MECH, SEMI MECH, REGULATED, AND TC

Firstly, thanks to FT forum stalwart Defmunkey for inspiring this document, as h

is clear illustration in a thread was definitely what nudged me into penning a d
escription of the main forms of vaping mod. Sometimes we forget that new people
join we vapers each day, and breaking down the jargon and technicalities can be
invaluable if they're going to buy wisely, and vape safely.
Currently, most 'mods' (the part of your rig which contains the batteries and co
ntrols how and when the atty fires) fall into one of four categories. All have t
heir own benefits and foibles; fans and detractors - but understanding what make
s them different is important if you wish to get the best from your vape. We sha
ll cover each in the following sections.

MECHANICAL MOD - OR 'MECH'

Mods are thus called because before the industry existed, people 'modified' torc
hes (usually using an 18650 battery), to be able to fire an atomiser. This meant
more power, and more battery life. If we exclude modern high tech multimode tor
ches, and just think about a classic old fashioned metal tube with a bulb, then
the system used doesn't differ a great deal from that employed in our mech mods.
Rather than the sort of switch associated with electronics, a mech uses a purel
y mechanical unit. A traditional torch usually has a sliding or press button, wh
ich bridges a gap between two contacts, thus completing the circuit. The only di
fference is that with the exception of torches with a signaling feature, the swi
tch on a mech is 'momentary' meaning that it only remains on whilst being presse
d.
There is some argument that pretty much any switch - including the sort you'd wi
re into the dash of your car to maybe operate an accessory like spotlights - is
mechanical, but in vape terms we are talking something that's so simple that it'
s borderline agricultural in concept. If you follow the link at the bottom of th
is section, you will see the unsurprisingly simple button used in the SMPL mech
mod, and you can see that we are talking about two pieces of metal forced apart
by repelling magnets (springs are also used in many mechs). When you press the b
utton, the contact touches the base of the battery, and completes the circuit wi
th the entire body of the mod becoming the negative. The benefit of this system
is that unlike wired buttons, there is pretty much no limit to how much current
the switch can handle, due to the shear mass of the contacts. A wired switch is
limitted by the internal design, and many seemingly beefy anti vandal buttons wi
ll literally melt if used with a very low ohm build. Not that they can't be made
to work, but we will cover that in the section about semi-mechs.
Mechanical buttons used to be associated exclusively with tube mods, with the DI
Y nature of box mods necessitating off the shelf components. As professional man
ufacturers have realised the benefit of a simple and resilient design, we are se
eing many dual 18650 box mods hitting the market with fully mechanical buttons,
such as the Abaddon, Incubus, Dimitri, Castigator, Dos Equis, Kato box, Cherry b
omber, and many more. All of those have no limitations based on their performanc
e other than your build and the batteries you are using.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/kttpygubwhnenuq/MECH%20MOD%20SWITCH.jpg?dl=0

SEMI-MECH, OR UNREGULATED MOD

Semi mechanical is a bit of a fudge to apply a catagory to mods which aren't reg
ulated (more of that later), but don't have an exclusively mechanical constructi
on. Some people say that having wires automatically disqualifies a mod from bein
g considered mechanical, though the more accurate statement would be that preman
ufactured self contained switches are the tipping point, as there have been mech
anical mods such as the Kato Hammer and Smok pipe, which included wires in their
circuit.
Back when DIY 'custom' box mods could throw an anti vandal switch, a 510 connect
or, battery sled, and about three pounds of hot glue in a Hammond project box, a
nd charge $300 for it; people often sold them as mechs, purely because there was
no chip included to vary the voltage or wattage supplied to the atomiser. Fortu
nately those days are largely gone, and big manufacturers in china have begun se
lling brilliant little boxes for $20-30, which have pretty much taken over that
slice of the market, including their habit of referring to them as mechs. In rea
lity, these often now come with an array of added features such as voltmeters, a
nd even small aspects of regulation such as limits to the lowest resistance the
mod will fire. A good example is the Dovpo 200, which is often sold as a mech, b
ut also prevents you firing under a 0.2ohm coil - a mistake in my opinion, but t
hat's another story. Regardless, it's a natty little mod, and can be picked up f
or twenty bucks. If you follow the link at the bottom of this section, you'll se
e an example of what we consider a 'semi mech' or 'unregulated' mod.
Another component often found in these semi mech mods, is a MOSFET (metal oxide
semiconductor field-effect transistor), which allows even the most weedy of swit
ches to handle huge loads. Essentially a MOSFET is a relay which carries the loa
d, and opens or closes the circuit in response to an input from a switch. As the
supply current is not running through the switch, then there are no constraints
on what rating of switch you use. This allows svelte and sexy little buttons in
stead of huge anti vandal or horn switches, which used to be the norm back in th
e days of overpriced DIY Hammond boxes. Hence why pretty much the first question
asked about a new FT listing of a box mod will be "duz it haf a MOSFET, or wot?
" OK, not everyone who posts has such a poor grasp of English, but.....well....i
f it's largely true, then it can't be prejudice, right?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/teyjj7w8v35bdsa/SEMI%20MECH%20MOD.jpg?dl=0

REGULATED
This catagory covers any device which permits you to adjust your voltage, wattag
e, and increasingly the temperature (which I'm including under it's own heading)
. Basically, if it has buttons/a potentiometer and often a screen, then it's som
e sort of regulated mod. Simpler examples such as the Hexom and Duke have a pote
ntiometer linked to a voltage controller, which means you can chose between a ra
nge of different output voltage. Such devices may or may not have a screen, but
if they do, it will usually be a generic LED display, which will read out the vo
ltage.
The next step up from that are the more complex mods, which are effectively tiny
computers capable of collecting data from your battery and coil, and calculatin
g suitable limits to what you can and can't do. They also often include sensors
which monitor the internal heat of the mod, the charge state of your batteries,
and whether you inserted them the right way round. These are handy safety featur
es designed to protect you and your device. There are ranges of complexity, and
some now even feature full colour cellphone sized screens, which supply you with
reams of data, and the ability to adjust wattage, voltage, duration of draw, an
d even set a screen saver. The manufacture of chips for this purpose is an indus
try in its own right, and one currently lead by the American Evolv, and Chinese
Yihi. Other manufacturers do exist, and some mod makers use their own proprietar
y technology. However, most vapers acknowledge that those two companies are the
current state of the art, though personally I see Yihi as the superior product.
Statements like that can cause week long threads on forums, just like Ford versu
s GM. The link below will take you to an image of the GI2 mod, with its notoriou
sly huge and gadgety screen. Displays like this are not the norm, but more are b
eginning to crop up. Usually you will expect to a see a far smaller single colou
r OLED screen.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jwgl48vy5e5y334/REGULATED%20MOD.jpg?dl=0

TEMPERATURE CONTROL
This is really an extension of regulated mods, but whilst all TC mods are regula
ted, not all regulated mods are TC - hence the seperate catagory. In essence th
ey can do exactly the same as any other regulated mod, but also have a secondary
mode which requires a specific kind of wire for your coil, such as nickel or ti
tanium. Because the resistivity of these elements change when heat is applied to
it, they make an excellent thermostat right in your atty. This means that in ad
dition to voltage and wattage, you can specify a maximum operating temperature.
This parameter means that you can set the temperature to below the char point of
wet cotton, and significantly reduce the chance of a burnt cotton taste in your
vape. You will also find that TC allows you to tweak your vape to suit differen
t juices, and even highlight certain notes in the flavour profile. The link belo
w is to a photo of the Yihi SX Mini, which is widely regarded as the cat's meow
in terms of TC mods. Notice the screen giving readouts of voltage, joules (effe
ctively watts), temperature, resistance, total output of battery, battery level,
and 'powerful', which is one of four additional sub settings available on the d
evice.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0eum2rlhaub5cxh/TC%20MOD.jpg?dl=0

CONCLUSIONS
All of the above have their place in vape, and each has it's loyal factions. How
ever, don't become 'that guy' who decides that mechs are outdated, or that TC is
a fragile gimmick. Try them all, and use what you like - just don't expect ever
yone else to agree with you. There are certain harsh truths in all the pro and c
on arguments, such as the fact that you have to work really damned hard to break
a mech, and fully regulated mods can and do fail just like any other electronic
device. Whilst that latter argument was very relevant when even a clone 20W Han
a cost $100, a decent TC mod capable of 100W+ can now be had for half that, and
virtually be considered disposable. What's more, the industry is still in its ea
rly days, and the next innovation (or gimmick) is always just around the corner.

Vapers are also notorious mod whores, who accumulate vast collections of differe
nt devices, largely thanks to the ridiculously low clone prices from sellers lik
e Fast Tech. If you want to buy one mod, and use that for the rest of your life,
then buy a mech. However, vape tends to replace one addiction with another, and
the daily avalanche of shiny tubes, glowing screens, and sexy looking atomisers
, means that you will most likely end up with a bit of collection. Buy what make
s you happy, and use them often - if one breaks, then buy a new one. If you're u
sing rebuildable atomisers rather than buying coil heads, and making your own DI
Y ejuice, then vaping is a very cheap activity compared to smoking. If you spend
$40 on a regulated mod that only lasts a year, then ask how many packets of cig
arettes that would have bought you. Buy what you like, and ignore anyone who tel
ls you otherwise. Oh, but if you buy a Maraxus, you're dead to me ;-)