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Xtar VC4 has no Xtar Authentic Sticker on the Bottom?

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Just got my Xtar VC4 from amazon prime and noticed no sticker on the bottom that Xtar uses to make sure it is not a fake.  Is this normal?  I was looking at a youtube video on the VC4 and near the end, he pointed that the bottom of the VC4 must have that sticker. It's at 12:24 on the youtube vid where he shows the sticker.  VC4 youtube video

 

On another note, I just got my  panasonic 3400 mah 18650, 3.7 volt batteries and when I put them in the VC4, it displays 4.0V  and the both batteries were at 13 mah.  When charging, it started off at 3.8V and 13 mah and now about an hour later each of the two batteries is displaying 4.0V and 700 mah  Little confused about that embarassed 

 

 


Wanting to build a charger/analyzer

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Am I saying that right? I see tons of charging boards out there for about five bucks or so. Is there any out there with a digital screen that will test 18650 batteries for capacity? I’d like to test all my batteries to see how they are holding up.

Liitokala Lii 500 vs XTAR VC4?

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Which charger you recomend for newbie flashaholic?

Main differences of these charges? Which is your favourite?

p.s. Maybe saw any good black friday/ciber monday deals on them?

Getting frustrated on which charger to get and safety

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I haven’t posted on here in a long time. So long in fact that I couldn’t remember my username and password so I had to sign up again!

I have always used CR123’s or AA’s in my lights but now I’m thinking of getting some more lights and want to try the rechargeables. The first thing I did was go to Amazon. I found the Nitecore D2 Digicharger (bundled with car charger/adapter & battery Box for 2× 18650 batteries for $19) and I was impressed by the very high rating’s (4.8 stars with 895 reviews) so I went to the Nightcore website. That’s when I learned about the new i4 which seemed to have everything I needed except for a discharge feature which I’m not sure if I need. Since I have a lot to learn my next stop was to come here to the most awesome source for information there is. I have read about a dozen threads tonight and I thought I narrowed it down to the i4, the GOLISI L4 Intelligent Digi Charger or the XTAR VC4. Although I think I may have ruled out the XTAR VC4 after reading a thread about problems with some units and XTAR’s customer service. My biggest concern with Nitecore is it sounds like the batteries get very hot. I haven’t read enough yet to decide if the Golisi would be my best choice, but from the reading I have done so far I’m starting to realize that after all this time it appears recharging lithiums (& in some cases maybe even NiMh) is still not very safe.

All I want is a simple, easy to use SAFE charger that can handle any Lithium rechargeable type and NiMh batteries that I’m likely to ever need for a hunting or EDC flashlight which I’m guessing would may include Li-ion/IMR/LiFePO4 14500, 16340(RCR123), 18650 & maybe 26650 along with Ni-MH. I’m thinking 1.2V, 3.6V, 3.7V, 4.2V & 4.35V should cover it, but I’m not sure. Can you guys help guide me in the right direction?

Jump Starter Charger

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The very small chargers like the MiniMax advertised on TV look “too good to be true.”
Anyone with experience with one? If they would actually jump start a car one would make a good Christmas for my Daughter and Son.
Thanks,
Jerry

Wanted: Tray charger with storage function (dis-/charge to ~3.8V)

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(… except, of course, the super expensive skyrc mc3000)

Having much more cells than I regularly use, I often set them at storage voltage of 3.8V.
A hobby charger does the job, but not well.

It seems not a single analyzing charger, despite being capable of discharging, has a storage mode.

Did I overlook any? Thx for helping me out!
HQ

Oshpark Boards:
Boost: HQ 15mm/17mm programmable boost driver with ATtiny13A
46mm Triple-Channel: BLF SRK FET v3 . 17mm Linear: HQ10D / HQ4D / HQ4S . Contact Boards: 22/24/26mm

Miboxer battery charger looking for someone evaluation the charger

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Hi dear,

This is cabbi, we new developed a battery charger

Looking for someone professional can test it,and make a appropos evluation what the using feel

We'll free to send the sample for test

 

I'm looking forward to your kindest reply.

My skype is futlight.cabbi

Xtar VC4 Issue? Anyone?

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Hi all, how has it been?

I think my VC4 charger has some issues with it. When I switched on the power the voltage display shows that the batteries voltage are around 4.0V (which is correct as I have confirmed this with my multimeter), however the CH1 and CH2 are in green light and the chrager simply wouldn’t charge even though I have waited for more than 10 minutes – It just stay the way it is and the mAh still remain as zero as shown in the photo below.

I restarted the charger a few times by switching off/on then only the charging works as normal.

Has anyone faced the same issue? May I know why?

Thanks in advance.

bibihang

EDIT: The attached photo doesn’t show and I don’t know why, but the link is here anyway.
http://imgur.com/a/S4bnQ


Neat little balance charger on Banggood -SC608

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Just came across this video on YouTube and the units seems quite good…

YouTube vid

Banggood link: SC608

What do you guys think? I haven’t owed a hobby charger for ages having just a range of normal Xtars but this is tempting me. What’s the easiest way to do 18650s? Magnets are OK but a decent holder would be nice.

Power backup option

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Hi all,
I am looking for a power back up option for the systems in my office. We have around 20 systems,because situations like power failure should not affect my systems, and the company’s working. So, should I go for solar or UPS, which would be a better back up option? My friend advised me to get the services from Staticon, http://www.staticon.ca/, but has any one used their services? Or, any other suggestions ?

Is my Xtar VC4 faulty??? Photo attached

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I thought this charger was supposed to charge outside bays at 1A and inside ones at 0.5A???
This was supposed to be an upgrade to my D4 because of faster charging, but if the middle reading is correct, it’s charging at 0.4A per bay…..grrrrrrrrrrr………

Any ideas???

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BT-C3400 with a ghost battery in slot 2

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Hello bright people!

I have a BT-C3400 2.2 that is maybe 18 months old. It’s always been fine. Lately slot 2 always shows charging, and the slot is empty. The slot is always at 3.9V, and the current fluctuates between 43mAh to 65mAh. I’ve tried sliding the slider, and beating on it. Not sure what else to try. The other 3 slots work fine. I’m geeky enough to tear it apart and put it back together again, but not sure if that will help. Any ideas? If nothing else, should I just go buy another of the same, or is there a new “Dream Charger” out now? Thanks for any help.

- Joe

Review MiBOXER C4 Smart Charger

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Firstly I would like to say that I was given this charger for free to review by MiBOXER but my review is as unbiased as I can make it.
This is a link to their website http://www.miboxer.com/eng/p1.html
This is my first charger review.
This appears to be this companies first venture into chargers (apparently more chargers are in the pipeline) but the charger already has some pedigree as it supplied to Olight.
For example it is the charger that comes with the Olight X7 Marauder bundle.
This is a 4 slot “smart” charger that automatically identifies cell chemistry & is compatible with the following
Compatible with: Li-ion(4.2V / 4.35V)/ LiFePO4(3.6V)battery.
Battery Specification:
10340/10350/10440/10500/12340/12500/12650/13450/13500
13650/14350/14430/14500/14650/16500/16340(RCR123)
16650/17350/17500/17650/17670/18350/18490/18500/18650
18700/20700/21700/22500/22650/25500/26500/26650
Compatible with: Ni-MH / Ni-Cd(1.48V)
Battery Specification: AA AAA AAAA C
It can charge Li-ions & LiFePO4 at 800ma or 350 ma across all 4 slots, NiMH & NiCd at 300ma or 150ma.
It can also re-set tripped Lithium PCB“s & “soft charge” deeply depleted cells.
Slot 4 only can be used for capacity testing & IR measurement.
So what do you get ?
The charger comes in a box with various printed information on the outside.
Front

Back

Inside the box is a plastic tray holding the charger, mains lead & instructions (in English).
The charger can also accept a 12v supply such as from a car cigarette lighter but no lead for this is supplied although a generic 12v lead will fit the standard connection.


So lets try charging some cells.
I popped in 4 protected Panasonic 18650 NCRB“s, so the charger will accommodate the longest of li-ions as these are just over 70mm.
When you turn the charger on you have the option, using the mode button, to select 350ma or 800ma charging across all 4 slots for Li-ions (default is 800ma).
I selected 800ma across all 4 slots.

The charger shows information for the selected slot (slots selected via the slot button) in terms of cell voltage, charge time, selected charging ma, cell chemistry & charging mode (CC) on the large display screen, which I like.
Plus charge bars flash for each slot during charging.
The screen backlight goes off after a few minutes so is not obtrusive.

During charging the cells barely got warm.
Once the cells show 4.20v on the display (more about this later) the charge rate slowly drops from the selected (or default) 800mah & changes from CC to CV.
At about 100ma CV charger rate the display changes to FUL & charging is complete

At this point I turned the charger off & removed the 4 cells.
I immediately checked each cell with my DMM & found that the cells were all showing 4.16v, less than the stated 4.20v on the charger display but within the accepted +/-.05v lithium charging tolerance.
I rechecked the cells after resting for an hour & they all showed 4.15v resting voltage.
With the same DMM (a pretty accurate, as far as I know, UNI-T) & using a Liitokala Lii-500 charger & the same cells I get readings of 4.19v immediately off the charger & resting voltage of 4.18v.
This charger gives identical results in terms of straight off the charger & resting voltage to my Nitecore D4, perfectly acceptable but a little lower than I personally would like.
Next I decided to try the capacity measuring function of the charger.
As mentioned this function is only available on slot 4 & with all chemistries discharges at 400ma or 200ma.
For this test I decided to use a Purple EFEST 18650 IMR 3100mah cell.
This cell has only seen a few cycles & recently showed a capacity of about 3,000ma when tested on a Lii-500.
For the capacity test the charger charges the cell fully, discharges it (I selected 400ma discharge rate) then fully charges the cell again.
I must say that I found it fiddly to select the capacity test function.
The start of the discharge test

The end of the discharge showing the capacity & the charger has gone back into charge mode

Again during the complete capacity test the cell barely got warm & the capacity figure of 2976mah closely matches my results with other analysing chargers for this cell.
I again used my DMM immediately on pulling the cell from the charger & saw 4.16v then 4.15v resting voltage an hour later.
I didn“t do any NiMH testing as really they are not cells that I use but based on my li-ion testing & the stated NiMH charge rates of 300ma max, 150ma low & 400ma & 200ma discharge rates for capacity testing I would assume that the charger would handle NiMH fine.

Conclusions:
Pros
This seems to be a well made & constructed multiple chemistry charger with reasonable specs.
It feels solid with nice rail tensions.
It has a nice large easy to view display.
It offers more functions than some chargers at a comparable price being able to do capacity testing & IR.
It is fairly competitively priced (I believe the RRP from a dealer is $29.99 or $33 direct from MiBOXER) against some chargers with less functions & lower charge rates.

Cons
Capacity function is fiddly to select (I found anyway but maybe that is just me as I have only used the function once).
Charge rate is a little low for today“s high powered 18650 cells & 26650“s meaning charging can take a long time.
Discharge rates are likewise low meaning capacity testing is a slow process.
Capacity & IR function is only available on one slot (slot 4).
Although end charge voltage is acceptable being within the +/- .05v recommended for Li-ions I would prefer to see cells coming off the charger at 4.20v.
That is just my preference though & I know that some people prefer their cells charged to slightly under 4.20v to increase cell life.

Finally would I buy this charger, well personally no.
There is nothing really wrong with the charger but myself I prefer higher charging & discharging rates to speed things up & capacity testing & IR testing on all 4 slots.
Having said the above it is certainly competitive against some other similarly priced chargers where it offers more features & slightly higher charge rates.
Again I would like to state that I was given this charger for free to review & believe I have been as unbiased in my appraisal of it as I can.

Liitokala 500 question

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what does it mean when the “END” indicator is flashing at the end of a charge or test?

(these are potentially old batteries i am trying to test, NiMH, i want to sort them into ‘still usable’ and ‘discard’)

usually the charge it has given the battery is pretty low, sometimes the battery is pretty warm at the end..

does this mean “terminated early”?
what are the possible reasons?

wle

I've Misplaced my Mp1s spacers.

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Hi chaps,
I seem to have lost the spacers that came with my xtar mp1s . I kind of knew I would as they have to be removed if you’re charging the longer battery types.
So I was wondering if anybody knew of a place to get spares? Maybe worth just buying a new charger but it seems a bit of a waste

Thanks!

-Ross


New XTAR 6/12 Bay Charger system

Jump Starter on Aircraft??

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One of the things we got for our SIL for Christmas was a Bolt Power D28 Jump Starter. They will be here in NM, but live in FL. They will travel by commercial air.
NOW, it dawns on me that they may not be permitted to carry it home.
Does anyone know the TSA regulations on such as that?
Thanks,
Jerry

Liitokala Lii 500 charger just died..

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Was just checking the progress before going to bed, but there was no progress, my charger is dead…
I only had it for about 3 weeks now.
It smells a bit like toasted electronics…
Open it up tomorrow..

Looking for:
IMR22500 (fits 3x AAA tube)
5” parabolic reflector (for recoil light)
12mm PMMA aspheric collimator lens (for mini zoomie)

Battery charger switcheroo

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I wanted to buy a new charger that would measure the capacity of the battery. I considered the Liitokala and Opus chargers.

Seems like Liitokala kind of copied Opus. That’s ok, except for one thing.

Liitokala switched the battery polarity orientation!

It is opposite all of my other chargers! think Nitecore, Xtar and so on…

my brain is old. I do not need this.

I bought the Opus.

Charger that's also a power bank

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I am looking for a 18650 battery charger that will also serve as a power bank to charge an iPhone. I have a Nitecore UM10 but it wont charge.

Thanks in advance!

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