What are Mechanical Mods?

Mechanical mods are vaping equipment that don't rely on modern electronics to work. They don't have a digital meter that tells you how hot your atomizer is and how much power you have left. You have to figure it all out by your self as you press the button.

A mechanical mod has a simple internal system.



Parts of a Mechanical Mod. Image via Veganvape.com

One advantage of these mods is the flexibility to use different kinds of batteries.

With a telescopic mechanical, one simply rotates the outer tube counterclockwise as if unscrewing it from the inner tube in order to increase the overall length of the mod; conversely, one would rotate the outer tube clockwise to shorten the mod's overall length. In this way, the mod can accommodate batteries from 18350 to 18650.

Akuma Copper Mechanical Mod by GP Customs. Image via VaporJedi.com

The ruggedness and stamina of these mods trump those of vape pens and cig-alikes. Box mods won't break easily when they fall off a table, or get hit by a strong jarring movement. These mods can be used until their batteries have been depleted.

This also means you're forced to invest on an extra pair of batteries in case the first two ran out of power. Depleting your batteries is not good vaping practice, but this flexibility in battery usage gives you the chance to enjoy your vapes until there's no more juice left in your cartomizer.

They're the kind of 'old school' vaping tools that present multiple challenges to the user. These challenges include the lack of advanced features that most regulated mods provide out of the box.

Because these mods are not regulated, the quality of hits they deliver are inconsistent. Sometimes, you get aerosol that produces thin vapor, and sometimes, you suck in burning hot air into your throat and lungs.

Obviously, mechanical mods are geared towards builders - vapers who love to create custom-built atomizers and tweak the mod's internal operations. To avoid hits with a burnt wick taste, you're encouraged to tweak and customize your mod until it performs the way you wanted it to. In general, mechanical mods offer a more satisfying vaping life for you than when you're using disposable vape pens and cig-alikes.



Red 18500 IMR flat top batteries from Efest. Image via VaporJedi.com

Here are some basic battery safety tips from Olympia Vapor Works for users of mechanical mods:

• Use ONLY high-end IRC or IMR batteries.
• Always buy your batteries from a reputable vendor.
• Make sure your mechanical mod is properly vented. Check whether there are air holes in the tube.
• Take good care of your batteries. If they get dented or the plastic cover came off, then it's time to throw them away.
• Buy a multimeter and regularly check your batteries with it. When they get down to around 3.5V, replace them with fully charged ones.
• Buy an extra pair of batteries, even when your mod allows only two in the compartment.
• Don't buy a cheap charger or a universal charger that's normally used for cellphones.
• Use chargers specifically made by the e-cig manufacturer for their products.