Exploring Vaping Devices: What Is A Mechanical Mod?

September 20, 2024

There are many types of vaping devices on the market, and with so many options available, it can be quite daunting to find the right one that suits all your needs and preferences. Between pod devices, vape pens, disposable vapes, box mods, mechanical mods, and more, there is something for every vaper out there. It all depends on what you want from your experience. Keep reading to find out if mechanical mods are the right choice for you.

Mechanical Mods: Design And Function

Mechanical mods are a category of vaping devices that houses a battery and utilises an attachable atomiser, most often rebuildable drip atomisers (RDAs). You will also find a single fire button on your mechanical mod, usually located on the side or bottom of the device.

Vapers enjoy using mechanical mods for their power and the robust vaping experience they provide. However, they are recommended for more advanced vapers as they are a little more intimidating and complex than regular devices. Mechanical mods can be divided into regulated and unregulated mod categories.

Unregulated Mods

When talking about mechanical mods, people are generally referring to the unregulated variety. These devices are powered by batteries but do not have any circuit boards or chipsets. Therefore, the battery’s power goes directly into producing big and dense clouds of vapour, but also does not have any safety features.

Advantages Of Unregulated Mods

The biggest reason vapers go for unregulated mods is due to the big and dense clouds of vapour they produce.

If you enjoy building your own coils and RDAs, unregulated mods are the perfect choice for you as you can essentially craft your own device components.

Unregulated mods will continue firing no matter the resistance of the coils you are using. Even extremely low sub-ohm vaping can be suitable with an unregulated mod.

These mods are very easy to operate as you do not need to change any settings. Simply use the fire button and vape away.

Disadvantages Of Unregulated Mods

Unregulated mods are still complex in their own way as you need to understand how they operate. You will need a good understanding of battery safety and Ohm’s law in order to properly and safely operate an unregulated mod.

It is quite easy to burn your coils with unregulated mods as your device cannot read the resistance of your coils and you cannot control the wattage settings.

There is the possibility that your atomiser can draw unsafe currents from the battery and start to vaporise the metal in the coil.

Since there is no cut-off time (most devices stop drawing at 10 seconds for safety purposes), your mod will keep firing as long as you hold in the fire button, which means that the thermal runway could become a problem.

Regulated Mods

Regulated mods are much more common on the market, are a generally safer option, and are more suitable for beginners. Other vaping devices (pod systems, disposables, box mods, etc.) are also regulated devices. This means that they contain a chipset or central circuit board for regulation.

Advantages Of Regulated Mods

Regulated mods contain built-in safety features that provide vapers with a safer and more customisable vaping experience.

With a built-in circuit board, regulated mods keep your device from getting too hot and will cut off the current at the 10-second mark so vapers do not need to worry about thermal runway issues.

These types of mods allow you to choose wattage settings and also provide other customisable setting options.

Most new regulated mod models come with an LED screen that can be used to monitor battery consumption, coil resistance, wattage levels, and more.

Disadvantages Of Regulated Mods

These devices can take some time to get the hang of due to the wide array of adjustable settings and different components.

Regulated mods are more expensive due to their additional components and features.

What To Consider When Using A Mechanical (Unregulated) Mod

Mechanical mods are a matter of personal preference, and many vapers will not recommend going for a device that falls into this category. These devices are best left to advanced vapers who have a very good understanding of how they work, including Ohm’s law and battery safety. Here are a few things to consider when using a mechanical mod:

Using the correct batteries is crucial, so make sure you do your research on what type of batteries your device needs.

Buy a battery charger so that you know exactly when to stop charging the batteries since overcharged batteries can be a danger to your vaping experience.

Check the resistance of your atomiser and make sure that it is compatible with your device.

Make sure that you store your device safely so that it does not misfire accidentally. Keep it locked or remove the atomiser when storing it in case it accidentally starts misfiring.

As always, quality is extremely important. Do your research and rather pay a little extra for a high-end mod so the safety of the device is not compromised. The best option would be to go for reputable brands that are popular on the market.

Unless you are committed to learning all the technicalities attached to unregulated mods, regulated mods are a very good starting point and provide a versatile vaping experience. They are much more user-friendly and a little easier to find. It is also easier to customise your vaping experience when you can visualise the settings instead of having to study and fully understand exactly how to do so blindly with an unregulated mod.

If you are looking for some top-tier regulated mod options, have a look at Vaperite’s best picks:

If you do end up going for a mechanical mod, you will need to practise regular maintenance, such as battery safety checks and coil building. You should also make sure that you familiarise yourself with safety and Ohm’s law to make your cloud chasing experience as safe and enjoyable as possible.