EE error: IMR 14500 Nitecore

[mrlightman]

Hey guys,

I am new to non-alkaline batteries.

I have Nitecore EA 11 flashlight and I was using Nitecore Ni14500A IMR 3.7V battery in it. I kept the battery inside the flashlight and went on a 3 week vacation. Since my return, my flashlight would not turn on. I figured the battery had died. So I decided to recharge it through Nitecore charger and I am getting a EE error and the battery does not charge at all. I never got this error before on this IMR battery. My flashlight continues to work with regular AA batteries.

What is going on? Have I over-discharged the battery? It means this battery is done and I have to throw it away?

Thanks in advance

 

[SubLGT]

Possibly over discharged. What is the battery voltage?

 

[Str8stroke]

I suggest a cheap digital multi meter to test the voltage. Sounds dead. Drop it off at a recycle center like most cell phone stores or Best Buy. If not, dig a hole and stick it deep in.
When not in use, lock out the light either digitally or better yet Unscrew the tail cap to break the connection. Also, don't store charged batteries on the charger.

 

[CelticCross74]

overdischarged. When it comes to 14500's I always buy them in pairs and have the second as a charged back up. Do not know much about the NC IMR 14500. I am sure it is a good cell. There are some chargers that could possibly bring it back to life Idk if your NC has that capability sounds like it does not. Just got into IMR cells with a bunch of red Efests of different sizes and freaking love them they crank and so far seem to have above rated capacity. I did notice they drain out faster than average though. Not a IMR expert but that is my experience

 

[hiuintahs]

.........I have Nitecore EA 11 flashlight and I was using Nitecore Ni14500A IMR 3.7V battery in it. I kept the battery inside the flashlight and went on a 3 week vacation. Since my return, my flashlight would not turn on. I figured the battery had died. So I decided to recharge it through Nitecore charger and I am getting a EE error and the battery does not charge at all.........

The EA11 being an electronic switch would have some parasitic drain on the battery even though the light is off. I wouldn't think that 3 weeks would be enough time to discharge it below the 2.50v limit but perhaps before going on vacation the battery was already pretty discharged to begin with?

I agree with the others about having a multimeter so as to get familiar with your batteries . As far as what to do with the battery now.......well that depends on how far below 2.50v it was discharged. If you're not comfortable and experienced with lithium ion, I'd just consider it learning experience, get a new battery and recyle the old one.

 

[Overclocker]

unprotected 14500 on a "dumb" AA-compatible flashlight is always a bad idea

zebra sc52 is one of the few aa/14500 that are smart enough to not overdischarge an unprotected 14500

 

[NoNotAgain]

Try jump starting the EE battery by touching the positive terminals together of a good battery and a jumper wire on the negatives.
This should be enough to boost the voltage above the protection circuit above the cutoff voltage and allow your charger to start charging.

If at charger termination the battery is below 4.1 volts( I'm assuming a nitecore digital charger) the battery is suspect for long term use.

 

[hiuintahs]

Try jump starting the EE battery by touching the positive terminals together of a good battery and a jumper wire on the negatives.
This should be enough to boost the voltage above the protection circuit above the cutoff voltage and allow your charger to start charging. ...

That would be OK if the "Nitecore Ni14500A IMR 3.7V battery" had a protection circuit which just needed to be reset, but I believe that this particular battery does not since its a high discharge IMR lithium ion type of battery.

 

[NoNotAgain]

You are correct sir that this cell does not have a protection circuit. It's rated @6.5 amps. I hadn't bothered to check the specs on the battery before posting.
I still stand by boosting the battery voltage to get the Nitecore digital charger to start.

If it won't hold 4.1 volts after charging, bin it.