I was confused by this as well. They put these things in kits, saying they're "great for sitting at your computer" and there are NO warnings that come with it, saying NOT to plug into a USB port. In fact they're usually called "USB e-cigarettes". So yes I find this totally misleading, if it's true that you should not plug a USB cigarette into a USB port!!
Local NW Floridian with severe injuries from exploding ecig battery
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I was confused by this as well. They put these things in kits, saying they're "great for sitting at your computer" and there are NO warnings that come with it, saying NOT to plug into a USB port. In fact they're usually called "USB e-cigarettes". So yes I find this totally misleading, if it's true that you should not plug a USB cigarette into a USB port!!
im not 100% sure, but it's what i heard, and i would rather not blow my expensive laptop up so i don't chance it
Some vendors have statements that the wall plug is the preferred recharge method, but that the USB option is a viable backup. The problem comes in with that all USB ports are not equal and if your computer's USB port is one of the lacking one's then you are putting an unnecessary strain on your computer.
I'm horrified by the story, as we all are.
I also googled "exploding batteries". The ecig story is just a few down, but nestled among many links to pages devoted to exploding flashlights, car batteries, phones, laptops, small toys... also .... labs.
(I use a MacBook so the issue's always been close to my... heart.) So obviously it's important to keep things in perspective (I've already had co-workers who saw the article rush to warn me, in breathless voices, that they were fearful for my face).
Meanwhile, however, I do now find myself gazing suspiciously at my current favorite device (KGO). I don't have time to read tons of stuff about batteries. I just want to know how safe my particular device is, and I suspect that's the case for a lot of forum members. Wouldn't it be nice if we could assemble some sort of "relative safety" thread that would simply describe the safety features, or lack thereof, of the more popular, specific devices (used with the charger suggested by the vendor/manufacturer)?
For instance, I do not see any little vent holes on my KGO. should there be? I have no idea if the bottom flies off under pressure. I understand the dangers of stacking unprotected batteries, but what about the batteries enclosed, say, in a standard KR808?
How does a Provari stack up against a Lava Tube for safety? And etc. Any takers?
Me, I like nice, tidy lists, without jungles of divers specs to wade through. Don?
Don does comp lists so nicely...
I also googled "exploding batteries". The ecig story is just a few down, but nestled among many links to pages devoted to exploding flashlights, car batteries, phones, laptops, small toys... also .... labs.
(I use a MacBook so the issue's always been close to my... heart.) So obviously it's important to keep things in perspective (I've already had co-workers who saw the article rush to warn me, in breathless voices, that they were fearful for my face).Meanwhile, however, I do now find myself gazing suspiciously at my current favorite device (KGO). I don't have time to read tons of stuff about batteries. I just want to know how safe my particular device is, and I suspect that's the case for a lot of forum members. Wouldn't it be nice if we could assemble some sort of "relative safety" thread that would simply describe the safety features, or lack thereof, of the more popular, specific devices (used with the charger suggested by the vendor/manufacturer)?
For instance, I do not see any little vent holes on my KGO. should there be? I have no idea if the bottom flies off under pressure. I understand the dangers of stacking unprotected batteries, but what about the batteries enclosed, say, in a standard KR808?
How does a Provari stack up against a Lava Tube for safety? And etc. Any takers?
Me, I like nice, tidy lists, without jungles of divers specs to wade through. Don?
Don does comp lists so nicely...
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A normal eGo charger is 5V input, and 4.2V/420mA output, per multiple sites. Based on the output, input should be under 500 mA, which means no problem using it on a normal PC USB port. Same applies for a normal Riva charger -- check them and at least the ones I've used actually come with a 5V/500mA wall wart -- yes, purposeful design, to allow use of a normal PC port. If I'm sitting at my desk, battery needs a recharge, no problem at all using a normal Riva or eGo charger in a USB port on my PC.
That said, yes, it's good not to leave eGo/Riva/KR808D-1/... batteries just sitting unattended charging, particularly for extended periods, to cover the rare, but real, cases where something goes wrong. The applies whether using a PC USB or a dedicated wall wart power supply.
The don't-use-a-standard-PT-on-a-PC is, as Batsu stated, because a normal no-battery PT will always be drawing more than the USB spec current. Even a 3 ohm carto is drawing 5/3 = 1.7A, 1700 mA, far higher than the USB spec. That a given PC may run a PT doesn't mean you aren't stressing the heck out of it, essentially inviting a failure. On a plain no-inline-battery PT I always use a separate dedicated 2A USB power supply, and even then limit myself to 2.5 ohm or higher cartos.
(sorry for the derail, but a valid question was asked)
That said, yes, it's good not to leave eGo/Riva/KR808D-1/... batteries just sitting unattended charging, particularly for extended periods, to cover the rare, but real, cases where something goes wrong. The applies whether using a PC USB or a dedicated wall wart power supply.
The don't-use-a-standard-PT-on-a-PC is, as Batsu stated, because a normal no-battery PT will always be drawing more than the USB spec current. Even a 3 ohm carto is drawing 5/3 = 1.7A, 1700 mA, far higher than the USB spec. That a given PC may run a PT doesn't mean you aren't stressing the heck out of it, essentially inviting a failure. On a plain no-inline-battery PT I always use a separate dedicated 2A USB power supply, and even then limit myself to 2.5 ohm or higher cartos.
(sorry for the derail, but a valid question was asked)
in my opinion, safe charging practices, and a little common sense will prevent this from happening to you, now don''t get me wrong, nothing is fail safe, but use your head, and it may save your face. i dont worry about it, im more concerned with my cell phone exploding on my ear and sending shrapnel into my head, or my laptop melting down, or the batteries in my PSP mangling my hands. those devices i have no say in what kind/quality of battery are in, at least in my pv i get to pick the batteries i use, and the charger i use. but who knows, i could melt my face off tonight.
I have seen a lot of things being said about batteries blowing up and worried that it is just e-cigs. well it is the nature of lithium batts they will all over charge (cell phones 2-way radios e-cigs .... ) unless they have a protection of some type most have them in the chargers by reading the voltage and changing from a rapid charge to a trickle charge some have this built into the batteries themselves whiich would work like a fuse that if the are over charging they will cut out. now most of the e-cigs out there are small and so are their chargers so they will likely not have these protections to keep their size down. so the best practice is to just keep a eye on them and make sure they are not staying on the charger for too long after they are fully charged. and like has been said just use some common sense about them and they should be fine and last you a long time.
I'm horrified by the story, as we all are.
I also googled "exploding batteries". The ecig story is just a few down, but nestled among many links to pages devoted to exploding flashlights, car batteries, phones, laptops, small toys... also .... labs.
Meanwhile, however, I do now find myself gazing suspiciously at my current favorite device (KGO). I don't have time to read tons of stuff about batteries. I just want to know how safe my particular device is, and I suspect that's the case for a lot of forum members. Wouldn't it be nice if we could assemble some sort of "relative safety" thread that would simply describe the safety features, or lack thereof, of the more popular, specific devices (used with the charger suggested by the vendor/manufacturer)?
For instance, I do not see any little vent holes on my KGO. should there be? I have no idea if the bottom flies off under pressure. I understand the dangers of stacking unprotected batteries, but what about the batteries enclosed, say, in a standard KR808?
How does a Provari stack up against a Lava Tube for safety? And etc. Any takers?
Me, I like nice, tidy lists, without jungles of divers specs to wade through. Don?
Don does comp lists so nicely...
Good post as there are issues that need to be flushed out.
When mods first started appearing a few years ago they where basically a hobbyist thing, someone made something in the basement and sold it to a few other hobbyist. You can get away with a lot of relatively unsafe designs on that level. Problem is the e-cig industry has exploded (no bun intended) in the last few years. Mods can no longer be considered a hobbyist thing but are a consumer product. Problem is many, if not most mods, are not engineered as consumer products but are still clinging to the basement hobbyist idea and are not built for safety first.
Stacked lithium batteries are just one of a number of things that should never by sold on a consumer level. There are to many things that can easily go wrong. But it doesn't stop there. Mechanical mods are really not a good idea as far as safety goes. I hear a lot of hype about the glory of mechanical mods, but there is simple no way to make them as safe as mods that have electrical switches. Just for the fact that you can press the button indefinitely with no auto shut off is bad enough, but you can also not put in other safety features as in short protection, overload protection etc. I have a few mechanical watches and I love 'em, but it really has no place in a device that uses lithium batteries.
Then there is the venting issue which has been almost completely ignored by the moders.
Its great that we are having a good debate on battery safety, and not doubt Pila is doing very well in this as they should as they make a good product, but its past time to get out of the basement and get some mods that are engineered by people who know what they are doing, for us folks who probably don't quite know what we are doing.
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Try testing your charger. TR-001 is getting old and they do fail. Just want to make sure your safe from this happening again. Happy vaping.
great advice.
I wouldn't say never on stacked batteries. I'm quite comfortable with my buck regulator VVs, but they were engineered. The regulator design limits draw to about 2A max, there's an in-line diode that will go open at 3A if the regulator breaks and somehow one gets a short, they have multiple decent sized vents spaced symmetrically about the lower end of the tube, and a soft-fail bottom cap. Personally I'm quite happy with this set of design features.
The above is entirely different from a mod built for battery A, where the user then puts in two of battery B, and the PV lacks the set of safety features that I described. In this latter case I agree it bites, particularly when the vendor explicitly states that people shouldn't use stacked batteries in the mod but people are known to do so on a regular basis.
(Edit for clarity -- I am NOT saying that the second paragraph has anything to do with the accident in FL, it is just a comparison between the stacked battery mods designed to be used as stacked battery mods vs. mods that are being used in ways they were not built for.)
The above is entirely different from a mod built for battery A, where the user then puts in two of battery B, and the PV lacks the set of safety features that I described. In this latter case I agree it bites, particularly when the vendor explicitly states that people shouldn't use stacked batteries in the mod but people are known to do so on a regular basis.
(Edit for clarity -- I am NOT saying that the second paragraph has anything to do with the accident in FL, it is just a comparison between the stacked battery mods designed to be used as stacked battery mods vs. mods that are being used in ways they were not built for.)
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I know of two people personally that have had e-cigs explode on them, both during charging.
One was an eGo that went off on the charger. It blew off the top cap and sprayed super heated electrolyte everywhere. It was in a bathroom. Nobody was in there and nothing caught on fire.
The other was a 510 type e-cig. I don't know the make and model because it's a friend of my wife's who lives out of town and she buys them locally. It took off like a bottle rocket from the charger spraying super heated electrolyte. This happened in a spare bedroom. She was in the other room at the time and nothing caught on fire.
Li-Ion batteries carry a risk no matter the application. Cell phones and laptops have also caused injury in the past. Usually, it's charging that presents the most risk. If you look at instances with cell phones and laptops, it's also more often when they're being charged.
For e-cigs, I feel much better about them when they have liberal ventilation. It's probably the best precaution followed by common sense and quality equipment.
I have a bunch of eGos. My wife uses them. I don't like the way they have to blow off an end cap to ventilate in the event of a cell failure. I've been tempted to rework the end-caps with ventilation holes. I use mods I build myself and those are well ventilated.
I charge in an area where if a cell goes off, nothing will catch on fire. I charge all my Li-Ion powered devices on a big glass table in the dining room and I don't charge when we're in in bed or nobody is at home.
One was an eGo that went off on the charger. It blew off the top cap and sprayed super heated electrolyte everywhere. It was in a bathroom. Nobody was in there and nothing caught on fire.
The other was a 510 type e-cig. I don't know the make and model because it's a friend of my wife's who lives out of town and she buys them locally. It took off like a bottle rocket from the charger spraying super heated electrolyte. This happened in a spare bedroom. She was in the other room at the time and nothing caught on fire.
Li-Ion batteries carry a risk no matter the application. Cell phones and laptops have also caused injury in the past. Usually, it's charging that presents the most risk. If you look at instances with cell phones and laptops, it's also more often when they're being charged.
For e-cigs, I feel much better about them when they have liberal ventilation. It's probably the best precaution followed by common sense and quality equipment.
I have a bunch of eGos. My wife uses them. I don't like the way they have to blow off an end cap to ventilate in the event of a cell failure. I've been tempted to rework the end-caps with ventilation holes. I use mods I build myself and those are well ventilated.
I charge in an area where if a cell goes off, nothing will catch on fire. I charge all my Li-Ion powered devices on a big glass table in the dining room and I don't charge when we're in in bed or nobody is at home.
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The irony is that mods are getting a bad reputation from this, and some if it well deserved, but mods actually have the potential to be a good deal safer than off the shelf China made batteries. You can put a lot more safety features into something that cost $100 or more, without a battery, then you can with a battery that cost $10. You can also get well engineered batteries like the AWs'. Nothing is completely fail safe but a bit of money put into the right type of engineering can do a lot.
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hello all,has anyone found a good battery case for storage of different sized pv batteries?I have one for my home batteries but can not seem to find one that is good for the ones we all use.Would really love one that will hold them snug in place but that may be a dream.
Good point, my DIY mods are way safer than my wife's eGos. As already mentioned, they have liberal ventilation, but they also have fail-safe short circuit protection by utilizing both a PTC fuse and two modes of current sensing. They have 3V zero current over-discharge protection where most have around 2.7V. They have built-in charging using a top-of-the-line "zero trickle charge" controller that employs both time monitoring and cell temperature monitoring. They also have transient voltage supression on the USB charging port to protect the charger controller from power spikes. My DIY mods have more safety features than any e-cig I know of.
Anyone know how big the vent holes would have to be to prevent an explosion?
I really think the suppliers ought to get on this, or the manufacturers, or maybe even "Tom" can start talking. Now we're going to have people trying to do "home-made" safety devices, drilling holes in batteries, etc. which may actually create more danger! This is getting ridiculous. I have seen absolutely nothing from anyone other than forum members and the general news about addressing this, and I would think the manufacturers and suppliers have more at stake here than anyone. Can we hear from any of them???
Yes, drilling a hole into the cell of your e-cig would pretty much negate the point. That's 100% unsafe.
fear like this happens a lot , its been done on lots of topics.Safety is the number one thing, but when " what about the children?" comes up start running for the door.
For an eGo doesn't the cap pop off and make a hole about the size of the cell?
Then spill it's guts all over?
A small hole might delay the spill, but not much more.
I wonder if popping the cap then pressing in back in place would make people feel a little more comfortable knowing the cap ain't welded in place.
I think the Rivas have a chrome plated plastic cap glued to a small metal ring.
Then spill it's guts all over?
A small hole might delay the spill, but not much more.
I wonder if popping the cap then pressing in back in place would make people feel a little more comfortable knowing the cap ain't welded in place.
I think the Rivas have a chrome plated plastic cap glued to a small metal ring.
This is exactly hitting the nail on the head .. no matter the discussion, the industry continues to operate in a fragmented, unorganized, and IMO, uncaring fashion .. as I've said many times before, most vendors are in this for a quick money grab on a hot item ..
The last stats I saw indicated at least 8 million USA regular e-cig users .. even James Camerons brother has a vested interest in the tech .. yet no self regulation / standards / industry organization among the vast number of vendors .. and more springing up daily ..
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