Mechanical Mod Safety Questions

[samazon]

Hai guys! So, I have a REO Grand and I never worried about this, because... I mean... it's a REO! But I recently picked up a GG clone, and I'm all concerned about getting a vape safe/2 cent fuse and shorts and all that stuff that freaks me out (I really only got the GG clone so that when someone asks me a question about a mechanical tube mod I can answer it? I don't really plan on USING it regularly) ...

It is my understanding that the REO isn't made like mechanical tube mods, works differently, and doesn't need these little button-lookin thingies, because... it's... a REO... ._. I'd really like some confirmation of this, preferably with an explanation (so that in the future, I can ... explain it... myself...) - I have only the most rudimentary knowledge of the electrical workin's of stuff, and things, but even I can tell that it's different mechanisms.

(also, how often do you change the batteries in your REO - compensating for variations in vape styles/frequency/resistance of atomizers?)

Thanks. ^_^

 

[nerak]

Robert made it safe for us. The REO's all have a safety spring that will collapse and drop the battery away from the contact if there is a short. Most shorts are caused by atty's and cartos. With that in mind you can usually replace the spring, replace the cartos or atty and be ready to vape again.

The recommended AW IMR batteries do not have a memory. It is best to take them out no lower than 3.5v. That will vary as you already know. I usually use two or three different REO's during the day. I will take out batteries and charge them after 24 hours. You can tell when they drop voltage and know it is a good time to take them out. With just one REO I would think after about 8-12 hours of average use you should pull them out.

What I did at first was to check the batteries several times during the day. That way I got use to telling when to change them. Now I don't meter them, I just can tell they are dropping voltage.

 

[samazon]

Thank you SO much.

 

[nerak]

I had to stop back by and mention the importance of a correct size battery. The REO's were built around the dimensions of the AW IMR. A battery that is too long will compress the spring too much. It will not have room to drop the battery if there is a short.

Always check and see if the spring has compression room if using a different battery.

 

[ancient puffer]

Because of the spring compression feature (prevents dead shorts from melting your wiring), and the large opening for squonking (lots of opening so that if a battery happened to "vent" on you, the gases have somewhere to go and not build up pressure), you don't really have to worry about REO's. But that said, I've recently switched to RBA's, and decided to add in a shortstop protection, just to save having to replace the spring in the event of a short.

I'll grudgingly admit, the shortstop has "activated" several times in the course of my RBA adventures, so it worked out cheaper (and faster) than replacing the springs. *hangs head in shame and pretends to be inspecting his shoes*

 

[garyinco]

... add in a shortstop protection, just to save having to replace the spring in the event of a short...

That looks like a cheap insurance policy. I'll have to get one, or two. Do you leave it in all the time or only after you've installed a new coil and want to check it out?

 

[ancient puffer]

It seems to work quite well, and though it compresses the spring a tad, not enough to negate the collapsed spring effect, so I leave it in there all the time. I ordered 2 at the same time, thinking I'd use one in each mod, but I haven't opened the 2nd one yet, I just pop the first one into whichever REO I'm using at the time and forget about it.

Edited to add: It just occurred to me that I'm using the 2000mah AW IMR 18650's, so, if it works with those (without compressing the spring too much), it will also work just fine with the 1600 mah ones. I forget by how much but the 2000's are just a hair longer than the 1600's.