Thermal Runaway on an eGo from a car charger?

[00gt1]

I received a nice scare a few weeks ago and I wanted some input on what you guys think happened. I was driving home from Ohio and I had my eGo Passthrough that I use regularly when I'm out. It died on me and I know I have used it before with both a house charger and a usb port on my computer as a passthrough so I figured why not use a car charger. I checked the amperage and it was within the acceptable range of what the passthrough uses (approximately 1 amp). So i plugged it in and fired it up. I didn't spit out any vapor and then got REALLY hot over about 5 minutes. I turned it off and it still continued to get hotter so I did the only thing I could do in a moving car short of throwing it out the window... I put it in a baggie and stuffed in the cooler next to me that was filled with ice. After about 20-30 minutes I pulled over and check on it. I was cool again but it wouldn't fire up or charge. When I got home, I took it back to where I got it and they exchanged it for me however had no explanation as to what happened. What do you guys think? I have yet to try another one with a car charger.

 

[Baditude]

I don't know too much about eGo type batteries other than they are li-ion batteries. I've listened to the sales people at my local vape shop explaining their eGo starter kits. They recommend NOT using the USB chargers on desktop/laptop computers or cars. They suggest using only the USB/wall adaptors or the wall warts that cell phones use.

 

[Kent C]

Best charge and short protection are the joyetech eGo-c upgrade batts and passthroughs. DW and I both have the PT in the car.

I read some reviews about a year ago and ended up with this car charger. output is 1200mA:

Ziotek ZT1410286 Ziotek 12V USB Slimline Car Charger with EZ Pull Handle, Black - Amazon.com

 

[pianman6954]

No one would be able to give you an exact answer without taking it apart but a few guesses couldn't hurt. Mine would bank on a less than quality charger, car adapters have no need for any type of switching being as the source is DC and the voltage is being lowered using regulation, some companies use adjustable linear regulators even when the output is a set value (lm317 for example) and the value is controlled by a resistor of a particular value. Resistors do go bad and poor quality ones will have poor tolerances so it is possible the voltage was to high on the load, the passthrough will be regulated as well but being as it is designed for 5v DC it will not have proper cooling when the voltage is much higer than this. Ego batts use a li-ion pouch that is cylindrical in shape with solder joints at top and bottom insulated by tape so its possible but not ikely that you had a short and the charger was a coincidence. Wouldn't hurt to check that charger with a meter.

 

[DavidOck]

Lighter 5VDC adapters are often not real high quality, I'd be suspicious of that. Too high a voltage out of it, and you'll have issues.