Another battery explodes

[Cavediver]

Ego sized battery.
Details are sketchy at best. I heard this one while driving in to work today; it was reported the explosion "shook the windows".

Woman says E-cigarette exploded, shot flames 4 feet across... | www.wsbradio.com

 

[christeymg]

Every time I see one of these stories it seems like the ecig was plugged into a computer's usb port or it was on a car charger. Is that true or just my perception?

I don't have any ego type ecigs but if I did I think I would quit charging them on anything but a wall charger. If they're gonna blow I wouldn't want it taking my laptop or my car with it! When I charge my 18650 & 18350 I make sure I don't leave them unattended. If I have to leave before they're done I unplug the charger.

 

[XeniaMike]

I always think "Get the absolute cheapest battery & charger you can get from some fly-by-night place, then plug it in the car charger on 100º day and leave it unattended indefinitely."

 

[crxess]

Sadly it did as designed and in a panic the woman made things worse.

A short occurred. Battery, charger or PC port first, who knows? But the plug blew out to vent the pressure away and the metal started absorbing the heat.

Grabbing anything Hot always leads to dropping it. dropping it usually leads to additional damage.

Not trying to play down a scary moment, but come on. My Microwave Blew up. Super bright Flash of electricity across the room. Loud BANG! Power went out in the kitchen.
I didn't call the media, I fixed the microwave!

 

[Rocketpunk]

User error.

 

[soba1]

User error.

I say conspiracy...........
Yes I believe in Area 51, I believe in false flags; even if vape related.

 

[Aubie80]

I dont use anything but a dedicated charger to charge batteries. I have yet to have any problems but with all electronics/batteries there will always be a danger present.

I have had car batteries explode, cell batteries explode. It happens. Most of it is user error, if you dont get the proper chargers for the designed applications bad things can and will occur.

Im just glad no major damage was done other than this made media headlines which is not in our favor.

 

[Worzel]

I will admit, I was guilty of the same stuff when I used the Ego batteries, I plugged mine into the computer and Vaped while playing games, I plugged into my car's cigarette lighter and vaped while driving. Being a noob at the time, I assumed that because it is there, it is safe. I moved on to larger battery mods, where I am more diligent with the batteries. Besides, the batteries are cheaper to replace.
With an Ego type battery, running up to $20 a piece, people are going to use them until they "die" one way or another, and with a cheap, substandard battery, that is not good.
I honestly think they should not offer the cords that have the USB ports on both ends with the detachable wall plug. They should only have cords with the USB plug in on one end, and wall plug on the other.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Cheap USB charger with no visible LED indicator to tell the user that it's time to disconnect.

Plugged right into a computer's USB port, without the user knowing whether the voltage delivered by said port was safe for this use.

There's also no telling what condition that little 650mAh battery was in when the incident occurred, or how old it was, or how many charge cycles it had already gone through.

This is the fourth time in the last three months that people have done the wrong thing with the wrong equipment and got results that we could have warned them about.

The more I think about it, the more I think e-cig kit makers should stop shipping USB chargers without wall adapters, or warn users in the product literature that use of a computer's USB port or a car adapter could lead to a fire hazard.

 

[tj99959]

Now I remember why I don't use eGo's anymore. There are just to many clones out there with who knows what for a battery cell in them.

This incident is a classic example, a clone with probably the cheapest cell they could find in it.
I fault the vendor for this one, they went bargain hunting and boy did they ever find a bargain! Sure hope they didn't go bargain hunting when they went looking for an insurance policy.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Also, I'm sorry but this woman is sensationalizing. There is no way on God's Green Earth that this battery "exploded." It vented, and nothing more.

There was no KABOOM! There was no wall rattling. Otherwise, we'd be looking at photos of shrapnel, not a battery compartment with a venting cap expelled by venting gases. She would also have been admitted to the emergency room for shrapnel wounds, because an explosion like the one she described would have sent razor sharp, blazing hot metal in every direction.

 

[novio]

dont buy cheap unregulated batteries, sadly she probably got it from a bnm shop. same thing will happen to any battery that doesnt have overcharge protection, ecig or not.

 

[lunarresonance]

I have popped two batteries, and killed a 3rd. 2 were manual 510 cig-a-like batteries, and the another one was a ego that got hot as hell before I pulled it out and discarded it. Mine were on a usb port, and a wall charger. I blame the actual 510 connection on the charger and circuitry on the charging dongle. LED was red, like charging, but then POP goes the weasel! No damages here, just blew off the end. I think some e-juice might have gotten in there and fried its brains.

 

[crxess]

Here is my concern.
Even by accident a button can get pressed. I've done it. The Battery should always be powered OFF before charging to prevent this.
Smacking the charger with 3.7V and(x)amps on the output side is not a good thing. and it CAN happen.

Even on a Wall charger a Battery or charging circuit can fail............ so this is simply preference. Only thing a USB post suould be able to do negatively is not supply enough power to fully charge a battery. This (Under power) is FAR less problematic as over powering a device and at most usually leads to USB port failure.(Open circuit - Dead port)

Cheap chargers are a major issue. I have received a few ego type chargers with loose Battery connector. These go straight in the trash. Why take a chance on creating a short?

 

[sbc83]

What kind of charger was that?

 

[PONKAW]

Cheap USB charger with no visible LED indicator to tell the user that it's time to disconnect...
Plugged right into a computer's USB port, without the user knowing whether the voltage delivered by said port was safe for this use...
This is the fourth time in the last three months that people have done the wrong thing with the wrong equipment and got results that we could have warned them about.

What is funny (or maddening) is that the proof of the users incompetence is in the fourth picture of the news article. She is using a dedicated 3.2v 510 charger to charge a 4+v ego batt. look at the warning symbol on the charger. it indicates NOT TO USE WITH A 4.2 VOLT DEVICE.
Ugg this ticks me off.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

What is funny (or maddening) is that the proof of the users incompetence is in the fourth picture of the news article. She is using a dedicated 3.2v 510 charger to charge a 4+v ego batt. look at the warning symbol on the charger. it indicates NOT TO USE WITH A 4.2 VOLT DEVICE.
Ugg this ticks me off.

View attachment 248064

I'll be damned. I missed that. Nice catch.

 

[crxess]

What kind of charger was that?

A Generic unbranded copy of the Ego charger

Supplied in this type kit:



Also unbranded, but included US wall charger adapter - not Euro

 

[sbc83]

View attachment 248067

A Generic unbranded copy of the Ego charger

Supplied in this type kit:

View attachment 248068

Also unbranded, but included US wall charger adapter - not Euro

Ibcr pointed it out. It's also @ .38sec in the video.

 

[novio]

What is funny (or maddening) is that the proof of the users incompetence is in the fourth picture of the news article. She is using a dedicated 3.2v 510 charger to charge a 4+v ego batt. look at the warning symbol on the charger. it indicates NOT TO USE WITH A 4.2 VOLT DEVICE.
Ugg this ticks me off.

View attachment 248064

uhhh, the "ehits" battery is 3.7, fires from 3.3-3.7.

...atleast the ehit im looking at on the net right now.