Battery question

[oplholik]

I've noticed lately that my charged batteries are losing voltage while resting for awhile. Granted some of my batteries are 3-4 years old, and that could be the problem with those, but my newer batteries are doing the same thing. I'm wondering if I ought to get rid of the older ones so as to cycle the newer ones more often. I have so many batteries, they get quite a bit of rest time between uses. I use authentic AW, Sony, and LG batteries purchased from RTD.

 

[SteveS45]

How much voltage are the losing? Maybe @Mooch can answer your question properly.

 

[stols001]

I have the same issue with some of my batteries. I didn't even start charging some, they are resting quietly, aging, I kind of wish I hadn't gotten a couple sets.... I try hard to rotate but it's challenging at times. They will lose charge over time, and you want to make sure they're not getting to 0. If I'd known more about it at the time, I might not have gotten say, 4. With that said, thankfully they're not that expensive.

If you have this worry, I'd probably lose the older ones and just start using the newer ones if you see a noticeable difference.

Anna

 

[oplholik]

Yeah, I'm now culling out the older ones.
They charge anywhere from 4.18 to 4.21. When I take one out to use, depending on the battery, it'll be 4.11 to 4.17.

 

[Mooch]

Yeah, I'm now culling out the older ones.
They charge anywhere from 4.18 to 4.21. When I take one out to use, depending on the battery, it'll be 4.11 to 4.17.

The drop after charging varies. It depends on when the charger turns off, the battery, and the battery's age and condition.

4.15V after 24 hours is typically not an issue. Lower than that might, maybe, perhaps indicate an increase in the self-discharge rate. This can be due to wear and tear or calendar aging.

Replace when their performance drop pisses you off too much or if they start running hotter than usual.

 

[DaveP]

For me a slight drop in vape time or a "fully charged" battery that starts to charge again because it's dropped a fraction of a volt when you put it in the charger to check it isn't that much of a concern. Excessive internal resistance is probably a cause for slight voltage drop.

What does matter to me is whether vape time is dropping considerably. If I used to vape for 6 or 8 hours on a battery that now goes dead at 3 or 4 hours it's worth putting a mark on it that tells you it's not up to new battery condition. Those I use around the house where I can swap easily. i don't take them when i'm going to be gone all day.

 

[Mr. Relentless]

What's telling you they are dropping. Charger mod or both.

 

[oplholik]

My digital voltage checker. They come off the charger at 4.0 - 4.2v, I check when I install a battery. This battery is 10 months old and it is on the way down from 4.0-4.2 after a 1 to 1-1/2 weeks rest.

 

[Mr. Relentless]

Most my experience is with lipo batteries. And with those you never store fully charged or empty. You usually store at 3.7 3.8 and they will slowly drop. And most lipos stored for a year will be totally dead. Not to sure about lithium ion but assuming they share a drain characteristic.

 

[Mr. Relentless]

Here you go

Elevating Self-discharge - Battery University

 

[oplholik]

I've begun to do a little test on all my batteries, to see which ones I want to get rid of. I'm checking each battery every two days over a 1 to 1-1/2 week period to see which drops off the most while sitting.

 

[Barkuti]

Sorry to say my dears but keeping li-ion chemistries fully charged causes undue stress on the batteries.
Since most commercial battery chargers are set to charge cells fully without giving the user an option to fine tune the maximum charge voltage, the only reasonable alternative I see is to fully charge batteries just before use, and let them rest as they come out used from whatever device or with just a brief post-usage fast charge if too drained.
You can also rig yourself up with some modified charger with selectable lower voltages, DIY a proper fully adjustable one, etc.
If, for example, a dual cell regulated mod is enough for you but instead you acquire a triple cell one and restrict maximum charge voltage to 14/15 of max (3.92V for 4.2V cells), the useable energy will at least be equal and the battery pack stress so much lower you can expect at least quadruple life for your (50% bigger) set of cells.
In any case, cell nannying is required if you aim to some sort of cycle life advantage, something which comes at a cost.

Cheers

 

[oplholik]

Well after running my little tests for a bit, I'm coming to the conclusion that my 2500mAh LG batteries don't hold up over time a well as the Samsung, Sony, and AW's do. I'm having to dump all my LG's that are not as old as my other batteries. This is just from what I'm seeing. YMMV.

 

[RSZ1]

Well after running my little tests for a bit, I'm coming to the conclusion that my 2500mAh LG batteries don't hold up over time a well as the Samsung, Sony, and AW's do. I'm having to dump all my LG's that are not as old as my other batteries. This is just from what I'm seeing. YMMV.

You know that LG stands for Lousy Garbage?

 

[stols001]

I have no LGs and I am not ashamed to state that it's due to their fugly brown color.... It's just gross. Sounds like I was using my intuitive psychic powers again, LOL.

Anna

 

[Walter_Sobchak]

I have no LGs and I am not ashamed to state that it's due to their fugly brown color.... It's just gross. Sounds like I was using my intuitive psychic powers again, LOL.

Anna

LOL. That ranks up there with my wife predicting which team will win a football game based on which uniforms she likes

 

[zoiDman]

Well after running my little tests for a bit, I'm coming to the conclusion that my 2500mAh LG batteries don't hold up over time a well as the Samsung, Sony, and AW's do. I'm having to dump all my LG's that are not as old as my other batteries. This is just from what I'm seeing. YMMV.

I hope when you say "Dump" you don't mean that you are going to Toss Out those 18650's?

I wouldn't Toss them, I would just get an eL Cheap-O brand Flashlight like this for them.

10000Lumens Flashlight XM-L T6 Zoomable Tactical military LED 18650 Torch Lamp | eBay

 

[Barkuti]

…
I wouldn't Toss them, I would just get an eL Cheap-O brand Flashlight like this for them.

10000Lumens Flashlight XM-L T6 Zoomable Tactical military LED 18650 Torch Lamp | eBay

You may have heard Mooch saying this sometimes: DO NOT BUY!
I have quite some experience in the flashlight field already, and that is sort of like buying a cheap cell with a flamboyant wrap inscription. You may already know the figures are exaggerated, but the reality is ludicrously much worse.
I can make some nice budget flashlight recommendations if you will, there's some good stuff under $15 and if you go up to $20 you can even get some high-CRI torches and powerful throwers. Lower than $10 is starting to ask for trouble.

Cheers

 

[zoiDman]

You may have heard Mooch saying this sometimes: DO NOT BUY!
I have quite some experience in the flashlight field already, and that is sort of like buying a cheap cell with a flamboyant wrap inscription. You may already know the figures are exaggerated, but the reality is ludicrously much worse.
I can make some nice budget flashlight recommendations if you will, there's some good stuff under $15 and if you go up to $20 you can even get some high-CRI torches and powerful throwers. Lower than $10 is starting to ask for trouble.

Cheers

I've actually have bought Quite a few of those Flashlight. Got one at the Back Door, one in my Roll-Away in the Garage, got one in the Glove Box, and have a Few that just seem to Randomly Float Around with no home. Probably have 1 or 2 I can't even find anymore.

Sure, the Lumens is Outrageously Overstated. Sometimes I replace the Driver/Emitter with a Better one. Sometimes I don't.

 

[Rossum]

Sure, the Lumens is Outrageously Overstated.

By an order of magnitude or more.