E-Cigarettes: A World of Abbreviations, Part I
Even if you’ve been vaping for a while, the vape world keeps moving – and new abbreviations keep popping up. What helps? A handy list with clear explanations.
Today we’re taking a closer look at the abbreviations used for batteries, cells and mods in the world of e-cigarettes.
Why do vapes need batteries?
Batteries and mods are a key part of every e-cigarette, even if the device has a box-shaped design. It may be called a box mod, but it’s still a battery device or a mod. The battery supplies the power the e-liquid needs in order to vaporise.
What’s the difference between a battery and a mod?
With a battery device, the battery unit is permanently built into the e-cigarette. The advantage is that these devices are lighter than mods. With a mod, you need to insert separate battery cells. So the mod itself is basically the outer housing.
For beginners, built-in batteries are easier to handle than mods, which also require the right cells and a separate charger. They also tend to feel more comfortable in the hand for beginners. You can always move on to devices with removable batteries later.
But – in practice, these terms are often used interchangeably nowadays. So if you want to know whether you need an additional battery for an e-cigarette, it’s best to read the full description! If you see 18350 or 18650 in the text, for example, that refers to a separate battery cell!
In the past, only models with removable batteries offered adjustable settings such as voltage and wattage. You also couldn’t run so-called sub-ohm atomizers with built-in batteries. Today, these arguments in favour of mods no longer really apply. What remains is that mods can reach significantly higher wattages – but progress hasn’t stopped there either: built-in-battery devices are now available up to 60 watts. Take the Eleaf iStick, for example, which is also well suited to beginners who don’t mind trying out a few settings.
Automatic battery
To keep it short: if you want things as simple as possible, you can start with the ultimate beginner kit. You can spot these devices because you don’t press any button to vape, and there are no extra settings either. The battery activates automatically when you take a puff. But it’s really only for trying vaping out – in the long run, this kind of e-cigarette quickly stops being fun.
One example of an automatic battery is this Eleaf iKiss set. OK, it looks cute, but with 220 mAh you won’t get far without a spare battery! If you just want to give it a try and see whether vaping could be an alternative for you, the Eleaf iKiss is definitely worth a look.
If you’re a smoker, you’re better off skipping automatic batteries even as a beginner. Automatic batteries have very low capacity. After an hour at the latest, they’ll need charging again. So you’ll either need to carry a power bank or spare batteries.
Regulated and mechanical batteries and mods
Put simply: if there’s electronics inside, the battery or mod is regulated! You can still adjust most devices yourself and set the wattage, temperature or voltage. Even so, safety features work quietly in the background.
Mechanical batteries and mods are usually semi-mechanical, because batteries rarely come onto the market today without temperature protection. The same applies to mods: as soon as you can vape in the sub-ohm range, the mods are semi-mechanical. Another term you may come across is unregulated! But the rule here is: hands off – not suitable for beginners. These mods are for experienced vapers and rebuildable users. Where software isn’t stepping in, very high electrical currents can reach the atomizers!
You’ll find more important explanations and abbreviations for batteries, mods and cells here in our blog on Tuesday! Go to part two: E-cigarette abbreviations!
Image source: Pixabay
