Test/Review of Charger Opus BT-C3100 software V2 update

[tobrien]

I got my V2.0 BT-C3100 in today's mail and I'm very impressed! this thing is awesome!

 

[Mr Floppy]

Heres Henry's post in its entirety.

So, possibly last revision hey? Makes sense to wait, for V2.1 .. in case there is a 2.1.1

 

[double0thirteen]

I have a question regarding the charging current setting on this charger.

Apart from the default 500mAh on the slots with various batteries e.g. Panasonic N18650B with/and IMR 18490 1100mAh battery.
Would there be some kind of convention we can follow with regard to charging current settings?

p.s. Sorry for the noob question.

 

[tobrien]

I have a question regarding the charging current setting on this charger.

Apart from the default 500mAh on the slots with various batteries e.g. Panasonic N18650B with/and IMR 18490 1100mAh battery.
Would there be some kind of convention we can follow with regard to charging current settings?

p.s. Sorry for the noob question.

If I'm interpreting you correctly, youre just asking what rate different capacities can/should be charged at right? if so, I'm pretty sure .7C is the correct rate. That is, .7*capacity = charge rate

 

[double0thirteen]

If I'm interpreting you correctly, youre just asking what rate different capacities can/should be charged at right? if so, I'm pretty sure .7C is the correct rate. That is, .7*capacity = charge rate

tobrien,

If I understand you correctly, the N18650B's at 3400mAh capacity would ideally have the charging current set at .7*3400 = 2.38A and the IMR 1100mAh at .7*1100 = 770mA. Am I correct?

TIA

 

[HKJ]

tobrien,

If I understand you correctly, the N18650B's at 3400mAh capacity would ideally have the charging current set at .7*3400 = 2.38A and the IMR 1100mAh at .7*1100 = 770mA. Am I correct?

The 3400 cell has a rating that says 0.5C charging. 3100mAh cells has a rating that says 0.3C charging.

 

[double0thirteen]

The 3400 cell has a rating that says 0.5C charging. 3100mAh cells has a rating that says 0.3C charging.

HKJ,
How would we determine each battery's rating? I have batteries ranging from IMR 16340s 700mAh to 32650s 6000mAh there is no indication of any current ratings on them or am I missing something.

I'm quite the electrically/electronic challenged sort you see. Just got this charger and would really like to have fun with this new toy, safely!
TAIA

 

[HKJ]

HKJ,
How would we determine each battery's rating? I have batteries ranging from IMR 16340s 700mAh to 32650s 6000mAh there is no indication of any current ratings on them or am I missing something.

I'm quite the electrically/electronic challenged sort you see. Just got this charger and would really like to have fun with this new toy, safely!
TAIA

You can only do that from the datasheet for the battery.
In the table I publish with each charger review I uses 1A for all 18650 batteries and 0.7 to 1C for smaller cells. This is a fairly safe charge current.
Selecting a lower current is always acceptable, but will, of course, take longer.

 

[tobrien]

HKJ,
How would we determine each battery's rating? I have batteries ranging from IMR 16340s 700mAh to 32650s 6000mAh there is no indication of any current ratings on them or am I missing something.

I'm quite the electrically/electronic challenged sort you see. Just got this charger and would really like to have fun with this new toy, safely!
TAIA

go with what HKJ says haha. I'm a bit rusty :/

 

[realista]

little question. is this THE ONLY ONE lithium chargher that do have the feature of TEST the real capacity(mah) of lithium batteries?

i own a maha c9000 charger and i always dreamed to find a similar product that can do the same thing( let me know real capacity of battery i purchase) with lithum battery.

is this opus charger "the c9000 of lithium" ?

 

[HKJ]

little question. is this THE ONLY ONE lithium chargher that do have the feature of TEST the real capacity(mah) of lithium batteries?

No, but by far the most advanced cradle version.
Hobby chargers can do the same, but the user interface is more complex and you need to make your own connections to the battery.

For simply measuring the capacity, you can also use this: http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger LiitoKala Lii-260 UK.html
And I have a review of another one tomorrow.


And a note: It is LiIon batteries, lithium is a primary battery (i.e. non-rechargeable).

 

[realista]

thank u for the reply:
1) is that your site? (lygte-info) ?
2) yes, hobby chargers are too complicated for me.
3) so.... the"LiitoKala Engineer Lii-260" is the most similar product with the opus? i noticed it is CHEAPERthan opus but has some disadvantages, like the only 500/1000mah charge current... i would prefer also 250mah for little lithium.
but charge uses constant current ( i dont know difference between this and alternate/oscillate mode... i am noob) that is a way that YOU PREFER in your reviews.

4) the lii 260 seems to have worste reale capacity measurements... that opus. is it right?

5)correct me if i am true. first choose whould be a bobby charger(but high priced and difficult to use).
second choose optimal for "general users" would be this opus charger, really similar to che maha c9000.
third choose is the lii 260 for users that would buy a cheaper product and accept to only charge 2 LiIon at same moment instead of 4.

................if i would purely consider TWO FACTOR, 1- charge quality/curve of the carger and 2-most precise capacity/mah measurements .................. what could u suggest me to buy? opus or lii260? ( it is a lot important to me to test the real capacity f a battery.....but also that the charger has a good charge method that fill ok the cells without damage them)

 

[HKJ]

1) is that your site? (lygte-info) ?

Yes. I post the same charger reviews both here and on my site.
I.e. if you want to ask some questions about a specific charger you can always find the review thread here and post the question in that thread.

3) so.... the"LiitoKala Engineer Lii-260" is the most similar product with the opus? i noticed it is CHEAPERthan opus but has some disadvantages, like the only 500/1000mah charge current... i would prefer also 250mah for little lithium.
but charge uses constant current ( i dont know difference between this and alternate/oscillate mode... i am noob) that is a way that YOU PREFER in your reviews.

A serious disadvantage for the LiitoKala is the battery length, many protected batteries will not fit in it.

................if i would purely consider TWO FACTOR, 1- charge quality/curve of the carger and 2-most precise capacity/mah measurements .................. what could u suggest me to buy? opus or lii260? ( it is a lot important to me to test the real capacity f a battery.....but also that the charger has a good charge method that fill ok the cells without damage them)

I do like the charging on the LiitoKala best, but for measuring capacity the Opus is best.
The Opus charger has been updated (To V2.1), fixing some of my complains about it. I have a new full review in a week.

 

[realista]

ok, i think will wait for a definitive or semidefinitive firmware for the opus. i don't like the idea that with my actual panasonic 3400 cell could use the lii 260 ,but changing cell with a protected one there should be high % of problems inserting in the charger.
however this is the only one disadvantage that you listed, but remain the problem of 2 fixed charging current ( and the 500 is too high for little liion). the discharging current instead i remember to be 500ma (fixed)on both chargers.