No where close to the same danger. A mechanical mod setup can be easily designed by an uninformed user to draw more amps from the battery than its continuous discharge rate. The end result is an abused battery that will go into thermal runaway and either vent gas or burst into flames or explode. If that mechanical mod has adequate ventilation (best case scenario), not much to report except possibly some burns. However, if it doesn't have adequate ventilation (worse case scenario) that mech becomes a pipe bomb.
When it comes to advanced mass marketed systems like cell phones, laptops, and hybrid electric cars, the system designers of those products have taken appropriate steps to make them "safe" for uninformed end-user use. Purely mechanical unregulated ecig battery mods and uninformed end-users are a dangerous combination.
Most consumer battery operated devices are no where near the limit of the battery's operating limits. The high-end flashlights, ecigs, and remote control toys come to mind as applications that really push a battery's limits. With the RC toys the device is physically far removed from the person so a mishap is inconsequential. With ecigs a mishap is literally in the persons face.
You don't seem to have read what I said and wrote a novel by picking one or two sentences out of context of my other comments. I already said that "I acknowledge that there is more to go wrong with a mech mod than a flashlight." Enough said? I did not find it necessary to rehash all that can go wrong with a mech mod, nor am I a fan of mech mods- I don't own one even though I learned Ohm's law almost 50 years ago. I don't own one because I learned the importance of fuses back then.
Sony had two stated issues with use of their batteries in eCigs...
1. That they were used "outside of battery packs"
2. I will quote (from their site, not that letter): Because of the high power, Sony Li-Ion Cells require safety precautions and mechanisms to make their use safe.
Sony is not aware of eCigarettes or vape pens that have such safety mechanisms
This post started with a member questioning the following text printed on his battery:
"Do Not Use Outside Of Battery Pack". That was repeated in the letter. Flashlights use stand-alone "naked" batteries. Flashlight users are similarly "endangered" by the possibility that they will carry naked batteries in their pockets, along with keys and coins, and light their family jewels on fire. And I questioned if Sony has similarly cautioned flashlight makers and/or resellers. Flashlight users unarguably share this risk equally.
Sony is apparently unaware of any eCig mod that uses what they consider adequate protection. Are they suggesting that, for example, Provapes products are insufficiently engineered? Or engineered less safely than the huge offerings of 18650 flashlights at all price points? Of critical importance, Sony did not suggest "some" eCigs are insufficiently designed (such as mech mods in particular), Sony said
NO eCig products are safe enough (thinly veiled by whatever they may or may not be aware of).
I don't know why you plastered pics of exploded mech mods in your response since I was excluding mech mods from my discussion. Sony's letter goes far, far beyond mech mods. It was a condemnation of the entire industry, including some very fine, and very well engineered products like Provape's. And the very caution label printed on their batteries suggests they are very disingenuous unless the same basic letter went out to the flashlight industry.
