Vented my first battery today

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Like the title says, this morning I vented one of my vtc4's.... It has seen more than its fair share of use and the protective wrap was mostly gone on the positive side of the battery. I was on the way out the door with it in the charger to bring to work when I smelled something akin to a chemical fire. Looked down and the battery was hissing and smoking in the charger cradle, so I quickly yanked it out and threw it out into the yard. It hissed for just a moment and then fizzled out.
I presume that it had moved on the charger to the point that it was shorting out on itself. Moral of the story, replace your batteries, or at least replace the protective wraps at the first sign of wear. It could have been worse.

 

[FlamingoTutu]

You'd think by now that would be stating the obvious, but apparently not. You're going to get some crap for posting it but glad you did. My only question is why didn't you take your own advice?

ETA Meant to add, glad there was no damage done.

 

[Nytebreed]

Don't do that.

I have a friend, who is quite experienced, have a brain fart at the end of a 14hr shift and drop a battery in his pocket. It found his keys. No more pocket.

 

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You'd think by now that would be stating the obvious, but apparently not. You're going to get some crap for posting it but glad you did. My only question is why didn't you take your own advice?

ETA Meant to add, glad there was no damage done.

I don't mind that inevitable backlash, to each their own. To be honest, the battery was still holding a full charge and did not "need" to be replaced, so just out of sheer laziness and frugality. I've researched battery failures enough to feel comfortable with the blown out of proportion risks associated with them.
Heck, I sub ohm without and ohm meter too, OMG!

 

[FlamingoTutu]

Thanks for answering, I was just curious. I've done way more than my fair share of things I knew were risky though batteries are just one thing I haven't (knowingly) taken a chance with. They kinda scare me. Might have something to do with sticking a bobby-pin in a wall socket when I was little.

 

[relapse]

Thanks for answering, I was just curious. I've done way more than my fair share of things I knew were risky though batteries are just one thing I haven't (knowingly) taken a chance with. They kinda scare me. Might have something to do with sticking a bobby-pin in a wall socket when I was little.

Batteries don't really bother me. I've known plenty people that play with lithium batteries for much more questionable uses, and are no stranger to what can go wrong. I knew it would happen some way eventually. I'm honestly surprised that it took me 7mos to vent one. Of all the dangerous things I've done or been a part of over the years, I don't worry about a battery that much. Venting is really only a problem when it happens in a sealed mech. Other than that, its some heat and some gnarly smelling gasses.

 

[LMS62]

Batteries don't really bother me. I've known plenty people that play with lithium batteries for much more questionable uses, and are no stranger to what can go wrong. I knew it would happen some way eventually. I'm honestly surprised that it took me 7mos to vent one. Of all the dangerous things I've done or been a part of over the years, I don't worry about a battery that much. Venting is really only a problem when it happens in a sealed mech. Other than that, its some heat and some gnarly smelling gasses.

Just my opinion, but I don't think you're taking this seriously enough.

 

[TheJakeBailey]

Of all the dangerous things I've done or been a part of over the years, I don't worry about a battery that much. Venting is really only a problem when it happens in a sealed mech. Other than that, its some heat and some gnarly smelling gasses.

I was on board with your initial post as it seemed a cautionary tale and a good reminder to others. The flippant attitude about it since then... My first thought was "hey, it's your house." But then I thought maybe you live in an apartment, or a condo, or a row house, etc. It's one thing to burn down your own place, another entirely to burn down your neighbors. Over dramatic? Maybe... I would rather practice just the very basic amount of battery care than find out the really hard way.

 

[Frenchfry1942]

Glad that their was no injury.

 

[Fishtec]

Don't do that.

I have a friend, who is quite experienced, have a brain fart at the end of a 14hr shift and drop a battery in his pocket. It found his keys. No more pocket.

I have done that too put my battery in my bag with my keys luckily I needed to go into my bag again quite soon after doing so most noticeable thing about it was how hot my keys had gotten from shorting the battery out covered the bag in acid too lesson learnt

 

[twgbonehead]

I was on board with your initial post as it seemed a cautionary tale and a good reminder to others. The flippant attitude about it since then... My first thought was "hey, it's your house." But then I thought maybe you live in an apartment, or a condo, or a row house, etc. It's one thing to burn down your own place, another entirely to burn down your neighbors. Over dramatic? Maybe... I would rather practice just the very basic amount of battery care than find out the really hard way.

I gotta agree with theJake. I've done, and still do, things which are somewhat risky. But they are risky by nature, not risky by carelessness. Fired off my propane cannon every time the Patriots scored. I ski, and camp, and swim in the ocean. I light off fireworks on the 4th. I smoke (a lot less than I used to before I started vaping!) All of these are instances where there is some risk, mitigated by the fact that there is a great pleasure which makes the trade-off worth it.

But risk-taking out of carelessness or laziness is not cool. What do you get out of it, compared to what you risk, both for yourself and others?

 

[relapse]

Just my opinion, but I don't think you're taking this seriously enough.

I personally think that many take it a bit too seriously. To me its a rather simple hobby with extremely low risks. Don't super sub ohm, and don't short out your battery. Pretty much that's the only caution I take. I knew the battery needed to be replaced, but was planning to squeeze another week outta it and buy a couple new ones Friday.

As for the whole fire thing, that is one thing that bothers me, but I keep the charger out in the unattached garage well away from anything flammable just in case something happens. And no neighbors near enough to be affected by anything less than a rather massive explosion.

My post was meant as a cautionary tale to those that fret over this whole venting "catastrophe". I figured sone may not know how important the colorful wrap on their battery is to insulating from a short, and this would be helpful to these people. Sure, I respect the battery issue as a potential fire hazard, but many seem to portray them as small nuclear reactors, which I personally find silly.

 

[granolaboy]

If the wrapping on your batteries is getting shredded (as it has with mine), get yourself some PVC wrap and re-wrap them.

Without the wrap, the positive top and the negative outside are barely a mm apart...just asking to be shorted.

Just go on ebay and search for "18650 pvc wrap" and you'll find 2M (6 foot) rolls for a few bucks...

 

[dgm76513]

You got lucky with your battery venting on your charger while you were able to supervise it.

Be glad it didn't vent inside a sealed mech mod.

Your post would be like: Battery vented in my mod.

 

[caramel]

The question is why do they still make these sealed mechs? Before vaping there were flashlights, and the whole venting thing was very well documented even before the first mech was designed.

 

[relapse]

The question is why do they still make these sealed mechs? Before vaping there were flashlights, and the whole venting thing was very well documented even before the first mech was designed.

I drilled my mech out just to be safe, but that is a good question... I'd wager its because incidents like the one above are rare enough to be classified as a freak accident.

 

[EvilGenius]

yeah worse as in exploded in your pants but I also had a bad day and im so mad

I finally got to go out for a vape break at my new job, took out my $190 mech mod diablo by el diablo, from my pocket and it DROPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the firing button is totally damaged, dented and scratched, and the magnets inside broke in half!!!!!! so mad...........................................................

Like the title says, this morning I vented one of my vtc4's.... It has seen more than its fair share of use and the protective wrap was mostly gone on the positive side of the battery. I was on the way out the door with it in the charger to bring to work when I smelled something akin to a chemical fire. Looked down and the battery was hissing and smoking in the charger cradle, so I quickly yanked it out and threw it out into the yard. It hissed for just a moment and then fizzled out.
I presume that it had moved on the charger to the point that it was shorting out on itself. Moral of the story, replace your batteries, or at least replace the protective wraps at the first sign of wear. It could have been worse.

 

[Verb]

The question is why do they still make these sealed mechs? Before vaping there were flashlights, and the whole venting thing was very well documented even before the first mech was designed.

They're competition mods, only for use by professionals.

Edit:

 

[WillyZee]

I don't mind that inevitable backlash, to each their own. To be honest, the battery was still holding a full charge and did not "need" to be replaced, so just out of sheer laziness and frugality. I've researched battery failures enough to feel comfortable with the blown out of proportion risks associated with them.
Heck, I sub ohm without and ohm meter too, OMG!

please, do post your future mishaps ... sounds like you may have more coming

 

[twgbonehead]

They're competition mods, only for use by professionals.

You're joking, right? Needs one of these:



Vented vs unvented makes no difference in performance, unless you're going for altitude.