ThruNite C2 Charger Question

I posed the following question directly to ThruNite regarding the C2 charger:

"I just purchased a C2 3400 mAh compact charger. I intend to use it to keep an Iphone 6s+ topped off while on a backpack hunt in Colorado. The temperatures are expected to be at or below 0 degrees at various points in the trip, depending on elevation. I've read that extreme cold temperatures can have an adverse effect on output and longevity of 18650 rechargeable batteries and also permanently damage their recharging abilities. I saw recommendations for using primary cells in those conditions.

I was wondering if the charger or items being charged would be adversely affected by using a pair of primary CR123a batteries as the source of power?"

This is their response:

"Thanks for contact us.
It can only charge 1*18650, no CR123A. 2*CR123A cannot be charged.

And the temperature will affect the power output, "

It appears Eva is a non-native English speaker and either I can't really decipher her response or she didn't respond to the question I asked. I don't intend to try to recharge any CR123a batteries (because they are primaries not rechargeables), which is what she seems to be implying. I just want to use them as a source of power for charging the iPhone 6s+.

Can any of y'all answer my questions/concerns regarding CR123a's as the power source for the C2 charger to discharge to an iPhone 6s+?

Cheers,
Robert Merrell

Generally it is not recommended to charge LiIon at low temperature (Below 0°C), it is possible to charge at low current a bit below that. That is also valid for the Iphone battery!
Discharge is possible at lower temperature (Down to -20°C), but available power and energy will be reduced.
You cannot use CR123 in the charger, one is to low voltage and two is too high voltage.

The best way is probably to keep both charger and power bank close to your body to keep them heated.

Thanks for the quick response and the information.

I've already experienced the battery life loss on an iPhone at cold temperatures and I plan on keeping the phone on a strap around my neck tucked into my shirt/jacket at all times to avoid the draw down from the cold.

What do you think will be the consequences of putting (2) CR123a batteries in the charger? Will it fry the charger or fry the iPhone or both or will the charger auto shutoff due to too high a voltage?

Nitecore makes low temperature 18650 battery that I'm considering. The only problem with them is the $26/per each price tag!!!

Thanks again for your informative help.

R Merrell said:

What do you think will be the consequences of putting (2) CR123a batteries in the charger? Will it fry the charger or fry the iPhone or both or will the charger auto shutoff due to too high a voltage?

Click to expand...

I expect it will fry the charger, maybe it will also fry the phone.

R Merrell said:

Nitecore makes low temperature 18650 battery that I'm considering. The only problem with them is the $26/per each price tag!!!

Click to expand...

These low temperature batteries showed up some time ago, I have some to test and hope to do it soon (Nitecore or other brand is not that important, they are all from Panasonic).

Thanks again. I look forward to your testing.

I can't find any Panasonic 18650F batteries online unless I order 50 or more or order from China. I'm interested in neither. I'm not finding any other batteries listed as "Low Temperature" except for the (2) Nitecore's - NL1829LTP and NL1829LTHP. The difference between the two is 4 amp versus 8 amp output. Is there any reason to go with one over the other for simply recharging and iPhone?