Battery question...

[EsOne]

I have an EH 18650 IMR

Says 3.7v on it...

This is going to sound dumb, but I just really recently got my first mod (then second, then third... oh my)
But, I still charge it to 4.2v, max, right?

 

[State O' Flux]

I have an EH 18650 IMR

Says 3.7v on it...

This is going to sound dumb, but I just really recently got my first mod (then second, then third... oh my)
But, I still charge it to 4.2v, max, right?

 

[bruiser]

Yep, charge it until it stops charging.

 

[EsOne]

Yep, charge it until it stops charging.

I got a cheap charger. I don't trust it to stop. I manually check mine with multimeter ^_^

 

[Topwater Elvis]

I got a cheap charger. I don't trust it to stop. I manually check mine with multimeter ^_^

Then you are already smarter than a bunch of folks that rely on any charger to function correctly 100% of the time.

 

[AttyPops]

Yeah, 3.7 is the "nominal/average" charge, but 4.2 is the "fully charged" point...it changes continually as the battery is drained.

Most of the useful life of the battery's charge is in the 3.7/3.6 range. This varies a bit by battery type but is the general rule. The top range doesn't last long at all, and the bottom drops to cut off rather quickly. This is why they say that the voltage curve of Li-Ion is rather flat compared to other types.

 

[madqatter]

I got a cheap charger. I don't trust it to stop. I manually check mine with multimeter ^_^

Trash that charger and invest in a better one. Continue to manually check them with a multimeter.

 

[Ryedan]

I got a cheap charger. I don't trust it to stop. I manually check mine with multimeter ^_^

You've got some great advice here EsOne. You probably know this, but good chargers are pretty cheap. Get one and you won't have to worry about it overcharging. Makes charging much more relaxing

 

[EsOne]

On a related note.. What's the lowest I should let it drop before charging? I've heard around 3.3v, but I also hear around 3.5

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[Ryedan]

I aim to change batts at 3.6 volts on mechanical mods. Let it go lower and you might not catch it till it goes way low.

As I understand it, under 2.5 volts and it's toast. Between 3.2 and 2.7 volts and you will reduce the battery lifespan.

 

[EsOne]

Alright, 3.6 on my mechs and 3.3 area on my Lavatube. Got it! Thanks so much! Kind if just jumped into mods without learning first. Lol. Had to talk myself out of my 4th one today.

Damn new hobbies.

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[grayscale]

Then you are already smarter than a bunch of folks that rely on any charger to function correctly 100% of the time.

lol! +1 on that! Can anyone suggest a "quality" charger that is known to be reliable?

 

[abstractcousin]

yea you be fine, just be sure not to keep it in the charger too long

 

[darkgear]

On a related note.. What's the lowest I should let it drop before charging? I've heard around 3.3v, but I also hear around 3.5

As a general rule,

4.2V – 100%
4.1V – 87%
4.0V – 75%
3.9V – 55%
3.8V – 30%
3.5V – 0%

Under load the over discharge circuit may stop drain at 2.75v or 2.5v then they will rebound to 3.5 without a load.

Each brand of cell is different. For example the Panasonic NCR18650 / NCR18650A has about 15-20% capacity left even at 3.5v. In fact, Panasonic ships these cells from the factory at ~3.6 - 3.65v. Other cells, would have around 5-10% or so left at 3.5v. I'd say generally ~3.3v would be considered 0% for most cells.

 

[madqatter]

Can anyone suggest a "quality" charger that is known to be reliable?

Nitecore Intellicharger I2

But I got the Nitecore I4 on Amazon for less $.

 

[darkgear]

Nitecore Intellicharger I2

But I got the Nitecore I4 on Amazon for less $.

+1 for the nitecore. Reliable charger and cheap. Their flashlights are pretty good too

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