Battery charging question

[nuclearbroccoli]

Not sure if this is in the right section.. if it isn't I apologize.

Anyhow, my starter kit just arrived this morning (510), and I'd like to switch to it asap. However, I know the batteries need an 8 hour charge first, followed by use, followed by another hour of charging. I only have one charger, and I have to head off to work, so this is my plan..
I'm thinking that I can plug one battery into the wall charger before I head to work, and plug the other into my pcc. Use both for a bit when I get home, then put each back on the charger for another hour.

I'm wondering though, if the pcc will charge it fast enough being that it's the first charge. Anyone know if this is a good way to charge the battery for the first time, or whether it would be better to charge the second battery overnight without the pcc?

 

[zerominusone]

I have KR808D-1 batteries and pcc and the pcc takes longer to charge a batt than the USB does so I would suggest you use the wall plug to charge it the first time because it won't take as long. But the PCCs were made for charging so it won't hurt it, but you might have to recharge your pcc before it gets done filling your battery. You can do both at once (PCC and batt charging).

 

[chuffin']

The PCC will most likely detect a "full battery" and turn itself off before the 8 hour recommended charge is complete! Use a USB charger for your first charge

 

[Baldr]

I think you can start using one of the batteries right away.

Batteries come with a partial charge. They usually tell us "They have an 80% charge" or similar.

My guess is that when they are new, they give them a full charge. Then they get boxed up, they sit in a warehouse or on a shelf or whatever, so they lose part of the charge, and that's how they come up with the stock "80% charged" response.

When I bought my ego, at a brick and mortar store, I used one of the batteries right away, no charging at all. I left the store using it, then took it when I went dancing. It didn't see a charger for several hours after I bought it, and it worked fine.

As to the "you should keep one battery on a charger all the time", from what I've read, there is a chance (a very low chance) of a battery exploding or causing a fire if you do that. I only charge my batteries when I'm home and awake. Once the light turns green, I take it off the charger.

 

[chuffin']

That is best.

Lithium ion chargers contain circuitry to make them stop charging when the battery is full, but this should not be relied upon. You do not "trickle charge" modern PV batteries.

When its done charging, take it off the charger

Before you put a battery into storage, make sure its not too full and not too empty. They get damaged by being stored too full up. Use 1/4 of the battery before "putting it away"

When you first get it, charge it up before you use it to give the best long-term lifespan.

 

[x-smok3]

That is best.

Lithium ion chargers contain circuitry to make them stop charging when the battery is full, but this should not be relied upon. You do not "trickle charge" modern PV batteries.

When its done charging, take it off the charger

Before you put a battery into storage, make sure its not too full and not too empty. They get damaged by being stored too full up. Use 1/4 of the battery before "putting it away"

When you first get it, charge it up before you use it to give the best long-term lifespan.

I was actually going to post a related question thread when I found this one. I hope I am not breaking etiquette by posting in this thread. If, as you said, the LI ion chargers make them stop charging when they are full; what advantage is there to a first charge of 8 hours? I have seen this on most batteries but I don't really understand what this actually does for your battery.

 

[nuclearbroccoli]

What I ended up doing was this:

Day 1: Battery X went into PCC, battery Y was used. When Y died, I swapped it into the PCC and used X.
When I was done with it for the day, Y stayed in the PCC while it charged, and X got charged with the wall charger overnight.
Day 2: Y was moved to the wall charger while I was using X. When X died, I swapped it for Y. X went into the PCC overnight, and Y stayed in the PCC overnight.
Day 3: Both X and Y seemed to be well charged, and I just swapped them in and out of the PCC during the day as needed, and use the PCC and the wall charger to charge both fully overnight.
Day 4: Everything working well. Can pretty much assume that the 8 hour charge on the wall charger is probably not 100% necessary, but it couldn't hurt.

 

[chuffin']

I was actually going to post a related question thread when I found this one. I hope I am not breaking etiquette by posting in this thread. If, as you said, the LI ion chargers make them stop charging when they are full; what advantage is there to a first charge of 8 hours? I have seen this on most batteries but I don't really understand what this actually does for your battery.

I believe the first time a Li-ion battery is charged, the cells accept their new condition and the voltage falls off over the course of a few hours, as the cell stabilises. The charger will frequently send a pulse of power to the battery over the length of an initial charge. This is not something that occurs with a used cell.

Basically, the first time you charge up a lithium ion battery pack it doesn't hold its voltage at 100% until you have force-fed it for several hours. It's just a chemical reaction that needs to settle.

 

[GIMike]

The new batteries used in ecigs these days aren't really subject to all that stuff that old batteries were. Kinda like a cell phone. You don't have to fully charge it before you use it and then make sure that you use it until it is dead before you charge it again. Same thing for ecigs. Older batteries had a "memory" that you had to worry about. Not the case with newer style batts, at least not to my knowledge. I will say I believe it has now become an "old wives tale" in relation to new batteries as I've never followed that rule on any of my batts and they're all working just fine They charge up properly and have lasted as long as everybody else is reporting them to. Been going for several months now with no issues.

 

[chuffin']

Memory effect is specific to Ni-Cad batteries!

Never totally discharge a Li-ion battery if you can help it, it ruins them!

 

[GIMike]

Never totally discharge a Li-ion battery if you can help it, it ruins them!

Mine dies on me almost every day. Not much I can do about it. Genuine egos with the PCM will run the same as they do fresh off the charge right up until they're dead.....never had any issues in 7 months so far...

 

[markfm]

On the standard modern "proprietary" batteries -- e.g., 510, 808, eGo/Riva -- you're okay to use them right off, as they're modern Lithium batteries with the PV having circuitry that will prevent you from over-discharging them. There's no need for an initial charge, or a top-off at one hour of use. If it vapes, it's okay to use.

I'll leave things on for a half hour or so after they indicate charged.

 

[Reanimator]

As others have stated, the batteries come charged at least 75-80%. When I received my Blu packs, We used one batt and put the other on usb charge. Both PCCs were hooked to AC. After the first one died from immed use, I started to cycle the batteries (the usb charged in a few minutes). Found that the 510 generally charged in 40-50 minutes, the PCC about 1 1/2 hrs.
My biggest problem was that the 510 died REAL FAST. Ended up switching to RN4081 (the batteries came the same way, and I used the same cycle), biggest diff is batteries last maybe 40-50% longer. Both sets of batteries charged using the same cycle.

 

[Rimau]

as quoted by: Basic to Advanced Battery Information from Battery University

Lithium-ion is a very clean system and does not need formatting when new, nor does it require the level of maintenance that nickel-based batteries do. The first charge is no different than the fifth or the 50th. Formatting makes little difference because the maximum capacity is available right from the beginning. Nor does a full discharge improve the capacity once faded. In most cases, a low capacity signals the end of life. A discharge/charge may be beneficial for calibrating a “smart” battery, but this service only addresses the digital part of the pack and does nothing to improve the electrochemical battery. Instructions to charge a new battery for eight hours are seen as “old school” from the nickel battery days.

They have tons of batt info.

Hope this helps

Saludos