Should I charge new 18650 batteries that I don’t plan to use for awhile and another question?

[bunnies4r5]

Hi guys, I just bought a modlite OKW and 4 extra keeppower 18650 batteries. I am currently charging 2 of them and the other 2 I don't plan on using for quite some time. if I am not gonna use these batteries for 6 months to a year do I just leave them be or should I charge half way for storing?

I believe for modlites battery they reccomend that the first time you charge it you should charge the battery all the way. I have read your suppose to store with a 50% charge not 100%. So that kinda conflicts if I am gonna store them but first charge is suppose to be 100% not really sure what the best move would be.

I plan to store one backup battery in my rifles stock. With cr123 I put some cotton balls in then the batteries and then another cotton ball so it doesn't rattle, is this ok to do with an 18650 I plan to only keep one in there. I live in wi where it can get very cold in the winter if that matters

Thanks in advance

 

[idleprocess]

I gather that storing li-ion cells at 100% charge for long periods steadily degrades their capacity. For long-term standby use I'd stick with the 123As - it's what I do with my weapon lights.

 

[nbp]

Agree. The cells you don't plan on using store at 60% or so until you need to use them, then charge them fully.

As a fellow Sconnie, I have found in the coldest days of winter, li-ions will sometimes not fire up lights on the highest modes when they get cold. If you want to use the light on li-ions when it gets down to 10 degrees or so, keep it in a pocket or something so that it stays a little warmer. For the cells in your gun, I would use the CR123s if you don't plan to use them often and they will be subjected to wide temperature swings.

 

[bunnies4r5]

Agree. The cells you don't plan on using store at 60% or so until you need to use them, then charge them fully.

As a fellow Sconnie, I have found in the coldest days of winter, li-ions will sometimes not fire up lights on the highest modes when they get cold. If you want to use the light on li-ions when it gets down to 10 degrees or so, keep it in a pocket or something so that it stays a little warmer. For the cells in your gun, I would use the CR123s if you don't plan to use them often and they will be subjected to wide temperature swings.

Right but what should I do with these brand new batteries you think? If I don't plan on using them for awhile should I charge them to 60% or to 100% and then discharge to 60% or what do you think?

Cr123 is not an option for this light

 

[bunnies4r5]

I gather that storing li-ion cells at 100% charge for long periods steadily degrades their capacity. For long-term standby use I'd stick with the 123As - it's what I do with my weapon lights.

Cr123 are not an option for this light so I need to figure out what to do with these 18650 batteries

 

[nbp]

Right but what should I do with these brand new batteries you think? If I don't plan on using them for awhile should I charge them to 60% or to 100% and then discharge to 60% or what do you think?

Cr123 is not an option for this light

I believe what they are saying is to charge it to 100% before you first use it. Some folks may think that they come precharged but that isn't usually the case. Most likely it is at around 50-80% charge right now. If you have a voltage tester or an analyzing charger you can find that out. If it is in that window, I would just put them in your drawer or whatever.

Do you use the rifle every day, where you need the 18650 in there all the time? Or can you just pop it in when hunting season starts? Like I said, if you are using the gun for hunting when it is 10* outside then you probably don't want to keep the li-ion cell in there. Or if you do you may have to pull it out and put it inside your coat for a few minutes to warm it before you use it. In that case you might be better off just putting it in a little plastic battery case in your pocket. In my opinion, li-ion cells need more regular attention and aren't the kind of thing you store somewhere for years for emergency use. That is where lithium primaries come in.

 

[bunnies4r5]

I believe what they are saying is to charge it to 100% before you first use it. Some folks may think that they come precharged but that isn't usually the case. Most likely it is at around 50-80% charge right now. If you have a voltage tester or an analyzing charger you can find that out. If it is in that window, I would just put them in your drawer or whatever.

Do you use the rifle every day, where you need the 18650 in there all the time? Or can you just pop it in when hunting season starts? Like I said, if you are using the gun for hunting when it is 10* outside then you probably don't want to keep the li-ion cell in there. Or if you do you may have to pull it out and put it inside your coat for a few minutes to warm it before you use it. In that case you might be better off just putting it in a little plastic battery case in your pocket. In my opinion, li-ion cells need more regular attention and aren't the kind of thing you store somewhere for years for emergency use. That is where lithium primaries come in.

When I put the 2 I am gonna start using on the charger it said like they where very low(I think?) the little battery icon started with the first bar flashing reading at 3.55 or so volts.

I know they don't come fully charged so I'm good there, I'm just confused as to wether I should charge them to 60% (how many volts is that for a nominal 3.5 3500mah 18650?) and store them or charge them to 100% discharge to 60% then store them

What do you think?

 

[nbp]

If your charger has a discharge mode, I don't see any harm in fully charging and then discharging to storage voltage. It would also give you a chance to see that your new cells charge properly and are not defective.

 

[lightfooted]

Chargers like that won't give you an accurate measurement anyway but if you charge to full then store them, they will be fine. The whole store them at 60% or 80% or so is to extend their lifetime as much as possible. They won't suddenly stop working after doing this two or three times. Trust me, you won't be using them as much as you think. I mean, you might...it's entirely possible...but that roughly 3-3.5 hours of run time will probably last you longer than you think, where you put them.

I say go ahead and charge your spare to full and then store it.

 

[kerneldrop]

Stay ready to send-it at all times

 

[bunnies4r5]

If your charger has a discharge mode, I don't see any harm in fully charging and then discharging to storage voltage. It would also give you a chance to see that your new cells charge properly and are not defective.

It doesn't but modlite includes a charger so that one may

 

[bunnies4r5]

Chargers like that won't give you an accurate measurement anyway but if you charge to full then store them, they will be fine. The whole store them at 60% or 80% or so is to extend their lifetime as much as possible. They won't suddenly stop working after doing this two or three times. Trust me, you won't be using them as much as you think. I mean, you might...it's entirely possible...but that roughly 3-3.5 hours of run time will probably last you longer than you think, where you put them.

I say go ahead and charge your spare to full and then store it.

Yea I do a decent bit of larping around the house to practice but it still takes a long time before I need a new battery. Even my other rifle that has Surefire Malkoff combo that uses 16650 that only last an hour last a pretty damn long time.

I think I probably will just do that especially if it's only the first time, how much damage can it do