Reliable chargers to charge IMR 26500 cells?
- Thread starter ptolemy
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45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't think you're going to find anything "normal" for a 26500 Li-Ion. The best I've seen that sorta fit this description, are the cheapo kind that consist of a wall wart, that somebody has adapted (more or less) to do the job. Most of these really aren't fit for the job. A hobby charger is the only "normal" way to go for large Li-Ion cells, such as the 26500.
Keep in mind that our hobby has incorporated these kinds of cells from their native pack building environment. In most cases, they weren't designed to be charged individually, and used as we use them.
Dave
Keep in mind that our hobby has incorporated these kinds of cells from their native pack building environment. In most cases, they weren't designed to be charged individually, and used as we use them.
Dave
The Radio Shack batterys holders work good for me. I just snip off some of one side to make it easier to load and remove the batterys.
Edit: Using this charger to charge IMR26500s you have to monitor it with your volt meter. It may over charge some batterys.
Billy
Edit: Using this charger to charge IMR26500s you have to monitor it with your volt meter. It may over charge some batterys.
Billy
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ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
1.5A doesn't seem as fast as it used to, but I charge all my big cells with one of these:
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=160022
I'm looking into 3A options.
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=160022
I'm looking into 3A options.
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45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have to go along with Meterman on the cell holders. He was being nice about them, calling them "toys". I've worked with them in the past, and I think POS would be a better description. Not only do the flimsy springs add resistance, the overall build quality of those holders is really lousy.
A better solution is to buy something actually made for the job and modify it to your needs. Another way, what I've done, is gut an old NiCd charger and parallel wire it for use with a hobby charger.
As for the "brick" FM suggested, I forgot to mention those along with adapted/modified wall warts. They're basically the same thing. A power supply to some usually unknown consumer device that's has been setup to charge Li-Ion cells. I'm not saying they won't work, but your choice of charge rate, chemistry type, voltage etc. is limited to only one choice. Down the road a bit, after you've bought a half dozen or more of these type chargers setups (as I have), you'll be thinking to yourself "Why didn't I just buy a hobby charger and charging cradle?"
All I can say here, is ptolemy's thread title includes the word "reliable". In addition to what I've referenced above, you would at least need to get a decent charger that charged at an acceptable rate and you didn't have to attach a voltmeter to avoid damaging the cells, to call the setup reliable.
Don't get PO'ed Billy, I have made similar setups myself, and I'm sure I will in the future. You have to start somewhere, but again, I don't think this is what ptolemy had in mind.
ElectronGuru, ah yes, yet another one! What was that you said? You're thinking of upgrading?
Dave
A better solution is to buy something actually made for the job and modify it to your needs. Another way, what I've done, is gut an old NiCd charger and parallel wire it for use with a hobby charger.
As for the "brick" FM suggested, I forgot to mention those along with adapted/modified wall warts. They're basically the same thing. A power supply to some usually unknown consumer device that's has been setup to charge Li-Ion cells. I'm not saying they won't work, but your choice of charge rate, chemistry type, voltage etc. is limited to only one choice. Down the road a bit, after you've bought a half dozen or more of these type chargers setups (as I have), you'll be thinking to yourself "Why didn't I just buy a hobby charger and charging cradle?"
All I can say here, is ptolemy's thread title includes the word "reliable". In addition to what I've referenced above, you would at least need to get a decent charger that charged at an acceptable rate and you didn't have to attach a voltmeter to avoid damaging the cells, to call the setup reliable.
Don't get PO'ed Billy, I have made similar setups myself, and I'm sure I will in the future. You have to start somewhere, but again, I don't think this is what ptolemy had in mind.
ElectronGuru, ah yes, yet another one! What was that you said? You're thinking of upgrading?
Dave
ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
Now that looks like it'd be capable of handling the job! :thumbsup:
I was referencing your suggestion of ending up buying yet, another charger though.
Dave
BVH
Flashaholic
Meterman, thanks for this info. I ordered AAA, AA, 1/2 AA, 2/3 A, CR123, C & D holders.
Had to use a combo of Mouser and Allied to find them all (except AA) in stock.
In years past, I melted a number of Radio Shack holder springs.
Black Rose
Flashlight Enthusiast
Is that a Keystone battery tray?
ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
I got this from a little education supply company. The design looks similar enough that it could be the same.
Keystone may be an OEM for these guys.
My biggest problem is, I am not exactly savvy at this. So, modying, soldering, i can do, but the rest would be either, non-working or burning down the house
i just wanted a tray holder + smart charger, where i would connect -+ to oposite ends and charge it
would something like this work (along with tray holders)? i would want to have some flexibility for the future, rather than just for 3.7, 47.-14.8 looks better?
http://www.all-battery.com/universalsmartchargerforli-ionpolymerbatterypack37v-148v1-4cells.aspx
this seems to be similar to what fivemega listed but can charge 1-4 batteries? if you guys can let me know before I order, i'd appricIate it!
does that have all the proper wires to tie into radio shack battery holders and charge? i will look into meterman's holders as well, but this is a quickie as radio shack is on the next street from my parents house.
i just wanted a tray holder + smart charger, where i would connect -+ to oposite ends and charge it
would something like this work (along with tray holders)? i would want to have some flexibility for the future, rather than just for 3.7, 47.-14.8 looks better?
http://www.all-battery.com/universalsmartchargerforli-ionpolymerbatterypack37v-148v1-4cells.aspx
this seems to be similar to what fivemega listed but can charge 1-4 batteries? if you guys can let me know before I order, i'd appricIate it!
does that have all the proper wires to tie into radio shack battery holders and charge? i will look into meterman's holders as well, but this is a quickie as radio shack is on the next street from my parents house.
ElectronGuru
Flashaholic
500 mA constant charging current. = 0.5A :thumbsdow
After using the WF-39 to charge IMR26500s a bit I'm starting to trust it more. It does a good job and only slightly over charges them to 4.21v. if I miss removing them @ 4.19-4.2v. I don't know how bad this is for IMRs. So don't trust anything until you watch it with your volt meter a few times.
Billy
Billy
