Variable Voltage Vaping - how low can it go?

[Quix]

Hi guys.
First would like to thank everyone here at ECF.
You've saved my life.

As a practicing minimalist, have found joy vaping these past 8 months on the little M401 batt and atty. This battery cooks at 2.8 volts. I'd like to try out a VV mod, but would luv to have the option to crank er back down to 2.8V if possible. I've looked at some of them, but see descriptions of VV from 3.2-5/6/7+V.

Are there any/all that *can* provide a steady 2.8V?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I believe the Provari will deliver down to 3.3v regulated, up to 6v-ish and it does this from a single 3.7v cell, using some clever electronics to convert the voltage. At 3.3v it should give a vaping experience very similar to standard e-cig batteries, as most of them run at that sort of range (PWM regulated from 3.7v which is the nominal voltage for lithium ion batteries). I really don't think many people would want to undervolt their atomiser to lower than 'standard', which is probably why your having difficulty finding any that support this.

The majority of VV mods use multiple batteries run in series (e.g. 2 x 3.7v cells = 7.4v) and essentially a variable resistor to reduce the voltage to the desired level, but they have a limited range of adjustment and as far as I know, will not adjust as far down as you would like. As I understand it, this setup will work more efficiently at higher voltages (closer to the battery voltage) anyway. Whether it would work if you used say, a single 3.7v battery, instead of the recommended 2 x 3.7v batteries, I don't know, but that would be more likely to allow you to get your target voltage. You'd have to check with the maker whether it would be likely to work.

TBH I am surprised that the 401 batteries have such a low working voltage, it's lower than things like 510's. But I've just tried one and it does indeed measure 2.8v unloaded.. I've used M401 atomisers on 3.3v and 3.7v and they do work quite well (getting a bit hot at 3.7v) but they don't seem to be well suited to higher voltages.

 

[Kurt]

Just to add to this interesting thread...

Papa, out of curiosity, what is the resistance of the 401 atty? Sounds like it is lower than the 510s usual 2.5 ohms. This might explain a great vape with a low voltage batt, and getting a bit hot at 3.7V. The batt must be regulated, as I don't think there are any 2.8V batt materials out there. Maybe they couldn't raise the atty ohms easily, so they backed off on the batt voltage.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Their around 2.7 ohms Kurt, so not particularly high wattage at 3.7v by any means. My theory is that somehow, they've been optimised the design to give a fairly good vape on low wattage. Perhaps a bit like the CE2's which work quite well at 3.7v and 3 ohms, but are horrible IMO on say 5v. The thing with the M401 IMO is, they never really use a lot of juice. If you increase the voltage much, I think what happens is the juice doesn't get to the coil fast enough and it becomes unpleasant (or burns out). Something like a 306 on the other hand positively drinks juice when you up the wattage (as in the LR306's).