WISMEC Presa 100W TC

100W of Power – 26650/18650 Cell – Temperature Control

The immensely popular WISMEC Presa has once again received a powerful upgrade. One of the first devices to come from WISMEC, the Presa began its life as a palm-sized 40w Variable Wattage device. Its super sleek, unique profile was an instant hit for the company, so it’s no wonder that the Presa has undergone numerous upgrades. The WISMEC Presa 100W TC is the pinnacle mod in the WISMEC line.

The WISMEC Presa 100W TC is the first device of its kind to facilitate a 26650 battery, with an option to utilize the included battery sleeve to accommodate an 18650 battery. But opting for the 18650 cell with adapter sleeve kicks the power down to a still-sizable 75w.

The WISMEC Presa 100W TC Feature Highlights

100W Maximum Output Power

Temperature Control System with Upgradeable Firmware

Optional VW/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS316/TCR Mode

Replaceable Cell & Magnetic Back Cover

Stainless Steel 510 Spring Loaded Connector

TCR Mode – New to the Presa

The factor by which the resistance of the object changes when changing its temperature is called the Temperature Coefficient of Resistance, TCR for short. For more on coefficient of resistance as it applied to TC mods and various metal coils check out Tom’s Knowledge Base article.

The new Presa’s TCR mode is one of the things that make the device an advanced mod. The TCR mode allows the user to manually adjust the TCR values for different types of wire. This allows the user to further fine-tune the accuracy of the Presa’s ability to limit and sense an atomizer coil’s true temperature. This feature is now a part of the feature set of the latest eVic-VTC and the Cuboid, both by Joyetech. Will it have an impact on your buying decision? Only if you are an advanced coil builder with a penchant for fiddling with your mods and RDA’s. For the average vaper this TCR mode is a mode that will be completely ignored, and should be.

New Display

Now sporting a lot more information in a .96-inch OLED screen, the WISMEC Presa 100W TC has taken on a strong resemblance to the glorious screen of the eVic-VTC and Cuboid devices. As you can see in the photo, the top line displays the Mode and the Wire (Ni, Ti, SS, etc.). The largest section of the display sits under the first line to show the set Temperature or the Wattage, depending on what mode the user has set to. Directly under that is the Wattage/Voltage and Ohms “Header”, is the actual wattage/voltage and ohms reading. Next up is the PCB and Amp Header, under that is the actual PCB value and amperage value.

PCB – Printed Circuit Board – New

The temperature of the Presa 100W TC Printed Circuit Board, is a new information indicator on the display. Interestingly enough, the temperature unit/value of the PCB is consistent with the temperature unit/value the user sets in the various TC modes.

Size – New

The original 40W WISMEC Presa was 3.22 inches tall while the newest Presa is just a tiny bit taller, sitting 3.66 inches tall. The width of the original was 1.37 inches while the new Presa is 1.81 inches wide. Finally, the thickness of the Presa 40W is 0.96 inches while the 100W Presa has a thickness of 1.18 inches. Considering the larger display and the 26650 battery compartment the WISMEC Presa 100W TC has added very little to its overall size.

Official Specs for the WISMEC Presa 100W TC

Size: 46.0*30.0*93.0mm

Thread type: 510 spring loaded thread

Cell type: High-rate 26650 cell(discharging current should be above 35A

Cell type: High-rate 18650 cell with the help of battery sleeve (discharging current

Cell type: should be above 25A )

Output wattage: 1-100w

Output mode: VW/Bypass/TC-Ni/TC-Ti/TC-SS316/TCR Mode

Temperature range: 100-315°C/ 200-600°F(TC modes)

Resistance range: 0.05-1.5ohm for TC modes

Resistance range: 0.1-3.5ohm for VW/ Bypass mode

Bypass Mode

Using the Bypass mode essentially turns the Presa 100W TC into a straight up mechanical mod. That is, the Presa will essentially dump the remaining power of the battery into the mod and straight to the atomizer. I recommend leaving this mode to the advanced vapers.

Unless you’re truly advanced and know exactly how, and why, Bypass mode is used there’s no need for it. And should the user decide to try it out just for the hell of it, using TC coils like Ni200 and Titanium is downright dangerous. Overheating the TC coils has the potential to release some nasty chemical reactions from the wire that the user doesn’t want to inhale. Never use anything but Kanthal wire in Bypass mode.

In short, here’s a breakdown of the available wire coils and proper mod settings

• “Power” mode – regulated power/wattage mode can use Kanthal and Stainless Steel wire coils, but does not do Temperature C
• “Bypass” mode – Turns the device into non-regulated power mode. The voltage of the battery is passed directly to the mod coils providing absolutely no protection against overdrawing the battery. Use Kanthal only, or, in a pinch, SS316L Stainless Steel coils
• “Ti” mode – Temperature Control mode using Titanium Surgical Grade 1 coils.
• “Ni” mode – Temperature Control mode using Pure Nickel
• “SS” mode – Temperature Control mode using Stainless Steel coils, surgical grade 316L or 317L (L=Low Carbon)

317L Stainless Steel is a molybdenum-bearing austenitic stainless steel that greatly increases resistance to chemical attack when compared to the conventional chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steel such as SS304 and SS316L.

 SS316L is a molybdenum wire that gives Stainless Steel 316 better overall corrosion protection than Grade 304, and has predominantly higher resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments.

Now you see why you might want to stick to the more common settings for Variable Wattage and Temperature Control configurations.

Why is the Presa Form Factor So Appealing?

Forget for a moment everything you know about the Presa line. What is the one thing all vapers instantly notice about the Presa?

The unique shape.

The WISMEC Presa, from the 1^st to the current model, has a unique sloped firing panel and fits into the palms of every hand. The form factor is “organic”, “natural”, as though the hand was made to accommodate the Presa, not the other way around. A form factor like the Presa is a rarity. The polar opposite of boxy or rectangular body shapes like the SMY 100W Touchbox.

This organic form factor isn’t lost on the user when the size is inflated as it is with the slightly larger Presa 100W TC. Although it’s a bit taller, a bit wider and bit deeper, it retains the same natural characteristics that made the original Presa such a huge star when it was put on the market last July (2015).

The WISMEC Presa 100W TC Real World Usage

The WISMEC Presa 100W TC arrived unannounced on the doorstep of Spinfuel HQ. Opening the box, removing the battery compartment magnetic cover I found a thick plastic battery sleeve that told me instantly that this was a 26650 battery device. The sleeve was obviously an adapter to use an 18650 should the user not have a high-amp 26650 battery hanging around.

Strangely enough a 26650 battery could not be found anywhere, so we ordered a pair of efest 26650’s for an overnight delivery. In the interim I used a Sony VT4. Using the 18650 drops the maximum output to 75 watts, so for a couple of hours I walked my way around the display and the various modes. While the display of the earlier models of the Presa were, well, impressive, the new display has to be one of the finest displays on any mod, right up with the eVic by Joyetech.

The next morning the efest 26650’s arrived. Unfortunately, they arrived about 25% charged, so into the Nitecore D4 charger for a few hours. About 3:00 PM I had both batteries fully charged and inserted one into the Presa.

The 26650 battery was a bear to insert the first time. There was no room for play in the battery compartment and after a few minutes I was nearly convinced the battery wasn’t going to fit, but lining it up just right the battery snapped into place and I was ready to go shortly after.

The first thing I noticed was how much weight the 26650 added to the Presa. The Presa itself was fairly light, considering, but with the battery it was almost as heavy the Joyetech Cuboid with dual-18650’s installed. Luckily the Presa is designed to distribute the weight nicely so after a couple of minutes any thought about the weight quickly disappeared.

Basic Functions

Off/On – 5-clicks

Enter the Menu – 3-clicks

Work your way around the menu system by clicking the fire panel 3 times. Once in, single clicks on the Right Adjustment Button move you down the display. It starts at the top where you choose the mode and wire type.

Example: 3-Clicks to enter the menu – ‘right button click’ to get to “Temp” mode, then wire type “Ni” for Nickel. Click on the LEFT Adjustment Button to adjust the wattage in Temperature Mode. Note* You can only move up the wattage scale, not down, so if you want to move it to 50w and you miss it you’ll need to cycle through the wattage scale again. It will stop at 100W (or 75W with the 18650), release the button and begin again.

Once you have the Mode, the wire, and the wattage set, click the left Adjustment Button again to lock or unlock the ohms value. Not exactly sure where the value is in locking or unlocking the ohms of the coil, but I left it unlocked and moved away. Next line defaults to PCB. Clicking the left Adjustment Button moves you through PCB, Time and Puff Counter. PCB defaults to 98. To the right of the PCB/Time/Puff is the Amperage, noted by the letter “A”. You don’t set this, or control this, it’s a read out of the amperage. Note* You can leave the menu instantly at any time by clicking the fire panel once. To get back in do the 3-click of the fire panel.

Setting Up

For this review period I used both the RDA that comes with the WISMEC Presa 100W TC Starter Kit, the INDE DUO Atomizer a wide base RDA 30mm in diameter. This RDA fits perfectly and looks menacing as hell sitting atop the Presa.

INDE Duo Atomizer by Jaybo

The INDE DUO Atomizer is the newest RDA from Jaybo’s RDA series. It features a ‘detachable structure’ and optional atomizer tube. In addition to the rebuildable coils, its top airflow control and distinctive vortex flow design make INDE DUO Atomizer one wicked performer. We’re talking huge clouds of vapor with a 1-second lung hit, and great flavor. (depending on your building abilities and choice of wire and cotton of course) Jaybo’s INDE Duo gives you a fantastic platform with terrific airflow slots (Cyclops).

The INDE Duo is just an inch tall, and its unique wire ports give way to some fancy builds.

1*Atomizer Base

2*Atomizer Tube(30&22mm)

1*Airflow Control Ring

1*Mouthpiece

4*Seal Ring

3*Hexagon Screw

1*Warranty Card

The other tank used during the review period was the Council of Vapor Phoenix Tank. Check out Toms review for the Phoenix here.

Battery Life with the 26650 battery was startling to say the least, but not for the reason you might think. At first, someone looking at a 26650 would naturally think that such a huge battery (compared to the 18650) would provide insane battery life, but as with all batteries, it’s the mAh rating that counts. The efest I purchased are, wait for it… 3500-mAh, with a discharge current of 32a/60a. That’s not the highest mAh rating for 26650 (that would be, I believe, 4200mAh), but compared to the Sony VT4’s 2100 mAh, the battery life was quite a bit longer when compared with the same Presa device and the two atomizers I used.

Performance

What can I really say about performance of the Presa 100W TC? Performance depends on the atomizer, and both atomizers I used during the review are damned good. The functions, including the fire panel, all work as well, or better, than the earlier Presa’s. It is a workhorse mod, and it will last a very long time.

Because I have larger hands than Keira, the extra size and weight over the original model is a plus for me. It fits my palm better than the original, and vaping it with the fire panel is empowering. I wonder though, if I said this particular Presa model would appeal to men more than women, would I be behaving as a sexist? Given the choice to take along the WISMEC Presa 100W TC or the iStick 100W TC I would choose the iStick 100W TC. Not that it performs any better, but it appeals to my nature more than the larger Presa.

Price and Availability

I’m not sure what the selling price will be for the WISMEC Presa 100W TC with the INDE Duo atomizer, but it seems to be around $40-$50 dollars for the Presa itself. Considering the features and specs I consider this to be a fair price. Be aware that the Presa can easily be counterfeited (any mod can), so make sure you know it’s authentic if you see it for sale from a vendor charging well under the MSRP. If MyVaporStore, Vapor Authority, DirectVapor, Ecig-Xpress, or Element Vape carries the Presa you can be sure you’re getting an authentic one.

Expect the WISMEC Presa 100W TC to begin arriving to vendor shelves anytime now.

Conclusion

If the WISMEC Presa 100W TC appeals to your sense of design aesthetics, or if you’ve owned an earlier Presa then by all means I highly recommend it. Style wise, it’s bon-a-fide Presa mod. I don’t think of this particular model as a ‘palm box’ as we did with the original 40w model, but it’s certainly within the acceptable size for this type of device.

The WISMEC Presa sells exceedingly well every time there is a new model. This time it’s such a big upgrade in features (but not price) I can only imagine it will be a smash hit for WISMEC.

Grade: B+

Julia Hartley-Barnes