Battery chargers are messing with my mind

[mikea]

I have several AC chargers for the 510. Yesterday I started noticing some odd behavior that I can't figure out and am hoping someone here will have advice...

I started charging two batteries, both of which had (so I thought) about the same amount of "juice" left in them. On one charger, the light went from red to green in about an hour. With the other, it stayed red. I left it there another half-hour. Still red. I took that second battery out of the charger, put it into the other charger -- and the light went green at once.

I set both of those chargers aside and put the same battery into a third charger. Red light again. It stayed red and never did go green.

Ok, what might I have here? Two defective chargers? Or is it that the one turning green right away is defective? Or is the battery possibly defective?

I would like to get to the bottom of this if I can. Sometimes I read messages in the forums in which people talk about using multimeters to test battery equipment. I don't know anything about how to evaluate (for purchase) or use multimeters. How might I go about finding out more? Can you use that kind of gear determine when a battery has reached full charge? How do you know what "full charge" is? (I use only "megabatteries" from Totally Wicked.)

Can multimeters also be used to check chargers directly? (And, do multimeters cost a small fortune? Well, some do. I saw a Fluke multimeter online for $350. And that was the cheap one. Then again there are Radio Shack multimeters for $20. In recent years I haven't been all that thrilled with Radio Shack products -- but what of meters there? I see them offered in a number of "ranges". Dunno yet what that means. What kind of "range" is desirable for this purpose?

Any pointers much appreciated...

 

[enadrown]

I had that problem with my charger once, but it was also like running my battery onto sandpaper it had something on the threads, it sounds pretty primitive instead of cleaning the threads with it my husdand poked at the adapter for a min and then it started working, lol. try cleaning the threads and or poking it with something sharp for a min to get it loosened up?

 

[Richie G]

Mikea:

...Can multimeters also be used to check chargers directly? (And, do multimeters cost a small fortune? Well, some do. I saw a Fluke multimeter online for $350. And that was the cheap one. Then again there are Radio Shack multimeters for $20. In recent years I haven't been all that thrilled with Radio Shack products -- but what of meters there? I see them offered in a number of "ranges". Dunno yet what that means. What kind of "range" is desirable for this purpose?...

>

I use a Fluke meter because I have one. Nobody needs a Fluke for their PV maintenance. That's like driving a Porsche through a 15 MPH school zone. <g>

Yes, you can use a meter to measure the output voltage of a battery charger. It's a good quick test to see if the charger is operating correctly. I check mine under load -- IOW, with a battery already charging on it.

Check for sales on a multimeter at Sears. I've seen a very good Craftsman digital multi-meter for around $25 when they run a sale. And, you can always return a defective Craftsman item, usually sans a problem.

Keep in mind though... a battery can be charged to its maximum voltage (4.2-ish) and appear to be properly charged. Under load, however, it may drain faster than normal if it's FTD (fixing to die). A meter will give you clues to a problem but there are other variables.

 

[mikea]

Hi,

Thanks to you and enadrown for your replies. Do you know if there are any forum posts that show just how to use a multimeter correctly for these purposes (photos and so forth). I know nothing about that kind of equipment yet. I'm sure there must be plenty of ways to use it incorrectly.

When a battery is attached to the charger -- say, a screw-in charger like the AC chargers made for 510 batteries -- how do you measure the output when all of the contacts -- the threads -- are all connected together and not exposed?

Mikea:

...Can multimeters also be used to check chargers directly? (And, do multimeters cost a small fortune? Well, some do. I saw a Fluke multimeter online for $350. And that was the cheap one. Then again there are Radio Shack multimeters for $20. In recent years I haven't been all that thrilled with Radio Shack products -- but what of meters there? I see them offered in a number of "ranges". Dunno yet what that means. What kind of "range" is desirable for this purpose?...

>

I use a Fluke meter because I have one. Nobody needs a Fluke for their PV maintenance. That's like driving a Porsche through a 15 MPH school zone. <g>

Yes, you can use a meter to measure the output voltage of a battery charger. It's a good quick test to see if the charger is operating correctly. I check mine under load -- IOW, with a battery already charging on it.

Check for sales on a multimeter at Sears. I've seen a very good Craftsman digital multi-meter for around $25 when they run a sale. And, you can always return a defective Craftsman item, usually sans a problem.

Keep in mind though... a battery can be charged to its maximum voltage (4.2-ish) and appear to be properly charged. Under load, however, it may drain faster than normal if it's FTD (fixing to die). A meter will give you clues to a problem but there are other variables.

 

[Darmeen]

Check out this thread that has a pdf which includes information on how to use a multimeter...

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...7-ecf-troubleshooting-guide-revision-3-a.html

 

[mikea]

Thanks. That helps.

Now to figure out what's going on with these batteries and/or chargers. They just aren't consistent. My usual complaint: "There's got to be a better way to charge batteries than these low-quality-control chargers," but of course since they make them with proprietary threads one major answer is: use a battery mod. Not compact like e-cig batteries, that's for sure...

Check out this thread that has a pdf which includes information on how to use a multimeter...

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...7-ecf-troubleshooting-guide-revision-3-a.html

 

[mikea]

There's that other approach, of course: stop using conventional e-cigs and use battery mods if you can live with the obvious greater bulkiness. I've tried a couple of different mods and I certainly appreciate being free of proprietary e-cig batteries, especially considering charger problems.

But -- is there yet another approach? Meaning: is there some other way to charge e-cig batteries with their proprietary threads -- some way other than the overpriced and not always very well made chargers sold by the manufacturers? Have any modders designed more solid, reliable, and safe charging gear?