Vaping is all about safety. You have regulated mods and battery safety but there's one more thing that needs to be checked to ensure everything is in good nick: your insulators. But what is an insulator? In basic terms, an insulator is something used to stop the flow of electricity and is typically made from a non-conductive material. For vapers, there are a few different insulators that are in place to ensure safety.
So what and where are these insulators?
Battery “wrap”
Aside from making your battery colourful and pretty, the outer plastic layer actually provides a crucial role in battery safety. You may know the negative terminal as the flat side of the battery but without the wrap, the entire outside becomes the negative terminal (excluding the positive terminal). This wrap is vital to ensuring that your battery does not short inside of your device, either on the device or another battery. If you notice any damage to the wrap, stop using that battery and replace the wrap as soon as possible. Wraps are only $0.75 and we can rewrap your batteries in store for no extra charge. It’s just a simple heat shrink method that can be done with a heat gun or hairdryer but we’re happy to show you how it’s done.
Battery insulator ring
As can also be seen in the previous photo, this is the insulator ring on the positive end of your battery. For external battery devices, this (typically a black or white ring) is found just under the battery wrap. This is in place to prevent any short-circuiting and thermal runaway. So if you’re ever rewrapping your battery, always check that this small ring is in place. This insulator can be made from anything from paper or cardboard to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyether ether ketone (PEEK)
510 pin insulator
Usually made from PEEK, this insulator is at the bottom of your atomizer. Just under/around the gold (Positive) pin there is a small rubber ring that protects the atomizer from overheating and shorting out. This pin can be accessed differently depending on what atomizer you have, though it is typically just a screw that can be taken out and checked easily.
Coil insulator
In replacement coils, there will always be a small ring somewhere in the base of the coil, seen here as the black and red rings. These insulators separate the positive and negative leads in the coil, preventing the coil from shorting out.
Atomizer post insulator
Also usually made from PEEK, looking closely at the build deck of your RBA, there is a line dividing the positive posts from the negatives. Check this every time you rewick for any nick or tears, as you don't want to close the full circuit and create a short.
Now that you’ve learnt what insulators are and their roles, be sure to keep a close eye on them when maintaining your devices. As always, vaping safely is of the utmost importance. If you’re ever unsure about your insulators, make sure to drop into your local Super Vape Stores and ask one of our friendly team members to have a look.