18650 Batteries Damaged

[Galdort]

I had just recently gotten a stingray mechanical mod, along with an atlantis tank and 2 IMR 18650 3100 mAh batteries. My Nitecore UM20 battery charger is telling me that both of my batteries are damaged. There is no visible damage, though there may have been an overheating issue becuase of the draw button on the bottom of the stingray sticking. I'm not sure if that had played a role in the batteries getting damaged but I figured it's worth mentioning. My coworker told me there are a couple "workarounds" to get them working. Is there anyway I can get them working, or do I have to go out and grab a couple new batteries? Thank you in advance!

 

[Dampmaskin]

Lithium batteries need to be treated with respect, or else they may blow up on you and/or start a fire. If I were you, I'd discard the batteries and buy some new ones.

 

[Davey59]

I second the pitch em and don't look back. Definitely not worth any kind of risk to you or others, batts are cheap. It is possible the batteries were not up to the task from the gitgo too.

 

[Galdort]

Alright, thank you for your input, I work in a body shop so it can be a bit difficult to be gentle with things, but I'll make sure to be more careful from this point forward. Thank you!

 

[T4T3Z0R]

could you have discharged them too much? there is a limit to how low you can let these batteries get before they become damaged. i generally never let them get below 3.2 volts

 

[Susan~S]

Hello and welcome to the forum Galdort. Glad to have you here!

I agree with @Dampmaskin. Time to purchase some new batteries. You are going to want a safe-chemistry, high-drain battery with a high CDR. How high? Depends on low your stock coil (or build is). I'll quote @tj99959.

Everyone is free to set their own parameters, and I can only say what mine are.

I try to never exceed 50% of the CDL of a battery. So with your 20a batteries, that would be 10a.
This Ohm's Law Calculator tells me that a .4 ohm build is as low as I would want to use.

The reason that I place a 50% limit is because as a battery ages the mAh of the battery degrades, as the mAh degrades ... so does the batteries c rating. (amp limit) So down the road, your 20a battery may only be a 10a battery.

Since you are new to mech mods I highly recommend you spend some time with Baditude (one of our resident battery experts) and visit his blogs. You are now 100% in control of your own safety (and others around you). Make sure you purchase an ohm reader and a voltmeter or DMM so you can measure your builds, check for shorts and measure the remaining charge on your batteries.

Baditudes Blogs. The blogs regarding battery safety, Ohm's Law, CDR (continuous discharge rating/Amps) and how they all fit together are listed below:

BATTERIES

Battery Basics for Mods: IMR or Protected ICR?
* Another essential read to understand which batteries are safe to use in mechanical and regulated mods. Includes a frequently updated list of recommended safe-chemistry, high-drain batteries with their specifications.

Purple Efest Batteries not as Advertised
* A cautionary blog that reveals that the purple Efest batteries may not have the specifications advertised. Also includes a commentary on "continuous discharge ratings" vs "pulse discharge ratings" of battery specs.

OHM'S LAW

Ohm's Law for Dummies (Vapers)
* My attempt at explaining Ohm's Law in layman terms and how it relates to vaping.

Explain it to the Dumb Noob: Ohm's Law Calculations
* As simple as it is to use, some people have a tough time grasping the concept. Warning: Includes graphic photos of mod explosions.

BATTERIES - WHERE TO BUY

Only buy batteries from a reputable supplier (not ebay or Amazon) as there are many counterfeit batteries being sold. Here are several reputable battery suppliers in the US.

* RTD Vapor
* Illumination Supply
* Lighthound
* Orbtronics

 

[classwife]

Welcome to ECF Galdort



Moved you to New Members from Simple Solutions


Simple Solutions is to assist the Beginning Vaper with getting started