18650 Battery Safety

[KeroZen]

akkuteile.de

www.akkuteile.de

 

[KeroZen]

Study: Recycled Lithium Batteries as Good as Newly Mined ​

Cathodes made with novel direct-recycling beat commercial materials
​

Study: Recycled Lithium Batteries as Good as Newly Mined

Cathodes made with novel direct-recycling beat commercial materials

spectrum.ieee.org

 

[bltkmt]

Study: Recycled Lithium Batteries as Good as Newly Mined ​

Cathodes made with novel direct-recycling beat commercial materials​

​

Study: Recycled Lithium Batteries as Good as Newly Mined

Cathodes made with novel direct-recycling beat commercial materials

spectrum.ieee.org

Wow - interesting study!

 

[cybrguy]

Yep. Please be sure and recycle your batteries...

 

[Robert-in-YEG]

This is a controlled short that shows what can happen when an 18650 shorts out. I'm not suggesting this WILL happen, just illustrating that these batteries pack a lot of power, and you want to take precautions to insure something like this doesn't happen. The first and most important step is to be certain your battery cells are legit (i.e., OEM with quality control) and that you use and charge correctly. Not trying to scare anyone. It's just important to know what can happen with faulty batteries and/or incorrect usage.

Edit: Hopefully I am not breaking a rule by specifically talking about battery safety here. Would that fall into the "no discussion of internal elements"?

I've dealt with batteries and electronics for a lot of years. We take batteries for granted, but the truth is that any kind of battery can be dangerous.

Despite being dangerous, when handled properly, and used as designed, they are quite safe to use. Whether it is an 18650, or other, simply use the battery as designed.

As for handling batteries:

• Either battery caps, or proper boxes; don't throw them in a drawer
• Batteries are charged on quality, trusted charger
• When batteries no longer hold a charge, they need to be disposed of correctly
  • Here in Edmonton, there a number of ECO disposal stations; Google has the details
  • Always dispose as per local guidelines
• Volts means little. Even a small battery is dangerous; respect them all the same

 

[narrowsparrow]

I've dealt with batteries and electronics for a lot of years. We take batteries for granted, but the truth is that any kind of battery can be dangerous.

Despite being dangerous, when handled properly, and used as designed, they are quite safe to use. Whether it is an 18650, or other, simply use the battery as designed.

As for handling batteries:

• Either battery caps, or proper boxes; don't throw them in a drawer
• Batteries are charged on quality, trusted charger
• When batteries no longer hold a charge, they need to be disposed of correctly
  • Here in Edmonton, there a number of ECO disposal stations; Google has the details
  • Always dispose as per local guidelines
• Volts means little. Even a small battery is dangerous; respect them all the same

I keep buying batteries from Arizer at a premium price in case anything goes wrong with my Air II. They always ask if you've bought batteries elsewhere after which they will not work on my vape. I'm sort of over it. Is there a specific brand of battery that y'all trust that I could buy for the Air II instead? Much obliged!

 

[4everpushingaboulder]

I keep buying batteries from Arizer at a premium price in case anything goes wrong with my Air II. They always ask if you've bought batteries elsewhere after which they will not work on my vape.

Well that’s illegal and they can’t void warranty for use of a non oem battery.

Warrantors cannot require that only branded parts be used with the product in order to retain the warranty.[7] This is commonly referred to as the "tie-in sales" provisions[8] and is frequently mentioned in the context of third-party computer parts, such as memory and hard drives.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson–Moss_Warranty_Act

 

[narrowsparrow]

Thanks, 4everpushingaboulder. I kind of figured there was something hinky going on. We live in lawless times!
That's why I don't want to get my batteries from them anymore. I just don't know what to get instead.

 

[4everpushingaboulder]

Generally the recommendations I’ve heard are to

use a reputable battery seller. imrbatteries.com is where I bought mine,

and, use a well known brand (Samsung, Sony, Molicell (used to make Sony)) are probably the most popular,

and, use the right sized battery. Don’t get one that drives more than the device is rated.

 

[RustyOldNail]

Just read the last 2-3 pages of this thread for the same old battery recommendations.....

 

[GoldenBud]

is it possible that Sony VTC6 weight only 42gr? should be 46gr +- 1.5gr.
got few of them from a reliable EU source, everything looks genuine, charges and performs well

 

[bossman]

My Opus charger shit the bed and I just got this eight bay charger which has a big warning to choose the right voltage. It defaults to 4.2V and I'm wondering if that's safe/correct? I adjusted the rate from 1A to .5A because my old charger was set slow and I've read it's good for the cells to charge them slowly.

Thanks in advance!

 

[RustyOldNail]

My Opus charger shit the bed and I just got this eight bay charger which has a big warning to choose the right voltage. It defaults to 4.2V and I'm wondering if that's safe/correct? I adjusted the rate from 1A to .5A because my old charger was set slow and I've read it's good for the cells to charge them slowly.

Thanks in advance!

4.2 volts is the STANDARD charge rate for most 18650 lithium batteries, higher voltage choices on some advanced chargers are for oddball batteries, that are far less common. The NOMINAL voltage you often see listed for 18650 batteries is 3.7-3.8 volts. You can safely charge 18650 batteries at up to 2-3 amps, depending on the brand and type, this upper limit is usually listed in the battery specification sheets. If you are in a hurry, a 1 amp charge rate is fine.

Your charger lists:

• Output – Ni-MH 1.5V, LiFePO4 3.6V, Li-ion 4.2V / 4.3V / 4.35V

 

[bossman]

4.2 volts is the STANDARD charge rate for most 18650 lithium batteries, higher voltage choices on some advanced chargers are for oddball batteries, that are far less common. The NOMINAL voltage you often see listed for 18650 batteries is 3.7-3.8 volts. You can safely charge 18650 batteries at up to 2-3 amps, depending on the brand and type, this upper limit is usually listed in the battery specification sheets. If you are in a hurry, a 1 amp charge rate is fine.

Your charger lists:

• Output – Ni-MH 1.5V, LiFePO4 3.6V, Li-ion 4.2V / 4.3V / 4.35V

Exactly the info I was looking for, thanks!

Maybe I'll treat myself to 1A charging too. Having eight bays already cuts my charge time in half but if I'm not extending the life of the cell much I don't mind reverting to my customary impatience

 

[RustyOldNail]

Exactly the info I was looking for, thanks!

Maybe I'll treat myself to 1A charging too. Having eight bays already cuts my charge time in half but if I'm not extending the life of the cell much I don't mind reverting to my customary impatience

Just double check how many batteries you can charge at the same time at any given amp charge rate. I believe your charger is limited due to the USB wall charger. This should be indicated in the manual.

 

[bossman]

Just double check how many batteries you can charge at the same time at any given amp charge rate. I believe your charger is limited due to the USB wall charger. This should be indicated in the manual.

It can do 1A in all eight at once and doesn't use a USB charger, thanks again

 

[badbee]

It can do 1A in all eight at once and doesn't use a USB charger, thanks again

@bossman , those 0.5 A charging rates are a left over from older generation 18650's for flashlights and laptops with a 5 A or less discharge rate. The high capacity cells we use in vapes can easily handle a 2 or even 4 A charge rate (not that I would charge at 4 A on a regular basis). 1 A is a slow charge for those types of cells.

 

[checkyourlibido]

Speaking of flashlights. I’m thinking about getting a flashlight that can charge 18650 batteries.

Has anyone here done that? I’m wondering if it’s safer to get an external unit.

Any flashlight recommendations? I’m thinking Sofirn.

 

[RustyOldNail]

Speaking of flashlights. I’m thinking about getting a flashlight that can charge 18650 batteries.

Has anyone here done that? I’m wondering if it’s safer to get an external unit.

Any flashlight recommendations? I’m thinking Sofirn.

Why would you want to charge lithium batteries in a flashlight, instead of a safe charger?

 

[andrew`124c41+]

Today's mixed lithium ion battery chemistries have gotten much better obviating the need for a "protection" circuit. The thermal runaway seen in the video was caused by a direct short....that is to say almost no resistance. There was a time when these batteries could actually do this spontaneously, without a direct short which is why they must be handled specially on aircraft.

I suspect that eventually, lithium iron phosphate cells will become more popular. They have a higher charge density and lower nominal voltage as well as a different charging profile.

A couple of years ago I put together a 50 amp hour battery with a protection circuit to run a portable amateur radio Satalite station. That battery rocks! I can run a couple of radios all day even at full power...100 watts.

Heating elements, especially a non ceramic resistance coil as is in the TM have a low resistance and hence are going to require a higher amp draw and drain quickly.

 

[ScyOne]

Why would you want to charge lithium batteries in a flashlight, instead of a safe charger?

Using a device to charge lithium's is a legit strategy. My current monster flashlight will charge 4 lithium's with a bms that will safe charge each of the batteries safely. I actually plan on using that to charge lithium's on the go.

It's basically a flashlight and charger combined into one.

 

[ondemander]

I leave an Argo, FF2+ and Tafee Bowl in my car in 95° weather. It probably gets over 110-150° in the car but I try to crack the windows and use sun shades. How dangerous is this?

 

[GoldenBud]

I leave an Argo, FF2+ and Tafee Bowl in my car in 95° weather. It probably gets over 110-150° in the car but I try to crack the windows and use sun shades. How dangerous is this?

inside your bag, what's the temp? I wouldn't store these batteries under the sun, where it reallt gets up to 150F, but in your backpack and also the wind flowing you drive, as long as it doesn't reach 130F+ for long period of time, nothing will happen to it..

 

[cybrguy]

That is a lot of heat to put 18650s under I would think. I did see video once of a car fire started by an 18650 device that was sitting in a door pocket in a car sitting in direct sunlight in Arizona, but it's hard to know if the batteries were from a reliable vendor and may have been rewraps. That being said I can't imagine that kind of heat is good for ANY battery even if it wouldn't cause it to vent. It would likely at least reduce it's lifetime. In direct sunlight tho I think you would be tempting fate. And fate, like Karma, can be a bitch...

 

[GoldenBud]

and also the polymer cover of the battery is kind of a "heat insulator" so it eliminates the damage of the battery if left under the sun for a short time...also if you forget the battery inside the vape, the plastic/wood are also some kind of heat insulators..