You are entitled to your opinion also.. I've been doing this for over 4 years, and my 2+ year old batteries still going strong is a strong indicator that I'm doing something correctly..
My opinion is backed up with a bit of electronics knowledge
Also, I've never had to toss a cell - I'm still using my very first one.
As for the longer run time.. Not a placebo effect at all.. It's been noticed by other SXmini owners also..
Try it yourself...
There is a very simple test that will prove without any doubt if this is a real or placebo effect. Charge the cell in the SXmini, reset the joule counter, and see how many joules you can get out of it. Now charge it in the real charger and do the same. Make sure you use the same atomizer for both test runs. If the numbers are very close in both runs, you're experiencing a placebo effect. If the real charger makes it last longer, the joule counter will be significantly higher.
Not everyone wants to tear their device apart to solder the USB connector in case of failure, or send their device in for an RMA.
Like I said, I do electronics work and am not afraid to take something apart. Of course not everyone would want to do that. Part of my reasoning for using the USB port exclusively is to see if it does indeed break, and then troubleshoot what went wrong. With that knowledge, I can give YiHi meaning full feedback, as well as let everyone here know how easy of a fix it would be.
EDIT: I also know that the difference between charging an 18650 IMR battery at .50 amps, compared to 1.0 amp, will only extend the battery's life by one or two usable charge cycles at the most over it's life... Nothing to lose sleep about.
You can't make a blanket statement like that, because there are far too many factors involved. Room temperature, neighboring cells in the charger, hot spots in the charger, internal resistance of the cell, etc. etc. etc. All of those factors affect internal cell temperature, which in turn affect cell longevity.
With that said, most people wouldn't know the difference anyway. It's like watching anything that has an extremely slow change - you don't notice the change. Kids growing up, hair growing, evaporation, etc... People who use their cells in a fast discharge device (mechanical, high wattage VV/VW, etc.) won't benefit much from a slower charge anyway.
The faster charge time is preferred to many, including myself.. Most of the specs on IMR 18650 batteries (depending upon the cell) state a maximum charging amperage of a little over 2 amps IIRC...
I can't keep up with your edits
Hey, by all means, do whatever you prefer - it's nice to have options. Nothing wrong with making a choice once you understand the consequences. As I stated above, just because a cell CAN handle a higher current charge, doesn't mean it's not wearing it out quicker too. It's like comparing an ICR with an IMR - the IMR can handle a higher discharge current (you'd never put an ICR in a mechanical), but that doesn't mean the IMR will have a longer overall life - quite the contrary actually.
Much to most people's surprise, I'm still using "D" sized NiCad's that are 20+ years old (amazing they still make products that take C & D cells). When charged properly, discharged properly, and conditioned properly, they really do last a LOT longer.
As your 18-series lithium cells age, they build up internal resistance, so if you really wanted to know how healthy they are, you'd measure them when they're new, and periodically after that. Although a cell can appear to be fine 2 years later, it's dangerous in a high-drain situation (like a mechanical) if you don't know the real health of the cell. You're better off recycling them every year or two maximum in a mechanical, and high-wattage devices like the SXmini too.
