14500 battery advice? Best charging devices? Is the DSD an option? Safe lights?

[onthebeam]

I was sent some Ultrafire 14500 batteries and wonder how to charge them. I'm pretty sure the DSD charger I have can handle the high voltage. But, they don't fit. Assuming I have to rig up some spacers, what do yousuggest I find at a place like Home Depot?

The next question--which AA lights are safe with the 14500s?

 

[LuxLuthor]

I was sent some Ultrafire 14500 batteries and wonder how to charge them. I'm pretty sure the DSD charger I have can handle the high voltage. But, they don't fit. Assuming I have to rig up some spacers, what do yousuggest I find at a place like Home Depot?

The next question--which AA lights are safe with the 14500s?

When I got my DSD chargers, they came with solid brass 1/2" spacers (same diameter as AA cells). I'm not sure what the quality is of the Ultrafire Li-Ion cells, or if they have a protection circuit like AW's cells.

Reason this is important is the DSD does not terminate charging voltage when cells reach their maximum safe limit, and AW's protected cells will prevent overcharging. A better recommendation is to pick up the Pila charger which is a better designed, safer charger.

As far as AA lights with 3.7V x 2, I'm not aware of any incand bulbs in that form factor that will work.

 

[Illum]

AW protected 14500s user myself....

theres been many many many threads on this and regarding best chargers for lithium cells....but there hasn't been a charger thats proven reliable that I know of.

the only choices given to me are ultrafire and DSD...
ultrafire tends to overcharge cells [I.E. go over 4.2V during extended charge times]
DSD [what I'm currently using] is known for premature AC adapter failure and continuous "trickle" charge that will turn the cells into basically the same as the Ultrafire. If the cell is protected, the energy is spent as heat, if its not protected theres the possibility of ....so far my DSD is still working, and so is my 14500s

the best method to buy spacers is via lighthound.com IMO....cells like 14500s 17670s, 16340s, 18650s remains relatively unheard off outside the forum....so good luck on finding it in Home depot, it would be easier to locate a bar of aluminum and hacksaw off a piece

 

[LuxLuthor]

....but there hasn't been a charger thats proven reliable that I know of.

The Pila charger is reliable, safe, and high quality.

Also either the Tenergy (aka: "DN") or Cell Pro 4s are a little higher price because of higher charge rate, and doing 4 at once...and are also reliable and safe.

Here was a thread about much of this.

 

[Illum]

oooooh
nice

 

[vetkaw63]

I have and use a DSD to charge my 14500's. My DSD turns green at 4.17 volts. It may trickle charge after this, I never checked. I simply remove the cells when the light is green.
I bored a piece of delrin and cut two spacers to fit inside. I put a spacer then the battery and another spacer inside the delrin tube. It works well for me.
Before you start charging Li Ion's, read all the threads on the dangers. Then have fun.
Mike

 

[LuxLuthor]

I agree if you are sitting, watching, and pull cells from the DSD when green light comes on, it should be fine (and safe).

However, despite my best efforts, and before I had taken the time to learn about Li-ion charging dangers, I would get distracted by something, and was amazed how many hours would go by before I remembered that cells were left in the DSD. It does continue charging when green light comes on, which is why I don't use the DSD anymore.

Again, the DSD is not a high risk, dangerous charger, such as the universal one which did not have a secure "click" slot for selecting the number of cells, and overall very poor construction.

Once you are educated about anything, you can use and enjoy them safely.

 

[BSBG]

The next question--which AA lights are safe with the 14500s?

Take a look at this:

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2011