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A week ago my DSD 18650 battery charger broke and my crappy no-name 18650 batteries were barely holding a charge so I bought the nicest batteries and charger I could find. The Pila IBCT charger (link) and the AW protected 18650's (link).
First the Pila IBCT charger:
It is one of the more expensive battery chargers out there, but I read it was worth it. I have nothing to compare this charger to except my DSD charger. Compared to the DSD charger, the IBCT charger is a quintessential charger. The first time I charged up my AW 18650 batteries, it charged them to exactly 4.20V, whereas my DSD charger would always overcharge them to 4.3V. Unlike the DSD charger, it charges both batteries separately but at the same time. This allows you to charge a partially discharged battery and a fully discharged battery at the same time without damaging either one.
It has 4 different states in the charging process:
Stage 1 - Automatic analyzing battery status
Stage 2 - Quick charge
Stage 3 - Slow charge
Stage 4 - Standby mode, trickle charge
Those who know there way around Li-Ion batteries will immediately remember that Li-Ion batteries are damaged when trickle charged. However according to some people over and CPF, it's not actually trickle charging the batteries:
The charger came in a very nice, neatly packed box.
It also came with a carrying bag.
Inside there was the actual charger, AC adapter and plug adapter for use outside the US, 2 spacers for smaller size batteries, and a free LED keychain.
The charger has a transparant lid which lifts up. The spacers screw into the positive terminal of the charger.
While charging batteries, a red LED indicates it's currently charging and a green LED indicates it's done charging.
The LEDs are visible through the transparant lid.
The charger and batteries get slightly warm during charging, but there are some vents on the underside of the charger to help dissipate heat.
Pros:
Charges Li-Ion batteries to exactly 4.20V
High quality
Charges batteries separately
Has a reset button to re-charge the battery if the charger thinks it's charged when it's not
AC adapter works in multiple countries
Includes spacers to charge smaller batteries
Free LED keychain
Cons:
None!
Conclusion: The price is high, but it's worth every penny.
AW protected 18650 batteries:
These have both thermal protection and electrical (overcharge and over-discharge) protection. However like most other protected 18650 batteries, they do not have a button top. Their positive terminal is flat. This prevents them from being used in devices where the positive terminal isn't a spring. Adding small magnets to the positive terminal fixes this.
However these batteries have 3 small bumps on their negative terminal (see above image) which allows them to be used in series. These work great, but I don't understand why they didn't put the bumps on the positive terminal instead, eliminating the need for magnets in some cases.
My only complaint is the size of the battery. 18650 stands for 18mm diameter and 65mm long. These batteries are both a little longer (approximate 67mm due to the protection circuit) and a little wider (18.5mm). All of my other 18650 batteries are 65mm in length and 18.3mm in diameter. For me the larger diameter was the problem. They refused to fit in my Spyder II. Who would have thought that 0.2mm would make the difference. However I blame this on Wicked Lasers. When I removed the label foil, it reduced the diameter to 18.4mm. This allows the battery to barely fit in my Spyder II, but once the battery is in it's stuck and I can't get it out without shaking it. I don't have any other 18650 lasers at the time of this writing to see if they fit, but I assume they do.
Pros:
Excellent protection circuit
2600mAh
bumps on negative terminal
Cons:
A little large
Flat top positive terminal
Conclusion: Buy them (except if you have a Spyder II).
First the Pila IBCT charger:
It is one of the more expensive battery chargers out there, but I read it was worth it. I have nothing to compare this charger to except my DSD charger. Compared to the DSD charger, the IBCT charger is a quintessential charger. The first time I charged up my AW 18650 batteries, it charged them to exactly 4.20V, whereas my DSD charger would always overcharge them to 4.3V. Unlike the DSD charger, it charges both batteries separately but at the same time. This allows you to charge a partially discharged battery and a fully discharged battery at the same time without damaging either one.
It has 4 different states in the charging process:
Stage 1 - Automatic analyzing battery status
Stage 2 - Quick charge
Stage 3 - Slow charge
Stage 4 - Standby mode, trickle charge
Those who know there way around Li-Ion batteries will immediately remember that Li-Ion batteries are damaged when trickle charged. However according to some people over and CPF, it's not actually trickle charging the batteries:
CPF said:
The charger came in a very nice, neatly packed box.
It also came with a carrying bag.
Inside there was the actual charger, AC adapter and plug adapter for use outside the US, 2 spacers for smaller size batteries, and a free LED keychain.
The charger has a transparant lid which lifts up. The spacers screw into the positive terminal of the charger.
While charging batteries, a red LED indicates it's currently charging and a green LED indicates it's done charging.
The LEDs are visible through the transparant lid.
The charger and batteries get slightly warm during charging, but there are some vents on the underside of the charger to help dissipate heat.
Pros:
Charges Li-Ion batteries to exactly 4.20V
High quality
Charges batteries separately
Has a reset button to re-charge the battery if the charger thinks it's charged when it's not
AC adapter works in multiple countries
Includes spacers to charge smaller batteries
Free LED keychain
Cons:
None!
Conclusion: The price is high, but it's worth every penny.
AW protected 18650 batteries:
These have both thermal protection and electrical (overcharge and over-discharge) protection. However like most other protected 18650 batteries, they do not have a button top. Their positive terminal is flat. This prevents them from being used in devices where the positive terminal isn't a spring. Adding small magnets to the positive terminal fixes this.
However these batteries have 3 small bumps on their negative terminal (see above image) which allows them to be used in series. These work great, but I don't understand why they didn't put the bumps on the positive terminal instead, eliminating the need for magnets in some cases.
My only complaint is the size of the battery. 18650 stands for 18mm diameter and 65mm long. These batteries are both a little longer (approximate 67mm due to the protection circuit) and a little wider (18.5mm). All of my other 18650 batteries are 65mm in length and 18.3mm in diameter. For me the larger diameter was the problem. They refused to fit in my Spyder II. Who would have thought that 0.2mm would make the difference. However I blame this on Wicked Lasers. When I removed the label foil, it reduced the diameter to 18.4mm. This allows the battery to barely fit in my Spyder II, but once the battery is in it's stuck and I can't get it out without shaking it. I don't have any other 18650 lasers at the time of this writing to see if they fit, but I assume they do.
Pros:
Excellent protection circuit
2600mAh
bumps on negative terminal
Cons:
A little large
Flat top positive terminal
Conclusion: Buy them (except if you have a Spyder II).
Last edited:
Man those guys test and re-test everything with O-scope's and what not, some people have way too much time and equipment.:thinking:
