Vamo/Charger/Battery Problems or Multiple?

[Beerbrah]

Hello Everyone

I Just started having a problem with my batteries overcharging and I cannot pinpoint the problem. I will go ahead and give you the specifics.

Past setup

fasttech Pre Packaged ( I dont think they sell the sell the same setup as before)
Vamo V2
Nitecore I2
Panasonic CGR18650CH (I Believe, They came with the package)
This setup worked flawless for 9 months until my clumsiness and hard floors ruined the Vamo
All batteries always charged to 4.2 and never had any problems with overcharging.

So I re ordered two Vamos V2s from fasttech (by themselves) and for the first two weeks they worked great, but now I am having voltage reading concerns.
At first I thought it was just my batteries or charger that wasn't working, but mainly batteries because one died; it was at its life expectancy (read zero voltage on the Nitecore I2)

I ordered a Nitecore I4 2014 off of Amazon and two 18650's from Orbtronic http://www.orbtronic.com/batteries-chargers/imr-2250mah-panasonic-cgr18650ch-18650-with-button-top-high-drain-battery-cell-li-mn-li-ion (if links aren't allowed I willl delete I have forgotten it's been awhile)

The first charge on the new battery,the new charger and the new Vamo, read 4.3v.

My question is, Is it the battery, the Vamo, or the charger?

I have multimeter laying around, not sure what kind and have no idea how to use it and it is most likely cheap but maybe if someone could explain how to use it because I have looked it up and have idea .

Thank you in advance.

PS I don't know how to change the links to my own custom words lol

Edit the edit of all edits* I forgot to add Yes Yes I know the of the Xtar and the Pila but I just want to know what is happening here. Thank you again.

 

[Rickajho]

Sorry, the best I can tell you is you bought a "not good" charger and replaced it with a "not good" charger from the same manufacturer.

The best thing to do is get out that meter and figure it out pronto. A VAMO only displays one place right of decimal. In other words, if it's reading 4.3 volts on your VAMO it could be anything between 4.3 volts and 4.39 volts - none of which is any good.

If it's a DMM you have that round selector knob. You are looking for the DC volts range on that knob. They typically have markings for a range of voltages: (up to) 2,000 volts, (up to) 200 volts, 20 volts etc. You want to select the DC 20 volts setting. If you need to connect test leads the black one goes in the jack marked COM (for common), the red one goes in the jack marked VΩmA. Turn the meter on and put the read lead to the positive terminal on your battery, the black lead to the negative battery terminal. Whaddya get? You will have a better idea of what is going on, since the meter is going to show two places right of decimal.

Cheap meters are generally good for voltage readings, they suck for coil resistance measurements in the very low ranges we test.

If the batteries are chronically charged above 4.2 volts it drastically reduces their life span. For older chemistry Li-On (not IMR or hybrid chemistry) batteries it's flat out dangerous. If you just got a new charger that is overcharging return it. (Yet more money to be laid out on saving money on cheap chargers...) Blow a whopping twenty bucks on something like an Xtar WPII2 and get something that has been working right for years and is backed with a warranty.

 

[Beerbrah]

Thank you very much for your help, gonna go check this out with the meter!

One thing I noticed last night after I charged the first battery was it read 4.3 in the Vamo right off the charger, but after resting it was 4.2 (I think you are supposed to this anyway, no?)
Maybe that is my mistake for the new batteries...