Justintoxicated
Flashlight Enthusiast
Will this charger charge RCR2's the ones I have are the 4.2v kind. Also, where can I get a spacer to charge them if it is safe?
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Pila IBC Charger for RCR2s?
- Thread starter Justintoxicated
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Henk_Lu
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Pila IBC Charger
Well, I ordered one to charge RCR123, 14500 and 18650. As it is the best li-ion charger available, it should do that.
I ordered two CR123 dummies from AW on CPFMP, the best spacers you can get, but you also can use bolts or whatever fits. My thought was if I spend hundreds of $ for li-ions and chargers (to save some money!!!
) the 10 bucks for two dummies are peanuts...
Well, I ordered one to charge RCR123, 14500 and 18650. As it is the best li-ion charger available, it should do that.
I ordered two CR123 dummies from AW on CPFMP, the best spacers you can get, but you also can use bolts or whatever fits. My thought was if I spend hundreds of $ for li-ions and chargers (to save some money!!!
) the 10 bucks for two dummies are peanuts...
Henk_Lu
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Pila IBC Charger
RCR2?
I read RCR123... Sorry, hazna is completely right, RCR2 mustn't be charged with the Pila, you need either one of the Nano-Chargers or the WF-138.
RCR2?
I read RCR123... Sorry, hazna is completely right, RCR2 mustn't be charged with the Pila, you need either one of the Nano-Chargers or the WF-138.
Justintoxicated
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Pila IBC Charger
Ok thats what I needed to know thanks, for now I only have 2 RCR2's for a blueray laser, and some pila 150's that already have the old school non smart charger (relies on built in protection).
I hear so much complaints about the cheap chargers having poor shut off voltages, but I have been charging these things for years now in a charger that has no shut off protection! Do I really need to fork out the money for the pila ibc charger, it seems to me that event eh cheap $20 charger that are out now are far superior to the one I have been using for years?
Which charger should I get for these RCR2's Nano-Charger or WF-138 (which is better or is one just dual channel)?
I was also looking at this one. Since these are the batteries my laser came with. No spacers needed? And for other battery sizes I see a Pila IBC in my near future anyways. Just want some opinions
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Rechargeable-...ICS%2BUFI%2BDDSIC&otn=10&ps=63#ht_1241wt_1165
RCR2?
I read RCR123... Sorry, hazna is completely right, RCR2 mustn't be charged with the Pila, you need either one of the Nano-Chargers or the WF-138.
Ok thats what I needed to know thanks, for now I only have 2 RCR2's for a blueray laser, and some pila 150's that already have the old school non smart charger (relies on built in protection).
I hear so much complaints about the cheap chargers having poor shut off voltages, but I have been charging these things for years now in a charger that has no shut off protection! Do I really need to fork out the money for the pila ibc charger, it seems to me that event eh cheap $20 charger that are out now are far superior to the one I have been using for years?
Which charger should I get for these RCR2's Nano-Charger or WF-138 (which is better or is one just dual channel)?
I was also looking at this one. Since these are the batteries my laser came with. No spacers needed? And for other battery sizes I see a Pila IBC in my near future anyways. Just want some opinions
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Rechargeable-...ICS%2BUFI%2BDDSIC&otn=10&ps=63#ht_1241wt_1165
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FroggyTaco
Flashlight Enthusiast
I got this charger when I bought my Tenergy RCR123 Li-on cells. It terminates about 4.12V for both channels.
The back of the charger says 360mA charge rate which is a whole lot safer for the smaller cells.
The back of the charger says 360mA charge rate which is a whole lot safer for the smaller cells.
Justintoxicated
Flashlight Enthusiast
FroggyTaco
Flashlight Enthusiast
LOL..I hate when I forget to include the link!
Let's try this http://www.batteryjunction.com/smchforrc3li.html
Let's try this http://www.batteryjunction.com/smchforrc3li.html
Conan
Newly Enlightened
That Tenergy charger looks exactly like my Soshine charger.
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
If I'm not mistaken, it's the same as Powerizer's, as well. Personally, I'm not too impressed with them. I have three that I bought some time ago with cells included, two 3.0 Volt LiCo's and one 3.6 Volt LiCo. They all work, but all but one of the 3 Volt chargers, fail to fully charge good cells. They also appear to trickle charge after completing the charge, not a good thing.:sigh:
Dave
Justintoxicated
Flashlight Enthusiast
the RCR2's I have are 4.2 volts when fully charged, they are not the 3v versions. Sorry I forgot to specify.
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
What I'd do Justintoxicated, is go ahead and get the Pila. It's a really good charger for 17500-18650 cells and RCR123's and 14500's in a pinch. Unfortunately, the Pila is, as has been mentioned, too high a rate for your RCR2's @600mA.
There really aren't any commonly available "good" chargers for RCR2's, short of getting a hobby charger. As much as I hate to recommend an UltraFire charger, I bought a WF-138 a while back for charging my LiFe RCR2's (with magnets), as it will work for them (3 Volt) as well as regular LiCo and LiMn cells (3.6 Volt) and has a 250mA rate, good for smaller cells. Sometimes these chargers are junk, sometimes you get lucky, as I guess I did, and they work quite well.
I find myself using the WF-138 for my 123's and 14250's, as well, at least untill I get my hobby charger figured out. It stops charging LiCo's at 4.19-4.20 Volts and LiFe's at around 3.6 Volts. I can't complain about that. It may trickle charge after completion, but I always watch my cells closely while charging, and pull them off when they're done anyway.
If you did get a WF-138, it opens up the possibility of using LiFe cells in the future. I find it superior to the DSD, nano's and all the other really crap chargers I've had. They aren't a real financial burden either, unless..... you get a bad one.
Dave
There really aren't any commonly available "good" chargers for RCR2's, short of getting a hobby charger. As much as I hate to recommend an UltraFire charger, I bought a WF-138 a while back for charging my LiFe RCR2's (with magnets), as it will work for them (3 Volt) as well as regular LiCo and LiMn cells (3.6 Volt) and has a 250mA rate, good for smaller cells. Sometimes these chargers are junk, sometimes you get lucky, as I guess I did, and they work quite well.
I find myself using the WF-138 for my 123's and 14250's, as well, at least untill I get my hobby charger figured out. It stops charging LiCo's at 4.19-4.20 Volts and LiFe's at around 3.6 Volts. I can't complain about that. It may trickle charge after completion, but I always watch my cells closely while charging, and pull them off when they're done anyway.
If you did get a WF-138, it opens up the possibility of using LiFe cells in the future. I find it superior to the DSD, nano's and all the other really crap chargers I've had. They aren't a real financial burden either, unless..... you get a bad one.
Dave
FroggyTaco
Flashlight Enthusiast
My RCR123 cells are tenergy 3.0V versions but they charge right up to 4.1+V like my 18650 & 18500 AW cells. I think the 3.0 thing is a lie!
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
There are actually two kinds of 3 Volt Li-Ion cells. There are LiCo cells that have diodes that reduce the voltage to about 3.2-3.4 Volts under load, this is what you have. They require a special charger that actually charges at a higher voltage than regular LiCo cells, to overcome the diodes. The resulting fully charged OC voltage, depending on your meter is 4.20 Volts or, the OC voltage can be as low as 3.7-3.8 Volts, this depends on whether the diodes are activated.
Then there are LiFe 3 Volt cells, which are also 3.2-3.3 Volts. These require a special charger as well, terminating between 3.6 and 3.8 Volts.
Hope that clears things up.
Dave
FroggyTaco
Flashlight Enthusiast
It does clear it up & thanks for the information. I am just surprised at the voltage drop under load vs resting. That must be the work of the diode. Yet more space taken up by electronics & not battery chemistry!
Voltage testing was done with a Fluke 112 meter.
Voltage testing was done with a Fluke 112 meter.
Justintoxicated
Flashlight Enthusiast
What I'd do Justintoxicated, is go ahead and get the Pila. It's a really good charger for 17500-18650 cells and RCR123's and 14500's in a pinch. Unfortunately, the Pila is, as has been mentioned, too high a rate for your RCR2's @600mA.
There really aren't any commonly available "good" chargers for RCR2's, short of getting a hobby charger. As much as I hate to recommend an UltraFire charger, I bought a WF-138 a while back for charging my LiFe RCR2's (with magnets), as it will work for them (3 Volt) as well as regular LiCo and LiMn cells (3.6 Volt) and has a 250mA rate, good for smaller cells. Sometimes these chargers are junk, sometimes you get lucky, as I guess I did, and they work quite well.
I find myself using the WF-138 for my 123's and 14250's, as well, at least untill I get my hobby charger figured out. It stops charging LiCo's at 4.19-4.20 Volts and LiFe's at around 3.6 Volts. I can't complain about that. It may trickle charge after completion, but I always watch my cells closely while charging, and pull them off when they're done anyway.
If you did get a WF-138, it opens up the possibility of using LiFe cells in the future. I find it superior to the DSD, nano's and all the other really crap chargers I've had. They aren't a real financial burden either, unless..... you get a bad one.
Dave
Thanks for all the info, I might just buy the juice charger since it is sold with the RCR2 2's I have. not sure on the WF-138, seems that it would not be as useful if I get the Pila anyways, and then I would need to use spacers?
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
I can't say whether or not the Juice is a "good" charger. That's the first I've heard of it. I can say most chargers in that class, are not. That could also be said about the WF-138 as well, however the WF-138 does have some following on these forums and mine anyway, is an "OK" charger.
One thing about the Juice is it's charge rate is stated to be 400mA. I'd prefer something slower than that for RCR2's. I'm not sure what the actual capacity of those RCR2 cells is (regardless of what may be printed on the side), but I'd say 400mAh would be tops for a LiCo RCR2. If so, you'd be charging at a 1C rate, which would be OK.
I'm not trying to sell an UltraFire charger to you, believe me. Still, the WF-138 has two independant 250mA channels, to the Juice's single 400mA, so you could charge two cells a bit faster than using the Juice two times. Also, as I mentioned before, the WF-138 offers the ability to charge LiFePO4 cells as well.
Yes, for RCR2 and 14250 cells, I have to use magnets, but that's really no big deal. Before that, I just stacked a few copper washers at the negitive end of the cell(s).
As far as needing another charger besides the Pila, anybody that has one and charges cells of less than 600mAh capacity, should have another charger for smaller cells anyway.:shrug: This is another area where a hobby charger simplifies things.
If you do get the Juice, do let us know how it works out.
Dave
One thing about the Juice is it's charge rate is stated to be 400mA. I'd prefer something slower than that for RCR2's. I'm not sure what the actual capacity of those RCR2 cells is (regardless of what may be printed on the side), but I'd say 400mAh would be tops for a LiCo RCR2. If so, you'd be charging at a 1C rate, which would be OK.
I'm not trying to sell an UltraFire charger to you, believe me.
Still, the WF-138 has two independant 250mA channels, to the Juice's single 400mA, so you could charge two cells a bit faster than using the Juice two times. Also, as I mentioned before, the WF-138 offers the ability to charge LiFePO4 cells as well.Yes, for RCR2 and 14250 cells, I have to use magnets, but that's really no big deal. Before that, I just stacked a few copper washers at the negitive end of the cell(s).
As far as needing another charger besides the Pila, anybody that has one and charges cells of less than 600mAh capacity, should have another charger for smaller cells anyway.:shrug: This is another area where a hobby charger simplifies things.
If you do get the Juice, do let us know how it works out.
Dave
