Battery charger killing batteries?

[SirPluto]

In the last two weeks I've started having problems with my batteries. I'm not sure if its my charger or my buzz pro, but batteries are dropping dead left and right. Right now i'm using CR123 batteries. One set is made by ultrafire(1.5 months old), one set by powerizer(1.5 months old), and one set of GTL that were just bought last week. Here is the problem that I am having, and it all started about two weeks ago. It first happened with my ultrafire batteries. My buzz had indicated that the batteries were dead after having used them all day. So I threw them on the charger. The light on the charger lit up red like it always does, and the next morning the light was green. I went to put them in my buzz and nothing. I put them on my battery voltage tester and it indicated that neither battery had any charge at all. I put them back on the charger and the light showed green(indicating they were all charged up.) I threw them in my drawer and went and bought the new set of batteries. Well on monday of this week my powerizer batteries did the same exact thing. Green light, and no voltage. Yesterday for some reason my ultrafire batteries decided to start taking a charge again. So now I'm back up to 2 sets. Well this morning low and behold my week old batteries are dead as a door nail.


AG-126 Lithium Ion Battery Charger

This is the charger I have been using. I've had it for almost a year and it has always charged my batteries without a problem. Before I was using ultra fire 18650 batteries and they are both alive and well after almost a year.

I wonder also if it may be my buzz pro thats killing the batteries but don't know why it would show them as charging if they were already dead. I've been switching back and forth between CE2, CE3, and double coil cartomizers. I know people were saying they were having trouble with the CE3s and batteries, but I thought that was limited to eGO batteries (atleast from what I read.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm back to using my old silver bullet while my 1 surviving set of batteries is charging.

 

[Switched]

If they are 3V batteries then yes you are killing them with that charger as you are over charging them. They are coming off the charger at 4.2 vice 3.6V

 

[WillyB]

Check your cells like Switched said. If the say 3 or 3.2V you are cooking them and they are wrong for regulated PVs anyway.

A cheap meter would go a long way in troubleshooting. A local HarborFreight has cheap ones, or grab one from here.

AC/DC Professional Digital Multimeter Tester Checker | eBay

It does kinda sound like a bad charger.

up red like it always does, and the next morning the light was green. I went to put them in my buzz and nothing

With the meter you'd be able to quickly determine if the cell took a charge, it shoulf be ~4.2V.

Yesterday for some reason my ultrafire batteries decided to start taking a charge again.

If the protection circuit has tripped the cell will read NO volts and will be rejected by the charger. They usually re-set in a short while and then can be charged.

 

[SirPluto]

Ok, So the batteries I'm using all say that they are 3.7v on the side. Also I have a voltmeter and the batteries show .1-.2 volts after coming off the charger. I took one set of batteries back to the store that I bought them at and they exchanged them for a new pair. The new pair only lasted 3 days. So I'm gunna grab another charger and hope this fixes the problem.

 

[WillyB]

Ok, So the batteries I'm using all say that they are 3.7v on the side. Also I have a voltmeter and the batteries show .1-.2 volts after coming off the charger. I took one set of batteries back to the store that I bought them at and they exchanged them for a new pair. The new pair only lasted 3 days. So I'm gunna grab another charger and hope this fixes the problem.

That's a typo? You mean 4.2V?

Did you also check the volts, of both, when you pulled them from your PV for charging?

You got a link, or exact name/brand of the cells you are using?

 

[Switched]

Re-reading OP are they cr123 or RCR123 big difference. One is rechargeable one is not R stands for rechargeable.

 

[SirPluto]

Sorry yeah they are rcr123. One set is powerizer, one set is GTL, and one set of trust fires. No that is not a typo, when they come off the charger they have absolutely no charge at all.

 

[Switched]

Never heard of the other 2 brands, outside trustfire.

 

[SirPluto]

Yeah I'm starting to think they were just crappy batteries. Went with a couple pairs of AW rcr123a. They should be here on friday. Will probably be investing in a new charger here shortly as well.