Batteries should be AA NiMH rechargeable. Using *any* other battery chemistry type is definitely not good and can be dangerous. Although this sort of activity does not void the warranty, it is not recommended.

There are a lot of different types of batteries out there with different brands, ratings, and claims -- far too many for Magic-Flight to test each one. It is also true that the Box uses the batteries in a somewhat unusual manner -- however, not so different that most batteries of the correct classification should work reasonably well enough. The batteries to get are of the NiMh type, and need to be able to store at least 2000 mAh. AAA batteries are too thin to work -- the Box is made specifically to fit AA batteries. There is some variation between battery makers, so some fit better than others.

The included batteries are sure to provide enough power for one full trench -- you might get more than that, but that is a reasonable expectation. Batteries that have a higher mAh rating could last for more than one full trench (six draws, 30 sec each draw, 10 to 20 cc per sec, vapor just visible in the draw channel but not otherwise at least 55% of the time). The device is made as nearly perfectly energy efficient as the physics and materials allow, so it is unlikely that the "one battery per trench" situation will change anytime soon.

Surprisingly, Magic-Flight has found that having the battery be stronger than that needed for one trench actually has two disadvantages: 1) users are constantly wondering if the battery is okay on the second and third trench, and 2) if a user happens to accidentally leave the unit "on", stronger batteries tend to get hotter (in proportion to their storage capacity). Magic-Flight therefore strongly suggest that people only get other batteries for the Box after they have developed a good set of usage habits with the provided batteries and are familiar with the capabilities of the device.

There are two types of NiMH batteries available: low self-discharge (LSD) and high self-discharge (HSD).

LSD batteries:

• Have a shelf life measured in months
• Usually marketed as "pre-charged" or "ready-to-use"
• Have a lower capacity range (2000-2400 mAh)
• Can be damaged if charged too quickly (faster than 60 mins is not recommended)
• Best for LB use: Maha Imedion 2400 mAh

HSD batteries:

• Have a shelf life measured in days, or weeks at best
• Have a higher capacity range (up to 2800 mAh)
• Can be used in fast chargers (15 mins)
• Best for heavy/frequent use: Maha Powerex 2700 mAh

Choosing between them depends on your usage habits. HSD batteries will only provide about 30% longer in use time (say, six solid minutes of "burn" time) which might or might not be significant. They need to be "topped off" every three days or so, but have the advantage that they can be put in a 15 minute charger.

LSD batteries, on the other hand, will remain "ready for use" once they are fully charged for months at a time -- people do not have to remember to put them back in the charger as frequently, or keep them there, to be usable. Unfortunately, LSD batteries do not handle 15 minute chargers as well -- they need a slower, more accurate charger.

If you mix the two types and also have a fast charger, be sure to mark them so that you don't put LSD batteries through a fast charge cycle. Doing this won't destroy them but it will reduce their lifetime much more quickly.

You will need to peel the label off the battery (exposing the metal casing) to use it with the Box. The coil in the Box needs to make electrical contact with the battery. Removing the battery label makes this possible. The battery will not work in the Box otherwise.

Please be careful if you use a sharp tool to cut the label (do not dent or cut through the metallic battery casing). Most battery labels simply peel off cleanly, but some manufacturers use a glue underneath the label (Sanyo). You can clean this off using a product such as Goo Gone. WD-40 also works, just spray on and rub the glue off with a paper towel exposing the metal battery casing.

Incidentally, the paper ring on the positive end of the battery does not much matter. Magic-Flight leaves them on only for cosmetic reasons and removes them if they ever come loose or get in the way.

Also, it is very important to NOT let the batteries get too hot. It is okay for them to get warm (when charging or in use), but hot is not good -- it shortens the life of the battery. ("Hot" is when you would not want to hold the battery in your hand -- hotter than hot coffee). Magic-Flight strongly recommends that Box users get into the habit of pulling the battery back after each draw. This keeps the battery cooler and prevents accidental loss of the load and the charge.

It is essential that you make sure that the tips of your peeled batteries do not come into contact with any metallic items -- this can result in accidentally making a connection between the positive nipple and the negative casing. If such contact occurs, a charged battery will quickly overheat. Once you have peeled a battery, you must be careful to store and handle it properly. The rubber caps shipped with the Box can be used to prevent this problem. Storing batteries side by side in a case is fine. All charged batteries must be either in their case or have an endcap on the nipple end to protect them from overheating (ie, at all times when not in use in the Box).

There are small but significant diameter variations between various manufacturers. As well, because Magic-Flight has had to switch battery suppliers, they have also had to adjust the tension of the battery contact coil accordingly. The result is that it is difficult to know which batteries will fit snugly in your particular Box. Batteries from some manufacturers will feel a little loose. This might be annoying but it doesn't interfere with use of the Box.

To operate properly, the battery need only contact the battery contact coil; a snug fit isn't necessary. To achieve this, some users find it helpful to twist the battery slightly after insertion. You can also look into the battery insertion hole while holding the end of the box at right angles and see where the coil intrudes slightly into the opening. When the battery is inserted, you can gently pull the battery in the correct direction to make the best contact.

Yes. However, you must be sure that the battery casing is exposed to the battery contact coil when the battery is fully inserted into the Box. As long as the remaining label or tape does not interfere with that contact, the Box should work just fine.

It is possible -- but very difficult -- for someone to adjust the coil. Magic-Flight uses a press with a special fixture to make the adjustment, and generally suggests that users treat this as a warranty issue. They will be glad to recycle or re-adjust your existing units and/or send a replacement for a Box that is otherwise unusable (ie making no contact, regardless of battery used).

If you would like to attempt to make the adjustment, most often the best bet is to push the entire coil upwards from the bottom of the Box towards the lid side, with the lid open. Use a vice and a tool with a flat edge that can press with an even, gradually increasing pressure on the center of the bottom of the coil. The idea is to treat the entire coil as a unit, rather than to change the size/diameter of the coil itself. The main risk is to apply the adjustment force exactly perpendicular to the bottom of the Box at the center of the coil. If the coil moves at all forward or backward (rather than just up or down), the screen will be displaced and potentially damaged as the rod slides. Also, just the right level of force is necessary -- too much and the coil will either become too small or be moved too far out of position -- at which point, an opposite adjustment must be attempted. Above all else, please be safe -- think about what you are doing before you do it.

If you have a Box that is not working due to this issue, and you attempt to make the adjustment and further damage the Box, please let Magic-Flight know so that they can send you a new Box.

For many LB buyers, either the Eneloop and Maha Energy Imedions are good. It has the advantage of holding a charge for much longer than most batteries. This is good since it ensures that the batteries can be delivered to the purchaser charged, even if the Box happens to be sitting on a retail store shelf for awhile. Many people seem to use the Box on an occasional or infrequent basis, and for these people, having batteries hold their charge for months is especially advantageous. One downside of the Eneloop batteries is that they should not be charged in fast (15 minute) chargers, as this can decrease the life of the battery.

For people who generally use the Box every day, or multiple times every day, we also recommend the Maha Powerex batteries and the Energizer 15 minute charger. People who do this will need to be very sure to keep track of which batteries are which -- this is important. Otherwise, get a Maha charger -- you cannot go wrong with that one (although it is pricey) or alternately, use the charger that ships bundled with the Box (which will also charge any NiMH battery -- at no additional cost). For those people who simply want to use the Box and not worry about batteries, you will always be able to purchase cells and chargers from our Online Store that are sure to work correctly with the Box.

It depends on the construction of the device, but in general it is a risk. The problem is that most devices use two batteries in series, usually packed right next to one another. In that case, one of the batteries can side short -- releasing a LOT of heat and potentially damaging the device. The labels DO have a safety function in that they make it much harder to accidentally short the battery, particularly when it is in some device. The best recommendation is to put tape over the battery so as to have the same coverage as the original label. Leave the two ends uncovered, but completely wrap the main body of the battery with exactly one layer of tape with no gaps.

Depending on the details of the specific device, you might get away with it, but it is not recommended that you try the test without really understanding what is involved.

Yes, it does. Higher voltage generally means hotter. The battery will not read the same voltage when it is in use as it does when in the charger, however, so the specifics of how much hotter, or even if the difference will be noticeable, depends on the specifics of the battery and the sensitivity of your taste.

2000 mAh batteries (shipped) should provide 5 minutes of vapor draw time. Assuming 15 second "standard" draws, people should get approximately 20 draws worth per battery -- 15 draws reliably, or if taking 12 draws per filling (completely cashed), somewhat more than 1 trench. This is only a rough guideline; the actual count will depend on technique, condition of the load, and state of the battery. NiMH batteries deteriorate gradually with use, faster if overheated. A smart charger that can perform a conditioning cycle will help to prolong battery life.

Mostly, mAh describes how long the battery lasts. A battery with more charge storage capacity will tend to hold a higher voltage for longer as well, so higher mAh will tend to also mean somewhat hotter operation for somewhat longer, if the battery is fresh.

Yes. For example Powerex batteries will operate the Box hotter as well as longer. Because of the significantly increased heat, the timing and breath control of the user must be proportionately more accurate to prevent overheating (changes taste). Magic-Flight strongly recommends that new users become skilled with the stock batteries before trying higher energy density batteries.

Whether you choose LSD or HSD batteries, Magic-Flight ships and recommends Maha batteries. Tests have shown them to be top performers. Comments in forums have shown that they are popular with LB users, who say that their superior performance more than justifies their slightly higher cost. Batteries have venting holes at the positive tip that are there to vent gases in case of shorting or overheating.

No. The chances of this being any sort of issue are effectively zero.

• 1 It is important to distinguish between the events of charging the battery and discharging the battery. With improper charging (ie, a cheap or malfunctioning battery charger) the battery can be made to vent (its not common, but it is possible). However, venting does not happen during discharging. The box only uses the battery in discharge mode. Therefore, there is no risk.

• 2 Assuming that somehow the battery did vent, in considering risk it is also worthwhile to consider what kind of gases are involved and how much might be generated. From the chemistry the gas would only be H2 (hydrogen) and quantity is tiny (a few cm at most). Both the kind and the amount are biologically harmless. Again, no risk. For people who work with batteries in general, these points are considered to be common knowledge.

• 3 The hole in the back of the unit is a construction hole. It connects to the battery compartment but does not extend through to the vapor chamber. As such, it does not provide any form of direct coupling between the battery compartment and the vapor chamber. To ensure that there could be no doubt of this, the seal on the connector rod has even been tested to 5 PSI. Therefore, even if the battery did vent (see 1 and 2 above) it would not be available for inhalation, but would go instead in the opposite direction away from the user. Again, no risk.

In the interests of safety, however, it must also be reported that some chargers do not do as good a job detecting when a battery is already charged. If people put an already mostly charged battery into a fast charger, and that fast charger is not smart enough to detect this condition, it could potentially overcharge the battery causing it to get hot, and in particularly bad cases, to vent, leaving a white residue (not the end of the world). For some chargers, it can also be rather bad to put the battery in backwards. (Don't try it!) High quality chargers generally handle both of these conditions gracefully.

Testing battery power tends to be problematic as the voltage remains high until the battery is nearly fully depleted -- making most battery testers useless. Magic-Flight uses in-house custom built testers that draw a lot of current and check for changes in the voltage to determine the battery state. Otherwise, the easiest way to check a battery is to put it into the LB with the cover open (and trench empty) and bring the box up close to your lips -- not actually touching, about 1/2 of an inch away. You should be able to feel sufficient heat, and if not, the battery probably needs recharging. A little bit of experience with fresh batteries versus used ones will quickly give you a really good indication of what is going on.

No, not at all. NiMH batteries do not have a "memory" effect. The charger will pick up where the charge is at and add what is necessary to "top off".

The overall consensus is that nearly all NiMH chargers will work with nearly all NiMH batteries, but that poorly built fast chargers are likely to diminish the overall longevity/life of the battery (the number of complete charge cycles).

There are two main issues associated with battery charger quality:

• 1 The manner in which energy is delivered to the battery.
• 2 The method used to determine when charging has been completed.

In regards to charge energy delivery, there are two approaches: "slow charging" and "fast charging".

In slow charging, energy is delivered at a low constant rate that does not require charge endpoint determination. These are also known as "trickle chargers". They are not the "best" chargers, but they are reliable, simple, and safe. Their main disadvantage is that they can take a very long time to charge a battery (8 to 12 hours). Slow trickle chargers can also diminish battery life if batteries are simply left in the charger indefinitely (ie, more than a week at a time without also using the battery).

Fast chargers are much more complex (and thus more expensive), since they can deliver energy at a much greater rate than the battery can withstand. For a fast charger to be "good", it must perform two tasks:

• 1 It must deliver charge current without surges, ripples, or spikes.
• 2 It must reliably determine when the battery is full and shutoff the charge current.

Failure in achieving either of these aspects will definitely shorten NiMH battery life (the number of recharge cycles and the max energy that can be stored per cycle). Specifically, the current delivered must be matched against the battery capacity. Also, if there are surges, ripples, or spikes, the battery discharge characteristics can be adversely affected. This in turn can result in a Box running either way too hot or way too cold, depending on the type of battery damage sustained. Furthermore, if the charge endpoint is not determined correctly, the battery can be overcharged, resulting it its getting very hot (too hot to touch) which will also permanently damage the battery. Such issues are more noticeable with LSD rechargeable batteries than with standard rechargeable.

Unfortunately for fast charger manufacturers, determining when a NiMH battery is "full" is far from easy. The battery itself provides little indication of its internal state. There are three approaches generally taken:

• 1 Use a timer to cut off current after a given interval.
• 2 Look for a specific sequence of battery voltage changes.
• 3 Check the battery temperature and stop charging when the battery is hot.

Each of these approaches has significant problems and is likely to fail if used exclusively. A good charger will need to test for at least two, if not all three, of these conditions to function reliably. It is in this respect that good chargers really stand out from their cheaper cousins -- they preserve battery life by not accidentally over-charging the battery. Many fast chargers on the market simply do not test for charge endpoint conditions very well or very reliably.

Magic-Flight ships smart chargers bundled with the Box kit -- not fast chargers. The primary reason for this choice is safety: anyone can use the bundled charger without having to understand any specifics about the rechargeable batteries. These stock chargers are convenient insofar as they are compact (they fit in the tin) and are known to be a good reliable option, not because they are the fastest possible means for charging a battery.

Unfortunately, many charger manufactures generally cut corners whenever possible in their product designs. Such chargers, even from well known brand name companies, will have issues with charge current regulation and endpoint determination. These things are not visible on the outside -- they are apparent only when carefully examining the internal electronics with controlled testing. Further, as there are hundreds of different chargers and batteries (with millions of possible test configurations), it is not really reasonable to expect anyone to have tested all batteries and all chargers. Recommendations are based on best available knowledge to date.

Also, in some cases, manufacturers will put special features into their chargers particular to their batteries. For example, for the Sanyo batteries, the Sanyo charger is the "best" -- it has the most smarts tuned particularly for their specific battery brand. For those who want to have a set of "reserve" batteries which are sure to remain charged after sitting in your car for months, the Sanyo Eneloop batteries and chargers are very good in terms of quality, power, and long term longevity.

Anyone looking for the fastest possible alternative charger which is known to be reliable should consider the Energizer 15-minute charger with the Maha Powerex 2700mAh batteries. This is the best combination for people who use the Box at least once every day and who are looking for optimum runtime performance. (The Energizer batteries themselves are not nearly as good -- take it or leave it,)

Note: Magic-Flight gains absolutely no benefit from their recommendations or advice in this respect -- they have absolutely zero association with Energizer corp.

As an alternative configuration for people who use the Box less frequently (not every day) but are still interested in optimum performance, Magic-Flight recommends the Imedion batteries and the Maha MH-C9000 charger -- this is the best overall combination for both battery longevity and long vaping sessions. Be advised that this charger is somewhat more complex to use than most chargers and will be more expensive than most to purchase. Magic-Flight staff uses the Maha MH-C9000 internally and find them to be excellent. They are a bit arcane for the average user, but for those who are into the advanced "tech" of rechargeable batteries, it is a great unit.

For nearly everyone else, (the other 90% of Magic-Flight Box users), they recommend the stock batteries and the stock charger, since they are known to have good performance in most circumstances.

Finally, for the record, Magic-Flight does not make the branded chargers that they bundle with the Box. They are provided as a convenience so that people can use the Box without having to worry about such details.

LSD batteries (such as Eneloops or the Magic-Flight stock batteries) can be charged in fast chargers, as long as they are not too fast. Charging an LSD battery in anything less than an hour is probably too fast. A charger that charges them in about one or two hours is about ideal. Furthermore, the performance of a battery is defined largely by the quality of the charger.

Low self discharge (LSD) NiMH batteries have a chemistry and physical constitution that differs slightly from standard rechargeable batteries. As a result, LSD batteries are more sensitive to overheating than the standard NiMH. Overheating a LSD battery will have a more significant impact, in terms of the loss of battery life (number of charge cycles) and the amount of charge that the battery will retain.

Statistically speaking, ultra-fast chargers -- chargers that charge a battery in less than an hour -- present too high a risk profile in that detecting charge endpoint conditions is not an exact process. LSD batteries will not tolerate overcharging mistakes as well as standard ones (ie, putting an already charged battery into a fast 15 minute charger is bad). As such, it is really not a good idea to put the stock batteries in a 15 minute fast charger more than occasionally. Magic-Flight does not recommend combining any 15 minute charger with LSD batteries except on rare occasion and when in great need.

The charger that Magic-Flight provides is actually a very good fast (though not the fastest) charger. Its maximum charging time is about 4 hours, and is usually noticeably less.

Yes. We recommend using fully charged batteries for performance reasons only -- so that people get the best possible experience with the Box, particularly on their first try when they are just learning how to use it. There are no problems with using partially charged batteries, as long as there is enough charge for them to be usable/useful.

There is also no issue with pulling a battery from the charger and using it before it has been fully charged (again as long as enough charger is useful). However, it is recommended that you let the charger complete its charge cycle whenever possible as the microprocessor in the charger may attempt to implement a conditioning cycle on the batteries. If it senses that the battery is low, it may discharge the battery before recharging it so as to extend the battery life. The charger that is being shipped is a smart charger and is designed to make the batteries last as long as possible.

The one thing that it IS necessary to watch for is putting an already fully charged battery back into the charger. Due to the nature of how the charger works, it is likely that the charger will be unable to determine that the battery is already fully charged, and will attempt to charge it again. This can potentially cause overheating in the battery and battery damage.