Choosing a Battery for Your Vape

If you’ve been vaping for some time, odds are that you have purchased yourself a battery or two for your mod. While most mods take lithium ion batteries, it is important to know the right kind of battery for your vape kit. This will not only prevent wasted time and money, but it could prevent your mod exploding!

So Many Choices… Which Should I Choose?

Most vape mods use lithium ion batteries. That said, not all lithium ion batteries are created equal. Lithium ion batteries come in three different types: ICR, IMR, and Hybrid. IMR batteries typically use safer chemistry than ICRs and this is why you will see ICRs being sold with protection circuits. IMRs allow for higher amperage discharge rates and are suitable for low resistance coils and mechanical devices. A hybrid will allow you a safer chemistry than an IMR and allow for increased storage capacity. IMR and hybrid batteries are the most recommended.

This is a case where brand actually does matter. Choosing a battery from a reputable manufacturer will ensure your battery operates within specifications and more importantly, will ensure battery safety. Sony, Efest, Samsung, Panasonic and LG all make quality lithium ion batteries.

Battery Ratings – The Science-y and Math Stuff

Lithium ion batteries are rated along three parameters: voltage, amperage, and storage capacity. All batteries used for vaping purposes are rated at 3.7 volts. Amperage determines the maximum continuous discharge the battery is capable of putting out. Finally, storage capacity rates how long your battery will last, measured in milliamp hours or mAh. The higher the mAh, the longer that your battery will last. It is crucial that you do not exceed your battery’s capabilities. Doing so can result in fire, explosion, or other damage to your device.

Knowing your battery rating is crucial to pairing your battery with a coil that it can safely run. There’s a lot of math and science involved – along with something called Ohm’s Law – in pairing your battery with a coil to ensure maximum performance. Resistance, in short, is measured in ohms. You will want a battery that can discharge enough amperage to meet the resistance of your coil.

Thankfully, a handy chart on the different batteries and how many ohms they can hand can be found here

A Few Tips and Tricks

• Do not fully discharge or overcharge your batteries. When on the charger, keep an eye on them and take them off when fully charged. Although most chargers have overcharge protection, leaving them on a charger overnight or beyond when they are fully charged can shorten their lifespan.

• Don’t short circuit your batteries – such as when the positive and negative terminal touch the battery at the same time. It can also happen by placing a battery in your pocket where it can come into contact with other metal such as coins or keys. This can cause a fire or possibly even an explosion!

• Check your batteries for rips in the wrapper. The wrapper protects your battery from shorting and also prevents you from getting shocked. Even minor tears should be rewrapped as soon as possible.

The prospect of choosing a battery for your mod need not be confusing and overwhelming – most of the time, your mod will specify what kind of battery is needed for the device. If you custom build coils, you will need to pay closer attention to the voltage and amperage. However, ensuring your battery is the right one for your device and coil will ensure a pleasurable vaping experience.