Test/Review of Charger Xtar VC4

[johndoe1027]

Thank you for another fantastic review HKJ! I have the XTAR VP1 now (which I only bought after seeing that you gave it a thumbs up). I've since got into vaping and have tossed around the idea of getting some 26650s (which the VP1 doesn't do). Also, more charging slots = better.

2 things I love about the VP1 that I don't want to lose.
1 - 0.25A charging capability. Can you tell the VC4 to stay at 0.25A max?
2 - Voltage readout to the hundredth of a volt. It looks like the VC4 never shows a numeric voltage readout, is that correct? It's just on the gauge. My only reason for wanting a precise voltage readout is 2 pairs of batteries that I have married for series use. I guess having the mAh readout is as good or better for seeing how close 2 batteries are in performance?

Maybe I am really looking for a VP4 instead of the VC4? Thanks in advance for any advice you have!

 

[RI Chevy]

VP 4 already out I think.

 

[ven]

One on its way will be my 4th Xtar charger and with good reason. Will be a works charger ,need one for 18650 and eneloops in one.

 

[candle lamp]

Thank you for your excellent review. HKJ! :thumbsup:
It seems that the VC4 has feature of the VP4 plus Ni-MH charging.

 

[ven]

VC4 came today to add to my xtar chargers,initial impressions are great,love the carry bag............great idea,even if used to protect/cover/store as well as obviously travel.
Display is nice and bright,simple button press to change ch1+4 or ch 2+3 read out. Think i would prefer all to be shown but (or fitted in display) tbh ,but no deal killer. Certainly a nice solid/substantial feel to the plastic over some chargers like the i4 and wp6II.

Gripe,yes one that bothers me a little,i would have preferred the actual plug to be universal when fitted in charger port(not usb end thats a great idea) plug end........ Maybe an actual Xtar USB plug thrown in..........just a thought and i may be alone on that :laughing: I have lots of USB plugs,would just prefer to use an Xtar branded one over say an apple or alike.........

Yes working hands (they do get washed honest)........... dry skin and being an engineer=

Plug differences with vp1 charger


As i will not be using it direct into say laptop(usb is great for flexibility ,so dont get me wrong here) i would have liked it to be universal,so use of the vp1 or vp2 chargers leads as examples.......again personal gripe and i know its designed around travel/usb use..........just would have been nice for it to work off Xtar adapters for added flexibility(or again throw in a usb plug)

Norb sent me a couple of free 14500 cells,dont know if good........will check up :laughing: but grateful all the same






Its kind of in the middle right now...........




My decider on this charger thanks to HKJ,was the Ni-MH support,will be great in work for my eneloops:thumbsup: and my 18650 cells of course.

Sure the display will "grow" on me,just prefer actual digital V read out (4.16 for example) over a needle/gauge........just user friendlier imo anyway. Something i no doubt will get used to over time. The mah will be useful,but again,will show from where the V is to start from,most my cells are 3.8v in lights,ecig mods...........well some 3.6v,.the vaporshark rDNA40 will run to 3.3v so that should give a better indication to the cells mah(IMR and INR only for those uses).

Time will tell and admit Xtar is my fav brand of chargers,this certainly has a "quality" feel to it,thanks again HKJ:thumbsup:

Cheers ven

 

[HKJ]

Gripe,yes one that bothers me a little,i would have preferred the actual plug to be universal when fitted in charger port(not usb end thats a great idea) plug end........ Maybe an actual Xtar USB plug thrown in..........just a thought and i may be alone on that :laughing: I have lots of USB plugs,would just prefer to use an Xtar branded one over say an apple or alike.........

The problem is that a 12V power supply probably will blow the VC4, i.e. I see it as an advantage that it uses a different plug.
I would have liked it even better if it could work on both 5V and 12V, then there would be no problem with using the same plug as other Xtar chargers.

 

[ven]

Quick question just to make sure(i have already done it issue free but want to know long term) Am i OK using an apple USB plug or any other specific plug over this for plugging in the wall(or am i best not to plug into the wall via USB).

Many thanks ven

 

[HKJ]

Quick question just to make sure(i have already done it issue free but want to know long term) Am i OK using an apple USB plug or any other specific plug over this for plugging in the wall(or am i best not to plug into the wall via USB).

I suppose you mean using a Apple usb power supply and that is fine, the problem is all the cheap Chinese ones.

 

[ven]

I suppose you mean using a Apple usb power supply and that is fine, the problem is all the cheap Chinese ones.

Yes,sorry,to clarify the actual USB power supply/plug.

Cheers ven:thumbsup:

 

[HKJ]

Yes,sorry,to clarify the actual USB power supply/plug.

The 12W Apple charger is very good, I have just published a review of it.

 

[ven]

The 12W Apple charger is very good, I have just published a review of it.

As always:bow:thank you

Just looked at my latest chargers, iphone 6+ and the air2,air 2 is 10W on mine




I wonder why 10w and 12w differences,more so if regulated in the ipad for example........

Cheers ven:thumbsup:

 

[Christoph]

my VP1 plug will fit into my VC4
C

 

[HKJ]

I wonder why 10w and 12w differences,more so if regulated in the ipad for example........

Looks like yours is an older generation, they have probably increased the power to charge some of the new iPads faster.

my VP1 plug will fit into my VC4

Then you have to be careful. I wonder why they have changed the connector.

 

[ven]

Looks like yours is an older generation, they have probably increased the power to charge some of the new iPads faster.



Latest in UK at time,its from the ipad air 2 i got around 1 month ago as the kids have pinched my ipad2 :laughing:

Checked on line and for sale at around the £15 mark,although its probably worth it,i will use one of my older apple chargers as i dont * think* it will make any benefit powering this charger.........It shows the 1a with bay 1+4 and 0.5 over all 4 bays when i checked earlier.

 

[XTAR Light]

Thanks for the great review.

 

[jc9121]

Hello All,

thank you for the detailed review of this charger!
I bought this charger because somewhere else - probably on this forum - it was mentioned that the internal charger in my flashlight is useless.

I just powered it up today and I bought 3x 26650 batteries (eFest 5200mAh).
I plugged in two cells in channels 1 & 4 and went out to lunch. When I came back (~2hrs later) it was still at ~600mAh and the charge current was very low ~0.2A.
I thought it could be due to my apple USB wall wart - so i changed it to a Samsung one and that gave a more respectable 0.6A.
However in doing so the mAh reading was reset to 0.

What does the mAh reading actually show - charge delivered to the batteries or actual charge in the batteries?

Sorry for the basic question - I am used to chargers with just a green and red led to indicate charging and complete.

br
James

 

[RI Chevy]

Welcome to the Forum! :welcome:

 

[HKJ]

I plugged in two cells in channels 1 & 4 and went out to lunch. When I came back (~2hrs later) it was still at ~600mAh and the charge current was very low ~0.2A.
I thought it could be due to my apple USB wall wart - so i changed it to a Samsung one and that gave a more respectable 0.6A.

It can be the cables, it is always a good idea to use short and thick usb cables when charging.

However in doing so the mAh reading was reset to 0.

What does the mAh reading actually show - charge delivered to the batteries or actual charge in the batteries?

The mAh reading is how much current is filled into the cells, not how much is in the cells.

 

[jc9121]

Thank you for your quick response.

So since it shows the charge delivered to the cells - i wonder if there was any way I can use this charger to weed out dodgy batteries which do not provide the advertised mAh.

I understand that having one poor battery in a group can significantly degrade performance overall.

On car batteries (Lead-Acid) I used to run a drop test where a known load is applied and if the voltage drops below 9V then the battery is not good enough for use.
Is there such a test on these Li-Ion batteries?

Sorry for the detailed questions - I use my batteries for a flash-light while swimming and changing batteries in the sea may lead to salt water ingress into the flash-light so i'd like to be sure the batteries I put in it before entering the water are good ones.

thank you!
br
James

 

[ven]

Having had a while now i am full of discontent ,tried different apple chargers which cover the required 5v 2.1a ,even bought extra plugs and same issue. Then paid almost £15 from a UK shop for a "good" travel charger ,again rated at 5.0VDC/2100mah. Again 2 cells in 1+4 with 1a charge only lasted minutes before dropping to 0.75 or 0.5 later...........i can not get a 1a charge rate for 2 cells for the charge duration.

One cell i can manage........useless .

So my overall expectations ,now weeks later is disappointment, in what is a poor design imo. Why cant Xtar do a proper plug option for it........?? I dare not try their 5v 2.1a effort(looks very cheap and suspect its charger and not plug/s) as i have bought better quality ones with no avail. Maybe it is faulty .....my cost on this charger has doubled with buying new USB plugs(not cheapo ones)to get this working as should(never again) .

Shame as i like the nimh support over my vp4,now i have a jack of all trades in the opus BT-C3100 V2.2 ............should have missed the vc4 out

Odd reading has been 2.xxV on a 3.8v cell,remove ,re-fit and back to a more accurate display...........guess confidence is lost now and can't trust it. The vp1/2/4 /sp1 and wp6II have been perfect..... will take this as an Xtar bad apple(for me anyway).