WF139 / AW18650 Questions

[CM2010]

Ive just bought this combo to use with my Thrunite Catapult and as this is the first venture into this battery type i'd like to ask a few Q`s.

Is it ok to charge them in my home or should i do it in my garage?

Will i have to charge them as soon as i get them?

How long do they take to charge?

Do i need a multimeter?

Any other tips for handling or storing 18650`s would be welcome.

Thanks.

 

[old4570]

Most folk have issue with overcharging the batteries ..

This is done by leaving the charger to charge and not removing the batteries on completion , [ green light ]

This charger does not stop charging , but rather trickle charges slowly , and this may be an issue with some cells . So if one was to say forget about the charger for a day or so , problems could arise ..

The rule is , keep an eye on the charger when charging , check the batteries to see if there getting to hot , and just use care with Li-ion .

The WF-139 is not a charger you can set and forget ..

 

[liveforphysics]

Buy a medium/large $1.99 ceramic flower pot with drip-tray. Run the cord up through the drain hole in the bottom, and set the drip-tray over the top like a lid when charging. Now those cells can do their worst in your house anywhere, and fumes are the worst you've got to cope with.


Also, there has never once been a single reported incident where a WF-139 caused a fire, or even got a cell (excluding people charging non-rechargables... lol) to vent in the history of CPF. So, for perhaps the most popular Li-Ion charger to have a 100% charging safety record, I would say you're pretty safe.

 

[skyfire]

had my catapult a few days now, and for the price the light is really a great deal.

the WF-139 isnt the best charger in the world. and you usually get what you pay for, but its a very decent charger for the price. just keep an eye on it when its plugged in.

my friend has the wf-139 and he told me it took about 8 hours for the indicator lights to turn green from depleted trustfire 18650s. the charging also slows down as capacity is nearing full.

i use a multimeter (had one in the garage for many years) and i check the voltage before and after i put any batteries on the charger or in my lights. its not necessary but it gives me a good idea about my runtimes and tells me if my cells are discharging at the same rate, and also tells me how my chargers are doing. a simple multimeter, or voltmeter can cost as little as $10.

 

[CM2010]

Thanks for the replies,will be getting a better charger soon is the Pila IBC Lithium charger a good buy?

 

[CM2010]

Charged my batteries up today for the 1st time and i guess they had some charge in them as it only took just over an hour and a half for the green lights to come in.

Tested them on a multimeter and it read 4.17 on one and 4.18 on the other.