Wrap discoloration = Creeping ejuice moisture

[tailland]

Since I can't find the original thread, I'm posting this here.

A while ago someone wondered about a discoloration pattern coming from under the battery wrap. Same happened to me, with the difference that I watched it happening in real time.

It is: Moisture.
To be exact: ejuice travelling from the bottom, where it went under the wrap, towards the top. It travelled 50% of the way upwards within 5 days of the battery standing upright on my table.

The whole thing happened because I didn't put the battery in its little silicone holder and instead put it onto a spot on my table where a little (undiscovered) puddle of juice was present. I tried cleaning the bottom part immediately, but it seems what little must've remained there was enough to distribute itself along the entire bottom part of the battery within a few days.

Until my pack of re-wrap vinyls arrives from China, this battery is put out of commission.

 

[Heartsdelight]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[score69]

I'm sure that ejuice will cause what you are showing.

The other threads that were questioning this, pictures weren't as bad as what you're showing. Ejuice would definitely do this.

There does appear to be an issue with some Sony batteries though, that happens even when the batteries aren't exposed to ejuice. I've had this occur with VTC 4 and VTC 5A's

I've had some Sony batteries in rotation with others, in the same mod for over 6 months. Only the Sony batteries showed moisture under the wraps, the others were fine. There was no ejuice leaks that would have caused this.

I'm not sure what causes this to occur with Sony batteries NOT exposed to ejuice, but it seems to be harmless. I still buy/use Sony batteries and have no problems with it. I don't bother rewrapping batteries just because of this. But mine have never had that much moisture under the wraps. I would rewrap mine as well if they looked like yours.

 

[tailland]

Here's the thing...

Taking into account how widespread the discoloration on my battery is, while still coming from such a tiny amount of juice, I think it's reasonable to conclude that the other instances where people's batteries get this type of discoloration, an even tinier amount of juice was sufficient to cause it. It doesn't take an entire puddle of juice. All it probably takes is some tiny remains of juice on your fingertips, with you touching the top or bottom of your batts while inserting them into a charger or so. That's it. I suppose it's also the reason why these discolorations mainly (if not exclusively) appear somewhere at the top or bottom first before they have the chance to spread.

What makes me a bit uneasy about this issue, is that juice absorbs water over time, making it a question of not "if", but "when", the juice becomes electrically conductive. So it would be wise to thoroughly clean the battery with alcohol before rewrapping it :ß

And finally, it's hard to tell why the problem appears so often on Sony batts (the one in my picture is a VTC5). Considering how capillary action works, the tiniest difference in the PVC wrap quality/surface texture, or even the batteries own metal surface might make all the difference for the juice to travel the way it does.

 

[Rossum]

And finally, it's hard to tell why the problem appears so often on Sony batts (the one in my picture is a VTC5).

I suspect it "appears" on Sony batteries because they use a translucent wrap. Every other battery I've had (LG, Samsung, and Panasonic) uses an opaque wrap. That doesn't mean liquid won't wick in between the wrap and the cell, but it does mean we probably wouldn't notice.

 

[Anise]

My Sony batteries are splotchy and as far as I know were never exposed to any liquid of any kind. I never set them down unless they are in their plastic case. I rotate them with other batteries that don't show any spots. I suppose it's possible they were exposed to a tiny unobserved bit of eliquid but why would they have patchy disconnected spots if the liquid moved up? I don't have an answer.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

I've never experienced spotting or discoloration. I have a pair of vtc5A's I've been using fo close to a year (I think?) and also 3 pairs of LGHG2s a few of which are a couple years old with translucent wraps on them.
I should add though that I've seen pictures here on ECF of the problem and it is a very interesting question, what are the spots.

 

[score69]

The pics above definitely look like an ejuice leak.

There are several other threads on the forum though that talk about these spots on Sony batteries. Not sure anyone ever determined specifically what they were.

Mine have been like Anise described, splotchy, and typically near the positive end of the battery. I've also had them occur in the middle of the battery, with no signs of liquid near the ends. So not sure how ejuice would have traveled from the ends, all the way to the middle of the cell without leaving any traces.

I think there is something else going on with Sony batteries, but it seems to be harmless.

 

[Baditude]

Battery Mooch and others have discussed the topic of discoloration of Sony batteries in the past. As @Rossum said, Sony/Murata uses a translucent wrap while most other companies use an opaque wrap.

@Mooch did a little experiment with the Sony batteries by putting a pin hole into the wrap. This caused the splotchy discolorization to occur. He surmised that either exposure to skin oils, oxygen, or e-liquid caused the discolorization. This phenomenon occured on the wrap, not the metal can of the battery, so perhaps the discolorization is a chemical reaction of the wrap itself.

 

[score69]

Battery Mooch and others have discussed the topic of discoloration of Sony batteries in the past. As @Rossum said, Sony/Murata uses a translucent wrap while most other companies use an opaque wrap.

@Mooch did a little experiment with the Sony batteries by putting a pin hole into the wrap. This caused the splotchy discolorization to occur. He surmised that either exposure to skin oils, oxygen, or e-liquid caused the discolorization. This phenomenon occured on the wrap, not the metal can of the battery, so perhaps the discolorization is a chemical reaction of the wrap itself.

Interesting.

So in lieu of obvious wrap damage, maybe this is an indication we have small imperfections in the wraps.

Look at it as a 'safety feature' from Sony?

 

[Baditude]

Interesting.

So in lieu of obvious wrap damage, maybe this is an indication we have small imperfections in the wraps.

Look at it as a 'safety feature' from Sony?

I don't know if I'd call it a safety feature.

I think it would be interesting to send a pic of a blotchy battery to Sony/Murata and see if they might have an explanation for the phenomenon, but they would probably just ask, "Why is that battery not in a battery pack? You're not using it in an e-cigarette, are you?"

 

[Mooch]

Battery Mooch and others have discussed the topic of discoloration of Sony batteries in the past. As @Rossum said, Sony/Murata uses a translucent wrap while most other companies use an opaque wrap.

@Mooch did a little experiment with the Sony batteries by putting a pin hole into the wrap. This caused the splotchy discolorization to occur. He surmised that either exposure to skin oils, oxygen, or e-liquid caused the discolorization. This phenomenon occured on the wrap, not the metal can of the battery, so perhaps the discolorization is a chemical reaction of the wrap itself.

I also think it could be oxidation of the lubricants for the can manufacture. A more likely scenario since so many have said their wraps are perfectly intact though there is still discoloration,

 

[Baditude]

I also think it could be oxidation of the lubricants for the can manufacture. A more likely scenario since so many have said their wraps are perfectly intact though there is still discoloration,

If that is the case (no pun intended), wouldn't we see the same spots on other brands of batteries? This seems to be a much more common issue with Sony/Murata batteries. This makes me think it has more to do with the translucent wraps used. But what do I know? The mystery continues.

 

[Mooch]

If that is the case (no pun intended), wouldn't we see the same spots on other brands of batteries? This seems to be a much more common issue with Sony/Murata batteries. This makes me think it has more to do with the translucent wraps used. But what do I know? The mystery continues.

Possibly.
Depends on the lubricant being used and whether some manufacturers wash it off or not.

 

[mimöschen]

If that is the case (no pun intended), wouldn't we see the same spots on other brands of batteries? This seems to be a much more common issue with Sony/Murata batteries. This makes me think it has more to do with the translucent wraps used. But what do I know? The mystery continues.

The same happened to some of my cells from Sanyo.
Because it happens to japanese cells only, I thought it might be some kind of Onicurse at first, but after communing with my trusted Shintopriest, he finally revealed the ultimate truth about the cursed cells to me.
He stated that those spots are actually condensated residues of dragonfarts!
Due to the dragons' omnipresence in Japan whenever a dragon let's go of a mystical wind, not only does the earth shake, which it does quite often btw, but the wind's moisture condensates onto the cans of LiIoncells because of their inherent capabilities to focus cha.
Cha is a form of diluted but highly energetic chi for all that don't already know
I must admit, that explanation makes perfect sense to me.
Thank you Miyasagi-san!

 

[Baditude]

Thank you Miyasagi-san!

If you don't recognize the television show (Kung Fu) or the actor (David Carradine), the actor was found dead in a closet in his hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand due to a fatal autoerotic asphyxiation accident. That's creepy.

 

[mimöschen]

Seems like he had fun 'till the end.

 

[score69]

Seems like he had fun 'till the end.

Yeah, like he went out with a bang?

 

[mimöschen]

If he had a bang, he'd probably still be alive

 

[DaveP]

I enjoyed his appearances on "Big Bang Theory". Leonard and Penny won't have him showing up and criticizing their relationship anymore.