Don't use extension leads to charge your ecig batteries.

[Nermal]

Did you read the post immediately above yours?

 

[Ryedan]

The extension cord probably looked something like this. Basic and very easy to overload the socket (electrical outlet?)

A eGo class PV alone is not going to overload that system. If there are more devices plugged into that bar and they overload the electrical outlet the house fuse or breaker should have shut down the circuit. In NA the minimum standard AFAIK is 15 amps at 120 volts AC which is one heck of a lot more than a charger at 0.5 amps at 5v DC will draw.

 

[Big Me]

Thats why I withdrew the post.

 

[Big Me]

A eGo class PV alone is not going to overload that system. If there are more devices plugged into that bar and they overload the electrical outlet the house fuse or breaker should have shut down the circuit. In NA the minimum standard AFAIK is 15 amps at 120 volts AC which is one heck of a lot more than a charger at 0.5 amps at 5v DC will draw.

I'm not an electrical engineer, nor am I a fire investigator, and I wasn't blaming the fire solely on the ecig battery. But I am aware that an overloaded socket can be dangerous.

Even if a fuse or circuit breaker stops the current running to an appliance, once a fire has started it doesn't need electricity to keep it going. All fire needs is a source of fuel, air and time.

 

[Ryedan]

I'm not an electrical engineer, nor am I a fire investigator, and I wasn't blaming the fire solely on the ecig battery. But I am aware that an overloaded socket can be dangerous.

Even if a fuse or circuit breaker stops the current running to an appliance, once a fire has started it doesn't need electricity to keep it going. All fire needs is a source of fuel, air and time.

Yes, but a fuse or breaker will shut the circuit down way before a fire can start. This is of course assuming the house wiring, the fuse or breaker and the plug are done to code and working correctly. If any of this equipment was not correct, then the ecig had nothing to do with the fire and it was just a matter of time until she had a fire.

The point I'm trying to make is that it is not unsafe to use a house extension cord with a battery charger as the OP said.

 

[Lessifer]

Yes, but a fuse or breaker will shut the circuit down way before a fire can start. This is of course assuming the house wiring, the fuse or breaker and the plug are done to code and working correctly. If any of this equipment was not correct, then the ecig had nothing to do with the fire and it was just a matter of time until she had a fire.

The point I'm trying to make is that it is not unsafe to use a house extension cord with a battery charger as the OP said.

You're right of course, it's not e-cigs, or chargers, or extension cords that are the problem. The problem is when people don't read warnings, don't use the proper equipment, or don't know when something is unsafe. If it was a faulty extension cord, say one that a dog has chewed on, exposing some of the wire, anything plugged into it could potentially cause a fire. We don't know what happened here, more likely than not, you could replace e-cig charger with anything drawing power in this instance and it would have also started a fire. In fact, I just now replaced my iphone cord that had been fraying for weeks. I did try not to leave it plugged in if I wasn't around though.

 

[Big Me]

...The point I'm trying to make is that it is not unsafe to use a house extension cord with a battery charger as the OP said.

Ah, ok then.

 

[Ryedan]

You're right of course, it's not e-cigs, or chargers, or extension cords that are the problem. The problem is when people don't read warnings, don't use the proper equipment, or don't know when something is unsafe. If it was a faulty extension cord, say one that a dog has chewed on, exposing some of the wire, anything plugged into it could potentially cause a fire. We don't know what happened here, more likely than not, you could replace e-cig charger with anything drawing power in this instance and it would have also started a fire. In fact, I just now replaced my iphone cord that had been fraying for weeks. I did try not to leave it plugged in if I wasn't around though.

Yes, I agree, except for the bold above. And I'm in no way picking on you Lessifer, this has been a vaping pet peeve of mine for a while now.

Our homes have electrical codes attached to them that if followed (as any licensed electrician will do) makes it impossible for anyone who does not know how to properly use the house circuits to start a fire. So, there is no way to improperly use those circuits that will cause a fire because all the unsafe ways for the system to fail have been considered and the dangers have been designed out. After all, not everyone is a licensed electrician and knows this stuff, right?

An example; we can not plug a 120v device into a 240v wall plug because the plugs are different and it simply can not physically be done. That's a safe system.

Why can we plug a 420 mA charger onto a 150 mAh battery and cause that battery to explode? Because there is no standard that requires a different plug for the two systems that would eliminate this problem. It's very easy to fix, but it just hasn't been addressed yet. And if there are other issues in this case they could probably also have been eliminated by now. This stuff is not rocket science

We don't know what actually caused this problem yet, so let's not jump to conclusions. If it was a case of the wrong charger used as I think it may have been, putting the blame on the user is not IMO the right way to go.

 

[beckdg]

We don't know what actually caused this problem yet, so let's not jump to conclusions. If it was a case of the wrong charger used as I think it may have been, putting the blame on the user is not IMO the right way to go.

Though we do know the user has no problem being a pawn and publicly blaming e cigs.

We also know wrong charger = user error aka user at fault.

The story's too convenient to be overlooked by media with an agenda.

Sent from my device.

 

[faeriekitsune]

So... I read the whole thread, and the only thing I can think of right now is:



Did granny's house happen to look like this?

Or this?

Rule Number One: If it doesn't fit on a single surge protector strip, find a different outlet!

 

[yoitstj]

Don't use extension cords.

Use the correct charger for your battery.

Use the correct wall wart for your charger.

Don't charge batteries unattended.

Don't place charging batteries on/near flammable items.

All of that actually applies to any rechargeable battery, not just the e-cig variety. Mobile phones have been known to catch fire, laptops too.

The 18650s we use are taken from laptop battery packs. That was their original intended use.

 

[WattWick]

I have worked in the cellular phone industry for almost 2 decades, I raced RC cars for years and got into RC helicopters a few years back. I had a lipo fail in a most spectacular fashion in one of my helis. You learn very quickly from seeing something like that to take the battery warnings seriously.

I think the RC crowd has a slight advantage by (possibly) having learned to respect batteries. Never had any lipo issues myself, and I sure hope to keep it that way. Sorry for the loss of your precious heli!

---
(and completely unrelated to your post)

Want to fight the safety fight? Start with Draino. In a few hundred years you may have worked your way up through all the other dangerous, hazardous, toxic, caustic, etc etc etc readily available in any grocery/hardware store and/or family home. Heh, your average "dads garage" is usually filled to the brim with stuff that any medieval army would love to get their hands on.