Battery Safety

Vaping is more popular than it's ever been, and more and more people are talking about it. If you want to get into vaping then you need to know all the facts and practicing battery safety is something that needs to be made a priority.

The vape industry is advancing at a remarkable rate and we have now seen a huge range of devices hit the market from different brands from around the world. Most of these devices use an external battery to operate and while there are a number of battery sizes available. 18650 batteries are one of the most popular batteries currently used in vape mods. You need to know about and understand your batteries for vaping, not just so that you can get the most out of your vape but also for your own safety and the safety of your device.

Basic Battery Safety:

Most vape kits on the market will have Lithium-ion batteries. In many ways, they drive our society. They're commonly used in phones, laptops, tablets and virtually anything that needs to be powered on the move. It is very important that you ensure that your batteries are safe to use. There are a number of factors that needs to be taken into account before you use your battery in your mod. Always make sure there is no damage to the battery wrap (The wrap is the thin layer of plastic which surrounds the battery). Always make sure that the battery is compatible with your device and that the batteries are authentic and purchased from a reliable source. Whatever vape device you use, they all contain batteries with the potential for danger and should be treated with care.

With anything you use that includes a battery, you need to ensure that the battery is safe. This includes ensuring that the wrap is still in good condition. If the battery wrap is peeling off, it can be dangerous as the battery body is exposed. This exposure can potentially make contact with the device, or even a set of keys or loose change in your pocket, creating a short circuit, causing your battery to vent as the flow of energy has been interrupted between the positive and negative connection. There are now wraps available on the market so you can rewrap your battery if the current one has been damaged. Alternatively use a rubber battery casing.

When charging your battery, check back regularly to see if it has finished. As soon as charging is complete, remove from the charger to prevent it from overcharging, which can cause battery failure. Batteries should always be charged on a fireproof surface, and should not be left unattended or to charge overnight.

Battery safety with regulated mods:

Vape Mods are the devices that power vaping. Anything that supplies power to an atomiser to produce vapour is a mod and will always feature a rechargeable battery that is either built in or replaceable. As the vape market grows, the use of regulated mods is becoming a popular option. These mods allow the user to easily adjust the wattage / voltage to fire up the coil regardless of what ohm it is. Although these mods include a circuit board with various safety measures to prevent shorts, as with any electronic device, they can malfunction. Here are some steps that we would advise you take to look after your battery:

1. Handle your mod with care.

2. Insert / take out your battery correctly

3. Store your device safely - including locking it. All regulated mods provide a locking function.

4. Don’t tamper with the device

5. Don’t overcharge.

6. Dispose of batteries safely.

Some regulated mods come with an internal battery, it is best advised that you do not tamper with this, and also that you do not overcharge it. Most quality mods have a cut-off point where they stop charging after reaching full power. When charging through a USB cable, ensure that you are using the correct charging cable, preferably the one that comes with your device. If your device charges using a USB cable, make sure the power output matches your mod. If your charger has a higher voltage than your battery, you could overheat the battery or short the device. With regulated mods that have a removable 18650 battery, ensure that you are using a battery holder after charging. When charging, ensure that you are using an authentic charger provided by a reliable electronic cigarette manufacturer.

Battery safety with unregulated mods:

Unregulated mods, typically mechanical mods, have no circuits inside and the wattage/voltage cannot be selected. These mods send all the power from the battery straight into the coils until the battery is depleted. Here, the battery amps should never be exceeded. This is fundamental, and can be very dangerous as you are trying to draw out more power than the battery can provide. To work out how many amps you will be using, take the discharge rate (the amps) of your battery, then divide this by coil resistance (ohms).

A mechanical mod will draw power direct from your battery at a rate dependent on the resistance of your coils and the standard output that that specific battery is able to provide…the power will diminish with the charge of the battery. It’s totally possible, with a low voltage battery, to have a build that your batteries are unable to fire. It’s also possible to have a battery with a voltage too high for your coil’s resistance, which will result in a catastrophic vent and possibly an explosive incident. The mech is operated through direct contact being made between the tank’s 510 pin and the battery connection, via the users inward push of the battery through the mech mod. Mechanical mods require a thorough understanding of battery ins and outs, as well as Ohms Law, to operate. Not for beginners. In the mechanical mod, the voltage translates directly into heat on your coils, provided you know the resistance of your coils and the voltage of your battery, you can make use of an Ohm’s Law Calculator to work out the average draw on your batteries.