AW batteries are garbage

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Traver

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Is the bolt a mech and does have a safety circuit?
If you girlfriend is using a mech she really needs to get a multimeter to check the batteries every time she takes them off to recharge and after they are charged. Lithium battery should never go below 2.5 volts. There are serious safety issues with mechs and lithium batteries you need to know what you are doing.

In fact everyone who charges lithium battery's needs to have one to check the condition of the battery and charger.
 

roxics

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The only battery I used with the kick clone is the AW IMR 18490. The 18650's have all been used straight up in a silver bullet. Using either single or dual coil cartos or an LR306 atty. So I wasn't stressing them with sub ohm vaping or anything like that. This was a couple years ago before RBAs that my AW IMR 18650's went out on me.

The UltraFire XSL 2600mAh is also not used for anything stressful, just the setup above. i switch to stacked RCR123A's for 6 volt vaping from time to time. Those have been good to me. Just realized those are AWs. Didn't even think about that. So used to referring to AWs as the red IMR I forgot my blue RCRs are made by them too.

So cancel my disdain for AW as a brand. Guess I just had bad luck with those first couple 18650's.

For the person that asked about my girlfriend's Bolt. It's not a mech mod, it's an electronic switch and she doesn't stack. She only uses 18650 and 18490 batts. This is her second bolt. Both aluminum. The first one the switch broke. My silver bullet on the other hand has been a tank. I 6v vape on a regular basis with that thing and even though it too has an electronic switch, it's been good. The lowest I've gone is a 1.5ohm single coil. But I've even done that at 6V for something like 24 watt output on an older LR306 that was really broken in. Crazy stuff, but it took that much power to get anything out of it. Not recommended.
 
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Thrasher

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the only issue is AW is probably the most counterfeited brand around (for the red 18650's) good chance either the charger wasnt up to par, the batteries were run too low one too many times or they just arent authentic. while they arent on the top of my list I have some red 2000's well over a year old working like new, so in that respect if they are real AW then i would suspect the long term conditioning, over discharge, not so great charging etc. is what killed them.
 

vjc0628

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I don't know too much about batteries other then every one says AW is the best

I can say I've used the Panasonic 18650 in my vamo and get 1 - 2 days use out of it

I have now a provari using 1490 AW batteries and I sometimes change batteries 3 x in a single day

I know there smaller batteries and should not last as long but that's a huge difference
 

KenD

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IMO Ultrafire's simply have to low an amp rating, and are not safe for e-cigs.

I'm using these IMR bats. (18500)
Efestbattery Notice

There are tons and tons of ultrafire batteries, some with higher amp ratings. To categorically dismiss them (and "any batteries with fire in their name") just doesn't seem to be based on much more than prejudice. Having said that, I don't have any ultrafires and probably won't get any. I also don't have any AWs and probably won't get any of those either
 

Thrasher

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I'm always hesitant when a manufacturer insists on requiring a specific brand of battery. I always wonder if they are in collusion together. That being said, I prefer Panasonic and Sony batteries. Although I do have a couple of Ultrafire's that have held up well in LED light and strobe applications.

my belief is that in the view of the vendor they would rather recommend an already proven battery with a history of satisfactory results and safety and just be done with it., then suggest you use another that is new to the market and unproven no matter who made them.
I know if i was making a mod or running a company i probably wouldnt waste much time with trying to test every new battery either. i would just stock up on whatever has a good record and just go with that. as getting you to buy the mod would be my concern not being the battery vendor.
 

Fulgurant

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my belief is that in the view of the vendor they would rather recommend an already proven battery with a history of satisfactory results and safety and just be done with it., then suggest you use another that is new to the market and unproven no matter who made them.

Yeah, it's not greed; it's caution. The vendor's covering its you-know-what. Nothing wrong with that.
 

Katya

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I'm always hesitant when a manufacturer insists on requiring a specific brand of battery. I always wonder if they are in collusion together. That being said, I prefer Panasonic and Sony batteries. Although I do have a couple of Ultrafire's that have held up well in LED light and strobe applications.

They don't insist. They recommend. Not the same thing.

From ProVape site:

"This selection is what we recommend most highly for enjoying your ProVape electronic cigarette. Our ecig battery selection features batteries that have a longer life than regular batteries allowing you to enjoy your electronic cigarette for as long as possible."
 

BardicDruid

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There are tons and tons of ultrafire batteries, some with higher amp ratings. To categorically dismiss them (and "any batteries with fire in their name") just doesn't seem to be based on much more than prejudice. Having said that, I don't have any ultrafires and probably won't get any. I also don't have any AWs and probably won't get any of those either
No, it's based on experience, the only batteries that I've had to go thermal are the ones with fire in the name.
 

KenD

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No, it's based on experience, the only batteries that I've had to go thermal are the ones with fire in the name.

It's a safe bet that most who repeat the phrase have no experience of having batteries with fire in their name venting (and quite possibly no experience of batteries with fire in their name at all). Also, if a premium brand battery goes thermal that's likely to be attributed to a problem with that individual battery or user error rather than reflecting on the brand as a whole. Compare, "I've only been mugged by [insert ethnicity here] and therefore people of that ethnicity are untrustworthy" - based on experience (yes, exaggerated example). I'm not defending "batteries with fire in their name" - several manufacturers, cheap and often likely with insufficient quality control, means that they're likely to be of inconsistent quality, which is an issue in itself - but a categorical "don't trust anything with fire in it's name" isn't solid argumentation

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rith

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You know what guys, I'm an idiot. While it's true what I said about the AW 18650 batts I had, a thought just occured to me. I took my 18490 and put it in my girlfriends bolt, since her bolt can take that battery natively without the extension. Battery is fine. It's the Kick that's dead. No wonder it wouldn't charge, it was already charged.

Why didn't I think of this sooner.

Lol something I would and sound just like you hahja


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Baditude

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It's a safe bet that most who repeat the phrase have no experience of having batteries with fire in their name venting (and quite possibly no experience of batteries with fire in their name at all). ... but a categorical "don't trust anything with fire in it's name" isn't solid argumentation
How ironic. I've only had one battery go thermal in my life, and it did it violently with flames in a mechanical mod. It so happened to be a protected Trustfire battery.

Trustfire2.jpg

Since that incident I've used dozens of AW IMR safe chemistry batteries and not had one battery vent at all since making the switch to safer chemistry.
 
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BardicDruid

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It's a safe bet that most who repeat the phrase have no experience of having batteries with fire in their name venting (and quite possibly no experience of batteries with fire in their name at all). Also, if a premium brand battery goes thermal that's likely to be attributed to a problem with that individual battery or user error rather than reflecting on the brand as a whole. Compare, "I've only been mugged by [insert ethnicity here] and therefore people of that ethnicity are untrustworthy" - based on experience (yes, exaggerated example). I'm not defending "batteries with fire in their name" - several manufacturers, cheap and often likely with insufficient quality control, means that they're likely to be of inconsistent quality, which is an issue in itself - but a categorical "don't trust anything with fire in it's name" isn't solid argumentation

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Well junior, you can beleive what ever you want, I have more experience with batteries than you have, before ecigs were ever marketed I was using them in high performance flashlights, about 6 years before. And before that I've used them in equipment for work and equipment I've worked on. I've been using rechargeable batteries since before Li-Ion made it to the market, I started with NiMn and then NiCad, all your doing is dismissing first hand experience with ignorance.
 

KenD

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Well junior, you can beleive what ever you want, I have more experience with batteries than you have, before ecigs were ever marketed I was using them in high performance flashlights, about 6 years before. And before that I've used them in equipment for work and equipment I've worked on. I've been using rechargeable batteries since before Li-Ion made it to the market, I started with NiMn and then NiCad, all your doing is dismissing first hand experience with ignorance.

Well, that was... condescending... I'm not dismissing first hand experience, nor was I being rude (or condescending) to anyone - as you are towards me, and you have no knowledge of my experience with electronics. I'm just saying that I believe that most people who repeat the "don't trust anything with fire in its name" don't have first hand experience of xxxxfire batteries failing. Nowhere am I claiming that no such first hand experience doesn't exist, nor am I suggesting that xxxxbatteries are as good as brand name reputable batteries. In fact, if you actually read my post you'll see that I do recognise good reasons for not getting them (I don't own any and don't see any reason to get any). If you have such expertise as you claim, why not share and give us solid, substantiated reasons for not getting xxxxbatteries. First hand experience is great, but no battery is 100% safe from going thermal (to claim otherwise IS ignorant). Educate people as to why they shouldn't get xxxxfires, in terms of technological facts rather than "it happened to me once", and you'll be much more helpful. I dare you (and anyone else) to explain how my claim and suggestion is ignorant.

- a rather mature junior, more so than some "seniors" it would seem

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Thrasher

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but a categorical "don't trust anything with fire in it's name" isn't solid argumentation

It is when stuff like this is going on in china:


"you never know what you're going to get with the "Fire" brands, as well as a lot of the others. Their suppliers change almost daily. It's only the wrapper on the cells that stays the same. Actually, those sometimes change too!"

Fake Ultrafire 18650 battery warning
 
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