I'm new - researching batteries & chargers

[Kristi55057]

Where do I find the sticky note I'm supposed to read in the New Member Forum? Thanks.

I live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes (Minnesota). I've been vaping since 2012. I recently went from using an iStick/Mini Nautilus to the smok AL85. Two weeks after I bought it, I got the check battery message and the e-cig would not work.

Googling for information made me see there is more I need to know about e-cigs. I also want to keep up to date on products and issues. So here I am! I'm glad I found you. My first order of business is learning which are good, safe batteries and chargers.

 

[Walee]

Go directly to the authority on the subject. The one and only Battery Mooch: Battery Mooch After graduationg from Mooch-U you will be well equipted.

 

[charlie1465]

Welcome to the friendly bunch

As @Walee said for batteries and chargers Mooch's blog is the best battery info we've got in the vaping community so have a look there.

Here is all the stickies regarding new members stuff...

New Members Information

Mooch also has a youtube channel here....

Battery Mooch

Lots of friendly advice and knowledgeable vapers here so just ask

 

[charlie1465]

Here is Mooch's blog on ecf which has all the tested battery lists and other stuff...

Mooch's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Hawise]

Yippee! Someone who actually wants to know about my favourite topic (and who might even read my posts as I ramble on, and on, and on...)

Mooch is an excellent source of information, but I don't think his blog is the best starting place for a beginner. You can either start with his videos or with Baditude's blog post here:

• (9) Battery Basics for Mods; the Ultimate Battery Guide | E-Cigarette Forum

Baditude's blog is an excellent resource. It'll take you through basic battery care to charging to battery selection and purchasing - everything you need to start using batteries in a regulated mod. Once you're clear on the basics, you can look around Baditude's and Mooch's blogs for more advanced details.

If Baditude's post leaves you with any questions, feel free to ask. We're always happy to help keep someone from blowing their face off.

I have one other bit of advice you didn't ask for. Smok is a very well-known manufacturer, but they're known around here for their problematic (i.e. lack of) quality control. They sometimes make a nice piece of kit, but it's likely as not to turn into a brick rather quickly. If you're interested in alternatives, tell us what you'd like in a mod and someone (or everyone) will suggest something more reliable.

 

[greek mule]

Definitely you must read Baditude's Blog

 

[GOMuniEsq]

Edit: I've incorporated the feedback received and posted this as an official review.


I'd like to throw in my recommendation for the Nitecore SC4 charger, assuming you're planning to use 18650s in pairs or triples.

The 18650 cells used for vaping are usually rated between 2500 and 4000mAh. 2 amps is the sweet spot for charging these, and some cells can even handle 3A for better speed.

But what distinguishes a $15 charger from a $50 charger?
Every charger has a maximum current limit per cell. Many will do 2A, some are limited to 1A.
Every charger has a maximum total current limit for all cells. A charger with a 2A total limit will charge one cell just fine, but if you put two in together each one gets only 1A, which takes much longer.

The SC4 has a per cell limit of 3A and a maximum total limit of 6A, so it can charge a pair of 18650 cells at up to 3A each. It defaults to the 2A sweet spot which takes around 90 minutes for 3000mAh cells. 3 cells would charge at 2A; 4 cells would charge at 1.5A.

The unit plugs into a wall outlet. It is well ventilated and has a fan inside to keep it cool. It also does USB pass-through when it's not charging cells.

The detailed display allows you follow the progress of the charging and provides information about the health of your batteries. But the defaults are sensible so there's no knowledge required to use it. Just insert the cells, watch the bars fill up, and remove when they read as full.

 

[bombastinator]

I recently did this too and I came away with an xtar dragon Vp4 plus. It was probably overkill. It does some stuff I don’t really need. Also the instruction manual is the absolute bare minimum possible. A video or two will need to be watched to even understand the what the various functions do and how to activate them. It’s a bit complicated.

The features I do like and bought it for:
It will charge 2x700s and 26650s without having to juggle your battery slots around, it will charge just about any rechargeable battery regardless of chemistry (including household rechargeables like AAAs) and it has a bunch of battery health monitoring features.

Less useful features:
It does a bunch of other things too, like act as a large battery bank and as a USB wall adapter. You can even plug another larger plate battery into it and use it to charge other smaller batteries

Video link if you happen to care. It is what I am using in place of a functional user manual

 

[greek mule]

The 18650 cells used for vaping are usually rated between 2500 and 4000mAh.

Actually 1500-3000 mAh

 

[bombastinator]

Actually 1500-3000 mAh

I’ve got a pair that claim to be rated at 3500ma and are currently holding a bit more than ~3200+ma after a fair bit of use (Samsung 35Es) they have a much lower than average maximum draw though, and @Mooch may actually rate them lower due to probably very good reasons. I only use them when I’m vaping MTL on a dual battery mod.
I don’t know anything about 4000ma. Seems high. Technology keeps moving though.

 

[Diver9543]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Enjoy your search.

 

[Baditude]

My first order of business is learning which are good, safe batteries and chargers.

Guide to Choosing a Li-ion Battery Charger
Battery Basics for Mods: The Definative Battery Guide for Vaping
Deeper Understanding of Mod Batteries Part 1
Are You Using a Rewrap (Rebranded or Aftermarket) Battery?

Battery Mooch's You Tube Channel
Battery Mooch's E-Cig Forum Blog

 

[greek mule]

Actually 1500-3000 mAh

Due to the very high internal resistance of the 3500-4000 mAh 18650 batteries which causes a lot of voltage sag,we can't get more vaping time using 3500 mAh or 4000 mAh batteries,than the vaping time 3000 mAh batteries offer.(Even if we vape at only 10 w).

The reason is that the big voltage sag of the over 3000 mAh batteries forces the device to signal "weak/low battery" sooner than when using lower IR/Mah batteries like a Samsung 30Q 18650.

That's why 3000 plus batteries are not suitable for vaping.

 

[Hawise]

2 amps is the sweet spot for charging these, and some cells can even handle 3A for better speed.

I completely agree that a good charger is a necessity, but you might want to reconsider your charging rate. According to the all-wise Mooch, 1 amp is the sweet spot for charging our vaping 18650s. A new or very good condition 18650 will start heating up if you charge above 0.5 - 0.75 amps. By 2 amps, it'll be getting warm enough to really accelerate aging. 1 A offers a reasonable trade-off between charging speed and heat-induced damage.

Of course, it really comes down to priorities. If faster charging is important to you, it might well be worth replacing your batteries more often and accepting the (slightly) higher risk of more damage. If extending battery life means more than quick charging, then a slower rate of 500 mA or 700 mA would suit you best.

You can check out Mooch's Battery Charge Current Ratings table for details of particular batteries.

@Kristi55057, I think Baditude's blog covers this, but if it doesn't, the generally-recommended chargers around here are ones by Xtar, Nitecore and Efest's LUC line (only the LUC line for Efest). There are a number of other good chargers, but the ones I listed tend to be widely available and reasonably priced, so they're a good place to start.

 

[GOMuniEsq]

you might want to reconsider your charging rate

Funny, you wrote this just as I was reading his guide. It does recommend 1.0-1.5A. At 2A my cells are fairly warm to the touch while charging. In my case it's definitely best to have the charging complete sooner so they can rest and be ready for the next changeover, even if that shortens the life expectancy a bit. At the rate I change them out the wrap usually gets damaged before shorter life becomes apparent and they need to be replaced anyway.

 

[Kristi55057]

Thank you! I have been buying my stuff from my sister-in-law who has an e-cig shop in Florida, so I have been taking their recommendations. I needed to buy something quickly, went to my local store here in Minnesota, and bought the Smok AL85 with store guy's blessing (I am aware that is not exactly an objective recommendation). I'm very happy to find this forum, because my next purchase will be well informed. Plus, I'm getting more worried about blowing my face or other parts up. I want to know what I'm doing.

 

[GOMuniEsq]

worried about blowing my face or other parts up

Well bear in mind with all the scaremongering in the media, that a battery cell explosion is preceded by it getting very hot, leaking stinky chemicals, and hissing loudly. And it's caused by neglect and misuse; it's not some random event that could strike anybody. You've already got a proper regulated device. So take good care of your batteries, store them in a proper container when outside your device or charger, and replace them if the wrap starts to degrade. Happy vaping!

 

[BrotherBob]

Where do I find the sticky note I'm supposed to read in the New Member Forum? Thanks.

Welcome and glad you joined.
Here is examples of sticky notes:

Note the red push pin found in many of the sites, the red sticky signifies a bulletin board note attached to the "bulletin board". Sticky=Red Push Pin=semi permanent (until unpinned) post.
The sticky note is contained in the sites listed below:
New Members - "How many posts do I need to..." -
New Members Information
The ECF Library

My first order of business is learning which are good, safe batteries and chargers.

Might not need to know much about batteries if you choose to vape internal battery mods. Assuming you vape style demands loose batteries, might like to read:
Calculating battery current draw for a regulated mod | E-Cigarette Forum
Index | E-Cigarette Forum
Best 18650 Battery Explanation!
Vape Battery Safety: Will You Marry Me? | Mt Baker Vapor
A Guide to Safe Charging - The Complete Guide to E-Cig Safety
Vaping 101: Battery Safety
7 Best Practices to Keep Your Charge
Guide to Choosing a Battery Charger | E-Cigarette Forum
Flashlight information

 

[leftee]

I have an armory of chargers and do cell testing myself, here is some of the chargers I have upstairs. I'll say the nitecore chargers are the most cell friendly of the bunch I have - they charge my cells to 4.16 - 4.17v consistently. The Basen BO2 charges my cells to 4.21v consistently - I'd probably recommend this charger to mech users that want that fully full full cell.

 

[leftee]

I use Samsung 25r, Samsung 30q, Samsung 20s, lg he4, lg hg2, lg hd2, Sony vtc4 and 5.