Nitecore Intellicharger and 14500's

[Haroldlutsen]

Hello I have been a longtime flashlight enthusiast but recently decided to get into rechargeable batteries. I bought a nitecore I-4 charger and some 14500s for my zebra sc52 and new nitecore ea11. Until recently reading information on cpf I had no idea the potential hazards of these cells. How much concern is leaving my spare 14500s on the charger until there needed and also on discharging. Will the light be noticeably dimmer before I reach a hazardous low level or will I have already passed this point when I can see diminished performance. The 14500 is a IMR 650 mAh NI 14500A. I thought it was a nitecore but it doesn't say it anywhere on it

 

[RBWNY]

From my experience (and CPF knowledge) nobody here will recommend you leave lithium batteries sitting in a charger! What's the point of that? First, the I-4 will feed them a trickle charge after they're full. They don't like that. Second...they'll stay at full voltage until needed...so again, there's no real need to keep them sitting there. So with an IMR...which I'm assuming isn't protected...you'll get useable light until almost the last drop of sustainable voltage is depleted. So if you keep using it until you begin noticing a drop in performance...then take voltage...it'll probably be around 2.70 ... which I believe is right on the threshold of being "as low as you should go". That's happened to me before and I've applied a charge ASAP. I know it's not recommended to let them get that low, but aside from it possibly taking a bit more of its useful life...I've not had any adverse effects.

I own a couple of chargers from XTAR and one from OPUS, which are supposed to completely cut the current when they're done. They advertise that the cells can safely sit there without being trickle-charged. But again...I see no point in it.

 

[1DaveN]

My boss insisted that he intended to leave 18650s in the charger until he needed them. Although I looked at some chargers (including Xtar) that claim to cut the current once the cells are charged, their instruction manuals also say not to leave them in the charger once charging is complete. Knowing my boss as I do, I got him two big packs of CR123As instead of the 18650s. He's happy, and I'm not listening for fire trucks.

 

[more_vampires]

My boss insisted that he intended to leave 18650s in the charger until he needed them.

Boss needs education. Glad you figured a way to work around the Dillbert PHB.

Hope he doesn't mix and match the cells and KB himself....

 

[Haroldlutsen]

So on discharge you will see a drop of performance with the 14500@ 2.7 v even though the light can run on regular AA @ 1.5V? Is that due to there is not enough current available at that voltage with the 14500? I was just worried since the light will run on 1.5v I would blow right by the low voltage threshold of the 14500. Thanks all I appreciate your help and useful knowledge

 

[more_vampires]

I don't have that Nitecore, but that ZL is 14500 compliant, afaik.

So on discharge you will see a drop of performance with the 14500@ 2.7 v even though the light can run on regular AA @ 1.5V?

Hold on, a protected cell should cut off at 2.7ish. That's the beginning of lion overdischarge and danger danger Will Robinson.

Is that due to there is not enough current available at that voltage with the 14500?

14500 strength is big current draw. That's not the problem, shouldn't run lions down past 2.7, I prefer 2.9 because I'm cautious. Some crazies want to take it to 2.5 and I strongly disagree.

Yes, there should be a drop in performance at 2.7v on a lion. It should be a 100% performance drop as the light should go out by protection on the cell and protection in the light driver.

Remember, a protected cell in cutoff shows 0v. No juice no more.

 

[Rider57]

I have the EA11 and have choosen not to use the imr 14500 included for this exact reason. The light has no low voltage detector, the battery is unprotected. Meaning if you leave it in there it will drain it past 2.7v. And at that point you might as well pull the pin, hold the spoon, throw it and take cover. If you are going to use the imr battery check its voltage often (unscrew the tailcap and screw it back in) dont wait untill it dims, this might fail you.

In all honesty the few extra lumens achived by the IMR arent worth the hassle. Get some protected 14500s and have peace of mind and ease of use.

If you absolutely need the 900+ lumens from the IMR then dont trust your eyes as to what is too low, trust the voltage meter built in if a multimeter isnt handy.

 

[more_vampires]

A lot of Nitecores these days have low voltage warning.

An undocumented feature in my NC Chameleon Green is a blue blinking led in the switch boot when the battery hits 2.9v and the light is on. Beauty. Not a word of it in the manual.

The NC CG has cutoff in the flashlight driver, don't know for certain in their other models.

 

[RBWNY]

If you are going to use the imr battery check its voltage often (unscrew the tailcap and screw it back in) dont wait untill it dims, this might fail you.

Good advice. I'd forgotten how easy it is to double-check the voltage on those lights! Especially when using an IMR.

 

[Haroldlutsen]

My uneducated self didn't realize there were difference in 14500's besides output I have since ordered protected 14500's and a 16pack of eneloops I'm not really dead set on using the 14500's just think it's fun showing people the small sc52 and the amount of light it puts out

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

My uneducated self didn't realize there were difference in 14500's besides output I have since ordered protected 14500's and a 16pack of eneloops I'm not really dead set on using the 14500's just think it's fun showing people the small sc52 and the amount of light it puts out

Your Zebralight has low-voltage cut-off at 2.8v, if you use a 14500 in it. (Yes, it detects the difference between AA/NiMH and 14500.) So, you don't have to worry about over-discharging your battery.

 

[more_vampires]

So, you don't have to worry about over-discharging your battery.

Hopefully, sir, hopefully. The stand alone meter that agrees with another meter is the final world. Electronics can get weird, musty, and funky. They can make bad decisions, worse than Jar Jar Binks.

The TLDR: Electronics can go to the dark side!

Beware, my brothers!

I sense a possible disturbance in the Force, but blind to the Dark Side we are!