FAQ: I want more power and battery life than my 510. What PV should I get?

“PV” is a misleading term in this context. What delivers the attributes that you (and most vapers) are looking for is a combination of: atomizer model, atomizer resistance, battery mAh, battery voltage, and e-liquid (its nicotine level, PG/VG balance, flavor, and how the mixer puts it all together).

• I’m going to pass on getting into e-liquid here (but see this FAQ answer).

• Atomizer model preference varies from vaper to vaper. The most popular is the one you’ve been using, the 510. Its vapor production is extraordinary. The compatible Joye 306 (atty, not tiny battery) is becoming increasingly popular. The DSE901 is the “tried and true” (and one of the two most common mod fittings). And Kr8 cartomizers continue to be popular. My favorite is the penstyle (e.g., DSE801 or Joye 302): I get much more TH and better flavor from it than any other atty. [NOTE: I’ve never tried the 306.] And some vapers like the M401 or RN4081, although there are few mods designed for them.

• Today’s PV batteries range in recharge frequency from 90 mAh (puff-recharge-puff-recharge) of the smallest super-minis to 4000 mAh of the largest capacity mods (e.g., the Tekk).

• Atomizer resistance (measured in ohms) and battery voltage go hand in hand: equally important in creating the power (i.e., intensity) of the vape (e.g., TH and vapor), measured in watts. The formula is:

Watts = Volts X Volts / Ohms

I’ve attempted to summarize (in a manner accessible to non-techies like me 😉 ) how this works here (bottom half of page), elaborating on it in this FAQ answer. Basically, to increase the intensity of the vape: increase battery voltage (e.g., 5V) or decrease atomizer resistance (e.g., LR attys); not both.

Putting the hardware aspects of all this (i.e., other than e-liquid) together, my suggestion is:

1. Try out the various models of atomizer (e.g., 306, 801, Kr8 cartomizer) in addition to the 510 you already know. You might also want to check out other attys, like the M401 and RN4081 … and 510 cartomizers. [You can try out the 306 and 510 cartomizers even using your current 510 battery. The others would require an inexpensive adapter (e.g., from GoodProphets or MadVapes) … I think the 801 and Kr8 need a higher voltage battery than the 510’s 3.4V.]

2. Think about what level of mAh you really want: 650 (the eGO), 750 (the Riva or most of the mods using stacked 3.0 batts), 900 (the Mega eGO or 14500-based mods), 1300 (the Hello 016), ~2500 (the 18650-based mods), or 4000 (two 18650s in parallel).

3. If 750 mAh is enough for you, then you can go with an HV (high-voltage) mod or variable voltage mod (e.g., Buzz, Joker AV, Big Brother) as the way to increase the intensity of the vape. [IMO, now that variable voltage mods are available, I don’t see the point of fixed 5V, 6V, 7.4V mods, other than perhaps form factor. The odds are pretty good that a vaper will prefer, for example, 4.8V or 5.3V to any fixed voltage.]

4. If you want more mAh than that and/or would prefer the smaller form factor of the “Fat Batts” (e.g., eGO/Tornado, Riva, Hello 016), then you will need to rely on LR attys to increase vape intensity. LR atomizers (801 or 510) are available at 1.5 ohms, 2.0 ohms, and 2.5 ohms. [NOTE: 2.5 is “low” for the 3.5 ohm 801, but not for the 2.3 ohm 510.] There also is a 1.5 ohm 306 and 2.0 ohm 901.

5. Then go search out the PVs that fit the bill in eGOs and Rivas, Hellos, Oh My! and our Mods Buyers Guide and/or on ViZi’s outstanding database of mods (including fat batts) and the relevant atomizers (e.g., including the 2.0s and 2.5s at IkenVape).

FYI: My favorite PV at the moment is the semi-LR (unspecified ohm) EastMall 801 or 2.5 ohm 801 atomizer with adapter on a true 3.7V battery (either the Kr8 or a good 3.7V mod). When I can put together $135, I want to put those attys on the Ali’i (one of the 18650-based juice-fed box mods). Of course, if I get a variable voltage Little Sister, I can use my formerly-beloved Joye 302 attys again. 😀