is there a meter that can tell battery capacity just by probing the battery? like a mah scale on a multi meter?
is there an easy way to test capacity on an 18650?
is there an easy way to test capacity on an 18650?
battery capacity
- Thread starter bladesmith3
- Start date
HKJ
Flashaholic
No and no, you need to discharge the battery while summing the mA to get the capacity in mAh. For LiIon batteries the voltage can be used as a rough estimate of remaining capacity.
This is usual done with battery analysers (Like CBA) or hobby chargers, it is also possible to do with a DMM, but it is way to much work.
i do know what a cba is although i never used one. is there a link where i can watch the process in action?
i have heard the term hobby charger thrown around a lot. very little info on what it is? brand? model?
thanks. sorry for being so ignorant but i am trying.
i have heard the term hobby charger thrown around a lot. very little info on what it is? brand? model?
thanks. sorry for being so ignorant but i am trying.
Shadowww
Banned
There is very wide choice of brands and models, in different price ranges & with different functionality.
http://lygte-info.dk/info/HobbyChargers UK.html - here's some info on them
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__216__408__Battery_Chargers_Acc_-Battery_Chargers.html - here's where you can get some of them
I'd recommend Turnigy Accucel-6 in <$50 range, iCharger 106B+ in <$100 range and FMA PowerLab 8 in unlimited budget range.
HKJ
Flashaholic
I did put a link behind the words "hobby charger", and now shardowww has also posted the link by itself.
A do not have any pictures of the CBA in action, you connect it to a charged battery and to a computer, start the program and wait a couple of hours for the result. The hobby charger works the same way.
Gtamazing
Newly Enlightened
I bought the Accucell 6 from hobbyking.com they had them on for $23 a few weeks ago. This this is a little bit over my head. Charging lithium is pretty easy but nimh is a bit tougher. I don't know enough about charge/discharge rates yet but I'm trying.
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thank you for the help. i overlooked the link in the first reply. sorry. im old.
i charge a lot of batteries and i would like to run tests on a bunch of batteries. can you recomend a specific model and power rating? even the cba has different models.
thank you in advance.
i charge a lot of batteries and i would like to run tests on a bunch of batteries. can you recomend a specific model and power rating? even the cba has different models.
thank you in advance.
HKJ
Flashaholic
If you want to record the data on a computer, the iCharger is a good model, I have a couple of the 208B.
For just checking and comparing batteries and cheap hobby charger will work.
There are not that many models of the CBA, only the standard and the improved resolution model, then you can get it with the full software or a limited software and then you can get some external power modules if you are checking large batteries.
you guys are a wealt of information. i use several lights every night. most use 2 or more 18650 batts. i also use a fairly large amount of 14500 and rcr123 batts.
i probably have 60 batteries. it would be nice to keep track of them and even to atch up cells in the tn31 ect.
of course i have limited funds but i would like one that will do what i need. enough power? not sure how to say what i mean. so please make an educated choice for me.
price under $200
or anything close. thank you again. gary
i probably have 60 batteries. it would be nice to keep track of them and even to atch up cells in the tn31 ect.
of course i have limited funds but i would like one that will do what i need. enough power? not sure how to say what i mean. so please make an educated choice for me.
price under $200
or anything close. thank you again. gary
HKJ
Flashaholic
With that many batteries, it might be this charger you need:
It is four cheap hobby chargers in one box, I found it at hobby king.
All hobby chargers have more than enough power to charger a 18650 (It only need about 4 watt and even a small can do 50W), but with discharge test the cheaper hobby chargers are usual limited to 1A (this is fine for checking the capacity of a battery).
If you need higher discharge current, i.e. want to measure the capacity at a 3A load, you need a better hobby charger (Like the iCharger 208B).
moderator007
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2010
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- 990
If you looking for a charger that does data logging through a usb cable, make sure it has this feature before purchasing. The accucell 6 and 8 do not have the usb feature enabled anymore as far as I know. I have a older accucel 8 that does have the temp prob jack and usb working. The newer ones do not work without modifications. The icharger as HKJ suggested does have this feature working right out of the box.
i have many charges like the intelichargers. charging isn't the problem. i would like to test the capacity of many batterys. i know i sound ignorant on this subject because i am. i use a lacross bc1000 to test and charge my aa and aaa size batterys. is there another charger/tester similar for 18650? i looked at the iCharger 208B and it seems like it is made to test battery packs. i guess i am missing something.
so i think what i am asking is there a 18650 tester more like the lacross?
so i think what i am asking is there a 18650 tester more like the lacross?
Any idea whether the iMAX iMAX B6 (real not clone) still has the option for a USB connection? I read somewhere that it has a (TTL) serial port you could hook up to USB with a converter. I want to be able to graph (dis)charge current and voltage (and maybe internal resistance if possible) with my PC for both NiMH and Li-ion cells. As I don't really need balance charging or a high charge current (don't need fast charging), the more expensive models just seem like overkill. Higher discharge currents might be nice to have though for testing purposes.
A USB powered charger (with discharge option) that can also send the voltage and current information back over USB would be more than enough for me actually.
recycledelectrons
Newly Enlightened
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- Nov 20, 2008
- Messages
- 98
Deleted. I'm wrong again.
moderator007
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2010
- Messages
- 990
Heard this can be done with a accucel 6 here, not sure about the Imax. Also heard that their real similiar in internal parts so it could be possible. A good place to ask or search would be the RC forums.
Measuring battery capacity
I have salvaged a bunch of cells from laptop battery pacts and I want to check their capacity. I was thinking about how to do this and I'm thinking of just using a microcontroller to measure the voltage of the cell and use that to calculate the amperage flowing through a resistor and use a Samoset with a 2.8v cutoff set in code. Then I would send over the voltages and corresponding amperages to my computer and then calculate the capacity using a rieman's sum. While it wouldn't be perfectly accurate, if I measured 10 times per second it would be pretty close?
I have salvaged a bunch of cells from laptop battery pacts and I want to check their capacity. I was thinking about how to do this and I'm thinking of just using a microcontroller to measure the voltage of the cell and use that to calculate the amperage flowing through a resistor and use a Samoset with a 2.8v cutoff set in code. Then I would send over the voltages and corresponding amperages to my computer and then calculate the capacity using a rieman's sum. While it wouldn't be perfectly accurate, if I measured 10 times per second it would be pretty close?
