In this post we are going to be going over why you need to put a small amount of thought into your battery choice when buying your mod.  If you don’t choose the right battery for your box it can lead to an unpleasant experience or something much worse.  And that is what we are here to stop, so follow along, and let’s learn about this important part of the vaping process.

There are a few parts to understanding a battery.  They are: how to read the name, what is mAh, knowing how to choose between capacity versus amps, and best practices for batteries.  Doesn’t it just sound exhilarating? Well let’s get started then!

How to Read the Name:

See this picture? It’s just confusing isn’t it? Well we have a few resources that will help you to know what you are actually looking at.

You are looking at an LG HG2 18650 3000 mAh.  The 18 is the diameter in millimeters, and 650 is the height in millimeters. Other designations you will see on batteries can be seen here, and if you click on the battery above you will have another resource for yourself. They explain it better than we could so feel free to check them out. 

What is a mAh anyway?

A mAh is short for milliampere-hour, and it is a measurement of how much of an electrical charge a particular battery will hold.  The higher the mAh is, the longer operating time for a device that is using constant power.  There are certainly things that will affect this rating, but on as a general rule the higher this number is, the better battery life there is. 

Capacity v. Amps: Who wins?

By and large, most people who are vaping will want capacity as this is what allows them to get through a day without worrying about charging their batteries and not having their vape available, especially if they are quitting smoking.

There are some who will need higher amps.  These are people who are called builders.  They are building their coils and going low sub ohm (which will be explained at a later date).  Choosing between the two of them can be tough call because there is a tradeoff.  Batteries can do a little of both or much more of one or the other, and this is why it can be confusing.  Most people will find they don’t need the high amps and will prefer having the longer battery life.

Common Best Practices:

1. Do not overcharge your batteries. Also, you should not pull them off the charger and put them directly to use in your mod.  They need time to cool. One of the most important things is to make not charge past 4.25 volts and to never make it to 4.5 volts as this can make your battery explode. If your voltage gets below 3.6 volts, you should recharge as soon as possible.
2. Handle your mod and batteries with care; these are electrical devices that can malfunction if not treated properly. Do not leave your tank attached to your mod overnight especially when you have a non-removable internal battery. Store your batteries in a case, and especially do not leave them in your pocket loose.  There is that possibly that your keys could complete a circuit on the battery and cause it to fire.  Do not let that be you.
3. Temperature is important when you decide on your battery. The continuous current rate of your battery will determine how hot your battery runs.  This rating is usually capped at 167° Fahrenheit. If it reaches this temperature, your battery will start to age quickly or become damaged. It will then decrease not only the lifespan of the batteries but also the capacity and internal resistance of the battery.  The resistance being damage will in turn increase the temp of the battery, causing more damage to the battery. 
4. Make sure you are buying authentic batteries. Many companies on the market today are taking batteries from the Big 4 suppliers of LG, Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic and rewrapping them and then bumping up their ratings.  This is dangerous because of it does matter what the amps are.  You cannot exceed this with your coil without you taking on undue risk.

As you can see this is a most basic guide to vaping batteries.  It is something to get you started on your understanding.  There will be further guides to come, but as we are currently in our series for beginning vapers, we wanted to keep it fairly simple.  If you would like to check out more in this series, I would start with Vaping vs Smoking and What is Vaping.

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