AW 18650 1600 mAh HELP

[Microlon]

Can anyone help?

2 months ago I purchased 2 x AW 18650 1600 mAh batteries, charging them via a PILA charger. I use one and charge the other.

Today I got home and the PILA showed the exchange battery charged with a green light. When I inserted it into my Provari its dead!

Any help guys and girls?

 

[Microlon]

Has somebody experienced a relatively new battery dying that fast?

What causes it on a top performance charger?

 

[rolygate]

Can you tell us what the battery reads on a voltmeter, please?

Also, because these cells have no inbuilt protection, taking them down too low will kill them. In theory that occurs if you take them below 2.5 volts but it would probably be best not to go below 3 volts.

This is a major issue with these cells when they are used in a single-battery VV mod at over 4.5 volts as they are worked very hard. Some people might only get 4 or 5 hours from one used like this. There is a tremendous temptation to use the battery until it's dead. The result of this is, well, the battery will sooner rather than later be: dead.

 

[Microlon]

The second AW 18650 1600 mAh battery has gone exactly the same way some 12 hours after the first!

Both are charged on a PILA charger to 4.0 - 4.1 and are recharged at 3.2 never less.

I dont have a voltmeter, the only way i check them is when they are in my Provari (until I can get a Reo) The Provari reads nothing as if they are completely dead! I am baffled but as this is the first set of 18650 batteries I have ever used its all new to me.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[rolygate]

They need to come off charge at 4.2 volts. Unless you can check this, there's not a lot more to be done - sorry.

 

[WillyB]

The second AW 18650 1600 mAh battery has gone exactly the same way some 12 hours after the first!

Both are charged on a PILA charger to 4.0 - 4.1 and are recharged at 3.2 never less.

I dont have a voltmeter, the only way i check them is when they are in my Provari (until I can get a Reo) The Provari reads nothing as if they are completely dead! I am baffled but as this is the first set of 18650 batteries I have ever used its all new to me.

You need a meter, a cheap one is fine.

LCD Digital Voltmeter Ammeter Ohm Multimeter DT830B New | eBay

You should also have a spare/backup charger, again cheap is fine.

Charger All In One 3.7v 4 CR123A 18650 Recharge Battery | eBay

Two cells doing the same thing sounds like a charger problem.

 

[Olef]

Micro, as others have said, you need a multimeter here. You can get one at any auto spares shop or electrical supplier. I have been using AW cells for years and never had a dud one let alone two. It's not impossible but more improbable IMHO and I too would suspect your charger. Get a meter and check your cells as they come off the charger. It may even be the Provari but without that meter your are blind. Hope you find the answer quick, I feel for ya!

Although it doesn't help you now, always have spare batteries, a spare charger and a spare PV. Any one of those can go at any time and leave you dead in the water. I have three chargers, five batteries (plus about 20 AW 18650 black label in my flashlights I could use in a pinch) and two Provari's plus another five or six types of PV. There is no way I am ever gonna get caught without something to vape!

 

[Microlon]

All solved!

The spring on the Provari was slightly compressed by the longer 2500 mAh batteries so the AW's being shorter where not making a good enough contact. A little bit of work on the spring sorted it out.

All Provari users please note!

It could happen to you if you use longer batteries mixed with shorter ones.

Good luck everyone

 

[WillyB]

Shows how valuable a cheap meter can be. If you had checked the cells right off the charger you would have seen the charger was working, then you would know to look closer at the PV.

 

[Microlon]

Your so right!!

Thanks....