Mech mod battery polarity

[Danny K]

So why are they called + positive pins and - negative posts?

What says they are ? No RDA or RBA I've ever owned has been marked + / -

I think it's we all presume positive goes up or positive to center but as far as I'm aware no device is actually marked, apart from maybe a regulated box mod that could damage circuits if battery was reversed.

 

[homer]

As I explained above, there's a very good reason to observe correct polarity in a metal-bodied mech mod.
The entire battery tube is a negative contact, make that into a positive contact and any issues with the incredibly thin battery wrapper may well result in hard-shorting your battery.

Can you put a battery in backwards? Yes.
Should you? Absolutely not.

If you insist on doing this make very sure your mod is well vented so in the event of a hard-short it does not explode. Better yet, just don't do it.

 

[Danny K]

As I explained above, there's a very good reason to observe correct polarity in a metal-bodied mech mod.
The entire battery tube is a negative contact, make that into a positive contact and any issues with the incredibly thin battery wrapper may well result in hard-shorting your battery.

Can you put a battery in backwards? Yes.
Should you? Absolutely not.

If you insist on doing this make very sure your mod is well vented so in the event of a hard-short it does not explode. Better yet, just don't do it.

You do know most batteries vent out the positive terminal ?

If you want that pointing towards your face when it vents then that's your choice personally I'd rather have it facing away.

How do you think that coil works in the top half of your mod ?

Based on what your saying we should all be putting our coils in + first ?

As I said up there ^^^^ a coil will work either way regardless.

Great point about making sure the mech is vented unfortunately 98% if not more are all vented in the switch end.

 

[homer]

You do know most batteries vent out the positive terminal ?

If you want that pointing towards your face when it vents then that's your choice personally I'd rather have it facing away.

How do you think that coil works in the top half of your mod ?

Based on what your saying we should all be putting our coils in + first ?

As I said up there ^^^^ a coil will work either way regardless.

Great point about making sure the mech is vented unfortunately 98% if not more are all vented in the switch end.

I can't believe I am having a discussion with someone who seriously thinks running a battery backwards in a mech mod is a good idea.

What I wrote above isn't my opinion, it's basic electrical safety.

 

[puff the magic dragon]

I'm not saying they will not work, I'm just saying they will work better.
All battery's discharge their current through the + positive so the path of least resistance for the electricity to reach the atomizer will give the least voltage drop.
Try a voltage drop tester on a mod with the - negative pointing towards it, they don't work.
And different metals conduct electricity differently, that's why the + positive centre pins are better being copper or brass.
The Kato box is a big lump of stainless & alloy, Big voltage drop with the battery the wrong way round.

 

[mrdelmonti]

I'm not saying they will not work, I'm just saying they will work better.
All battery's discharge their current through the + positive so the path of least resistance for the electricity to reach the atomizer will give the least voltage drop.
Try a voltage drop tester on a mod with the - negative pointing towards it, they don't work.
And different metals conduct electricity differently, that's why the + positive centre pins are better being copper or brass.
The Kato box is a big lump of stainless & alloy, Big voltage drop with the battery the wrong way round.

Problem with that is current actually flows from negative to positive [emoji6]

 

[Chegs]

I can't believe I am having a discussion with someone who seriously thinks running a battery backwards in a mech mod is a good idea.

What I wrote above isn't my opinion, it's basic electrical safety.

As was pointed out to me, take a look at any of the vented 18650/26650 type cells and you will see that they have all vented through the positive end of the cell.

Then imagine the result if that pressure is unable to escape through the vent holes, often because the cell itself has swollen inside a metal tube and blocked those gases from reaching the vent holes.

The pressure can reach sufficiently high to blow off the end cap / the tube itself can shatter firing hot metal at soft flesh. ESPECIALLY if the end cap of the mod is forced off, it will fire just like a blunt bullet straight in the user's face.

This is why I ceased loading cells into metal tubes with their positive pole pointing at my face, as I'm already ugly enough to scare dead people to life and don't wish to become even more ugly due to the fucking great hole in the middle of my features.

 

[homer]

As was pointed out to me, take a look at any of the vented 18650/26650 type cells and you will see that they have all vented through the positive end of the cell.

Then imagine the result if that pressure is unable to escape through the vent holes, often because the cell itself has swollen inside a metal tube and blocked those gases from reaching the vent holes.

The pressure can reach sufficiently high to blow off the end cap / the tube itself can shatter firing hot metal at soft flesh. ESPECIALLY if the end cap of the mod is forced off, it will fire just like a blunt bullet straight in the user's face.

This is why I ceased loading cells into metal tubes with their positive pole pointing at my face, as I'm already ugly enough to scare dead people to life and don't wish to become even more ugly due to the fucking great hole in the middle of my features.

You're working on the assumption that all those vents are going to function correctly and simultaneously creating a situation where you are much more likely to need them.

As I have stated at various points in this thread, I'm talking about basic electrical safety. It should be common knowledge to anyone who gets into mechs/sub-ohming etc.

If you choose to buy and use devices which you believe to be inherently unsafe in their design and then somehow believe you are being safe by putting batteries in backwards, then that's your choice.

 

[Tubbyengineer]

Right the Engineers Two penny worth,

All cylindrical cells currently used for vaping vent through the positive cap. Most mechanical mods vent at the switch end - therefore logic would dictate that you insert the cell with the positive closest to the vent holes. Cells are constucted with the outer case being the negative pole of the cell, this is covered with a wrapper both to protect the cell from short circuits and to display information / branding - If you insert a cell with the positive to the switch end of a tube / all metal mod and the wrapper becomes damaged pressing the switch will result in a hard short, a very hot button and lots of swearing, shortly followed by the cell venting if you keep the button pressed. Whilst this is not the ideal way to fit cells in a tube / all metal mod it is slightly safer than positive end first as the vents will not get obstructed in the event of a cell venting. Ideally you should not use any device where the cell can swell and block the vents...

Personally I think mechanical mods are for those experienced enough at building coils and who know the risks involved with Lithium cells. Anyone else should start with regulated mods, learn about rebuilding and battery safety - then buy a mechanical box mod that is designed in such a way that cells won't short (Ones with actual battery holders) to get used to battery safety with mechs - then once they know the risks they can buy any damn thing they please and if they blow their hand off then they have no one but themselves to blame

Here endeth the gospel according to Tubby...

 

[homer]

Right the Engineers Two penny worth,

All cylindrical cells currently used for vaping vent through the positive cap. Most mechanical mods vent at the switch end - therefore logic would dictate that you insert the cell with the positive closest to the vent holes. Cells are constucted with the outer case being the negative pole of the cell, this is covered with a wrapper both to protect the cell from short circuits and to display information / branding - If you insert a cell with the positive to the switch end of a tube / all metal mod and the wrapper becomes damaged pressing the switch will result in a hard short, a very hot button and lots of swearing, shortly followed by the cell venting if you keep the button pressed. Whilst this is not the ideal way to fit cells in a tube / all metal mod it is slightly safer than positive end first as the vents will not get obstructed in the event of a cell venting. Ideally you should not use any device where the cell can swell and block the vents...

Personally I think mechanical mods are for those experienced enough at building coils and who know the risks involved with Lithium cells. Anyone else should start with regulated mods, learn about rebuilding and battery safety - then buy a mechanical box mod that is designed in such a way that cells won't short (Ones with actual battery holders) to get used to battery safety with mechs - then once they know the risks they can buy any damn thing they please and if they blow their hand off then they have no one but themselves to blame

Here endeth the gospel according to Tubby...

I respect your opinion as an engineer and there are definitely pros/cons to both methods.

Before I adopted the Samsung 25R as my battery of choice for vaping I conducted an experiment in a controlled environment involving hard-shorting a cell in a mech. The mod vented from the switch end, where the vents were located.

I believe most mechs are designed with the assumption that the positive pole of the battery will be inserted towards the atomiser.

It's up to the individual to decide if they want to put their batteries in backwards because they think it might be safer. I would personally not recommend others do this though.