Dangerous Isticks and other sealed battery mods?

Sitting here a bit disappointed: having invested in 4 Isticks (2X50ws & 2X30w) -- and so far being very happy if not elated with their performance -- I'm thinking to stop using these and in fact maybe all other sealed battery mods (also have a SMOK M22). Call me paranoid but I'm just seeing too many stories about problems with these (see also V's recent post about the SMOK 80w), and when I glance at them on my desk, nice as they are, it's hard not to view them as ticking time bombs...

I never charge anything overnight or left unattended, but what if I went downstairs to get a Coke and my charging device decided to blow up and take out my nearby laptop or worse a dog under my desk....And not all of the problems are associated with charging. Here's just a few links compiled by someone regarding auto-firing and other problems with the Isticks:
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...ory_to_add_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...ick_50w_story/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...th_istick_50w/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...rned_the_shit/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...af_istick_50w/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...t/i_stick_50w/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_..._my_istick50w/
30w autofire https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_..._probably_end/
Mod turns itself on and autofires/bypasses 10s https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...killed_itself/
Mod turns itself on and autofires https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...oblems/cqkytby
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...50w_be_warned/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...ml_looking_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...inuous_firing/
https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...n_to_the_rule/
Fire+vent+pics Eleaf iStick 50 W Battery Overheating : electronic_cigarette
fire+pics Eleaf iStick 50w : electronic_cigarette
fire no pics https://www.reddit.com/r/electronic_...defectiveness/
The death of an iStick. : electronic_cigarette
Video eLeaf iStick 50 Watt autofiring issue : electronic_cigarette
Eleaf Istick 50w fireing button issues. : electronic_cigarette
50 Watt iStick Auto-Fire Success Story : electronic_cigarette
iStick 50w Auto fire : electronic_cigarette
iStick 50w autofire warning. : electronic_cigarette
iStick autofiring? : electronic_cigarette
Defective iStick 50w? : electronic_cigarette
Eleaf iStick 50W autofiring issue : electronic_cigarette
iStick fire button broken : electronic_cigarette
[PSA?] - To those with auto-firing iStick 50w's : electronic_cigarette
I think my iStick is completely broken : electronic_cigarette

And Eleaf's (alleged) response is anything but satisfactory, apparently saying the problems were with Isticks sold before March, while others are saying the problems are happening with newer batches too.

I know mods with removable batteries can also have dangerous problems (e.g. first production run of the Cloupor Mini 30w), but overall they seem much less, esp. I reckon if you go with something higher end like a VaporShark, Vapor Flask etc, along with quality batteries & charger. Time to start saving money for 1 or 2 nicer mods instead of 4 or 5 cheaper throwaways I think. And for now my new IPV Mini 2 70w has just moved to the front of the mod line.

Am I being paranoid? Would be interested to read what others' feelings about these mods are given current abundance of info regarding said issues...

 

Paranoid? Maybe a little, one case of a SMOK Pro 80 as far as I know and never heard about the same problem coming from iSticks.

Thus said better safe than sorry and I don't own a single device that has encased batteries, mainly because I had a bunch of 18650 from the day I started using mechs.

 

Yes.

 

Perhaps, but if so I'm certainly not alone in the vaping community -- just follow the links above or do a simple Google search and go over the literally hundreds and hundreds of (recent) posts about serious Istick 50w safety issues/problems -- just in the last month/weeks. Are they all paranoid too? And just like the Isticks sitting on our desks right now, most of those issues reported were with Isticks that were working ok, no problems for 2 or 3 months and then suddenly...

Anyway the more I think about it, my daughter is worth a bit of paranoia -- I've now got 4 Isticks available at super cheap prices for any non-paranoid vapers out there

**Updated**

Actually to be fair to the little 30w, a large majority of the posts about Istick safety issues are in regard to the 50w. I really do like Ismoka/Eleaf as a company (twas one of their devices that I first used to make the successful transition to vaping) -- I just hope they'll make customer safety an even greater priority than making profits, as they'll surely not achieve the latter without the former in the long run. I would also like to see them taking a more proactive and clear approach to dealing with the issues (like some companies do) -- as customers who have paid them millions we deserve it.

 

How much for your iSticks?
TBH-I'm not as knowledgeable about the issues that you refer to-I will follow your links to better understand your concerns. I have 2 x 50w and 1x30w-maybe I need to see what people are worrying about.

 

'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you" (or in this case; wrong)


i also like the fact i can take a battery out of the mod. not only for safety, but for longevity, and with a pair of 18650 in my pocket i dont need a charge for 7500mah.

 

I would agree with what is said, and I too would prefer removable batteries. My primary concern isn't safety, but the fact that you can swap out the batteries rather than wait for charge, and the fact that all batteries will eventually wear out and I don't want to throw out the mod when you can just replace the battery. I have one istick mini (20w version), and that is the only piece of kit I have that doesn't have replaceable batteries. It was $20, and I view it as disposable. I prefer mechanicals still to this day, and the only reason I got it was to use the USB passthrough in the car (and that was to replace my cloupor mini which crapped out). The battery life when it is not connected to the USB is shit. I give it roughly 30 minutes of vape time per charge, and that is being generous.

Another thing that should be considered is that (at least as of now) you can never really escape the dangers of batteries. It's like adding ABS, airbags, etc. to a car. The car is safER, but technological advancement will not ensure that you will not be killed or injured in a car accident 100%. Batteries store energy. Batteries can explode or catch fire under certain circumstances. There is no way to really make it 100% safe (as of now). Istick, cloupor mini, mechanical...doesn't really matter there is still a risk of fire or explosion that cannot be absolutely avoided and you will still need to keep an eye on it no matter how much money buying good batteries or mods.

 

If they have had problems then no.
I don't read Reddit all doom and gloom there.

Lesson to be learned. Don't buy more than one of any device.

 

I have also read these issues and I own a istick50w. I am the type that charges my phones and the iStick overnight while I sleep. Sometimes, I leave it on the bed as well. I know it is dangerous. I am changing the ways to charge them now. Thats about all I can do to prevent any incident.

The iStick 50w have been quite amazing to use actually, I do enjoy it. Like said, perhaps there are some pieces that might have not gotten a "good" battery inside. Afterall, these are mass produced and they have sold very many of these. I don't know. But to me, this is still safer than my mech mod which I am now even more paranoid sometimes after it burnout by itself on me twice in my pocket. Probably my own fault though.

 

Just read all the links you put up and as you say most are to do with the 50w...seems like a few (maybe more) are to do with spilt juice getting thru the 510 (it's unsealed)...this post sort'a nailed it...

 

Good job and good write up. Thumbs up.
Actually-After I read it I stupidly thought that the guy who did the clean up had written the post,that's why I said "Good Job" - I now realise that it was a quote so, ignore my comment, Duh! !

 

This happened to me a month or so ago with my VS rDNA40. When I fired it, it would continue to keep firing until I unscrewed the atty (or I suppose after 10 seconds). I believe also as a result of juice seeping in through the 510 or some other place. So it's not just cheap mods sealed with internal batteries that have this issue. Took it apart and squirted some contact cleaner and wiped it all down inside. Solved the problem.

That is why I recently stopped using Erlkonigin / old Russians / KF4. They all had their times of seeping or leaking juice at some time or another (even with new O-rings).
I don't want to risk either false firing/damage to expensive mods anymore. Particularly my SX Mini!

Have now gone back to the Nautilus for the time being. Reasonable vape quality and NO leaking. Until something better comes along....

 

As a side note, I have just started testing what my mods do when there fully charged, So far only my cloupor mini stops charging and tells you its full. The rest just keep on charging.

 

Which mods are those? Although I haven't tested them both my iSticks shut down completely when finished charging. Well, the indicator light stops flashing and they cool down at least.
I've always charged mine in an 'off' state.

 

Mine too -the bars stop moving and the display closes down.