Life Span of Gear

[Jo Patterson]

I read all kinds of stuff here about rebuilding, leaking, dead stuff .... and I found this :

An electronic cigarette batteries expected lifespan is 1-3 months.
_{An electric cigarette atomizer’s expected lifespan is around 3-15 days.
Product Care:
To ensure optimal battery performance, we advise that the battery contacts are regularly cleaned. Our electronic cigarette batteries contain micro-electronic circuitry and microprocessors. Users should store and handle these items with special care, and we advise our customers do not to store their electronic cigarettes near metallic or magnetized objects, or electronic transmitting devices, such as keys and mobile phones and to avoid extremely high or low storage temperatures. Taking these precautions will help to increase the lifespan and functional use of your devices.
\}

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I have only been vaping for just under 2 months, so I have not yet passed the maximum expected lifespan of specific vape batteries, but I have a whole lifetime of using other rechargeable batteries ...
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[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am still using my original batteries, and added 808 echo automatic batteries ... and I charge them every night. There is no degradation in power or life just yet. .. I read people putting them in metal boxes for recharging, which is clearly not appropriate according to basic battery care ... Are batteries dying before their time because people are putting them in metal boxes ?

None of the rechargeable batteries that I use for anything else have ever died that quickly, I am still using rechargeable electronic batteries that are over 5 years old.
(Actually, I don't think I've ever had a battery die on me, I usually have to replace them because someone borrowed them and didn't give them back, or I took out the used ones and lost them before getting them back to be recharged ) [/FONT][FONT=Arial, sans-serif]

Why do PV batteries have such a short lifespan ?

I am still using my clearomizers - same ones, same atomizer ... no rebuilding, no leaks, no breakage ... everything working and tasting just fine after 2 months. All I do is clean them after one day of use.

I read about people rebuilding them after 4 days of use ... seriously !!!
I bought extras and replacements on everything because of this ... all of which are still sitting in their little packages.

What are people doing or not doing that is killing off their gear so quickly ?

I ask these questions for two reasons.
1. I can't be the only one with this experience, so I'm looking for others and what they do or don't do
2. To find out why gear is dying so quickly and why - so I can make sure mine continue NOT to die a premature death.
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[singu]

What are people doing or not doing that is killing off their gear so quickly ?

I ask these questions for two reasons.
1. I can't be the only one with this experience, so I'm looking for others and what they do or don't do
2. To find out why gear is dying so quickly and why - so I can make sure mine continue NOT to die a premature death.
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Well, you have to consider the fact that vapers seem to vape all day everyday..

I have a pair of 18650s that have been going strong for 6 months now..so...

 

[singu]

Double post

 

[retired1]

You're doing everything right. A few points....

Folks that are placing their chargers in metal boxes are charging larger batteries. It's not detrimental to the battery and it's a safety measure just in case the charger malfunctions and the battery melts down.

Cleaning is a good practice and will give you a much longer life span with the atomizer.

Folks who are rebuilding their coils and wicks are doing it on higher end atomizers and tanks. Completely different animal to what you're using.

 

[Bosco]

As far as atties go . .I'd say 3-15 days is right on. I usually buy 2 cisco spec lr atties each month. They usually last me around 2 weeks . .it's not that they don't work after that .. but they don't perform as well. I guess this is from gunked up coils. I have tried cleaning them but they never seem to perform as well as new and I don't mind spending $16 per month for atties that perform really well.

With rebuildables . . .I tend to rebuild them long before they actually need it. Rebuilding coils is it's own "hobby within a hobby" and I can never leave well enough alone. I have even rebuilt coils just because I changed flavors, lol.

I've been vaping about 8 months. The 2 ego-twists I started with recently died. They made it around 7 months with constant use. One of them technically still works but it's acting strange . .lights flashing on and off when charging, the charger turns green immediately but still charges the battery, etc . .so I'm just afraid to keep using it. The other one died when I removed a tank and the top came loose . .the wires and board popped out and one of the leads came off. I'm sure it could be repaired but I just replaced it instead.

I think 1-3 months is pretty short for a battery and I think most of us are getting more than that. Just from reading posts of others experiences, I expect my egos to last at least 6 months and my IMRs to last at least 1 year.

 

[Ryedan]

Lifespan of our batteries is not measured in time, but in charge/recharge cycles. Here is some great info from Battery University on how to prolong their lives. In a nutshell, they will last at least 300 cycles unless you do something to them that stresses them. Charging before they are depleted increases their life.

Don't worry about magnetism, transmitting devices or low temps. High temps should be avoided. I don't leave any batteries in the car in summer for instance.

Charging in metal boxes does not affect life span.

Cleaning clearos often is the way to go. I have had clearos last 3 months. Let a coil get too dirty and gunked up and it becomes hard to clean. They will however eventually go bad.

Hope this helps a bit.

 

[JUDGMENT AFFIRMED]

Cleaning clearos often is the way to go. I have had clearos last 3 months. Let a coil get too dirty and gunked up and it becomes hard to clean. They will however eventually go bad.

Hope this helps a bit.

Totally agree, I am somewhat shocked at how long these coils can last if cleaned and dry burned often - don't overbuy, because you may move on to something else and have a bunch of replacement heads that will never be used.
All 5 of my original Joyetech batteries bought on June 19th 2012 still work - Do not mess with the positive center pin

 

[jpargana]

Well, I don't understand the batteries lifespan part... 1-3 months, really? I use an Ego, and usually I would rotate a pair of batteries for at least six months. Sometimes, even eight or nine months... and when I got new ones, it was not because they were not working anymore, but only because a full charge would not last for the entire day. I always kept them as backups, and many times, I lended those batteries to someone who wanted to try the e-cig for a week... they were working OK; only needed to be charged more often.

As for the atomizers, that's another story... Ego JETS atomizers were sealed, and I could not properly clean the coil, or change the wicks. So, I would dump one in the trash every 2 or 3 weeks - by then, I would really notice a drop in performance. Much cheaper than smoking anyway, but still... Then, I started using the X-Change atomizers. I could now uscrew the coil and deep clean it every 2-3 days, and now an atomizer would last for months!... heck, the atomizer I'm using right now has been with me for maybe four months, an performs like a new one! So, as already stated before, taking care or your atomizers and never letting too much junk pile up on the coil is the key. Otherwise, it will be much difficult to clean afterwards, and you may even not be able to properly clean it at all... any irremovable junk will, of course, affect performance later.

 

[Vapo Marx]

I haven't been vaping long enough to have any of my batteries wear out, although I think one of them is getting there. But since vaping usually involves drawing substantial current from small batteries, I wouldn't expect them to last very long.

The Li-ion battery in my cellphone has lasted years without an apparent loss of performance but that's not a valid comparison since we're talking milliamps vs. amps of current draw.

I have worn out a few cartomizers and clearomizers, though. They either get burned or gunked up or both.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

If it's not a mechanical mod, almost everything we use should be considered consumable and will eventually need to be replaced or rebuilt.

Clearo's with rebuildable or replaceable atomizers should last almost forever with proper care. Even disposables like the CE4 can last for months with decent care.

Like Ryedan said, battery life is measured in charging cycles. The 450 and 650mAh "mini" type batteries, if used on a daily basis, can go pretty quickly. Especially if they are the only battery the user has or if they're part of a shallow rotation. This means putting them on the charger at least once per day.

 

[WattWick]

Why do PV batteries have such a short lifespan ?

Two main factors, I guess. Battery quality and treatment. I would assume most of us keep our batteries fully charged ready to be used. Which is probably the most detrimental thing you can for most lithium batteries lifespan. Disregarding blatant abuse, of course.

For durability... I use mainly genisis-style atomizers with SS mesh. Depending on the juice vaped, they gunk up at different rates. I could easily go several months without disassembling them. But, depending on juice, they sometimes need to be cleaned out every couple of weeks. Longevity and fiddlelessness was the main reason I went for rebuildables and SS mesh.

Edit: Battery life is measured in charge cycles IF they are treated right.

 

[Vapo Marx]

Lifespan of our batteries is not measured in time, but in charge/recharge cycles. Here is some great info from Battery University on how to prolong their lives.

Great link... Thanks! I've been an electronic tech for many years but since I don't have an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of batteries, I think I can learn a lot from that site.

 

[VV_James]

Don't believe everything you read either...

I have 1 device with a permanently soldered in 18650 battery that I've been using for over 3 years...
No it won't hold an all day charge anymore, but it's still good for 5 hours of steady vaping...

I've had other batteries that barely lasted a month.

I've had coils on atomizers, and clearomizers pop within 10 minutes, and others that have lasted for months.
Dark thick liquids WILL shorten the life of a coil, but I've still had those last a month or more, or less than a day...

It's largely random chance, and one of the main reasons that RBAs are so popular...

 

[tj99959]

Most statements like in the OP are based on statistics, and we all know about statistics
I've had quality atties pop the day I got them, but right now I'm vaping an atty that has to have been in the rotation for over two years (Joyeteck changed the design 2 years ago). Both examples would be considered an anomaly, and thrown out when figuring statistics. So then what is the average?
Some people seem to be able to make a product last seemingly forever, while others can break an anvil. So what role does the human factor play?

I guess in the end they last for however long they last, and then we move on.

 

[VV_James]

Most statements like in the OP are based on statistics, and we all know about statistics
I've had quality atties pop the day I got them, but right now I'm vaping an atty that has to have been in the rotation for over two years (Joyeteck changed the design 2 years ago). Both examples would be considered an anomaly, and thrown out when figuring statistics. So then what is the average?
Some people seem to be able to make a product last seemingly forever, while others can break an anvil. So what role does the human factor play?

I guess in the end they last for however long they last, and then we move on.

A little story:

A rather large corporation had an opening for a junior vice-president... And after going through all the applicants eventually narrowed it down to 3 people.
The current Director of Quality
The current Director of Engineering
and The current Director of Finance (a degreed statistician)

They were all 3 called into the CEO's office and informed that the decision was down to one last question, and the one with the best answer would get the position...

The question was:

What is 2+2

Well, the Director of Quality EMPHATICALLY said, "The answer is 4!"
The Director of Engineering said that the answer was, "Some value between 3 and 5"
The Director of Finance stood up, leaned his hands on the CEO's desk and asked, "What would you like it to be?"

Guess who got the job!

 

[WattWick]

I guess in the end they last for however long they last, and then we move on.

Move on?! I bury my atties in the back yard with tiny toothpick crosses... and visit them twice every day.

 

[VV_James]

Move on?! I bury my atties in the back yard with tiny toothpick crosses... and visit them twice every day.

Yeah, but do you leave flowers???

 

[HDVaper]

I clean and dry burn my Protank heads every couple of days. I've NEVER had a coil die from normal use. I have popped a couple when I was poking the coil with a pick trying to straighten out the wraps. I honestly believe that a coil head that is kept clean and free from burn-on gunk will last, well, indefinitely. Maybe I'm wrong but that's been my experience and I have no complaints. I'm 4 months (today) in to this vaping stuff and have been completely satisfied with my Protanks, Puritanks, and Davides.

 

[VV_James]

I clean and dry burn my Protank heads every couple of days. I've NEVER had a coil die from normal use. I have popped a couple when I was poking the coil with a pick trying to straighten out the wraps. I honestly believe that a coil head that is kept clean and free from burn-on gunk will last, well, indefinitely. Maybe I'm wrong but that's been my experience and I have no complaints. I'm 4 months (today) in to this vaping stuff and have been completely satisfied with my Protanks, Puritanks, and Davides.

You maybe right, at least mostly right specially regarding bottom coil devices...
But with standard 510 atomizers, and top coil clearomizers, I do notice a decline in performance over time...

Specially with the darker thicker juices like The Flavorz By Joe, "Cup Of Joe" and his "Mocha Joe"...
As you may have guessed, I have a strong affinity for GOOD coffee Flavors...

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

I clean and dry burn my Protank heads every couple of days. I've NEVER had a coil die from normal use. I have popped a couple when I was poking the coil with a pick trying to straighten out the wraps. I honestly believe that a coil head that is kept clean and free from burn-on gunk will last, well, indefinitely. Maybe I'm wrong but that's been my experience and I have no complaints. I'm 4 months (today) in to this vaping stuff and have been completely satisfied with my Protanks, Puritanks, and Davides.

I do the same, and replace flavor wicks with every cleaning (usually every second or third tank). I've also had very few coils wear out. I'm more likely to wear out the grommets. However, even a toaster has ribbons that eventually wear out and no longer glow, and sooner or later that cigarette lighter in the vehicle won't heat up anymore.

You maybe right, at least mostly right specially regarding bottom coil devices...
But with standard 510 atomizers, and top coil clearomizers, I do notice a decline in performance over time...

Specially with the darker thicker juices like The Flavorz By Joe, "Cup Of Joe" and his "Mocha Joe"...
As you may have guessed, I have a strong affinity for GOOD coffee Flavors...

You'd probably enjoy Mister E-Liquid's Jamocha Haze, then. Right now, it's the only non-tobacco flavor in my permanent daily rotation.