Nitecore Digi 2 - Question on charging 18650 externally

[X-Smok-er]

Hi all,

I have been reading some horror stories on charging batteries (18650) on external charger about how you need to watch and be around the charger as batteries could blow up. Im new to charging and was ultra afraid and bought Nitecore Digi 2 charger to charge my LG HG2s. Is this charger good? Will it automatically stop charging batteries on full? Ie can i charge them overnight? The LG batteries take 6 hours to charge at 500mA..

 

[stols001]

It's really "best" to be around when batteries are charging and awake, if possible. Yes, your charger should stop applying current as the batteries are full, but it's often best to take them off the charger and let them rest a bit before swapping them out.

I have charged overnight and it still occasionally happens (more if I forget to take them out before bed) and I've never had a problem.

There are certainly horror stories around, and they are true, and explosions are possible. It's best to try to avoid it in my opinion, but it's also true that these are really scattered and isolated incidents compared to the amount of charging that happens in general, not just in vaping applications. I try to follow best practices as that is BEST, but I also know that my relative risk is... relative. If you aren't at home and awake for 6 hours, you are going to have to find a solution that is practical for you, including possibly (if you have the space to do it) perhaps bringing your charger to work, and charging them during the day while you are vaping the other set. The other solution is to buy more than one pair, and charge them up in such a manner that most of your charging can fall on a weekend. These are all various options that again, you will need to weigh against total, relative risk. An explosion is bad news, certainly, and can happen, so again these are just suggestions, that you can perhaps apply depending on your level of concern.

Anna

 

[X-Smok-er]

It's really "best" to be around when batteries are charging and awake, if possible. Yes, your charger should stop applying current as the batteries are full, but it's often best to take them off the charger and let them rest a bit before swapping them out.

I have charged overnight and it still occasionally happens (more if I forget to take them out before bed) and I've never had a problem.

There are certainly horror stories around, and they are true, and explosions are possible. It's best to try to avoid it in my opinion, but it's also true that these are really scattered and isolated incidents compared to the amount of charging that happens in general, not just in vaping applications. I try to follow best practices as that is BEST, but I also know that my relative risk is... relative. If you aren't at home and awake for 6 hours, you are going to have to find a solution that is practical for you, including possibly (if you have the space to do it) perhaps bringing your charger to work, and charging them during the day while you are vaping the other set. The other solution is to buy more than one pair, and charge them up in such a manner that most of your charging can fall on a weekend. These are all various options that again, you will need to weigh against total, relative risk. An explosion is bad news, certainly, and can happen, so again these are just suggestions, that you can perhaps apply depending on your level of concern.

Anna

Thanks Anna. Extremely helpful advice. I may buy a charger which allows charging of possibly 4 batteries and charge all during weekends.

 

[Baditude]

Nitecore chargers are generally a good brand of Li-ion charger. They are notoriously slow, though.

Statistically, 80% of battery incidents occur while charging batteries, or when carrying them naked in a pocket, purse, bag unprotected. Always transport batteries in a plastic battery case. Contact with coins, keys, or other metalic objects will cause a short.

It's a good idea to have more than one charger, and to rotate a group of multiple batteries. The number one rule in vaping is to have backups. I recommend the Efest LUC V4. It's a fast charger (1.0 amp for all four bays) and inexpensive.

Guide to Choosing a Li-ion Battery Charger

Always place the charger on a flame resistant surface such as a kitchen/bathroom countertop, stovetop, and otherwise away from flamable surfaces.

It's sound advice to charge batteries while awake and within reasonable distance to act appropriately should a battery explode. Never charge while away from home. You wouldn't want what happens in the video below and not be home.

 

[Eskie]

I have a nitecore d4 4 bay charger. Works just fine. 2 cells will charge at 750 mAh but 3 or 4 only 375 mAh. Still assuming you didn't totally drain your batteries to 3V, I can recharge a set of 3 batteries in about 4 hours from ~3.4V. I don't like using my batteries down to the mod cutoff.

 

[Hawise]

It's important to note that the safety precautions we're talking about here - most problems occur while charging, and it's best to be around while batteries are charging - are just as true for internal charging as external charging. In fact, external charging can be safer than internal charging, provided you've got a decent charger.

One issue is that a lot of the latest mods charge batteries at 2 A. Some external chargers do too, but they can usually be set up to charge slower. 2 A is often too aggressive for 18650 batteries - it heats them up, which stresses them out and makes them deteriorate faster. Some chargers, mostly those with fans, are OK at 2 A, but most of the time you're better of at no more than 1 A. If you're wondering whether your charging rate is suitable, just check the temperature of your batteries mid-charge. If they're warm you're good, but if they're hot you need to slow things down.

About chargers, as the others have said, Nitecore is a reliable brand. The other two that offer a good balance of cost and quality are Xtar and Efest's LUC line (only the LUC line - Efest has some other lines of chargers that aren't as good). If you're looking for a faster 4-battery charger, I prefer the Xtar VC4 to the Efest LUC v4. They're both decent and the Efest can charge all four batteries at 1 A while the Xtar can only do two at 1 A, but I find that the Efest heats up batteries more than I like even at 1 A, while the Xtar is cooler.

 

[suprtrkr]

I like Nitecore chargers. And yes, keep them on a flame-proof surface, or in a charging bag. I've never had a problem, but I also don't want one.

 

[Storm52]

One other thought on charging. I read it here years ago, to let your discharged batteries "rest" before putting them on to charge. In other words, swap out the batteries in the mod, set the discharged batteries aside for an hour or so before charging. The same was advised with charged batteries, i.e. don't use them immediately after charge.

 

[MJCSD]

Hello and welcome to ecf

 

[Eskie]

One other thought on charging. I read it here years ago, to let your discharged batteries "rest" before putting them on to charge. In other words, swap out the batteries in the mod, set the discharged batteries aside for an hour or so before charging. The same was advised with charged batteries, i.e. don't use them immediately after charge.

Batteries in use, and while charging, heat up. Heat is the enemy of battery longevity. Allowing them to settle to room temp is always a good idea after charging. I never really run my batteries down to cutoff, so I never thought about resting before charging, but I guess if I took them out of the mod and they felt warm I'd sideline them for a bit.

 

[X-Smok-er]

I like Nitecore chargers. And yes, keep them on a flame-proof surface, or in a charging bag. I've never had a problem, but I also don't want one.

Hi mate, whats a charging bag? Can u drop me a link?

 

[AzPlumber]

"STUFF HAPPENS" Rarely but it happens, best to be there if it does, these batteries contain a lot of energy.

LiPo Safety Charging Bag | SmokTek.com

 

[Ralph_K]

Batteries in use, and while charging, heat up. Heat is the enemy of battery longevity. Allowing them to settle to room temp is always a good idea after charging. I never really run my batteries down to cutoff, so I never thought about resting before charging, but I guess if I took them out of the mod and they felt warm I'd sideline them for a bit.

The cordless drills I have had the charger won't charge batteries if they are hot. The rigid batteries have small holes in bottom for cooling and the chargers blows air though the battery pack. Chargers could add these features then fast charging wouldn't be as much of an issue. I also have the D4 and haven't noticed my batteries ever getting hot.

 

[X-Smok-er]

The cordless drills I have had the charger won't charge batteries if they are hot. The rigid batteries have small holes in bottom for cooling and the chargers blows air though the battery pack. Chargers could add these features then fast charging wouldn't be as much of an issue. I also have the D4 and haven't noticed my batteries ever getting hot.

So, batteries would only explode if their temperature increases whilst charging? I have been monitoring the temperature (using my hand) the batteries always remain cool whilst charging.. Does that completely rule out an explosion from happening or merely lessen the probability?

 

[stols001]

Hot batteries are a bad sign when charging, so if you ever encounter it, I'd suggest removing those batteries and figuring out if it's the batteries or your charger. I will say, the fact they feel "cool" is a good sign, but I don't think anything ever rules out a sudden, catastrophic failure completely. They are just really, extraordinarily rare, but they can happen. I will say your batteries remaining cool is a good sign, not a bad one. Having a reliable battery charger and authentic batteries are what really remove most of the risk, but it's still good to follow established safety protocols for charging.

Anna

 

[Baditude]

Hi mate, whats a charging bag? Can u drop me a link?

Lipo charging bag use for Li-ion battery chargers is pretty controversial.

Mooch recently went on record to say NOT to use them.

CHARGING BAGS. YAH OR NAY?​

This is a controversial subject. Those who use them say that the flame ......ant bag will contain a fire caused by either the battery or charger. Those who don't use them say they may actually create a problem where none existed.

Charging bags were designed to be used with Li-Po batteries and chargers. Li-Po batteries are used in the remote control car and plane hobby. These batteries are not a safer-chemistry battery, and a "battery incident" with one can be quite spectacular if you are into fireworks and flames.

Li-Po batteries are not charged in the chargers. The charger and batteries are kept separate by a short distance, connected by long cables. The batteries are placed into the bag, and the charger remains outside of the bag. This is because chargers produce some heat while they charge batteries, and leaving the charger outside of the bag allows the charger to be cooled by natural air circulation.

Li-ion batteries are charged while in the charger box, so if using a charging bag both the batteries and charger will be contained inside of the bag. The theory against using a charging bag is that the charger may generate enough heat in the bag to cause a problem, and the heat generated will not be allowed to ventilate inside the bag.

I'll leave the decision up to the reader whether to use a charging bag or not. I for one, don't and won't use one. -- Baditude

 

[suprtrkr]

Hi mate, whats a charging bag? Can u drop me a link?

A Nomex bag with a Velcro closure. You put the charger, battery and all, inside it and charge there. That way, if you draw the short straw, the fire is contained within the bag. A surplus metal ammunition can works just as well. I don't bother with them. I have a piece of ceramic tile left over from a floor job, and I charge on that. For LiIon batteries, a lot of folk recommend against the bags/can idea because the charger itself generates heat.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/High-Qua...7802&wl11=online&wl12=825317862&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[Ralph_K]

So, batteries would only explode if their temperature increases whilst charging? I have been monitoring the temperature (using my hand) the batteries always remain cool whilst charging.. Does that completely rule out an explosion from happening or merely lessen the probability?

You can't never rule out an explosion. I personally aren't too concerned with charging at low rates causing an explosion. What needs to be watched is how you remove the battery if you get a tear near positive button could cause a short.

 

[X-Smok-er]

Thank you all for your time, support and advice. Genuinely means alot to me that "strangers" can be so overwhelmingly helpful in this day and age. I pray for the best for all my new lovely friends.

 

[VapNMirrors]

Nitecore is a good intelligent charger. It knows what to do, meters the cell, applies appropriate voltage/current through the charge cycle and shuts itself down when done. It detects the type/chemistry and complains if it's out of spec or inserted backward. If you have good cells in good condition it should be quite safe. Precautions never hurt.

The Nitecore isn't the fastest but that's also a good thing. The D series will let you slow charge and charging slowly reduces heat in the cell. Heat breaks down the chemistry and best avoided much as possible. Slow charging also increases safety margin.

It's a win-win but slow. I use 8 cell rotations for my 2 battery mod. Slow charge and allow warm sets to cool. Enough sets too take the charging time and always have a set ready to go.