Something very frightening happened to me today

[Bamboo]

Just before getting on the bus I took a hit off my e cig a mod The Big KaZoo I have had this mod for sometime now. This mod had out lasted my lavatube which didn't last a month, and it has been my main and only mod. Today as I was getting on the bus I made sure my mod was off before going into the bus, now sometime between getting on the bus and home it had some how got switched back on and I guess the button also got turned back on because by the time I got to my daughters house and took out my mod the entire mod was so hot! Hot to the point it had melted my drip tip! By this time I was thinking omg is this thing going to blow up! I then took my mod into the bedroom away from my grandson and everyone else and took the back off were the inside was melted and the batteries was very very hot. I managed to take the batteries out and separated them in different rooms. I have no idea how the switch could of got engaged not only that but the switch that I vape with to be engaged with as well, that is the only thing I can think of for it to become that hot to melt everything? Could it be because I have had the mod for a long time, I would say geez close to a year maybe? On my mod I had a 6 mill glass tank with smoketek 1.5+0.2 duel coil carto vaping zone diy mentol and batteries was two trustfire 14500 li-ion. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

 

[gthompson]

I never carry mine anywhere with the batteries in.

 

[tj99959]

My wife laughs at me when I check -recheck- and then check again, but it only takes once to make a believer out of you.
I had a spare pv in my glove box (that I thought was turned off). Well it got hot enough to melt the cover on the car's owners manual. I have often wondered how close I came to burning my car to the ground. I was glad that it was just a 650mah battery and ran out of charge, and not some 3,000mah honker that would have just kept on going and going and going until it did cause a fire.

 

[vsummer1]

That is scary indeed! Do you think maybe one of the batteries failed somehow?

Whatever happened, I am sorry you had to go through it!

 

[zoiDman]

Two things I would mention.

A PV shouldn't be able to fire if there is nothing (Carto/Atty/Tank) screwed onto it. So unless I am going to carry my PV in my hand, I like to take off the Carto/Atty/Tank/etc. You can push the Button all you want, if there is Nothing attached, and it shouldn't hurt your PV and it Should Never get Hot.

Second is I'm not sure I would use those Batteries again if you Mod got as hot as it sounds. Most Batteries arn't designed to take High Heat. They might look OK on the Outside but the Heat may have Damaged them on the Inside.

I would toss those batteries.

 

[billo]

Most batteries (e.g. eGo) automatically turn off after about 10 secs. to prevent this kind of thing.

Your mod doesn't have this feature ? It should !

 

[Cuando]

Sounds like you have good news, and bad news.

"Time for a new mod!"

That's both, right there. Glad nobody got hurt and that you took precautions. Smart move.

 

[base234]

I've had that happen with another brand of boxmod in my pocket. "Pocket fires" are not fun!

 

[chriscorv58]

sorry to hear that happens to you, I had my provari accidentally turn on in the movies one time. Only reason I knew is because I though my leg was on fire...from now on I just unscrew the atty or carto if I am going to be sitting.

 

[MickeyRat]

Most batteries (e.g. eGo) automatically turn off after about 10 secs. to prevent this kind of thing.

Your mod doesn't have this feature ? It should !

There are some mods that do but, a lot don't. A mechanical doesn't. I don't know about the big kazoo but, it probably doesn't. It's quite possible that there was a short rather than anything being turned on. For the batteries to get that hot, they must have been IMRs. For a 5V mod with 2 14500s, it might be better to got with protected. Something like the black AWs.

 

[DaveP]

Look around for a single battery mod. All of the fires that have occurred outside a charging failure have been stacked battery mods. Those were blamed on different charge levels on the batteries that can cause reversing charging to occur. The battery with the higher voltage charge can suddenly discharge into the lower voltage battery in an attempt to equalize the charges. Li-ions don't like quick change charging and tend to vent and explode.

Yours sounds like it doesn't have a 5/10/15 second cutoff when the button is pressed. To me, that's dangerous if carried in a pocket or somewhere the button could get pressed inadvertently. You need an ecig with a MOSFET, not a mechanical switch mod without protection. There are also sacrificial battery springs you could install in the battery cap that would melt and allow the batteries to relax away from contact as the current ran out of control, breaking the circuit and removing the danger.

 

[Bamboo]

Any one have any ideas on a safe 5 volt? I really liked my lava tube a lot but something just came lose and it never worked after that. Right now I am using my back up which is a Kgo. Been looking for a durable 5 volt or higher mod with out stacking batteries. Mine does drop from time to time mainly tip due to the glass tank. Any suggestions?

 

[troncellot]

Sorry that happened to you, Bamboo, and am glad no one got hurt! I am grateful for your post, however, as I am guilty of just putting my mod in my pocket. Good/helpful replies! Thanks folks.

 

[Bamboo]

Me to. I loved my big kazoo. I had it for wow a while. Lesson well learned, I never even thought of taking my tank off. I will from now on that is for sure thank you everyone for replying.

 

[DC2]

Any one have any ideas on a safe 5 volt? I really liked my lava tube a lot but something just came lose and it never worked after that. Right now I am using my back up which is a Kgo. Been looking for a durable 5 volt or higher mod with out stacking batteries. Mine does drop from time to time mainly tip due to the glass tank. Any suggestions?

My suggestion would be to use the 4.8 volt NiMH batteries.
They fit in any APV that uses 18650 batteries, and they are MUCH safer than Lithium-ion batteries.

The one drawback, which may or may not be a huge deal for you?
They are, unfortunately, only 600 mah.

But they sure work great for me!

 

[B4DJ1N64N]

Any one have any ideas on a safe 5 volt? I really liked my lava tube a lot but something just came lose and it never worked after that. Right now I am using my back up which is a Kgo. Been looking for a durable 5 volt or higher mod with out stacking batteries. Mine does drop from time to time mainly tip due to the glass tank. Any suggestions?

I'm sorry to sound like a fanboy, but can I suggest you a Provari? Single battery, built like a tank, run exactly up to 6volt.
Been using mine for 1 and a half year without any problem. Scratch and dinks all over but still works as new.

 

[MickeyRat]

Take a look at the Smoketech Wow. It's basically a 5V ego with replaceable batteries. It does have the 5 click on/off. For $25, it's pretty reasonably priced as well. I don't have one of these. I use VV but, I do see some favorable posts.

I'll warn you and say I have seen at least one video review that says the button might stick on occasion. According to the video, it's easy to free it up and when it's off, that's not going to be a problem.

 

[unloaded]

Sounds like both switches got moved in your purse. Odds of it happening are pretty low but not zero. I had similar happen to a Puck mod I made. It had on/off switch and fire button. Both got engaged in my pocket. I was running 4x 1.2v AAA NiMH batts, they got hot along with the atty, because of prolonged discharge. Your mod had a third source of heat, the 5v regulator dumps the extra 2.4v as heat. It really doesn't sound like you had a short, just the fire button closed for a long time. I doubt a fuse would have helped because you probably had the normal current running through the circuit. If you were happy with the LT while it worked, you'd love the Provari. The price is up there but it's worth it. Also if you can catch them selling "blemished" units they are $40 off and only difference is they are lacking the Provari printed logo. I went with the mini and extension cap so I could run 18490's if the 18350's didn't give me enough batt life. I only use the extension at home and that is rarely. I love the small size and usually add a fresh batt at lunch, but I've made it to the end of the day on same batt a few times. I went to the small size because I need to be kinda stealthy at work. I carry it in my pocket all day, every day. I don't turn it off and even if it fires it will cutoff after 10-15 seconds. Not sure exactly when it cuts off, I've never hit it while vaping.

 

[Mariwashere]

Oh that happened to me sort of... Prodigy V3 button wasn't locked all the way, and I was carrying it in the front pocket of my canvas purse. No idea how long it was on, but I reached in, grabbed it and left a thick layer of skin on the cartomizer because it was so hot!

I carry mine without the batteries in it now!

 

[anavidfan]

how about a nice Saber touch 5 volt. I recently got mine and I love it. It mechanical and doesnt have a button, it has a sensor which needs to have your finger on it and on metal to complete the circuit. Its rugged and elegant. Just thought since you asked for ideas Id throw out something different. Mine is on my avatar