Sysmax/Nitecore/Jetbeam i4 Intellicharger Review (V2): current/voltage comparisons

[selfbuilt]

. So despite Sysmax not recommending it there should be no problem charging single Eneloop AAA in i4 v2 or am I missing something?

That is right, there is no real concern with regular NiMH AAA batteries. It is just 10440 you have to watch out for.

 

[DP Hunter]

I just purchase 4 of these - thanks for the review - it was outstanding and the price/value is certainly there!

 

[cbr400rr]

I recently purchased the Intellicharger and took a DVM reading on the positive and negative contacts. The reading I get is 5.2v. My other solarforce charger gives me 4.20v. Is this normal?

 

[selfbuilt]

I recently purchased the Intellicharger and took a DVM reading on the positive and negative contacts. The reading I get is 5.2v. My other solarforce charger gives me 4.20v. Is this normal?

Hmmm, seems to be "normal" - I get 5.33V when the charger is plugged in but no cell is in the slot. :shrug:

When charging, voltage across the cell reflects what is in my charging curves (i.e. <4.22V at all times).

 

[hank]

> over-discharged cells. But I'd recommend tossing cells in that state -

As explained above the problem is with crystals ("shunt") growing inside a battery once it's been over-discharged.
This doesn't happen immediately or predictably and not only during charging or during use; it happens slowly over time.
Eventually one of the crystals pokes a hole through a membrane that separates the chemicals that need to be kept separate.
Then the battery starts heating up.

 

[Travelmate]

I just bought mine from here to quick charge 12x18650s for my EYE30

http://black-tactical.com/store/ele...-smart-4-universal-intelligent-charger-p-2937

although it didn't say from Nitecore

 

[zoulas]

How does this charger compare to a Maha if we are only talking about recharging Nimh AA's. Does it do any conditioning, etc.? Thanks

 

[selfbuilt]

How does this charger compare to a Maha if we are only talking about recharging Nimh AA's. Does it do any conditioning, etc.? Thanks

No, it is just a straight-forward charger.

 

[Baddog]

Can anyone confirm the charger doesnt trickle charge towards the end as i need to charge unprotected LG 3100 batts

 

[selfbuilt]

Can anyone confirm the charger doesnt trickle charge towards the end as i need to charge unprotected LG 3100 batts

Quoted from the review:

The i4 does not completely terminate when the three yellow LEDs go solid. Although my DMM dropped to zero on my 10A port, when I switched over an re-ran the termination charge on my DMM's mA/uA port, I measured a low 110 uA current. But this is low enough to be irrelevant. Note that despite what the manual says, this is not what most people understand as a "trickle charge." A true "trickle charge" usually involves a regular pulse of mA current, to maintain the fully charged state. IMO, this is not a good thing for Li-ions – most "trickle chargers" are set too high, and over the long-term, will slowly cook your batteries (i.e. it gradually over-charges the cell, as long as it sits in the charger). The constant low uA current here is negligible, and will not lead to "trickle-charger" over-charging. For all intents and purposes, the i4 is close enough to full termination.

 

[d1337]

Just wanted to thank both selfbuilt and HJK for all the information in this thread!

 

[sidecross]

Thank you for this review; it answered many of my questions.

My one remaining question is it safe to leave the charger plugged in with fully charged batteries?

I have read the discharge of Eagletac 18650 Li-ion is 10% or more; is it safe to leave a fully charged Eagletac 18650 in a plugged in Nitecore i4 version2 for 30 days?

 

[selfbuilt]

My one remaining question is it safe to leave the charger plugged in with fully charged batteries?
I have read the discharge of Eagletac 18650 Li-ion is 10% or more; is it safe to leave a fully charged Eagletac 18650 in a plugged in Nitecore i4 version2 for 30 days?

It is certainly safe to leave the cells for a period of time once fully charged (as this is not a so-called "trickle charger", that would slowly cook them). But I wouldn't never recommend leaving cells in a charger for more than a few hours - they should be pulled once ready. You shouldn't leave any charging system plugged in for days at a time - they should always be monitored, and not left unattended if you can help it.

There is certainly no reason to leave them plugged in. In terms of self-discharge, it is fairly low on Li-ion (compared to other types of non-Li chemistries). And since this isn't a trickle-charger, leaving them plugged in will not keep them "topped up" anyway (i.e. the uA current is too low).

Also, you should never leave batteries in a charger that is unplugged from a wall. Keep in mind that anything that is set-up to charge a cell can also discharge it. I've seen batteries left in an unplugged charger drain more quickly. Just remove them once ready and store them somewhere safe, and you should be fine.

 

[sidecross]

It is certainly safe to leave the cells for a period of time once fully charged (as this is not a so-called "trickle charger", that would slowly cook them). But I wouldn't never recommend leaving cells in a charger for more than a few hours - they should be pulled once ready. You shouldn't leave any charging system plugged in for days at a time - they should always be monitored, and not left unattended if you can help it.

There is certainly no reason to leave them plugged in. In terms of self-discharge, it is fairly low on Li-ion (compared to other types of non-Li chemistries). And since this isn't a trickle-charger, leaving them plugged in will not keep them "topped up" anyway (i.e. the uA current is too low).

Also, you should never leave batteries in a charger that is unplugged from a wall. Keep in mind that anything that is set-up to charge a cell can also discharge it. I've seen batteries left in an unplugged charger drain more quickly. Just remove them once ready and store them somewhere safe, and you should be fine.

Thank you for your answer it clears up any doubt I had about these batteries. The very informative review you wrote of the version 2 of the NITECORE i4 charger was also greatly appreciated.

I have only used Surefire flashlights with Surefire 123 lithium batteries, but I have recently purchased the Eagletac G25C, some of Eagletac's 18650 rechargeable batteries and NITECORE i4 and your help to better understand these new products is very much appreciated.

A 'tip of my cap' to your very good information.

 

[oKtosiTe]

Due to the forum crash a couple of days ago, I'll have to repost this:

I was wondering about the stiff springs on this charger. After a bit of thought and interaction with selfbuilt and others, I decided to put a tiny amount of Nyogel on the rails of the charger and can report that inserting batteries is now a smooth experience.

Thanks to selfbuilt and HKJ for their great reviews!

 

[Korgath]

Excellent review and great shots mate. Thanks.
I have one question though. Does this charger have the ability to discharge cells? I do not see this option mentioned though you said it can "discharge" cells like you maha charger @ 1830MAH??

 

[oKtosiTe]

Excellent review and great shots mate. Thanks.
I have one question though. Does this charger have the ability to discharge cells? I do not see this option mentioned though you said it can "discharge" cells like you maha charger @ 1830MAH??

I have one and it has no settings or buttons. All it does is charge.

 

[selfbuilt]

There is no discharge feature.

Sent from my handheld device

 

[bobbar]

Thanks for the review. I have alot of aaa/aa rechargeables and im looking to replace it. Glad to see this work for the 18650 since i need to buy some for a new light i just ordered.

 

[DavidMB]

I'm curious about this.. Does this charger send out slightly too much current to charge a single AA Nimh/Lithium? They say it doesn't, but if you only insert one battery it charges at around 750mh, is that around the upper limit charging current for an AA?

Other question, it says to put in AAA's in pairs so to cut the charging current 375mA. What if one of the AAA's finishes charging before the other, will the current be bumped up to 750mA and cook the other AAA?