Help with batteries please

[Maxwell_Edison]

I sent my son to radio shack to grab a couple rcr123a 3 volt batts for my first mod. He came home with 2 enercell cr123 3v 1400mAh batteries ($20). I thought I'd be able to charge them with my Trustfire TR-001 charger, but they got pretty hot after 10 minutes and I pulled them off (but what would happen if I tried to charge them anyeway?). I think I need to buy a 3 volt charger. All I can find are chargers for 900mAh 3v, so wondered if I bought one if I could charge these 3v 1400mah battery using a 900mah charger (The site said 750 mah Tenergy charger would not work on 900mah cr123a's batteries, else I'd have just went ahead and bought it). The only other charger for crc123a on MadVapes is Haoba rcr123a 3 volt Battery Kit, which I don't think will work for me. I feel now I want to use the $20 enercell batts. The out of stock charger for these batts have bad reviews, but I'd buy one if it charged 1400mah. Does it even make a difference? I have fallen for my 6 volt hit and need to get these batteries charged back up!! Can anyone help me please? I don't know anything about mah and technical stuff. I just want to buy a charger for these batts and google can't even help me. Arghh! THNX!!!

 

[hoogie76]

hi maxwell, 3 volt batteries are really a stange beast.. Bottom line there are at least 3 versions:

cr123, 1200-1400 mah.. typically not rechargeable.

rcr123, usually LiFeP04 and native 3 volts (3.4 with a full charge), require a 3 volt charger, the green charger we have and the haoba charger will work with these.

16340/rcr123A these are really a li-ion 4.2 volt battery with the outpuat regulated down to 3 volts. These will usually charge on any li-ion charger.

without the 'R' at the start of the cell, they usually can't be recharged and are single use. This is what you usually see at radio shack and batteries plus and places like that. Thier main use for the non-rechargables is usually cameras. They're a good battery but limited in output current due to the cel chemistry..

hoog

 

[six]

Wrong charger and you're risking explosion/fire if those batts don't have overcharge protection. The Trustfire TR-001 is a 3.7v charger (4.2v at 500 mah output), and is pretty far out of spec for a 3.0v batt. I'm not completely familiar with your batts, but the picture and description on radio shack's website makes me think you have non-protected lithium batteries. You shouldn't use them if that's the case.

 

[Maxwell_Edison]

well crap, i hope they let me return them. LiFeP04 here I come, thank you for your help!!!

 

[Maxwell_Edison]

Wrong charger and you're risking explosion/fire if those batts don't have overcharge protection. The Trustfire TR-001 is a 3.7v charger (4.2v at 500 mah output), and is pretty far out of spec for a 3.0v batt. I'm not completely familiar with your batts, but the picture and description on radio shack's website makes me think you have non-protected lithium batteries. You shouldn't use them if that's the case.

Do you mean not to charge them, or not use them in my mod? They are not protected batts. The hit is really nice, but I don't want to see them explode in the PV, is that possible?

 

[six]

Both. They are not rechargeable and they are not protected. Don't use them.

 

[Maxwell_Edison]

Both. They are not rechargeable and they are not protected. Don't use them.

OK, thanks. Bummer, but but will get the right batts and try again.

 

[skydragon]

hi maxwell, 3 volt batteries are really a stange beast.. Bottom line there are at least 3 versions:

cr123, 1200-1400 mah.. typically not rechargeable.

rcr123, usually LiFeP04 and native 3 volts (3.4 with a full charge), require a 3 volt charger, the green charger we have and the haoba charger will work with these.

16340/rcr123A these are really a li-ion 4.2 volt battery with the outpuat regulated down to 3 volts. These will usually charge on any li-ion charger.

without the 'R' at the start of the cell, they usually can't be recharged and are single use. This is what you usually see at radio shack and batteries plus and places like that. Thier main use for the non-rechargables is usually cameras. They're a good battery but limited in output current due to the cel chemistry..

hoog

I don't mean to hijack the Op's thread but read the bolded part and hope I can get an answer. Since you said the 16340's are regulated down to 3 volts, are you saying that the 16340's won't give out 3.7 volts? If that is the case and I need to use a 16340 size what could I use that will actually put out 3.7 volts? Thanks.

 

[six]

Some 16340s are 3.0v and some 16340s are 3.7v. This one is 3.7

 

[skydragon]

Some 16340s are 3.0v and some 16340s are 3.7v. This one is 3.7

Thank you six.

 

[Maxwell_Edison]

Which is the best for a mod. LiFeP04 or Li-ion? (16340 3 volt)

 

[six]

For 3.0v batts, the LiFeP04 would get my vote. I'll take safe chemistry over protection circuit any day when pushing a lot of amps.