​Vape Mods: The Basics

Vaping is a fabulous hobby, not least because it enables you to customise it to suit your own needs. You may choose new e liquids for example, difference nicotine strengths and have a wide range of different e cigarettes to choose from. Many vapers that have made the decision to move on to more advanced vaping go for the Box Mod and it’s easy to see why. Don’t be concerned with the jargon that comes with vaping if you’re new to it, it’ll all become very clear soon and this blog post will definitely help you understand the many features and benefits of choosing a vape mode.

What is a Box Mod?

When you first start vaping the chances are that your first experience comes from a starter kit which in turn comes with everything you need; your tank, a coil already fitted, the battery and the mouthpiece. The majority of e cigs sport a one-button activation so hold or press and take a draw. Simple!

The box mod offers all of this yet also enables you to customise your vaping experience so that whether you are a big vape cloud chaser or are looking for more of a cigarette-like experience (or perhaps are somewhere in-between) your wish will be your device’s command!

By being able to alter the wattage, the temperature, the resistance and so on associated with your box mod you’ll have complete control over the type of vape you enjoy. Don’t worry though, it isn’t all as complicated as it seems.

All About Resistance

When it comes to the resistance setting on your box mod look for the Greek symbol for Omega. This represents the ohms. The number here shows you how much your coil can sustain heat-wise (which depends on the amount of power running through it). If you vape at a temperature and energy output too high for your coils you’ll burn them out and/or scorch the inside of the e cig. Thankfully this can easily be avoided with a little know-how.

Low resistance coils are often used in what is known as sub ohm vaping, with coils that offer a range from 0.05ohm to 0.3ohm which are able to take more heat than higher resistance coils. Low resistance coils and sub ohming is what helps you achieve those big vape clouds full of flavour that you crave.

High resistance coils are able to handle less heat/power through the coils. These coils tend to range from 0.6ohm and 1.6ohm and this type of vaping is mostly suited to those looking for less vapour and more of a nicotine kick (i.e. a decent throat hit).

W is for Wattage

This will be marked on your box mod as having the largest number usually and be under or by the letter W. Basically this indicator shows you how much power is going from the battery to the mod and offers you the ability to alter this to achieve a desired vaping outcome. How high or low you set this will depend on two things, one being the type of coils you are using (most coils are marked with the maximum wattage they allow and what type of coil you have) and two, what you are trying to achieve vape-wise.

V is for Voltage

Unsurprisingly the voltage indicator is often the one marked on your box mod with a V. Without getting too technical voltage is much like wattage in that they are both ways of describing power being sent into your mod. Voltage is a force measurement i.e. the force that causes power from the battery to go into your coil whereas wattage is the amount of actual power sent to the coil every second. Many box mods give you the choice of switching between these two modes although to be honest most vapers vape in wattage mode as it is more battery-friendly as well as offering a more efficient flow of power.

When vaping in wattage mode, you’ll be able to see the voltage level at the same time (these box mods are clever!) and most vapers use the voltage indicator as an indicator that they are vaping at the optimum level which is between 3 - 4.5 volts in order to avoid coil burnout, and not vaping at too low a power level which is turn offers poor performance. Vaping over 5v for example is going to seriously affect how long your coils are going to last and increases the risk of a dry hit, and trust us, the taste of burnt cotton coils through your mouthpiece is something you’re going to want to avoid.

Temperature Controls Include a Handy Side Feature

In truth most experienced vapers use the wattage control, moving the levels up and down, keeping half an eye on what the voltage levels are,in order to achieve their perfect vape, using the best coils for their preferred type of vape/wattage. The temperature control can come in handy at times though. For example, using temperature mode (which is effectively wattage mode with a few quirks) you are able to set a max temperature that your device will reach. If you’re someone who is heavy on their e cig and who can sometimes vape at higher temperatures than your coils can take this max temp shut off will stop you reaching the point of no return, namely being in a position where you’re vaping mouthfuls of scorched cotton coil (dry hits are to be avoided).

Getting Started

All that you need to do is to choose the mod that you feel suits you the best i.e. a sub ohm mod for big vape clouds, read the manufacturer guidelines which will be more specific to your own device and go gently and carefully as you get used to the controls and find the way to make them work for you. If you’ve come from a plug and play basic starter kit to a vape mod like these it may take you a few minutes to get your head around things but as with most things, a little learning and a little effort will pay off as you’ll find yourself with a way to completely customise your vape so that it is as individual as you are.