Battery Safety

Practicing good battery safety is important for all vapers and should be done regularly. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a seasoned vaper; you still need to be able to identify the difference between safe and unsafe batteries and understand how they work as well as the implications of using these batteries in e-cigarettes.

The media sometimes likes to portray vaping as something difficult or dangerous just so it makes for an interesting story, but in reality when there has been an incident, it is generally linked back to bad practice by the user or improper use of the equipment. Equipment safety is a high priority with all sorts of features designed and built into devices to help protect users but with batteries you do still need to check them regularly. This misleading information can leave people worried unnecessarily, when a few simple safety checks can ensure you have a safe and pleasant vaping experience.

The type of battery used in e-cigarettes is actually similar to the same technology you find in mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. There may be quite a few variations for each size, but ensuring you have batteries designed specifically for use with e-cigarettes is the most important aspect. Knowing that your battery is has been designed to provide sufficient power and safe operation under load will give you great peace of mind.

Being able to identify what is safe and what’s not as well as what the appropriate operation range for the batteries will help to keep you safe and your vaping experience enjoyable. Selecting the right battery for your device and inserting them correctly is essential, if you use the wrong battery, you will increase the risk of harm to yourself and also potentially damage the device.

Do’s:

• Always fully charge your freshly purchased batteries before using them using a battery charger or appropriate charging cable and plug. When sold, batteries will only be around 20% charged. If you need or use 2 or more batteries, you should also discharge them equally. When you recharge them, recharge them together to marry (pair) batteries and train them to charge and discharge at the same rate, this means they are under equal load and operate at their best.
• Check your battery is from a reputable brand and rated safe to use with e-cigarettes.
• Most devices require batteries high performing batteries rated over 20A. We recommend you look at the brand Golisi which you will see available here on the site. They design and manufacture batteries specifically for vaping so you can be sure that the batteries you are using are safe for e-cigarette kits & mods. Using other batteries which don’t meet the power requirements can be hazardous. Each device will have different power requirement so ensure you purchase the right ones for your device.
• Some low power devices such as the MTL kits only require small amounts of power (typically less than 15w), therefore batteries such as the Golisi L35 are suitable with just 10A. These kits, tanks and coils used by these devices are designed to operate at very low wattage. Do not attempt to use low amp batteries in high powered devices.
• Insert batteries the right way round into your device, they have a positive and negative terminal, even if your device has built in protection you should still try to put them in the right way round to be safe.
• Check the battery for signs of damage or wear, if the cells have a problem, stop using them immediately and replace with a new set. Use the image below as a guide to help you identify potentially unsafe batteries.
• When not in use, store batteries safely in a case or other protective container. Leaving batteries loose in your pocket or bag that can come into contact with other metal objects can result in a circuit being completed and cause a hazardous explosion.
• Always keep batteries dry and store them at a consistent temperature, this helps prolong the life of the battery but also extreme heat or cold can cause damage to batteries which can also lead to explosion. Above 10°C and below 45° C is a safe operating and storage temperature.
• Charge batteries with a suitable charger and cable. Batteries charged with higher voltage or ampere than recommend can cause them to deteriorate, overheat or explode. Most batteries charge best at 1 amp however you need to check with each device and battery for the best charging range. Using a dedicated vape battery charger is always best.
• A battery may sit easily at 20% power when not in use. Using or draining it lower than this can cause issues so ensure you regularly charge them. Overcharging is equally as damaging. We recommend keeping your cells between 2.0V and 4.0V because going above and below these values causes damage to the cell internally.
• Old battery technology such as nickel based cells used to say let it drain fully, but this new technology doesn’t have such requirements and by doing this it will actually damage the battery rather than preserve it.

Don’ts:

• If your battery is damaged, do not use it. If the cell is in overall good condition but the wrap is ripped. Replace the battery wrap before you continue to use it. If you ignore this, you can cause short circuits to occur which will damage the batteries, the device and possibly yourself too.
• Do not leave your device charging unattended, although some chargers have a cut off once it reaches full charge – this feature can still malfunction and cause the battery to overheat.
• Do not charge your device on a flammable surface, we would recommend charging the device on a hard surface in a spacious area with ventilation to ensure the battery remains cool and NEVER leave on charge overnight.
• Never leave batteries in direct sunlight, this applies to ALL batteries not just e-cigarette ones.
• Don’t mix and match batteries, if your device takes a single battery that’s fine but if it takes 2 or more, always use paired cells from the same brand. This ensures equal wear and that there is no voltage difference when being used. If you mix and match, this may cause uneven wear and damage to both the battery and device.
• Do not put too much strain on your battery as this can cause damage to the battery or the device.
• Discarding batteries should be done safely, never put them in the bin as this is a fire hazard. Always dispose of batteries safely in an environmentally friendly manner.
• Do not attempt to use low amp batteries in high powered devices.

When it comes to rebuildable atomisers or mechanical devices, there is additional knowledge that is required to ensure safe operation. Improper use or using inadequate batteries can lead to injury or damage.

Knowledge of Ohm’s Law and how to calculate the power requirements for your coils is essential. Extra caution should be taken to ensure that your DIY builds are safe to use on the device and with the batteries you are using.

https://ohmslawcalculator.com/ohms-law-calculator

Check your Amps, and use the right battery. It is also important to know the resistance of your coils and their safe operating range, below is a basic table for resistance vs voltage; you can use as a guide but please note this is not 100% accurate. Small differences in new technologies mean this information should be adjusted to suit such as if your using a mesh, and types of material that coils are made from can affect the “safe” operating range. Manufacturers will generally try to advise of a “recommended” range for the coils.

Please ensure you read through thoroughly and have a good understanding on how to be safe when vaping and using batteries. If you need help or additional advice, please do contact us. If the right and proper care is taken you will have a positive and safe vaping experience, however, if you do not take note of the safety information provided and choose to operate outside of this, make amendments to or modify your products, we cannot be held liable for any damage caused by misuse, neglect or mishandling of batteries and chargers.