Premium Lithium Ion charger please!

[koopa]

Hi, I've had my Trustfire charger set on fire (oh the irony), and heard bad things about ultrafire (not handling terminating charge correctly).

Is there a non-chinese-knockoff high quality lithium Ion 18650 charger that is not a million dollars, that is good quality? It would also be good if it could charge other sizes (14250, even with spacers)

For instance I have this charger for NiMH/NiCAD:
http://www.mahaenergy.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=423

And I absolutely love it, because it gives me all kind of information about the health of the cell, and I can trust it to charge at fast/slow speeds. Oh how I wish Maha made Lithium Ion chargers. Any idea of an equivalent?

Cheers

 

[Black Rose]

Pila IBC seems to be the stock answer, although the charge rate is a bit high for RCR123/16340 cells.

It's not $1 million dollars, but it's not $20 either

It doesn't provide the extra info that the C9000 does for NiMh/NiCd.
I also wish that Maha would make something similar for the Li-Ion crowd.

 

[mdocod]

to get that same type of feedback and performance and wide-cell-range compatibility, you would need to build a custom cradle, and use a Li-Ion/LiPo hobby charger. You'll probably find that most chargers of this type also happen to be NiCD/NIMH/SLA chargers as well. It wouldn't exactly be cheap by the time you were done..

The Pila IBC would be the way to go if you can keep the cell size at RCR123 or larger.

 

[TranceAddict]

get a schulze lipo card charger

http://www.schulze-elektronik-gmbh.com/LiPoC2-e.htm

though price a bit steep, but works best among those stock charger.

 

[Oddjob]

I use a Pila IBC. Decent charger for the money IMO.

 

[LEDAdd1ct]

I'll go with the stock answer on this one, and say Pila IBC.

 

[metlarules]

Pila IBC is the best charger in its price range.

 

[h2oflyer]

I'm using a Schulze isl chameleon 330d that I bought in 2002 for RC use. Use a mini hobby type adjustable clamp( like a pipe clamp). glued ring terminals to jaws and totally adjustable for any battery length.

Only Li-on I have are10440's and it does a great job with soft start, up to max at 330 ma and taper off near charge termination. I don't have a lab type power supply so use old car battery as power supply.

I would probably go for a Pila IBC if I didn't have the Schulze.

Walter

 

[Flashlight Aficionado]

Pila IBC Charger Compendium

 

[koopa]

Thanks guys, I now have a better understanding of what chargers are out there. I will get the PILA IBC charger, and then transition to a custom hobby charger if I get more seriously into Li-ion!

Cheers