Xtar WP2 II or intellicharge i4?

[Jerrycobra]

hey guys i want to get a new charger for juicing up my 18650s, i simply don't trust the cheap amazon/ebay travel 18650 charger i have, now that i am becoming more serious with the light hobby. the i4 can charge 4 batteries, and the xstar charges 2 batteries. From reviews seems like more people use the xstar, but it am stuck between the 2. i appreciate you guys opinions

 

[mvyrmnd]

I like the i4, I own 3 of them. I don't have the other one so I can't vouch for it.

 

[ChrisGarrett]

hey guys i want to get a new charger for juicing up my 18650s, i simply don't trust the cheap amazon/ebay travel 18650 charger i have, now that i am becoming more serious with the light hobby. the i4 can charge 4 batteries, and the xstar charges 2 batteries. From reviews seems like more people use the xstar, but it am stuck between the 2. i appreciate you guys opinions

I don't know where you're at, but the 'earlier' versions of the i4 had trouble with 120vac, so make sure if you're in North America, you have that issue sorted out before you buy.

I'm sounding like a broken record here, but I went with the WP 2 II, FWIW. Can't complain for not a lot of money, even with extra spacers.

Chris

 

[aimxplode]

I'm vouching for the WP2 II. Solid charger that's reliable and easy to use.

 

[mattheww50]

I own an I4 Mk II, and I think the ability to charge 4 Li-Ion batteries simultaneous is a vastly over rated capability. The bind is that the I4 only has 2 actual channels, so they have to be time division multiplexed between the 4 batteries. The result is the effective charging current when charging 4 batteries is only 375ma per battery. If you are charging 3100mAh 18650 cells, that translates into an 8 hour charging time. The 1 amp charge rate available on the Xtar WP2 will charge a pair of 3100 mAh 18650 cells about 3 hours, and if you swap the cells at that point, you charge 4 cells in about 6 hours. The only things you get from the I4 are the ability to charge AA NiCd/NiMh cells, and 4 Li-Ions VERY SLOWLY (and the problem gets worse as the cell capacity increases)..... The time it takes to charge 4 18650's on the I4 is my only complaint however.

So if you are in any sort of a hurry to get cells charged, the Xtar WP2 is a better choice. If you need to charge more than 2 cells at a time, and don't want to have to swap the cells and have the time, the I4 works fine, it is just slow.

 

[Ualnosaj]

And of course the WP2-II has USB power out too



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[Jerrycobra]

thanks for the input guys, i think the xtar is the winner here, but before i take the plunge is the WP6 worth a look at in case i get more lights in the future?

 

[Ualnosaj]

If you are doing grab and go setup or perhaps multi 18650 monster lights (3,4,5+ batts) sure. We use it simply because of the sheer number of batteries that pass through here. Note that the WP6-II outputs 600mA per bay.



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[Shadowww]

Both WP6 and WP6 II have inferior charging algorithm to the WP2 II, so unless you really need ability to charge 6 cells at once, I'd get a WP2 II.

 

[HKJ]

thanks for the input guys, i think the xtar is the winner here, but before i take the plunge is the WP6 worth a look at in case i get more lights in the future?

You have to think about how fast you need to charge, both i4 and WP6 are slow when charging a full load of cells, maybe 2 or 3 dual bay chargers is a better solution.
For a cheap (and good) solution the WP2 is a candidate. One of the best dual bay charger I have tested is the SP2 maybe the AM10 is also worth a look, but that depends on what price it will be sold for and the length of your batteries.
If you have the time (Especially with more than two batteries) the i4 is good for a universal battery charger.

 

[Jerrycobra]

again thanks for the input, now i am starting to lean to the i4 since it has such a wide range of battery chemistry it can charge. now, since the wp2 charges at 1000mah, and the i4 uses 750mah, in theory, when charging 2 18650s, the wp2 will still be the faster charger right?

 

[filibuster]

...maybe the AM10 is also worth a look, but that depends on what price it will be sold for and the length of your batteries...

Is the Tenergy Smart 2-Bay Charger (01269-01) the same charger as the AM10? They look outwardly identical but I'm wondering if the innards are the same?

 

[Colonel Sanders]

The SP2 has the capability of charging at .5a, 1a, and 2a. If you want to charge a variety of batteries quickly, this switchable output is a huge plus that sets the SP2 aside from other chargers. I have two of them. :thumbsup: I also have a WP6 and if had it to do again I'd just bought 3 SP2s instead.

 

[Mar]

I have the i4 and am happy with it seems reliable. I also have the dual battery Cytac charger and it seems fine to me also though I did have to find a new cord for it which I happen to have anyway.

 

[vapegear]

You have to think about how fast you need to charge, both i4 and WP6 are slow when charging a full load of cells, maybe 2 or 3 dual bay chargers is a better solution.
For a cheap (and good) solution the WP2 is a candidate. One of the best dual bay charger I have tested is the SP2 maybe the AM10 is also worth a look, but that depends on what price it will be sold for and the length of your batteries.
If you have the time (Especially with more than two batteries) the i4 is good for a universal battery charger.

I thought the WP6 had 6 independent bays, is this not the case

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?339167-Xtar-WP6-II-6-bay-li-ion-charger-Review
"well the WP6 is a refreshing sight, with 6 independent bays, it allows you to charge a mixture of any 6 size of li-ions all at once. Now you can get your power-fix quickly and consistently."

 

[HKJ]

I thought the WP6 had 6 independent bays, is this not the case

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?339167-Xtar-WP6-II-6-bay-li-ion-charger-Review
"well the WP6 is a refreshing sight, with 6 independent bays, it allows you to charge a mixture of any 6 size of li-ions all at once. Now you can get your power-fix quickly and consistently."

I did some measurements on the WP6 in my review: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...surement-on-Xtar-WP6-II-charger&highlight=wp6

For a fast 4 battery charger, check the Soshine S1 max. It does a CC/CV charge with 1A on all four channels.

 

[tpcf]

I use the WPII to charge my Panasonic NCR18650B (unprotected 18650 3400mah) and various surefire protected cells without any trouble and without the cells getting hot. The selectable charging current 0.5A/1A is useful when charging small cells like the 10440 although a 1.5A/2A would have been nice too for faster charging

cheers

 

[ChrisGarrett]

I've now got the i4 v.2 and I've had WP2 II for a couple of years. Both work well and my i4 charges up to 4.20v, so that hasn't been a problem. One can obviously charge 4 cells up at with the Nitecore, although at a slower rate, but that might suit some people's needs. The i4 also does NiMH, so that's a bonus as well.

Anyhow, they're both cheap enough to both be bought by most of us, so in the esteemed words of AR15's GD: "get both."

Chris