Fitting AW 18650 2600 mAh into WF-139

[joshconsulting]

I'm having problems fitting my AW 18650 2600 mAh into my WF-139 charger. The pin in back that slides to fit the battery is just a milimeter or two too short for the batterys, and I have to jam them in with some force. It tore a part of the wrap on one of the batteries, and slightly dented in the positive terminal contact. I saw in one of the threads where someone wired the charger into an external battery pack to hold batteries that were too big for the charger; is that a good way to go about fixing this? If so, where can I get a holder that will comfortably fit the 18650s?

Thanks :)

 

[Norm]

DigiKey 18650 Battery Holder‎

 

[joshconsulting]

The problem is that AWs batteries are slightly longer then standard 18650s due to the protection circuit. Normal 18650s fit into the 139 just fine, and I'm afraid I'm going to have the same problem if I buy a battery holder.

 

[Black Rose]

Nevermind...brain fart :D

 

[joshconsulting]

Nevermind...brain fart :D

I love how email alert sends me the original post :whistle:

 

[Black Rose]

Busted :D

 

[Search]

Mine is also a little tough to get in, but for me it's a good thing.

I've got the car charging cord, and when I start going on duty I plan on using it to charge while working. It's nice knowing it's not going to fall out in a moving car.

Mine doesn't take enough force to bother me.

 

[Henk_Lu]

Same for me, they are tight to fit in, requires a little force, but I haven't hurt a cell until now.

If you only have one battery, it could be either the battery that is exceptionnally long or the charger that is shorter than usual, which would mean that the sliders are bent. Check if there's no possibility to create a millimeter more space, by filing the pins on the contacts perhaps?

 

[joshconsulting]

I have two batteries, and in both of them the problem is the same in both slots - the positive side is actually dented in slightly from the force required to force it in. On one of them, the plastic wrap the cells are in tore on the the end when I pushed it into the charger.

 

[BigMHoff]

I forced mine in. Works fine.

 

[Closet_Flashaholic]

It must be a manufacturing tolerance thing (on the charger). I have 2 WF-139's and the AW18650/2600 fits in both, however it's a lot tighter fit in one than the other. But even the tighter one doesn't require "forcing it". - and yes, both chargers were purchased at the same time. YMMV

 

[joshconsulting]

Yea, I guess I just got a tighter one. I wondered why I couldn't find anything else on it with so many 2600 AWs and WF-139s out there...

 

[mitro]

Mine fit without any more force than any other size battery. I do have some blue Trustfires that require a LOT of force.

 

[Fusion_m8]

Getting a hobby charger like the Swallow II or EQ lets you charge/discharge Li-Ons individually or in series/parallel, but you need to get a balancer board and a little bit of imagination using some mini crocodile clips and magnets if you want to charge more than one cell at a time. I've found my Swallow II to be far more accurate in controlling charge current than my WF-139.

 

[mdocod]

Getting a hobby charger like the Swallow II or EQ lets you charge/discharge Li-Ons individually or in series/parallel, but you need to get a balancer board and a little bit of imagination using some mini crocodile clips and magnets if you want to charge more than one cell at a time. I've found my Swallow II to be far more accurate in controlling charge current than my WF-139.

Balance taps would not be required if the cells were just wired in parallel and charged as a single larger capacity 3.7V cell.

 

[BIGLOU]

I just got my WF-139 charger too and was going to start a thread to ask the same question. I also have to force my protected Hua Neng 3.6V 2200 mAh 18650 in for a tight fit. I'm a little bummed out because I rippped the shrink wrap off on the postive end too and it looks like the button/disc looking thing is going to come off. Is there a fix for my battery so it doesnt fall apart? Is there a way to reshrink wrap it? I guess I wont be able to use the WF-139 for my 18650s. Going to try to bend the negative end tabs.

 

[Egsise]

I guess AW 2200mAh 18650's are normal size, I had no trouble with them when I tried those in mine and my friends WF-139.

 

[M@elstrom]

How old/new is your WF-139 charger? mine fits AW's 2600 18650 cell & Ultrafire 3000 without issue depressing the lower contact (of the charger) with the base of the cell then easing in the top of the cell (like putting on a shoe) no effort! :thumbsup:

 

[joshconsulting]

Mine is the new kind, purchased a couple of months ago from DX.

 

[Egsise]

Is it possible that it is a fake WF-139?