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Please help, Im spending a lot on batteries

Hello, I have a VEX 150 Tc, It is fairly new. Maybe 2 months. I have went through 20 18650 batteries. Because the batteries either do not charge, or it will say imbalanced batteries. I have never gotten more than 2 hours out of a set. Now it actually is not charging them at all. I am at a loss. Any help would be awesome. Thank you!
 

nadalama

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What kind of batteries are you buying, and how are you charging them?
 

JuicyLucy

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Well, a quick internet look shows you have a VaporFi product, which are notoriously terrible

Sounds like the mod is the problem -

Batteries are best charged on a separate charger, not in the mod itself
 

nadalama

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Maybe I am behind the times, but I didn't think you could charge multiple batteries inside a mod. Have you tried a good quality external charger, like a Nitecore Intellicharger?
 

JuicyLucy

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Maybe I am behind the times, but I didn't think you could charge multiple batteries inside a mod. Have you tried a good quality external charger, like a Nitecore Intellicharger?

Most mods have the capability to charge on board, but its not a good idea, especially with multiples - the mods typically cannot charge evenly
 
Okay, Thank you... Now I just need to figure out where I can buy a charger. Just out of curiosity.... I have heard, that Smok sucks now you are advising that vaporfi sucks, the local shop said that Vappresso sucks. haha What the hell should I go with?
 

5150sick

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jwill

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Nitecore, efest, Eizfan all are solid choices.

Here is a pic of several types for visual reference.

2sdcn.jpg
 

jwill

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On the plus side, now you have a bunch of batteries and have an excuse to buy a new mod.
 
Damn you and my wife would get a long. haha Glass is always half full... Im on the side of Shit I have spent so much on batteries and I also I have to get a new mod! Do you have any recommendations on mods? I am not trying to win any vape competitions. Just have a good reliable mod.
 

jwill

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Damn you and my wife would get a long. haha Glass is always half full... Im on the side of Shit I have spent so much on batteries and I also I have to get a new mod! Do you have any recommendations on mods? I am not trying to win any vape competitions. Just have a good reliable mod.


Just opened a whole can of worms. You could get a million different answers for a million different reasons. Since you asked and I assume you want a regulated mod me personally if just had to choose one known to be good, I would likely choose a Kooper Primus.

3 batteries, never failed me once, can do everything I need it to, available for cheap(ish) most everywhere.

Would choose others for different reasons but this is a solid choice in my opinion.
 

Letitia9

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Smoant has a good lineup of mods. budget friendly and perform well.. Vaporesso mods are very popular and I seldom see complaints about them. Just because someone works at a shop doesn't mean they know what they are talking about.
 

JuicyLucy

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zaptear

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I have a cell that keeps charging to 4.23 don’t know why any idea


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Vape Fan

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I have a cell that keeps charging to 4.23 don’t know why any idea
I don't know if .03 is out of line. Maybe someone will let you know.
 

Vape Fan

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Ya I have just seems to be this cell
OK, I edited my post. You've narrowed that it isn't charger. I still don't know if .03 is overkill.
 

Obsidian...

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HAHAHA, I was looking at mods to suggest and found one for 10 bucks. I don't need a 3 battery mod and don't know if its a POS or not, but I bought it anyways :rolleyes: and a few other 1-3$ clearance items :huh:
https://ecig-city.com/collections/c...00w-box-mod-council-vapor?variant=21889059331
I just bought 5 of them lol. I'm always giving my old mods to people, but recently ran out of things that I'm willing to part with. So now people will be getting these . Thanks for the find

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Vape Fan

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I just bought 5 of them lol. I'm always giving my old mods to people, but recently ran out of things that I'm willing to part with. So now people will be getting these . Thanks for the find

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:cheers: I don't know if I have 3 batteries I can marry. I'll have to Dr.'em up and see. o_O Mine will see little use at home. A 2 battery lasts me more than a day. What I been looking for is a cheap highish mah built in for short runs about town. Also looking to get another dual reg but nothing is really standing out to me atm.
 

Obsidian...

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:cheers: I don't know if I have 3 batteries I can marry. I'll have to Dr.'em up and see. o_O Mine will see little use at home. A 2 battery lasts me more than a day. What I been looking for is a cheap highish mah built in for short runs about town. Also looking to get another dual reg but nothing is really standing out to me atm.

I have tons of sets of 2 and 3. I gave away a ton of 2 battery pairs when I switched over to 3 battery mods. I also rotated out older batteries I used in flashlights with some of the 2 paired sets.

I use my Vaporsharks (200s & 250s) for the built in run around town stuff. So I don't have any good suggestions on that part. It really depends on what you need out of it. If it's high wattage then you'll definitely need that mAh. If not then you can get by with a smaller battery. Small 3 cell LiPos spoil you when both are needed, but are never cheap.

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Vape Fan

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It really depends on what you need out of it. If it's high wattage then you'll definitely need that mAh.
Thinking of putting a Wismec Reux I have on it, or get an mtl. If I'm going to be buying a built in anyways, might as well be similar to 3000mah but could go lower for the form factor. Might even be a kitted mtl. So, I'm still kickin it around. :)
 

Obsidian...

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Thinking of putting a Wismec Reux I have on it, or get an mtl. If I'm going to be buying a built in anyways, might as well be similar to 3000mah but could go lower for the form factor. Might even be a kitted mtl. So, I'm still kickin it around. :)
Been working on a lot of NicSalts recently so I've been shopping (testing) pod setups to test out the liquids in. It's the last thing I need to figure out, so that's my next decision. It's the only time I'll be using a MTL or anything close to one. Don't know if that interests you but a few have been surprisingly good.

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Vape Fan

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While I'm always interested to hear someone's opinion on vape gear, I don't think I'll be using a pod system.
I did buy this $3 gizmo out of curiosity and you might be interested for your testing since cheap but coils might be non existent unless it takes someone elses coil. And like other things on the order I basically only bought them because of the price tag, and not because I thought I would like/use them. Like you, I can always give them away.
https://ecig-city.com/collections/w...er-kit-stick-pen-style-cartomizer-starter-kit
Also RBA's and I've had none so I can tinker, 2 of which I'm sure are junk, and the other probably higher end junk, and an RDTA which is a maybe, plus a couple Chubby 4 battery cases < prolly the only real keepers.
So I spent more (17) on the rest than I did on the mod, hehe.
 

HondaDavidson

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Okay, Thank you... Now I just need to figure out where I can buy a charger. Just out of curiosity.... I have heard, that Smok sucks now you are advising that vaporfi sucks, the local shop said that Vappresso sucks. haha What the hell should I go with?
What kind of vape and builds do you want? that's how you decide and we advise a mod.....

Imo if vaping below 50 watts a single battery mod will do a multi battery just give linger time between battery changes.. above 100 watts at least a dual batt mod more for longer run time above 150 3x batts......



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champton

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While it may SEEM like a good idea, most vape shops recommend that you do not charge the batteries inside the mod. The USB port is mainly for upgrading your mod's firmware. From what I've been told, it's mostly because if something decides to go wrong during charging, say if you have low quality, damaged, or faulty batteries, they might vent, taking the mod with it. If that does happen, not only do you have to replace your batteries, you also have to replace your mod at this point. I'd say that's a pretty strong reason to avoid charging your batteries inside your mod. ;)

Now there are exceptions. Some mods have the batteries built into the mod. These you CAN charge through the USB port because that's what they're designed to do.

As for a good charger, there are many knowledgeable people in here who can recommend a good charger for you, as I'm at a loss in that department. I've tried an Efest charger before. Big mistake. The damn thing does fine for about 2 months and then it won't even recognize that there are batteries inside the charger. You have to finagle the batteries so they sit just right. It's more trouble than it's worth. So all I can recommend to you is NOT to buy an Efest charger.
 
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nadalama

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The Nitecore Intellicharger has worked great for me, for 26650, 18650, 18350, and 14500 batteries. The model I got charges two batteries at once, and each side will stop when the battery is fully charged. You can also mix sizes if you need to. I've had it for several years and it's been absolutely reliable.

Jane
 

eStorm

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I use the home base by hometech and absolutely love it. My husband and I both vape, we constantly having more than one or two mods around, then our friend comes over a lot, by now I think he moved in and I just didn't get the memo? Lol anyways mostly I need to charge 12 batteries in a small amount of time, so I got plenty of chargers around the office, my home, my car etc. From extremely cheap all the way to higher price range, after testing the home base tho, I bought a 2nd one and both of them charge 4 batteries each at a much quicker time than my nitecore, eleaf and some random brands I picked up somewhere. Also I love the battery doctor it comes with, finally I don't have to constantly recharging my batteries or get replacements for batteries that are older and don't work great anymore. Maybe something to consider. If you're interested look up mt. Baker they were selling these chargers for $34 or $39 that's not bad considering I paid nearly 80 for each of them, and that's what they are normally going for if even in stock.
 

Blargh23

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Opus BT-C3100 is decent, fits 21700's, has 1A on all four slots, and also does NiMh/NiCd AA and AAA -- only thing it doesn't do that the Homebase does is charge batteries that've dropped below 0.6V. IMHO LiPo's aren't safe to charge if they've dropped that low anyways.

Runs around $40+shipping.last I looked.

Note, make sure it's an actual Opus, there's some dubious under-specced clones of it (Leopold and others) that are also called a BT-C3100.

Only real con is that the fan is sort of cheapo - eventually it'll need a couple of drops of Turbine Oil (aka Sewing machine oil) on the bushings to cure the grinding noise.
 
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Blargh23

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Well, a quick internet look shows you have a VaporFi product, which are notoriously terrible

Sounds like the mod is the problem -

Batteries are best charged on a separate charger, not in the mod itself

(A) Batteries last longer if you have them exposed to the open air when charging rather than enclosed in a mod.
(B) "Balancing" (equal charging) in mods can be iffy at best -- a good charger charges them independently of each other.
(C) As mentioned above, if they go thermal you'll be out a mod.

Also recommend putting your charger on a relatively fireproof surface -- clay tiles are cheap at home improvement stores, though you can also scour thrift stores for cheap baking pans.
 

Blargh23

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Okay, Thank you... Now I just need to figure out where I can buy a charger. Just out of curiosity.... I have heard, that Smok sucks now you are advising that vaporfi sucks, the local shop said that Vappresso sucks. haha What the hell should I go with?

Wismec, Innokin or Segelei :p
 

Obsidian...

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While it may SEEM like a good idea, most vape shops recommend that you do not charge the batteries inside the mod. The USB port is mainly for upgrading your mod's firmware. From what I've been told, it's mostly because if something decides to go wrong during charging, say if you have low quality, damaged, or faulty batteries, they might vent, taking the mod with it. If that does happen, not only do you have to replace your batteries, you also have to replace your mod at this point. I'd say that's a pretty strong reason to avoid charging your batteries inside your mod. ;)

Now there are exceptions. Some mods have the batteries built into the mod. These you CAN charge through the USB port because that's what they're designed to do.

Definitely. The only time you should charge a battery in the mod is if it is non removable. I don't really have a problem with someone charging a single 18650 in their mod (mainly for people with budgetary reasons). But we definitely always suggest getting an external charger.

Once a person steps up to a 2/3/4 cell mod there is no excuse at that point. Buying a decent charger should be done at same time as the mod purchase.

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The Cromwell

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Purple samsung battery?

Not aware of any Samsung 18650 battery that is purple and suitable for vaping.
But authentic Samsung 25R, Sony VTC6 or VTC5A If doing high power vaping.
If lower power then LG HG2 or Samsung 30Q.

I have HG2's and 25R's that are 2 years old and still fine.
 

Vape Fan

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Yeah, If it's a purple 18650, it's not the one you want for vaping.
Always refer to batteries by brand and model number. It's color says & means nothing.
 
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nadalama

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There is sure enough a seller on eBay listing these purple Samsung batteries as specifically suitable for vaping devices. See item 202068403894.

Doesn't look like a high enough drain capacity to me. If anyone has time, please take a look. Price seems too cheap and specs just don't look right, but I'm not the expert on batteries.

I've always thought the drain rate for vaping batteries is supposed to be at least 30A. These are like 8A continuous.

Jane
 

Blargh23

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I just replied to someone else about that.

People are advertising 5A laptop pack pulls as "Good for vaping." So take that bit with a grain of salt.
 

The Cromwell

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I would never buy a battery for vaping from Ebay or Amazon.
I buy from Illumn.com Battery Mooch approved vendor.
There are counterfeit batteries out there. Myabe a 10 amp cell wrapped as a Samsung 25 R 290 amp cell...
Counterfeit Sony, HG2, etc.

Here is Mooch's blog page and there is a list of trusted battery vendors on there.

Mooch is the most trusted authority on vaping batteries in the vaping world.
 

Vape Fan

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LOL, Ebay seller marketing to smok users, and one of the most popular smok mods of all. Hilarious :giggle:
Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh isn't purple. Samsung has several pink batteries.
Mooch:
"This battery has a very high 3500mAh capacity rating but even at just 5A its run time down to 3.2V is a lot shorter than the 3300mAh Panasonic NCR18650GA. Its high internal resistance causes a lot of voltage sag which triggers a regulated mod's weak battery alert sooner than batteries like the NCR19650GA and MJ1. I am rating it at 8A/3500mAh"
 

nadalama

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So, checking out illumn.com, EVERY Sony 18650 battery that I could find has this disclaimer:

"The use of any Sony lithium ion rechargeable battery cells as a stand-alone product, including with e-cigarettes, vaporizer pens or other products, constitutes a DANGEROUS misuse of the battery cells that poses a SERIOUS RISK of personal injury or property damage. These cells are only for prototyping with proper protection circuits, and not for stand-alone use."

Now, 'scuse me if I'm just being a biotch, but is that Sony playing CYA or what? Can someone explain that to me? What does "prototyping with proper protection circuits" even mean?

Jane
 

Blargh23

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"Prototyping with proper protection circuits" AFAIK means that it's assembled into a pack that has a built-in protection circuit.
 

The Cromwell

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So, checking out illumn.com, EVERY Sony 18650 battery that I could find has this disclaimer:

"The use of any Sony lithium ion rechargeable battery cells as a stand-alone product, including with e-cigarettes, vaporizer pens or other products, constitutes a DANGEROUS misuse of the battery cells that poses a SERIOUS RISK of personal injury or property damage. These cells are only for prototyping with proper protection circuits, and not for stand-alone use."

Now, 'scuse me if I'm just being a biotch, but is that Sony playing CYA or what? Can someone explain that to me? What does "prototyping with proper protection circuits" even mean?

Jane
NO major battery manufacturers will knowingly sell li cells for vaping use in the USA.
Liability issues and even if sold for vaping in the USA they become a tobacco product and the manufacturer has to become a legal tobacco product manufacturer under FDA rules which are in effect just delayed enforcement for a few years. but could be enforced at any time.
And all tobacco products have to go thru the FDA approval process.

All LI cells are dangerous if shorted or abused.
Which is why the manufacturers only sell them for use in enclosed battery packs with built in protections.
 

nadalama

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"Prototyping with proper protection circuits" AFAIK means that it's assembled into a pack that has a built-in protection circuit.

Well it sounds like they're basically saying that they don't think their own batteries are safe to use in mech mods at all. I suppose they aren't, no more than any other battery is safe in a mech mod, if it's in the wrong hands, or if the battery has been damaged.

Would you interpret this to mean that the protection circuitry that's available in most regulated box mods would qualify as being "proper protection circuits?"
 

The Cromwell

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Well it sounds like they're basically saying that they don't think their own batteries are safe to use in mech mods at all. I suppose they aren't, no more than any other battery is safe in a mech mod, if it's in the wrong hands, or if the battery has been damaged.

Would you interpret this to mean that the protection circuitry that's available in most regulated box mods would qualify as being "proper protection circuits?"
Mooch says that NO li cell is totally safe to use for vaping.
And are much more risky in mech mods which have NO protections at all built in.

The protection circuits in SOME regulated mods are adequate.
In quite a few not so much.
None of them are UL certified.
And UL certifications do exist for them.
 

nadalama

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NO major battery manufacturers will knowingly sell li cells for vaping use in the USA.
Liability issues and even if sold for vaping in the USA they become a tobacco product and the manufacturer has to become a legal tobacco product manufacturer under FDA rules which are in effect just delayed enforcement for a few years. but could be enforced at any time.
And all tobacco products have to go thru the FDA approval process.

All LI cells are dangerous if shorted or abused.
Which is why the manufacturers only sell them for use in enclosed battery packs with built in protections.

Understood. I just thought it odd that Sony would show that verbiage when none of the other manufacturers I saw did. Perhaps because Sony has learned that their batteries are among the most recommended in the vaping community, their legal teams have made it their business to protect Sony from liability better than other companies are doing.
 

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