OLDER, SIMPLER AND BETTER!!!

[Capolini]

LOL!!!

It is simple,this thread is about the ORIGINAL ARE-C2 which is NOT a constant 1amp charge.

There is a lot you missed young man that was mentioned in this thread and the other!

1. I am NOT getting the Opus

2. I gave the FREE ARE-C2+ CHARGER to a new flashaholic prospect to be REPLACED with a discounted "Original" ARE-C2!!!

Quiz will be in the morning,,,,,,I will meet you in Jensen Beach, FLA. 11TH floor- Islandia II,,,,,my Dads condo!!!:laughing:

 

[ChrisGarrett]

After reading your two threads, bouncing back and forth between the Fenix v.1, Fenix v.2 and Opus, I think that I need a few drinks to stop my head from spinning, so I won't be driving.

We're having great weather in SoFla. and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival is in full swing.

Chris

 

[Capolini]

^^^
We are having great weather to,,,,,,,,,,if your name isn't CAPO the Husky and Capolini!

For the first time in our weather history we have had Three days in a row of 70+ temps in February!!!,,,,,absolutely crazy. Overnight it is dropping to 32F,,,,,,,a more normal temp.

Last night CAPO and I saw some flowers and a Frog on the trail!! I have never seen that before in February either!

Send me some Bikini shots from the festival!

 

[marinemaster]

Chris funny you mention, my Pila charger have been working perfect for the past 8 to 10 years I had it. [emoji16]

 

[nbp]

Me too, I still use a Pila IBC. Hahaha.

 

[Capolini]

Me too, I still use a Pila IBC. Hahaha.

I had to look that charger up! They still sell them on Illumn,,,,,,,,,It better be good for $39.99 for a 2 bay L.ion only charger!


Specs:


IBC Charger DC out : 4.2 VDC / 600mA x 2


Illumn note:


Illumination Supply Note: The Pila IBC is known amongst flashlight enthusiasts as one of the highest quality bay chargers you can get on the market. It is compatible with 18650s, 17670s, 16340s, and 14500s. 4 spacers are included. The charger will charge any li-ion cells properly. (over 600mAH)

Don't you think 600mA charge is a little high for 16340?

 

[nbp]

It's less than 1C, so to my knowledge it should be ok.

It has no screen or settings or buttons or anything. You just put in cells and wait for it to turn green. Pair it with a voltage tester and its KISS. Good for people with very simple needs like me!

 

[marinemaster]

It does have 2 buttons one for each bay. You can press it to top it off I think. Have not read the instructions in a long time. It also came with all kinds of adapters and car adapter. It also came with the adapters for the shorter 17500 or the shorter Li rechargeable.
Not sure what it would come with now as the trend is to cut cost everywhere these days.

 

[nbp]

Yes, you're correct. There are two buttons to activate charging if the charger doesn't start when the cells are put in or terminates early. But my point was it doesn't do all the fancy stuff new ones do. It just charges batteries. Nothing to change, no settings, no voltage testing or charging progress meters, no multichemistry or voltage options, etc. I don't think I got a car adapter but I could be wrong. I had no use for European plug adapters. I wish they gave you longer battery spacers though or more of them. For 16340s I have to use a dummy cell or a bolt as a spacer. Anyways, I do like the simplicity of an older unit so I can sympathize with the OP.

 

[marinemaster]

If there is a corresponding 18650 charger, what Maha is to AA, I would like to know. Please no Fenix as I do not like them or some other brand that came up few years ago and have like 18 different models. Usually I look for 10 years or so in business or more.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Chris funny you mention, my Pila charger have been working perfect for the past 8 to 10 years I had it. [emoji16]

Hi MM.

I've never said it was a 'bad' charger and it was the 'king of the hill,' back in 2012 when I first got into li-ion cells (ZL SC600 CW/18650.) I would have a Pila IBC right now, had they not been close to $50 shipped, from places like LightHound (RIP.)

After revamping all of my NiMH batteries and chargers, to the tune of about $300-$400, I just couldn't swing the extra money and went with an Xtar WP2 II, which was $20 shipped at the time. That does two bays, it does 500mA and 1A and it does both rates in a fairly correct manner like the Pila IBC.

Remember, the IBC was designed around cells marketed by Pila and they wanted us to use them. They were probably the same, but they wouldn't vouch for any other brands at the time, which really wasn't many back then--Redilast, AW, Calies Kustom and perhaps some by International Outdoors, that HKJ tested back in the day.

Remember, the Pila was a safe and competent charger before we had some of the big names and most of the crap back then was unbranded Chinese stuff, or TrustFire/UltraFire offerings, which were hit, or miss.

Heck, even the earlier Xtar chargers were spotty, if you go back and read Henrik's earlier tests.

Not a hater and I would have one but for the price, but the Model T was a great car for the day and many people still drive them with lots of pleasure, right?

We've moved on and had I a Pila now, I wouldn't throw it in the trash, but I wouldn't be using it all that much with what we now have. They've got a 6v power supply, IIRC, which is now a bit 'non-standard.'

Hey...if we all liked and did the same things, it would be a boring world!

I was just in Coral Gables, FL today and they had a big PORSCHE show. Saw three 356 concourse cars, '51, '55 and one other, but apart from an investment POV, or plain nostalgia, most of us would be wanting the GTRs and Turbo S models, no?

I'd like to take this time to apologize unequivocally to any Pila owners for disparaging any of their beloved Pila chargers and I will, post haste, apply 30 lashes to my nether region as atonement for my catty and underwhelming remarks.

Chris

 

[marinemaster]

Chris is all good mate, no worries. [emoji3]
One reason I still use the Pila charger is that my ZL SC62w gets hot on 2x123. With 18650 it does not get as hot. The thing is I live in the South and in the summer time running the ZL at 900 lumens or whatever the max is for the SC62 it gets hot quickly. On 18650 is about the same brightness but runs cooler, it definitely helps with heat management. What I typically do after I use the SC62 for extended periods I always take the battery out and leave the body with the cap unscrewed to let it cool.