Hey everyone I've been vaping for almost 2 months now and cig free for about a month and a half. I started off with an eGo c and wanted something better. A buddy of mine was getting rid of a week old vmax he had so I said eh why not? Now that I have it I've been reading a few posts here and there and reviews and what not. I've read a lot about how stacked batteries are more dangerous than a single battery. Now I'm vaping as if this mod can explode any minute. My question is for those who own a vmax is it worth keeping and having the fear that I'm holding a bomb or should I opt out and get something else? Thanks in advance.
- Status
I don't think many if anyone has had a vmax explode but I'm one who personally won't stack batteries cause the risk for me is to great. The vmax should be safe as long as you keep an eye on the battery levals but if it really terrifies you try to get something that has a single battery.
Welcome , and I have had a Vmax , for nearly a year , with no issues . I also have a VV Saber Touch , which also uses stacked batteries . Again no issues , at all . That being said , be sure to always use the correct batteries , that are the protected type , and match the batteries in pairs . Also don't over discharge them . Now with all the cheaper Pv's available , you could step up to a Vamo , or even a Zmax . They both will work with stack batteries , or with a single 18650 , and they offer VV , and VW . And both are way less than 100.00 About 40 to 50.00 for the Vamo , and around 60 to 70.00 for a Sigelei Zmax . They also come in different finishes , like chrome , or black chrome , and even Stainless steel versions . Then you can keep the Vmax as a backup .
Last edited:
So the zmax has a cut off once the battery drops down to 6.0 volts. Is that pretty safe and Is the battery level the only thing I should be looking out for or do I have to watch the resistance of the atty/carto that I'm using? The lowest resistance I have atm is a 901 atty at 1.7 ohms. I do really like this device but kinda bummed that it only works with 2x 350 batteries.
Ooo didn't see the other reply till I entered the other one in. Er and my last post had zmax which was suppose to say vmax. With protected batteries how do I know they're protected I have the 2 that I guess my buddy got with it when he bought it and I went out to buy another pair of efest flat top batteries. Another moony question how do you over discharge them? I've tried to search the net about that and came up with nothing that seemed to explain it to me. Thanks.
I am not familiar with the vmax, but if you are using LI ON cells, 6.0 volts for 2 cells is too low. They should not be allowed to drop below 3.2 volts. I am still working on the protected cell thing. I have worked with LI ON's for the past 4 years and I have never run into a protected or a non-protected cell. I will also add that in the RC hobby there is always an issue with "balancing" the cells in a multi-cell pack, (3,4,and 6 cell packs are common), I never questioned why, I just did it. I am not sure if it is necessary for a 2 cell pack, probably not because it may have been relative to performance. Last, a top heli pilot will discharge a 12 cell/5000 mah battery pack in less than 5 minutes (not me, I will get 10 minutes plus). You are definitely not looking for that kind of performance out of your vmax batteries.
Well luckily , it's hard to over discharge the batteries in a Vmax , or Zmax , for that matter , because they both will cease to work , when the battery level , gets too low . So really nothing you need be concerned about . As far as protected batteries , most vendors , state in their ads , as to whether the batteries are protected or not . And as a little FYI , If you come across , or buy an extended battery cap for the Smok Zmax , you can use button top batteries in the Vmax . The Segelei Zmax , is alot larger in diameter , and the caps are not inter-changable . Good luck
What makes stacking in a mod any more dangerous than in a flashlight or remote or even my thermostat? Just curios as this is the first I have heard of this.
If it's only a week old and a new Vmax, then you should have a protective circuit in the APV that will cut off when the voltage of the cell drops too low.
However, and this is what I do to my Zmax V2, I set the screen to display battery level. Li Ions should not be charged above 4.1 or below 3.0, although some will take them down to 2.8V. I stick to 3.0V to be safe and I run two AW IMR Unprotected 18650s. When the OLED screen shows about 3.0V, the vape drops off and I throw one in the charger and pop in the other one. Not a fan of stacked cells, so I can't help you there, but the difference between an unprotected and protected cell is the protected has a circuit system that will cut the voltage if you hit danger levels (you will see some sort of line running alongside the cell, this is the connector between the circuit caps on the ends of the battery). These are really good for Mechanical Mods - Mods without any circuitry. IMR safe chemistry is pretty darn good for my Zmax as along as I take care to charge/discharge my batteries appropriately.
However, and this is what I do to my Zmax V2, I set the screen to display battery level. Li Ions should not be charged above 4.1 or below 3.0, although some will take them down to 2.8V. I stick to 3.0V to be safe and I run two AW IMR Unprotected 18650s. When the OLED screen shows about 3.0V, the vape drops off and I throw one in the charger and pop in the other one. Not a fan of stacked cells, so I can't help you there, but the difference between an unprotected and protected cell is the protected has a circuit system that will cut the voltage if you hit danger levels (you will see some sort of line running alongside the cell, this is the connector between the circuit caps on the ends of the battery). These are really good for Mechanical Mods - Mods without any circuitry. IMR safe chemistry is pretty darn good for my Zmax as along as I take care to charge/discharge my batteries appropriately.
K I sorta get the whole charge/discharge now. For the vmax since its using 2 stacked 350's I guess the meter is reading it as a whole. So at full charge the meter fluctuates between 8.4 and 8.1 then cuts the device off when it dips to 6.0v am I over charging the batteries? I have a trust fire charger and usually pull the batteries off once the lights go green. Or should I pull them off at a certain amount of hours being charged?
Yes, a smart charger and some way to measure the battery is all you need. The smart chargers will stop charging at a certain voltage, my nitecore i2 stops at 4.125V, I believe the trust-fire does to. I then use a multi-meter to double-check that and to see how the life of the battery is. Over time, it will stop reaching a maximum charge and testing it periodically will let you know when it's time to ditch them. The charger by itself is always only going to show full charge, hence the multimeter for backup. Then for discharge I rely on the internal meter on the Zmax V2. Right now, my batt is at 3.5v.
Two batteries in series add volatge - so two fully charged 3.7 V (4.1 volts max) will be around 8.2 V (+/- 0.2 so 8.3-8.4 V) is feasible and you want to get these on the charger when they are reporting a little under 7 V (+/- 0.2 so 7.0-6.8). Remember, do not store Li-Ions fully charged, once the light goes green, USE THEM!
Battery posts around here are huge. You should search for some if you have time as some veterans have really taken a lot of time to explain how and why Li-Ions work. To paraphrase them, would be a disservice. Why I don't like doubles: I simply don't want to deal with two batteries for one device. I don't want to deal with worrying about which one is charging, which one is failing..etc. I use an unprotected AW IMR High Drain and I pop it in and go. Before VV and VW, two 18350's could get you more power than a single 18650, but my Zmax V2 I usually run 2.5-3.0 ohm clearos at about 8 watts. Don't need that little extra juice for the irritation of having two cells.
Two batteries in series add volatge - so two fully charged 3.7 V (4.1 volts max) will be around 8.2 V (+/- 0.2 so 8.3-8.4 V) is feasible and you want to get these on the charger when they are reporting a little under 7 V (+/- 0.2 so 7.0-6.8). Remember, do not store Li-Ions fully charged, once the light goes green, USE THEM!
Battery posts around here are huge. You should search for some if you have time as some veterans have really taken a lot of time to explain how and why Li-Ions work. To paraphrase them, would be a disservice. Why I don't like doubles: I simply don't want to deal with two batteries for one device. I don't want to deal with worrying about which one is charging, which one is failing..etc. I use an unprotected AW IMR High Drain and I pop it in and go. Before VV and VW, two 18350's could get you more power than a single 18650, but my Zmax V2 I usually run 2.5-3.0 ohm clearos at about 8 watts. Don't need that little extra juice for the irritation of having two cells.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
