When it comes to e-cig batteries, there is a lot of information to take in. You need to know about the batteries themselves; the different types and important information related to how best to take care of them as well as some of the things you need to keep an eye out for. There’s no time like the present so let’s go ahead and take a look at your e-cig battery.
Put simply, an e-cig battery is the same as any other battery. When you’re using the device, the battery provides the heat in order to create the vapour. It’s the reason that you don’t have to carry a lighter around with you in order to smoke. Due to the nature of what you’re using the battery for, there are a lot of variations and health and safety tips that we’re going to cover.
So what are the types of batteries? As far as I’m concerned there are two main types: automatic and manual. It goes without saying how these two battery types differ but for those of you who are beginners, automatic batteries are really the best option as it is one less thing you need to think about when using your e-cig. These battery types provide the experience that closest resembles smoking an “old-fashioned” cigarette.
While these batteries do tend to charge faster than manual batteries, they also tend to run out of charge faster. Many users also report a delay between puffing on your e-cig and actually inhaling the vapour that you’re so desperate to get into your lungs. Manual batteries offer more variation in relation to your e-cig experience.
Depending on your model, you can usually get a variable voltage battery which allows you to alter the intensity of the vape to get a better throat hit or to produce more vapour or simply to experience more flavour. While they do require some technical know-how, you’re not trying to overtake Elon Musk’s Rocket X program…but there are some things you do need to know how to do. All this is easy to research online.
As anyone who owned a Samsung Notebook may be aware, batteries do pose some health and safety concerns (i.e. they can catch fire or explode). Not to worry, looking after your e-cig battery is pretty simple and easy to stay on top of. The best piece of advice that anyone can offer you in relation to caring for your battery is to treat it like any other battery! You wouldn’t charge your phone battery with a laptop charger or use a car battery for your TV remote.
So battery compatibility is a major issue, as is using the correct charge. When you buy a battery (a rechargeable one) you will most likely get a charging cable (this is certainly the case with any decent starter kits.
If you can see that your battery is physically damaged, buy a new one! They are not that expensive and it’s not worth having your battery catch fire or explode simply to save a few bucks! I’m sure it goes without saying but don’t leave your battery plugged in to charge for extended periods of time.
Once it is charged, it’s charged. Take it off to avoid any risk of over-heating. You should check with the supplier if your battery has overcharge protection. This will stop your battery from overheating and potentially catch fire or explode. If you’ve decided to “glam up” your battery then be sure to remove any cases that you may have for your battery. I’m sure all of this is fairly common knowledge but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
So what else can you do to prevent any battery issues? Like anything, don’t cheap out. You will always find vendors or back-door dealers looking to sell you e-cig batteries that seem super cheap in comparison to the main brands. There is a reason for this! Get your e-cig batteries from a reputable source so that if you do have any issues (which will be less likely with batteries that actually get tested) then it means you can return it.
The best way to stay on top of this is to make sure your battery is ROHS certified. What is this? This certification highlights that the battery has been tested and has passed. Another useful tip is to clean the battery. Not something you may be used to doing but often the battery terminal can get a little clogged or dirty and can create some issues with providing your vape device with energy. Not to worry, simply make use of a Q-Tip/cotton bud to give it a little bit of a wipe. Adding a little bit of alcohol or cleaning solution to the bud before cleaning provides a more effective clean. Just make sure that you let it dry thoroughly before using the battery again.
This article was an overview of batteries in general. In future articles, we will get into the details of the batteries such as the most common battery on the market, the 18650.