Basic Information

A battery is the electrical source that powers your electronic cigarette. Battery power can be measured in 2 different parts, voltage (v) and milliampere-hour (mAh).

A volt is the unit of electromotive force equal to the electromotive force that will cause a current of one ampere to flow through a conductor with a resistance of one ohm. Voltage is the electromotive force express in volts.

An ampere or amp is a unit of electric current equal to the steady current produced by one volt acting through a resistance of one ohm. Ampere-hour is the electric charge transferred by a steady current of one ampere for one hour. A milliampere-hour is 1/1000 of an ampere-hour.

So now that you know the definitions of voltage (v) and milliampere-hour (mAh), how does this information apply to an electronic cigarette?

The voltage is the current and the milliampere-hour is the capacity. The Joye 510 (150mAh), 10440 LiMn High Drain (350mAh), 14500 LiMn High Drain (600mAh), 14500 Protected Li-Ion (750mAh), and 17670 Protected Li-Ion (1600mAh) batteries are all rated as 3.7v batteries. Although they all have the same current (v), they all have different capacities (mAh). The capacity is simply how long they will work before they run out of power and need to be recharged. The higher the mAh number the longer they will last, at least in theory. However, there are certain realities that should be observed because not all 3.7v batteries are created equal. Since the capacity of a battery relates to the battery’s ability to discharge over time, the performance of the electronic cigarette will increase with a higher capacity battery because the battery can maintain a higher current over the duration of time required to fully discharge.

An ohm is a unit of resistance equal to the resistance in a conductor in which one volt of potential difference produces a current of one ampere.

Once again, how does this information apply to an electronic cigarette? Since an atomizer is a resistor that is powered by a battery to heat the e-liquid to a vapor and the resistance is measure in ohms, it’s important to get the correct resistance for the particular battery you use in your electronic cigarette for the performance you desire. Atomizer performance can be considered 2 ways, vapor production and atomizer life.

Joye 510 Low resistance (LR) atomizers measure 1.5-1.7 ohms, standard resistance (SR) atomizers measure 2.2-2.4 ohms, and high resistance (HV5) atomizers measure 4.2 ohms. Standard resistance atomizers work with both 3.7v and 6v battery configurations although low resistance atomizers are better for 3.7v and high resistance atomizers are better for 6v. Standard resistance atomizers are recommended for standard Joye 510 (150mAh) batteries. For 3.7v high capacity batteries (350mAh or higher), low resistance atomizers will produce more vapor but will not last as long. A high capacity 3.7v battery with a low resistance atomizer is a great compromise between vapor production and extended battery life. For maximum vapor production high voltage batteries (6v and higher) are the ultimate. High resistance atomizers will last longer than standard resistance atomizers with high voltage batteries but standard resistance atomizers will produce more vapor. Standard resistance atomizers get very hot when using 6v batteries.

Now the question is do I want 3.7v or high voltage batteries and what resistance do my atomizers need to be? To run high capacity rechargeable batteries you must use a pair of LFP 3.2v batteries in series, commonly referred to as 6 volt. Yes we can add and 3.2 + 3.2 = 6.4 every time on a calculator but the common terminology is 6 volt. They actually measure about 3.35v when fully charged. Actually, 3.7v Li-Ion and LiMn batteries measure about 4.2v when fully charged and decrease in voltage as they discharge. Once they are fully discharged they will measure about 3.6v and should be immediately recharged. Leaving Li-Ion, LiMn, or LFP batteries fully discharged for an extended amount of time will decrease their permanent capacity and life cycle. Now to answer the question, it really depends on what is more important to you, vapor production or battery life and that also depends on the atomizer you’re using. In a comparable battery diameter (14250 to 14500 or RCR123A to 17670), 6v will produce more vapor than 3.7v with a standard resistance atomizer but a 3.7v battery will run longer before it needs to be recharged. Switch to a low resistance atomizer and a 3.7v battery will get your vapor production back up while 6v will burn up a low res atomizer. Only use standard or high resistance atomizers with high voltage batteries.

Batteries

Battery chemistry plays a vital role in battery performance in an electronic cigarette. Certain battery chemistries are inherently capable of discharging at faster rates. All 3 batteries listed below are technically in the Lithium Ion family. For sake of simplicity we refer to the Lithium Cobalt Oxide battery as Li-Ion. To distinguish the difference we refer to Lithium Manganese as LiMn and Lithium Iron Phosphate as LFP.

The Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2 or Li-Ion) 3.7v battery is the most common Li-Ion battery in existence. The protected Li-Ion has a high capacity (mAh) for very long battery life with great vapor production with low resistance atomizers. The protected cells include circuitry that will essentially turn the battery off if the voltage goes too high, too low, if the drain is too high, or the polarity is reversed. Do NOT use unprotected Li-Ion batteries in an electronic cigarette.

The Lithium Manganese (LiMn2O4 or LiMn) 3.7v battery allows higher drain while maintaining more stability than a Li-Ion battery and still provides excellent battery life with great vapor production with low resistance atomizers. LiMn batteries are newer technology and are also less expensive than Protected Li-Ion batteries.

The Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) 3.2v batteries, used in serial pairs, provide high voltage power with amazing vapor production for standard resistance atomizers. They have a faster discharge rate than any other battery available for electronic cigarettes. Compared to Li-Ion or LiMn 3.7v batteries, they are much more stable, virtually incombustable, can be recharged many more times, and have a much longer shelf life. For maximum vapor production, a pair of LFP batteries is the solution.

Recharge all batteries as soon as they fully discharge for maximum battery capacity and life cycle. Do NOT overcharge any of the above mentioned batteries. When recharging, be sure the battery charger is designed for charging these types of batteries and is set on the correct voltage for the battery that’s being charged. Batteries are consumable components that wear out and need to be replaced. Since batteries are a consumable item, and we have no control over how they are used, they only carry a dead on arrival warranty. Please test all batteries when they are received. All rechargeable batteries should be handled and disposed of correctly. For more information on batteries, please visit: http://batteryuniversity.com.

Atomizers

The Joye 510 Atomizer is an enclosed atomizer that can use a drip tip or a cartridge. They are available in low resistance (LR) 1.5-1.7 ohms, standard resistance (SR) 2.2-2.4 ohms, and high resistance (HV5) 4.2 ohms. They are also available in black and stainless.

The Joye 306 Atomizer is an exposed atomizer that requires a drip tip to use. It’s shorter than a 510 atomizer making your e-cig more compact. They are available in low resistance (LR) 1.5-1.7 ohms and standard resistance (SR) 2.2-2.4 ohms. We include a free translucent plastic drip dip with each 306 atomizer.

Alpha Electronic Cigarettes

The Alpha Ultra and UltraMax Electronic Cigarettes can use either 3.7v or high voltage battery configurations, making them extremely versatile. The batteries used in Alpha Electronic Cigarettes are modern high technology batteries that are not proprietary to an electronic cigarette. Although these batteries are available from us at reduced prices, they are also available in most electronic stores so replacing them is both easy and inexpensive compared to proprietary electronic cigarette batteries. The battery switch is incorporated into the Alpha Electronic Cigarette device, not the battery which makes these batteries virtually trouble free. Each Alpha Electronic Cigarette kit comes with an UltraFire WF-188 Multi-Function Battery Charger which charges every type of battery available for the Alpha Electronic Cigarettes.

The simplest way to switch from 3.7v to 6v is to use standard resistance atomizers, although a low resistance atomizer with a 3.7v battery and a standard resistance atomizer with a pair of 3.2v batteries produces maximum vapor for each. A black LR 510 atomizer and a stainless SR or HV5 510 atomizer or a stainless LR 510 atomizer and a black SR or HV5 510 atomizer are an easy way to prevent your atomizers from being used with the wrong batteries (as long as you remember which color atomizer goes with each battery). With an Alpha Reservoir Expansion System (RES) attached to your Alpha Electronic Cigarette, there is no need for a cartridge so you may also want to use LR or SR 306 atomizers. Regardless of your choice of batteries and/or atomizers, Alpha Electronic Cigarettes are a design and manufacturing masterpiece equaled by no other electronic cigarettes available.