Please help! Kangertech Topbox Mini - how to adjust wattage in temp mode?!

[bella_19]

Hi, I've been scouring the internet for days looking for an answer for this, but no luck. I recently purchased the Kangertech Topbox Mini. I'm using the 0.15 ohms Ni200 coil, which apparently you should only use in temperature control mode.

To put it in temp control mode, I'm pressing the fire button three times and choosing the 'Ni' option. However, I can then only adjust the temperature and not the wattage, which appears on the screen as 75watts. From what I've read online - and, indeed, from the instructions which came with the device - this is too high. It's recommended to only vape with this coil between 20-45w.

I've also found that I get no vape at all when using a low temperature, such as 200 degrees C, in temp mode - but when I up the temperature, I get a burnt taste and sometimes the battery flashes (depsite charge) or rapidly depletes. Although I am also having battery issues in power mode. I'm currently vaping this coil using the only mode where I can change the wattage, at 20w, and am finding the device gets very hot and the battery only lasts a few hours (although this could be due to over-vaping!). I'm using a 18650 battery, as recommended in the instructions.

I'm utterly confused as to which setting to use for this coil and why all the advice is to vape in temperature control mode when you cannot change the wattage on this device? If Kanger recommend vaping this coil between 20-45w, then I don't even see how using temp control mode with it is possible?

Any advice would be massively appreciated! Thanks in advance

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Can you contact the vendor where you purchased this from and ask them. It could be this device isn't working correctly.
Hopefully you have another device to use while trying to sort this one out.
If this one is defective, ask the vendor if you can return for a refund or replacement.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Also, what battery are you using? Does it have at least 20-30 amp ouput?

 

[dcfluegel]

howdy! and welcome!

for some tc mods, you don't adjust wattage at all in tc mode, just the temp... not sure if the kbox mini tc75 is that way, but possible... might be worth checking a vid (maybe Phil Busardo's here?)

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

She needs to check her battery. Says its getting hot. NOT good.

 

[dcfluegel]

She needs to check her battery. Says its getting hot. NOT good.

understood - and she is using a Ni coil in wattage mode (which you should not do PERIOD, as I understand it - Ni is NOT a coil that can/ should be used in anything but TC mode) - and that may very well be the reason the battery is getting hot...

to your point, however, knowing the type of battery would be a huge plus - OP, any chance you could post a pic of the battery?

 

[dcfluegel]

just tested an Ni coil in my kbox 200 - it is showing '200w' and i have it set on 450' - i believe it is just showing max wattage capability there, not wattage it is firing - at 450', giving a very nice vape (and 200w would blow my ears off)

i would recommend putting it in TC mode for Ni coil, set temp at 350-375 and work up from there to find your 'sweet spot'...

BUT, before that, what kind of battery do you have in the mod?

 

[Troll from behind]

First of all, lose Kanger temperature coils, neither the coils nor the mod are really suited for TC-vaping.
Secondly the mod DOES get hot if you vape nickle coils while on VW-mod (the one that lets you adjust watts).
With most of cheap TC-devices you DON'T get to adjust watts while in TC which SHOULDN'T be an issue if the mod and coils would do what they are said to do.
My recomendation for you is to get kanthal or stainless steel coils and vape in VW-mode.

 

[bella_19]

Thanks all for your replies! Much appreciated. I'm using the 18650 battery (
Efest 2500mAh IMR 18650 BATTERY - 35AMP BATTERY)
, as recommended with the Kangertech mini instructions. So I have been vaping it on the power mode where I can adjust the wattage as was confused that the temp mode shows 75w on the screen all the time (which seems way too high) and I can't adjust this down, only the temperature.
I've also noticed that when I vape this coil on temp mode, I get a strong first hit then every subsequent hit is much weaker (so I push the temperature up). After doing this, I find the battery symbol flashes empty, even though the device has charge. From reading forums online, I'm guessing this is due to a problem with the coil. This is driving me a bit mad...
So, to summarise - I should be vaping the 0.15 Ni 200 coil in TC mode, selecting the 'Ni' setting on my Kangertech? And definitely not the power mode, where I can smoke it at 20 watts (which seems to give a more consistent vape although I understand I'm probably wrecking my coil!).
And I've been vaping at between 240-300 degrees C, although this often seems to make the battery give out. I never knew vaping could be so complicated!
Thanks again
Bella

 

[dcfluegel]

Thanks all for your replies! Much appreciated. I'm using the 18650 battery (
Efest 2500mAh IMR 18650 BATTERY - 35AMP BATTERY)
, as recommended with the Kangertech mini instructions. So I have been vaping it on the power mode where I can adjust the wattage as was confused that the temp mode shows 75w on the screen all the time (which seems way too high) and I can't adjust this down, only the temperature.
I've also noticed that when I vape this coil on temp mode, I get a strong first hit then every subsequent hit is much weaker (so I push the temperature up). After doing this, I find the battery symbol flashes empty, even though the device has charge. From reading forums online, I'm guessing this is due to a problem with the coil. This is driving me a bit mad...
So, to summarise - I should be vaping the 0.15 Ni 200 coil in TC mode, selecting the 'Ni' setting on my Kangertech? And definitely not the power mode, where I can smoke it at 20 watts (which seems to give a more consistent vape although I understand I'm probably wrecking my coil!).
And I've been vaping at between 240-300 degrees C, although this often seems to make the battery give out. I never knew vaping could be so complicated!
Thanks again
Bella

okay, so quick rundown...
the efest is an okay battery, but not a good one - it is not actually a 35amp battery (there are no true 35amp continuous discharge 18650's - that is an 'overstatement' and actually a pulse rating - short version, for that mod a samsung 25r (2500mah) or lg hg2 (3000mah) would be a better battery)

you are correct, you should ONLY vape that coil in TC mode, period - and it's not so much about wrecking your coil as it is a safety issue

the reason you get a strong first hit and subsequent weaker ones in TC is that when the coil hits the temp you have set, it starts cutting power out to stay at that temp

ideally, you should be able to set temp higher and get consistently better vape (400-450') - if the battery icon is flashing, it may be a bad battery issue - especially if it is getting warm/ hot

first suggestion would be to try a different battery (samsung 25r (samsung 30q also good), lg hg2)

 

[sawlight]

Hi, welcome to the forum! I'll try to help explain some things to you on TC. Yes, on the better mods you can adjust wattage on TC, but it's just a ramp up setting, it's not the true wattage you will be vaping at. It's how many watts it's going to throw at the coil to heat it up. Meaning you set it at 11 watts and 400 deg, it's going to take 11 watts as max power to heat the coil, so it's going to take a while. Where as 75 watts it's going to heat the coil with max power then let it cool down.
I'd turn the heat up to around 425 deg, let it warm up, then vape off it, this may let it cool down a little.
Not sure on your mod, but mine displays "Temp control" on the read out when it's letting the coil cool down, that might be what the flashing battery light is about. Again, try turning up the heat some, 200-300 is way too cool. 350 is a pretty cool vape even, when using SS I like 375-425, I haven't tried Ni yet.
Is the whole mod getting hot, or just the top where the atomizer is? If it's just the atomizer, this is normal. If it's the entire mod, then you have a battery problem, as the others have said, that battery is over rated.
I hope this helps demystify some things for you.

 

[bella_19]

Thank you both very much for your replies. I've just ordered the Samsung 25r battery as this one seems pretty crap! The whole device warms up and when I push up the temp from 200, the battery just starts blinking and I can't vape I've also noticed it runs out very quickly - in less than a day, I need to charge it again. How long do your batteries tend to last?

Do you think this coil is still ok to vape on in TC mode even though I've been using it in power mode, at 20w? I'm so confused as to why Kangertech specify in the instructions that this 0.15 Ni coil should be vaped between 20-45w, but then there's no option to change the wattage at all in TC mode. But as long as it's not actually operating on 75w, as the screen would suggest, then I guess that's ok...

Thanks again

 

[BrotherBob]

Welcome and glad you joined.
Might like to read:
Tank type atomizers... For new vapists - how they work | E-Cigarette Forum
Beginner | Guide To Vaping
ECigarette Academy: Essential Need to Know for New Vapers
One Stop Reference Shop For New and Experienced Vapers
The Vapers Table
(10) Advancing Up the Vaping Ladder with Egos and Mods | E-Cigarette Forum
(4) Good Starter Setups for a Beginning Vapor | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[iBloke]

I also have a brand new topbox mini and am using the Ni coil that was preinstalled.
I have it set in temp mode at 185 Celsius, which is obviously different to the Fahrenheit temps the posters above mention. (185C = 365F)

The 75w display changes as soon as you push the fire button and displays the wattage being supplied which on my unit bounces around in the mid to high 20w region.

 

[bella_19]

Thanks for your reply. I've tried at 185 and can't taste anything! So I usually vape it at 230 but this seems to cut the battery out, grrr...
Also, do you mean that your wattage display changes? Mine is consistently at 75w on the screen - it never goes up or down. Should it be changing?
Thanks

 

[iBloke]

230C is 446F which is pretty high. The vapour from mine is uncomfortably hot over 200C (392F)

And yes the wattage jumps around a bit when I fire button in temp mode

 

[bella_19]

Thanks iBloke; I'll try vaping in that temp range. I did notice my device was getting hot and the battery keeps cutting out/ blinking when I take it over 200C (does this happen to you?) which I assume is because the temp is too high.
I think the numbers do jump when I press the fire button, but the screen consistently shows 75w.
Can I ask which mg you are smoking with? Mine's 18mg, which usually tastes quite strong but I'm finding it a bit weak at lower temps...
thanks

 

[Just Want To Quit]

I'm utterly confused as to which setting to use for this coil and why all the advice is to vape in temperature control mode when you cannot change the wattage on this device? If Kanger recommend vaping this coil between 20-45w, then I don't even see how using temp control mode with it is possible?

Any advice would be massively appreciated! Thanks in advance

Don't believe that little blue card! Kanger has a history of contradicting information! I have no idea why Kanger would even state this since with this mod...You cannot adjust wattage in TC.

Whatever you do please disregard what that blue card says about the NI200 coil! Do not under any circumstances even think of running that in Power mode just because Kanger doesn't know how to put out information properly.

I have no problem with not being able to set the watts in temp mode. I'll be messing with that when my RX200s arrives next week!

 

[iBloke]

Thanks iBloke; I'll try vaping in that temp range. I did notice my device was getting hot and the battery keeps cutting out/ blinking when I take it over 200C (does this happen to you?) which I assume is because the temp is too high.
I think the numbers do jump when I press the fire button, but the screen consistently shows 75w.
Can I ask which mg you are smoking with? Mine's 18mg, which usually tastes quite strong but I'm finding it a bit weak at lower temps...
thanks

Mine doesn't get hot, and I even tried it with the temp raised to 220C but all that happened was the vapour got too harsh and overly warm.

I live in Australia and we can't buy juice premixed with nicotine down here so I imported some from New Zealand.
I mix it at around 18mg and get a nice comfy throat hit.

I'm starting to think you may have a slightly dodgy unit

I'd like to mention that before filling it with ejuice for the first time I checked the coil and found it to not be screwed in firmly.
I don't know what kind of problems that could have caused except for maybe a bit of juice leakage.
It might pay to check the tightness of yours to, but make sure your juice level is lower than about half full or it could flood down the air tube when you unscrew the base.

I'm a vape newbie and really don't have much knowledge yet so please take my advice with that in mind.

I hope you get it sorted quickly so you can just enjoy what I think is a fantastic little vape machine.

Cheers
Phil

 

[iBloke]

I've changed the juice to a different flavour and have needed to bump the temp up to 245C (473F) to get a nice warm tasty vape, so there is obviously quite a bit of difference in temp requirements between juice type and flavour.

I'm using an LG HG2 3000mAh which only gets a tiny bit warm if I chain vape for a few minutes.

I'm still learning though