Mech Mods – Safety First!

Mech mods, or mechanical mods, are beloved by many vapers, but come with their own set of risks. The ability to modify hardware enabled some super-powered, awe-inspiring setups. Mech mods have also caused some carnage. Check out the tips below to get the most out of your mech mod, without putting yourself in harm’s way!

What’s the Difference?

Regulation!

A mech mod is a (generally) simplistic device that completes a simple circuit: battery to conductive material to atomizer. A mech mod is usually a tubular metallic rod that houses a battery, without any regulation to the electrical current. This laissez-faire aspect of mech mods puts the control into the vaper’s hands. For this reason, great power demands great responsibility.

A regulated mod, by contrast, has a chip to keep your device safe. This chip will cut off the flow of electricity if the fire-button is compressed too long, your temperature can be controlled more fluidly, and will keep your mod in a safe electrical realm.

Keep in mind, though, that nothing created by humanity is perfect (except perhaps Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy). Even regulated mods can malfunction, so stay vigilant!

The Dangers:

Mech mods have the potential to hurt vapers, their property, and the public image of vaping in general. No one wants an exploding mod, except maybe the alarmist news media. For your own sake, the sake of your property, and the sake of the vaping community, exercise extreme caution when using a mechanical mod. As mentioned before, with great power comes great responsibility!

Mechling’s Mech Mod Safety Tips:

USE SAFE BATTERIES! Battery safety simply cannot be stressed enough. We’ve touched on this subject pretty extensively in this blog, and for good reason. Use your batteries as directed, keep them in moderate temperatures, avoid getting them wet, and watch for signs of unsafe wear and tear. (Check out our battery safety blog!)

MONITOR THE ELECTRICAL FLOW! It’s important to understand the electrical process of your mechanical mod. If you’re committed to the mech mod life, I’d recommend buying a multimeter, an ohm reader, and a copy of everything Nikola Tesla has ever written. Voltage, ohms, battery output, and signs of electrical shortage should be meticulously scrutinized.

LOCK YOUR FIRING BUTTON, IF POSSIBLE! If you’re like me, you keep too many things in your pockets. This means the fire button gets compressed by mistake (more often than you might think). If your mod has a lock for its firing button, keep the lock engaged whenever you aren’t actively vaping. If your mech mod doesn’t have one, consider getting one installed.

NEVER VAPE A MECHANICAL MOD WITHOUT VENT HOLES! If your mod doesn’t have vents, it may vent. Confusing, I know! When a battery “vents,” it overloads, hisses, releases gas, and combusts. To prevent this disaster, make sure your mod has vent holes. Your battery heats with use, and without proper ventilation, it may overheat and cause you some serious problems.

LEARN AS MUCH ABOUT YOUR MECH MOD AS POSSIBLE! Do you know who manufactured it? Have you read its specs? Have you seen your mech mod in tragic news stories? You should have answers to all of these questions. To minimize danger and anxiety, know the ins and outs of your equipment. Most importantly, know everything that could go wrong with your mod. I’m a staunch adherent to Murphy’s Law, and maybe mech mod vapers should follow suit.

SWITCH TO A REGULATED DEVICE! We get it. You love your mech mod. It’s customizable, durable, simple, rugged… I implore you, at least consider switching to regulated equipment. In terms of minimizing risk, this is your best bet. If you insist on unregulated mods, at least stay vigilant.