When you first make the switch to E-Cigarettes it can seem daunting. Not only do you have to think about what kind of e-liquid you want to use but now have to think about what voltage, watt and type of battery you want to use as well.
Here at SMOKO all our Electronic Cigarette batteries are built into the hardware, but for those smokers who were thinking of branching out or wanted to know their options before they start we have created a guide on all things vape battery related.
WHAT ARE THE BATTERY TYPES?
Before we delve into the different battery types there is some common ground that almost all types of batteries have in common. The main one is that they will almost always be lithium ion batteries.
Lithium ion batteries are perhaps the most common type of battery around today, and can be found in almost all portable and rechargeable devices, that includes your mobile phone, your laptop or tablet to your electronic cigarette.
The reason for this is simple, Lithium ion batteries can hold a great deal of energy in them for their size, and are much safer than a lot of the other alternatives. But Lithium ion batteries can come in many different shapes and sizes, and for today’s article we will be looking at the two main battery types in E-Cigarettes.
There are a whole lot of smaller classifications for batteries, but the main two are Internal batteries and External batteries.
Internal batteries are batteries that are built into the hardware like the SMOKO E-Cigarette. You won’t be able to remove or change the battery, but as the battery is built in there will be safety features built into hardware specifically designed for the battery.
The internal batteries will also have a protection circuit in the hardware and will have been tested to make sure it is safe before it is legally allowed to be sold in the UK.
The most common type of internal batteries are the automatic batteries. These are batteries that are activated by taking a puff. There are no buttons to press, it is all included in the hardware. These work well for people who want their E-Cigarette to feel like a cigarette and don’t want the hassle of a more complicated design.
The other type of internal battery is the manual battery. These batteries are built into hardware but require you to press a button or a slider to work. These kind of batteries are normally found on more complicated hardware with added features like variable voltages.
External batteries are simple rechargeable batteries which you can plug into and take out of the hardware. These can come in all shapes and sizes and aren't specifically tested with any hardware.
These are more used in large mods, and often these are unregulated mods which haven’t been tested with the external battery. If you looking into these types of vapouriser make sure to be careful!
E-CIG BATTERY SIZES
Most E-Cigarettes use what is called a 18650 battery. This may seem like an arbitrary number, but it is actually describing the size. The number can be broken into two key parts: 18 and 65. The 18 describes the diameter of the vape battery in mm, and the 65 is the length of the battery, 65 mm. So an 18650 battery is 18 mm in diameter and 65 mm tall.
Most internal batteries and regulated mods on the market still take 18650 batteries or have them integrated into the hardware, though there are new batteries coming out all of the time.
For the more complicated and mechanical mods – you might have instead 18350 or 18500 size batteries.
There has been a trend in the larger vaporisers lately for bigger batteries and even mods that have space for 2 or even 3 batteries. This can help make the electronic cigarette last longer but this kind of battery mod is only for those who are willing to spend a lot of time building and tinkering with their machine.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BATTERY CAPACITY AND VOLTAGE?
For those new to vaping it might not be worth going too deep into the different batteries, but for those vapers who want to spend the time and effort to customise their machines there are two main factors to think about, capacity and voltage.
Battery capacity is essentially the battery life of a single charge. This is normally measured in electronic cigarette batteries as milliamp hours (mAh). The higher the mAh rating, the higher the capacity of the battery and the longer it will last between charges.
For most internal and non-adjustable vape batteries the output is about 3 volts. A vape battery with 1100mAh of capacity will give out 3 volts for longer than a battery that has a capacity of 180mAh, but both can put out the same voltage.
The voltage on the other hand essentially tells you how much current the battery can send out to your coil. To put it in basic terms the more voltage the battery gives to the coil, the more vapour you get.
HOW LONG DO VAPE BATTERIES LAST?
On average a battery will last about 3 months of normal use, though it will depend on how well you take care of the battery.
By overcharging, getting the battery wet, dropping or damaging it or in general treating the battery badly you will shorten the batteries lifespan.
WHAT IS AMP HOUR (AH), MILLIAMP HOUR (MAH)?
The mah rating or milliamp hour rating (mAh) is the normal way of measuring how much energy a battery can hold after fully charging, though it can also be labelled in amp hour (ah). To convert from Amp (A) to milliamp (mA) just times the amp by 1000. For example 1 amp is 1000ma.
The hour parts comes from the voltage, as more voltage means more milliamps, and more milliamps means fewer hours running. You can have your battery working for one hour (only counting the time you’re actually taking a puff) if you vape at 1 amp (i.e. 1,000 mA) on a 1,000 mAh battery.
HOW TO STORE LITHIUM BATTERIES
Keep your batteries in a cool, dark place. Batteries and water never mix well together and if the area is damp it will shorten the life of the battery.
If you are planning on leaving your battery for a long time make sure to charge it up first. Energy will slowly drain from a battery over time and a battery with no charge for a long time can be hard to get working again.
HOW CAN I AVOID DAMAGING A BATTERY?
Treat your battery like you would your laptop or any other of your expensive electronics and you should be fine. But if you want specifics:
1) Don’t overcharge - Though lithium ion batteries are pretty sturdy and have a protection circuit which stops your vape battery from overcharging, there is no point in tempting fate.
2) Avoid Water
3) Don’t be rough with your battery
1) Don’t overcharge - Though lithium ion batteries are pretty sturdy and have a protection circuit which stops your vape battery from overcharging, there is no point in tempting fate.
2) Avoid Water
3) Don’t be rough with your battery
Another great way to avoid damaging a battery is to use a battery case. This can stop your battery getting bumped and damaged in your pocket or handbag.
If you have a SMOKO E-Cigarette starter kit or VAPE E-Cigarette Starter kit we actually suggest using the starter kit tin as your case. Just take out the padding and you have a discreet, smart looking case to carry your battery and refills in.
HOW CAN I AVOID DAMAGING A BATTERY WHILST CHARGING IT?
Unlike older style batteries lithium ion batteries shouldn’t be able to be overcharged due the safety features built in.
However to make sure that you aren’t damaging the battery while fully charging the battery make sure you use the battery charger that came with the battery and that there is no condensation from the vapour or water on the battery’s connector.
WHAT DO I DO IF THE BATTERY HAS BEEN DAMAGED OR IS LEAKING?
If you battery has been damaged, pierced of leaking stop using it immediately. Though lithium ion batteries will have safety features built in , and the hardware around them will as well if you are using an E-Cigarette like SMOKO, they are still batteries.
If they have been damaged then the battery might not work properly or worse. Put the battery on the a non-flammable surface and as soon as possible dispose of the battery responsibly at a battery recycling spot.
MAXIMISE THE LIFE OF YOUR E-CIG & VAPE BATTERY
Use the battery most days: Most electronic cigarette batteries are designed to be used daily
Charge it up when you first receive the battery: Give your battery a good first charge when you get it.
Keep your battery in a cool, dark place: If you plan to store a battery for a long period of time. try to make sure it has at least a 40% charge.
Charge at 10% power: charging from completely empty can put stress on a battery
Keep out of high temperatures and direct sunlight
CLEAN THE BATTERY CONTACTS REGULARLY
A clean battery is essential to keep your e-cig functioning correctly, as a dirty battery terminal may struggle to connect with the USB charger or the refills themselves.
Over time (and especially if it is kept in your pocket or handbag during the day) dirt and grime can build up in the connection terminal and stop your e-cigarette from working. Even if you keep your battery in a battery case the stray vapour from when your refills can eventually condense in the space between the battery and the refill and cause the same issue.
A good habit to get into is whenever you change a refill or when you are about to charge your battery is to give it a quick clean. That way you can keep on top of it and never have a battery refuse to work.
In order to clean your battery, all you need to do is give the connector a wipe every so often with a cotton bud. To find the connector just unscrew the battery from the refill and look inside the battery. In there you will see a silver disk with a whole in the centre, this is the connector.
But don't be too rough with it!
USE YOUR VAPE BATTERIES REGULARLY
As was mentioned before, if you don’t use your vape battery regularly the charge will slowly seep out. If the battery runs out of power completely and stays that way for a long time it can be difficult if not impossible to charge it up again.
Even if you do the amount of charge the battery can hold might have shrunk, so forcing you to charge it more often.
KEEP BATTERIES OUT OF SUNLIGHT AND EXTREME TEMPERATURES
Batteries in general do not like heat. If you get a battery too hot it can shut down or in the most extreme situations start a fire.
This is very rare, but heat is one of the triggers, with damage and water being the other two.
DON'T OVERCHARGE YOUR BATTERIES
Lithium ion batteries are designed so that they don’t overcharge. However it’s still not great for batteries to be left on charge for hours or days at a time.
After a battery is finished charging you should take it off the power, not only is this good for the battery, but good for your electricity bill too!
STORE YOUR E-CIG BATTERIES CAREFULLY
As we have covered before, to keep your batteries in top condition make sure:
They are in a cool, dark place
They are fully charged
Clean the connector before you store the battery
Check on the batteries every one in a while and fully charge them if they are starting to get low
They are in a cool, dark place
They are fully charged
Clean the connector before you store the battery
Check on the batteries every one in a while and fully charge them if they are starting to get low
STOCK UP ON SPARE BATTERIES AND CHARGERS
If you follow these steps you should be able to keep your battery in top condition for their full lifespan.
However batteries, like everything else, will eventually get old and stop working. If you don’t want to get caught out in the middle of the day without a battery make sure you have a spare or two!
Not only is this useful in case one dies, but having an extra battery can also be great so you can use the spare E-Cigarette battery when the first one is charging. Trust us, waiting a few hours for your battery to charge up can feel like an eternity when you need nicotine!
If you need to stock up on your SMOKO batteries, check out the range of electronic cigarette batteries and accessories.
