Charging your vapor device is one of those things that every vaper has to do. This probably isn't news to anyone with a mobile phone, laptop, or other electronic device - batteries die. It can also be a pain to have them charged all the time: tell us you've never had anxiety when your phone hits 30 percent and the night is hours from over. Sadly, such is also the life of an unprepared vaper.

In this post, we’ll look at different types of vaping devices and what it takes to keep each of them topped off and ready for a long day or a well-deserved night out.

It’s important to note that if you charge your device for too long or  too often, the greater chance you’ll ultimately diminish your battery's output quicker than you normally would. There's also the rare, but non-zero chance, that a malfunctioning charge protection system could cause a fire or explosion. Let's get into how you can avoid these suboptimal situations.

Cigalikes and Vape Pens

While disposable cigalikes don’t need to be charged at all (they can just be thrown out when they stop producing vapor), reusable cigalikes and vape pens come with their own proprietary charging cables. These can be plugged into a power source with a USB port at one end and a connection that fits your device at the other to top up your vape's battery. Depending on the model and the battery capacity, expect it to take anywhere from a half-hour to two hours to fully charge.

It’s pretty easy to charge one of these devices. Just grab a wall wart with a USB output, plug one end into the connector and the other into your battery. On most device, there’s a charging light that should let you know when the device is plugged in and charging. Some more advanced devices have LED screens that highlight exactly how much charge you've reached using a numerical percentage or battery graphic.  

Important advice: use a converter, or 'wall wart,' to plug your device directly into a power outlet, rather than using one of the USB ports on your computer. In the rare instance your device or charging cable malfunctions, the only thing at risk is a $5 outlet adaptor, rather than a computer that likely costs much, much more.

Also, if your device uses a micro-USB or other common plug, make sure you're using the manufacturer cable or another appropriate cable to charge your device. Some cell phone chargers feature 'rapid charge' technology that can pump as much as 2A worth of power into the device they're connected to - this may be too much for your vape to handle. Check the specs of the cord that came with your device - if it can only transfer 500 mAh or 1A worth of power at a time, there's probably a reason. Don't exceed the manufacturer's recommended charging limits.

Even if you've checked to make sure your charger's capacity is within the limits of your vape device, it's never a good idea to leave a charging battery unattended. Make it a point to touch your device every so often - is it getting hot? It's normal for a charging battery to be a few degrees warmer than the ambient air temperature, but if it's hot to the touch unplug it immediately and check for damage once it cools down.

Mods

There are two ways that mods are charged. Devices with internal batteries will be similar to the beginner devices mentioned above - use the manufacturer's charging cable, or make sure that an alternate charging cable doesn't exceed the power transfer capabilities of the original.

Things change, however, when it comes to mods with replaceable batteries. As a general rule of thumb, if you can remove your batteries, you should remove them for charging. Though your replaceable-battery mod might have a connection port, that's for data transfer to update computer software and not intended for charging.

Standalone chargers from trusted brands like Nitecore and Xtar offer a handful of benefits: you can charge a spare set of batteries so you've always got a batch ready to go. You can control the charge rate (slower power transfer means you'll get more charge cycles out of a battery). You can convert other devices in your house, like Xbox controllers, computer mouses, or remote controls to rechargeable cells and save money.

The same advice goes for replaceable cells as internal-battery mods - supervise them while they're charging, and check every so often to make sure they're not getting hot. If overheating has led to discoloration, distortion of the cell's normal proportions, or rips in the protective plastic wrap, it may be time to retire your batteries.

When it comes to charging a device with or without replaceable batteries, it’s usually quite simple. Still, there are a few rules and safety precautions you'll need to take before you get started. The most important among those is to use the correct charger with the correct battery. Just like with cell phones or any other electronic device, when your device is fully charged, it's time to unplug.

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