Ok Noob mode - I need an quick introduction to Mech MODS

[Garemlin]

[noob mode]

Since I have started vaping I have advanced from ecigs, to egos and now I am using APV's. Two MVP's to be exact. Love them but I had been considering a tube vv/vw MOD for my bigger 510 feeders around the house and keep the MVP's for ego tanks and out and about. Not finding much I like in my price range and have noticed that mech mods are more reasonably priced.

Soooooo have a few quick questions. I understand the basic concept. No wires, no circuit boards etc. Basically the battery makes a full connection when the button is pressed. Where my confusion lies is how much power do mech mods actually put out??? Or is it based on the batteries being used. Are any toppers safe to use on a mech mod??? Such as anything from a PTII, a Nautilus all the way up to a KFL. What batteries are recommended??? What to look for in a mech mod. Do all mech mods fire from the bottom???

Thanks

[/noob mode]

 

[Baditude]

Where my confusion lies is how much power do mech mods actually put out??? Or is it based on the batteries being used.

All the power comes directly from the amount of voltage charge in the battery. You'll have 4.2 volts with a full charged battery, which will quickly fall into the 3.7 volt range. As the battery is drained down to around 3.5 volts the mod should stop putting out vapor.

Are any toppers safe to use on a mech mod??? Such as anything from a PTII, a Nautilus all the way up to a KFL.

Any juice attachment can be used on a mechanical mod if it has the appropriate connector. You may prefer using a low resistance coil with a mechanical mod, but this is subjective on your preferences.

What batteries are recommended???

IMR safe chemistry batteries.

If you decide to build sub-ohm coils below 0.8 ohms in the future, I recommend an IMR hybrid battery which has a 30 amps continuous discharge rating.

Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?

What to look for in a mech mod.

Vent holes, a collapsable hot spring, locking fire button are preferred.

Do all mech mods fire from the bottom???

No. Some have top fire switches (AltSmoke Omega), side fire (AltSmoke Silver Bullet), or bottom fire (Nemesis).

 

[Dayglow]

Baditude, way to leave some commentary for the rest of us to leave lol

Many mech have adjustable positive and negative pins. Some are manual and some are spring loaded. I would greatly recommend the spring loaded.

 

[PhatRon]

To answer some of your questions:

You are correct in the fact that mech mods make a connection when the button is pressed if you have the positive and negative contact pins adjusted in the correct position.

Mechanical mods are unregulated so they output the amount of charge that is in the battery. There is a thing called voltage drop which is basically a drop in the amount of voltage supplied to your topper due to the conductive metals that the mod itself is made of. Some have a higher voltage drop than others. This is why you hear people use the expression "This is the hardest hitting mech I have ever used" or "This thing hits as hard as a freight train" compared to other mechanical mods that they have used. That is because there is less of a voltage drop.

You are correct that you can use any topper you want but the performance and vape experience will differ between atomizers of different ohms. The higher the ohms, the less satisfying your experience will most likely be because the battery can only output the max of 4.2 volts when fully charged. The lower ohms builds will produce a higher output wattage when you calculate it using Ohms Law but it will drain your battery quicker because it is pulling a larger amp draw from the battery than a higher ohm coil. I hear a lot of people saying that a coil around 1.2 ohms produces their sweet spot a lot when using a RTA on a mech mod.

The best batteries to use are ones with a Continuous Amp Rating of 20+. Personally I have 4 Sony VTC4s that I keep in rotation in my mech mods and they will handle just about anything I build in a tank or RDA. They are rated at 30 amp continuous discharge rating and they provide that added security of being able to fire sub-ohm builds. There are also the Sony VTC5s that have a 30amp rating and have 2600mah. I would recommend either of those two batteries to use in a mech or you can always go with the tried and true AW IMR 1600mah batteries. Anything else, I just don't have experience with but something else may work for you.

Always use a trusted and recommended vendor for buying batteries and a quality charger like the Nitecore i2/i4, Pila, or Xtar. Don't go to eBay to buy batteries because there are a lot of scammers out there who will possibly sell you old or knockoff batteries for the same price as a new and unused authentic battery.

Always invest in a quality multimeter if you are going to be getting into mechanicals and rebuilding coils because you can not only check for shorts/the resistance of your coil but you can check the remaining charge on your battery every now and then until you get a feel for when the battery is dropping off and needs to be put on the charger. The point at which you want to place your battery on the charger is somewhere around 3.6-3.7 volts but some users will put it on the charger and swap out batteries around 3.8 volts in my experience.

If you do a quick search for the man called Baditude here on ECF he has some good blogs about battery safety that you should read just to educate yourself.

And to your final question, not all mechanicals are bottom firing mods but a lot of them tend to be. Personally I enjoy using the bottom firing over the alternatives but thats just me. Some are a bottom side firing mod, some are a top side firing mod, and then you have some of the really bizarre mods that fire from pushing the top down to complete the circuit. All in all find something that is appealing to you and when you get your mod make sure to disassemble it and clean it out with some isopropyl alcohol and it will fire and work a lot smoother.

EDIT: He beat me to it haha.

Hopefully this helps you out some and I hope you find a good satisfying mod for your needs!

 

[Garemlin]

Thank for the replies guys. Very helpful. I have tried a bottom fire at a local vape shop and with my arthritis it wasn't very comfortable to use. On top of the fact I currently have a wrist injury and my grip is nil.

So when you say lower resistance cols how low?? Like 2.0Ω and lower?? Or lower than that. Like the 1.6Ω range. I'm getting ready to venture into a KFL clone and try my hand at building cols. But I still like using my reliable clearos.

And what are the dangers I always hear about with mech mods???

Batteries. What is the highest mAh out there that is good to use in a mech???

And how about some suggestions for some budget priced but still decent quality mods.

Oh and there was one I saw a few days ago but don't recall where that I really loved the looks of. It was black and very edgy and industrial looking. Dunno if it is budget priced but I still might like to pick one up eventually.

 

[PhatRon]

People usually use 1.5ohm coils or lower on a mech, anything higher you are basically not going to notice much of a difference compared to a regulated device like the MVP2 (not including any of the DNA decives or the SX200/350 which will regulate sub-ohm builds).

You probably hear about batteries venting and the possible exploding home made pipebomb device. This occurs when you try and fire something that is drawing more amps than the battery is rated for, when constantly firing the device for a longer than normal amount of time, using the wrong battery chemistry such as ICR, trying to fire a dead short, and using a low quality charger that does not have a built in charging regulation rate/automatic charge cutoff (overcharge protection). All of that can be avoided by doing some research and using a multimeter to measure for your ohms/shorts.

I think the VTC5s are the highest mah rated batteries with a continuous discharge rating of 30 amps out there and you can find some from places like Illumination Supply (backordered) or Traingle Vape LLC (currently out of stock) or RTD Vapor (In stock for $10.29 and also carry authentic AW IMR). Those are some trusted vendors that I have used for buying batteries.

Some mods that you can buy that are normally clones in your budget are the Nemesis, Stingray, and Chi-You just to name a few that I know are recommended. I think the one that was black that you may be talking about is the Panzer Black Hawk?

 

[Garemlin]

People usually use 1.5ohm coils or lower on a mech, anything higher you are basically not going to notice much of a difference compared to a regulated device like the MVP2 (not including any of the DNA decives or the SX200/350 which will regulate sub-ohm builds).

You probably hear about batteries venting and the possible exploding home made pipebomb device. This occurs when you try and fire something that is drawing more amps than the battery is rated for, when constantly firing the device for a longer than normal amount of time, using the wrong battery chemistry such as ICR, trying to fire a dead short, and using a low quality charger that does not have a built in charging regulation rate/automatic charge cutoff (overcharge protection). All of that can be avoided by doing some research and using a multimeter to measure for your ohms/shorts.

I think the VTC5s are the highest mah rated batteries with a continuous discharge rating of 30 amps out there and you can find some from places like Illumination Supply (backordered) or Traingle Vape LLC (currently out of stock) or RTD Vapor (In stock for $10.29 and also carry authentic AW IMR). Those are some trusted vendors that I have used for buying batteries.

Some mods that you can buy that are normally clones in your budget are the Nemesis, Stingray, and Chi-You just to name a few that I know are recommended. I think the one that was black that you may be talking about is the Panzer Black Hawk?

Thanks!!!!! And I think that might be the one. Is there another one that looks something like that???

 

[TheBeardedMann]

If you get the Black Hawk clone, you'll want to use a Dremel or drill with a steel brush and clean the threads. The threads are painted over.

 

[Baditude]

So when you say lower resistance cols how low?? Like 2.0Ω and lower?? Or lower than that. Like the 1.6Ω range. I'm getting ready to venture into a KFL clone and try my hand at building cols. But I still like using my reliable clearos.

1.5 - 2.0 ohm coils with factory-built coils (clearos or cartos).

Be careful making coils under 1.o ohm with a Kayfun. You could melt the insulators going lower. 1.1 ohm is the lowest I go in mine.

And what are the dangers I always hear about with mech mods???

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/552803-mechanical-mods-dangerous.html

 

[Garemlin]

1.5 - 2.0 ohm coils with factory-built coils (clearos or cartos).

Be careful making coils under 1.o ohm with a Kayfun. You could melt the insulators going lower. 1.1 ohm is the lowest I go in mine.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/552803-mechanical-mods-dangerous.html

Thanks. I have no desire to go that low. Prolly stick in the 1.6Ω - 2.2Ω range.

 

[suspectK]

Baditude, way to leave some commentary for the rest of us to leave lol

Many mech have adjustable positive and negative pins. Some are manual and some are spring loaded. I would greatly recommend the spring loaded.

I strongly recommend against spring loaded.. Hybrid caps are the best..most mods don't come with them. The 4nine is the only one I can think of that does..it also doesn't have any threads for switch. Battery floats over switch on magnet..I love it. Floating is my favorite actual pin..then adjustable..then spring. Springs for the positive connection is a horrible concept, and you will suffer from voltage loss and eventually have to replace it if you run low resistances/high current outputs..but if you plan on sticking with the standard resistance builds..it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[jefsview]

Thanks. I have no desire to go that low. Prolly stick in the 1.6Ω - 2.2Ω range.

Hey, don't I know you from some other thread

I've been happily using an HCigar Sentinel M16 with a kayfun Lite clone(s) and Fogger v2.5 for a a few months now as my out and about vape, replacing the MVP which is now mostly for home. I picked up a couple of the Efest 35 amp 18650 2500 mAh and they last as long as the MVP. The KFL clomes I coil to about 1.3 ohms, and it seriously rocks. Just a bit more compact form factor; with the MVP, I always worried that I'd break the 510 connection, but with the mech it's internal. Silly, I know.

But that's where I'm at currently and am quite pleased with the m16 clone once I fixed the firing switch's defect (unscrews; fixed with a smattering of cotton).

 

[Garemlin]

Any thoughts on the Kamry K101? Really like the looks and form factor.

Tap'd from my LG G2

 

[TheBeardedMann]

I have a k100. I like it. Don't get the kit with the batteries and everything else, you won't use it once you start rebuilding.

 

[jefsview]

Any thoughts on the Kamry K101? Really like the looks and form factor.

Tap'd from my LG G2

I only have a k100, and while it was my first mech, I wanted something a bit more sturdy. Being made out of aluminum is nice for weight, but I did cross thread the 510 connection so not everything sits flush even with the slight give of the pin. The switch works well and the knurled locking ring is actually nice to use. My main gripe with the k100 is that there is some play with the tubes in 18650 mode with a battery; that and the non-flush sitting 510 made me weary to want to take it out of the house or place in my pocket.

But perhaps those issues were fixed in the k101 series.

 

[edyle]

[noob mode]

Since I have started vaping I have advanced from ecigs, to egos and now I am using APV's. Two MVP's to be exact. Love them but I had been considering a tube vv/vw MOD for my bigger 510 feeders around the house and keep the MVP's for ego tanks and out and about. Not finding much I like in my price range and have noticed that mech mods are more reasonably priced.

Soooooo have a few quick questions. I understand the basic concept. No wires, no circuit boards etc. Basically the battery makes a full connection when the button is pressed. Where my confusion lies is how much power do mech mods actually put out??? Or is it based on the batteries being used. Are any toppers safe to use on a mech mod??? Such as anything from a PTII, a Nautilus all the way up to a KFL. What batteries are recommended??? What to look for in a mech mod. Do all mech mods fire from the bottom???

Thanks

[/noob mode]

Mechanical Mod Proper Usage Guide

You just get the direct battery voltage; basically it won't autocutoff after 10 seconds and ito wont cut off with low voltage either so you have to remember to keep track of your battery charge state; it also will accept a short ; the lower your coil resistance the more power you will drain from the battery.

 

[edyle]

Thank for the replies guys. Very helpful. I have tried a bottom fire at a local vape shop and with my arthritis it wasn't very comfortable to use. On top of the fact I currently have a wrist injury and my grip is nil.

So when you say lower resistance cols how low?? Like 2.0Ω and lower?? Or lower than that. Like the 1.6Ω range. I'm getting ready to venture into a KFL clone and try my hand at building cols. But I still like using my reliable clearos.

And what are the dangers I always hear about with mech mods???

Batteries. What is the highest mAh out there that is good to use in a mech???

And how about some suggestions for some budget priced but still decent quality mods.

Oh and there was one I saw a few days ago but don't recall where that I really loved the looks of. It was black and very edgy and industrial looking. Dunno if it is budget priced but I still might like to pick one up eventually.

You don't have a regulated voltage on a mech so instead of raising voltage you can lower ohms of the coil.

Using a nominal lithium voltage of 3.7 volts,
a 2 ohm coil should draw: 3.7 x 3.7 / 2 = 6.8 watts
a 1.5 ohm coil should draw: 9.1 watts.

A mech mod comes with no electronic safety mechanisms such as autocutoff or short circuit cutoff/protection; you can get a fuse and/or a dropin kick module for it

A mech is a good thing to have incase your apv electronics fails

 

[Garemlin]

So if I were to use a kick in a mech it essentially turns it into a vw device and would require completely different batteries.

I did read the K100 can't use a kick with the 18650 batteries so if I were to go that route I would have to use an 18490.

The main reason I am considering a mech is because you seem to get more for quality and durability for your money than some of the lower price VV/VW devices. And less electronics to fail. But with a kick I could get the same thing minus the display. This would be dedicated for my nautilus and when I break down and get a KFL and my coils will all be of similar resistance so I would not need to constantly fiddling with adjustments.

 

[PhatRon]

Yes you are correct about the Kick turning your mech into a VW device. Here are the specs for you and for others who view this thread and are interested:

Output Power- 5 Watts to 15 Watts
Output Voltage- 2 Volts to 6.3 Volts
Output Current- 6 Amps
Atty Resistance- 0.5 Ohms to 3.3 Ohms
Low Battery cutoff- 2.7v loaded
Synchronous rectified for maximum battery life (very efficient)
Step-up/Step-down capable (RBA/RDA low Ohm friendly)

It will take away the worry of running your battery too low because most batteries suffer in the longevity of viable use department if they are over-discharged under 2.5 volts (some people argue it is more around 3v or sometimes even higher). The kick2 will simply not fire the mod and it will regulate down to the last bit of battery it can use. Some mods do include a kick tube and/or ring that will allow you to run a 18650 with the kick like the Nemesis so you may want to look for some that are kick2 capable with the 18650 if you want an extended battery life. Using your 1.6+ ohms preference you should be able to get some pretty good battery life. The K100 and K101 do not have a top cap that is made to be detachable (it is press fit) so it will be a bit of a PITA if you want to put it in there and remove it later on down the line for a different mod and also make adjustments to the output power because that is controlled with a screw on the top of the kick module itself so also keep that in mind when choosing a mod as well.

 

[Garemlin]

Yes you are correct about the Kick turning your mech into a VW device. Here are the specs for you and for others who view this thread and are interested:

Output Power- 5 Watts to 15 Watts
Output Voltage- 2 Volts to 6.3 Volts
Output Current- 6 Amps
Atty Resistance- 0.5 Ohms to 3.3 Ohms
Low Battery cutoff- 2.7v loaded
Synchronous rectified for maximum battery life (very efficient)
Step-up/Step-down capable (RBA/RDA low Ohm friendly)

It will take away the worry of running your battery too low because most batteries suffer in the longevity of viable use department if they are over-discharged under 2.5 volts (some people argue it is more around 3v or sometimes even higher). The kick2 will simply not fire the mod and it will regulate down to the last bit of battery it can use. Some mods do include a kick tube and/or ring that will allow you to run a 18650 with the kick like the Nemesis so you may want to look for some that are kick2 capable with the 18650 if you want an extended battery life. Using your 1.6+ ohms preference you should be able to get some pretty good battery life. The K100 and K101 do not have a top cap that is made to be detachable (it is press fit) so it will be a bit of a PITA if you want to put it in there and remove it later on down the line for a different mod and also make adjustments to the output power because that is controlled with a screw on the top of the kick module itself so also keep that in mind when choosing a mod as well.

I know there are a few different kick types out there. Is any one better than another??? Also would I just use any quality high drain battery that I would normally use in a vv/vw device such as the Panasonic NCR18650PF. Or is a high drain not necessary???