Are torn wrappers really dangerous?

[Ed_C]

I've always heard that it was dangerous to use batteries with torn wrappers and I've always accepted this to be true. But I was thinking about this today, and if the casing of the battery is negative and the chassis of the mod is used as the negative leg of the circuit, why could this be dangerous? Am I missing something obvious?

 

[kiba]

It's more towards the top where it tends to be dangerous, that part is very close to the positive contact of the battery. also in series/parallel where batteries are touching each other.

But its so cheap and easy to rewrap them why put you put yourself at risk, you can get a 100 pack of heat shrink sleeves for like a buck.

 

[sofarsogood]

If the wrap is damaged the distance between the positive and negative posts is reduced and the chance of a short increases. if the wrap exposes the casing next to the positive terminal a coin or key could cause a short and you'd be on the 6 oclock news. My rule is a battery is in a mod, a charger or a case and nowhere in between. i avoid carrying batteries in the clothing i'm wearing, even in a case. Most of the injury accidents related to vaping these days involve loose batteries with unprotected terminals.

 

[r77r7r]

Aren't there some pv's that have the battery reversed?

Well, either way, it would Always be on my mind, bugging me until I wrapped it properly.

 

[Ed_C]

Yeah, I've always rewrapped my batteries and it is very easy. It takes, at most, 5 minutes. I will continue to rewrap. I was just thinking about all the warnings about how dangerous torn wraps can be, but I've never read a good explanation as to why. The bottom is negative, as are the sides and the bottom and sides are all made of one piece of metal. The mod chassis is also the negative side of the circuit. I'm not sure how it would short in your mod, under those conditions.

If the wrap is damaged the distance between the positive and negative posts is reduced and the chance of a short increases. if the wrap exposes the casing next to the positive terminal a coin or key could cause a short and you'd be on the 6 oclock news. My rule is a battery is in a mod, a charger or a case and nowhere in between. i avoid carrying batteries in the clothing i'm wearing, even in a case. Most of the injury accidents related to vaping these days involve loose batteries with unprotected terminals.

Yes, I'd agree that torn wrappers in the pocket with keys would make the odds of shorting go up. But, like you, I'd never put a battery of any condition in my pocket without a case, and particularly with other metal objects.

Aren't there some pv's that have the battery reversed?

Well, either way, it would Always be on my mind, bugging me until I wrapped it properly.

They can be pointed the opposite direction, but the chassis is never the positive leg.

 

[aLyr]

Yes, a damaged wrapper of a LiIon cell can be dangerous, as the top of them can possibly cause a short circuit between plus and minus poles when mounting them in a mod, leading to a thermal runaway, which none of us will like to experience.

 

[r77r7r]

I remember seeing Imeo opening one of his GG's and his battery was torn up. Guess he knew what he was doing.

If it shorts from that, is it a vent, or boom?

 

[Ed_C]

Yes, a damaged wrapper of a LiIon cell can be dangerous, as the top of them can possibly cause a short circuit between plus and minus poles when mounting them in a mod, leading to a thermal runaway, which none of us will like to experience.

I suppose if the top corner was torn that might happen. Mods that have cylindrical battery compartments where the battery slides in from the bottom or top (Think Pico or mech) would not be able to short like this.

 

[Caihlen]

Is the cord on your toaster dangerous if the insulation is stripped away from the wires going to the plug on the wall? Yep. The wrapper is the batteries insulation so I say yep. Dangerous. As others have said. Re-wrap them. Easy, quick, cheap.

 

[Darth Omerta]

I suppose if the top corner was torn that might happen. Mods that have cylindrical battery compartments where the battery slides in from the bottom or top (Think Pico or mech) would not be able to short like this.

I would say its very likely to short this way inside a mech. All metal tube with the NEG exposed and constantly touching the walls inside the mod, POS always in contact with the top cap, You may as well be holding the firing pin in the whole time.

 

[defdock]

i always thought a torn wrapper would cause mechs to autofire since its now bypassing the switch.

 

[Darth Omerta]

You're right, it would autofire, until the battery overheated and then best case, venting, worst case BOOM.

Ive also wondered if connecting the NEG in 2 places with the POS connected might result in a short.

 

[Ed_C]

Yeah that true, it would autofire not short.

 

[defdock]

short would happen if the positive pole is dented enough too from what i understand.

 

[Ed_C]

I will coincide that a tear in the top could cause a short under certain conditions, but I'm still thinking that a tear in the side, if you don't have a bottom switch, shouldn't be an issue. That being said, it's still smart to replace wraps as a tear will just get worse and I was never arguing that you shouldn't replace torn wraps.

 

[sonicbomb]

yes

 

[Ed_C]

My question was basically how could a tear in the negative side of a battery, making contact with the negative chassis of the mod cause a short. So far, no one has offered an explanation, everyone has just repeated that it was dangerous.

 

[Rule62]

My question was basically how could a tear in the negative side of a battery, making contact with the negative chassis of the mod cause a short. So far, no one has offered an explanation, everyone has just repeated that it was dangerous.

In general, it's a good idea to replace torn wrappers; but actually, it depends on the design of the mod. For example, a metal tube mod that is activated by a bottom push button contacting the negative end of the battery, and the positive end of the battery being in constant contact with the center pin of the mod, (examples: Nemisis or Stingray) is more dangerous than a wood or plastic box mod. In these types of tube mods, where the switch is on the negative end, if the torn battery contacts the side of the tube, the mod auto fires.
On a mod where the negative end is in constant contact, (examples: Poldiac, REO, Roller, etc), and the switch is on the positive side, it's not as dangerous. But, because of the fact that many of us use various mods, but interchange the same batteries among them, keeping batteries in good condition is important.

 

[kiba]

My question was basically how could a tear in the negative side of a battery, making contact with the negative chassis of the mod cause a short. So far, no one has offered an explanation, everyone has just repeated that it was dangerous.

Like I said, in a series/parallel where the batteries are touching each other and both are ripped.

 

[zoiDman]

i always thought a torn wrapper would cause mechs to autofire since its now bypassing the switch.

It would Depend on the Orientation of the Battery.