The ridiculous state of 10180 chargers

[matrixshaman]

I went on a buying binge last month and got 5 different flashlights that use 10180 batteries. I previously had a Veleno that came with cottonpicker's 10180 charger but that thing only charges to 3.89 volts - maybe 3.90 volts if you let it sit there long enough after the light goes out - measured on two different high quality Fluke Multimeters.

I've looked through over half dozen threads here on CPF with people looking for 10180 chargers and don't really see any good options. :shakehead I'll just say I bought 3 cell phones last month for $1 each brand new and 2 smart phones brand new for $10 each. Given the extreme complexity of cellular phones and all the highly sophisticated circuitry in them - miniature computers really - and that you can get them that cheap I see no reason a simple charger has to cost $17, $30 or $100 for a low current battery like the 10180. Higher current charging electronics = more expensive.... Lower current = less expensive.

Also considering a couple of the best chargers I have cost less than $2 and can charge 10440's, 16340's, 17500's, 18650's, 14500's, 9v as well as NiMh 1.4 volt batteries and do so with excellent voltage and current control I find it hard to believe no one is making an affordable 10180 charger. The charger I just mentioned stops normally at about 4.15 volts and never exceeds 4.2 volts. Great charger, cheap price. The electronics in it are more sophisticated and a higher current capable than what would be needed for a 10180 charger. At this point I'm considering just building my own. I do have an adjustable power supply for both current and voltage but it is difficult to exactly control the current at such low levels as 50 ma.

Thoughts, comments or recommendations for a good affordable 10180 charger I may have missed? I know the DQG can be had as cheap as $7.62 but I don't think I could use that on all the different 10180 lights I just got and cottonpicker's just doesn't cut it when it only goes to a max of 3.90 volts.

I'd sure like to see one of the China manufacturers or dealers get something reasonable going for a 10180 charger. It seems with all the people looking for one and the lack of good options they would sell a lot of these.

This is the charger I am talking about that is super cheap and can charge so many different batteries but unfortunately is too high current for the 10180. You can buy it for $1.29 that includes shipping! here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Universa...691158?hash=item4198fe8496:g:PxkAAOSwyZ5UmN5v

With that in mind it seems a 10180 charger should be less than 80 cents.

 

[matrixshaman]

If I can't find anything to purchase for reasonable I believe buying one of those roughly $1.29 chargers and then modding to for lower current can be done fairly easy and without much extra cost. A spacer and a resistor might even do the trick but I'd prefer a current limiting IC chip as the better option.

 

[kreisl]

There are several 10180 threads on CPF and i've commented in some. I don't do 10180 flashlights, my AAA lights are by far more desirable and impressive but i have 10180 batteries for testing purposes. For the record the mc3k, a 4 bay×3A charger ("12 amps!") can produce nice 50mA charge rate. Sure, an overkill for this single purpose but pretty cool anyway. A conductive spacer ("dummy cell") is needed to make contact though.

Hobby chargers can charge with 50mA too afaik.

 

[matrixshaman]

Thanks for the input but as I have mentioned I am hoping for an affordable solution as I seriously overspent on lights . And I believe a good cheap ($1 to $5) dedicated 10180 charger seems to be very much needed for CPF micro-light fans of lights such as DQG's, CooYoo's and Jetbeam (Niteye) Mini-1 type lights.

 

[Str8stroke]

DQG
NOKOSER HB D4S
MBI Nuke
I heard the Xstar MC1 can work with a spacer
Check Amazon for:
[h=1]Universal USB Clip Charger for use with 3.7V Li-Ion Batteries By Lenmar[/h]

 

[matrixshaman]

Nokoser and MBI nuke are nice but about $25 to $30 over what one should be able to buy a 10180 charger for. I think the Xstar MC1 will likely be too high current for the 10180 unless you add something to reduce current. I am looking at modding the $1.28 charger I have on order. I expect to have no more than $5 total into it and current limited to 50ma. Once I get that done successfully I'll post details here on the mod. I'd still like to see one of the China manufacturers jump on this market.

 

[matrixshaman]

"Universal USB Clip Charger for use with 3.7V Li-Ion Batteries By Lenmar" Thanks for your help Str8stroke but according to www.lenmar.com where he lists the specs it can output 500ma which is way to much for the 10180.

 

[matrixshaman]

Well I've got parts on the way including a charger and adjustable current limiting module. Total cost $3.10. Details when I get it put together.

 

[matrixshaman]

I built one for $3.10 but it was hard to get the current down to 80 milliamps or less so I got this one with built in display for Voltage and Current for about $5. It easily adjusts current down to 10 milliamps. I set it for 70 milliamps for the 10180 shown in the pictures:

 

[matrixshaman]

As long as you have enough input voltage and current output can be from 0-30 volts and 0 to 5 Amps. Nice for not much more than $5 as the rest was spare parts I had laying around. Main module can be had for under $6 which includes shipping from Aliexpress.com. Ebay expect around $7 and a few cents.

 

[Illum]

https://www.adafruit.com/products/1304?gclid=CKPU7qaXt8oCFYkjgQodaiEI-w


Swap out the resistor for your desired current, voila


I = 1000/R


R = KΩ
I = mA

 

[light-wolff]

And I believe a good cheap ($1 to $5) dedicated 10180 charger seems to be very much needed for CPF micro-light fans of lights such as DQG's, CooYoo's and Jetbeam (Niteye) Mini-1 type lights.

You can charge DQG's battery with CooYoo's or Jetbeam's integrated charger.

 

[127.0.0.1]

the only cottonpickers charger I ever had a problem with, is one that was shorted out. it takes less than one second
then you end up with a charger that seems to work but doesn't

Steve Ku produced an awesome 10180 charger which comes with the quantum light he sells
but I think he is out of the DD series lights and sellers have sold out of them as well

 

[ChrisGarrett]

You can charge DQG's battery with CooYoo's or Jetbeam's integrated charger.

Ven sent me a CooYoo Quantum SS light for Christmas and it's pretty nifty. I don't know how good the charger is per se, but it would be a good dual use tool to have, if you're running other 10180 cells and lights.

Chris

 

[light-wolff]

Ven sent me a CooYoo Quantum SS light for Christmas and it's pretty nifty. I don't know how good the charger is per se, ...

It's good, simply a TP4057 chip progrmmed for 130mA charging current. Many small chargers use this chip, including XTAR MC0 and MC1.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

It's good, simply a TP4057 chip progrmmed for 130mA charging current. Many small chargers use this chip, including XTAR MC0 and MC1.

Mine came with a little gold stickered 10180 and will charge up to about 4.14v-4.15v and with a little coaxing, a click, or two, higher.

I finally put my little Xtar meter on it and got .15A on a depleted cell, which I thought was odd, because I expected the charger to charge at less than 100mA, due to the cell having a 100mAh capacity, according to the label.

Anyhow...

Chris

 

[light-wolff]

The 4.14-4.15V are absolutely ok for such a small cell charged at 1.5C and terminated at 0.15C. I measure about the same.
0.15A could be true, of course there are tolerances in both charger and USB meter.

I don't have any official spec for 10180 cells, but have tested a few, they are relatively high current (3C or more), so I think charging them at 1.5C is ok.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

The 4.14-4.15V are absolutely ok for such a small cell charged at 1.5C and terminated at 0.15C. I measure about the same.
0.15A could be true, of course there are tolerances in both charger and USB meter.

I don't have any official spec for 10180 cells, but have tested a few, they are relatively high current (3C or more), so I think charging them at 1.5C is ok.

Thanks for the info. You seem to know a lot about this stuff, which is good for us!

I wondered about the cell that came with my light, because the instructions make a mention of 4.20v charging and I wasn't getting close to that, so then I think that the cell might be old, but I get about 30 minutes on high will a full charge, as per the specs.

I don't know if I'll buy other 10180 lights, but they are pretty cool from an 'output' POV. I have a 2x2016 Battery Junction coin light on my keychain and that's sufficient for minor chores, but my Quantum SS really puts out some useable (room size) light.

Chris

 

[325addict]

Just use the L200 IC by SGS-Thomson. It is both voltage and current programable and comes in the handy TO-220 package with 5 pins. Download the datasheet and you'll be able to build a chrager with it. I did so, with a lot of peripheral electronics (such as a circuitry to prevent charging if voltage is less than 2.5V and an "emergency stop" if voltage exceeds 4.25V - for example caused by a defect, as well as switchable current in three steps). Also I added LEDs to see "CC", "CV" and "READY". This has become a highly complex charger though - it's a crammed full PCB measuring 100X60mm! For just ONE cell! So, the project is still unfinished now that I use the Nightcore D2 charger.

 

[FLASHLIGHTMAN]

I too went "crazy" on 10180 lights last month. I already had owned the DQG spy and fairy but have added both SS Hobi and Brass Hobi. I bought the DQG charger also and it works only on the Fairy, but it works well.

I then bought EVERY CooYoo they make, Stainless, Brass, Cooper, All 3 of the Titanium ones, but only a couple colors in Aluminium.

I am looking a the Jetbeam Mini now.

I just get a kick out of showing them and people saying WOW, that's pretty bright for such a small light.

I carried the DQG Spy in my watch pocket and carried my normal EDC light in with everything else keys etc.

I read and read looking for a nice 10180 charger. I was like you and didn't find didly.

I bought a used Veleno Quantum DD that did NOT come with the original USB charger so I contacted Steve at Veleno through his website and asked if he had any of the chargers left. He did and I bought 4 of them for 10.00 each plus 5.oo shipping. I got them the other day. Awesome guy and awesome charger.

I saw the MBI charger and it looks awesome but I agree 35.00 plus shipping seems high. Although I might still end up buying one BECAUSE they are so nice...LOL

I bought some TP4056 based charger boards on eBay and built my own by swapping out one resister. I put in a 30k (30,000) so it is now charging at 50ma.

The TP4056 based boards are CHEAP and it's easy to do. http://www.ebay.com/itm/370865460416

Instructions for the TP4056 charging boards is here. http://www.buildcircuit.com/how-to-...ithium-battery-charging-board-charger-module/

Make sure when you buy the resisters that they are the correct SMD package size. The boards use a 0603 imperial / 1608 metric SMD package size. I actually used an 0805 imperial / 2012 metric and it fit.

( I made the mistake of getting 0603 metric size resisters and they were so small you couldn't see them even with a 10x loupe )

The only thing I don't like about the boards is having to use loose wires to hook up the battery. I have hunted all over looking for a 10180 battery tray and have come up with nothing. If anyone knows of one please let me know.

I just wanted something "factory made" and the USB one from Veleno are sweet.

Good luck and it will be interesting to see what else people come up with.