NOW SORTED - THANKS!!! Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

[TallNHairyDave]

Hi folks...

Hope this is the right place to ask!

My collection of 18650 powered lights has grown, and at the moment I can charge 2 x 18650s at a time with my two WF-139 chargers, checking voltage before and after with multimeter. (I only use protected cells, mostly AW's excellent 2600mah ones)

This has been working fine for me for the time being as I don't have any torches that take more than 2 cells...

However, with the technical assistance of TX101 (thanks dude!:twothumbs) I'm currently building a modded m@g 4D that will be running off of 4 x 18650s driving 7 x Cree R5 bin XPG emitters. (I will do a build log at some point - including turning a custom heatsink on my lathe) So I'm feeling a little nervous about powering it up using 2 pairs of cells that have been charged in different chargers, and think it would probably be best to charge up 4 cells at a time using a hobby balance charger.

I have a small hobby charger that i use for my RC heli, but it's pretty basic and lacks a screen or any feedback on charging progress apart from a charging LED that goes out "when its' done". So I'd rather get a better charger (any recommendations gratefully received!) and would ideally like someone build me a charging rig, or a charging cradle to take up to 4x18650 cells that can connect up to a good hobby balance charger?

Requirements (including the charger here)
- Input 240V to the charger (I live in the UK, and this will be mains powered only)
- Charge and balance up to 4 x 18650 cells simultaneously

Many thanks.

 

[tx101]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

If I can get the JST plug thingie, I can make you one using
magnets

I do have the JST plug thingie on order

 

[TallNHairyDave]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

Thanks dude!

I was wondering about getting a new charger though. I assume JST is a standard plug so if I upgrade the cable would still work?

Anyone got any recommendations on the best budget balance charger that would do the job but still be better than my current "dumb" one? (a SmartPlus LPC-1080). Or is my current charger actually pretty decent (charges at a constant 1.5A per cell and balances between 2 and 5 cells) and I'm just being lead astray by the desire for one with a screen that will show progress and have more features?

Dave

 

[carrot]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

I was going to offer to duct tape two dual-bank chargers together for you.

 

[tx101]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

I have ordered a Turnigy Accucel-6 charger from Hobbycity in Hong Kong
It runs off a 12 volts, so a separate power supply is required, normally
a laptop PC power supply.

I ordered the Charger three weeks ago and they are still waiting for the
manufacturer

BTW ... I also order a 10 pack of JST extensions. What I was thinking of doing
was to cut off the plug from one end and solder magnets on.

 

[NutSAK]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

I just received a Turnigy Accucel-6 a few days ago from HobbyKing, and I highly recommend it. I've been charging & testing Li-Ion, NiCd and Pb batteries since I got it, and it has proven extremely useful. I think it would be the perfect, affordable solution for your 18650 setup.

 

[tx101]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

I was just browsing their forum, apparently there is a backlog of over -600
units for the Accucel 6 charger

 

[TallNHairyDave]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

Just picked up a new Turnigy Accucel-6 from a UK based ebay seller who had some in stock.

Thanks for the recommendations guys!

PM'd TX101 with the link to the seller in case he wants to cancel his order with the HK blokes.

Update: Also found a UK seller with JST-XH extension leads, so have ordered a 2S, 4S, and 6S set to be turned into magnet leads

I'll have a go at soldering a neodymium magnet to some wire and see if I can do it without cooking the magnet.

 

[jasonck08]

Re: Could someone make me a charging rig for 4 x 18650 cells?

I have ordered a Turnigy Accucel-6 charger from Hobbycity in Hong Kong
It runs off a 12 volts, so a separate power supply is required, normally
a laptop PC power supply.

I ordered the Charger three weeks ago and they are still waiting for the
manufacturer

BTW ... I also order a 10 pack of JST extensions. What I was thinking of doing
was to cut off the plug from one end and solder magnets on.

I have this charger, I ordered from HobbyCity's US warehouse and got it within a week.

Regarding the magnets. I used magnets with this charger and ran into a problem. It seems that the rare earth magnets get extremely weak after running electricity through them for a while.

before single magnets could stick onto a battery, now I have to use 4 or 5 RE magnets on each lead. If you go this route, be sure to buy plenty of RE magnets.

 

[TallNHairyDave]

And yes, I can solder a neodymium magnet onto a wire without killing the magnet... at least on the second try! The first one went and the second one has lost a bit of power but still sticks to stuff

Just ordered 1m each of black & red 16AWG silicone coated wire to do the "power in" cables on the +VE and -VE ends of the charging cable setup.

Looks like I'm well and truly sorted.

lovecpf

(Of course, learning to use my new charger will be another matter )

JasonCK8 - thanks for the tip re the magnets. I might have to look at options like making some steel collars that the magnets sit inside so the current is going via the collar not only the magnet or look at getting one of LuminousDIY's charging cradles and cabling it up... But for now I'll stick with the magnets.

 

[Russel]

If you are ambitious enough, you can order JST XH connectors from DigiKey and make your own balance plugs for the Accucell-6 charger.

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=455-2269-ND

The pins are at the bottom of the DigiKey page under associated products.

 

[mandrake]

OK I got magnets, I can buy holders from Luminous DIY.
Stupid question for you RC Hobby charger guys, not for me...
How do I wire the batteries... series or parallel or what.

The sensing plug for balancing. How does that work. Sorry to be a pain, but CPF has been my savior on this kind of thing in the past...
Have patience please!

Phil

 

[ronkar]

mandrake,

At the risk of being a wise *ss, the answer is yes. It is possible to charge batteries with a hobby charger in either a parallel or series circuit, depending...

Now, having got that out of the way, take a look at this thread, it may give you some ideas:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=257211

 

[mandrake]

You are not being a wise-A** .. I asked the question.

I specifically was considering the Turnigy Accucel 6.
I have read a bunch, but not seen anything specific about how to setup cells, and maybe be able to balance them.
Will check the thread you mention.

Thanks!

mandrake,

At the risk of being a wise *ss, the answer is yes. It is possible to charge batteries with a hobby charger in either a parallel or series circuit, depending...

Now, having got that out of the way, take a look at this thread, it may give you some ideas:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=257211