Hot Battery question

[LadyTexun]

This is a bit long, but I really haven't grasped all the coil / battery stuff yet so I'm looking for some advise.
A week ago I purchased a Smok AL85 kit. The guy at the vape store installed the stock coil, baby Q2 and a 3000 mAh battery.
Yesterday I went to another vape store, I was getting a dark ??something?? in my liquid in the tank plus I was looking for a store closer to me. The guy at the new store was great, answered a lot of questions, explained to me about how to clean the coil (the cotton was all blackened) plus understanding my intolerance for PG sold me a great tasting juice with 90/10 vg/pg. He also sold to me, and installed, a new coil, a baby T8.
After he installed it and new juice every time I tried to hit it the AL85 would shut off. After about 4 or 5 tries I realized I was getting a "check battery" on the screen. He wasn't sure why but installed another coil. We both figured it was a bad coil the first time.
Everything seemed to be great, I vaped and enjoyed the new flavor. I started out at 50w, gradually went up to 75w and have settled around 73w.
I charged my battery last night, like I do every night. I do not let it sit on the charger all night, I take it off as soon as the screen shows the battery is fully charged.
A few minutes ago I took a hit and thought I got a hot hit on my finger which was resting against the battery compartment top. I felt all over the AL85 but couldn't find any hot spot so thought maybe it was my imagination... nope! A few minutes later it did it again, I purposefully left my index finger along the top of the edge of battery screw on top when I took a smallish hit, sure enough it got hot enough to feel, really well!
I took the battery out and could not see anything wrong.
Question: could it have gotten shorted out with the bad coil yesterday and if so why did it work for around 24 hours before it started getting hot?
Of course, I've turned the unit off and do not intend to use it until after I go back to the vape store tomorrow and if I have to get another battery... depending on what you folks suggest.

Thank you,

 

[puffon]

Sounds like you have a 20amp 3000mah battery.
60 watts is the max I would use on a 20amp.
A proven 25amp would be better above 60 watts.

 

[LadyTexun]

Like I said, I'm really not "up" on this amp, mAh stuff but here's what's on my battery:

IMR 18650 - 3000 mAh - 3.7v 35A
That's about 1/2 way up on the battery

on the bottom edge: Type 2 - 20A CDC

It's a ?? MXJO or maybe it says IVXJO ??

 

[Darth Omerta]

Like I said, I'm really not "up" on this amp, mAh stuff but here's what's on my battery:

IMR 18650 - 3000 mAh - 3.7v 35A
That's about 1/2 way up on the battery

on the bottom edge: Type 2 - 20A CDC

It's a ?? MXJO or maybe it says IVXJO ??

Personally I wouldn't use mxjo. The preferred batteries are made by Sony, Samsung and LG. The battery you have is likely a 20A cell since it claims a 3000mAh rating.

Check out mooch battery chart

If you want to vape above 60 watts pick a good 25A or 30A battery on moochs chart. Personally i like the Sony VTC5a for a 25A or the LG HB6 for a 30A cell

 

[LadyTexun]

OK, I'm gonna write down a list of preferred batteries and hit the vape store after work tomorrow. In the mean time do you think it's safe to back my watts back to 50 and use my little alien?? It's either that or I take my K4 back from my sister for tomorrow LOL I've been 4 week without a cigarette, thanks to the K4 and now my AL85 but my sis just started 3 days ago.

 

[Darth Omerta]

The mxjo cell should be fine at 50W for now. Again, if you want to go above 60W you need a quality, authentic 25 or 30 amp cell. Depending on where you live they may be hard to come by in a B&M vape shop. Be wary of fakes and rewraps(sometimes difficult to tell). On the chart I posted there is a listing trusted vendors that ship to just about everywhere.

Another option might be to check out a 2 (or more) cell mod. This essentially splits the "workload" between multiple batteries. For example in a dual cell mod running at 80W each cell is "responsible" for 40W. It's just a thought.

For now try your mod at 50W and see how it goes. Keep us posted on the battery shopping!

 

[IMFire3605]

OK, I'm gonna write down a list of preferred batteries and hit the vape store after work tomorrow. In the mean time do you think it's safe to back my watts back to 50 and use my little alien?? It's either that or I take my K4 back from my sister for tomorrow LOL I've been 4 week without a cigarette, thanks to the K4 and now my AL85 but my sis just started 3 days ago.

That will be fine, on a 20amp CDR battery max watts is about 60 to 65watts, still wanting 3000mah battery and plan to run below 65watts, the Samsung 30Q is the King of the 3000mah batteries atm. About 75watts would be max on a single 25amp CDR battery like the VTC5A by Sony or LG HD2/HD2C/HD4, 80 to 90 would 30amp CDR like the LG HB6. What you were feeling at the battery cap is simple amps being pulled in current, those amps generate outward as heat, closer you get to a battery's maximum CDR the battery temperature spikes higher and higher. Generally the max internal temp on a battery that is safe is bout 80C degrees or 176 °F, on a 20amp CDR battery that temp is attained right around the 15 to 20amp discharge range.

 

[LadyTexun]

Darth Omerta,
Thanks for your advise. I've lowered my watts to 50, I'll surely let you know if I find batteries locally. That heat scared the you know what out of me LOL

 

[LadyTexun]

Thank you for your response IMFire3605. I grasp what you're saying but I don't think I could repeat it LOL
Give me a couple of years

 

[Darth Omerta]

Darth Omerta,
Thanks for your advise. I've lowered my watts to 50, I'll surely let you know if I find batteries locally. That heat scared the you know what out of me LOL

Heat can be a scary thing coming from a battery, especially if you don't know what a "normal" amount of heat might feel like. Its better to be safe than sorry and if in doubt it's best to ask the question.

There are plenty of knowledgeable people around here and @IMFire3605 and @puffon gave some great info as well. There's always someone kicking around here that can help with just about every vaping question you could think of!

 

[LadyTexun]

ECF is such a cool place with great people