Batteries for Mods...

[okiedokiesmokie]

Hey guys, question...

would it be safe to buy batteries like this for a mod?

4XCR123 CR123A Li-Ion Rechargeable Battery 3.7V 1000mAh | eBay

They're cheap on ebay, but the mah's don't match the suggested amount on the glv website. Does having 750 mah's really make a difference? As I have it understood, it's the voltage that you should worry about and the mah's really just tell you how long the battery is supposed to last. i.e. higher # mah = longer lasting batt between charges.

A hearty thank you to anyone who can clarify this mess for me!!!

 

[CraigHB]

Doesn't look like those are protected batts. You need the protected ones. Also, the capacity rating is exaggerated. Chinese battery makers are notorious for fudging the ratings (makes you wonder about everything else, like safety). The best Chinese batts are the AW brand and there are plenty of sources for those. Just look in the suppliers section of the forum. I like to use LightHound myself. The Japanese ones are also good like Sanyo, Samsung, Panasonic.

Also, that's a China vendor so it would take several weeks to get them.

You can use the 3.2V LiFePO batts unprotected and the IMR batts unprotected but you still have to be aware of some safety issues. Otherwise, the protection circuitry is a necessity.

 

[Boodle]

Jay at GreatLakesVapor can answer this best. I've called the number on their website several times and they happily answer. He's adamant about the battery type/size. I can tell you that the ohms of those cheap batteries are greatly exaggerated (China). Check the Ask the Veteran's forum for detailed knowledge. I took the bait and grabbed a few, trashed them within a week. You pay more for the black label AW batts but my first ones are still going strong 5 months in powering my GLV2s.

 

[JWebb]

I use 750 AW black 16340's on my Ali'i mod and others when the manufacturer says use the AW red 16340 at like 600mah, and they work fine, the same with 14500 Red AW IMR's for the reo Mini and I use the black at a higher mah, work fine.

 

[okiedokiesmokie]

yeah i was trying to get around having to pay the 7 bucks a piece but if they last as long as you say yours are lasting, who cares, right?

thanks for the info, guys! (as always, so grateful for all your help and willingness to share the info!)

 

[CraigHB]

Welcome,

There's a physical limit to how much charge (mAh) the LiCo (lithium cobalt) battery chemisty can store. No maker has come out with some secret formula that allows them to hold significantly more charge than another maker. If anything, the opposite is true. Often, these Chinese batteries stamped with high charge capacities measure out to as little as half the claim when compared "on the bench" to higher quality batteries like the AW.

There are other chemstries that hold more charge than LiCo, like LiPo (lithium polymer) and Panasonic's NCR series, but these batteries are more expensive (especially LiPo) so you get what you pay for. They're also not available in a full range of cell sizes. The LiPos are exclusively flat cells. At least I have yet to see one in a round cell.

 

[mlinky]

Always buy the best battery that you can find, that meets the mod maker's recommendation. Just a general comment, in batteries (as in most things), you get what you pay for. It is beyond silly to pay $100 and up for a mod, and then buy inferior or dangerous batteries to save a couple of dollars.

Anyone who is moving up to a mod with rechargeable batteries should read this: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/129569-rechargeable-batteries.html

 

[Renzuli]

There are some good deals on Ebay , for batteries , (sometimes) but most come from china , and are either not protected , or sorely , misrepresented , as to mah value . The little cost savings , is not worth the risk , of damage to your mod , or harm to yourself . Add that all to the fact , that it takes , forever , to get anything , from China . just my .02 worth .

 

[CBB]

When it comes to mod batteries its worth spending the few extra dollars to get IMR batteries. You will get hundreds of recharges out of them so its not a common recurring expense and the safer chemistry is well worth the expense.

 

[Sainted_S]

Great vendors for batteries.
Batteries
Super T Manufacturing, Innovative manufacturer of electronic cigarette products.

 

[CraigHB]

A protected ICO battery (LiCo) is actually safer than an IMR battery (LiMn). The lithium manganese chemistry used in the IMR batts is less volatile than LiCo so it's not "hazardous" to use them unprotected, but there is still some risk. An IMR batt can vent (expel hot gasses at a high rate) if shorted or over-charged, just not as easily as an unprotected ICO batt. So, when using IMR batts, you still need to be aware of that.

The main reason IMR batts are not sold in a protected version is the high drain. High drain means they can handle high currents going out of the cell, for example, when driving a low resistance atomizer. A typical drain limit for an IMR 14500 is 5 Amps, about three times that of an ICO batt. Protection circuity that can handle currents that high is cost and size prohibitive.

You don't' get something for nothing with an IMR batt, it's a trade off. IMR batts can output much higher current, but they hold somewhat less charge. Though, charge/discharge cycle life is somewhat higher.