18650 Charger for 4 Batteries 1A Each?

[3liminate]

Hi Fam.

Just wondering what other 18650 chargers are out there that charge 4 batteries at 1A at the same time? (ie 4000mah total output or more)

I currently only know of the Soshine SC-1 Max v3 which is great.

Thanks!

 

[ven]

There are a few capable chargers , for a well priced do it all, check the opus bt c3100v2.2 or bt c3400(pretty much the same just different model numbers).

1a across 4 bays, 1.5/2a on bays 1+4 and also charges nimh cells.

 

[3liminate]

Legend! Looks awesome. Thanks heaps bro

 

[markr6]

ven has it right. I'm always looking for the next best 4x18650 @1A charger. Nothing beats the Opus IMO. I would like a smaller one, but still want a voltage readout. It always comes back to the Opus for me. Plus it does NiMH, nut I rarely use them anymore.

You can also do a fast charge at 1500mA or 2000mA in bays 1 & 4 on the Opus when you're in a hurry. Great charger!

I like that Soshine SC-1 Max v3 too. I've had my eye on that for a more compact option, nice to keep in the car maybe.

Edit: I just saw the Soshine H4. That will do 4 @ 1A, and it has a nice screen. But HKJ's review didn't sell me on it. Again, back to the Opus!

 

[tatasal]

ven has it right. I'm always looking for the next best 4x18650 @1A charger. Nothing beats the Opus IMO. I would like a smaller one, but still want a voltage readout. It always comes back to the Opus for me. Plus it does NiMH, nut I rarely use them anymore.

You can also do a fast charge at 1500mA or 2000mA in bays 1 & 4 on the Opus when you're in a hurry. Great charger!

I like that Soshine SC-1 Max v3 too. I've had my eye on that for a more compact option, nice to keep in the car maybe.

Edit: I just saw the Soshine H4. That will do 4 @ 1A, and it has a nice screen. But HKJ's review didn't sell me on it. Again, back to the Opus!

+ 1 to the Opus. Nothing, not even the hyped-up, bug-full, much more expensive, MC3000, (which I also have) can beat it, hands-down a lot better, IMO.

 

[markr6]

+ 1 to the Opus.

Oh but the fan is sooo loud for my sensitive little ears :mecry:

I got tired of hearing that in some reviews. It must have been early models, because mine is about as loud as a laptop fan. I don't really notice it at all.

 

[tatasal]

Oh but the fan is sooo loud for my sensitive little ears :mecry:

I got tired of hearing that in some reviews. It must have been early models, because mine is about as loud as a laptop fan. I don't really notice it at all.

Yes, the earlier models had many complaints of fan noise, especially to people who never owned a fan-cooled hobby charger, but are used to using a dead-silent fan-less charger.

In my case, before I got my Opus chargers, I was already used to fan noise from my iCharger, having I think a three-stage fan. You should listen to it cooling the charger discharging up to 7 amps!

The current Opus fan are much less obtrusive, much like the stock fans in your PC.

 

[MAD777]

My favorite is LiitoKala Engineer 500. I have 3 of them. Very flexible. Will charge all sizes of lithium ions. You can set different amperage charge on each bay.

It's also an analyzer & will measure your battery's actual capacity.

 

[Timothybil]

It only does two cells at a time, not four, but the Xtar VP2 will charge at 1 amp (also 0.5 and 0.25 switch selectable). I normally use the VC4, but got the VP2 for charging my 10440 lights, since 0.5 A into a 350 mAh cell is not really recommended.

 

[sidecross]

It only does two cells at a time, not four, but the Xtar VP2 will charge at 1 amp (also 0.5 and 0.25 switch selectable). I normally use the VC4, but got the VP2 for charging my 10440 lights, since 0.5 A into a 350 mAh cell is not really recommended.

+1

XTAR VP2 also has a switch (3.2V, 3.6V, and 3.8V) for charging to 4.35 volts. I have multiple chargers, but if I was to have only one or advise which which charger would be a good choice I would choose a XTAR VP2. :thumbsup:

 

[3liminate]

Thanks for the suggestions! Really want a charger that can do 4 at 1 amp same time. So so far the Opus looks like the best

EDIT: http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Opus BT-C3100 V2.1 UK.html

This review states that it has pulsing charge current rather than constant, which isn't the greatest.
Thoughts?

 

[tatasal]

Thanks for the suggestions! Really want a charger that can do 4 at 1 amp same time. So so far the Opus looks like the best

EDIT: http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Opus BT-C3100 V2.1 UK.html

This review states that it has pulsing charge current rather than constant, which isn't the greatest.
Thoughts?

This might help: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775301008205

The effects of a pulse charging technique on charge–discharge behavior and cycling characteristics of commercial lithium-ion batteries were investigated by comparison with the conventional direct current (dc) charging. The impedance spectra and cycling voltammograms of Li-ion batteries cycled by both protocols have been measured. The individual electrodes in the batteries have also been examined using XRD and SEM. The results show that pulse charging is helpful in eliminating concentration polarization, increasing the power transfer rate, and lowering charge time by removing the need for constant voltage charging in the conventional protocol. Pulse charging interrupts dc charging with short relaxation periods and short discharge pulses during charging, and also improves the active material utilization giving the battery higher discharge capacity and longer cycle life. Impedance measurements show that the magnitude of the interfacial resistance of the batteries cycled both by pulse charging and dc charging is small. However, at the same number of cycles, the interfacial resistance of the pulse charged battery is larger than that of dc charged. The batteries after 300 cycles charged by pulse charging show higher peak currents during both forward and reverse scans indicating higher reversibility of the electrodes. XRD and SEM studies of the individual electrodes indicate that pulse charging maintains the stability of the LiCoO2​ cathode better than dc charging and inhibits the increase in the thickness of the passive film on the anode during cycling.

 

[blah9]

Interesting stuff guys. Thanks for all the info! I may be purchasing a new charger one of these days now haha.

 

[HKJ]

This might help: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775301008205

The effects of a pulse charging technique on charge–discharge behavior and cycling characteristics of commercial lithium-ion batteries were investigated by comparison with the conventional direct current (dc) charging. The impedance spectra and cycling voltammograms of Li-ion batteries cycled by both protocols have been measured. The individual electrodes in the batteries have also been examined using XRD and SEM. The results show that pulse charging is helpful in eliminating concentration polarization, increasing the power transfer rate, and lowering charge time by removing the need for constant voltage charging in the conventional protocol. Pulse charging interrupts dc charging with short relaxation periods and short discharge pulses during charging, and also improves the active material utilization giving the battery higher discharge capacity and longer cycle life. Impedance measurements show that the magnitude of the interfacial resistance of the batteries cycled both by pulse charging and dc charging is small. However, at the same number of cycles, the interfacial resistance of the pulse charged battery is larger than that of dc charged. The batteries after 300 cycles charged by pulse charging show higher peak currents during both forward and reverse scans indicating higher reversibility of the electrodes. XRD and SEM studies of the individual electrodes indicate that pulse charging maintains the stability of the LiCoO2​ cathode better than dc charging and inhibits the increase in the thickness of the passive film on the anode during cycling.

This is the same as some researchers says pulse charge does to NiMH, but other researchers says they cannot reproduce it (There is money in a superior and patented charge method).

And it has nothing to do with the charger we uses, they do not use that type of pulse charge scheme, but only uses regular pwm.

 

[3liminate]

Very interesting. So looks like it's not bad after all

 

[markr6]

My favorite is LiitoKala Engineer 500. I have 3 of them. Very flexible. Will charge all sizes of lithium ions. You can set different amperage charge on each bay.

It's also an analyzer & will measure your battery's actual capacity.

I forgot about that one. Looks like a nice (and smaller?) alternative to the Opus 3100. Actually, NO! After checking, the Opus is shorter.

 

[kreisl]

The Fenix ARE-C2 charger can charge 4x1000mA.

For more charging power like 4x3000mA you'll need something bigger than the Opus v2.2

 

[ven]

Very interesting. So looks like it's not bad after all

Would not have recommended it if it was bad:nana: since i have had mine its been left powered on 24/7 and used for up to 16hrs a day................constant...........sometimes longer I have many many chargers, vp1/vp2/vp4/sp1/used to have a vc4 (and not impressed in several ways so its gifted), AWT and nitecore off the top of my head! The opus is used by far the most at home(vp1 is one of my work chargers and is a very good charger).

For not much over $30 and a bit of a wait, gearbest is where i got mine from but the EU warehouse so took a week...................

 

[ven]

xtar xp4 panzer is another good charger that can do 4x 1a, however the loss of a V readout hurts me

 

[swan]

The LiitoKala Engineer Lii 500 is a very good reliable charger that charges 4 x cells at 1 amp. it comes in at a good price point and does not seem to have any problems like dead bays, broken springs or pulse charging - highly recommended.