XTAR WP2 II problems..

[abower911]

Okay so just now having to sit down and charge my batteries for my VAMO after 3 days - and plugged in my xtar WP2 II charger and when I insert the batteries the lights for the bays do not change from green to indicate that it is charging or doing anything at all, both bay lights just stay green.

This happens in 0.5a and 1.0a modes both.

One battery is a AW IMR 18650 1600mAh and the other is a Samsung ICR? 18650 2600mAh

 

[Baditude]

I just had to return an Xtar charger to the vendor. The lights on mine flashed from red to green and red to green. Out of curiosity I reversed the batteries and they charged normally. Apparently the factory worker crossed the polarity wiring. I contacted the vendor and they are sending me a replacement charger.

 

[abower911]

I'll try that real quick, worth a shot considering otherwise I have a paperweight VAMO lol


Tried that and no change, it doesn't even act as if I have inserted anything into it at all.

 

[abower911]

No change at all, have got to love my luck today.

 

[hausmouse]

well if its vital...can you solder?

 

[grandmato5]

Are the batteries flat tops or button tops ?

 

[abower911]

May require a little digging on my part to find my electronics stuff but yes -



One is a Flat top the other is a button top

 

[Rickajho]

Got a meter?

If the voltage on your batteries was allowed to drop too low - 3.0 volts or less - The WP2 II will run a very low current though them until the voltage climbs back up over three volts. The LED will then change from green to red and normal charging will begin. That process can take minutes to hours, depending on how low the voltage was when they hit the charger. If the WP2 II cannot get the voltage back up above 3.0 volts by applying low current it will consider the battery defective and will not begin the normal charge cycle.

In theory your Vamo should have under voltage cutoff protection and should be turning off if the battery voltage is dropping too low. In practice that might not be happening. The only way to tell if that's what is going on is check the voltage of your batteries on a meter. Your Vamo should not be letting the battery voltage drop anywhere near 3.0 volts before shutting down.

 

[abower911]

The 2600mAh got the shutoff on the Vamo at 3.2v

The other hasn't even been in the Vamo so it is entirely possible it is low, I'll hit them both with a meter real quick

 

[hausmouse]

If they're good and it comes down to a bad charger just open it and look for something that doesn't look right. Sometimes you can see it sometimes you can't

 

[Rickajho]

Check the voltage on each several times. The first time you check any residual capacitance in the battery can give a false reading with no load applied. In other words for example, your first reading might be 3.5 volts and the second and subsequent readings might only be 1.5 volts. The second+ readings will be the ones to tell what's really going on with the batteries.

 

[Light Seeker]

Some XTARs are finicky on their battery contacts. Move the batteries around, or try a small metal washer between battery & charger's contact.

 

[abower911]

Some XTARs are finicky on their battery contacts. Move the batteries around, or try a small metal washer between battery & charger's contact.

I think it is a cranky connection. I adjusted the 2600mAh that I had been using and it is has changed the light to red now so it is charging, the other was lower than it should of been but it hasn't been used yet so I am going to let it sit over-night and see if it picks up and starts taking a charge.

 

[Light Seeker]

Most likely will. For severe drained batteries, the xtar trickle charges at less than 75mA until the battery reaches about 2.8 volts. Not too sure if this is your case ... I thought the vamo had protection for depleting batteries.

 

[abower911]

Most likely will. For severe drained batteries, the xtar trickle charges at less than 75mA until the battery reaches about 2.8 volts. Not too sure if this is your case ... I thought the vamo had protection for depleting batteries.

It does, the 2nd battery had not been in the Vamo yet