Charging E Cigs

[cheshire~rose]

Hubby Dave has recently started using an electronic cigarette. I know nothing about them but I do know he is experiencing a problem with charging it on the boat. The batteries seem to take hours to get charged when the power is from our inverter. That becomes a problem when, like this weekend, we were not actually going anywhere but just running the engine to keep the boat batteries topped up!

 

I know the power delivered by an inverter is not the same as the 240v you get in a house and obviously it does not agree with his charger for his e-cig but I wonder what the cure for this problem is? Does anyone else have this problem and how have they overcome it?

[YamYam]

I use those, and they take an age to charge on normal 240v. I charge mine through the port on the back of my television but believe you can charge them through a lap top if you have one. However I would seek clarification on that one before you attempt it :-)

[Alan de Enfield]

Change to those little "Niquitin" * (or something like that) - little minty things in a blue dispenser like tic-tacs.

 

* No charging needed.

 

First tried them on Long Haul flights and found I'd lost the urge for a cigarette even hours after I'd landed, when I decided to 'stop' used them for about 8 weeks (only 3 or 4 per day)

 

Worked for me - stopped 23rd August 2013 after 40 odd years at 15 per day.

[Ssscrudddy]

What type of Ecig is it & how are you charging it?
There are many different types (of batteries) with different capacities. I have had no problems charging any of my Ecigs.

For example a cigarette lookalike, is typically 130 - 170 mAh & can be charged from a USB socket, therefore should only take 1-2 hours to charge.
But different USB sockets have different charging capabilities, but is also dependant on the device being charged (whether it can request more than 0.5A) & the cable being used to charge it (whether it can pass that request for more than 0.5A to the USB socket). Standard USB is 0.5A, USB 2 can go up to 2A & USB 3 can go up to 5A.

But you mentioned 240V from the inverter. I use a nitecore intellicharger for charging 18650 batteries. My batts are big, 3000mAh & these will take between 4 & 8 hours to charge depending on which bays I put them in. 4 bay charger but each 2 bays are linked to each other, so if I'm charging 2 batts I will put them in the non-linked bays. If I put them in the linked bays they take twice as long to charge.

Also bear in mind that the generic chargers that come with a starter kit, tend to be crap.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Ssscrudddy

[cheshire~rose]

Change to those little "Niquitin" * (or something like that) - little minty things in a blue dispenser like tic-tacs.

 

* No charging needed.

 

First tried them on Long Haul flights and found I'd lost the urge for a cigarette even hours after I'd landed, when I decided to 'stop' used them for about 8 weeks (only 3 or 4 per day)

 

Worked for me - stopped 23rd August 2013 after 40 odd years at 15 per day.

 

Been there, done that.

 

He was using so many of the lozenges I was worried he was getting addicted to them so I started saving the empties and dispensing a measured quantity into them so he had a set amount in his pocket each day which we gradually reduced over a mumber of months.

 

Then he started having an odd cigarette and we were back to square one.

 

Then we repeated the exercise and got down to 4 lozenges a day supplemented by tic-tacs. Then I thought he was getting addicted to tic-tacs (3 packs a day) then he started having the odd cigarette and we were back to square one.

 

I have lived with him for 3 years now. For 5 years he has consistently told me he wants to give up. for 5 years he has failed to give up despite a huge amount of support and help from me. I know nothing, I have never smoked! I finally decided that the reason he has not managed to give up is because he only tells me what he thinks I want to hear and he does not actually want to give up.

 

I suggested he got an e-cig but said if he did he had to give up the lozenges and tic-tacs. I have an unwanted stash of around 30 packets of tic-tacs here! He still uses lozenges when in meetings at work though

What type of Ecig is it & how are you charging it?

There are many different types (of batteries) with different capacities. I have had no problems charging any of my Ecigs.

 

For example a cigarette lookalike, is typically 130 - 170 mAh & can be charged from a USB socket, therefore should only take 1-2 hours to charge.

But different USB sockets have different charging capabilities, but is also dependant on the device being charged (whether it can request more than 0.5A) & the cable being used to charge it (whether it can pass that request for more than 0.5A to the USB socket). Standard USB is 0.5A, USB 2 can go up to 2A & USB 3 can go up to 5A.

 

But you mentioned 240V from the inverter. I use a nitecore intellicharger for charging 18650 batteries. My batts are big, 3000mAh & these will take between 4 & 8 hours to charge depending on which bays I put them in. 4 bay charger but each 2 bays are linked to each other, so if I'm charging 2 batts I will put them in the non-linked bays. If I put them in the linked bays they take twice as long to charge.

 

Also bear in mind that the generic chargers that come with a starter kit, tend to be crap.

 

You have now blinded me with science!

 

I have no idea and cannot go and check as he has taken the kit to work with him. I will have to get him to reply this evening.

[Ssscrudddy]

Does it look like a cigarette (colour unimportant)?


Or does it look like 1 of these (the black bit only which is the battery, the bit on the top isnt important, nor is the colour & less so the length) an Ego


Or is it some big fancy jobbie that uses batteries that you take in & out & charge in a separate charger, the battery looking like these on the outside left & right (colour unimportant)

Edited April 22, 2014 by Ssscrudddy

[Catrin]

...I have lived with him for 3 years now. For 5 years he has consistently told me he wants to give up. for 5 years he has failed to give up despite a huge amount of support and help from me. I know nothing, I have never smoked! I finally decided that the reason he has not managed to give up is because he only tells me what he thinks I want to hear and he does not actually want to give up...

There is a huge difference between knowing what you want intellectually, and really being able to act on that. It's very often difficult to lose weight because our brains know about what we should do, but our stomach really wants that chocolate/ cake/ glass of wine/ etc. now. Often we are following habits.

 

I know that this is a thread about e-cigs, but I'm going to go a bit and talk a bit about habits.

 

I read a book on breaking habits last year - it was a Kindle deal of the day, so a lot cheaper. My basic understanding is that we settle into habits because they save energy, we don't have to think, we can process other things at the same time, but when the habit is destructive, then it is very difficult to break - any stress, any tiredness, and the path of least resistance is the habit.

 

There are a number of strategies, and it is often necessary to have a plan for what to do when the habit strikes. It's usually easier to break habits on holiday, because you are away from the usual things that usually stimulate habitual behaviour. But a large part of your problem here is that it takes a very long time to break the habit - and that means that the usual stimulus will constantly be triggering habitual behaviour.

 

It's probably the case that he does want to give up intellectually, but is having difficulty in actually handling that - especially if, as I understand is the case, it is enjoyable.

 

When I was a kid my mother was always giving up, but something would happen, something would stress her and she would start again, because it was a coping strategy. Then one day she gave up - totally, never needed them again. She said two things about it. One: she wanted to give up for the first time, rather than 'knowing that she ought to'. Two: she had to change her habits, she couldn't hang out with other smokers, because they all handed round a packet every now and again (remember that behaviour?), which would have triggered her usual acceptance of a cigarette. She had to have strategies for what to do when she thought about having a cigarette - breaking the habits.

[cheshire~rose]

Or does it look like 1 of these (the black bit only which is the battery, the bit on the top isnt important, nor is the colour & less so the length) an Ego

 

 

 

That is the one!

[dor]

Absolutely agree that you have got to really want to give up, not just think you should. I eventually stopped 16 years ago from my moderate habit. However that hasn't prevented me having to undergo major thoracic surgery last year, go through 3 months of chemotherapy followed by four weeks of daily radiotherapy.and I am now due to start another round of chemotherapy to try and at least contain the cancer.

 

That should be enough to convince anyone that they really DO want to give up.

[cheshire~rose]

There is a huge difference between knowing what you want intellectually, and really being able to act on that. It's very often difficult to lose weight because our brains know about what we should do, but our stomach really wants that chocolate/ cake/ glass of wine/ etc. now. Often we are following habits.

 

I know that this is a thread about e-cigs, but I'm going to go a bit and talk a bit about habits.

 

I read a book on breaking habits last year - it was a Kindle deal of the day, so a lot cheaper. My basic understanding is that we settle into habits because they save energy, we don't have to think, we can process other things at the same time, but when the habit is destructive, then it is very difficult to break - any stress, any tiredness, and the path of least resistance is the habit.

 

There are a number of strategies, and it is often necessary to have a plan for what to do when the habit strikes. It's usually easier to break habits on holiday, because you are away from the usual things that usually stimulate habitual behaviour. But a large part of your problem here is that it takes a very long time to break the habit - and that means that the usual stimulus will constantly be triggering habitual behaviour.

 

It's probably the case that he does want to give up intellectually, but is having difficulty in actually handling that - especially if, as I understand is the case, it is enjoyable.

 

When I was a kid my mother was always giving up, but something would happen, something would stress her and she would start again, because it was a coping strategy. Then one day she gave up - totally, never needed them again. She said two things about it. One: she wanted to give up for the first time, rather than 'knowing that she ought to'. Two: she had to change her habits, she couldn't hang out with other smokers, because they all handed round a packet every now and again (remember that behaviour?), which would have triggered her usual acceptance of a cigarette. She had to have strategies for what to do when she thought about having a cigarette - breaking the habits.

 

Thanks for that Cath.

 

I do understand what you mean. Although I have never been a smoker I am (as all my friends know) a foodie! If I am stressed I eat. If I am relaxed I don't care about my weight so I eat!

 

When I was 38 I was much larger than I am now. I had no problem with reaching the age of 40 but I had got a problem with being fat and forty so I decided to do something about it. The switch in my head flicked and for the first time in my life I was actually able to lose weight - several stone later and managing to fit nicely into a size 10 jeans I kept the weight off for several years, through a messy divorce and a lot of other stuff that life threw at me. Then I became content again and slowly the weight has crept back on. I need that switch to flick again. I know unless I can make it happen it is a waste of time even trying to lose weight so I just try to make sure I don't gain any more!

 

I have tried to explain this to Dave. He has usually managed to "give up" when on holiday. He has never smoked at all in Goa and we have spent 2 weeks there each of the last 3 years. Several boating holidays have been a trigger for giving up but he just returns to work and starts again. The smokers leave the building to huddle outside and he misses those few moments of social activity away from the desk and finds it impossible not to join them with his lozenges and tic-tacs. He will usually manage a couple of days back at work before he has accepted the offer of a cigarrette from one of his colleagues. I know nicotine is highly addictive and so it can't be easy for him.

 

The e-cig means he no longer has to feel guilty about the fact that he smells like an ashtray to me. He no longer has to go outside to smoke and there is a lot less stress in our home. I do however hate him using it in my car! (don't ask me why - that must be a problem in my head) I am told the chief suspect at his place of work has also shifted to e-cigs and so maybe if he were to try again now no one would offer him one. I suspect he will do better once he retires. for now the case is closed though!

[Catrin]

Yeah, that pattern sounds like what I would expect. Easy to give up when out of the work environment. I suspect it really is largely a social thing for many smokers, it's also an excuse to have a break.

 

I found when I lost a lot of weight last year I needed not just to use MyFitnessPal, but also have things that I could do when I got the idea that I needed to eat - often I wasn't hungry, just bored, or stressed.

[Ssscrudddy]

As far as I know the Ego's are all charged via USB, whether you are charging it with a mains plug, or from a 'device' eg a computer, or from a 12V cigarette lighter socket.
& I would expect it to take the same amount of time to charge no matter what you are plugging it into, including on a boat or in a house, because they charged at under 0.5A & all of the above can supply that... BUT BUT BUT in my experience they are a bit quicker charging from a mains socket than they are from a USB socket on a computer. I've never timed them on a cigarette lighter socket.

I do know some electronic devices dont like modified sine wave (from the inverter), if you are charging it from the mains maybe this is the issue.

The last bit of charge is what takes the longest & if the battery is old, it might be that this is now taking longer. They should be good for around 300 charges, before they need replacing

[cheshire~rose]

As far as I know the Ego's are all charged via USB, whether you are charging it with a mains plug, or from a 'device' eg a computer, or from a 12V cigarette lighter socket.

& I would expect it to take the same amount of time to charge no matter what you are plugging it into, including on a boat or in a house, because they charged at under 0.5A & all of the above can supply that... BUT BUT BUT in my experience they are a bit quicker charging from a mains socket than they are from a USB socket on a computer. I've never timed them on a cigarette lighter socket.

 

I do know some electronic devices dont like modified sine wave (from the inverter), if you are charging it from the mains maybe this is the issue.

 

The last bit of charge is what takes the longest & if the battery is old, it might be that this is now taking longer. They should be good for around 300 charges, before they need replacing

 

I think it is the inverter that is the problem. Dave says it is not "real" electricity!

 

The batteries are not old - can't be more than 6 weeks or so at the most. We did not take a laptop with us this weekend but mine has a knackered battery anyway. Perhaps we need to keep my laptop plugged into the inverter powered 240v and charge them via the USB when on the boat.

[Ssscrudddy]

Or any cigarette lighter charger, eg for your phone, just plug the usb cable into that. It's the device that draws the current from the charger, so even if you have a 2A ipad cigarette lighter charger you should be able to use that without blowing up the battery. The battery will still only draw just under 0.5A

This of course assumes you have a cigarette lighter socket on your boat.

Just make sure that the output of the charger matches that of an Ego charger, 4.2V at 0.5A

Edited for more info

Edited April 22, 2014 by Ssscrudddy

[cheshire~rose]

Or any cigarette lighter charger, eg for your phone, just plug the usb cable into that. It's the device that draws the current from the charger, so even if you have a 2A ipad cigarette lighter charger you should be able to use that without blowing up the battery. The battery will still only draw just under 0.5A

 

This of course assumes you have a cigarette lighter socket on your boat.

 

We don't!

 

It is one of the the y=things I have been suggesting we ought to fit for a while. Maybe it will get done now

[richardf]

There have been a few issues with the chargers on these things

Have a look at this video http://metro.co.uk/2014/04/08/video-e-cigarette-explodes-in-barmaids-face-after-being-put-on-ipad-charger-4692238/

 

There was a phone in about it on Radio 2 the other day, apparently they can be supplied without a charger (which I found incredible) and then people use the wrong ones - but with the same fittings. For those of us (like me) that have bought cheap USB based cables on ebay rather than paying Apple for the real thing - there were also lots of horror stories.

[Ssscrudddy]

For the sake of safety, dont use an ipad charger, I have edited my earlier post. I was correct about the amps, but you do need to match the volts as well.

An Ego battery charger should have an output (from the charger to the battery) of 4.2V at 0.5A (I think an ipad charger is 5V at 2A)

If you're using Ecigs I would join a forum about them, Planet of the Vapes is a good one

Edited April 22, 2014 by Ssscrudddy

[Keeping Up]

Pingu had been smoking for over 40 years, and for at least 30 of those she had been trying to give them up. She'd tried patches, lozenges, and practically everything else without success but switched to e-cigs more than a year ago and hasn't touched a real one since. I am so pleased!

 

Hers came with a USB charger which we've used from the computer (it looks great when the computer is "having a fag") and from a 12v cigarette lighter socket (which is faintly ironic) as well as a couple of generic 240v USB sockets, in our case there doesn't seem to be any difference but they are a different make of e-cig (Socialites)

[Paul G2]

Cheshire~Rose, hubby Dave's problem is that odd cigarette he has after he has actually kicked the habit. He needs to get one thing straight in his mind, if he wants to quit successfully. He can never, ever, smoke even one cigarette again in his life. Stopping and starting is just beating himself up.

[Bettie Boo]

A friend of mine back in Canada used to drive me nuts; she could stop and start smoking like turning on and off the kitchen tap. She'd smoke 25 a day for 6,8 or even 12 months, then one day she would decide to quite and that would be it, she would simply stop. She would then decide after 6,8 or 12 months to start up again.

 

Dave and I are both heavy smokers and have both tried the gum, patches, & lozenges in the past to no avail. We went to see the nurse at our "local" practice (Coventry) recently to see about getting the pills, but we would have had to go back every 2 weeks for a check up and the next prescription for an ongoing 3 months. Problem is, it's the better part of £100.00 for round trip in a taxi And the fact we had hoped to be out of the area by now.

 

We are now looking into E-cigs. One of the chefs at my last job used the Ego type one and it worked really well for him. If I remember correctly he did struggle for the first week or so, but it became easier as time went on and I don't think he's smoked a real cig since. Isn't there a canal boat that deals with all things relating to E-cigs?

[Starcoaster]

I plug the usb part of the charger into a 12 plug rather than a 240v one, and it charges within an hour on the 12v direct.

[Ally]

We'll chat through ecigs Sunday if you like!

[cheshire~rose]

I plug the usb part of the charger into a 12 plug rather than a 240v one, and it charges within an hour on the 12v direct.

 

Yes, I think we need to install a 12v socket. As I have said we have talked about it for a while.

We'll chat through ecigs Sunday if you like!

 

Thanks, that could be helpful

[Kiwidad]

Ally got me sorted Cheshire Rose, best thing I ever did (well apart from getting married, having kids, meeting all of you...bugger, its way down the list, but you know what I mean)

[cheshire~rose]

We'll chat through ecigs Sunday if you like!

 

 

...............and if you have a 12v socket among the boxes of stull we want it!