Battery strategy for chain vapers

[Vaslovik]

I've read here and elsewhere that it's not a good thing to run a battery all the way down, and I really try not to do that in my mech mod. I vape on one 18500 while the other one is charging then switch them but I'm really not sure how far down the battery I'm vaping on gets while the other one is charging. I do know it takes 5-6 hours to get charged back up, which seems to indicate it's been drained way down, so I guess I need at least one more battery, and perhaps two.

I got an 18650 3400 MaH, and tried charging that over the last three days, but never has it gotten to full charge on my Trustfire TR-001 charger, so either my charger is lame or the battery is just a dud. I really want that big 3400 battery, but if it takes more than a day to charge it's just not useful to me.

Adding to my problem is that I was told the Trustfire charger, when charging two batteries, splits the charge between them, so it takes twice as long to charge two of them as it does one. This would seem to mean I need two (or more) chargers and not just more batteries if I am to be sure of having charged batteries available for vaping in good order.

After my experience with just one 18650 3400 in this charger I think I can expect charging two of them to take several days.

So the plan now is to go with a pair of Nitecore chargers and 8 3400 MaH batteries, if I can find some that actually get to full charge in less than 24 hours, which my first one hasn't yet done, otherwise I'll just keep using the 18500's and get more of them

 

[Ken_A]

Are you using an all mechanical mod? The ones that have chips will stop working when you get to about 10%.
I use an intelicharger 4-bay charger. Each bay has it's own chip and stops charging when done. When charging two batteries, best to use every other bay... Seems to work better.
Always have at least 4 of each type of battery.
Also batteries differ. Imr, arm, abc 123, baby you and me!
Look up the specs for whichever one(s) you have.

 

[Vaslovik]

Yes, my mod is all mech, it's a Sigelei 24 with no kick in it. I think I might want to get that Intellicharger with 4 bays. Another thing I'm wanting is that Tankometer that has a digital display of the volts your mod is putting out, which I think would be nice to have with a mech. There are a couple different kinds of them, and I'll be ordering one this week.

 

[Thin]

My Trustfire charger took an eternity to display fully charged too. I reckoned it should fully charge my 2000 mAh in about 4 hours but it often took maybe 10 hrs. However, on checking the battery after about 4 hrs I found it to be at 4.2 volts ie approx fully charged. I reckon it's "fully-charged-ometer" is a bit off, and I've read of others with the same issue.

You're correct that your Trustfire charger will split the charge over your 2 bays so will take twice as long to charge 2 batts. The Nitecore I4 has 4 charging bays but also has 2 circuits. There is one circuit for bays 1+2, and one for bays 3+4. So as long as you put a battery in each circuit it will charge both at full speed. Ie use bay 1+3, or 1+4, or 2+3, or 2+4 if you get my drift. Obviously charging 2 batts on one circuit halves the charge rate as per your Trustfire, but on the plus side you can charge 4 at once if you want.

To check how low (or high for that matter) your batts are how about buying a cheap multi-meter? They're only a few bucks.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Toss (or set aside as backup) that Trustfire charger and get a Nitecore. I have a Nitecore that was made in the early 2000's for law enforcement, military and emergency response. It's a ruggedized version of the 4-bay charger you can get on eBay for less than $30.

Mine set me back almost $100, but it is absolutely the most reliable critical asset in my entire electronics collection and it's been going strong now for almost 10 years.

 

[gmb225]

u need to poo poo those high rated mah batteries they r junk. they never put out half of what they say they do. and the ones that do only put out a low voltage like 3.2v for longer time. which is usless in a mech mod. get aw imr 18650 1600mahs. they hold a higher voltage from the start and continue till they die. im now getting 5hrs of chain vapin at .5ohms. u need a good charger to. i have the efest luc charger they charge them in 4hrs.

 

[Vaslovik]

Well I came home at 12:30 today, and that 3400 MaH battery finally had a green light on the Trustfire charger. Wow, sure took it long enough! I got a third 18500 1800 MaH battery on the way home and hopefully I now have enough batteries in rotation to keep me vaping without interruption or having to go to a stick battery (horrors!).

I'm just going to see how long this battery lasts before it goes weak on me. I doubt I'll get another one though. The 18500's seem like they are all I really need as long as I have enough of them in rotation.

 

[Vaslovik]

To check how low (or high for that matter) your batts are how about buying a cheap multi-meter? They're only a few bucks.

A great suggestion, and I'll get right on it, the Radio Shack is just down the street

 

[Rob4092]

I just ordered a pair of 5000mah 18650's. I am going to try them to see if I can't get more vaping time. I go through Panasonic 2200 grey batteries like water with my SVD. Seems like I get double the amount of time on batteries when I use my Vamo 3.

 

[shedevil7953]

This is a good topic as I have always understood you should let batteries die down every once in awhile so they don't get a 'memory', i.e., laptops, phones, ego twists, etc. I haven't let my Efests run completely down but I have let the twists do so. They seem to last longer after charging when I do.

 

[Vaslovik]

I just ordered a pair of 5000mah 18650's. I am going to try them to see if I can't get more vaping time. I go through Panasonic 2200 grey batteries like water with my SVD. Seems like I get double the amount of time on batteries when I use my Vamo 3.

Oh good lord! 5000 MaH? I wish you hadn't said that, now I'll have to get at least one. Part of the reason I wanted the higher capacity batteries was to flatten out the voltage curve over a longer time. I don't mind so much carrying spare batteries, heck, I carry spare coils for my Protank with me, but it would be nice to not have to fuss with batteries when I'm out and about.

 

[Thrasher]

This is a good topic as I have always understood you should let batteries die down every once in awhile so they don't get a 'memory', i.e., laptops, phones, ego twists, etc. I haven't let my Efests run completely down but I have let the twists do so. They seem to last longer after charging when I do.

in a twist "dead" is around 3.2v. a completely discharged Li battery is trashed.

for the OP get a charger that actually charges big batteries with a 1 amp limit and they only take a couple hours. the tr001 drops to i think .01v for the last 10% of the charge cycle and will take forever to top off a big battery.

in a mech it is hard to vape long enough to "kill" a battery as the vapor drops off long befor the voltage is drained.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Remember this adage: A slow charge is a good charge.

 

[Intervap]

If I'm correct, I think the OP is talking about the Nitecore NL189. From what I hear, they will last most people a couple days. Which means they should last me one
But really, I'm sick of going through 2-3 1100mah batteries a day. Need a little bigger tank to make the trip I suppose.

 

[Rob4092]

I got them on EBay...they were inexpensive as well.

Oh good lord! 5000 MaH? I wish you hadn't said that, now I'll have to get at least one. Part of the reason I wanted the higher capacity batteries was to flatten out the voltage curve over a longer time. I don't mind so much carrying spare batteries, heck, I carry spare coils for my Protank with me, but it would be nice to not have to fuss with batteries when I'm out and about.