Tenergy 18650 2600mAh with PCB. Safety precautions and general use guidelines in a Maxi Roughstack.

[Lin Swimmer]

Okay, take two (maybe this time with an actually useful post title).

I've got four of the above specified cells in the mail (slowly) making their way to me for these two Roughstacks that are decorating my desk. I'm hoping to get slightly better performance out of the small collection of 2.6-2.8 ohm fluxomizers I'm currently using on my ego-c, and to give my lady friend a pleasurable and mostly hassle-free introduction to vaping.

So... I want to check their charge 4 hours off the charger with a multimeter, and if it reads 4.2V they're about as safe for use as cells like this ever get... right?

I'm freaking out a bit, considering I was seeing that someone had a catastrophic mod-battery explosion just yesterday.

Assuming the mm reading looks good... first atomizer discharge pointed away from face? First ten? Do I have to worry about my hands?

I know there are many of these units in use out there. I just want to be a careful user. I know I didn't exactly knock it out of the park in not getting AW IMRs... but man, all this stuff is expensive, and I had thought that I did alright in avoiding the 99¢ xxxfires on Amazon and going with a brand that should be a brand new cell with a real PCB. I'd like to use these cells for something like a natural lifespan before I spend another big chunk of change on a set with different chemistry.

I have other questions, but I'll limit it to these to start. Thanks!

 

[mattiem]

Okay, take two (maybe this time with an actually useful post title).

I'm freaking out a bit, considering I was seeing that someone had a catastrophic mod-battery explosion just yesterday.

Thanks!

Where did you read about this? I would like to see when and how it happened. Thanks

 

[hairball]

Where did you read about this? I would like to see when and how it happened. Thanks

I would also. I know that on Facebook, vaporkings had a meltdown of an eGo battery that was plugged into a charger but that's the only one I've seen recently.

 

[mattiem]

I have watched videos of what can happen but it was after the ones that filmed it did things that most people would never do. I am anxious to see if it truly happened for no apparent reason. I do hope the OP will come back and let us know where he/she saw this.

 

[Lin Swimmer]

Found an account here on ECF. Can I post links?
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ussion-exploding-batteries-4.html#post5038291

It seems like an important thing to have happen, and is definitely making me look at these Roughstacks with a bit more trepidation.

 

[bigtiime]

Any battery can have a "problem". The one that's in your laptop, your electric screwdriver, an electric toothbrush. Even your car's battery can be dangerous. Generally if batteries are taken care of properly and used as they are suppose to be, this type of failure is very rare.

 

[Trucapri]

Any battery can have a "problem". The one that's in your laptop, your electric screwdriver, an electric toothbrush. Even your car's battery can be dangerous. Generally if batteries are taken care of properly and used as they are suppose to be, this type of failure is very rare.

When I bumped things up to a PV that runs on an 18650 I had concerns from so much that I've read, and I realize they are not AAAs or Ds, but it does boil down to ALL batteries can be dangerous! I've paid attention to all advice and truly considered not charging overnight, and getting a multi-meter to check before and after each charge, and all those things, but then again . . . I don't do that with all the 18v batteries in the shop. I don't do that with my cell phone, laptop, camera, etc. I charge my lawnmower battery every spring for about 3 days! What I do make sure of is when I'm jumping a car battery I keep my face clear and pay attention to what I'm doing. I keep batteries and chargers clean, buy new batteries and chargers if any damage appears, and never, never use a hot or even a really warm battery. AND I match the battery to the manufacturer's recommendations in all products!

Maybe that's all that is really being said here when the veterans and well-experienced say "have good battery knowledge"??????

 

[Lin Swimmer]

I hear you guys. I'm willing to live with acceptable levels of risk. I mean, what choice do we have? I'm not really looking to go back to smoking.

Hopefully my friend that's lending me his multimeter knows how to take a voltage reading off a battery, if not I'll be back here asking for help, of course. (Though Battery U seems pretty wishy-washy on the effectiveness of voltage readings reflecting state of charge for lithium batteries, though they seem to say that it's the best/only method going.)

Can I ask a few more things?

Do I tell my lady friend to detach the carto when she's not using it? Can the battery not fire if there's not something offering resistance? I figure I'll try to show her how to thread it down gently to not push any of the connectors out of whack, but I want to give her good, concise information.

What else? If the tube feels hot or smells funny roll it away like a bowling ball and run?

I keep trying to show her the inhale, but I think she's not going to get it until she has a unit of her own to curl up with for a few days.

 

[mynameisrob]

I dont think you have to much to worry about as long as you follow safe battery practices, dont charge overnight or leave it on the charger for extended periods of time after the light goes green, etc. Most chargers have a chip in the that stops charging the battery or switches to a trickle charge when its full so even if you do leave it on a charger for alittle it should still be okay. That chip though can fail which will cause the charger to continue charging the battery after its already fully charged. Most stories you hear about batteries exploding, catching fire, etc are bc of that happening and the charger didnt stop charging the battery like it was supposed to. That happening to a charger is a very rare occurance, but it can happen obviously since you hear occassional stories of batteries exploding, catching fire, melting, etc. Even though it is very unlikely, thats why its best to not charge overnight or leave it on the charger for long periods of time after the light goes green. Its alot more unlikely for something to happen like that when your monitering your batteries when their charging and taking them off once their fully charged, opposed to leaving batteries on a charger constantly and for very long periods of time. Better to be safe than sorry.

Thats why you should always use protected batteries too bc then you have a second line of defense too since the PCB in the battery will stop the battery from overcharging.

Between the PCB in the battery, the chip in the charger that will stop charging once the batteries full, and you practicing safe battery techniques and not leaving them on the charger for unnecessary periods of time, its very, very unlikely you will ever have a problem

 

[madjack]

...any LiIo batt is dangerous...your laptop has grouped 18650s in the power pk and go up in smoke as can your cell phone or power tool or ???...keep in mind there are a kazillion of these type batts in use everyday all over the world...we are dealing with consumer electronics and occasionally something fails...basically, be aware but enjoy...

...also of note, in the thread you linked too, the batts in question were not LiIo batts but LiFePo4 batts(lithium ferrous potassium), a completely different animal...those batts are usually considered "safe chemistry" batts and do not have protection circuitry built into them...supposedly because they don't need it(riiiight)...just shows, you could get run over tomorrow by a space rock......
madjack

 

[mynameisrob]

oh and on a side note, even though the AW IMR "High-Drain" batteries are more expensive, they are def worth it for an unregulated PV like the RoughStack. With any unregulated PV, as the battery drains, you will notice the quality of the vape drops as well. With a High-Drain battery, you will get a much more consistant vape as the battery drains, since the High-Drain Batteries give a more consistant voltage for longer. You obviously dont have to use them and what you have is fine for now, but if that drop off in the quality of your vape starts to bother you, its def worth it to chalk up a few more bucks and get an AW IMR battery

 

[boog]

all kinds of stuff can blow up - just google "exploding chair"
glad I'm not the worrying type

 

[Lin Swimmer]

Dude... I don't consider myself a loose cannon, but it's my hands, face, and groin. What are you worried about?

 

[swedishfish]

Yea, I don't want anything to happen to my hands, face and groin either.

Now that you have 6 posts, you can post in the battery section.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/battery-issues/

 

[classwife]

Moving to Battery Issues