Test/Review of Charger Xtar VP2

[atlantean]

I don't think it's charging each channel at 500mA, 1A or 2A, but rather both channels are charging at a total of 500mA, 1A and 2A.

I don't think that the VP2 pulses, like other chargers including my C-9000 and NC i4 v2.

Just a guess on my part, however, as I'm only an English Lit./Communications major.

HKJ will be along to set us straight.

Chris

Thank you Chris and HKJ, that might just be it.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Thank you Chris and HKJ, that might just be it.

As HKJ pointed out, I failed to provide a link to his VP2 review, but this thread IS that review, at least in the first post, so I'm sure that you already read it, lol.

I'm using mine right now and while I still use my WP2 II Xtar charger and my NiteCore i4 v2 charger for 4 cell charging, I most often grab the VP2. I play with 4.35v 18650s, so I definitely need it for charging them up.

Chris

 

[HKJ]

As HKJ pointed out, I failed to provide a link to his VP2 review, but this thread IS that review, at least in the first post, so I'm sure that you already read it, lol.

I did not notice the thread title, sorry.

 

[archimedes]

....
Only thing missing was a link to my review http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?385459-Test-Review-of-Charger-Xtar-VP2

As HKJ pointed out, I failed to provide a link to his VP2 review, but this thread IS that review, at least in the first post, so I'm sure that you already read it, lol....

I did not notice the thread title, sorry.

That is Department of Redundancy Department funny (lol) ...

 

[atlantean]

As HKJ pointed out, I failed to provide a link to his VP2 review, but this thread IS that review, at least in the first post, so I'm sure that you already read it, lol.

I'm using mine right now and while I still use my WP2 II Xtar charger and my NiteCore i4 v2 charger for 4 cell charging, I most often grab the VP2. I play with 4.35v 18650s, so I definitely need it for charging them up.

Chris

Yes I sure read it, excellent read by the way. I decided on the VP2 also because of the information on it, and I don't regret it.

I also have a Fenix AREC1 and a Nitecore D2, which are both very cool, but the VP2 is on a league of its own... lovely charger lol

 

[5S8Zh5]

Thanks for your thorough review. I have one on the way - $26.79 shipped. ...

 

[LED Boatguy]

Well thanks to this review, I finally broke down and bought a for-real charger. All these years, I've been using a home-made charger that charged up to 3 cells independently at (edit) 2 amps each. Forgot what chips I based it on, but it worked great on 18650, C and D LiIons.

Got a question regarding the charge state bars on the VP2. I received my charger in the mail today and had a few discharged protected 18650s to try it out on.

First thing I noticed when opening the package was a strong burnt electronics smell--believe me when I say I know that smell

. I also noticed that the LCD protective covering had already been removed. Looks like I received someone else's returned charger.

OK, fine. I read the manual, verified the charge voltage and powered it up. Everything went fine. I inserted a battery in each bay, and everything appears to work.

Now here's the question: When charging, are the charge indicator bars supposed to show the battery(s) charge state, increasing over time like the manual says? Mine both just fill in from left to right every ~2 seconds. I can check the battery's status by reading the voltage and in that regard, the charge state bars are kinda redundant, but I want everything to be working.

I can get the charge state indicators to show charge state if I unplug the unit and plug it back in. During the boot cycle (with the LEDs still green) the charge bars will briefly show charge state, but as soon as the LEDs turn red, the charge bars just start cycling, and stays that way.

Is this how yours works?

Thanks

 

[HKJ]

First thing I noticed when opening the package was a strong burnt electronics smell--believe me when I say I know that smell .

Check if the usb output works!

Is this how yours works?

Yes it is, but how many bars that are animated will vary with charge state.

 

[oKtosiTe]

Got a question regarding the charge state bars on the VP2. I received my charger in the mail today and had a few discharged protected 18650s to try it out on.

First thing I noticed when opening the package was a strong burnt electronics smell--believe me when I say I know that smell . I also noticed that the LCD protective covering had already been removed. Looks like I received someone else's returned charger.

OK, fine. I read the manual, verified the charge voltage and powered it up. Everything went fine. I inserted a battery in each bay, and everything appears to work.

Now here's the question: When charging, are the charge indicator bars supposed to show the battery(s) charge state, increasing over time like the manual says? Mine both just fill in from left to right every ~2 seconds. I can check the battery's status by reading the voltage and in that regard, the charge state bars are kinda redundant, but I want everything to be working.

I can get the charge state indicators to show charge state if I unplug the unit and plug it back in. During the boot cycle (with the LEDs still green) the charge bars will briefly show charge state, but as soon as the LEDs turn red, the charge bars just start cycling, and stays that way.

Is this how yours works?

Thanks

As the batteries get "fuller", less bars will "fill up from left to right" and more bars (on the left) will stay lit. Near the end only the last bar will blink. Hope that makes sense. Depending on the cells and the charge rate, the speed at which bars stay lit is far from linear in relation to total charge time.

 

[LED Boatguy]

Check if the usb output works!

The USB works fine. It also stops charging right at 4.20 volts, and its voltage reading is within .005V of my Fluke DMM. The thing just stinks like burnt electronics. I wonder if Amazon will accept a return because the item was obviously a return and smells like a campfire. Of all electronics, the one you don't want to be wondering about is a lithium (of any chemistry) battery charger.

Yes it is, but how many bars that are animated will vary with charge state.

I figured that out as my batteries got charged. Now I feel dumb for asking. Oh well.

I got this charger as part of a campaign to "freshen up", i.e., retire some of my old LiIons in the name of safety. Can't believe DX protected Trustfires from '07 are still taking a charge. I'm switching over to protected Panasonic 3400s.

Those 3400s also happen to have enough juice to power something based on the Cree XM-L2 LED. I'm too lazy to build from scratch like I did in the old days when I made multi-thousand lumen boat lights and modded M*gs, so I'm just going to buy something retail like the Zebralight SC600w Mk II flame thrower.

Thanks for your responses.

 

[LED Boatguy]

OK, I returned the used, stinky charger. Amazon was great--they even paid for the return shipping. The new unit arrived today. By all accounts, it is new and best of all--it doesn't smell like a chip that was installed backwards, then powered up (ask me how I know LOL).

 

[oKtosiTe]

OK, I returned the used, stinky charger. Amazon was great--they even paid for the return shipping. The new unit arrived today. By all accounts, it is new and best of all--it doesn't smell like a chip that was installed backwards, then powered up (ask me how I know LOL).

How do you know?

 

[markr6]

I have a question about this charger and two EagleTac 3400 batteries I am charging.

I think I've had these batteries for about 18 months now. Neither saw a lot of use; one was kept in my car often around 4.00v and the other in my home around the same voltage. I would occasionally use them in my PD23UEs and recharge them when they were around 3.8v.

Today, I decided to give them a little more use and recharge to the same voltage. I ran both down to 3.82v then started charging at .5A.

The VP2 shows the voltage, now at 3.93v, after some charging when I pull them back a bit. Buu when I restart charging, one shows 4.04v and the other shows 4.11v. This difference was evident since I started charging from the beginning. I even switched bays and the same thing happens (one battery lower than the other). I understand this isn't showing the resting voltage after a few seconds due to the charging, but the relatively big difference in voltage has me wondering...

Is one battery more worn out? It doesn't seem to be the charger, so what else could it be?

 

[HKJ]

one was kept in my car often around 4.00v and the other in my home around the same voltage.

High temperature will wear a cell down faster, even if it is unused.

 

[RI Chevy]

I would just charge them using the 1A setting and let the charger run its course.

 

[markr6]

High temperature will wear a cell down faster, even if it is unused.

I should have marked this battery...I forget which is which! They are starting to "catch up" on the charger now. 4.05v and 4.07v.

I would just charge them using the 1A setting and let the charger run its course.

I always use 1.0A, but this time I wanted to give them a nice gentle charge. Not sure it matters, but I have the time at work today.

 

[RI Chevy]

Let us know how you make out. Hopefully they will be OK and take a full charge.

 

[markr6]

Let us know how you make out. Hopefully they will be OK and take a full charge.

The lower one is starting to catch up. 4.11v and 4.12v on the charger. I'm sure they're OK, but that heat in the car like HKJ mentioned was pretty rough on the one.

 

[mactavish]

I received a VP2 today and so far am quite happy with it.

Nevertheless on page 3 of the manual, under "Performance", it is stated:

"0.25 A": constant charging current 500mA
"0.50 A": constant charging current 1000mA
"1.00 A": constant charging current 2000mA

This seems quite curious, as it seems that when selecting "1A" the batteries will be charged with a current of actually 2 Amps, and not 1 Amp as one might assume??

From reading other posts and looking around the net my understanding is that in general, 18650 batteries should be charged with 1 Amp, or 2 Amps max... so wouldn't it be advisable to select the "0.50 A" setting on the VP2 (which according to the manual seems to mean in fact 1A)??

This is peculiar because on page 2 of the manual, under "Specifications", the charging currents are listed as one might assume they should be, i.e., "1.00 A" meaning 1000 +/-80 mA, so on and so forth...

Anyone would care to clarify what's up with this apparently conflicting information?

VP2 manual:

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0367/9953/files/VP2-manual.pdf?4792

Geez, thanks for this old time saving post. After just getting both an Xtar MC0 & MC1 Plus, I revisited my Xtar VP2 manual and was instantly confused by those numbers. Now I understand it's the rating for both channels combined. I guess the manual could have made it clearer to dummies like me. Thanks again for the clarification and saving me time to bother HKJ, he's busy enough!

Actually, the quoted post above was the same question I had, but the answer was in this post, thanks for both:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ger-Xtar-VP2&p=4558302&viewfull=1#post4558302

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I got one right, I got one right! I've learned from the best...the master HKJ.

250mA, 500mA and 1A for each cell.

Chris