FYI
Battery safety: Getting the basics
right for you and your customers
BY BENEDICT ‘NED’ JONES
A large portion of mods on the market these days call for
removable cells rather than built-in cells, which can only
be charged through the mod. An inappropriately used
cell can spell disaster for a device and its user, so
it’s important that you only provide quality choices for
your customers.
Large manufacturers such as Sony, Samsung, LG, and
Panasonic and Sanyo are known to accurately mark the
capabilities of their cells. It’s generally safe to assume
that the continuous discharge rating (CDR) and capacity
(mAh) ratings will be correct with legitimate cells from
these manufacturers.
The CDR of a cell tells us the current we can draw from
it continuously without causing permanent damage or
quickly degrading its life span. While it is true that in
many cases vapers can push cells past their CDR to
achieve higher power outputs, this is not recommended
and certainly shouldn’t be attempted by those new
to vaping.
Exceeding the CDR of a given cell will cause it to degrade
much more quickly than in normal use, meaning such
a user will have to be disciplined about replacing their
cells frequently in order to avoid a dangerous incident
such as thermal runaway – an explosion caused by a
cell overheating.
Vapers looking for high power output should use cells
with a high CDR, such as the LG HB6, Sony VTC4 or
Samsung 30T which are rated at 30A, 30A and