Battery won't charge

[lelly]

The battery I am having troubles with is a AW IMR 18650 that is about 2 months old. I have 2 chargers (Ultrafire wf-139 and 188) and the battery won't charge in any of the slots in any of these chargers. It was working fine in my reo and the other battery I have charges fine so I think I can rule out the chargers. When I look at the top post it looks like I put on a bit too much noalox last time cause there is a thin layer of it caked and hardened on the top of the battery and won't come off. I tried scraping it off with my nail, wiping it with a dry cloth, and using a plastic sponge and it doesn't come off. I don't want to use anything liquid to clean it. Even with all that stuff on the post, it still works in my reo. Any ideas on how to clean it or why else it wouldn't be working?

 

[bjannr]

Is it the Noalox, or did the battery leak?

 

[mlinky]

It sounds like your battery leaked. Noalox would come off easily. Do you have a multimeter?

Also, did you experience a short? Is your battery spring still normal? Is there any sign of melting on the plastic button?

 

[Mudflap]

It should have lasted longer than that, but I'd say you've done enough trouble shooting. I would chalk it up as a fluke and toss it.

 

[lelly]

I think it is just noalox with maybe some dirt/dust mixed in that is cooked on. I don't think the battery leaked cause the only place I can see it is in the middle of the post where the pin makes contact. As far as I know I didn't have a short, everything on my reo looks OK, no signs of melting or anything like that. I thought I had a multimeter at some point, I guess I will have to dig it out and figure out how to use it. If the battery isn't charged isn't it kind of useless to test it?

 

[Rhapsodies Fire]

Try a q-tip with some Isopropyl Alcohol

 

[dopeh]

If the battery isn't charged isn't it kind of useless to test it?

Unlikely it's Noalox if it's caked on and won't come off. The MM will give you a reading, might not be in the normal range, but it'll tell you what's going on. Pretty sure it's just a bad batt.

 

[mlinky]

The multimeter will tell you if it is in the normal range (3.5 - 4.2) If it's not, toss it.

 

[Pipeous]

a smart charger won't charge a lipo if the cel has been discharged below the "safe" limit. while not advised as a safe practice, I have revived some of my over discharged lipos (I use them in rc for everything) by tossing them on my multi charger on a nmh setting for a few seconds to zap some voltage in to get them over the too low threshold. charging in the wrong mode is not a safe thing to do mind you and not advised, but I have done this on multiple occassions