A guy in another thread so continuous just means for hours on end and pulse means anywhere from 30 to 90 seconds cuz these batteries were designed for power tools. Idk how true that is. But if thats true but if it is. We have way more headroom on these batteries than we think. Considering most people wouldn't pull on a e cig for more than 10 seconds max
The "maximum
continuous discharge rate" (CDR) is the industry standard for measuring the current output of a battery. Being that it is an industry standard, one can easily compare battery specs from one manufacturer to another.
Pulse or peak discharge rates can literally be
anything, from milliseconds to a minute. Not being a universal standard makes comparing specs between brands impossible. Each manufacturer has a different definition of what a pulse rating is, so using the term is worthless. Some manufacturers or vendors are cleverly and intentionally deceptive by misleading consumers by using terms like "maximum discharge rating", "XX amps", and not being specific with the specification terminology to allow consumers to make a wise choice. You won't find the more reputable manufacturers/vendors doing this, so if the specifications look too good to be true, you're absolutely right.
The issue for consumers is how honest is the manufacturer when advertising their specs. The major players in the battery industry (LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony) actually make their own cells, are the industry leaders in technological advances, and don't need to advertise false inflated specifications.
The other manufacturers who don't make their own cells buy their cells from the above companies (as first, second, or third tier in quality), re-wrap the cells with their own label, and either advertise the genuine specs or mislead consumers by advertising inflated ratings to make their battery appear to be "better". This is because the battery industry is extremely competitive, and there are no regulation agencies policing the industry. Being based in China, these companies can not be sued for false advertising or selling a used battery harvested from old computers which has been rewrapped and sold as new.
Continuous Discharge Ratings vs Pulse (Burst) Discharge Ratings, Why You Need to Know the Difference
The "continuous discharge rating" in amps is the standard specification for amp limits within the battery industry. It is a determination made by the manufacturer and represents the amp limit a battery can be safely used before it will fail.
The "pulse or burst" discharge rating is not a specification standard within the battery industry. Every manufacturer or vendor seems to have their own definition of what the pulse rating is.
A pulse discharge rating is any use above the continuous discharge rating. It is never safe and not within the intended operating parameters of the battery. You should not operate your device above the continuous rating if you can help it. The pulse rating is a condition in which the battery is on basically a buildup to failure. It is exceeding the sustainable and intended discharge rate of the battery. It is inappropriate for a consumer device to operate in the pulse range of its battery.
Which would be why we shouldn't rely on any pulse rating. Any failure, mechanical or electronic, that fires the mod will operate in the 'continuous' mode. If your setup relies on a pulse rating, it's instantly over spec.
If your amp draw is safely in the continuous discharge range, your coil could act almost like a fuse and burn out before the battery is stressed. If you are already running the battery at the edge of it's limits (pulse), there is no margin of safety.
I am of the mindset that you should leave a margin of safety when deciding what resistance coil to use. We probably place too much faith into cheap ohm readers in being precise and accurate. Also, a RDA's post screw unknowingly coming loose can greatly drop the coil's resistance (by 0.5 ohms from personal experience).
Everyone is free to set their own parameters, and I can only say what mine are.
I try to never exceed 50% of the CDR (continuous discharge rating) of a fully charged battery (4.2v). So with a 20A battery, that would be 10A. An
Ohm's Law Calculator tells me that a .4 ohm build is as low as I would want to use allowing or some headroom.
The reason that I place a 50% limit is because as a battery ages the mAh of the battery degrades, as the mAh degrades so does the batteries C rating (amp limit). So down the road, your 20A battery may only be a 10A battery.
