My Charger just exploded.

[jcco]

I'm guilty as charged [pun intended]. I'm one of those that charges while I'm sleeping etc.
It's an I4 with high quality batteries but now I think I better start paying more attention while charging.

Nitecore usually gets good reviews. Just goes to show you nothing electrical is always safe.
Thanks for posting that, I'm gonna change my ways.

 

[CommaHolly]

Holy cow, that video was something,,,,,,,I'm off to order one of those bags.

 

[trouble1000]

I know it might sound a bit OTT, but I never leave batteries charging unattended. Even if I leave the house for 10 minutes, I unplug the unit. It's best to be safe than claim on your household insurance

 

[nightshift]

OK, here's an update. Sorry for the crappy photo and rather unclear explanation. It was the charger that popped, the battery is apparently fine (although I am going to order some of better quality). I took it back today, and exchanged it for another the same (it is the only kind they carry at the moment), and tried it in the store. Currently charging the very same TrustFire 18650 and an 18350 with no problems. I should mention, because irony is the spice in tragedy, that the girls who run my awesome local shop were going to make me wait a week before buying because they hadn't tested their mod enough to be comfortable selling them, and hadn't tried the chargers. Had a chuckle today about how I should have listened and waited. No worries, all is well in vapeland.

 

[Baditude]

OK, here's an update. Sorry for the crappy photo and rather unclear explanation. It was the charger that popped, the battery is apparently fine (although I am going to order some of better quality). I took it back today, and exchanged it for another the same (it is the only kind they carry at the moment), and tried it in the store. Currently charging the very same TrustFire 18650 and an 18350 with no problems.

Glad to hear you are back in business so to speak, and further tragedy was avoided. Curious, what batteries are you considering in place of the Trustfires?

Batteries are probably the single most important piece of gear that we use in vaping. I hope you know your batteries. Protected or IMR?

 

[nightshift]

Glad to hear you are back in business so to speak, and further tragedy was avoided. Curious, what batteries are you considering in place of the Trustfires?

Batteries are probably the single most important piece of gear that we use in vaping. I hope you know your batteries. Protected or IMR?

Actually, I had planned to search around the forum for info. Seems that lots of folks are happy with Panasonic, but at any rate, they will be a name I recognize at least.

 

[BigBen2k]

Here's another method (must watch to the end):
(note how the failure was initiated!)
(disclaimer: this one is multi-cell, flatpack)

 

[aikanae1]

I just wrote up a little review about my nitecore i2 that I got off Amazon. The cord seems frayed around the plug and the whole unit seems cheap. I think it might even have a short from the cord/plug. It seems to be charging fine, but I'm very disapointed. My Trustfire 2 bay (model 001) appears better quality at half the cost. I'm using AW and EF batteries.

When looking on Amazon, there were comments that Nitecore had split into two companies, the other was Jetbeam. General consensus was that Jetbeam was putting out a lower quality product. That's a scary thought. I went with Nitecore because of threads in ECF and some flashlight forums approved of them for a sub $50 charger. That was probably the old company.

I haven't read every page in here and I will, eventually. I just don't have time now. I'm guilty of sleeping with batteries on the charger also - but not anymore. Thx.

 

[crxess]

Only here to ask - Why Start a thread with EXPLODED. Surely your experience tells you it Shorted and maybe Popped a Capacitor or other small part. Explosions generally send debris flying across the room or worse.
No need to give the ANTZ fuel for their fires.

 

[zoiDman]

Only here to ask - Why Start a thread with EXPLODED. Shurely your experience tells you it Shorted and maybe Popped a Capacitor or other small part. Explosions generally send debris flying across the room or worse.
No need to give the ANTZ fuel for their fires.

Perhaps it is because a person who has 9 Posts and has been a Member here for about a Month doesn't perceive that an ANTZ could be Lurking around the Corner looking for Bad Media?

 

[Baditude]

Actually, I had planned to search around the forum for info. Seems that lots of folks are happy with Panasonic, but at any rate, they will be a name I recognize at least.

Find some tips here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/baditude/4848-9-battery-basics-mods-imr-protected.html

 

[ghola1was]

So, I've been using a LIPO bag to charge in. The charger (intellicharger i4) gets pretty hot in there with no airflow. Can't be good, right?

 

[crxess]

So, I've been using a LIPO bag to charge in. The charger (intellicharger i4) gets pretty hot in there with no airflow. Can't be good, right?

Not good to put the charger in a plastic/static Bag Charger should vented and needs to release the heat to keep cooled down.
Those charging Bags are more for Ego's with the usb charger. IMR should not be an issue. I also have had no problems charging ICR

 

[BigBen2k]

So, I've been using a LIPO bag to charge in. The charger (intellicharger i4) gets pretty hot in there with no airflow. Can't be good, right?

No way around it. If the charger can't handle it, you were better off without it

(Leaving a bag open for the charger to cool, kinda defeats the purpose of a bag)

eGo's are self contained; they're ok.

edit: use a metal box (i.e. previous suggestion of ammo box, or cash box)

 

[flintlock62]

I have an XTAR WP2 charger, which I'm told is good quality.

 

[BigBen2k]

I have an XTAR WP2 charger, which I'm told is good quality.

Thumbs up!

http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Xtar WP2 UK.html

2nd revision (aka WP2 rev II)
Review of / Measurement on Xtar WP2 II charger

 

[Ryedan]

So, I've been using a LIPO bag to charge in. The charger (intellicharger i4) gets pretty hot in there with no airflow. Can't be good, right?

Lipo bags are intended to hold just the batteries. I fly RC planes and have a good charger for my lipo packs. Both the packs and the charger have wiring harnesses on them and this is how they are connected, leaving you free to place the battery pack into the bag but not the charger.

Having said that I have put my Xtar WP2 into the lipo bag while charging at 0.5 amps and the heat build up from that setup is so minimal I don't give it a second thought.

 

[JulesXsmokr]

This is why I came here to this forum when I first started vaping..
I started with the cig-a-like, moved to a ego -vv very shortly afterwards. Started reading about getting a bigger battery - the mods - read up on them before I purchased.
Then bought a SID - with 2 AW IMR 18650 batteries, a Star VP1 charger.. I tend to want to save money, but I don't want to pay the piper on cheaply made stuff, thus this forum.. read, read, read, it's all spelled out here, drama and all, if you want.
I do not fast charge my batteries, and lay the charger on something not flammable, I am home when they are charging, but definitely I am not watching them. I take the batteries off the charger when they are full. I even pull the tail off of the charger when it's not in use, I don't have to pull it from the wall. I would buy only AW or Panasonic batteries.
my 2 cents - sorry for the wind pipe..
I like this charger a lot.

 

[BigBen2k]

Nice unit!
Review of / Measurement on Charger Xtar VP1
That's one I would buy.

 

[WattWick]

So, I've been using a LIPO bag to charge in. The charger (intellicharger i4) gets pretty hot in there with no airflow. Can't be good, right?

Not to be pedantic, but LiPos are an entirely different beast. With emphasis on beast. I really can't be bothered taking the same precautions with IMR cells. I store my LiPos in ammo crates. Some even build cinder block bunkers to store them. Like this, with sand bags on top that will break and bury them in case of fire:

The only real precaution I take with charging IMR batteries for vaping is I charge them on top of a wood stove and stop the charging cycle if I need to leave. If I was to use a LIPo bag, I think I'd cut one side open to allow air flow. You won't see anything close to a LiPo fire with any single-cell 18650 battery. *Knock on wood*