What Do When All Goes Wrong?

[CptJYossarian]

Hey fellas. I've been wondering what the approach is when your battery vents/shorts as you're vaping. I've only had one issue like this ever happen and I was fully expecting it to occur to. I was testing some things in the lab (using a hybrid connector on my Stingray with a plumeveil) and the switch started to heat up to a ridiculous temperature. I popped the battery out and placed it outside under a metal table and waited twenty minutes before checking on it. I saw it cooled down and then recycled it ASAP.

So my question is this: What do you do when a battery vents on you? Whether or not this was your fault or a shoddy battery isn't the point. I want to know how to react when I'm puffing away and I notice my mod getting hot. Do I pop the battery out? Do I leave it in the mod (isn't that what vent holes are for?) Do I duck for cover?

I remember reading somewhere that a guy would place his venting batteries into a tub of salt water solution because that would safely dissipate the charge. Then he would wait a few hours and pull it out with a rubber glove and recycle it. Is there any validity to this?

 

[steved5600]

First soap box time. The reason it happened is important. Batteries only vent when you exceed their design limit. So either you have a short in that set up or the build was to low in resistance. You don't say what kind of battery. Make sure you do your ohm work.
How to react. I would not use salt water it's corrosive. I'd make sure you stop using it and remove it asap. Obviously if it gets to hot to handle I"d toss it someplace like a sink or in a pot something that will contain the heat. Also make sure all your mods have vent holes. Otherwise you can have a really bad day like that dufass in the cloud contest a while back. Again you do need to figure out what caused it and remedy the problem. Prevention is the biggest thing. Only time I ever had a battery vent was because a voltmeter had a short in the connector. Make sure you builds to no exceed the limit of the battery.

 

[rolygate]

From experience of several of these being reported in the past, we know this:

1. Some go bang with no warning at all, so there is nothing to be done. These are rare though.

2. The safe option if you feel the device getting hot and/or hear gas venting is to throw it away from you IMMEDIATELY, if you can do that without risk to anyone else.
ANY other answer apart from this entails risk to you - so YOU will have to decide if it's worth it.
Note: if the unit has a bottom-end actuator, like most mechmods, then don't throw it so this hits the ground first (a bystander at the VapeBlast explosion said that the vaper threw the hot mechmod down, the bottom button hit the floor first, and the unit exploded instantly).


The following answers are risky compared to #2
3. If you think anything might possibly be wrong at all, POINT IT AWAY FROM YOUR FACE. The ones that went bang and hurt people blew the top end off into the face of the user and that's nasty. We know of two that did this and resulted in serious facial injuries.

4. Many reports say there was about a 3-second warning, with heat and gas being ejected from the tiny vent holes or switch. So if you think it worth the risk, to try and prevent an explosion, unscrew the unit one turn at the halfway joint then ditch it. This might help vent some gas pressure. Note it entails more risk than option #2. Make sure the top end isn't pointing at your face or anyone else's while doing this.

5. If there's just a bit of heat, maybe, then consider unscrewing the unit and dropping all parts on a non-combustible surface. Personally I wouldn't go in search of a cement floor, just get rid of it fast. There's going to be a fire risk if you're indoors.

6. If you happen to be next to the kitchen sink then that's the best place for it. Turn the cold tap on and back away.

Any battery that has become hot IS FINISHED.