Battery
The type of battery that the battery mod is equipped with or designed for (if the battery is not included).
Modern vapes can use both removable and non-
removable batteries. The former are convenient in that a dead battery can be quickly replaced with a fresh one, and while one battery is in use, the second can be charged. However, for many vapes with such a power supply, you have to separately purchase both the batteries themselves and “chargers” for them (for more information about this type of batteries, see the “Removable” section). Non-removable elements, in turn, cannot be quickly changed, but they are more compact, immediately included in the delivery package and extremely easy to use: when the charge is exhausted, you do not need to mess with external chargers, just connect the supplied charger (or even just a USB cable). ).
As removable elements in vapes, 3.7-volt cylindrical lithium-ion batteries are mainly used, here are their main sizes:
— 18650. The most popular size of 3.7 V replacement batteries nowadays. Such cells have a diameter of 18 mm and a length of 65 mm, and their prevalence is due to a combination of good performance with relatively compact dimensions. The number of batteries of this type can be different: for models of relatively low power (up to 100 W),
one 18650 battery is enough, in more powerful mods there are
2,
...and in some models even 3 or more 18650 batteries.
— 20700. The format of replaceable batteries, used much less frequently than 18650 — due to its larger size (diameter 20 mm, length 70 mm). The number of such elements can also be different — from one in relatively low-power models to two or even three.
— 21700. Another relatively rare size of replaceable batteries; has the same length as 20700 (70mm) but larger diameter (21mm). Such elements are used mainly one at a time, vapes for two 21700 batteries are almost never produced.
— 26650. A rather specific size: such elements are the same 65 mm long as 18650, but their diameter is almost one and a half times larger — 26 mm. This provides high capacity and power, but the large size limits the use of this type of power supply, it is found only in single vape models (although there are devices even for two batteries). And in some battery mods for such elements, it is allowed to replace 26650 with 18650 due to the same length.
Built-in batteries, in turn, differ in the technology by which they are made. Nowadays, Li-Ion (lithium-ion) or Li-Pol (lithium-polymer) non-removable batteries are mainly used. They are similar in their main characteristics: they are compact, have a good capacity, lack the "memory effect", but they do not tolerate both frost and heat. The main difference is that in the first variety the electrolyte is liquid, and in the second it is a solid polymer. Thanks to this, Li-Ion cells are somewhat cheaper, and Li-Pol are less sensitive to overloads and safer in emergency conditions.Capacity
The battery capacity of an e-cigarette or separately sold battery mod. This parameter is indicated only for models with non-removable batteries (see "Battery type"): replaceable cells can be produced in different capacities.
The larger the battery, the longer you can use the device without recharging the battery. However the actual power consumption and, accordingly, the battery life of different models will be different, therefore, only devices with similar operating voltages and atomizer resistances can be compared in terms of capacity.
In general, if battery life is important to you, it is quite possible to proceed from the principle “the more capacious the battery, the better”; and to save money, you can choose a relatively weak battery. It is also worth mentioning that there are schemes for calculating the optimal battery capacity depending on the power, atomizer resistance, etc.; these schemes can be found in special sources.
Maximum voltage
The highest voltage that the battery mod can supply to the atomizer.
Knowing the minimum (see above) and maximum voltage, it is possible to estimate the heating power that the battery is able to provide at a certain resistance of the atomizer. For example, if we have a battery mod with a voltage range of 3.3 – 4.8 V and an atomizer with a 1.8 Ohm coil, then the current strength at the minimum voltage will be 3.3 / 1.8 ≈ 1.8 A, and at maximum 4.8 / 1.8 ≈ 2.7 A. Accordingly, the smallest heating power will be 3.3 * 1.8 ≈ 6 W, and the largest 4.8 * 2.7 ≈ 13 W. In this case, the nominal power of the battery can be higher, but not vice versa — the actual power cannot be more than the nominal. Let's say, theoretically, the battery from our example, combined with a 0.15 Ohm sub-ohm atomizer, even at the minimum voltage, should produce a current of 3.3 / 0.15 = 22 A and a power of 3.3 * 22 = 72.6 W. However, if a power of 50 W is claimed in the characteristics, then higher values \u200b\u200bare impossible to achieve, even if you unscrew the regulator to the maximum — at low resistances, the voltage at the battery output drops sharply.
Removable
This feature is indicated for battery mods that are designed to use
removable batteries — usually 18650 or 26650 (see "Battery Type"). However, such batteries are most often not included in the delivery package, they must be purchased separately. This, on the one hand, does not allow using the device “out of the box”, on the other hand, it makes it possible to choose batteries at your discretion, depending on which atomizer is supposed to be used and what battery power is needed.
Actually, the ability to select batteries at the discretion of the user is one of the key advantages of this option over non-removable batteries (see "Battery type"). Another advantage is that you can buy several sets of batteries and quickly change dead batteries for fresh ones (and charge the removed batteries separately without taking up a battery mod for this). On the other hand, the battery mods themselves turn out to be heavier and larger than non-separable counterparts, and with comparable quality of the batteries themselves, they are often even more expensive. In addition, to charge the batteries, you will also need a separate charger — even if there is a microUSB port, it is recommended to use it only as a last resort (see below for more details), and many models do not have such a connector at all.
Material
The material from which the body of the device is made.
This parameter is relevant primarily for battery mods: they can be made from a wide variety of materials, while atomizers do not differ in variety (the standard option is stainless steel, with a few exceptions; see below for details). Actually, for ready-made kits (including POD systems, see "Type"), this paragraph just indicates the material of the battery mod. Here is a more detailed description of specific options:
—
Stainless steel. Perhaps the most popular material for electronic cigarettes and their components — of all types and price categories. At a relatively low cost, stainless steel is strong, reliable, durable and not subject to scratches and corrosion. Of the shortcomings of this material, one can only note a rather large weight, but some, on the contrary, consider this moment an advantage: a massive metal case gives the impression of solidity and quality. Also, steel, like any metal, can cool the skin at low air temperatures and slide in the hands; however, in order to avoid all this, various linings (for example, made of rubber or soft-touch plastic) can be provided on the case to eliminate this drawback.
—
Zinc alloy. Another fairly popular material, which is actually a compromise between stainless steel and aluminium. Zinc weighs less than steel and costs less than aluminium alloys; at the same time, this
...material perfectly resists corrosion and has high strength, which led to its prevalence.
— Aluminium. Perhaps the most advanced metal in terms of practical characteristics: aluminium is light, strong and absolutely insensitive to corrosion. Its main disadvantage is a rather high price, while the described advantages are rarely decisive in comparison with the same steel or zinc. Therefore, aluminium cases are quite rare; at the same time, it is worth noting that this material is found not only in battery mods, but also in atomizers.
— Plastic. Inexpensive material, which also has a small weight and is able to take on a wide variety of colours. However, this is where the advantages of plastic, in fact, are exhausted: in terms of strength and scratch resistance, it is noticeably inferior to metals, and it can melt from strong heat. However there are advanced grades of plastic, but instead of them, most manufacturers prefer to use steel or other metal in vapes. As a result, plastic cases are rare, and mostly among entry-level models.
— Copper. The material used mainly as a design material — to give the case an unusual appearance (copper has a characteristic reddish tint). From the point of view of practical properties, such cases are similar to steel ones — in particular, they are strong, massive and scratch resistant. On the other hand, copper tolerates moisture worse, stains can appear on it even from constant contact with the skin. However, the main drawback of this material is its high price, which determined the specifics of its application.
— Brass. Another metal used primarily for aesthetic rather than practical reasons. It is similar in properties to copper described above and differs only in colour (shades of yellow) and somewhat greater resistance to oxidation (although it all depends on the specific type of brass).
— Wood. Wooden cases look interesting due to the characteristic colours and patterns. At the same time, this material is not very practical: it is prone to cracks and splits from impacts, it is easily scratched, and it can swell and warp from prolonged exposure to moisture. In addition, wooden cases are quite expensive (in part, this is a payment for the style). So, choosing a battery mod in such a design is worth it only in cases where the ability to “stand out from the crowd” is more important for you than the shortcomings described.
— Ceramics, Special high-strength ceramics are highly resistant to wear: such a case is very difficult to scratch, so it looks like new for a long time. On the other hand, this material may crack on impact (whereas metal is more likely to only slightly bend). Therefore, ceramic cases are extremely rare — especially since they are not cheap.
