How long do you guys leave batteries on a charger...more specifically, a 16340 with charger from Lazerer? Would it be in my best interest to purchase a replacement here in California for something of higher quality?
Usually Li-ion chargers turn themselves off or give you
an indication that the charge is complete...
You did not show a Pic or Link to your charger so I'm
not sure what type you have... Pics or links about
what you are talking about are always a plus...
Once your 3.6V 16340 battery reaches 4.2V it is fully
charged.
Honestly Ultrafire (or any ___fire) chargers are junky & sometimes dangerous. You can get a Xtar WP2 Charger for about the same price.
Make sure anything you already have doesn't charge batteries higher then 4.20 volts. If you don't have a multimeter just get an Xtar Charger or better.
There are lots of charger reviews around.
You can buy a universal Li-Ion charger at Radio Shack, but the best charger available is the Pila IBC, followed by the Xtar WP2 II. Whatever you decide to buy, make sure the charger features a CC/CV charging algorithm. Use high-quality batteries such as Pila or AW, and if you get unprotected batteries, make sure your charger is hooked up to a quality voltage regulator or line conditioner. I bought my Pila charger and AW batteries from lighthound.com.