My new torch

[giblet]

Take the usb lead and plug it into any modern usb plug phone charger...

[V8mate]

Maybe I'm too stupid for rechargeable batteries?

Using this new charger^. Less features than my existing one... but hey, all I want is properly charged batteries.

I'm charging 2400mAh AA batteries. After a couple of hours, it has reached the 'full' stage, but it is reporting the cells as having various charged capacities between 180 and 220mAh.

If I put them back on charge, I would expect it to flash a few times and then show them as full again... but instead it starts at zero and goes through the whole charging process again.

Something's not right?

[dmsims]

I use a Nitecore chargers (no dials)

It does AA etc and 18650

The Amazon Basics AA last over a year in our most used Rad valves

[red_slr]

V8mate said:

Maybe I'm too stupid for rechargeable batteries?

Using this new charger^. Less features than my existing one... but hey, all I want is properly charged batteries.

I'm charging 2400mAh AA batteries. After a couple of hours, it has reached the 'full' stage, but it is reporting the cells as having various charged capacities between 180 and 220mAh.

If I put them back on charge, I would expect it to flash a few times and then show them as full again... but instead it starts at zero and goes through the whole charging process again.

Something's not right?

I asked a similar question and was told the batteries are probably fake. I ordered a few "proper" Panasonic ones and the problem went away.

Even though I have been playing with Li-Pos for years at c.4-6Ah the thought did not cross my mind that such high capacity batteries in such a small package might perhaps be a scam....

Maybe you have the same issue?

[Cpl nobby nobbs]

Not really into tourches, I have some head lights for running and such but this came up on my Amazon this morning.

Seems like a decent price for a lenzer P7 if anyone is interested. £28.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ledlenser-501046-Professi...

[Squadrone Rosso]

Cpl nobby nobbs said:

Not really into tourches, I have some head lights for running and such but this came up on my Amazon this morning.

Seems like a decent price for a lenzer P7 if anyone is interested. £28.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ledlenser-501046-Professi...

Our issue torches are the P7 or T7.

The failure attrition rates are very high. Typically the tail cap switch fails or the battery holder falls apart.

I couldn’t recommend one, sorry.

[Cpl nobby nobbs]

Squadrone Rosso said:

Cpl nobby nobbs said:

Not really into tourches, I have some head lights for running and such but this came up on my Amazon this morning.

Seems like a decent price for a lenzer P7 if anyone is interested. £28.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ledlenser-501046-Professi...

Our issue torches are the P7 or T7.

The failure attrition rates are very high. Typically the tail cap switch fails or the battery holder falls apart.

I couldn’t recommend one, sorry.

Glad I didn't order one just because of the price then, thanks for the info.

Only torches of sorts I use are for running and some work but they are head lights.

Scrap that idea then, always thought of lenser as been quality.

[V8mate]

red_slr said:

V8mate said:

Maybe I'm too stupid for rechargeable batteries?

Using this new charger^. Less features than my existing one... but hey, all I want is properly charged batteries.

I'm charging 2400mAh AA batteries. After a couple of hours, it has reached the 'full' stage, but it is reporting the cells as having various charged capacities between 180 and 220mAh.

If I put them back on charge, I would expect it to flash a few times and then show them as full again... but instead it starts at zero and goes through the whole charging process again.

Something's not right?

I asked a similar question and was told the batteries are probably fake. I ordered a few "proper" Panasonic ones and the problem went away.

Even though I have been playing with Li-Pos for years at c.4-6Ah the thought did not cross my mind that such high capacity batteries in such a small package might perhaps be a scam....

Maybe you have the same issue?

Don't think so. I've got three different brands of battery: all recommended here and all from reputable sources.

[FiF]

V8mate said:

red_slr said:

V8mate said:

Maybe I'm too stupid for rechargeable batteries?

Using this new charger^. Less features than my existing one... but hey, all I want is properly charged batteries.

I'm charging 2400mAh AA batteries. After a couple of hours, it has reached the 'full' stage, but it is reporting the cells as having various charged capacities between 180 and 220mAh.

If I put them back on charge, I would expect it to flash a few times and then show them as full again... but instead it starts at zero and goes through the whole charging process again.

Something's not right?

I asked a similar question and was told the batteries are probably fake. I ordered a few "proper" Panasonic ones and the problem went away.

Even though I have been playing with Li-Pos for years at c.4-6Ah the thought did not cross my mind that such high capacity batteries in such a small package might perhaps be a scam....

Maybe you have the same issue?

Don't think so. I've got three different brands of battery: all recommended here and all from reputable sources.

The figure it's showing is how much charge it's put in on that charge, not the total charge state of the batteries. The key to state of charge is the voltage. If the batteries are full after a couple of hours then what is the voltage showing at start and finish of charge, suggest they were pretty well charged at start.

As someone else suggested, mine is plugged into a cheap IKEA usb charger. During the day roughly 8am to 5pm I can charge fully the 8 * 18650 cells for two hand torches and a head torch, typically starting from ~80% discharged.

Same when travelling USB lead means can be powered either from a usb charger plugged into lighter socket or a battery jump pack if no mains power available.

[ericmcn]

V8mate said:

Thanks

Shame it's limited to AA/AAA though - think I'd prefer one which could do the 18650, 26650 etc cells too.

have a nite core D4 charger, use all my rechargable 18650s and even 26650 in it. works every time all of the time

[ericmcn]

V8mate said:

red_slr said:

V8mate said:

Maybe I'm too stupid for rechargeable batteries?

Using this new charger^. Less features than my existing one... but hey, all I want is properly charged batteries.

I'm charging 2400mAh AA batteries. After a couple of hours, it has reached the 'full' stage, but it is reporting the cells as having various charged capacities between 180 and 220mAh.

If I put them back on charge, I would expect it to flash a few times and then show them as full again... but instead it starts at zero and goes through the whole charging process again.

Something's not right?

I asked a similar question and was told the batteries are probably fake. I ordered a few "proper" Panasonic ones and the problem went away.

Even though I have been playing with Li-Pos for years at c.4-6Ah the thought did not cross my mind that such high capacity batteries in such a small package might perhaps be a scam....

Maybe you have the same issue?

Don't think so. I've got three different brands of battery: all recommended here and all from reputable sources.

Loads of lithium batteries are fake as sellers know 'most' people wont be able to tell the difference. I have developed products using Ti charging and protection ICs and used Maccor test equipment for years so can easily tell dud products from the real deal. Fake batteries will in the most case have internal resistance far higher than what manufacturers will state and can be checked with a DMM and high power load resistor to give a very rough estimate, assuming people dont have access to several K of lab kit.

charging time depends on capacity and charge current, so if you have a 2500mA battery and charge with a 1A charge current it should take around 2 1/2 to 3 hours to fully charge

plenty of crap Chinese lithium batteries exist but they also make very good tier 2 cells, comparable to tier 1s from Sony, Panasonic, LG etc.

[NDA]

V8mate said:

Arrived and operational.

What I didn't notice, as I ordered it, is that it's a USB charger rather than mains charger. Which probably would have dissuaded me (will take tonks to charge 4 cells?)

Well, I'll let it do its thing and see how it goes

I bought a similar charger recently and was a bit miffed that it was USB only (thinking it would be delivering a puny current)... however it charges just as quickly in my experience with it.

[red_slr]

In which case put them in a torch with low voltage protection and run till they quit then charge and see what mah it puts in.

[ericmcn]

red_slr said:

In which case put them in a torch with low voltage protection and run till they quit then charge and see what mah it puts in.

or get a nitecore charger and that will tell you what mAh capacity it has - from the mains.

[silentbrown]

My Nitecore Tini appears to have gone phut.

Only the "dim" mode works, the other two settings are dead. Anyone else have any problems?

[stemll]

V8mate said:

Arrived and operational.

What I didn't notice, as I ordered it, is that it's a USB charger rather than mains charger. Which probably would have dissuaded me (will take tonks to charge 4 cells?)

Well, I'll let it do its thing and see how it goes

I have had one of those for years though mine came with a mains USB charger. Will charge pretty much anything from AAA to 32650s. I use it for Eneloop AAA and AA, 18650 and have eve had D cells in it. Great charger

[peterperkins]

Arrrggghhhhh

I browsed this thread and ended up immediately being seduced into spending £30 on a million watt/lumen retina burning torch and charger at Amazon.

That's not the worst of it!! Oh no!!

Then accidentally I clicked the wrong frigging button during the checkout process.
Like millions of others I've fallen victim to crafty links and misleading text and have activated my Amazon Prime Free Trial.

NOOOOOOOOO........

I've activated the remind me three days before it expires e-mail and hope I can cancel it before my life ends.

[V8RX7]

peterperkins said:

Arrrggghhhhh

Then accidentally I clicked the wrong frigging button during the checkout process.
Like millions of others I've fallen victim to crafty links and misleading text and have activated my Amazon Prime Free Trial.

NOOOOOOOOO........

I've activated the remind me three days before it expires e-mail and hope I can cancel it before my life ends.

They are actually incredibly reasonable, I forgot to end ours but when they saw I hadn't used it, they refunded it.

[the tribester]

peterperkins said:

Arrrggghhhhh

I browsed this thread and ended up immediately being seduced into spending £30 on a million watt/lumen retina burning torch and charger at Amazon.

That's not the worst of it!! Oh no!!

Then accidentally I clicked the wrong frigging button during the checkout process.
Like millions of others I've fallen victim to crafty links and misleading text and have activated my Amazon Prime Free Trial.

NOOOOOOOOO........

I've activated the remind me three days before it expires e-mail and hope I can cancel it before my life ends.

You can cancel it now though, you don't have to wait.

Set the reminder, and then struggle to follow the links when it's time.

[ericmcn]

silentbrown said:

My Nitecore Tini appears to have gone phut.

Only the "dim" mode works, the other two settings are dead. Anyone else have any problems?

Have you the same one I use?