Best battery charger

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Willf145

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I also have a LUC and is is a good charger. I don't know if the display is helpful or not but it is nice when I pop a battery in it that I can see what voltage it is at without using my multi meter.

It kind of verifies if my instinct was right when I pull a battery out of my mech.

I did/do use a meter to check if I am using a new/unfamiliar build but once I get the feel for a particular set up, i find my feel for a battery that needs changing is pretty good.

The LUC is kind of expensive for what it is however (seems to go for $30+ online). If I hadn't got a great deal on mine, I would have bought the VP1.

Yeah i like being able to see the voltage too i might look into one im the future yeah my local brick and mortar they always have great deals


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beckdg

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i'm going to have to respectfully disagree about the lipo sack being even considered as a safety precaution for lithium charging overnight inside a dwelling. i've vented (purposely) a 180mah (not 2000+ like many 18650 cells) lithium cell just inside the sliding glass door on a slightly windy day and couldn't get the toxic, sweet smell of reacted lithium paste out of an entire house for days. mind you, this cell was only near an open door way for seconds and the rest was vented outside on the concrete patio.

i could only imagine a 2000mah cell completely vented in a breathable pouch next to my bed. the toxic fumes would be near impossible to remove without scrubbing the entire house and everything in it.

for reference, removing tar, soot and smoke odors after fires was a big part of my former job. i was a job coordinator and foreman for a fire and water restoration company. i am a certified technician. i also have several "hobbies" that include using and pushing lithium cells of various chemistries to their limits and have vented and reconstructed cells and packs alike.
 

zoiDman

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i'm going to have to respectfully disagree about the lipo sack being even considered as a safety precaution for lithium charging overnight inside a dwelling. i've vented (purposely) a 180mah (not 2000+ like many 18650 cells) lithium cell just inside the sliding glass door on a slightly windy day and couldn't get the toxic, sweet smell of reacted lithium paste out of an entire house for days. mind you, this cell was only near an open door way for seconds and the rest was vented outside on the concrete patio.

i could only imagine a 2000mah cell completely vented in a breathable pouch next to my bed. the toxic fumes would be near impossible to remove without scrubbing the entire house and everything in it.

for reference, removing tar, soot and smoke odors after fires was a big part of my former job. i was a job coordinator and foreman for a fire and water restoration company. i am a certified technician. i also have several "hobbies" that include using and pushing lithium cells of various chemistries to their limits and have vented and reconstructed cells and packs alike.

Aside from the Smell, how did the Bag do for what it was intended to do... Prevent Fire from Spreading?
 

beckdg

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Aside from the Smell, how did the Bag do for what it was intended to do... Prevent Fire from Spreading?

i have never had a battery vent in a bag. just never happened to me. though, the quality of bags vary from completely useless to stops fires. however, no lipo bags stop toxic chemical fumes from freely escaping. in fact, they're designed purposely to allow the gases to escape so the bags don't become pressurized and pop rendering them useless and possibly more dangerous than the cell venting itself.

as an aside... it's also worth mentioning that in the event of a cell actually producing flame in a lipo sack, it's important to have the fold on the closure of the bag (on both sides) aimed at something that's flame ......ant. flames can definitely escape even the best lipo sacks from these 2 areas.

either way, needing a lipo sack in ones home at night is a bad idea. even if it stops flames, the fumes and residuals are toxic and a serious, serious PITA to remove... from anything.
 

zoiDman

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i have never had a battery vent in a bag. just never happened to me. though, the quality of bags vary from completely useless to stops fires. however, no lipo bags stop toxic chemical fumes from freely escaping. in fact, they're designed purposely to allow the gases to escape so the bags don't become pressurized and pop rendering them useless and possibly more dangerous than the cell venting itself.

as an aside... it's also worth mentioning that in the event of a cell actually producing flame in a lipo sack, it's important to have the fold on the closure of the bag (on both sides) aimed at something that's flame ......ant. flames can definitely escape even the best lipo sacks from these 2 areas.

either way, needing a lipo sack in ones home at night is a bad idea. even if it stops flames, the fumes and residuals are toxic and a serious, serious PITA to remove... from anything.

I just don't see someone Wanting to use a Lipo Sack as such a bad idea. How can an Extra Layer of Fire Protection be a Bad Idea?

Sure, it isn't going to stop Vented Gases/Fumes. But that Isn't what it is Designed to do. And I don't know of Anything that is.
 

beckdg

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I just don't see someone Wanting to use a Lipo Sack as such a bad idea. How can an Extra Layer of Fire Protection be a Bad Idea?

Sure, it isn't going to stop Vented Gases/Fumes. But that Isn't what it is Designed to do. And I don't know of Anything that is.

the above bolded false sense of security is one good example. wake up in a room full of lithium paste fumes and soot and you might wish it was a fire. the smoke is that harsh. you'd have to experience it and get a good lung full to understand, i guess.

lipo sacks... even the good ones... still have 2 escape routes for flames should they happen to be in a position to take the path. if you're sleeping when the cell vents, how are you going to know whether the cell throws flames and whether it escapes the sack you put it in?

it is wise and prudent just to not follow unsafe practices. better safe than sorry.

either way, it was just some words of wisdom spoken from experience. suffice it to say lithium cell venting fumes are harsh enough you want to be aware when you're faced with them so as to not expose yourself any longer than needed. if it is ones choice to forgo said experience, be my guest. though, i'd suggest until a person has inhaled the fumes personally, it'd be a good thing not to recommend such practices to someone considering such.

EDIT: please keep in mind, my "public service announcement" was in direct relation to finding a safe way to charge while a person is sleeping in direct correlation to venting cells. meaning... waking up to a vented cell in the room is bad regardless if there's a fire or not. i'm not suggesting that an extra layer of protection isn't helpful. i'm saying it's useless to add a layer of protection to forgo all safe practices.

for reference, the OP...

Hey guys i was loooking for a battery charger for sony 18650 vtc5s i want one that you can leave charging overnight like a automatic shutoff off mcdoohicker also i would prefer one for under 15$ im on a budget (a small one) ik you guys can help :) thanks


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if a person is going to charge while they sleep and don't want to risk battery venting related issues, the person should charge outside or in an unoccupied structure like a garage... somewhere fire proof like inside of a cinder block on a concrete floor away from anything hanging that could catch fire. adequate ventilation would be advisable also.
 
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zoiDman

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the above bolded false sense of security is one good example. wake up in a room full of lithium paste fumes and soot and you might wish it was a fire. the smoke is that harsh. you'd have to experience it and get a good lung full to understand, i guess.

lipo sacks... even the good ones... still have 2 escape routes for flames should they happen to be in a position to take the path. if you're sleeping when the cell vents, how are you going to know whether the cell throws flames and whether it escapes the sack you put it in?

it is wise and prudent just to not follow unsafe practices. better safe than sorry.

either way, it was just some words of wisdom spoken from experience. suffice it to say lithium cell venting fumes are harsh enough you want to be aware when you're faced with them so as to not expose yourself any longer than needed. if it is ones choice to forgo said experience, be my guest. though, i'd suggest until a person did, it'd be a good thing not to recommend such practices to someone considering such.

EDIT: please keep in mind, my "public service announcement" was in direct relation to finding a safe way to charge while a person is sleeping in direct correlation to venting cells. meaning... waking up to a vented cell in the room is bad regardless if there's a fire or not. i'm not suggesting that an extra layer of protection isn't helpful. i'm saying it's useless to add a layer of protection to forgo all safe practices.

OK... Sounds like you're are just Not in the Lipo Bag Camp.

So what do You suggest a Person should do if they want to Charge their Batteries Inside a House?
 

beckdg

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OK... Sounds like you're are just Not in the Lipo Bag Camp.

So what do You suggest a Person should do if they want to Charge their Batteries Inside a House?

do the same thing most everyone else does and/or suggests. stay conscious. add a lipo sack to that if you want. or don't. either way is fine by me. (see my edit to clarify)
 

beckdg

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Sounds good to Me.

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