TR-001 Overcharging

[Capt' Brian]

I have not seen this topic specifically mentioned and a search of the ECF forums turned up little, so forgive me if I am redundant or if I step on toes here, but,

I recently received my order of 14500 batts and a Trustfire TR-001.

I put a pair through the charging cycle, popped one in my Box mod, and was amazed at the amount of vapor It put out, more than I was expecting.

Curious, I checked the voltage with a DMM and the batts both read 4.4V (All 4 read 4.4V after charging to Green LED on)

I put the DMM across the terminals of the TR-001 and both channels read 4.4V

All I knew about these batteries is that they should not be over charged or depleted too far, overcharging hastens their death and total depletion will kill them somehow.

I did a Google search and came upon this Trustfire TR-001 Charger

I needed no more evidence, my DMM gave me the whole story.

My questions are these then.

1. Do I need to come up with some means to discharge the excess charge quickly? Or will simply vaping with them in the next few days to bring them all down be adequate?

2. Is overcharging to 4.4V actually dangerous? It appears it might be, but the 4.4V vaping is pretty awesome

3. Two chargers I have seen mentioned are the Shekore charger and the Pila IBC. The Pila has been mentioned as inexpensive (around $45) accurate and reliable. What are you battery Guru's using to recharge your battery stockpile?

Thanks in advance, Brian

 

[RedAlert]

I've been using a tr001 charger for months and it sops charging right at 4.19v every time. Are you sure your DVOM is accurate? It is possible for the charger to be bad, but it would be odd to have both banks charge to the same 4.4v and not have the battery overcharge circuit kick in and stop them from charging.

 

[Capt' Brian]

So your saying, it's not likely that all 4 batteries would allow themselves to be that overcharged? Good point. I cannot verify my DMM readings as i have no other, but it is getting rather old (and I as well). Also, as I have read there have been instances of the TR-001 overcharging, nobody mentioned it overcharging by nearly that much.

Thanks, I think I will take the voltage reading with a grain of salt, bring a battery into work with me tomorrow and find out Accurately what it reads.

Thanks again

 

[RedAlert]

So your saying, it's not likely that all 4 batteries would allow themselves to be that overcharged? Good point. I cannot verify my DMM readings as i have no other, but it is getting rather old (and I as well). Also, as I have read there have been instances of the TR-001 overcharging, nobody mentioned it overcharging by nearly that much.

Thanks, I think I will take the voltage reading with a grain of salt, bring a battery into work with me tomorrow and find out Accurately what it reads.

Thanks again

If you have access to a known good voltmeter at work, definitely do that. Put a battery on the charger until it goes green, take it off and bring it with you. If it reads anywhere from 4.17 to 4.22 volts, you're good to go and you household dvom is a little out of whack, but you will know by how much and can calculate the differences

 

[Capt' Brian]

OK, DMM at work with recent calibration reads 4.21V

Good grief, you pay $11.99 for a DMM and you expect it to last more than 15 years, the junk they make now-a-days.

Thanks alot RedAlert, I feel much better about the TR-001 now.

 

[RedAlert]

Very good, glad it's working as it's supposed to!

 

[Rocketman]

Some of the cheaper DMMs will read high if the battery is weak. The internal voltage reference doesn't get enough voltage to come up to reference voltage making the meter read high. The meter compares measurements to the reference. New battery and check again.

 

[Capt' Brian]

That is exactly what had happened, replaced the battery, cross checked it with calibrated DVM and it was good to go. I should have thought of that, but altho I have been an electronics tech for 32 years, I am also getting old and and .. what was I saying? Oh yeah, and then he said "Sure, you can have my wife, but the lawn mower stays here!"

what?