Any 18650 Micro USB chargers?

Hi - I've been looking around for an 18650 charger that could be powered over USB - specifically with a micro USB socket.

When travelling, I try to carry as little as possible, and most everything else I take charges off micro USB (phones, kindles, emergency usb charger, etc.) - fewer leads, same multi-port USB charger.

I'd still have a wall charger for home, but I'm thinking of something portable. A bonus would be a USB out also to use an 18650 as an emergency charging source, but not necessary.

The only two I've found are these...

http://flashlight-torch.com/millerml102miniportable18650batterycharger-p-48.html and http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/batteries-and-chargers/xtar-mp1-li-ion-battery-charger1.html

..but both look to be mini-USB. I know it's no great hardship to carry a multi-pin lead, converter, or similar, but it would be nice.

Any ideas welcome

Your first linked item Review of / Measurement on ML-102 Charger .

Norm

Norm said:

Your first linked item Review of / Measurement on ML-102 Charger .

Norm

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Thanks for that Norm - I knew I'd seen that review somewhere.

The charger is powered from any USB source that can supply 1A, sadly it uses the mini and not the micro USB connector (The micro USB is much stronger and is the common charge connector on phones).

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If it was micro USB I'd snap it up today.

Buy one that runs over any USB, but has the best charging characteristics for Li-Ion health, and change out the socket with a micro ab

Side topic. Retract cords fixed that "adaption" issue with far less mess in the car. Before it was having 2-3 wires hanging around to connect/charge everything, and adaption always made a long mess. Adapters sticking way out of a device are just asking to break the devices socket. With the retracting charge cords, the wires are way less messy. I could have a mini and a micro all automatically rolled up with a retract.

That is also what I want to ask, seldom find flashlight can be charged directly.

bshanahan14rulz said:

Buy one that runs over any USB, but has the best charging characteristics for Li-Ion health, and change out the socket with a micro ab

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Oh, how I'd love to do that. I'm lucky if I don't poke my eye out when brushing my teeth, resoldering a board is right out!

Retractable cords might help, but it would be great if everybody stuck to a standard spec. Maybe a mini->micro adapter that you just taped to the scoop of the portable charger would solve the problem.

Personally I'm looking at a Zebralight SC600 mkII (or similar) as an EDC, and for extended trips carrying a couple of 18650s and a portable charger would be great.

Well, there are a couple on here: http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale...arger&exception=&CatId=0&manual=y&needQuery=y

They look promising. Some can act as battery holders, be used as emergency chargers for other devices and/or can charge themselves over USB.

However, information is scant. Some look like they will not accept the length of protected cells and some look like they are on permanently and constantly draining. Some are also for sale on Amazon under a seller name of Penny (same text and photos). A few reviews there shed a bit of light on them.

Thinking about it, I carry around an Anker external battery pack for charging stuff. That's probably got 4 18650s in it.

I don't have a link for u but the aili 2x18650 USB charger I have takes micro USB in and has regular USB out.
I bought it on eBay.
There's supposedly one that doesn't have the flashlight which I woulda bought had i known
The flashlight turns on too easy and has no way to lock it out.

I'm working on designing a 18650 charger and like to hear comments like these to see what people want. I started out charging my 18650's with an Agilent power supply that was programmable. Then I migrated to a Bantam BC6-DC but found that it consumed over a watt of power just in the overhead even before the battery begain to charge. I assume all hobby chargers are like that. So I thought I'm just going to design my own. I want something simple but with a few more features that you don't find on the real cheap stuff. Also I'm into solar for emergency back up and want something that will run off of 12 volts but will be 85% or better efficient. I am also planning on putting on a USB connector as it will run down to that voltage also. The draw back with including USB as an input source is that I have to include about $2.50 additional cost to the circuitry to do USB power enumeration from the host to get the full 500mA out of a computer port. With dedicated USB charging devices you don't have to do enumeration.

hiuintahs said:

The draw back with including USB as an input source is that I have to include about $2.50 additional cost to the circuitry to do USB power enumeration from the host to get the full 500mA out of a computer port. With dedicated USB charging devices you don't have to do enumeration.

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Then you will be one of the few people that does include the enumeration, the chargers I have tested just draws current and also more than 0.5A without any enumeration and without checking for a DCP.

For a good universal LiIon charger, you need a couple of currents, the Xtar VP1 did very good with 0.25A, 0.5A and 1A, this covers 10440 and anything above.
There is also the question about voltage, most batteries are 4.20 volt, but you can get both 4.30 volt and 4.35 volt LiIon.

That's good to know. I think I better start a separate thread on this as I don't want to hijack this one.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...r-gt-suggestions-needed&p=4162147#post4162147

Cessquill, if you are still looking, you may be pleased to hear that Fast Tech is shipping what they say is version 5 of the ML-102 charger, and according to them: "Starting 01/18/2014, we are shipping this item with new version that with micro-USB input port"

If you don't need a charger that is capable of charging USB devices, there is the Xtar MC1. It charges using micro-USB. However, it is strictly for charging batteries. It's not able to use a charged battery to charge, say, a phone. On the other hand, it will accept a wide variety of batteries - from a 10440 to a 26650.

Also the Efest XSmart is apparently quite good.

Fantastic - thanks guys. Both the Fast Tech and XSmart look ideal for travelling.

Edit: Looks like the Fast Tech only supports unprotected batteries, but looks like it can be modded to squeeze an EagleTac 3400mAh in there. Also looks like a Version 6 is out, according to the discussions here http://www.fasttech.com/product/1137904-miller-ml-102-universal-usb-smart-charger-version (although the description still says v5).

From my readings it sounds like the v6 of the ML-102 still does not support protected batteries, ie. still not long enough?

RoGuE_StreaK said:

From my readings it sounds like the v6 of the ML-102 still does not support protected batteries, ie. still not long enough?

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Looks like it, yes, although information does seem a little fuzzy. Talk of V6 here http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-102-Charger&p=4396917&viewfull=1#post4396917