Battery charger: I need to know if these batteries have charged correctly...

[Dan_V]

I have 4 Molicell 18650 / 2,800 mAh Li-ion batteries in my charger. This Xtar VC4 charger shows display readout for channels 1 & 4 / 2 & 3 respectively. The middle button toggles readout between the two sets of channels.

These batteries are all the same: 2,800 (P28 I think).

Note: I always use my batteries in pairs in my dual battery mods, from new, and am very careful not to mix them up, either in the mods or when charging.

The readout is telling me the one set is charged to a higher mAh than the other set. Please see the pictures for more detail...

I want to know if this is okay or something I should be worried about.

 

[BillW50]

It could be that one pair was discharged more than the other pair. That would explain the difference. Draining batteries down to 3.0v before charging will give you a reliable capacity reading.

Or one pair has been recharged more often than the other pair. As cells drop in capacity and can loose 40% or more after say 500 recharges. They also loose capacity the older they get too. Usually it starts 2 to 3 years after being manufactured.

If the low capacity pair always reads low no matter in which mod you use them in. Then it might be time to replace them or not. You can still use them if you like. But most of their life is gone.

SIDE NOTE: Those XTAR VC4 chargers are great little reliable chargers. I have two I bought back in 2015 that are still working just fine. Using a VC4 right now in fact. Their VC4S and VC4SL chargers only read half of the true capacity for some reason. Their VX4 also reads capacity accurately (so far) like the VC4.

EDIT: grammar

 

[zoiDman]

...

The readout is telling me the one set is charged to a higher mAh than the other set. Please see the pictures for more detail...

I want to know if this is okay or something I should be worried about.

It all seams Reasonable to me. It just tells Me that One Pair was slight more Discharged that the other pair when you Charged them.

BTW - I also have a VC4 Charger. I've had it Soooo Looong, I Can't even remember when I bought it. It just keeps cranking along.