the warm welcome and helpful advice. It seems like a REO Grand may be in my future given the overwhelming number of recommendations (is the Low Profile version usually preferred to the standard?) RE: my problem with leaky RDAs, it seems that I've figured that one out by not stuffing the RDA with excess cotton and soaking it through with liquid - snipping off the excess tail ends has fixed that. Are RBAs a whole new ball game? I've gotten pretty comfortable with this Patriot clone and its modified cap with 4 big holes all around. The two negative and one positive center post are pretty simple to work with.

Are there similar RBAs with this sort of configuration? For that matter, are the RBAs (I'm assuming the distinction with the 'B' is that they're bottom-fed) designed to work only with the Reo? It's the only mod I've seen that has a tank of juice you fill ready to "squonk" up - pretty nifty design feature there. I hate to admit it, but I do enjoy blowing the big clouds of vape -- it's like puffing on a cigar without that nasty harsh tobacco taste, and you can inhale just the right amount of vape that makes for a satisfying draw at the same time, so I'd be looking for an RBA that has lots of airflow but still simple to fit with coils. Maybe that narrows my search down a little bit?

K31Scout, I'm using the Tenergy TN270 two-battery charger that came with my ProVari starter kit. One of the eFests is definitely dead for sure; it shows green light almost immediately after plugging in for charging and doesn't do anything at all when I throw it in the Tronix clone. The other eFest still seems to be doing alright. That Nitecore charger looks pretty nifty, although I can't seem to see any readouts on the stock picture; does it actually show voltage numbers? That would save me the trouble of getting a voltometer separately it would seem.

Thinking about getting a Sigelei 100w or the IPV3 in addition to a Reo just to compare and contrast. I just don't want to end up like that really intense guy on YouTube with the bowling shirts and the shelves full of different mods (apologies if he is a respected elder on these boards). I take it that these VW mods use the top-fed RDAs like the one I'm using now?

BTW it looks like this forum exists for a good reason. I accidentally posted the same message twice (thought it didn't go through the first time so I retyped it). But still got double the helpful responses. Thanks again all.