TrustFire All-in-One Li-Ion Charger, anyone tried this?

[whc]

Was browsing DealExtreme and found a charger I have not seen before, TrustFire All-in-One Charger that can charge 10430/10440/14500/16340 /17670/18650/CR123A, yep you read right 10440 and 18650 with the same charger, sounds pretty awesome, the reason why I have not got any 10440 cells yet is that another charger is just one to many (already have several), and if this is really true then it is really tempting to get one.

Have anyone pulled the trigger yet, if so is it worth getting over the WF-139?

By the way TrustFire is it not just UltraFire or what?

 

[Norm]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

Looks exactly like the Ultrafire charger in another colour with more travel in the negative terminals to allow for the smaller cells.
Norm

 

[whc]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

Looks exactly like the Ultrafire charger in another colour with more travel in the negative terminals to allow for the smaller cells.
Norm

Yep only it has 500mA charging current (WF-139 has 450 mA). It that really safe to charge 10440 cells with 500mA???

 

[Nake]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

I agree with your concern. I have two chargers for the 10440. The Nano's charging current is 200mA, the WF138 for the 10440 is 250mA.
AW's number for the 10440 is 320mAh.

 

[whc]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

Just tried to order one and some 10440, will put it to the test and see if it can do a better job than the Ultrafire WF-139, without overcharging and so on. Would also be nice with some faster charge time on 18650 batteries, and charge RCR123A without the spacer. Hope it can replace my Ultrafire .

 

[whc]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

Just received the charger today, man that is slow...

Overall it looks and fell pretty well made, though had to "brake in" the spring mechanism, but now it works very well. It seams to be checking the battery before it starts to charge, since I cannot get it to charge a battery that is fully charged and have been lying around for some time and dropped a little voltage (down to 4.15v), unlike the Ultrafire WF-139 that just charges everything below 4.2v.

Am right now in the middle of a test, charging a flat unprotected 18650 that I ran flat in a 2x18650 flashlight, so should be about the same voltage, would be interesting to see which charger will finish charging first, and once finished I will leave the batteries in the charger for several hours to see if it overcharges the battery like the Ultrafire WF-139.

Here are some images:

Left: Trustfire, Right: Ultrafire (modedded)

With 10440 installed in the right socket (modded my ultrafire to do that)

With protected RCR123A in the right socket (modded ultrafire else spacers is required)

The Trustfire lights constant orange when charging, the Ultrafire blinks red when charging, both shows green when fully charged. Se here in image below in the right charging channel, a fully charged RCR123A the Trustfire does not begin the charging, but the Ultrafire immediately starts charging.

 

[DM51]

Re: TrustFire All-in-One Charger, anyone tried this?

If this charger is putting out 500 mA, it should NOT be used it for charging 10440s. The correct rate of charge for a 10440 Li-Ion is 160-320 mA, with 320 mA being a maximum rate which it is dangerous to exceed.

Advertising this charger for this purpose is another example of the irresponsibility of this dealer.

 

[Nake]

Thanks whc, I ordered one yesterday. How did you mod the WF-139 to accept the RCR123?

 

[whc]

Thanks whc, I ordered one yesterday. How did you mod the WF-139 to accept the RCR123?

I shortened the spring, and expanded the sliding "slot", it will now only charge RCR123A and/or 10440 if you dare this on 450mAh charge current that the WF-139 gives.

Was just tired of using spacers, and this solution I can charge 14500 to 18650 on the left channel, and 16340 to 10440 on the right channel.

 

[DM51]

whc, did you read my post #7 about charging rates for 10440 Li-Ions?

 

[whc]

whc, did you read my post #7 about charging rates for 10440 Li-Ions?

Oh yeah read it, and agree, don't charge 10440 with the Trustfire (or Ultrafire for that matters), only took a picture of the 10440 to illustrate it will fit, but would not charge it, too risky IMO, maybe the 10440 could caught on fire, that would not be nice .

Though the funniest thing is, that the Ultrafire finished charging the 18650 cell faster than the Trustfire, much faster that's is. Maybe the label with the 500mA is a bit optimistic, like the labelled 880mAh RCR123A from Ultrafire (only is about 500mAh), I mean is these brands are so optimistic about batteries, maybe the same with chargers ?

 

[DM51]

Oh yeah read it, and agree, don't charge 10440 with the Trustfire (or Ultrafire for that matters), only took a picture of the 10440 to illustrate it will fit, but would not charge it, too risky IMO, maybe the 10440 could caught on fire, that would not be nice.

Yes, overheating and then venting with flame would be the risk, especially with an older cell that had been fully discharged and/or worked hard.

Though the funniest thing is, that the Ultrafire finished charging the 18650 cell faster than the Trustfire, much faster that's is. Maybe the label with the 500mA is a bit optimistic, like the labelled 880mAh RCR123A from Ultrafire (only is about 500mAh), I mean is these brands are so optimistic about batteries, maybe the same with chargers ?

Spot on! The charger's maximum output might be given as 500 mA, but cheap ones often don't deliver that they claim - just like their lousy batts. Any manufacturer claiming more than 750 mAh from their R123s is being DISHONEST.

Having said that, I think your 18650 (can't see the brand) says 2,200 mAh which is reasonable. So here it must be the charger. Enough said about Ultrafire - and this dealer for its inflated and irresponsible claims.

 

[whc]

The Trustfire still overcharges, when it finally turned green on charging the 18650 unprotected 2200mAh cell, left it in overnight, and the result of that is a battery now measuring 4.25v.

But then again would select this Trustfire over the Ultrafire, since it can charge RCR123A without spacers, just don't leave unprotected cells in the charger for too long after they are fully charged (that goes for both the Trustfire and Ultrafire), or even better only use protected cells .

Am just discharging the 18650 cells a bit, then I will do a little test to see which charger is worst when it comes to overcharging .

 

[katsyonak]

Though the funniest thing is, that the Ultrafire finished charging the 18650 cell faster than the Trustfire, much faster that's is. Maybe the label with the 500mA is a bit optimistic, like the labelled 880mAh RCR123A from Ultrafire (only is about 500mAh), I mean is these brands are so optimistic about batteries, maybe the same with chargers ?

You're right. I wanted to mention it here but didn't have time to test it properly.
From what it looks like here the TrustFire is approx half as fast as the Ultrafire (and maybe even less than that).

 

[whc]

Even after 4.24v with the unprotected 18650 in the charger, the Trustfire still does not turn the led green, I mean not only is it slow but does not tell you when it is fully charged at 4.24v, that is strange, not for unprotected cells that is for sure .

 

[johnny13oi]

Man was hoping this would be THE charger for me to charge all my li-ion batteries. All I have are protected batteries, but I hear that even though it is protected, making the circuit kick in and cut the current all the time will also cause the protection circuit to die quickly.

 

[whc]

Man was hoping this would be THE charger for me to charge all my li-ion batteries. All I have are protected batteries, but I hear that even though it is protected, making the circuit kick in and cut the current all the time will also cause the protection circuit to die quickly.

Mee two, one charger for all Li-Ion batteries is my dream two, though the Trustfire is not that dream come true IMO, pretty decent charger for the money, but it is very slow, overcharges to 4.23v - 4.24v. Man I hope that someday a good quality intelligent charger will come to the marked, like the ones you can get for Ni-Mh, that sets the charge current after capacity, and that does NOT overcharge the batteries, maybe one with digital display to show the process, that would be very cool...

 

[DM51]

Man I hope that someday a good quality intelligent charger will come to the marked, like the ones you can get for Ni-Mh, that sets the charge current after capacity, and that does NOT overcharge the batteries, maybe one with digital display to show the process, that would be very cool...

It sounds like this is what you are looking for.

 

[whc]

It sounds like this is what you are looking for.

Looks interesting, little pricy, but then again quality is worth paying extra for .

 

[whc]

Since the Trustfire is so slow a charging, then current cannot be 500mA, thinking more like 200mA. I figured what the h*** and when for charging a 10440 under complete observation. The 10440 cell did not even get hot, a Ni-Mh battery that I had in another charger got more hot. Charging stopped at 4.18v, nor overcharging here. Am beginning of thinking it is pretty safe for 10440 cells, it is not charged by 500mA that is for sure, any way of measuring the charge current?