Charging batteries in a car?

[Conner85]

I didn't know where to post this. So if it needs to be moved, please move it to the right section.

I have an Efest Smart Charger with a USB cable that can charge 18350 and 18650 batteries. I've heard that charging your batteries in certain cars can be dangerous because of unregulated power or something like that. Does anyone have any experience with this? I drive a 2014.5 Camry if that means anything.

 

[DavidOck]

Not all adapters are equal. Some of the ones that convert the car's 12 VDC to 5 don't do a good job at regulating, and can cause problems. That said, if you get one that provides a solid and smooth 5VDC, it's not a problem. But do NOT charge them unattended!

When traveling, I use a small but good quality inverter, which gives me 120VAC from my power outlet on the dash. The plug my regular 110 to 5 VDC adapter into that. My inverter is fairly old, and many of the newer ones have the necessary 5 volt port for charging as well as 120 volt outlets, so if going that route, that would be something to look for.

 

[Conner85]

Here's what it looks like

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd123/Conner85/Mobile Uploads/image-2.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd123/Conner85/Mobile Uploads/image-1.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd123/Conner85/Mobile Uploads/image.jpg

 

[EBates]

Charging while in the car is fine as long as your battery charger was provided with a cable that for use in a car. Inverters are only necessary if you need to convert DC volts (car electrics) to AC volts (house electrics).
Do Not Charge batteries In The House Or Car Unattended. Bad things can happen. Be Safe

 

[beckdg]

All you need is a $5 cord...

http://m.ebay.com/itm/like/201043873792?lpid=82&chn=ps

Tapatyped

 

[somdcomputerguy]

I use a small but good quality inverter, which gives me 120VAC from my power outlet on the dash. The plug my regular 110 to 5 VDC adapter into that.

I do just that in my car also. I recently purchased a 12VDC to USB converter, and I'm going to plug that in and watch with a meter for a while before I'll use it to actually charge a battery.

I know this has been said in just about every post in this thread, and hundreds of times at that in many other threads, but make sure to not leave charging batteries unattended, AC or DC, in your car or your home! Actually, anybodies car or home for that matter..

 

[maxd]

...some cars might have full USB as well ...

 

[slinco]

...some cars might have full USB as well ...

My F150 has USB ports but they shut off when ignition is off. I rather like it that way as I do want to leave anything charging in my truck while unattended.

 

[Conner85]

I haven't tried charging in the car yet, but I do have USB. And it shuts off when the car shuts off. Would the cable I already have work?

 

[duc916]

I use a Nitecore Intellicharger i4 in the car. It has a 12V jack and includes a 12V cigarette lighter adapter, so it's designed from the ground up to do this. No need for an inverter.

 

[Rickajho]

All you need is a $5 cord...

Nitecore 12V DC Car Charger for Nitecore I2 I4 D2 D4 Car Charging Cable Adaptor | eBay

Tapatyped

Not really. That cord is probably... just a cord. As David was trying to point out 12 volt convenience outlets or cigarette lighter outlets are not voltage regulated. If you just use an unregulated cord - or a cheap car to USB adapter depending on the situation - you don't always get what you want from a car electrical system. Might be closer to 14 volts at some times, with a cheap USB adapter might be 5 volts - or closer to 7.5 volts. Or any place in between.

Unregulated adapters and cords used in cars have been the source of more than one battery meltdown - not just with e-cigs but cell phones and tablets as well. If you use an unregulated adapter or cord you are putting "faith" in your charger or other device that it regulates voltage internally and many devices don't.

 

[duc916]

you are putting "faith" in your charger or other device that it regulates voltage internally and many devices don't.

Well, any charger with a 12V input is going to have to regulate it. That's kind of a given. They're not charging with 12V. They're charging with 4.2V. Therefore, they're regulated. Converting 120VAC to 4.2VDC is not questioned, why should it be questioned for 12V?

Which devices are you referring to?

 

[Dampmaskin]

I think their point is that the electrical systems in cars are notorious for putting out overvoltage.

With 120 or 240 VAC, we're talking a few percent deviation. In car 12V systems, we can easily have 10 or 20 percents, or maybe even more.

Devices with 12V inputs should be able to handle that. But are they? IDK. I guess that might depend on whether they're designed to get their 12V from wall warts, or from cars.

A quality charger should be able to handle such deviations anyway, of course. But sometimes there's a long way from "should" to "is".

 

[beckdg]

My F150 has USB ports but they shut off when ignition is off. I rather like it that way as I do want to leave anything charging in my truck while unattended.

Be careful with that. Un powered chargers leak current out of batteries slowly. Best to remove the battery from the charger when it's not powered.

Tapatyped

 

[beckdg]

Not really. That cord is probably... just a cord. As David was trying to point out 12 volt convenience outlets or cigarette lighter outlets are not voltage regulated. If you just use an unregulated cord - or a cheap car to USB adapter depending on the situation - you don't always get what you want from a car electrical system. Might be closer to 14 volts at some times, with a cheap USB adapter might be 5 volts - or closer to 7.5 volts. Or any place in between.

Unregulated adapters and cords used in cars have been the source of more than one battery meltdown - not just with e-cigs but cell phones and tablets as well. If you use an unregulated adapter or cord you are putting "faith" in your charger or other device that it regulates voltage internally and many devices don't.

His charger has a 12v input for a 4.2v terminal voltage output. It does have a voltage regulator. Period.

If your vehicle convenience outputs aren't putting out 13.5v to 14v, it's time to load test your battery and check your alternator output. Something is wrong and you may be left stranded soon.

That Cord (yes... just a cord) is exactly what will work with his charger.

Tapatyped

 

[beckdg]

A little information about 12v dc to ac power inverters...

They're unreliable unless they're expensive.

When they fail they can and will throw over voltage, skin voltage (forgetting the term currently), bad frequencies and/or just fail or create excess heat.

A vehicles electrical system is very unlikely to do much but not produce enough in the event of failure.

Most power inverters are going to throw a square wave or a stepped square wave. All electronics sold for use in the US and most other countries are made to take a sin wave. A square wave or stepped square damages most electronics by providing pulses at the different voltage levels instead of a smooth transition.

Not to mention who wants to deal with the added bulky device that's no more than a potential fail point?

Best practice is simply to not leave lithium batteries in a car... on the charger or not.

Tapatyped

 

[beckdg]

Another option. .. http://mobile.walmart.com/ip/265455...80742032&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=78808735592&veh=sem