Charger is reading Li-ion battery as NiMh

vincent3685

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Mar 14, 2015
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I'm trying to charge some Li-on 18650 batteries. One of the Panasonic NCR18650GA batteries is showing as a NiMh on the charger, and it won't fully charge. The charging scale goes from 0V to 1.55V, while the other batteries are charging correctly at 0V to 4.2V. After just a few minutes, the charger says it's full. I've tried this on two different chargers with the same outcome. Is this battery trashed or is something else wrong? Thanks in advance for any info on this.
 
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Using a multi-meter, the battery shows 1.10V

Based on what VERY little I know, I would think that cell is in a failed, and potentially dangerous condition. I would be reluctant to mess with it further.

Based on that measured voltage, I would think that a typical multi-chemistry charger with auto 'type' selection would (incorrectly) assume that cell to be NiMH.

ICBW, and often am;-)
 
Based on what VERY little I know, I would think that cell is in a failed, and potentially dangerous condition. I would be reluctant to mess with it further.

Based on that measured voltage, I would think that a typical multi-chemistry charger with auto 'type' selection would (incorrectly) assume that cell to be NiMH.

ICBW, and often am;-)
That makes perfect sense. From what I've researched online so far, I'm seeing the same thing. How dangerous do you think the cell is? The charger won't charge it much past one volt. Could it blow up or catch fire just sitting there off the charger?
 
I'm not really qualified to comment regarding worst-case failure modes of lithium-ion cells. I only know I don't want to learn through experience, so that's why I wouldn't mess with it further in any way. If I had it here, I'd probably ensure it wasn't warmer than ambient temp, and if not I'd just e-tape the terminals and put it in my 'recycle' stash for disposal. If I thought it might have some temp rise going on, I'd set it outside;-)
 
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