Here, we are going to discuss a Mod, which is certainly one of the largest in the electronic cigarette after the various clearomizers.
What is an Electronic Mod (or Electronic Box)?
What is a mod? It is a kind of “big” electronic cigarette battery. Mod stands for Modified Electronic Cigarette.
The first vapers quickly tried to modify their small eGo-type battery to obtain more settings or autonomy. The term “mod” stuck for all batteries that offered these upgrades and increased performance. Since then, we hear the words “mod” or “box” and again “electronic mod” or “electronic box” in the world of vaping.
The electronic mod gives access to a wider choice of reservoirs or clearomizers. Indeed, the majority of manufacturers agree to offer the same type of connection between this large battery and the tank. This connection is called a 510 connection (a male thread for the tank and a female thread for the mod). It, therefore, allows, on a mod equipped in this way, to receive different clearomizers (reservoirs with pre-made resistance) or atomizers (called rebuildable). These e-cigarettes are composed of two pieces of equipment (the battery or box or mod and the clearomizer or reconstructable atomiser) and offer many alternatives to vapers:
- The possibility of refining your vape with finer settings thanks to as much information as possible (buttons, screen, temperature or wattage control, etc.)
- Huge selection of designs and looks
- Increased battery life
- Choose between an integrated battery or rechargeable batteries that can be removed from your mod
- Create a set-up, a tailor-made electronic cigarette
Electronic mod or mechanical mod: know the differences to choose the right equipment
The electronic mod offers many possibilities, in terms of technology and security. The electronic mode has the advantage of offering security guaranteeing the proper functioning of your electronic cigarette. The mechanical box with no electronics will be reserved for experienced vapers. Potential accidents are greatly limited by electronics, information that is important since it is above all on questions of safety that the main questions of new vapers arise. Most of the accidents recorded are the result of vapers who have tinkered with their electronic and especially mechanical mod. The manufacturers of renowned electronic mods, offered on E-Smoker, are constantly developing, in this respect, processes for controlling the quality and safety of their products.
The Electronic Mod: everything you need to know
Perfect choice for affording a more qualitative vape, electronic mods combine elegance, performance and safety. The principle is simple, you can vary the power (expressed in Watts) or the voltage (expressed in Volts) thanks to the onboard electronics and simple buttons or touch screens.
With an electronic box, you can vape at much more precise powers than on rather beginner equipment, which allows you to generate more sensations and to use more efficient tanks in terms of aroma restitution and vapour production.
The advantages of the electronic mod
Concretely, apart from the form, what is changing? A box mod is the evolution of electronic cigarettes with a tubular receptacle that appeared first. The electronic mod is necessarily larger in width than these e-cigarettes of the past. The mod is therefore perfectly in line with the new preferences of vapers.
The technology has also evolved a lot, which is why we can now, for example, go up to very high powers (100, 200w) with high-performance electronic mods with double and sometimes triple batteries. You can also, conversely if you prefer, favour a box in a mini format that fits in your pocket. This was impossible before: users looking for big clouds had to turn to mechanical equipment and fans of compactness had to limit themselves to eGo batteries.
The main advantages of the mod are therefore the space-saving and its more playful side. The onboard electronics are now located next to the battery (rechargeable battery on an external charger). On electronic tubular equipment, we have the battery, then above the electronic module, lengthening the body of the object somewhat.
A box will therefore be shorter than a tubular mod thanks to this new arrangement of the various components. Manufacturers have also been able to double or even triple the number of batteries. The Mod thus keeps a reasonable length by simply increasing its thickness/width. By taking advantage of an electronics surface distributed over different parts of the case, manufacturers can then unleash their imagination on questions of design, technological options or finishes.
Built-in battery or interchangeable battery
This choice between a mod with integrated batteries or interchangeable batteries will be made according to your use and your needs. It will depend on the autonomy sought or the simplicity of use. Let’s explore the possibilities…
Mod with integrated battery: practical but with lower durability
A built-in battery means that there is no possibility of removing it from the box. Charging will therefore be done via a cable that will be connected directly to the box. When the battery is empty, you can no longer vape except by connecting your electronic mod for a recharge (this is the Passthrough function). The lifespan of a battery remains limited, this type of electronic cigarette will no longer be usable if the battery were to drop. However, they remain very easy to use and reliable. They do not require additional purchases, rechargeable batteries or external chargers.
Mod with interchangeable battery: the must for today’s vapers
Some electronic mods, not to say a large majority today, have batteries (rechargeable batteries of different sizes and powers) that can be easily extracted. In general, these batteries will be recharged using an external charger of the VC2 Plus Master type which will allow, by having several batteries, to easily double the autonomy of your electronic cigarette… Provided that you always have your charged batteries close at hand…
Attention, electronic mods with interchangeable batteries are always sold without batteries, so you will have to take them in addition when placing your order. The majority of electronic mods with interchangeable batteries still have a micro USB socket allowing them to be recharged via a simple cable, like mods with an integrated battery. We will always prefer a charge via an external charger despite everything. Electronic boxes with interchangeable batteries exist in single batteries, double batteries or even more. The batteries for these Mods are specific. They may have different sizes. The usual formats are 18650 batteries (18 mm in diameter, 65 mm in length and 0 for the round shape) such as the LG HG2 for example. New boxes now use 20700 or 21700 or even 26650 batteries that are more efficient and offer longer autonomy.
The menus and setting possibilities of its Electronic Mod
Electronic boxes very often have adjustment buttons (some are even tactile). It will therefore be possible for you to precisely modify your power of vape according to your tank. The screen will give you all the necessary information:
- battery discharge
- Powerful
- value of your resistor
Some mods go much further and offer many menus. Different modes of vaping are then available:
- wattage
- use of temperature control with specific resistors
- a limited number of puffs
- possibility to boost the start of your puffs
Everything is now possible thanks to electronic mods and the innovative talent of manufacturers.
Safety is of course not left out. All Electronic Mods have them (short circuit, overheating, battery protection, etc.). The risk of accidents is thus considerably reduced.
A power of vape adapted to your material
Finally, your electronic cigarette and particularly the mod will be limited by a maximum power (40 watts, 80 watts, 225 watts, etc.). Use at maximum power will always imply a very short battery life. If you use a tank operating around 40 watts, it will therefore be necessary to prefer a box amounting to at least 80 watts.
Mechanical mods: the vape from the origins of the electronic cigarette
A mechanical or “mecha” mod is neither more nor less than a box without any onboard electronics. There will be only one button (the switch) and housing for one or more batteries.
Mechanical equipment does not allow you to make adjustments, the voltage sent to the resistance corresponds to the voltage of the battery. To put it simply, a 100% charged battery releases about 4V, this voltage will drop as the discharge progresses. This is why after a few hours of use you will have a feeling of loss of power and weak vapour. It will therefore be time to charge this battery and replace it with a full one. It is very important not to over-discharge a battery. These do not appreciate going below 3 volts (their lifespan is affected).
Since there are no electronics inside, most mechanical mods do not have overheating and short circuit protection. This is why we do not recommend this kind of equipment to a beginner.
Example :
If you make a 0.1-ohm resistor and use it on a mechanical mod in which there is a battery allowing you to go down to a maximum of 0.5 ohms, there is a high risk. The chemistry of the battery risks racing, overheating, and causing degassing.
Meca mods, however, allow you to have a nice configuration with high-end rebuildable atomizers. We then speak of “high-end” equipment, often produced in small series and numbered. These products guarantee you perfect machining and finishing.
And now that I’ve read everything, what do I do?
If you want to acquire your first mod, we advise you to go for an electronic mod to familiarize yourself with this new universe and understand the basics of the relationship between power and resistance and adapt to new tanks before considering going further. A Mod with an integrated battery is often the first choice of a vaper wanting to equip himself correctly.
For converts to electronic cigarettes or those lacking autonomy on a box with an integrated battery, it may be time to switch to Mods with interchangeable batteries. It will be necessary to equip yourself with one or more batteries, protective boxes for these batteries and an additional external charger. The batteries like the charger will of course be reusable even if you change Mod (see the different compatibilities on the product sheets of each mod).
It is important to target your needs when you want to equip yourself:
- Battery autonomy (these are the mAh expressed on the boxes with integrated batteries or on the batteries).
- The power needed (in watts) for the tank(s) you are using. The information is often noted on your resistances.
- Design, sometimes it is difficult to take a Mod which you don’t like to use.
- Functions and simplicity depend on whether you are a “geek” or pragmatic.
- Price
Good vaping!