Master Electricians warn that young people who use DIY methods to charge disposable e-cigarette devices are at risk of their hands exploding. A school in Taranaki has issued a warning to parents this week to be aware of this practice.
Within our community, a small number of young people have been taking old electronic cigarettes with depleted batteries, opening them up, exposing the battery, and recharging it so that it can be used again.
This is very clever, but also very dangerous," the email stated when referring to this hasty charging method, but did not provide detailed explanations of potential issues.
Bernie McLaughlin, CEO of Master Electricians, expressed great concern over this practice.
My initial reaction is that these individuals are actually circumventing many of the built-in safety features of the product. By doing so, they are actually putting themselves at risk of a lithium battery exploding in their hands.
When lithium is ignited, it becomes extremely unstable, and attempting to charge these devices with charging methods that are far from the safety standards of the industry really concerns me.
We have seen it numerous times, whether it be cars, electric scooters, or e-cigarettes - in reality, lithium is an extremely unstable product. Once ignited, it is very difficult to extinguish.
According to McLaughlin, using a charging cable without short-circuit protection means that it may explode or overheat and melt. But the real danger is overcharging the battery.
Early on we observed that electronic cigarettes, in particular, are prone to explosions which can cause severe burns to the legs or arms of individuals, should they explode in a person's pocket. This is perhaps the biggest danger as it is associated with the lithium used in electronic cigarettes.
McLaughlin said that it was his first time hearing about this practice, but he wasn't surprised that ambitious individuals were looking for ways to reuse disposable items.
The concerning issue is that the payment methods for these items are not the ones truly designated by the manufacturers, hence, although they are ambitious, they can be very dangerous.
McLaughlin advises against anyone opening devices not designed for repair, whether they be electronic cigarettes or household appliances.
Once it has access to electricity, it no longer cares whether or not you are its owner; instead, it may potentially harm you.
He issued a warning to his family.
If parents discover any damage to the charger, it's not worth keeping it around. The best option is to ensure that it's unplugged and then permanently cut the wire and dispose of it so that it can't be used.
Of course, if you discover that the e-cigarette is not designed for multiple uses and appears to be charging in a non-compliant manner, I strongly advise you to handle it properly.
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