charging 18650.

[Moptsp]

When should you recharge these? Like what should be the lowest voltage you let it get too?

:thanks:

 

[laser_freak]

3.5V if I recall correctly.

 

[Moptsp]

Ok, thanks man. I have been impressed with the battery so far. Lasts quite a while and yet to charge it. I think it's at 3.8 volts now.

 

[Moptsp]

Ok. I just charged it today. I would check the battery every few minutes to test the voltage. I stopped charging it once it hit 4.22v. The charger "supposed" to stop charging it self once it's done, but isn't that at 4.2v and the charger just failed to stop?

Maybe I don't know what you supposed to charge them too?

Thanks.

 

[laser_freak]

Ok. I just charged it today. I would check the battery every few minutes to test the voltage. I stopped charging it once it hit 4.22v. The charger "supposed" to stop charging it self once it's done, but isn't that at 4.2v and the charger just failed to stop?

Maybe I don't know what you supposed to charge them too?

Thanks.

What charger are you using? The cheaper ones are known to overcharge the batteries. However, buying protected 18650 batteries (such as these) will prevent overcharging. The max voltage is supposed to be 4.2V, but cheap chargers sometimes overcharge them up to 4.3V. Repeatedly overcharging them can damage the battery.

 

[Moptsp]

It's a DSD charger. I was under the impression that the 18650 I currently have is a protected one, but now I'm not sure. It's a no brand battery as I can see.

Both the battery and charger came from optotronics. Click the images tab and you can see exactly what I got:
Optotronics RPL Portable Green Lasers

EDIT:
Is there a way to physically tell if it is a protected one or not (other than it going 0.02v over?) I think I have read comments on the dimensions being slightly larger on the protected ones, but I'm not sure if that's true.

 

[Moptsp]

Ok, I have been taken care of. Jack from Optotronics has seen this post and has informed me of what I needed to know.

 

[laser_freak]

What did he say?

 

[Moptsp]

He said the cell that I got is usually at 4.2-4.26v depending on the actual battery and charger, and that the charger I have (came with RPL) will stop at that. He also said that the battery is unprotected but the RPL has a protection circuit for the battery. So I guess the RPL was made for an unprotected 18650. He said this battery is all I need because of that and getting a protected 18650 would just make for two protection circuits while in the laser. This would only decrease the performance of the laser.

I just stuck the battery in the charger again after using it last night. It was at about 4.04v, and the charger stopped charging at 4.24 like Jack said.
So I guess I'm safe as long as I only use the battery in the RPL and in that charger, which I plan to do as it only seems right.

He also said not to buy any 18650 with fire in it as they are bad and can explode if not built right or tested. I assume he means something like unprotected trustfire/ultrafire. I guess this means the unprotected battery I got is already of higher quality than that.

So...that makes me happy that I don't have buy another battery and possibly another charger!

 

[laser_freak]

He said the cell that I got is usually at 4.2-4.26v depending on the actual battery and charger, and that the charger I have (came with RPL) will stop at that. He also said that the battery is unprotected but the RPL has a protection circuit for the battery. So I guess the RPL was made for an unprotected 18650. He said this battery is all I need because of that and getting a protected 18650 would just make for two protection circuits while in the laser. This would only decrease the performance of the laser.

I just stuck the battery in the charger again after using it last night. It was at about 4.04v, and the charger stopped charging at 4.24 like Jack said.
So I guess I'm safe as long as I only use the battery in the RPL and in that charger, which I plan to do as it only seems right.

He also said not to buy any 18650 with fire in it as they are bad and can explode if not built right or tested. I assume he means something like unprotected trustfire/ultrafire. I guess this means the unprotected battery I got is already of higher quality than that.

So...that makes me happy that I don't have buy another battery and possibly another charger!

That's good to know. The protection circuit in the RPL is probably to prevent over-usage (I forget the correct word). Protection circuits built in to batteries prevent overcharging as well as over-usage. However, as long as the charger doesn't over charge it too much you don't really need a protected battery.

 

[EhdisChris]

Interesting.
Good info for when i charge my 18650's.

 

[Moptsp]

Interesting.
Good info for when i charge my 18650's.

Yeah, also just make sure you check your battery as it's charging every few minutes. It should never really get hot. Actually, it shouldn't even get warm. Or at least mine doesn't, it stays cool through out the whole charge.

But if it does, remove it.