Battery Safety.

Battery Safety, something we all hear at some point in our lives but no one really thinks about. It is actually important and if you ignore it, it can cause some serious injuries. This is because the batteries that are being used are Lithium Ion batteries. Lithium if it catches fire will burn at temperatures exceeding 1000C. If you think back a few years to an issue Samsung had that while short lived, had a lot of phones being very quickly recalled, the end result of those battery incidents often resulted in a trip to the hospital with extremely severe burns.

So, now that I think I’ve sufficiently added the correct fear in what batteries can do if you don’t handle them correctly, I will tell you how to be safe with them.

First, use the provided or recommended charger. If you use a fast charger on a battery not designed for it, it can cause the battery to get hot. If the battery continues to get hotter without the charger cutting off, the battery will be at risk of rupturing, and this is when you risk fire. If your device has a charging cable, plug or port. Read the instructions and connect it to an appropriate charging port with the appropriate cable. 

If you are using a device that comes with a battery compartment that takes batteries like the 18650’s you can often charge the batteries via a usb in the device, however they are also able to be charged via an external charger such as the XTAR-MC4S. Make sure to check that your charger is designed for the batteries you are placing in it and do not use chargers that are not designed for your batteries.

Using your batteries.

Most devices that come with built in batteries are built to have set operating parameters. Generally speaking, these devices are safe so long as you don’t try to break into them or submerge them in water. If you are going somewhere hot, such as on holiday to Spain in the height of summer, make sure to keep your device away from the sun for prolonged periods.

For those that use the more enthusiast oriented mods and drippers, there is something you must learn. There is a maximum amount of Amps that can be drawn from your batteries. When a mod uses more than one battery this often increases the number of amps available to draw.

To find this information, the maximum continuous and intermittent amp draw values can usually be found on the packaging or the side of the battery.

When you make your coils, you should look at Ohms Law to determine whether or not you are within the correct amperage for your batteries. To work this out, you can divide your Voltage by the Resistance of your coil, and this will give you the Amps (often shown as I in equations.) As an example, if you take a 0.5Ohm (resistance) coil, and provide it with 20 Volts of power you will draw 40 Amps of current from your batteries. While some batteries can do this for a short time, if your batteries are not designed for this, they can quickly overheat, at which point, they are at risk of venting and fire. So remember, Amps = Voltage divided by Resistance and don’t exceed the rated amperage of your batteries.

Storing your batteries.

When not in use, we will often just throw a battery in a draw and forget about it for a while, and when we do remember, 30% of these get thrown away because they've leaked. Lithium Ion batteries won't leak, but a battery left in a draw like this may begin to inflate. This is a bad sign and you should remove this battery from your house. (see below for disposal.) If you use a device that has separate 18650 batteries, placing them in a draw like that is also not the best idea. If the contacts become connected, it will start to deliver it's charge and I'm sure you can guess the possible outcomes. To prevent any possible negatives, I recommend buying a case for them such as the dual 18650 silicone case. This will help to protect your batteries when not in use. 

As a final note for storing batteries, make sure to check on them from time to time if you're not using them. Just to be safe. They could be fine for years just resting in your cupboard next to your bed, and never cause an issue, or you could have that 1 in a million faulty one. If you notice that the battery is bulging on the sides, dispose of it and get a replacement when / if you need it.

Disposing of your batteries.

Batteries should not be thrown in general waste, especially if they are rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries. This is because this waste is often crushed and incinerated. When the batteries go through the crusher, they are at extremely high risk of causing fires.

Additional to this, Lithium is a precious metal with a finite amount of it in the world. We don’t want to throw all of that in landfills, so rather than throwing them away, take your old batteries to a shop to be recycled. Legally in the UK, if a store sells batteries, they have to be able to take them back for recycling, so you can drop these in at any vape shop, or even your local supermarket. We here at VapeHQ are happy to take your old batteries and recycle them for you so come into your local store and drop them off when you are looking for a replacement. We’re sure what we have to offer will accommodate your vaping needs.