Read: Batteries EXPLAINED

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dsy5

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OK. I read it in my manuals so even though the light turned green I left them in their recommended time of that 6-8 hours stuff.

If it is a decently made charger, it should be OK for 6-8 hours - when the light turns green it should stop charging. But some of the not so well made ones can cause the voltage to creep up, and I have read that you do not want to go above 4.25 V on a lithium or the battery life will decline significantly. (May not be so true of the Li-Mn, IDK, but this was the case with Li-Ion.)

Edit: Li-Mn batteries are also susceptible to overcharging; shortening life cycle
 
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Rader2146

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Another point that needs to be made is knowing the max discharge current for your batteries. I have seen a few posts with the rebuildable atty crowd where someone is boasting about how great there ultra low resistance atty was vaping. One that stuck out was a 0.6ohm (?!?) dual coil powered by a little 18350 (!?!) mechanical mod. Asking the little battery for over 6 amps!!

In general:
ICR protected batteries should never be discharged greater than 2x it's capacity (2C). So for a 1000mAh battery X 2 = 2000mA or 2 amps. IMR and LiPoly vary widely depending on the battery and not all IMR and LiPoly cells are "high drain". I've seen IMRs rated from 2C to 15C and LiPoly from .5C to 50C. Consult the vendor or manufacturer, or post a question here in the forums.

Most important thing to remember....if you are unsure of what your batteries can do or of what you are asking from your batteries...just ask.
 
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dsy5

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Good point. If you are unsure of just what your battery is capable of, a Google search on the manufacturer and model number should point you to a site that lists the specs. Do a search for lithium battery specification and you should turn up something which will explain just what the specs mean.

I can't remember if there is a sticky somewhere on the forum or not, but you could also try a quick search here, too.
 

kiwivap

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There is a forum sticky, that they took some time to put together. It's here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/129569-rechargeable-batteries.html

A couple of things from that:
Our advice is that the best and the safer choice of battery for APVs is the AW IMR Li-Mn rechargeable.

And this:

Rechargeable batteries

We now advise that Li-Mn or top-quality Li-FePo4 rechargeables are used in APVs, in preference to rechargeable Li-ions. We suggest the best option, in order, is:

1. AW IMR Li-Mn rechargeables.
2. AW Li-FePo4 rechargeables [Li-FePo4's MUST HAVE A SPECIAL CHARGER]. Note that these batteries are mostly 3 volt nominal so the system voltage will be lower than normal.
3. Good quality (such as AW or Pila) protected Li-ion rechargeables.
4. Branded protected Li-ions come next - such as xxxfire Li-ion rechargeables (for xxx insert Trust / Sure / Ultra-).
5. The least-preferable option is a generic protected Li-ion.
6. Unprotected rechargeable Li-ion cells should not be used.
7. Standard cells (non-rechargeable) should not be used.

Li-FePo4 cells can be used provided that they are top-quality and have a rating of 4C or higher.
 

denali_41

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Regardless of perceived quality of battery, taking the proper safety precautions is important and will more than likely result in nothing catastrophic happening. The overwhelming majority of lithium-based rechargeable batteries are produced in a single providence located in China. Build quality is nearly identical in over 95% of Li-batteries produced world wide. (Because they're all coming from the same handful of factories)

The biggest factor when looking at cheap batteries vs more expensive batteries tends to be performance.


i have no idea where you came up with that supposed theory,,i know for a fact there are batteries being made in two other third world countries !!
 

tc1

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i have no idea where you came up with that supposed theory,,i know for a fact there are batteries being made in two other third world countries !!

I never said that there aren't batteries being made in other countries. I stated the majority of Li-based batteries are produced in a single providence in China. That is in fact true and I've actually seen a documentary about it ages ago. There's basically one "town" (can't remember the name) whose only export are rechargeable lithium-based batteries. Everyone in that town is associated with the business in some shape and/or form.

That doesn't mean that there aren't a lot of other factories world wide. It just means that China, and that specific providence produce more than others within the global market, especially on a per capita basis.

China and Japan ... you'd be hard pressed to find a common battery made anywhere else here in America.
 
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Buggs5347

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Ohhh, how timely for this post to show up. I had just been trying to research info. I just purchased my first Mod - a Varitube-3 kit from Vaping Zone. It's vv and uses 2 Efest 18350 LiMN IMR batteries. They are flat tops. Oh, and the mod uses pulse technology. There was no manual for safety or guidance.

I have a couple of questions:

Should I rotate the 2 batteries in their positions top/bottom on every recharge ? I've only charged them about 3 times, but I did not know about marking and possibly needing to rotate their position.

Are the Efest batteries reliable and safe? They are not mentioned in your list.

Thank you so much for creating this post.
 

meloyo

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How do I prevent over charging of the battery?

Always use the proper charger for your battery. Ensure that the output voltage and amperage of the charger match or are lower than that of the battery going to be charged. Charging a battery at a LOWER amp rating than listed will not harm it and only causes your charge time to increase. Charging a battery at a HIGHER amp rating than listed however can result in a fire hazard.

Remember, just because a battery fits into a charger, doesn't mean the battery is SAFE in that charger!

How do I find out the Amps I can charge my battery at?

There is a very simple way to calculate the amp output needed to properly charge your battery. Remember, your charge should never exceed (small margins can be acceptable) the max amp rating. You simply take the mah rating of your battery and move the decimal 3 spots to the left. For example:

3500 mah battery = 3.5 amp MAX
2250 mah battery = 2.25 amp MAX
600 mah battery = 0.6 amp MAX

I'm looking at a cell phone charger that has information on "input" and "output". Output for this charger = 5V 750mA. Is this correct then: the charger's output is 0.75 amps, and based on the above info, this charger is safe to use for a battery with a higher amp rating?
 

dsy5

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I'm looking at a cell phone charger that has information on "input" and "output". Output for this charger = 5V 750mA. Is this correct then: the charger's output is 0.75 amps, and based on the above info, this charger is safe to use for a battery with a higher amp rating?

If you use it on a 5V battery...

That cell phone probably has a built in regulator which reduces the voltage to the battery when charging it, much in the same way a USB wall charger connects to a USB e-cig charger. if you were to try to use it on a stand alone lithium you would seriously damage it and risk fire/explosion.

Only use chargers made for the battery or device it came with!!! That should be rule #1.
 
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meloyo

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If you use it on a 5V battery...

That cell phone probably has a built in regulator which reduces the voltage to the battery when charging it, much in the same way a USB wall charger connects to a USB e-cig charger. if you were to try to use it on a stand alone lithium you would seriously damage it and risk fire/explosion.

Only use chargers made for the battery or device it came with!!! That should be rule #1.

Yes, that makes sense. Unfortunately, sometimes devices only come w/ the USB cable. I have two such devices now and all my attempts to find an OEM wall charger or wall adaptor for them have so far been unsuccessful. That's why I'm asking actually. I'm trying to look for compatible chargers from reliable brands.
 

denali_41

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Yes, that makes sense. Unfortunately, sometimes devices only come w/ the USB cable. I have two such devices now and all my attempts to find an OEM wall charger or wall adaptor for them have so far been unsuccessful. That's why I'm asking actually. I'm trying to look for compatible chargers from reliable brands.

if it only comes with a usb type cord,,then any usb type wall charger will work,,ALL usb plugs have the same power supply of 5v.

you can even charge off the usb ports on your computer !!
 

iowajosh

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Ohhh, how timely for this post to show up. I had just been trying to research info. I just purchased my first Mod - a Varitube-3 kit from Vaping Zone. It's vv and uses 2 Efest 18350 LiMN IMR batteries. They are flat tops. Oh, and the mod uses pulse technology. There was no manual for safety or guidance.

I have a couple of questions:

Should I rotate the 2 batteries in their positions top/bottom on every recharge ? I've only charged them about 3 times, but I did not know about marking and possibly needing to rotate their position.

Are the Efest batteries reliable and safe? They are not mentioned in your list.

Thank you so much for creating this post.

Position of the batteries is irrelevant as far as I know. However, voltage is important. It must match. That is why they say use them in pairs. One full battery and one empty one is a bad scenario.


I think a battery thread is cool. Directing people to "battery university" is pretty worthless.

I am skeptical of selling people any form of lithium battery with no instructions or a voltmeter. Unless you have some specialty battery, they should always be between 4.2 and 2.7 volts. If you get a bad charger that charges to 4.3, you are at risk of a battery meltdown. If you charge a battery at 2v, the same thing can happen. The charger is supposed to figure all that out for you but the quality control isn't always there.

Over discharge means two things. Going below 2.7 volts or shorting the battery. There is a thread here where someone had a battery get hot in their pocket, but they were carrying it with loose change. They shorted the ends together and they got a warm pocket. That is not a safe way to carry a battery around.


Surefire is not a generic-fire brand. I'm not sure trustfire is actually a brand. The name has been around for years but it is just a name they slap on generic budget flashlights. The weird way lithium stuff is marketed, you have to trust the store you get them from.
 

dsy5

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Denali_41 is right on - don't know why you can't seem to find one; lots of places carry them. Do a Google search for AC USB wall adapter and you should find a ton. It is possible to rig that cell phone charger to fit on a male USB connector, and then plug in your USB charger, but I;m not going to give out the pinouts, since I don't know your level of skill in this area.
 

tidegirl

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What's the deal with this whole battery stacking thing?

Battery stacking is when you take two or more batteries and run them together to increase your voltage output and capacity. Two 3.7 volt batteries will provide an output voltage of 7.4 (3.78 X 2) for example. The amount of time you get out of stacked batteries compared to one will depend on the output voltage and amps you are pushing under load. To summarize, stacked batteries allow you to increase the potential power and battery life of your device.

Is it dangerous?

In short, it CAN be. The problem with stacked batteries is that the less "in sync" they are with each other, the more likely an issue can occur. If one battery has a lower reading than the other it can cause one battery to "reverse charge" the other. This causes current interference and temperature spikes inside the batteries which if left alone can cause the batteries to burn and/or explode. If you decide to run stacked batteries in your device, ALWAYS use them in pairs. Use and charge them at the same time. If one begins to age decline before the other (less voltage off the charger), properly dispose of them BOTH. Many people use stacked batteries with no problem and you can too! Just remember to pair them and perhaps properly label them as such.

This is a great, properly dumbed down thread. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

I have a question about the volts on stacked batteries. How much of a difference is too much? I am using 14430 batts that charge to 4.2 volts. So if one reads 4.20 and the other 4.22 is that ok? When is it not ok? I do keep them paired. I have 3 sets that I rotate. One set in the mod, one in the (unplugged) charger, and one in a AA plastic batt case. When they move, they move together so they always stay with their buddy.
 

dsy5

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This is a great, properly dumbed down thread. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

I have a question about the volts on stacked batteries. How much of a difference is too much? I am using 14430 batts that charge to 4.2 volts. So if one reads 4.20 and the other 4.22 is that ok? When is it not ok? I do keep them paired. I have 3 sets that I rotate. One set in the mod, one in the (unplugged) charger, and one in a AA plastic batt case. When they move, they move together so they always stay with their buddy.

Not OK would be one freshly charged battery and one that has been used. Preferably a balanced set is the way to go. But by keeping them in pairs, and fully charging both, you should not have problems. When they start to age (3-6 months or so), it would not be a bad idea to check them with a volt meter after using them in your PV for a little while to see if they are each discharging uniformly.
 
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