(2) Panasonic CGR18650CH 18650 2250mAh Batteries began smoking in Nitecore Intellicharger I2, not sure why

[midnight_stray]

I just picked up 2 Hybrid IMR batteries and tried charging them in a nitecore i2 charger at work. Sadly i noticed the tiniest bit of smoke coming from the device after 15-20 minutes of charging. When i unplugged the device i noticed the housing was quite hot and there was even a bit of melting in the second bay. I've contacted the vendor who will exchange the unit for me though he recommends keeping the batt as they should be ok. Understandably smoke leads to fire and i wanted a second opinion about whether there could be damage to the batts but also i was wondering if anyone else might have experienced this issue be it the same charger or another. Could the hybrid model be confusing the charger? Could it have been user error? I know its plug and play but I'm still on the beginners path to becoming a vaping Jedi. Thanks for your time.

 

[midnight_stray]

I am using a Black Chrome Vamo, just FYI. I believe it has all the safety circuitry i could need in case keeping the batts becomes the best option but you know... fire, bad right

 

[midnight_stray]

Any help is appreciated

 

[mogium]

It's not worth the risk to continue using them

 

[mogium]

Fire bad exploding in your hand really bad melting the spring or damaging your vamo worse... Just not worth 25 dollars in batteries

 

[MorpheusPA]

Was the battery hot, or just the charger?

If the battery was cool, it should be OK--but I'm not sure I'd chance it. Burning lithium batteries are nothing to joke about.

 

[midnight_stray]

Just the charger was hot. When i wrote Orbtronic they said the batts should be fine. Can't figure out why the charger started smoking. They haven't shipped the replacement yet so i'm stuck with dead batts. Didn't know if anyone else had tried this combo.

 

[MorpheusPA]

If you have a voltage tester, I'd check both batteries (both, if discharged and charged for the same amount of time, should be at the same voltage or very close).

In my case I'd probably cobble together an LED array to test the battery. If it blows $2 in LEDs, I don't care and I'd use a color I don't like anyway. In your case...I wouldn't dream of putting those in my VAMO unless I were sure.

 

[Konstantine]

Simply because the battery requested a lot of current. Your charger was fryed because of that.
I am right now testing a CGR18650CH on my analyzer and i will let you know how it goes and how much current it draws with graphs.
Was your battery completely empty?

 

[Konstantine]

Well. Seems quite obvious why it fried.
From here http://www.amazon.com/NiteCore-IntelliCharger-i2-Charger-charging/dp/B009JMDD9U and here http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...llicharger-i2-Charges-wide-range-of-batteries
Can any one verify the charger has a max 0.5A output ?
Right now after a discharge on the same battery the bat draws 1.57Amps And seems quite logical to have a dead charger.

 

[midnight_stray]

so the batteries were asking for too much power and the charger gave out

 

[Rader2146]

Simply because the battery requested a lot of current. Your charger was fryed because of that.
I am right now testing a CGR18650CH on my analyzer and i will let you know how it goes and how much current it draws with graphs.
Was your battery completely empty?

Well. Seems quite obvious why it fried.
From here http://www.amazon.com/NiteCore-IntelliCharger-i2-Charger-charging/dp/B009JMDD9U and here http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/sh...llicharger-i2-Charges-wide-range-of-batteries
Can any one verify the charger has a max 0.5A output ?
Right now after a discharge on the same battery the bat draws 1.57Amps View attachment 175492 And seems quite logical to have a dead charger.

NO, batteries are dumb objects, they don't request anything. They accept current and they give current, that is all. Much like a bucket will accept water and give water, it doesn't tell you to pour the water faster. The CHARGER is responsible for setting the amount of charge current.




OP, It is impossible to tell why you charger failed without an autopsy; it just failed, you got a lemon. If the batteries didnt get hot, and the voltage is still within acceptable range....vape on.

 

[midnight_stray]

The charger was finally exchanged but now it seems to be overcharging once the LEDs are steady and i'm done with it. The plan is to return to the vendor and start over. thanks for the help everyone.

 

[Konstantine]

NO, batteries are dumb objects, they don't request anything. They accept current and they give current, that is all. Much like a bucket will accept water and give water, it doesn't tell you to pour the water faster. The CHARGER is responsible for setting the amount of charge current.




OP, It is impossible to tell why you charger failed without an autopsy; it just failed, you got a lemon. If the batteries didnt get hot, and the voltage is still within acceptable range....vape on.

Are you sure? I have two CGR18650CH from yesterday on the analyzer and i can tell you, they ask for too much. Try it yourself too, discharge it 80-90% and then charge with a power supply only.

 

[Konstantine]

The charger was finally exchanged but now it seems to be overcharging once the LEDs are steady and i'm done with it. The plan is to return to the vendor and start over. thanks for the help everyone.

Try to empty the panasonic and then re charge on the new charger.

 

[Steelvap3]

I have a nitecore i2 from .......... & 2 18650b ncr @3400 for 3 months now. Flawless. But the nitecore chirps when it charges from when I recieved em. Contacted nitecore and they told me to replace em with vendor. Gave them more detail's and they said it is normal and not to worry. Tested batts after full charging and they were at 4.22 or somethin on ma crappy voltmeter. Not bad. They trickle charge hence the intermittent beep.
Costed me 14.7 for the i2. 11 each batts.
You must have got a bad unit I guess. These chargers are intelligent and can detect the battery type by its volt state. Was your i2 brand new??

 

[Rader2146]

The charger was finally exchanged but now it seems to be overcharging once the LEDs are steady and i'm done with it. The plan is to return to the vendor and start over. thanks for the help everyone.

Xtar SP2 or WP2 II gets my vote. Solid proven chargers.

Are you sure? I have two CGR18650CH from yesterday on the analyzer and i can tell you, they ask for too much. Try it yourself too, discharge it 80-90% and then charge with a power supply only.

I'm very sure.

What charging profile do you use? Programmable power supply? Parameters? Current limiting? Termination Current?

If all you do is hook the battery to a power supply that is set for 4.2v, then yes, it will draw a lot of current. Possibly too much current that could damage the battery. A SMART charger is programmed to correctly and safely charge a Li-Ion battery using the proper charging profile, limiting current to a safe level, and terminating the charge when the battery is fully charged (not just when it reaches 4.2v).

 

[Konstantine]

I am using a vencon analyzer Vencon Technologies - Battery testers, Battery analyzers, Battery chargers, Battery conditioners
Probably better than a chinese SMART charger.
Charges at 0.7C like on the datasheet. CC at the start and CV when it reaches 4.2V.

 

[dingo1799]

xtar wpII charger charging 4 different cgr18650ch's for 3 months now, and not a hiccup. sounds like your batteries found the weak spot in the charger wiring and the smoke got out of the wires

hey man, it could be worse. it could be one of those whiney ... trustfire chargers lol

 

[Rader2146]

Come on man , your batteries charged at 1.57A because you told it to charge at .7C.

2250*0.7 = 1.575A

The battery didn't ask for that much current, the charger just delivered what it was told to deliver. If a charger is told to deliver 500mA then it will deliver 500mA no matter what battery you put in it.

Tell your analyzer to charge at .23C and see how much current the battery "asks" for.