Generally speaking, vaping’s a safe activity and hobby for e-cig users and those around them. However, there are a few things for vapers of all stripes to bear in mind in this area…
Educate yourself about your battery
Perhaps the most important thing to be aware of in terms of safety when vaping is the nature of lithium ion batteries that e-cigs are fitted with and which provide their power. To be clear, if an e-cig is being used normally, naturally and carefully, such a battery is not dangerous. However, if a battery’s mishandled or abused by a device’s user then it can become a bit hazardous.
To that end, make sure you school yourself on the basics of how to handle batteries safely should you want to move from using regulated mods with your device and try building your own mods and coils and so have to use replaceable batteries. The one thing you probably need to remember above all else is to never allow the discharge rate of your modified e-cig to exceed that of the battery you use.
Keep hydrated
Don’t forget to keep up your fluids while vaping. Yes, it does sound a bit nannying to say it, but constant use of an e-cig can leave one dehydrated and, don’t doubt it, that’s absolutely no good for your health. If you doubt that, look into the short-term and longer-term issues that dehydration is linked to – plus, bear in mind that, should you have moved on to vaping from regular tobacco cigarettes because inhaling vape juice as mist is healthier, it makes little sense to harm your body while doing it!
Beware overheating equipment
Now, fair dos, it’s not unusual for mods to get a little warm when they’re used a good deal (just like many an electrical appliance); yet, it shouldn’t get too hot to the touch for it to be tolerable. If that’s the case, cool it for a while – in both senses; both your vaping and thereby the mod itself. The danger if you don’t is that the battery/ batteries inside the device can vent; that is, the chemicals inside heat up to such a degree they begin to give off gasses. Bad news, indeed. If you find the battery or batteries don’t cool down, then remove them and dispose of them – ethically, of course.
And be mindful in hot environments
Indeed, one of the reasons why an e-cig or a mod is liable to overheat is because you may be using it extensively outside in the summer and, perhaps, putting it down between puffs on hot surfaces. This isn’t so much bad for the vape liquid inside, as it is for the battery; you definitely don’t want to encourage a device’s battery – or batteries – to overheat from external factors. So, remember not to leave an e-cig, a mod or a battery in a vehicle that’s sitting in the sun.
Keep an eye on your mod – and act accordingly
Beware faulty equipment and any hardware that may become hazardous! Vaping is a new phenomenon, with an even newer culture and industry and that means, unfortunately to some extent, it can be open to exploitation by unscrupulous e-cig gear producers and sellers. Be sure in your own mind then that whoever you’re parting money with for mods or other e-cig equipment are reliable and only vend decent, well-reviewed products. If you fear you may be using something dodgy and faulty (for instance, a mod’s turning itself on, auto-firing or regularly giving patently wrong readings), you know what to do – ditch it and buy something new and better.
Are your batteries properly wrapped?
Finally, the PVC wrapping in which batteries for e-cigs and mods come encased isn’t merely decorative; it exists to ensure the battery inside is safely delivered from manufacture to the customer to being put in an e-cig/ mod and used. If it the wrapping’s faulty of broken, it may enable the battery to short when you use it. So be vigilant here; if the wrapping of your battery is flawed either buy a new battery or, if you feel you’ll be careful and meticulous enough, purchase and apply replacement wrapping yourself – but just remember not to use the battery until you’ve rewrapped it!