Battery Charger

[Purplefowler]

+1 for xtar. I only have the little mp1 as I only use 18650 batteries and use 2 in rotation-one to wash and one to wear. But if I was going to upgrade to a larger charger I would stick with xtar. They are solid, reliable, have great safety features and do the job without any whines or buzzes. I always used to be a little paranoid about my trustfire. It did the job but it felt cheap (not wrong with cheap but we are talking about batteries so safety is important). I bought mine off fleabay for about £6.50.

 

[EthelKing]

on an xtar wp2 you need 2 spacers in each bay for 18350s

Good point made there mate - something I wasn't aware of that the different chargers have different length "slots" for the batteries.

 

[jeffhds]

Wish i'd seen this earlyer, i have also been using a Trustfire TR-001 untill it packed up yesterday. I'd been looking what to get and it seems everyone is recomending the xtar. I've ordered an Sysmax Intellicharge i4
http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/lithium-ion-battery-chargers/sysmax-intellicharge-i4-li-ion-ni-mh-battery-charger.html
Could have saved myself a few quid, and i still don't know if the sysmax is any good......fingers crossed

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

I like the look of that intellicharge! I haven't heard any negatives about it so far!


I have http://www.safercigs.co.uk/Xtar_WP2_II_Li-ion_Charger/p705283_5773951.aspx and Love it. I dont use the spacers as I only use 18650s and one 14500

If I find the spacers in the next 24 hrs you can have them?

 

[Mark]

Just a quick question. There are two charging speeds and guess there must be a reason for it.

What are the advantages, assuming there must be, for the slower charging setting?

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

Slower will prolong the battery life, quick charges tend to make them die sooner

 

[Bryan123456]

Slower will prolong the battery life, quick charges tend to make them die sooner

With most, but not all batteries, the depth of discharge is the key issue. If you use a deeply discharged battery and call for a high power output it struggles to deliver because the voltage will have dropped significantly and W= I x V - the lower the voltage, the more amps it has to deliver for a given power demand. Which is why battery manufacturers sometimes talk about battery life in discharge cycles.

Fast charging a battery that is partially discharged is usually OK. Fast charging a deeply discharged battery encounters internal voltage problems and generates heat - which is why intelligent chargers can prolong battery life. The key thing is not to let the voltage drop much below the stated one.

I sound like a complete nerd, but as a boatie you get to learn about batteries - I have 7 - at an average price of £100+ each. You also get to know about other kinds of batteries - torches etc - when you live in the deep sticks

 

[Stig41]

i got the Xtar wp6 which is a 6 bay charger i got mine off Ebay for £22 delivered Brilliant charger