mechanical mods, dangerous?

[blaine0512]

I think before you put a potentially explosive device to your face you should do several things:

1. Research your coil building and battery capacity

2. Don't vape on cheap mods

3. Inspect your equipment daily

4. Handle all weapons as if they are loaded weapons!

Simple precautions will limit the odds. I am not saying a battery cannot fail but having a device explode in your face is due to more than a flaw in an item it is possibly due to not following the four things I suggested.

I don't have a mech nor do I want one; it's my husband that wants one but since we have 2 small children and having heard all i'v heard about mechs I said no atleast until we get edcuated on them and that''s all I'm essentially trying to do with some added discussion bc this is after all a forum on all things vaping. I didn't know that my post would offend so many people. Some of these folks are acting like I've harmed or spoken horribly about their baby or something lol

 

[blaine0512]

Maybe in your situation it might be best to avoid mechanical mods. With kids even the unthinkable is possible, better safe than sorry. from what i have been gathering here a good quality regulated mod is every bit as good or better than a mechanical mod, And quite possibly just ANOTHER level of safety.

I'm definitely going to stick with my MVP!

 

[Munnin]

From what I read, most typical 18350(I use this type since its nearly impossible to be able to stack an 18650 battery in a stock mod without further in home modding) batteries have a current rating of 5 amps. Stacking batteries does not double amperage but does voltage. At fresh off the charge at 4.2v you have a series of batteries at a combined 8.4v(volts). Lets say we are to use a .5 ohm coil, you are pushing 16.8 amps under load to the battery, far exceeding the 5 amp limit. That is more than enough to blow up a perfectly "healthy" battery(s) the instant you pull the fire button.

 

[Claviger]

Bottom line.

No they are not dangerous. Just like there is nothing inherently dangerous about motorcycles but when bad things happen the consequences are higher vs VV/VW or cars respectively. Added to that, ...... do stupid things with both and you get a few sensationalized stories about horrible accidents, almost always they are operator error for both devices...

 

[Munnin]

As long as you play it safe, you can buy a cheap ohm reader to check for bad attys, and easily buy a mech and throw a Nautilus tank on it. Not the best vape but will work with no prob and be relatively safe with little concern.

 

[blaine0512]

Thanks to everyone that was actually helpful and answered my questions. From what I've gathered from ya'll it's not the build of the mod that's causing them to "explode" it's folks being careless or not knowing what they are doing and stacking batteries and etc. Just in general not practicing safety measures when building/using a mech. Does the tank matter in whether or not they are a potential "exploder"; like if it's a dripper, dual coil, top coil, or bottom coil? Does any of that matter when it comes to safety with mechs? To those I some how offended or upset, just know that wasn't my intention nor am I troll (whatever that is) nor am I an ANTZ. Thank you all so much!

 

[Claviger]

Atty style (RBA, Dripper etc) itself doesn't pose any danger. They all function on the same principles of resistance coil fed by a battery.

What does pose a risk is ignorant people building coils in them who don't know what they are doing but saw a post by some guy on the internet and thought they would try it too.....

Coming from a background of High hp turbo engine building, extreme overclocking computers, and motorcycle racing I can say it happens with everything. People see some dude with tons of knowledge doing something borderline and think his 5 minute summary video on youtube provides all the knowledge they need to do it too...

Often it ends badly.

 

[Munnin]

Blaine, the tank or dripper is not as important as it is the atomizer itself and how it effects the battery. A bad shorted out coil can cause issues as well as putting too much strain on the battery that wasn't designed for such applications, like using a rebuidable dripped and building too low of an ohm coil for what the battery can handle. Use a safe battery and use a multimeter, ohm reader or the MVP to test the ohms of your coil. As long it can register and you have a Sony 30 amp VTC 18650, you are pretty much golden....and invest in a good charger.

Too many "kids" want to emulate Rip Tripper videos and don't have the right "tools" for the job. Some people may fix a bad electrical ground with spit and duct tape, but eventually it catches up with them. You can run a car far miles beyond its need for an oil change, but eventually it will come back to haunt you. Take proper care, use the right tools. Always handle a weapon if its a loaded weapon, so on and so on. Don't inhale the BBQ fumes etc

 

[Credo]

... is a troll post? I can assure I am just looking for some advice, personal experiences, and facts about mechs bc my husband was wanting to get one and we have 2 small children and I'd like to rest assured knowing that IF my husband had a mech and he were holding one of our children that thing isn't going to explode and potentially harm my children. Some of ya'll on here really need to get over it and get over yourselves and stop with the holier than thou attitude. Im some what new to vaping and a dang newborn when it comes to forums and blogs. I didn't ask you to read my post nor comment on it nor did was this intended for immature people like yourself to respond to it with rude, unnecessary, and sarcastic responses. I don't think an issue like this should be taken lightly.

Let him have one if he wants it. As his partner just keep the following in mind (and this is not just about PVs, but anything in the house that uses rechargeable batteries).

1. Make a charging station somewhere in your house for 'rechargeable stuff'. The space should be well ventilated, as fire-proof as possible (glass, clay-tile, concrete, etc.), well away from any chemicals or gas, and batteries should never be left charging when no one is at home.

2. Get good quality chargers. If you're going to be using IMR or Hybrid cells for Vaping, you'll be using it every day...so go ahead and get something nice. It'll be safer, more accurate, have more options (I.E. charging speed [amperage]), and will also last longer.

3. These days there are all sorts of devices in our homes that use rechargeable batteries. Be mindful of where you store extra batteries, and devices that use them. It's not a bad idea to designate something in the home (I.E. a big empty clay flower pot) as a safety tank. I.E. If your lap-top, e-cig, or whatever...gets unusually hot...place it in the pot as soon as possible then move the pot to a safer place for further inspection. The whole idea here is to simply have somewhere in the home to quickly put over-heating electronics in the event of a battery failure so you don't: A. burn YOURSELF. B. Damage your pretty home/furnishings.

As for mechanical PVs - The main things to be careful of are:

1. Use a battery with a high C rating. 18650 size AW IMR 1600, Sony VTC 5, Sony VTC 4, MNKE, Efest 2500 35a (purple jacket), Efest IMR 1600, EH IMR 1600, batteries are all great choices that can handle extreme (sub-ohm) atomizer builds safely. The important spec being the high C rating of that list of batteries (20 amps and above). If you want smaller/shorter batteries than these, do some homework to find out exactly what they can handle before making any coil below 1 Ohm.

2. Don't use or make coils under 1 Ohm until you know exactly how much power it will draw, and if the battery is rated to handle it.

3. Check the atomizer for shorts before using, and inspect it regularly. If you drop the PV...please at least inspect it visually and give it a few test fires before bringing it to your face.

4. Don't let the battery drain below 3 volts. With sub-ohm coils it's better not to let them go below 3.5v. If the mech is unregulated, then it's important to get a feel for this. Over-draining the batteries will damage them. To me this is the most difficult part in terms of learning curve about using a mech! You simply have to 'get a feel' for when the battery is getting low. Also keep in mind that it's always better to 'change the batteries too soon' than to over-drain them. It can take a few days to get a feel for it. Otherwise, you can just get in a habit of swapping batteries at a certain time each day (whether it truly needs it or not) just to be on the safe side.

5. Consider getting a Kick or Crown, which can add full battery regulation, variable power/voltage, and several safety features (over-drain/thermal/short protections) to the mech. These devices allow the user to mix the look/feel/aesthetics of a mechanical mod with the safety and versatility of a VW/VV device.

6. If the mod does not have a 'collapsible spring', and you don't use a Kick or Crown, then consider making or buying an appropriate current fuse. Examples are the Vape Safe and the ShortStop. (For extreme sub-ohm builds these may not work...but you can build your own using parts from 10amp car fuses...or even hack an existing vapesafe/shortstop PCB with your own PTC fuse parts to handle the higher amperages).

7. Please be careful about putting ANY PV, Cell Phone, iPod, etc...in pockets or purses. Be mindful that such devices will usually get HOT before they start venting any flames or chemicals...so it's a good idea to keep this in mind when using electronic gadgets. Carry and store them in ways where you can 'quickly/safely' get them away from your person should they grow 'warm/hot'. If you use purses/backpacks/etc. It's important to get a style of mod that can be fully locked or powered OFF. It's also important to carry 'spare batteries' in a proper protective case or bag.

8. When batteries are removable, inspect them regularly. If there's ever any doubt...don't take chances...replace the cell.

9. Before considering making any coils below 1 Ohm...do some extra homework and take advantage of 'training wheels'. Practice with stuff in the 1.2 - 3 Ohm range and include a Kick, Compression Spring, or Fuse to begin with.

 

[blaine0512]

What is a shisha pen?

 

[rob33]

There's alot vapers using mechanical mods responsibly, but its the unknowing few who make the headlines. It's a shame but, hopefully others learn from their mistake. One solution is, all PVs built so that they won't operate with unprotected batteries.

 

[Ryedan]

Thanks to everyone that was actually helpful and answered my questions. From what I've gathered from ya'll it's not the build of the mod that's causing them to "explode" it's folks being careless or not knowing what they are doing and stacking batteries and etc. Just in general not practicing safety measures when building/using a mech. Does the tank matter in whether or not they are a potential "exploder"; like if it's a dripper, dual coil, top coil, or bottom coil? Does any of that matter when it comes to safety with mechs? To those I some how offended or upset, just know that wasn't my intention nor am I troll (whatever that is) nor am I an ANTZ. Thank you all so much!

IMO the safest setups are regulated mods with a safer chemistry battery in it. Batteries from this list are all safer chemistry. Some examples of regulated mods; Vamo, Provari, MVP and Zmax. There are a lot more, but those are some that came to mind. They all have circuitry in them to regulate power output. They all also have safety features built in. They limit the power draw from the batteries, they shut the battery down if there is a short and to keep the battery from being emptied too far they shut down the mod when battery voltage drops too low (not dangerous per se, but it will really reduce the life of the battery).

Mechanical mods have none of these safety features in them, it's all up to the user to monitor that stuff. I use mechanical mods almost all the time. I have a digital multimeter that I use a lot. I check my batteries off the charger to make sure the charger is not over charging the batteries (not safe). I use it to see the battery voltage after using the battery for a while so I don't run it down too far. I use it to check coil resistance when I build one and also to make sure there is no short in the build. I also use it to troubleshoot problems with my mechanical devices when they don't fire or something (like the switch or the 510 connection) gets hot when it shouldn't get hot.

I use Sony 18650VTC batteries that are rated for continuous 30 amp discharge and will not vent with flame when they are hard shorted. They are in that list of batteries above. I only draw about 8 amps from the 30 they can do safely, so I have a lot of head room if I have a partial short, which does happen sometimes in some attys (Genisis attys are known for this and I use them). So it's very unlikely I will over draw the battery and if I do the battery will be very unlikely to cause an explosion. I like that

If you're using a clearo or a carto, shorts are rare but can still happen. If you are using RBAs or RDAs like I do it's all about how careful you are in building these device with coils and wick. The DMM really helps here and I would not want to be without mine.

In the realm of the rebuildables, drippers are pretty easy to stay safe with. RBAs, rebuildables with tanks, generally need more caution and care.

IMO there have been more safety issues with eGo type batteries than with all other types, but there are also probably more eGo type batts out there than all the others put together besides cig-a-likes.

 

[Ryedan]

There are three types of Lithium batteries that can be used in mods. Examples of each:


View attachment 326936 AW IMR battery (high-drain, safe-chemistry)

View attachment 326937 AW ICR protected battery (low-drain, flamable-chemistry)

View attachment 326938 Panasonic hybrid battery (high-drain, safe-chemistry)


Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected?

Deeper Understanding of Mod Batteries

There's alot vapers using mechanical mods responsibly, but its the unknowing few who make the headlines. It's a shame but, hopefully others learn from their mistake. One solution is, all PVs built so that they won't operate with unprotected batteries.

You're missing an important point rob33. Unprotected batteries of the correct type are far safer than protected batteries of the incorrect type. For some great info on it all see Baditude's post above and the links in it. Note the AW IMR and Panasonic batteries are unprotected and they are the safer options.

 

[edyle]

Thanks to everyone that was actually helpful and answered my questions. From what I've gathered from ya'll it's not the build of the mod that's causing them to "explode" it's folks being careless or not knowing what they are doing and stacking batteries and etc. Just in general not practicing safety measures when building/using a mech. Does the tank matter in whether or not they are a potential "exploder"; like if it's a dripper, dual coil, top coil, or bottom coil? Does any of that matter when it comes to safety with mechs? To those I some how offended or upset, just know that wasn't my intention nor am I troll (whatever that is) nor am I an ANTZ. Thank you all so much!

It's more a matter of the high drain lithium ion batteries that are used to power ecigs; these batteries pack a lot of energy; they have certain characteristics like - you should not let them go below a certain voltage.

Yes the tank matters; if the coil in the tank/topper is shorted out there'll be a problem with a mech; with a regulated apv, the apv will detect the short and warn you of it; with a dripper especially, if you build a big coil and everything looks good, then you put the top cap on top, you could get the topcap touching the coil without realising it and causing a short.
On a genesis type rebuildable or any rebuildable if you use steel mesh, there's the possibility of getting shorts on the steel mesh itself.

 

[Noble Gas]

Thanks to everyone that was actually helpful and answered my questions. From what I've gathered from ya'll it's not the build of the mod that's causing them to "explode" it's folks being careless or not knowing what they are doing and stacking batteries and etc. Just in general not practicing safety measures when building/using a mech. Does the tank matter in whether or not they are a potential "exploder"; like if it's a dripper, dual coil, top coil, or bottom coil? Does any of that matter when it comes to safety with mechs? To those I some how offended or upset, just know that wasn't my intention nor am I troll (whatever that is) nor am I an ANTZ. Thank you all so much!

Thanks for hanging in there and reading the more helpful posts. E-cig users are under a lot of stress since there are a lot of people trying to outlaw and demonize these things that we've all come to see as lifesaving devices. Your original post had the same tone and verbiage of the kind of propaganda and baiting we've all grown so tired of, and it just struck a nerve. A troll, by the way, is an old internet meme which refers to someone who goes on a forum or chatroom and says deliberately infuriating and/or confrontational things in order to simply create chaos. Sometimes, people new to a particular forum who haven't spent some time reading it before posting, and thus getting a feel for what's common and acceptable language, can do this without meaning to. It might help you further if you would read the stickies about posting and using this forum. A quick search would have given you all the answers to all your questions, without the drama. Welcome to the internet, and welcome to ECF.

 

[Dimswitch]

Ya know, this sounds like more of the anti-vaping propaganda I've seen so much of since I joined the forums here. The site is becoming rotten with it, and you are quite obviously NOT on our side. Welcome to my ignore list.

Your response is unwelcoming, unhelpful, and just plain rude.

This person is new and obviously unsure of the facts so they came here seeking answers, not to start a fight.

You'd do well to check yourself before posting comments like this; you may very well be hurting the cause more than helping it.

 

[VJaysCustomCoils]

There is more propaganda popping up about e-ciggs everyday to scare the US people into banning them. smh sometimes people forget, this coutry (including the media) is run by big business such as pharmaceutical companies and big tobacco just to name a couple!...

 

[drummerskey]

I don't know ANTZ means or what you mean you were saying we didn't know if the OP was a "plant" but if you go back to the first few pages and read my responses to very rude and immature responses you will see why I posted this. I have never been on a forum before so maybe I could have and should have worded this post slightly differently. I'm just going off what I've heard from friends, fellow vapers (vaporers????), the news, and facebook. All I wanted out of this was a little advice, some legit answers to my questions, opinions to questions I asked in my OP, and some assurance bc my husband is really wanting a mech and we have 2 small children.

This response was really on your side, not against it. Sorry if there was any confusion

 

[30+Years]

I don't want a mech, I'm more than content with my mvp but my husband was looking into the mechs and i told NO lol I'm just looking for some legit info and MATURE opions and personal experiences to maybe put me at ease so my husband can get one. We have 2 small children (1 and 4) that are always on our laps or sitting right next to us all the time while we vape and our youngest likes to try and get our mods and press the buttons and what not (but he's never successful bc we take it from him instantly) and worst case scenario, my husband has a mech (and he doesn't know much if anything about them) and one or both of our boys is in his lap and his hitting it and it explodes. I'm really not understanding why these folks are getting so defensive and upset. I never said anything horrible about mechs.

Yeah, vaping supplies in general can be dangerous around kids (as can many items in the house). If your husband desides to get a mech mod he'll have to treat it like anything else that can potentially be dangerous to your kids. Keep everything out of reach and if it were me I wouldn't use it while they were in my lap.

 

[Kryyptyk]

One thing everyone should keep in mind is that the media always has an agenda. Be it political, sensational, or otherwise.

The number 1 reason why we are seeing so many stories about 'electronic cigarettes' is because of the controversy surrounding them. Anytime controversy enters into the equation, sensationalism does too.

For example, I've seen reports on cell phone batteries exploding, laptop batteries exploding, and other high tech devices that are powered by lithium-ion batteries. I haven't turned on the news once and seen a debate about laptops.

Nobody calls the news when their cell phone vents, or their laptop malfunctions. But anytime a vaping device fails, it immediately gets played up and turned into a sensational piece for your local 5 o'clock. They want you to watch.

So the answer is simple: Don't.