18650 Cell Phone Charger

[Naguz]

Re: Mobile USB power

I'm not lips ... but ...
Search ebay for: 'Dual USB 5V 2A Mobile Power Supply 18650'

I had to search for Dual USB 18650, as the description varies from listing to listing. The only one with your exact wording was pink, I prefer it in black. Thanks for the tip, though - hopefully it will last longer than my previous "black square box"-looking thiny which was suddenly dead when I wanted to use it for the 20ieth time or so. Too bad there isn't a branded version of this with a bit better quality and QC-control for four dollar more. Hopefully this one is still good enough to last a couple of years.

If it works well, it might be a good gift-idea for the in-laws, for when they are at the cabin. It will charge their dumbphones four times before it needs a recharge itself.

 

[Naguz]

Re: Mobile USB power

I just received it, and I'm not THAT happy. The visible sldering is NOT of good quality, and tht naturally makes me question he quality (control) of the board, which is sadly not visible. ALso, it bugs me quite a bit that the power button is not working, and is not having any effect at all, and that a led beneath i is constantly glowing, meaning there is power running through the (maybe questionable) board at all times, unless out take out the batteries, or manually show a piece of cardboard in there. In that way, the older dull greyblackish boxes were better.

 

[alex21]

Re: Mobile USB power

I just received it, and I'm not THAT happy. The visible sldering is NOT of good quality, and tht naturally makes me question he quality (control) of the board, which is sadly not visible. ALso, it bugs me quite a bit that the power button is not working, and is not having any effect at all, and that a led beneath i is constantly glowing, meaning there is power running through the (maybe questionable) board at all times, unless out take out the batteries, or manually show a piece of cardboard in there. In that way, the older dull greyblackish boxes were better.

Just get the ordinary 4x18650 box with the 3 leds on the side, been using mine daily for about two years now, same box Charge it with iphone adaptor and mini usb cable

 

[Naguz]

Re: Mobile USB power

The build quality of those aren't good either.

It seems the problem with the new type 4x18650 box was NOT the box itself - but the batteries. Apparently, it had pretty discharged 18650s in them. After a charge (terminated at 4.15V for all four cells, there seems o be no problems with. Odly enough, trying them in the old 4x box which had stopped working, woke it up into a working state again. Might be something about those cells tripped a protection circuit, but I thought a push on the little button inside should restart that. Guess I'll have to check those cells, and see if they self discharge at a matched level, and also maybe check their internal resistance. They are old laptop pulls, but both the 4x packs I have made of those cells were properly matched.

Anyway, I can live with poor soldering on the srings and teminals, at least after testing a discharge and new charge to se if there is any other problems. I'm guessing the board are premounted in the case, and the springs and terminals might be hand soldered afterwards.

I guess the led under the power button is some kind of warning for empty cells, so you charge them before they "overselfdicharge". I'll probably buy some new 2900mah or 3100mah Panasonic or Sanyo cells if the old ones are not measuring well.

 

[kokoskokou]

Re: Mobile USB power

hi.
I have just received this charger and I have a question.
I installed unprotected 18650 batteries and the black square component in the middle of the board (which has number 100 on it) gets hot and smells when I switch on the device.
After 30 seconds it starts to get hot and by time it gets hotter. I didn't leave it ON for more than 60 seconds to avoid any troubles.
is it normal or you think there is a problem with that?
by the way, do you know what that part is?

 

[Naguz]

Re: Mobile USB power

That is probably the step-up converter. It is normal that they get warm, after all, these converters are probably ~75% effective? The rest is converted to heat. Smell is never a good sign, though, if it is more than the "new bad plastic smell". How hot is hot?

 

[Monocrom]

Re: Mobile USB power

Warm is normal. Hot and bad smell definitely is not!

 

[psychbeat]

My single 18650 USB charger is still going strong!
I use it a lot too- even the little USB flashlight head.

I can get about one full charge on my iPhone 5 with the phone being on while charging.

Good stuff!

 

[HKJ]

Re: Mobile USB power

hi.
I have just received this charger and I have a question.
I installed unprotected 18650 batteries and the black square component in the middle of the board (which has number 100 on it) gets hot and smells when I switch on the device.
After 30 seconds it starts to get hot and by time it gets hotter. I didn't leave it ON for more than 60 seconds to avoid any troubles.
is it normal or you think there is a problem with that?
by the way, do you know what that part is?

I have one just like it, the "100" part is an inductor and when the box is fully loaded at about 1.3A it will get hot, but unloaded it is supposed to stay cool and it is not supposed to get smelly at any time!

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Re: Mobile USB power

Looks like there is a few different versions of this charger, part 100 is different on mine, and i have had no problem with heat or burning smells.

It looks like you have a capacity test, three led`s i dont have, also it looks like you can reset the protection without having to open the case.

John.

 

[kokoskokou]

Re: Mobile USB power

Looks like there is a few different versions of this charger, part 100 is different on mine, and i have had no problem with heat or burning smells.

It looks like you have a capacity test, three led`s i dont have, also it looks like you can reset the protection without having to open the case.

John.

hi.
the button you see next to the three LEDs in my picture is the test button and not the reset button.
the reset button is still inside on the upper side of the photo.

 

[kokoskokou]

Re: Mobile USB power

Naguz, Monocrom, HKJ thank you for the information.
I think the smell was because it is new. and maybe it was not hot but just warm.

By the way there is a jumper inside which I have read in this thread is to adjust the amperage.
Do you know the adjustments?

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Re: Mobile USB power

I have just had my charger, charging my Galaxy S3 and part 100`s temp with the case open, did not go above 30c

kokoskokou that is what i said

John.

 

[kokoskokou]

Re: Mobile USB power

also it looks like you can reset the protection without having to open the case.


John.

I have to open the case to reset it.

Mine goes more than 41C without connecting any device on it. (I don't know up to which temp it gets as I am using an infrared body thermometer)

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Re: Mobile USB power

Yeah, i am using an infra-red thermometer as well.

John.

 

[Naguz]

Re: Mobile USB power

Have anyone tested the new type of charger box with the nicer plastic exterior? It would be interesting to see if charges well, and have it measured by someone with the proper instruments. AFAIremeber someone tested several of the old style black boxes and fond them to do a decent CC/CV charge.

The only testing I'm able to do, is that it terminate cautiously when the cells are at at 4.15V (no discrepancy between cells). It seems to terminate disvharge a bit irregulary though, at well above 3V, and the 25% light on the battery state indicator turns off at somewhat like 3.5V. I'd prefer something that drains the battery down to at least 2.9V,after all, I often need juice on the go when using this.

Would you be willing to do a charger test with measurements of one of the new ones if I had one shipped to you, HKJ? (Du er dansken bak lygteinfo.dk, om jeg ikke husker feil?)

 

[kokoskokou]

i have mnaged to place a thermometer sensor on the 100 part.
the temperature in 10 minutes went up to 60C / 140F
I don't know if this is normal. it's charging an old phone I have. it's more than 45 minutes and it seems to be OK.
I found a scheme which shows the jumper connections for various amperage but that didn't change the temperature at all.

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

As i said my 100 part only shows 30c after 15 minutes of charging my galaxy s3 , so 60c is a lot more , though my part 100 looks different to yours.

John.

 

[kokoskokou]

yes, i know but normal is not just a specific temperature. it's a range
may be 30 to 70 is normal and above 65 is dangerous.
may be 30 to 45 is normal and above 50 is dangerous so I have to worry.
Once I had a chinese phone charger which exploded next to me and believe me I don't want that to happen again

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

Yeah, but heat means wasted energy, you want the circuit to waste efficient as possible.

John.