when to charge your batteries with a regulayed device

[nemesis8733]

I wasn't too sure whether to put this in the battery subforum or here. Considering that it's a question about the exclusive use of batteries in a regulated mod, I'm hoping this is the right spot.

Having just recently picked up a sigelei 100 plus I had a few questions on how to treat my batteries.

1. I know it's not smart to run the batteries down to 0%, but when is the optimal time to charge them? I've been doing my best to not let them dip below 50% and never below 30%, but what's best for the battery?

2. Are there any specific batteries that will work best in a regulated mod? On the other side of the coin, are there any batteries I should avoid (apart from the obviously cheap or cloned ones, I know to stay away from those lol)

3. I understand that the 100 plus is essentially a battery stacker. one battery points up while the other points down so even though they aren't one on top of the other, that's essentially how the circuit treats it. Should I be doing anything to lessen the load on my batteries? I've heard alternating their placement left and right is better for them, but I don't know where I heard that and I'd like some confirmation.

 

[Necrotic]

I wasn't too sure whether to put this in the battery subforum or here. Considering that it's a question about the exclusive use of batteries in a regulated mod, I'm hoping this is the right spot.

Having just recently picked up a sigelei 100 plus I had a few questions on how to treat my batteries.

1. I know it's not smart to run the batteries down to 0%, but when is the optimal time to charge them? I've been doing my best to not let them dip below 50% and never below 30%, but what's best for the battery?

2. Are there any specific batteries that will work best in a regulated mod? On the other side of the coin, are there any batteries I should avoid (apart from the obviously cheap or cloned ones, I know to stay away from those lol)

3. I understand that the 100 plus is essentially a battery stacker. one battery points up while the other points down so even though they aren't one on top of the other, that's essentially how the circuit treats it. Should I be doing anything to lessen the load on my batteries? I've heard alternating their placement left and right is better for them, but I don't know where I heard that and I'd like some confirmation.

1) I usually recharge mine at about 40%. A regulated won't over discharge your batteries unless there is a problem with it.

2) Most people suggest Samsung 25r since the vtc batteries can be hard to find. Also, Samsung 25r are only $6 at illumination supply.

3) yes it does help. Put a number 1 and 2 on batteries and switch them up each time.

 

[Kat Eyez]

Just found this thread.. good timing since I was just now wondering about battery charge time. I have my first removable battery APV's and got nitecore i4 charger to go with. I think k I've got just about all important aspects covered except when to charge, coincidentally, just as the previous poster. Just so I'm clear, it IS ok to charge them before they fully drain? I've heard so many conflicting things about completely discharging and simply topping it off. I may he confusing info from the golden ages here lol, so please point me in the right direction on that. And last question (be warned, it's a total noob question lol) but what does it mean if a mod over discharges your batteries?

 

[stevegmu]

I start the day with freshly charged batteries, but when I don't work, I just run the batteries down until I get the blinking red light, or in the PV-1s, just put fresh ones in after about vaping 3ml...

 

[edyle]

I wasn't too sure whether to put this in the battery subforum or here. Considering that it's a question about the exclusive use of batteries in a regulated mod, I'm hoping this is the right spot.

Having just recently picked up a sigelei 100 plus I had a few questions on how to treat my batteries.

1. I know it's not smart to run the batteries down to 0%, but when is the optimal time to charge them? I've been doing my best to not let them dip below 50% and never below 30%, but what's best for the battery?

2. Are there any specific batteries that will work best in a regulated mod? On the other side of the coin, are there any batteries I should avoid (apart from the obviously cheap or cloned ones, I know to stay away from those lol)

3. I understand that the 100 plus is essentially a battery stacker. one battery points up while the other points down so even though they aren't one on top of the other, that's essentially how the circuit treats it. Should I be doing anything to lessen the load on my batteries? I've heard alternating their placement left and right is better for them, but I don't know where I heard that and I'd like some confirmation.

1: With a regulated mod the mod cuts off before your batteries get into unwelcome territory; that's one of the good things about regulated mod;
but you might keep in mind they tend to start out at 4.2, and drop fastish to 3.9, then kind of plateau out between 3.6 to 3.9 (that's why the 'nominal' voltage is usually quoted as 3.7) then drops more quickly down to 3.3;
the mod might cut off around 3.3, 3.2, 3.0.
The numbers vary among different flavors of lithium batteries, and performance will vary with used batteries.

2: The "IMR" type batteries are the one recommended for vaping; if it's not labelled "IMR" I squint my eyes; that's my simple take of that issue, but it's probably more complicated if you want to research further. After that you want to look at the amp draw: specifically the continuous amps; naturally, expect the battery will be labelled with the "peak" amp draw.

3: Now for the important part.
Battery stacking protocol;
NB: I don't stack batteries myself
(ok, so happens today my zmax died and I happen to now have a pair of 18350's which I hardly ever use, in stacked mode on a mech because I had a 5 ohm 32gauge coil on a bigD, but it's not something I do routinely or intend to do routinely)
But reportedly, to keep keep your batteries going, you need to:
- buy the batteries together - same batch
- label them so you know which is which
- marry them together - they same pair or triplet stay together for life
- rotate them - don't let one always be on top

check them routinely to see that they have the same voltage.

I believe following the battery stacking protocol primarily serves to enhance battery life.
When you stack batteries, if one of them is too far weaker than the other, that one could end up dropping too low in voltage before the regulated mod recognises a too-low-voltage condition of the combined stack. Example is the mod cuts off at 6 volts, it might cut off when one battery is 3.5 and the other is 2.5, in which case you end up losing the battery that was allowed to drop to 2.5

 

[edyle]

Just found this thread.. good timing since I was just now wondering about battery charge time. I have my first removable battery APV's and got nitecore i4 charger to go with. I think k I've got just about all important aspects covered except when to charge, coincidentally, just as the previous poster. Just so I'm clear, it IS ok to charge them before they fully drain? I've heard so many conflicting things about completely discharging and simply topping it off. I may he confusing info from the golden ages here lol, so please point me in the right direction on that. And last question (be warned, it's a total noob question lol) but what does it mean if a mod over discharges your batteries?

With lithium batteries, if you keep discharging them, they get too low a voltage and cannot be recharged.


In fact, when they are manufactured, they come out charged; that is why there are problems with shipping of lithium batteries; they're charged already!

 

[nemesis8733]

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I had no idea regulated mods kept your batteries from draining so far, that's awesome! Im actually interested also about whether or not it's ok to charge your batteries when they've still got some juice in em. Seeing as a regulated mods going to keep the batteries from over discharging, is it actually better to run them out to 0%?

 

[stevegmu]

It doesn't make a bit of difference with these batteries. They don't have a 'memory'...

 

[edyle]

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I had no idea regulated mods kept your batteries from draining so far, that's awesome! Im actually interested also about whether or not it's ok to charge your batteries when they've still got some juice in em. Seeing as a regulated mods going to keep the batteries from over discharging, is it actually better to run them out to 0%?

operating voltage range is 3.2 to 4.2
the average of 3.2 and 4.2 = 7.4/2 = 3.7

It's ok to keep them fully charged.
It's believed to be optimal to keep them around 3.7
So like 3.5 to 3.9

If putting them aside for storage, it's recommend that they not be stored fully charged, but at more like 3.5 to 3.6 I believe.

 

[roxynoodle]

I charge mine at or before 50%. They are at 3.5v then. I've read, but haven't verified, this will ensure me longer battery life. Don't shoot me if I'm wrong : . As I said I never verified that

I was lucky enough to get 4 vtc5s for mine. However, I don't use it past 50W anyway, so down the road if the mod is still working when I need new batteries for it, I would likely just use Samsungs. You can still buy vtc4s if you need 30A batteries.

 

[lefty23]

This may just be me, but I find that once my battery gets down to 3.5 or so I start to get inconsistent or occasionally slightly burnt-tasting hits and that's typically when I switch it out. I'm not sure how this effects battery life, but I find it best for my personal vaping experience. Hope that helps.