how low do you let your batteries run

[dielonnn]

Okay so I was u der the impression that you arnt aupposed to let your batteries run below 3.6 volts. But today I had a situation where I was forced to vape it all the way down to 2.4 untill it wouldnt even fire anymore. Then I started thinkin how ppl say there batteries last a long time throughout the day compared to how long mine would lasylt.

So question is how low do you let your batteries run before charging them normaly, and how low can you let them get until damage happens

 

[CreepyLady]

Over discharge will ruin your battery. Discharging under 2.5 is not recoverable. I generally pull my batteries around 3.6-3.7, but in the rare case I let go any lower ....mmm, 3.3 is my limit.

Your charger should be incapable of getting that battery back to 4.2 and if it somehow managed to do it (I wouldnt even try, batteries are under $10 and I dont find it to be worth the risk) I certainly wouldnt trust it and would guess you may find that performance is well under its abilities prior to the over discharge.

 

[DaveP]

I vape down to 3.5v and then charge as a general rule. Sometimes, I forget to check and my Provari flashes at 3.3v and cuts off at 3.2v.

With a mech you can go way down, but won't get a good vape at those low voltages. 3.5v is supposed to be the best level to swap and charge. The lower you go, the higher the stress on the battery, especially since you have to run it through a long charge cycle. Batteries hate heat and charging generates a certain amount of internal stress and heat.

 

[iamthevoice]

You'll find that most of the time, an over discharged battery will not charge in standard chargers (they will read the voltage and simply not run the charging program).

So how exactly were you"forced" to vape it to that level? Vaping blackmail? Or did you step out with only one battery and no way to get more? Best thing you could do is chuck that battery and get yourself a new one! Good luck!

 

[KAS129]

I normally pull my batteries in a mech at 3.3 - 3.5 volts. I only know of one charger that might, and I do mean might, recover that battery and that is the Xtar VP-1 or VP-2. No guarantees it will but if you have one you could try it. If you don't or don't know somebody who has one you could buy several batteries for the cost of a charger. Batteries are cheap when compared to the damage they can cause if they go thermal. Even if it did recover I would only use it as an emergency spare in the future and not for sub-ohm builds. Better to be safe than sorry. Would hate to lose a charger or Mod at very least to a $8-$10 battery ( Not to discount the possibility, even if unlikely, of fire or personal injury).

 

[Baditude]

I agree with all of the above statements. Regular IMR chemistry batteries (Li-Mn) should not be discharged past 3.4 volts. IMR/hybrid batteries can be discharged as low as 2.6 volts and possibly be recovered by special chargers (Xtar VP-1), but don't make a habit of it. Discharge IMR/hybrids to 3.4 volts or higher like regular IMR's.

For best overall battery longivity (lifetime), its better to top off a partially discharged battery than to completely drain a battery down in routine useage.

Battery Basics for Mods

Deeper Understanding of Mod Batteries

 

[DaveP]

Good blogs, Baditude. I view maximum battery discharge ratings as I do an automobile speedometer. It may say 120mph on the top side, but doing that speed may result in severe injury or death.

 

[Ryedan]

Okay so I was u der the impression that you arnt aupposed to let your batteries run below 3.6 volts. But today I had a situation where I was forced to vape it all the way down to 2.4 untill it wouldnt even fire anymore. Then I started thinkin how ppl say there batteries last a long time throughout the day compared to how long mine would lasylt.

So question is how low do you let your batteries run before charging them normaly, and how low can you let them get until damage happens

I try to take my batteries out of my mech mods at no less than 3.6V, but I have occasionally run one down to 2.5V or a bit less. I use Sony VTC3 and VTC4 and both of these suffer no damage that I'm aware of going down to 2.5V. It does shorten their lifespan though, just like pushing them hard in any way does. As Baditude said, IMR batteries become damaged at higher voltages. The Sonys are hybrids.

I use a Xtar WP2 II charger and it will recover a battery at almost any voltage. I believe any good charger that does Li-ion only will. Under 3V the charge rate is low and under 2V it's very low.

The safety issue with taking the voltage too low is the battery starts to develop changes that can become internal shorts. An internal short is IMO the worst kind of short and most likely to result in an explosive event. If I ever take a Sony lower than 2V I would recycle it because of that. I've never taken any of my batteries to 2.5V more than twice.

 

[anumber1]

My Xtar MC1 will "save" a battery @ 2.5v. My Nitecore wont charge one under 3.0v or so however.

Personally, I dont make a habit of using a battery in my mech longer than when I notice a dropoff. If im out with a mech, I have backup batteries.

 

[Ryedan]

Personally, I dont make a habit of using a battery in my mech one I notice a dropoff. If im out with a mech, I have backup batteries.

Same here. The problems for me always happen when I have a more aggressive setup than I normally have or when I've just dry burned and re-wicked. That's when the drop off is not nearly as noticeable. I know that now and it hasn't happened to me in a long time.

 

[anumber1]

Same here. The problems for me always happen when I have a more aggressive setup than I normally have or when I've just dry burned and re-wicked. That's when the drop off is not nearly as noticeable. I know that now and it hasn't happened to me in a long time.

Yeah... ive done that too. never gotten lower than 2.7v, and it wasnt very long after the dropoff that I did notice.

A .5 ohm build still makes pretty good vapor with a dead battery

 

[Huh?!]

I've had an AW 18490 go down to 2.5v inadvertently a few days ago. Simply didn't realize how long it was in my mod. Nonetheless, my Luc charger recovered the battery and I've used it since. Can i say no damage has been done? No but it still charges and hits just as hard.

I am usually very careful about my batteries and as a rule of thumb don't let then get past 3.5-3.6. Nonetheless just sharing my story.

 

[sandersj80]

Being new to dripping, I learned that when my vape clouds become weak, its time to change the batteries. Since I am running a mech mod, I don't have the option of checking the battery voltage, so I merely just watch the clouds lol

 

[beckdg]

The safety issue with taking the voltage too low is the battery starts to develop changes that can become internal shorts. An internal short is IMO the worst kind of short and most likely to result in an explosive event. If I ever take a Sony lower than 2V I would recycle it because of that. I've never taken any of my batteries to 2.5V more than twice.

Yes. The lithium paste grows crystalline structures that are not only dead zones but can act as shunts connecting the anode directly to the cathode.

Tons of good replies here.