Is it worth spending extra for a charger?
- Thread starter kelsojack
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
mdocod
Flashaholic
The Pila IBC is worth every penny from what I have heard, I'm as broke as is gets so don't own one personally.
The WF-139 or a DSD will charge 18650s, but the WF-139 will overcharge if you leave them on too long, and the DSD lacks independent channel control, and charges painfully slow, and I have heard reports of it also potentially overcharging if left on way too long.
If I could trade in every dollar I've spent over the years on junk stuff, I'd replace it with a few essentials, one of those essentials would be a Pila IBC.
My recommendation based on experience, pay up front, get the good charger and a few good cells and a few good flashlights.
The WF-139 or a DSD will charge 18650s, but the WF-139 will overcharge if you leave them on too long, and the DSD lacks independent channel control, and charges painfully slow, and I have heard reports of it also potentially overcharging if left on way too long.
If I could trade in every dollar I've spent over the years on junk stuff, I'd replace it with a few essentials, one of those essentials would be a Pila IBC.
My recommendation based on experience, pay up front, get the good charger and a few good cells and a few good flashlights.
Derek Dean
Flashlight Enthusiast
Ditto. If you can at all afford it, go with the Pila.
Everybody says the WF-139 overcharges but I'm not so sure that everybody that makes this claim even owns one. I have one that always cuts off charge at 4.16v I've put in protected and unprotected cells and never have i had an overcharge. I've left them in overnight and no over charging. It's a cheap charger and there will be some variance between units but some people seem to be positive that all units will be bad. I'm not telling you to get the cheap charger. You should probably get the more expensive charger. I was just trying to point out that with the wf-139 you might get a good one or you might not.
Last edited:
Lite_me
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have a WF-138 and a Pila IBC. The 138 sits in the drawer. It overcharges... can't trust it. The Pila works beautifully.
easilyled
Flashaholic
With flashlights and their accessories, its a false economy to always
go for the cheaper option.
I know that the thought processes go something like "I could get 2 or
3 of those for the price of that one"
However the "2 or 3 of those" may all be inferior quality and they may
also damage other components.
This is a general principle. I'd rather have one of something nice than
3 of something else that are clearly less well built and more likely to go wrong.
go for the cheaper option.
I know that the thought processes go something like "I could get 2 or
3 of those for the price of that one"
However the "2 or 3 of those" may all be inferior quality and they may
also damage other components.
This is a general principle. I'd rather have one of something nice than
3 of something else that are clearly less well built and more likely to go wrong.
DM51
Flashaholic
Definitely go for the Pila IBC - better for your cells in the long run.
Moving this thread to the Batteries section.
Moving this thread to the Batteries section.
mdocod
Flashaholic
My WF-139 terminates on my RCR123s at ~4.20V, but since it doesn't use CC followed by CV correctly, the cells drop to 4.16 within moments of the light going green. Then if you leave the cells on the charger "green" for about 8 hours, they will come back up to ~4.20V. With 17500 and 17670 cells the behavior seems to be different, It seems to CC charge up to around 4.23-4.26V give or take, at which point it goes green and the cell falls to ~4.20V (sometimes over sometimes under), then continues trickle charging them, after 8 hours I've seen it push 17670 and 17500 cells as high as 4.29V.
My gut on these things tells me that 90% or more of the WF-139 chargers shipped are probably *junk* with improper termination and overcharge problems. My gut also tells me that ~25-50% of owners will not "catch" the charger being bad necessarily, or it may behave differently with their cells and never appear to have a problem. There's a lot more to the equation of how problematic products get reported. Of course, as soon as a problem starts cropping up, and a lot of people start reporting it, owners who have not had the problem may come out to defend the purchase, beating back the problem. It's like the stock market, A bunch of people sell off, and it's almost always rebounded by a bunch of people sweeping in to buy at the newly reduced price.
My gut on these things tells me that 90% or more of the WF-139 chargers shipped are probably *junk* with improper termination and overcharge problems. My gut also tells me that ~25-50% of owners will not "catch" the charger being bad necessarily, or it may behave differently with their cells and never appear to have a problem. There's a lot more to the equation of how problematic products get reported. Of course, as soon as a problem starts cropping up, and a lot of people start reporting it, owners who have not had the problem may come out to defend the purchase, beating back the problem. It's like the stock market, A bunch of people sell off, and it's almost always rebounded by a bunch of people sweeping in to buy at the newly reduced price.
You can get the Pila IBC for $36....hardly a big expense for its quality.
Hitthespot
Flashlight Enthusiast
I bought the 139 charger and it lasted for two charges. Ended up buying the IBC charger anyway. Go for it, I've have had very good results with mine.
Bill
Bill
Alexi*
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
- Messages
- 106
Did you get a refund?
Did you buy it from AW?
Damn, why didn't I see this talk about the 139 before ordering it :mecry:
RGB_LED
Enlightened
I have the WF-139 as well and I have tested the batteries hot off the charger with my DMM - for my unprotected 18650's, protected 17670 and 14500's, the light turns green when the cells hit 4.2v. If I don't happen to notice when the light turns green, the unprotected cells will usually climb to 4.23v or so.
The only one battery that seems to have an issue is my older protected AW 18650 where it consistently comes off the charger at 4.05v, even if I leave it in for another hour or so. I suspect that, due to the age of the battery, it may be nearing the end of it's life.
If I had known more about the IBC Pila charger initially, I would have purchased that charger instead.
The only one battery that seems to have an issue is my older protected AW 18650 where it consistently comes off the charger at 4.05v, even if I leave it in for another hour or so. I suspect that, due to the age of the battery, it may be nearing the end of it's life.
If I had known more about the IBC Pila charger initially, I would have purchased that charger instead.
Ray1968
Newly Enlightened
So where's a good place to get a Pila IBC for a decent price?
RGB_LED
Enlightened
Hitthespot
Flashlight Enthusiast
It was going to cost me half the price I originally paid to ship it back. Needless to say I tossed it. I will not buy from that vendor again and I'm not going to mention it on an open forum. There are popular CPF vendors that will go out of their way to make things right, and if they don't I will not deal with them anymore.
Please lets not take this thread any further off topic. If you want more info PM me.
Bill
rizky_p
Flashlight Enthusiast
for me, i just bought a RC charger and use the WF-139(guts removed of course) as battery cradle to charge up almost any batteries....
lengendcpf
Enlightened
But they don't ship internationally, do they?
Only a few are selling this. Can't find this on eBay even.. Guess not many people play with the li-ion batteries.
I missed the last GB for this.
Hopefully, one kind soul will start a GB again..
