The battery is the most important part of a vape—you can’t vape without it. It’s important to take care of our vape’s batteries, as well as the devices that keep it alive. But what happens if you lose or break the charger that comes with it?
Technically, you can still charge your vape with any other similar charger (usually the ones used for phones) that’s compatible with your device. You simply plug it in and your vape should juice up as normal. But this is pretty risky, especially if you don’t know the specs of your vape’s batteries or the charger you’re using. So seasoned vapers and vape manufacturers alike discourage using any charger other than the one that came with your vape.
Inside Vape Batteries
To understand why vapes need a particular charger, look at the batteries that power your device. Vapes use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the same ones used in other portable electronics such as phones, laptops, and cameras. Lithium-ion batteries boast high energy density and high cycling capability, which basically means they can pack a lot of juice into the smallest of sizes.
The downside of lithium-ion batteries, however, is that they can fail to operate safely—that is, they can become a fire risk or an explosion hazard if damaged. This can be caused by several factors, but the most common are tampering, exposure to extreme pressures or temperatures, and failure to follow manufacturing recommendations for charging. Learn more about taking a vape on a plane. Here at Davinci, we only use high quality batteries in our portable vaporizers, such as 18650’s and 18350’s. Both of these batteries are designed to last a long time, as long as they are well cared for and properly maintained.
Can I Charge A Vape Without A Charger?
A lot of modern vaping devices come with a USB-C charging output and charger. These are the same slim charging ports in most electronics. Seeing that the charging ports are the same, many vapers resort to using their smartphone chargers to power up their vapes. But this is dangerous because vapes need a steady voltage current to charge, which not a lot of chargers actually offer. Using one that’s even off by 0.1 volts has a risk of frying your vape’s internal circuitry.
If you’re desperate though, you can dig up your stash of chargers and look for one that’s compatible with the voltage requirements of your vape. Do your research, and don’t just stick random chargers into your device.
What Happens If I Use The Wrong Charger?
Using the wrong charger can hamper your vapes performance or completely damage it. It can lead to lowered battery capacity and shortened battery life, which can lead to your vape unexpectedly dying after you think it’s got a full charge.
The worst that can happen from using the wrong charger, though, is overheating and frying out the battery completely. In the case of an internal battery, your vape will now be useless, since both the batter and vape are one, interconnected system. If you have an external or replaceable battery, then you might be able to just buy a new battery, rather than purchase a whole new vape.
The Bottom Line: Just Buy A Charger
As much as possible, only use the charger that comes with your vape to charge your device—or at least use one that’s recommended by your vape manufacturer.
That said, not everyone can just purchase the same charger. When that happens, check the manufacturer’s website or product manual for details on the correct charger voltage and order one that fits those specifications. Then you won’t have to worry about facing any issues. Read about how long it takes to charge a vape.