HOW TO MAKE YOUR VAPE BATTERY LAST LONGER

HOW TO MAKE YOUR VAPE BATTERY LAST LONGER

Good battery care is essential to making your vape battery last longer. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when it comes to charging, paying attention to the charge time, using the correct charge cable, and whether you should avoid using the device while it is charging. Store your battery fully charged out, of the sun and away from extreme temperatures, and rotate your batteries to maintain efficiency.

INTRODUCTION

Vapers live and die by their battery life. Okay, so that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but all silliness aside, a dead battery means you can’t vape - which means you aren’t getting your nicotine. 

Now, a strong minded quitter may be able to fight the cravings until such a time that they can vape again, they may be able to pop in to a shop or pharmacist to acquire another nicotine product, but for some quitters, this becomes a dangerous position to be in if you run into one of your smoking triggers.

If no other nicotine option is available, and you are facing a substantial period of time without nicotine, the thought of picking up a packet of cigarettes may spring up in the back of the mind. 

You justify it to yourself and have one cigarette, intending to throw the rest away, that you just needed one to see you through the afternoon, until you get home. Now, you’ve filled your brain with high levels of nicotine again, making other forms of nicotine delivery less satisfying, which means you have to restart your ‘quit tobacco’ attempt. You are back at (almost) square one.

Given that a relapse often means consuming tobacco again, and the detrimental effect this has on your health, it could be argued that vapers do live or die by their battery life.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT VAPE DEVICE?

The wide range of vaping devices means that there is a range of demands on different vaping batteries. Cigalike units come with the battery encased in the device, it is a closed system. A vape pen’s battery is often the same, encased in the device and not removable.

The fixed output from this type of battery means things like how you puff on your vape device, how you store the device, and how you charge your battery are the factors that will impact your battery life. 

The larger units known as ‘vape mods’ mostly use removable batteries - these units are more expensive and are designed for a degree of customisation, with many offering a way to control the power output of the battery.

Why would you choose a larger unit? Vape mods are often used for thicker e-liquids, like those favouring vegetable glycerine, because the battery has to work harder to get to a sufficiently high temperature to turn the thicker liquid into an aerosol. This higher power output will use the battery power faster, shortening the life of your vape battery.

HOW DO YOU CHARGE THE VAPE BATTERY?

When you charge your battery, there are a few things to keep in mind. The manufacturer should provide instructions on how to charge your battery with the device, so dig them out! 

They should provide the rough charging times for your device, and whether your device is designed to be used at the same time as charging - if it is not designed for it, then charging and using the battery at the same time heats the battery from both ends, over-stressing the battery which can lead to a short circuit.

Most vaping devices use lithium ion batteries (1) and these can be problematic when they short circuit because this can result in anything from smoking without ignition, to a full on explosion - a short circuited battery needs to be avoided at all costs!

In order to charge your battery safely and effectively,

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Use the charger provided by the manufacturer
• Charge your battery before it reaches zero charge.
• Don’t leave your vape pen on charge unattended.
• Do not charge on a flammable surface.
• Unplug your vape as soon as it is fully charged to avoid overcharging.

There are batteries that use a chip to help prevent overcharging (and over discharging) like in closed systems such as cigalikes and small pod systems (2). These systems use batteries designed for purpose, and are tested in situ, meaning the battery is tested to work with all of the components of the closed system, including the refills.

Bigger box mod systems, using removable lithium ion batteries, cannot be tested in the same way; testing the enormous array of tanks, coils, and batteries would have them tied up for an unreasonable amount of time, and no doubt cost a fortune!

HOW DO YOU STORE E-CIGARETTE BATTERIES?

Storing your battery correctly is another way to extend your battery life. Ideally, store the battery when fully charged, keeping it out of the sun and away from extreme temperatures to avoid any warping of the battery (3), which could lead to a short circuit. 

For the utmost safety, consider using a plastic case for any spare batteries, a protective pouch that keeps the components separated, and store in a cool, dark room, away from heat sources like radiators.

Keeping a spare battery on you and switching between the two shares the stress between the batteries, so this is a sensible way to make sure you aren’t caught without a working battery in addition to prolonging the life of the batteries. This is a good idea for all style vape devices, just remember to rotate your batteries (4) as keeping them idle can reduce their efficiency.

In addition, make sure you keep your vape device and batteries away from other metal objects - they can cause a short circuit if touched by metal in precisely the wrong way (5). 

SHOULD YOU TURN OFF THE VAPE DEVICE WHEN NOT IN USE?

As vape devices have seen improved safety features with each new generation, it can be easy to miss if your device can be switched from ‘stand by’ to ‘full off’. This feature is great for keeping your battery running and ready to use, but it is possible to forget to turn your device off…

The safety feature in place for button activated devices means you need to press the activate button several times in order to switch the device on. Holding the button down then sends power from the battery to the coil to generate aerosol out of the vape juice.

Making sure your device is fully off between vape sessions, and not just on stand-by, is a good way to make sure the battery lasts longer. It is entirely possible for the activation button to get pressed in your pocket, so make sure to fully switch off your vape device before you travel! 

This is another place where the simpler systems win out - cigalike and small pod systems are activated when the user inhales on the device - easy and safe operation for even the most inebriated individuals!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VAPE MAINTENANCE? 

At SMOKO, our focus is on bringing our customers a high quality, hassle free vaping experience that works - and we do mean hassle free. The SMOKO E-Cigarette and VAPE POD all use pre-filled cartridges so you don’t have to worry about filling tanks and spilled liquids. 

Refilling your tank can be a bit of a messy business. And when there is liquid, there is at least a chance that liquid can make its way into parts of the device it shouldn't be in. 

Liquid in the wrong parts of the device could prevent it working or, at worst, cause a short circuit. Batteries are a must for keeping dry - any moisture that seeps into the battery can lead to oxidation of the metal contacts in the battery, reducing its capability (6). 

SMOKO’s sealed units help prevent this from occurring, helping you to stay safe and get the most from your battery, for longer. 

HOW TO MAKE YOUR VAPE BATTERY LAST LONGER - CONCLUSION

Making your vaping battery - and your device - last longer is largely a matter of maintenance and care. 

For the large devices, it is sensible to give the device a wipe after refilling, but taking some time each week to properly clean the individual parts is actually essential to keep your device safe and functioning. 

Choosing a simple device saves a lot of trouble here - the cigalike and small pod style devices’ batteries cannot be removed from their casing, which reduces the chance of exposing the battery to moisture. These devices use prefilled cartridges, eliminating the possibility of spillages as you won’t be refilling a tank, and minimising the possibility of leakage. 

If the maintenance and complexity of the vape mod style devices feels too time consuming, or seems like too many things to go wrong, then the new SMOKO VAPE POD is a great place to get started!

REFERENCES

(1) Protecting Li-ion Batteries: Optional Functions and Advantages

(2) Chipsets: What Does A Vape Chip Actually Do?

(3) 9 Highly-Recommended Safety Tips For Vape Batteries

(4) 5 Ways to Keep Your Vape Batteries Lasting Longer

(5) Dad, 37, suffers third-degree burns after vape pen explodes 'like a bomb' in his pocket

(6) The effects of humidity on the self-discharge properties of Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2/graphite and LiCoO2/graphite lithium-ion batteries during storage

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Written by Dan Overgage

Dan Overgage – is a former smoker of 10 years until he became a client of SMOKO E-Cigarettes.  Dan started working with SMOKO 5 years ago after successfully quitting using our e-cigarettes and works across our Customer Service and heads up our content creation and research with a strong focus on all things quitting smoking.  During his tenure with SMOKO, Dan has written countless blogs and consults with countless clients every day to help them to stay smoke-free.