Is Anything Being Done To Prevent Exploding E-Cigarettes?

[Nidge]

They do on the quality ones, but you'll find some of these cheap knockoffs are using recycled laptop cells instead of proper new batteries (info courtesy of Torchy)

A mate of mine got a cheap knock off from a market stall, one morning he got up and put it on charge and went to the bathroom, when he came back it'd melted on the kitchen top.

I told him to get a decent set up and not a market stall one.

 

[anthonyb]

Just found this
http://www.geek.com/mobile/why-batteries-explode-1538916/

 

[Nasty Boy]

so by the sounds of things it is user error/stupidity & cheep and nasty products that are doing the damage.

I can also understand that charging in cars could be a bit iffy but I'm sure that even car electronics have some sort of surge protection built into them as a power surge in a car would no doubt spike the ECU and kill it. tho this is referring to newer cars rather than older one's

 

[ScottChensoda]

That is a good article Anthony in that it highlights how volatile lithium batteries are and it might just awaken one or two to the potential for issues. However, batteries used for vaping is very complex involving the manufacture, marketing, distribution and selling, apart from very dubious practices employed by some along the way.

Most vaping incidents involve passthroughs and the charging thereof and I'm not referring just to the tsunami of cheap blisterpack copy devices of the last year or so. This applies to the basic theory of passthroughs. They push the envelope of safety to its limits and IMHO should be banned per sé. The poorly made copy devices exacerbate that situation by a huge percentage. How to stop those? The only way sadly, is by government intervention as I cannot see it happening otherwise and that will not probably happen until there is/are deaths attributed to them. Then no doubt, the intervention will be draconian and OTT as usual and all will suffer as a result.

I have a few recommendations that would certainly go along way but again, that simply will not happen, yet.

1. Ban all passthrough systems.
2. Likewise all USB methods of charging.
3. Fit all eGo style chargers with a moulded 3-pin charging plug.
4. Somehow properly educate the masses, new vapers and vendors in the background and use of vaping equipment. Just putting "Do not leave chargers unattended whilst charging" on a label is insufficient and irresponsible and does not discharge vendors from their responsibilities. Vendors are in effect selling pipe-bombs to totally uneducated people and should take on board their obligations accordingly. Saying "That's how it was supplied to me" is not good enough.
5. Find a way to stop the import of cheap eGo style copies. Whether ECITA could become involved in that, without government sanction, I don't know but I doubt it. If not, the government will do eventually but only when it's too late, as per usual.
6. If government were to cease with their zombie-like attitude in crippling our hobby and embraced it for the industry that it now is, they could take the approach of seeing what could be done to improve the foundations of what is already there. This could quite easily be achieved by appointing an appraisal group that would include prominent figures in the vaping world and a report could be amassed in weeks rather than the customary two years. But again, it's just me fantasising, like the above, it will not happen. Dream on Scott.

 

[Vapourtorium]

this could be a silly question but can they not build in surge protection on the chargers?
also don't all chargers and batteries have to meet a certain standard of safety and be kite marked? (in the UK at least)

My answer is quite simple. Our shops (And my own flat) is fitted with surge protected extension leads. If my batteries blow it sure won't be due to any surges...

As for this whole topic in general, I've only ever heard of the E-lites exploding, I've never heard of an Ego battery giving any problems, then again we've made sure not to go to a cheap manufacturer so it could be due to dodgy sellers...

 

[Infamous]

Yes, it's called a battery bag I use them on all my RC heli batteries.

 

[ScottChensoda]

They don't prevent explosions Infamous, they contain it.

 

[anthonyb]

My answer is quite simple. Our shops (And my own flat) is fitted with surge protected extension leads. If my batteries blow it sure won't be due to any surges...

As for this whole topic in general, I've only ever heard of the E-lites exploding, I've never heard of an Ego battery giving any problems, then again we've made sure not to go to a cheap manufacturer so it could be due to dodgy sellers...

With out proper analysis, of each incident of an exploding battery. I would be hard to pin point the exact cause of the battery going up.
There seems to be more incidents of batteries going off in cars, with a DC power supply. Than at home, with an AC power supply.
This may or may not be due to power surges, as a surge or drop, can effect some chargers. Resulting in possible over charge, and the resulting bang.
In all the cases I've seen reported, they blame the battery. But I have not seen any analysis done on the batteries, chargers or usage, to confirm what was at fault.
Which brings up a few questions, before deciding what was at fault.

1. Was the battery faulty or badly made.
2. Was the battery damaged prior to charging.
3. Was the charger faulty or badly made.
4. Was the charger damaged prior to use.
5. Had the charger been tampered with in any way.
6. Was the battery being charged in the correct manner.
7. Did the owner know the correct procedure for charging the type of battery used.
8. Did the owner inspect the battery for damage prior to charging.
9. Did the owner inspect the charger for damage prior to use.
10. Was the correct power source used, for that type of charger.

I think you will find (gonna start a war here) that, batteries that go off in use, or in ya kitchen, while charging from the wall socket, are bad batteries.
While the one's that go off while charged in your car, is down to the charges being used.
I say this because I've just checked out the in car chargers, for my phone, satnav, and torch. And none of them has the ability to stop charging the device, when the battery is charged. It seems to be the device itself that regulates the charging. And since an e-cig battery does not have this ability, that might be why they say, UNPLUG YOUR BATTERY WHEN IT'S CHARGED.

I have now ended my research into why my batteries may explode.
I now have the knowledge to cycle stacked batteries safely.
I have protective cases to keep them in.
I have a good charger with auto cut off when batteries are fully charged.
I still charge ego's with usb and wall socket adaptor, in the knowledge that they have the potential to go off, so only charged when time or someone is available to turn them off when ready.

Am I up to a full page yet with stuff.
Like the man say's, get the crap off the shelves, educate the masses, and set up the optics, next to your favorite arm chair.

 

[Infamous]

They don't prevent explosions Infamous, they contain it.

But it would prevent what happened in the op picture.