What kind of batteries and chargers do most people use for mech mods?

[Zelphie]

It seems (unless Ive missed a lot) that the recommended battery types have changed over the years.
Im a bit confused as to what type of batteries and chargers to use. This would be my first time setting up a mod.

Now it says to use unprotected batteries in the battery safety section (but that differs depending on where you look online) when I thought everyone used to say only use protected, and of what kind? And safe chargers?

And what else do you need for first setup? 2 cents, voltage reader, ohm reader? Anything else?


Im seriously lost, so what is it that everyone is using? Even new vapers are set up with mech mods.

If it helps I will NOT be using low resistance and need batteries and chargers that accommodate 18650, 18350, 14650, 14500.

Thank you, thank you!

 

[Israfil]

The most popular batteries these days for Mechanical mods are the sony 18650 IMR vtc4 batteries. 30amp continuous with plenty of juice to last if you do build a dripper setup.

If you definitely won't go low res or sub-ohm then I'd say just go regulated variable wattage mod with any 18650 with a high capacity (mah).
I mostly just use Ultrafire 18650s on those

Mech mods are great if you're building sub-ohm coils and dripping, but I personally don't see their appeal otherwise. Honestly my Kangers just work like crap on any mech I've tried em on. Need a little higher voltage to really get the right feel with em. (for me)

I see them as somewhat of a step backwards, as what you're doing is basically going back to the early days of modding when all we had was a battery box and button from radio shack, some 14500 AA cells, a 510 connector ripped off of a Blu, and a soldering gun. Not to say they can't be great, but its harder to tune your vape without building the perfect coil or adding a variable kick (which basically makes it a regulated mod anyway yah?)

 

[Zelphie]

Thanks. I like mech mods simply for esthetics.

 

[Israfil]

Ah... Fair enough. There are some simply beautiful mechanicals out there. Then again, there are some really pretty tube mods with an integrated LCD screen too.
You might be able to find a mech mod you like then have someone add a kick with variable wattage. That way you'll have all the pretty you desire and whatever heat level you like.

 

[roosterado]

The most popular batteries these days for Mechanical mods are the sony 18650 IMR vtc4 batteries. 30amp continuous with plenty of juice to last if you do build a dripper setup.

If you definitely won't go low res or sub-ohm then I'd say just go regulated variable wattage mod with any 18650 with a high capacity (mah).
I mostly just use Ultrafire 18650s on those

Mech mods are great if you're building sub-ohm coils and dripping, but I personally don't see their appeal otherwise. Honestly my Kangers just work like crap on any mech I've tried em on. Need a little higher voltage to really get the right feel with em. (for me)

I see them as somewhat of a step backwards, as what you're doing is basically going back to the early days of modding when all we had was a battery box and button from radio shack, some 14500 AA cells, a 510 connector ripped off of a Blu, and a soldering gun. Not to say they can't be great, but its harder to tune your vape without building the perfect coil or adding a variable kick (which basically makes it a regulated mod anyway yah?)

IMO there are much better batteries then UltraFire available. I recommend using High Drain IMR Batteries .Many Brands-Xtar-E-Fest Purple--AW--LG-MNKE--are some

Good Chargers include Xtar-Chargers---Nitecore Intelli charger and Digi Charger- there are more I am sure more recommendations will be posted. Avoid Buying batteries based on price and Mah rating alone Please

 

[unsure]

VTC5s for my sub-ohm vaping.

 

[Flt Simulation]

I use an 18650 King mech mod tube, but I have a Kick module installed in it too, so I have to use the smaller 18500 battery.

Use the Efest IMR18500 battery (1100 mAh)

The battery is limited to 11 amps, but that's ok because at 10 watts of power, my 1.6 ohm coil is only using 2.5 amps

 

[The Cloud Minder]

As far as batteries, I'd say the most popular is the Sony 18650 VTC5 IMR battery. It is in fact so popular, you won't be able to find it anywhere. After that, I'd say the VTC4, or the Efest "35A" purples are what most people are switching to, due to the VTC5 rarity.

Chargers? I only know that the one I have, the Nitecore 4 slot intellicharger is considered pretty good.

 

[DaveP]

AW lMR for standard resistance vaping, along with the black and silver 2250mah Efest and the purple 2500mah Efest (just be aware that the purple Efest 35A label is a pulse rating. It's actually a 20A continuous rated battery).

Sony VTC's are popular with lower ohm mech vapers. I vape a Provari V2 and I'm limited to 3.5A. I seldom exceed 2.5A.

Here's an extensive battery shootout with multiple discharge charts at various amp levels. lMR's score lower time to discharge, but they generally won't blow up in your hand.
Battery test-review 18650 summary

 

[Fir3b1rd]

wrong thread

 

[tj99959]

Safety comes first!
There is a reason that some batteries have a protection chip. That reason is that the battery chemistry (Lithium Cobalt) has the ability to go BOOM should it vent. Are you sure you want to be using batteries that can go BOOM when there are other choices that don't?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMy2_qNO2Y0
I would suggest only using Lithium Manganese (LiMn) or LiMn Hybrid battery cells. (listed as "IMR")

Now we can worry about performance.
There are just as many folks using to much battery as there are those that go beyond what their battery is rated for.
Batteries will list their discharge ability in Amps. My rule of thumb is that the continuous discharge rate of the battery should be double my intended use. So if my atomizer needs 5 amps, I should use a 10 amp battery for example.

Here's the problem with Sony VTC batteries:
The VTC is an "intended use" battery, and when the e-cig industry jumps in and buys all the VTC batteries they can lay their hands on, they are no longer available for those intended uses. So Sony is telling us to stop buying their batteries. (at least until they get their new plant built) (their old plant glows in the dark)

 

[Israfil]

IMO there are much better batteries then UltraFire available. I recommend using High Drain IMR Batteries .Many Brands-Xtar-E-Fest Purple--AW--LG-MNKE--are some

Good Chargers include Xtar-Chargers---Nitecore Intelli charger and Digi Charger- there are more I am sure more recommendations will be posted. Avoid Buying batteries based on price and Mah rating alone Please

I just use the cheap ultrafire with mods that don't need much heavy power. 3000mah lives for pretty long and a full charge gets me through the day, and if I do a faire over the weekend I can carry several and a lavatube and be good, plus not be very sad if the battery dies because it cost me 4 dollars for 2. Plus they're protected cells.

 

[Firestorm]

I use AW IMR batteries in my mechanical mods. I don't sub-ohm and I enjoy the aesthetics, simplicity, and small form factor that mechanicals offer (I mostly use 18350s). Most modders who design and make mechanical mods use AW IMRs as reference and AW batteries have been around for a long time and offer excellent performance. I have Tenergy and NiteCore chargers and they've worked well for me.

 

[tj99959]

I just use the cheap ultrafire with mods that don't need much heavy power. 3000mah lives for pretty long and a full charge gets me through the day, and if I do a faire over the weekend I can carry several and a lavatube and be good, plus not be very sad if the battery dies because it cost me 4 dollars for 2. Plus they're protected cells.

Lithium Cobalt chemistry can go BOOM! Why would you want to use them when there are safer alternatives?!?

 

[Israfil]

Lithium Cobalt chemistry can go BOOM! Why would you want to use them when there are safer alternatives?!?

Because with the PCB's low voltage protection, heat cutoff and overcurrent protection from my mods, and a healthy dose of being rather experienced with battery tech...they won't ^_^
The alternatives have safer chemistry, I'm simply relying on the inbuilt battery protection circuit and my mod's chips to keep the batteries in line.

 

[Zelphie]

Ok, so ego batts it is...
No, seriously though I don't know the first thing about batteries, discharge rate, amps, low voltage protection, how to measure these things,,,???????
I have no idea whats being spoken about. Interestingly I also found the battery guide on this site to be more confusing than clarifying.
Back to basics. How do you know if a battery is protected or not and which kind do you use in mech mods and which kind in something like the istick? Then will argue over what kind, what the letters mean, their chemistry and what that means? ok?

 

[Zelphie]

AW lMR for standard resistance vaping, along with the black and silver 2250mah Efest and the purple 2500mah Efest (just be aware that the purple Efest 35A label is a pulse rating. It's actually a 20A continuous rated battery).

Sony VTC's are popular with lower ohm mech vapers. I vape a Provari V2 and I'm limited to 3.5A. I seldom exceed 2.5A.

Here's an extensive battery shootout with multiple discharge charts at various amp levels. lMR's score lower time to discharge, but they generally won't blow up in your hand.
Battery test-review 18650 summary

Ok, whats a pulse rating, and what does 20a continuous rating mean?

 

[Nytebreed]

I'll step in with the links from Baditude.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/baditude/4848-9-battery-basics-mods-imr-protected-icr.html
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/baditude/5163-12-deeper-understanding-mod-batteries-part-i.html
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...eper-understanding-mod-batteries-part-ii.html

 

[Zelphie]

Thanks....

 

[edyle]

Ok, so ego batts it is...
No, seriously though I don't know the first thing about batteries, discharge rate, amps, low voltage protection, how to measure these things,,,???????
I have no idea whats being spoken about. Interestingly I also found the battery guide on this site to be more confusing than clarifying.
Back to basics. How do you know if a battery is protected or not and which kind do you use in mech mods and which kind in something like the istick? Then will argue over what kind, what the letters mean, their chemistry and what that means? ok?

If you don't know about batteries you should get a regulated mod like a vamo, zmax, svd, tesla, e-lvt, or even a provari where you'd get short circuit protection.

The safe chemistry batteries are the ones called IMR batteries.

With a mech you can also get some protections by getting one that will take a dropin kick module and/or a fuse.

Another safety consideration with a mech is most of them are bottom switched; 18650 batteries were not designed for bottom switch and a tear on the labell on the cylinder will cause the mech to fire. One of the few top fired mechs is the poldiac.