V4L's USB Charger problem?

[Brandnew vper]

Well so far i have two usb chargers from V4L. They are very shotty. I know people say around here that thier batteries have problems. I think this might be why in some cases. I noticed the usb charger with the screw in and cord only chargers my batts when they are not fully screwed in. And my usb push in with no cord needs to be firmly pushed in to charge my shorties but not my manuals?

Today i plugged in my manual into the cord usb charger and it did not charge? At first I thought it was my batt because no blinking or anything..just nothing.The charger did indicate full charge. Then i charged it in my wall charger and it charged up like it had never been charged in a while. Took 6 hours but the battery fully charged and now works great.

I tested this charger with my volt meter and found that half way in it was a positive true amperage charge and full down was actually decreasing charge even taking a little from the volt meter? I was thinking maybe this might be why some batteries dont work because this charger takes away the charge in the battery fully inserted? I dont know if this is true for everyone just might be mine.

Does anyone else have this problem with their usb chargers? Or even wall charger? I notice my wall charger works great all the time. But both my usb are weird.

I also volt tested tested the usb push in with no cord and it showed average charge amperage? I dont know whats up. Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[MaryMarcelle]

I have only used my USB charger twice ~ didn't notice any problems, but since I rarely use it I doubt this will be much help to you. (sorry)

 

[maxx]

My corded USB charger works fine. I race it against my wall charger and they are comparable. I don't have a straight plug-in USB charger, so can't comment there.

My PCC is sorta slow, but I don't really use that for anything. I never take it with me when I leave the house, just take extra charged batteries.

 

[onehungwaylow]

I actually emailed Mark about a similar problem with my USB charger earlier today. Waiting to see what he comes back with.

My issue was that the USB charger seems to charge my shorty batt with no issues but my two regular batts have issues. I will screw them in and most of the time, the charger just stays blue and the batt led does not blink 3 times. If I squeeze the charger on the top and bottom right in front of the led on the charger, it seems to engage the battery and start charging. When I let off on the pressure it goes blue.

I also see the same situation if I don't screw the batt all the way down that it will pick up the battery sometimes and start charging. It is very odd. I can charge the batts with no issues through the wall charger. Will have to wait and see what Mark comes back with.

I am using the usb charger with cord.

 

[LastOutlaw]

Well so far i have two usb chargers from V4L. They are very shotty. I know people say around here that thier batteries have problems. I think this might be why in some cases. I noticed the usb charger with the screw in and cord only chargers my batts when they are not fully screwed in. And my usb push in with no cord needs to be firmly pushed in to charge my shorties but not my manuals?

I always use the wall charger and have only used my usb charger a few times when traveling. I have never lost a battery since I started vaping in Sept. 2009. Every battery I have ever received is still working. The only battery I have ever had any trouble with was one of the very first batteries I received in my ultimate ultimatum kit when I made my vert first order and it was replaced due to a manufacturing issue. Even that battery charged and worked. It had had another issue all together and was thrown away.
My usb charger still works fine and resides in my vehicle.

 

[Hammond Egger]

I just used the straight plug in USB charger that came in my kit for the first time tonight and it is DOA. Going to email them right now.

 

[Whitbit]

Personally, i have one to mention in my next order. It has never worked,, fully dyscfunctional! And if they are all that way I'd like a different type to be honest.

 

[Adrenalynn]

>> a positive true amperage charge

What were you using to read current (amperage) with no load?

>> and full down was actually decreasing charge even taking a little from the volt meter?

Taking a little what from the meter? A multimeter should only have power on the leads when you're in resistance (ohms) mode. (Or transistor, capacitor, or diode reading)

The charger should read 5v when there's no battery plugged in, and 4.2ish volts when there's a battery in and charge-good is true.

Just trying to reproduce your results here.

 

[xdunlapx]

I have the screw-in type usb charger and have had no problems with it. I've never tried the older usb charger. I use XL batteries and see no issue with the screw-in charger.

 

[SMILIN]

We have had very few issues with these chargers, and have replaced less than one percent

Apologize for inconvenience8-o

Just mention it in comments section with order, and it will be replaced.

Steve

 

[Brandnew vper]

Thanks steve! You guys are great i will put it down in my next order. But i was just wondering about it. No worries though!



Adrenn- I am using a SSL power specialty amerage and votage meter. Is usually use for I/0's in SSL boards for recording, to test the microphone 48v pahntom power on the mutlitrack recorder. Im just an audio engineer im no expert, but i use them to test the boards mic preamps if the studio has feedback or certain things wrong with certain channels. Sometimes the board can pull power from or give power to the instrument or mic. So i can also use this to test other electrical components. if you bypass on this meter it can show minus Volts which is very helpful at times. Its made for this board alone. So my testing could be flawed. But what i was reading was ohms/amperage which its labeled on the meter. It sends power through back through them DC and AC. but yes 5v all the way down in the threads but half way up the threads 0 volts to minus 1. I know You need 2.4 amp output to handle a charger at 5v. Anything less and you will experience voltage drop. So i have been using the wall charger. Cause i think my computers usb is busted. That why i think its pulling charge but im not tottally sure? but with batt at little under 4v and half way up the threads -1v or a little more. It might be my meter or my fault but i dont know for certain. You got any suggestions as i know your very very smart? Cause im confused.

 

[Adrenalynn]

I certainly wouldn't want to see 2.4A going into a 1C 380mAh battery! That'd be _very_ bad news! And "no" PC's USB 2.0 port is going to provide 2.4A before the polyfuse shuts down.

You can't measure the load without the battery you're charging in the circuit.

The threads are ground. The pin in the middle is +v. So it sounds like you might have a dirty spot in the threads where you're not making good ground connection. I'd suggest dipping a q-tip in some alcohol (I use 90% rubbing when it's all I have around - like right now, I' m out of the good circuit cleaner). Unplug the charger from the wall, clean the threads with the q-tip soaked in alcohol, repeat with a new q-tip until it comes out clean. Give it a few minutes to evaporate, clean the threads on the battery and try again.

Your meter isn't the best device for testing these. You don't want phone-power going back into the charger, which is what your phantom power is doing. It also sounds like you may be putting +vDC back into the GND of the charger - a good way to release the magic smoke in the regulator. Generally not what you want to do. [edit to note: I haven't torn one apart yet, but there's probably a diode to keep current from flowing from the battery back into the PC, so it may "just" release the magic smoke from the diode if you leave it there long enough]

For measuring this kinda stuff, a cheapie little $3 multimeter from HarborFreight will do you well. Every home should have at least one. Or ten. I have some I take out in the field, when they fall off a ladder or get swiped, I don't care. Can't say the same about my Fluke, Agilent, or even Sinometer. The $3 meter won't be trustworthy for more than +/- 0.3v, but it's "close enough" to see what's going on. The Fluke I use most that I quote here most often is NIST certified to +/- 0.000016 far and away overkill.

 

[Brew]

Bummer, my USB short charger died today. complete bummer. PCC is too slow and wall charger can't keep em all going....

 

[keyzygirl]

You need to get another wall charger.

 

[cubist]

I ordered a USB charger (corded) and I plugged it in & ut on a dead battery. The blue/ red led flickered for about 10 seconds. Then it turned red and appeared to be charging. Within 30 seconds it was fried...

 

[cubist]

I just looked at my sig & it looks like I broke even today! Well, I guess I should push that back until tomorrow with the bad USB charger. Heh heh heh.