Question about battery life

[GibsonSG]

So, I recently moved from Ego 1000mah batteries/Kanger T3S style BCC to a mech mod. I have a Smoktech Magneto/Terminator RBA combo. Also got a Nitecore Intellicharger I4, and 4 Panasonic CGR18650CH batteries. When I build my coils I shoot for 1.2-1.5 ohm.

With the ego setup, I could get close to 1.5 days from the batteries, but generally swapped out every day. So they would last from 8am to around midnight each day, no problem. With the move to the mech, I don't feel like my batteries are lasting as long as they should. I check them when I pull them off the charger, and they are charging to 4.2v as they should. I put a battery in at 8am and by 4pm, it's done. I see most people say that they swap batteries/charge around 3.6-3.7v. When I'm testing these, they are generally barely under 3.9v.... usually around 3.85-3.88 and the vapor production at that point is just awful.

Is this the type of battery life I should be expecting? Or should I be able to get closer to 3.6v? Do these batteries maybe sag more than others? Would I get better performance from a different brand?

 

[Scarey]

I recharge my batteries around 3.75-3.63V. After the battery gets down to its average power level, 3.7V, they have trouble giving a decent vape on a resistance that high. A simple matter of Ohm's Law at work. I tend to prefer 0.8-1ohm. That should be safe on any IMR 18650, though it's starting to get close to the limit on 18350's.

 

[Baditude]

What you are describing is perfectly normal and easily explained. First of all, the Panasonic CGR18650CH batteries are an excellent IMR high drain battery.

You are comparing an eGo battery (semi-regulated) using an over-the-counter, normal resistance coil (clearomizers) with a mechanical mod (un-regulated) using an advanced juice attachment with low resistance coils.

Specifically, you using an advanced juice attachment which has higher demands on a battery. If you used your clearomizers on your mech you would get similar battery time as your eGo. The amp drain on any battery in using lower resistance coils in a rebuildable atomizer will be greater than with standard resistance coils on a clearomizer. If your eGo could even fire the rebuildable, it would last far shorter time than the Panny's do.

The 1.2 ohm coil you using at 4.2 volts is drawing 3.5 amps from the Panasonics. Ohm's Law Calculator I seriously doubt your eGo could touch that. If you were using a sub ohm coil, the your battery time would be much worse, because the lower the ohms the higher the amperage draw from the battery.

A mechanical mod's performance is totally dependent upon the battery voltage & amperage capacity. A fully charged battery will gradually drop in performance (gradual drop in vapor production) as the battery is used and the voltage drops. The vaping experience will never be as good as when a fully-charged battery is used; it's all down hill from that point on. This is the reality of using a mechanical mod.

Now, using a Kick with an 18490 IMR battery will give you regulated power so that you do not experience the gradual drop in vapor production as the battery drains. The Kick will keep the voltage at whatever voltage you set it. This comes at a price of decreasing the battery life, too. The need to drop down a battery size is to allow room in the mod for the Kick module.

 

[Rader2146]

If the vape is anemic at 3.9v...move to a lower resistance. You are only using about 15% of the battery.

To get maximum battery life with an unregulated mod, you have to set your resistance to where the vape is a little warmer than you prefer at full charge, just right at mid charge, and a little anemic when it's time to charge. Everyone's taste is different, but in general most mech users will will swap batteries at 3.5-3.6v.

For me, Samsung INR18650-20R's with a .6Ω coil will get me ~14 hours (6am-8pm) and 6-8ml of juice if I swap at 3.6V.

 

[Thrasher]

If the vape is anemic at 3.9v...move to a lower resistance. You are only using about 15% of the battery.

To get maximum battery life with an unregulated mod, you have to set your resistance to where the vape is a little warmer than you prefer at full charge, just right at mid charge, and a little anemic when it's time to charge. Everyone's taste is different, but in general most mech users will will swap batteries at 3.5-3.6v.

For me, Samsung INR18650-20R's with a .6Ω coil will get me ~14 hours (6am-8pm) and 6-8ml of juice if I swap at 3.6V.

+1 usually anything above 1.2 is too hard for an unregulated mech to push very long, i run around .8-.9 ohms on my mech and easily get over a day of heavy vaping, with no noticable drop off till the battery hits around 3.55

 

[Ryedan]

If the vape is anemic at 3.9v...move to a lower resistance. You are only using about 15% of the battery.

To get maximum battery life with an unregulated mod, you have to set your resistance to where the vape is a little warmer than you prefer at full charge, just right at mid charge, and a little anemic when it's time to charge. Everyone's taste is different, but in general most mech users will will swap batteries at 3.5-3.6v.

For me, Samsung INR18650-20R's with a .6Ω coil will get me ~14 hours (6am-8pm) and 6-8ml of juice if I swap at 3.6V.

Yup ^^^ and exactly what I do. With your CGR18650CH batteries I would not go below about 0.7 ohms. I've got a good safety factor in that opinion.

 

[GibsonSG]

Ok, that helps a lot. I knew I must have been missing something. I just ordered some 28 ga Kanthal and will give a .8 ohm coil a shot and see how that goes. Thanks for the help everyone.