Regarding ECF Safety Specification For Metal Tube Mods

**rolygate** · 03-05-2012, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by SteelJan

......... So I've come to think that even designers who are determined to follow the best of ecf's guidelines and also use their own design and testing experience to make the best product, can sometimes find themselves selling a dangerous or faulty unit.

Agreed. This is why in my view we need to advise a main anti-explosion safety feature than cannot be corner-cut to render it useless; and that a buyer can see right in front of them. For me, so far, it's gas vent slots. Very hard to make useless, and very easy to see and verify.

I agree that it is not strictly necessary to make a safe mod like this, other ways could be found - such as the combination of gas vents and a low-pressure blowout plug that Rocketman suggested.

The problem is that this approach needs someone capable to design it; they have to be actually willing to do this for the right reasons; it can be (no, it will be) functionally destroyed by the corner-cutters; and buyers cannot see it to verify in the first place.

Gas vent slots are simple and some may not like them. Personally I love the idea because it is function combined with art. To me they look fine. But most importantly - they can't be wrecked by cost-cutting bodgers.

**VapoVamp** · 03-05-2012, 06:04 PM

OK!OK! There's no doubt(in my mind)Sir Rolygate, you do know what your conversing. I'm not the brightest bulb in the hallway, but, I flicker occasionally. I've got to keep this as simplistic as possible...due to the collage' of ECF members..My ?...."Is my E-Power(all metal tube)18650 battery MOD safe enough for me to operate"???? I am classified as a "Newbie" been vaping less than 6 months, however, I've tried to educate myself as best as the available information will allow me. This thread is very!!!informative, but, also, quite confusing to a non-engineer/savant?. All I want to know... Am I going to end up in a wood box & have a closed caset funeral? ....I've got SMOK brand batts to insert in my ALL METAL E-POWER. They were sent by the vendor...Are they safe? Should I trust the vendor? Who else should I trust!, if not the vendor? My GOSH!!!!!The ?'s could be endless! I don't want to go back to killing myself with the cancer sticks I smoked for 40 years...I love vaping and SAVING my LIFE!(in the few months I've vaped, my health has improved a 1000%). BUT, IF I HAVE TO RISK MY FACE or life!!!!? Where& What are my alternitives to my smoking/vaping habit? It appears I'll have to go back to the prolonged death of my ex-analogs

Please help me feel as secure as I can with my LOVE of vaping and tell me outright! Which MODS are the safest IN ORDER to carry on with my healtier lifestyle of vaping!

Originally Posted by rolygate

I wish you'd stop with all this. Somebody asked me what right I had to do anything in this field so I simply pointed out that I am as qualified as anyone else. Stop with all the antics please. There are plenty of others who could contribute. The thing is, I don't see any action. I'm all about the action, because talk is cheap.

Yes, this is valid. I can't argue. But what options do we have? Leaving the situation as it is now is not an option. Tell me what to do next week that will fix it with minimum outlay by anyone.

This industry won't develop any meaningful self-regulation in the next few years (in the US) because there are too many vendors all fighting each other and who won't trust each other enough to work with. Plus, they they see the cost as a waste, when in fact it's the best insurance you can buy.

It worked in the UK because it's the size of Rhode Island and people have a long history of fighting their neighbors there. What you learn from that is one day you have to negotiate, the war can't go on for ever. They are experts in war, and therefore negotiation. So they have got it together. There is an appreciation there that if an enemy is strong enough to fight you well, then they will make an even better partner and business will improve. The US is too big and too diverse, and people may think war is the answer to everything (I mainly mean commercially). It isn't, one day you have to talk. And partners are always better than enemies.

There are many financially more successful people than me here - about half the vendors probably. Success is a personal measure, though.

I never turn down help, I need all I can get.

**rolygate** · 03-05-2012, 06:22 PM

@VapoVamp
I have never seen, used or tested one so I'm just guessing on this. It seems to be a single-battery mod* so therefore you should not worry too much, since as far as we know, a 1-cell mod has never blown.

* My definition of a mod is that it is a device that can use removable, generic rechargeables. The Darwin is an exception, as it does not have user-replaceable batteries.

Of course, you could take into account that some batteries are counterfeits, and will be reject unprotected Li-ion cells with a fake wrapper on. Plus, any battery can give problems if a faulty charger wrecks it.

So if it was mine, I'd drill some gas vent holes in the casing. Job done.

If you don't like the look of the holes (or big slots, or whatever) then put a fancy plastic cover on it. Push a pin or a 1/64th drill through over the holes. That won't make any difference to gas venting capability because the hot gas will rip through a plastic cover if it has a pinhole to start with.

You can also tape the battery to ensure cover integrity; or alternatively cut a section out of a plastic soda bottle in the form of a rectangle about 2.5" x 2.5", adjust to size, slide in around the battery, and perforate where the gas vents are. This is an internal insulating sleeve to prevent the batt shorting out to the body (which is bad).

**Retriever** · 03-05-2012, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by rolygate

The Darwin is an exception.

So the Darwin is considered "safe?" Or "safer?"

**markfm** · 03-05-2012, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by SteelJan

...So I've come to think that even designers who are determined to follow the best of ecf's guidelines and also use their own design and testing experience to make the best product, can sometimes find themselves selling a dangerous or faulty unit.

Certainly no disagreement with you Jan

My post had been in the context of the vendor performing a product substitution themselves. Anyone can get caught if their downstream suppliers do a substitution, QC in the industry reeks. I may buy a nominal quality battery, from an absolutely stand-up vendor, who is using their own standard supplier, but if somewhere further down the chain a fake battery has been introduced, at the end of the day I don't have the product that either I or the vendor think it is.

**rolygate** · 03-05-2012, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Retriever

So the Darwin is considered "safe?" Or "safer?"

The Darwin is an exception to an interpretation of the word 'mod' to mean a device that holds removable batteries.

Changed the original wording to make that clearer.

**rolygate** · 03-05-2012, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by Karmachine

huh plastic pellets being launch in high velocity in multiple directions......Humm that is a great idea for a shrapnel bomb....I like it....oh wait we aren't designing weapons.....silly me.

A high-temp non-melting insulator would be good. A playing card has been suggested as a sleeve, don't know what it's made from.

**VapoVamp** · 03-05-2012, 11:01 PM

Bless you Sir Roly! Thank you for taking the time to settle my nerves on the all metal tube the E-Power has. I already wrapped the 18650 with sports cloth tape just for extra peace of mind(no pun intended). Thanks again for all you do for the ECF vaping community! See you in the Vapehaze Sir

Originally Posted by rolygate

@VapoVamp
I have never seen, used or tested one so I'm just guessing on this. It seems to be a single-battery mod* so therefore you should not worry too much, since as far as we know, a 1-cell mod has never blown.

* My definition of a mod is that it is a device that can use removable, generic rechargeables. The Darwin is an exception, as it does not have user-replaceable batteries.

Of course, you could take into account that some batteries are counterfeits, and will be reject unprotected Li-ion cells with a fake wrapper on. Plus, any battery can give problems if a faulty charger wrecks it.

So if it was mine, I'd drill some gas vent holes in the casing. Job done.

If you don't like the look of the holes (or big slots, or whatever) then put a fancy plastic cover on it. Push a pin or a 1/64th drill through over the holes. That won't make any difference to gas venting capability because the hot gas will rip through a plastic cover if it has a pinhole to start with.

You can also tape the battery to ensure cover integrity; or alternatively cut a section out of a plastic soda bottle in the form of a rectangle about 2.5" x 2.5", adjust to size, slide in around the battery, and perforate where the gas vents are. This is an internal insulating sleeve to prevent the batt shorting out to the body (which is bad).