trog ... not all lith-ion batts come protected. Taking apart a 901/pen batt, I saw no protection on either end, and I highly highly doubt, the cheap finicky chargers from China come with built in protection. I could understand your RCR123 chargers having built in protection if you don't use protected RCR123 batts ...
hmmmm... may need to take apart another battery ... If you have something/picture for reference on a standard ecig batt, would be much appreciated
its just basic lithium technology cash some kind of protectoin just to has be used..... e cig battery tubes are full of flashing light chippery.. part of that chippery is the shut off charge/discharge protection..
the early e pipe and cigars never had it but its built into the chargers with them.. its two cent cost nothing chips.. the chinese turn them out by the million..
with a bigger cell.. its a little flat circuit board stuck on the end of the cell... again more cost nothing chinese chippery.. they really do make this stuff for nothing..
the price difference between a protected cell and a none protect is none existent..
we use none protected cells with the SD because there isnt much room in there and the little extra plate stuck on the end makes them a tight fit..
charge an unprotected cell without a proper charger and it will catch fire or die..
lithium technology isnt really a safe battery technology its used simple because there is nothing else to do the job of a similar size..
the protection circuit costs nothing.. chips by the million.. a chinese specialty... he he..
they are very very small things.. i think the chinese are miracle workers to be honest.. how the hell they make things as cheap as they do amazes me..
the circuitry does a simple job.. it shuts of the battery from the charger when around 4.2 volts is reached.. it also shuts off the battery when a low voltage of 2.7 volts is reached..
these are not exact figures just ball park figures.. but they are the common ones used..
i cant find another pic at the moment but there is plenty of room in this 901 battery housing for all the tiny chippery..
what we call a battery isnt really a battery its a battery holder.. the little thing in front is the actual lithium cell.. for those who dont know..
trog
ps.. i have a bin full of sawn off ones i can take pics of if i remember.. we dont do it any more but we used to.. just to get the brass end bits..