2 Cents Safety Fuse Question

[Trayce]

I have a mech on the way. I know because there is no internal circuitry and therefore no safety measures for shorted batteries or the like, the 2 cents ($14) Safety Fuse is recommended. My question is, I thought IMR batteries cannot explode due to safe chemistry, so what is the Safety Fuse protecting me from? I use 18650 EFEST 2000mah batteries from RTD Vapor and an excellent XTAR VP1 charger which has a built-in VM, so I can see the battery charge state at all times when a batt's in the charger. I will use a single 18650 in the mod, just like I use in my Vamo. I never stack batteries.

I'm not trying to get out of spending another $14 or argue, just want to understand why it's needed with brand-name, IMR batts.

Also, since the 2cSF is now $14, should I just get a $14 kick instead? One vendor has both for the same exact price. I thought I heard somewhere the kicks have a SF built in. I realize the kick is for varying the voltage, and I'm not sure I even want to bother with that since I have the Vamo for that, but since they are the same price I'd at least have the option of playing with the volts if I wanted to. (Though I'd have to get a smaller batt in that case, since the kick and an 18650 won't fit in the mod.)

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

Protects you from shorts, shorts on any Li Ion battery can be a very very bad thing, and since its a mechanical...well you just don't know

With a mechanical that is capable of holding 18650's you can get 18500/18490's and put a kick/kick2 in it, it is a module that will turn a mechanical into a "set it and forget it" APV, that has short protection and undervoltage protection built in for around that same $14 bucks for just a "fuse"

Gotta get new batteries though

You will have a new 18650 for your Vamo while you wait for the new batts

Fuse really isn't necessary...just have to be extra careful with it...it could fire and STAY firing

Kick would go much much farther than that fuse

P.S. you can set your Vamo for "VV" and "VW" and safety fuse is for external shorts, internal shorts nothing will stop thermal runaway once it starts

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/safety_concerns_with_li_ion
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/safety_circuits_for_modern_batteries

 

[Ryedan]

IMR batteries will vent but they don't burn. The 2 cent fuse will prevent that from happening if you have a short. Keep in mind that those fuses kick in at I believe between 5 and 7 amps, so that will limit you to staying above about 0.7 to 0.5 ohms. A venting battery can cause an explosion if the mod it's in is not properly vented. It also gets pretty hot and the vent gasses and stuff are not user friendly, so it's always a bad idea to have a battery vent.

As for the kick, you would need to use 18500 batteries in a 18650 device. It limits you even more in power than the fuse to I believe around 15 watts. Might even be lower with some of them. Check what you are looking at buying. Yes, this option will shut you down in case of a short. I don't know how many times it can accomplish this before it fries.

IMO, if you can use a fuse and still get the vape you want, do it. Use good IMR batteries, a good charger, a DMM often and take good care of your gear. This scenario is about the safest deal you can get with a mechanical mod.

 

[Trayce]

[...] With a mechanical that is capable of holding 18650's you can get 18500/18490's and put a kick/kick2 in it, [...]

What is the difference between a kick and a kick2 ?

 

[Trayce]

IMR batteries will vent but they don't burn. The 2 cent fuse will prevent that from happening if you have a short. Keep in mind that those fuses kick in at I believe between 5 and 7 amps, so that will limit you to staying above about 0.7 to 0.5 ohms.

No problem there.

A venting battery can cause an explosion if the mod it's in is not properly vented. It also gets pretty hot and the vent gasses and stuff are not user friendly, so it's always a bad idea to have a battery vent.

Right. This mod has a hole in the bottom cap. But of course we hope those are never needed.

As for the kick, you would need to use 18500 batteries in a 18650 device. It limits you even more in power than the fuse to I believe around 15 watts. Might even be lower with some of them. Check what you are looking at buying. Yes, this option will shut you down in case of a short. I don't know how many times it can accomplish this before it fries.

IMO, if you can use a fuse and still get the vape you want, do it. Use good IMR batteries, a good charger, a DMM often and take good care of your gear. This scenario is about the safest deal you can get with a mechanical mod.

Good to know. Will take all this into consideration before I decide. Thanks.

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

The Kick
The Kick is designed to be used in an 18650 Device substituting an 18500 IMR High Drain battery that allows the user to adjust the watts and control the heat of their atomizer or cartomizer! Surely the most innovative device of its time!

The Kick 2
This new second edition boasts a dual pin contact as well as an updated circuit architecture that allows the user to go as high as 15 Watts with the proper configurations and does so more efficiently!

Guess that?

 

[Trayce]

Thanks WarHawk, it looks like a kick2 would be the better choice if I go in that direction.

 

[Trayce]

Well the mech came https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10005307/1425200-sentinel-m16-mod-telescoping-e-cigarette-battery... now if only I'd stuck with my intuition and got a side button model. This thing hits great, is heavy and well made, (floating pin and reverse threading for bottom button lock-out) but I don't like the placement of the firing button on the bottom. Just not comfortable for me to use with my small hands. (Anyone wanna buy a well made mech for cheap? PM me! ) My Vamo has spoiled me for having a side button. Looks like it's back to the drawing board.

 

[Ryedan]

Trayce, I have a K100 that I love now, but I didn't at first. It has a really heavy spring in the switch which at first made me really sorry I had got it. Then I figured out hat I could use it this way:



Don't know if this could possibly help, but thought I would toss it at ya.

 

[Switched]

The trick to using a bottom button is not to try and do finger push ups with it. The button should rest at the base of the finger, not the tip and then it is a simple squeeze of the hand to fire the button. Once you have been vaping bottom buttons for a while, it is totally natural

 

[keonee]

Just searched this same question today after receiving an email from a vendor about "The Fuse". Never heard of it till today. After all your responses I now know that I don't need one....saved me some money....Thanks!!!