Many Vapers use devices now that take an external battery, this is a battery you can change yourself.
This has many benefits like the ability to go from a flat battery to a full battery in seconds by switching. They also allow you to change an old, tired battery that doesn’t last as long as it used to for a refresh, new one giving you that extra battery life through the day.
Any battery used for Vaping though, be it a 18650, 21700, 26650 etc needs to be treated with respect and not like those loose AA batteries we all have at the bottom of a draw. Here I’m going to go through a few must do and must don’t to ensure your batteries are used, charged and stored as safely as possible to avoid damage or injury.
Must do:-
Always keep any battery in either the vape device, a dedicated charger when charging or a plastic battery case.
Ensure the battery is free from damage.
Ensure the battery wrap itself and insulator ring at the positive end is free from damage or nicks. Battery wraps are available for pennies and take a minute to change.
Don’t :-
Never leave a battery loose anywhere, especially in your pocket.
Don’t overstress the battery by running too high a wattage for what the battery can handle. If you an unsure, look up Ohms Law, this will give you the ability to work out if you are overstressing your battery. Different batteries have different stress levels.
Advice:-
Nearly all Vape devices come with a charging ability, when using external batteries though we would advice using a dedicated external charger. These are safer and will maximise your batteries life span.
Batteries, overtime, will degrade. I personally change my batteries out every 12 to 18 months depending on use. You’ll notice the degrading as the battery simply won’t last as long as it used to. Once you decide to retire a battery from use, please dispose of it in a safe manner. Sainsburys have battery recycling bins as do nearly all council recycling centres. Please don’t just throw it in the with general rubbish.
I could write numerous pages on battery safety and best practices but this is just a very brief guide. If you use a search engine for a chap named Mooch, he is an expert in batteries for Vaping and has made available a wealth of information if you wish to learn more.
Thanks.