Box Mods 101

Old school regulated box mods came in two forms: variable voltage and variable wattage. Both types are usually confused as the same, but there are differences. Before explaining the differences between the two, it’s important to understand how watts (or power), volts, current (or amps), and resistances (or ohms) interact.
There are formulas to determine each variable – known as Ohm’s Law – and they are:
- Voltage (V) = Current (I) x Resistance (R)
or
- Power (P) = Voltage (V) x Current (I)
While you can calculate manually for each, there are Ohm’s law calculators you can use online to make things easier for you. That being said, determining your sweet spot means knowing how many watts your preferred vape is. If your perfect vape is achieved by using a 2.2-ohm atomizer at 4.2 volts, the power you’re getting is equal to 8 watts.
When using a variable voltage device with a 2.2-ohm atomizer, simply adjust the voltage to 4.2 volts to achieve your sweet spot. To achieve the same 8 watts with a 1.4-ohm atomizer, the voltage needs to be adjusted down to 3.3 volts.
Things are simpler for variable wattage. Using the above example, if your sweet spot is at 8 watts, you simply adjust the wattage of the device to 8 watts and the mod will adjust voltage accordingly. It doesn’t matter if you use a 2.5 ohm or a 0.5-ohm atomizer. Once wattage has been set, you’ll get your perfect vape every time. Based on these facts, variable wattage devices are true “set it and forget it” vapes.
Regulated Box Mods Vs. Mech Mods
Box vape mods are now more often preferred over mechanical mods. Many variable wattage mods can match the power outputs of other, more capable, mechanical mods that are on the market today. This preference over mechanical mods is because box mods are easier to use and maintain and are built with various safety features, such as short circuit protection, reverse battery protection, thermal protection, and automatic cutoffs, which prevent accidental fires inside the pocket or purse.
Even though box mods are safer than mechanical mods, they still need to be handled with care. All the reports of exploding mods are either because they were mechanical mods with no circuitry or there was damage to the battery due to mishandling.
Now, if you looked at our vape mod reviews above, you may have noticed that we mentioned several of them offer a “bypass” mode. Bypass mode will make a box mod work like a mech mod. Drippers will have an option to use the best box mods as a mech if they so wish. For most vapers, we recommend taking advantage of the precision control of today’s top-rated vape mods.
Box Mod Batteries
There are several types of batteries used in box mods. The various sizes are 18650, the most common by far, 20600, 20700, or 21700. The most common vape batteries you will see sold in stores are:
- Lithium IMR or Li-Mn
- IMR/Hybrid
- Protected ICR Li-Ion
There is also another – LiPo batteries – but these are used as internal batteries. These are not safe chemistry, and protection depends on the circuitry of the mod. One might hear this name thrown about in vaping circles, but since these are not used as removable batteries, this type will not be discussed in-depth.
Lithium IMR and IMR/Hybrid batteries are safe chemistry, and these are recommended for use with mods. While Protected ICR Li-Ion batteries can still be found, these are not recommended and are considered obsolete.
Both types of IMR batteries are “high drain”, and while also called “unprotected,” they are also “safe chemistry” meaning they will not explode or light up under stress. Instead, they vent gas. These make them the most popular types of batteries vapers use for their mods. However, Lithium IMR types have a lesser capacity compared to ICR batteries. However, IMRs work best when the maximum load current is required.
For the curious, a short article on how lithium-ion batteries work can be read here.
The IMR/Hybrid batteries, on the other hand, have the same safe chemistry make up as Lithium IMRs but with more capacity. It is the newest type and the one most recommended by users. It renders obsolete both the ICR Protected and Lithium IMR batteries in one fell swoop. Some e-cig manufacturers (like MigVapor) sell special e-cig batteries that are ready to be connected to the vape tank of your choice.
Jon Taylor
October 1, 2017 at 10:54 pmCan I get a little help here?
I use nothing but 510 cartridges with some thin oils but mostly thick.
A buddy showed me his davinci 3 with temperature control over the course of one hit. The idea is to maximize the entourage effect.
Can anyone point me to a comparable box of mini box mod out there?
Thanks
Ant
October 11, 2017 at 10:13 amNo sigelei???!
Lfcshauny
May 8, 2018 at 1:41 amSigelei laisimo f4 with the steamcrave titan 28ml tank, Best I’ve bought it’s amazing
Layton Petersen
October 22, 2017 at 10:08 pmThe more u know the better !
mechanical mods
December 8, 2017 at 12:13 amhey great post, has helped me decide on a box mod
Travis Theobald
March 1, 2018 at 10:00 pmI bought a GeekVape Aegis 100 Watt in October of 2017. It got knocked off of my kitchen table once and the screws that hold the silver plate where the connection to the tank is stripped and it hasn’t functioned properly since. That was about 2 weeks after I bought it. It was sold to me by Jayde’s Vapor Lounge in Muscatine, Iowa as being very durable. It wasn’t. The Uwell Crown 3 tank I bought was not damaged, but the “durable” GeekVape Aegis 100 Watt mod couldn’t even take a 3 foot drop on to linoleum. I bought it because I thought it would be durable enough to use at the mill I work in, but my eleaf iStick 100 mod has lasted about 3 years with no trouble and has been dropped on concrete from multiple heights and is still working fine. Maybe I just got a defective one, but Jayde’s Vapor Lounge wouldn’t swap it out or help me locate new screws. For as much money as I spend on that thing I can’t express enough how irritated I was and continue to be by that purchase. My cousin has the exact same mod and his has taken a lot of abuse and is still fine. I want a durable mod but I think this one isn’t as durable as it is being portrayed.
Mark Callo Batalla
May 1, 2018 at 11:33 amThat’s totally unlucky for you dude. I got my second aegis for almost 6 months now. My first one got knocked off from a second floor veranda hitting a solid concrete floor. Broke the side plates and the atomizer but the mod worked like brand new. If only it wasn’t stolen i would still be using the thing.
Warren G
May 5, 2018 at 5:52 amSummary: I dropped my vape on the ground and it broke and it was my fault and im mad about it.
Rooster Cogburn
June 16, 2018 at 10:58 pmIt may be too late now but call geekvape. Your local B&M not replacing it is total B.S. I would never spent another dime there and let them know why. I’ve seen the Aegis stand up too incredible abuse but maybe your hit just right. 1 in a million type thing. But it sounds like yours was defective. Geekvape will make it right I bet. Good luck to you
Jack
June 30, 2018 at 4:20 amYou have a durable mod its the eleaf,you had it all this time and did not realise.
Mike Scaletta
July 1, 2018 at 7:56 pmI have the new aegis legend although it’s not the 100 but it’s pretty much the same thing as yours but bigger. But I’ve dropped it many times and the only thing that broke was the glass of the tank. It’s taken some incredible abuse. And my wife has the same one as you and it’s had more than it’s share of drops the most recent was when she left it on the hood of her Denali suv and it fell off the hood as she pulled out of the garage and was fine given some scratches. I think yours might be defective as you suggested. I would contact the company and regarding your vape store.. Never do business with them ever again except leave a bad review with a explanation.
jamesvam
March 25, 2018 at 8:30 pmWhats up very nice blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I’ll bookmark your website and take the feeds also…I am satisfied to find a lot of helpful information right here within the submit, we’d like work out extra strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
Dokie
May 11, 2018 at 1:20 pmOMNI chipset is proven 95% accurate
On voopoo drag section… Should be genie chipset
Allysun
May 21, 2018 at 9:10 amI purchased Smok procolour and have had only 2mths. Problem…….leaking into battery compartment. Wonder if the person in USA who died from exploding batteries while vaping might of had the same issue. Either way it is faulty as you should never have this kind of issue. Smoke engineers need to do much, much better. Also battery compartment opening latch very flimsy plus flip opening to refill ejuice. Retailer says I have to pay to send it back…ummm!! Its very expensive to set up and maintain all involved in vaping …so research very carefully, people. Having said all that I instantly never smoked another cigarette which is excellent…..but have all the issues of buying ALL the myrid of stuff you need to maintain vaping.
Diego
May 26, 2018 at 12:25 pmWhat about vboy 200w. The same tecnólogy of gx mini and very best price. The best for my.
Brandon Staggs
June 12, 2018 at 1:05 pmHow much is a g-priv2 worth
Rooster Cogburn
June 16, 2018 at 10:53 pmIn best overall box mod you have 3 Smok mods and 2 Halo. I’ve been vaping for 5+ years and I’ve never even heard of Halo and I’ve had enough Smok mods (2) to know their mission is to pump out as many garbage mods they can to maximize profits. I’m sorry but having a list like this destroys all your credibility. I hope this comment gets posted and stays up because new vapers need to know to avoid the mods on your best of list. Want a good mod? Buy a Smoant, Voopoo, Vaporesso, or Tesla. Smoant has not put out a bad mod in the last two years at least, before that I didn’t know about them so…. any of the brands listed make good mods. Hopefully you were able to read this to save yourself money. Smok makes decent tanks but their mods are hit or miss with tons of misses and customer service is a joke. Good luck to all you future vapers on quitting the cigs. On a side note, don’t buy super expensive stuff because the industry moves so fast, a year on and your gear is obsolete sometimes.
Larrissa Perez
July 3, 2018 at 7:50 amI bought a smok mag and spent $85 on it. I had it for a month and I never dropped it but when I went to change me coil and juice I took the tank off and the little piece that connects the tank to the mod just fell out. I WILL NEVER BUY A SMOK AGAIN
Vincent A Bulgarino
August 8, 2018 at 4:17 pmAlien 220W JUNK
BCB
September 26, 2018 at 3:12 pmWoah, great stuff! Thanks so much for getting this all together in one place for new and experienced vapers alike! The only things I see missing are squonk mods. Maybe for the next one 😉
Rachael longobardi
November 3, 2018 at 6:34 pmI am fairly new to vaping, and my lack of knowledge has made it difficult for me to choose devices, so up until now it’s simply been trial and error, I have tried researching online and it is also been a challenge finding a website that is informative as well as easy to navigate through, a lot of websites are written in such a way that u almost need a degree in vaping and it’s lingo to get anything at all helpful from the sites, this site is completely the opposite i could read everything with ease and not only could I read it, I could understand it, so to the website creators, well done u have achieved a bloody good website
James
November 4, 2018 at 3:16 am4 years behind the counter of a vape shop must have me in a different league. I didn’t see dotmod at all, not even Voopoo Drag or and geekvape aegis legend or any Vandy stuff. If you just haven experienced it you need to. It’s impossible to make a list of the best mods without having the dotmod (widely regarded as the best hands down) and the Voopoo Drag (fastest ramp up time of any .025 seconds)
Athena Custa
November 4, 2018 at 2:29 pmAmazing! Its genuinely amazing article, I have got much clear idea about from this paragraph.
John Rouse
November 11, 2018 at 12:16 pmGreat review! I saw you had the gclass listed as the top mood for dual battery and yes I have one they are awesome but I didn’t see the single mod sl class listed that goes up to 100 watts and can use 18650, 20700, and 21700 watt batteries. I’m currently using the carbon fiber one. Would love to see your review on it. My only con would be that it eats batteries for breakfast doesn’t matter what size you put in there and some of the 21700 don’t want to go in but the Samsungs fit perfect.