Battery Safety
A VAPE OR ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE IS NOT A TOY AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS SUCH.
We will start with a slight public service announcement. A lot of people vape and even more people love to show off their vapes and electronic cigarettes. That is fine. However, a vape or electronic cigarette is not a toy and should not be treated as such. While it is true that there is no flame and there is not supposed to be a spark, vapes still get hot. How hot? Try several hundred degrees hot. That is how they heat up the e-liquid and produce the vapor that you inhale.
In a way, it makes sense that some vapes tend to explode. No, they are never supposed to do that, but a slight malfunction can cause a severe problem. There is supposed to be a protective shield between the heat and your batteries, which brings us to our first important subject:
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERNAL BATTERY MODS & EXTERNAL BATTERY MODS
Some vapes have batteries that are built into them. You do not take them out, and once they go wrong, the entire mod is about as useful as a paperweight. You might be wondering what a “mod” is if you don’t vape yet or haven’t vaped for very long. A mod is a device in which you connect your tank or dripper to in order to vape. A tank or a dripper is what you put the vaping liquid into. Internal battery mods are simpler for beginners, so that is what most people new to vaping get.
They can come in the form of “pens” or box mods. External battery mods can come in either a fat “pen” mod or box mod. Most external battery mods these days are box mods as vape pens have been going out of style recently.
This does not necessarily imply that they are perfectly square as they can be many different shapes and sizes. External battery mods take batteries that you have to buy extra to put into them. While we will talk about internal battery mods today as well, external battery mods will be our primary focus. The reason? External batteries tend to explode and cause accidents more than internal battery mods. This isn’t really because they are bad in some way, it is just that you handle them more. Whereas, you shouldn’t be handling the internal batteries at all. We’ll cover that too, don’t worry.
TIP #1 – DON’T TRY TO MOD YOUR MOD
Your vape mod or “battery” as some people like to call it was put together the way it was for a reason. A guy in Florida a few years back modified his vape to use AA batteries. The day after he did this, his vape exploded in his pocket and blew off a chunk of his leg.
That might not be a pretty visual, but some folks just won’t head this advice unless they hear it that way. A vape is put together in a way that makes it work just right. The slightest bit of tweaking can and will spell disaster. Basically, don’t play with it in ways the manufacturers did not intend for you too.
TIP #2 – KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR EXTERNAL BATTERIES
External batteries have a lot of energy being pulled out of them when in use. Regular wear and tear is normal but should not be ignored. Most people use 18650s, but there are other types of vape batteries both bigger and smaller.
It really depends on the type of vape you get. Most Smok mods take the 18650s. On the other hand, the I-joy Avenger takes 26650 batteries. The only real difference between those two is that 26650 batteries are a bit more girthy or wider.
One of the most prominent aspects of vape batteries that people ignore is the battery wraps. This is the protective covering over the metal batteries. This is an essential piece of the batteries as it keeps them from grounding out on the metal on the inside of a vape mod.
Some vape mods have protective pieces that are rubber or plastic inside the battery compartment. This does not mean you should put even partially bare batteries in those mods. When your battery wraps start to deteriorate, you can have them replaced or just replace the batteries themselves.
It is obviously cheaper just to replace the battery wraps. However, you should only do that to a point. As vape batteries get older, they start to become a hazard, which we are about to get into.
TIP #3 – BATTERIES THAT THROW SPARKS ARE BAD
This is another aspect of paying attention to your vape batteries, but this time it doesn’t matter whether you have an internal or external battery mod. If your batteries or mod throws sparks, or you see mini “lightning” for any reason, it is time to throw both out. It might just be the external batteries if it is that type of mod, but it really is not worth the risk to find out. Why? Because if it is the mod itself, you are probably going to find out the hard way.
Batteries that throw sparks are a step away from “flaming out” as they say in the vaping community. A flameout can lead to an explosion or a fire. You definitely do not want either to happen. This is especially true of external batteries. There is a type of battery acid in them and if the flames don’t burn your skin, then the hot battery acid definitely will. Which brings us to our next topic.
TIP #4 – AVOID LEAKING BATTERIES
If your batteries are not working right or they are visually leaking, just toss them. They are a hazard to your health, and they will not work right anyway. Actually, you would be lucky if they were working at all. No type of leaking battery acid is a good thing, so it only makes sense that this type wouldn’t be any different.
TIP #5 – DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BATTERIES OR MOD IN A HOT CAR
You might find it convenient not to bring your vape into work or college classes with you. While I’m sure that is preferred by your workplace or college, it is not wise to leave your vape or vape batteries in your car. If anything, turn your vape off (most vapes can be turned off, or just take out the battery) and bring it in with you. If you can’t bring it in with you, don’t bring it with you at all.
Think about other items that you have left in a hot car. Soda cans explode, food goes bad, and God forbid you to leave any type of aerosol can in your car. Vape batteries are actually worse than all of those things. Your car’s inside temperature might reach well over one hundred degrees on a hot day. That is more than enough to cause your vape batteries to explode and catch your car on fire. That would be a good day for anyone.
TIP #6 – DON’T LEAVE YOUR VAPE ON IN YOUR POCKET
A lot of the new vape mods these days have safety cut-offs. This does not mean that even they won’t blow up in your pocket. How does this happen? Well, all vape mods have a trigger button that you push to get the mod to produce vapor.
Only a few still are activated by putting the vape to your lips and inhaling. So, it stands to reason that you might be accidentally pushing that trigger button in your pocket. This is especially true if you like to wear jeans which are tighter than most other pants.
Some say tight pants are a vaper’s enemy. In reality, it does not matter how tight your pants are. That trigger button can be pushed simply by you sitting a certain way with the vape in your pocket. A lot of vape mods have locking features or can be turned off. If you are going to put your vape in your pocket, then pick one of those two options and do it.
Back to how this happens. If you are continually triggering your mod in your pocket, then it is getting hot. It is also creating a stressed draw on the batteries. Either of these factors can cause the batteries to explode. It might not even blow up in your pocket, it might explode on the next hit you take from it. People have legitimately lost fingers (and their entire hand) to just such an occurrence. So either doesn’t stick your vape in your pocket, lock it, or turn it off first.
TIP #7 – CHARGE YOUR BATTERIES THE RIGHT WAY
It is quite alright if you don’t know what we are talking about here. There are people who have been vaping for years who don’t have a clue. The fact is that external batteries should not at any point be charged in the mod. Yes, a lot of mods have a USB port that will charge your batteries if you plug it into a charger. Most take your standard android charger chords. Don’t do it. Those ports are actually to update your vape mod’s software.
What is the correct way to charge external vape batteries? In a battery charger, of course. You can buy these battery chargers in the same place you bought the mod, the tank/dripper and the batteries themselves. You can get one that charges one battery, two batteries, four batteries, or six batteries at a time. It all depends on your needs and preferences.
No, they are not the cheapest items in the world to buy, but they are well worth it.
For starters, they charge your batteries better, and your batteries will last a lot longer than if you charge them in the mod. Also, once you put two or more batteries together, they are “married” batteries. This means they charge to each other, which they will not do in the mod. This is important because one battery will always charge slightly more than the other which keeps them in a balanced harmony while working. Unmarried batteries have a considerably higher chance of causing injury in some fashion or another.
TIP #8 – STORE YOUR BATTERIES PROPERLY
We touched on this a little bit with the part about not keeping them in your car. Vape batteries need to be stored between 65 degrees and 79 degrees. They definitely should not come in contact with temperatures higher than 85 degrees. A vape shop owner from Florida told us he actually just leaves his vape at home on days where the temperature is above 85 degrees, and he knows he’s going to be outside.
The reason for this should be pretty apparent: heat. Don’t let the cold fool you either, though as temperatures below 65 degrees can wreak havoc on your batteries. Freezing temperatures can actually cause your vape batteries never to work again. While they might not blow up in that instance, that still costs you money as vape batteries are typically between $8 and $15 a battery. It would be wise to protect your investment any way you look at it.
TIP #9 – KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR DEFECTS
Vape mods, tanks, drippers, and batteries are not above having factory defects.
TIP #10 – MAKE SURE WRAPPING IS IN TACT
It’s important that the wrap on your battery is intact and in good condition. If it is damaged, you can re-wrap the battery or replace it.
The wrap is there to prevent your vape device from shorting. Beneath the wrap is metal, and if this touches the metal interior of your vape, then this can cause problems.
TIP #11 – USE THE CORRECT CHARGING EQUIPMENT
Whether you charge your batteries in a dedicated battery charger or you charge the vape device itself directly, it is crucial that you use the correct charging equipment.
Using the wrong charger can impact your battery and cause your device to function poorly, and can damage it in the long-term.
Mooch Battery Ratings
Responses