I am looking for a 4 bay charger that can handle 18650 batteries and has storage

Hot Brass · Aug 30, 2020

Hi:
I apologize for my lack of charger knowledge,but I have been away from anything battery related for a few years.My "latest' charger is a Nitecore Intellicharger i4.
I have a few fully charged 18650 batteries that I want to get down to storage voltage,not really sure what that voltage should be...I need a charger that is pretty easy to operate,such that all I have to do is install my 4 18650's,press a button to get my storage voltage and go from there.
I don't need a phone app,but I need a wal-wart power,no usb.
Which charger would you recommend?Thanks,HB

Tomaao · Aug 31, 2020

Try xtar vc4s. It has a storage function.

Hot Brass · Aug 31, 2020

How about the Opus BT-C3100 V2.2?...seems pretty popular? Thanks,HB

tripplec · Aug 31, 2020

A lot of charge to pick from 4 bay. As for storage I'd just get one of those off the shelf storage units you charge that handle various connection (battery bank or whatever called) Cheap and very high capacity and a lot smaller to carry around.

Hot Brass · Aug 31, 2020

tripplec said:
A lot of charge to pick from 4 bay. As for storage I'd just get one of those off the shelf storage units you charge that handle various connection (battery bank or whatever called) Cheap and very high capacity and a lot smaller to carry around.

Not really looking for a "hobby charger" (if that's what you are suggesting),but Thanks anyway.HB

peter yetman · Aug 31, 2020

Looking at HKJ's Round Cell Charger Index...
https://lygte-info.dk/info/roundCellChargerIndex UK.html
Which may well not be definitive, but I wouldn't buy a charger or cell without it having been through Henrik's hands, I can only find four chargers that have a Storage function:-

Xtar VC4S
Xtar VC8
ISDT C4
Sky RC MC3000

Both the Xtars are USB powered, the ISDT, while interesting, is a little idiosyncratic. Which leaves you with the Sky RC.

On the other hand you could run the cell down to storage level, about 50%, in a flashlight, timing how long it takes to get there and discharge the other cells in the same way. Use a DMM to measure voltage.
Or get a charger that has a discharge funtion, discharge or charge the cells, depending on their SOC, to 50% capacity

Good luck in the search.
P

peter yetman · Aug 31, 2020

PS Here's a quote from another thread that may help....

fmc1 said:
I only know of one charger/analyzer that has a true storage function and will charge or discharge to 3.7V, the skyrc mc3000. It will charge or discharge whatever is necessary to get to what you have the target volt set to.

If the mc3k is out of you price range I suggest you do this. Look for a charger/analyzer that supports LiFePO4 battery chemistry. Then when you want to store a LiIon battery set the charger for LiFePO4. The charger will charge the battery to about 3.6V. You just need to make sure the battery has less that 3.6V or else the charger will probably just say the battery is full and not do anything. The Opus Bt-c3100/c3400 might be worth looking at. It's under 50 dollars, it supports LiFePO4, it will do a charge>discharge>charge for capacity testing and also has a straight discharge function.

I don't think the Opus that you mention had a formal Storage function.
P

Hot Brass · Aug 31, 2020

peter yetman said:
PS Here's a quote from another thread that may help....

I don't think the Opus that you mention had a formal Storage function.
P

I guess my thinking was that storage and discharge were the same,but apparently not. Hopefully chargers with this discharge feature will get my fully charged batts down to a storage voltage,which I think the Opus does? Thanks,HB

peter yetman · Aug 31, 2020

I think it does. You should read HKJ's review anyway, before you splash out.
P

chillinn · Aug 31, 2020

peter yetman said:
PS Here's a quote from another thread that may help....

fmc1 said:

If the mc3k is out of you price range I suggest you do this. Look for a charger/analyzer that supports LiFePO4 battery chemistry. Then when you want to store a LiIon battery set the charger for LiFePO4. The charger will charge the battery to about 3.6V. You just need to make sure the battery has less that 3.6V or else the charger will probably just say the battery is full and not do anything.

Click to expand...

Now that is pretty clever. I have accidentally charged my IFR to 4.2V (actually was the original D4 charger losing contact and resetting, not me, but there's no trouble when this happens, just annoying), but never thought to charge IMR/INR/ICR Li-ion to 3.7V for storage purposes. Really good stuff.

Hot Brass · Aug 31, 2020

peter yetman said:
I think it does. You should read HKJ's review anyway, before you splash out.
P

I think I will grab the Opus,but the only dealer In Canada (B.C) are out of stock! HB

Autowood4 · Aug 31, 2020

Hot Brass said:
Not really looking for a "hobby charger" (if that's what you are suggesting),but Thanks anyway.HB

I use a small "RC" charger, iMAX B6 80W 6A battery balance charger, <$25, to drain 18650 batteries going into storage using an 18650 holder case box. I guess that would be called a "hobby" charger, but it is compact, inexpensive and works great.
For regular charging I like the Nitecore Intellicharger I4 or D4.

Hot Brass · Sep 1, 2020

Any Canadians here know of any place in Canada to buy the Opus? Thanks,HB

Hot Brass · Sep 1, 2020

peter yetman said:
Looking at HKJ's Round Cell Charger Index...
https://lygte-info.dk/info/roundCellChargerIndex UK.html
Which may well not be definitive, but I wouldn't buy a charger or cell without it having been through Henrik's hands, I can only find four chargers that have a Storage function:-

Xtar VC4S
Xtar VC8
ISDT C4
Sky RC MC3000

Both the Xtars are USB powered, the ISDT, while interesting, is a little idiosyncratic. Which leaves you with the Sky RC.

On the other hand you could run the cell down to storage level, about 50%, in a flashlight, timing how long it takes to get there and discharge the other cells in the same way. Use a DMM to measure voltage.
Or get a charger that has a discharge funtion, discharge or charge the cells, depending on their SOC, to 50% capacity

Good luck in the search.
P

Thanks,HB

Hot Brass · Sep 1, 2020

Tomaao said:
Try xtar vc4s. It has a storage function.

Thanks,but I need a wal-wart power supply. Thanks,HB

tripplec · Sep 30, 2020

The MiBOXER C4-12 is what I current use. Its pretty good at what it does. None are perfect and I use 18650 Protected Cells plus NiMH

ChrisGarrett · Sep 30, 2020

I've got two Opus BT-3400s (v. 2.2/v.3.1) and they do it all. If you drill a hole in the bottom of the case, you can access all voltages and laugh yourself to sleep at night.

Chris

I am looking for a 4 bay charger that can handle 18650 batteries and has storage

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