Dropped my HG2 batteries, small scratch. Safe to vape?

[bovril]

Upon replacing my batteries, they slip from my hands and I dropped them. Upon picking them up I noticed one of the batteries has a scratch and I can see metal. Pics: http://i.imgur.com/CTYIijf.jpg
Do I have to replace the battery or is it no big deal?

 

[Izan]

Hi mate,
If the battery is less than a year old, I would put a dab of nail polish/superglue on the scratch or rewrap it.
If it is over a year old...Recycle and replace... 5€ is cheap for peace of mind.
NKON | eu.nkon.nl
Cheers
I

 

[bovril]

It's fairly new but what difference does it make if it's damaged?

 

[Schue]

It matters because you could short out your battery if any type of metal or other conductor touches the exposed metal on that battery.

I would discard the battery or purchase a new wrap. New wraps run about $.50 US cents.

I would never use any battery with a damaged wrap, brand new or not.

A battery that costs less than 10 dollars to replace is not worth screwing up your mod or causing danger to yourself.

 

[Izan]

It's fairly new but what difference does it make if it's damaged?

Is the cell damaged or is the wrapper torn? Your photo shows a torn wrap ONLY. Please describe the additional damage the cell suffered.

 

[Bonskibon]

If it were my battery I would re-wrap it, and when I took the wrap off and noticed it dented and not completely smooth I would dispose of it.

 

[bovril]

Is the cell damaged or is the wrapper torn? Your photo shows a torn wrap ONLY. Please describe the additional damage the cell suffered.

Cell does not appear to be damaged, only the wrapper is torn from what I can see. Since it's wrap was torn I automatically labeled it "damaged".

If I replace it I gotta replace all 3 batteries to keep them married would I?
I'll prolly try to learn how to wrap myself.

 

[BreSha6869]

Go to a B&M and buy a battery wrap for $0.50 or buy 50 wraps for $1 from Fasttech or similar.

Rewrapping isn't something you need to "learn" as all you do is remove the old one, put the new wrap on and hit it for a few seconds with a hair dryer. Stupidly simple and effective as the wrap just immediately shrinks to the battery perfectly in seconds.

Yes, if you replace the one battery, you would need to buy two more to marry them, so rewraping the one is all you need to do. One wrap of scotch tape will do the job until you get a new wrapper also.

 

[Baditude]

That plastic wrapper on battery cells is not just there to look pretty. It acts as an electrical insulator against shorting out the cell should the battery touch anything metal. The white ring on the positive end of the cell is also an insulator, so keep an eye on that.

Shorting a battery can cause it to vent or go into thermal runaway. Li-Ion Battery Chemistries - What are the differences in their safety?

 

[BreSha6869]

Lifetime supply of everything you need for a few bucks shipped...

$1.35 18650 Battery Sleeve PVC Heat Shrinkable Tube Wrap (50-Pack) 50-pack at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

$1.47 Paper Insulation Gasket for Flat 18650 Battery (100-Pack) 100-pack - 17mm diameter at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

 

[MMW]

As stated above buy some wrappers. If you need to use it until they arrive, a small piece of electrical tape will work for a bit.

 

[SteveS45]

From what I can see in the picture that is a minor tear or scratch in the wrapper and I would remove the wrap and inspect it further. I would feel safe covering it with a piece of tape until I purchased wraps but if it is concerning you then by all means replace it and do not go by anyone's opinion but your own! Hard to tell from a picture and this is only my opinion and I do not have the cell in my hand for further inspection.

Vape On Safely

 

[beckdg]

It's fairly new but what difference does it make if it's damaged?

It's not damaged.

Just the wrapper is.

If it were old, it might be nearing time for new batteries anyway.

If new, a rewrap would be prudent.

Tapatyped