Test/Review of Charger Xtar VC4

[mightysparrow]

My VC4 (brand new) does not appear to be showing me the actual capacity of my XTAR 16340 cells at the end of charging, as the instructions say it should. What is wrong? It is showing about 220 mAh, which is not the total actual mAh in the cells, I hope!

I also notice that my USB hub that is rated at 5V and 3100 mA is not powering the charger - so it appears that it is not as capable as the manufacturer claims. Am I right? Even my HP Pavilion Elite 9280t desktop computer is not giving me the full 500mA charging rate it should on my 16340 cells. I am using a cheap wall outlet adapter that works well to give me the full 500mA charge.

 

[HKJ]

My VC4 (brand new) does not appear to be showing me the actual capacity of my XTAR 16340 cells at the end of charging, as the instructions say it should. What is wrong? It is showing about 220 mAh, which is not the total actual mAh in the cells, I hope!

Did you run the battery dry before charging it? It works like a gas tank, if there is something in it you can not see the full capacity when filling it.
Also note that old batteries will loose capacity.

I also notice that my USB hub that is rated at 5V and 3100 mA is not powering the charger - so it appears that it is not as capable as the manufacturer claims. Am I right? Even my HP Pavilion Elite 9280t desktop computer is not giving me the full 500mA charging rate it should on my 16340 cells. I am using a cheap wall outlet adapter that works well to give me the full 500mA charge.

The charger checks on the usb voltage, if it is low it will reduce charge current, some reasons it can be low:
Weak usb charger
Usb charger/laptop has a low output voltage from the start
Long cable
Unpowered usb hubs

 

[mightysparrow]

Did you run the battery dry before charging it? It works like a gas tank, if there is something in it you can not see the full capacity when filling it.
Also note that old batteries will loose capacity.



The charger checks on the usb voltage, if it is low it will reduce charge current, some reasons it can be low:
Weak usb charger
Usb charger/laptop has a low output voltage from the start
Long cable
Unpowered usb hubs

HKJ: thanks very much for your prompt response to my post. I should not miss the "total charge capacity" information too much, if I know that the voltage at the end of charging is at the full 4.2 level. I guess I'll generally get some idea of the total capacity of the cells as I use them.

The charger appears to work well otherwise, is easy to use, has attractive and easy to read charging current and voltage readouts, and is quiet and feels solid.

The cells I charged last night are XTAR 16340 cells. I will now charge some new AW 16340s and see how the charger works with those. Thanks again for your excellent review of the product (which was extremely helpful in aiding my decision to seriously consider purchasing the product) and for your response to my post today.

 

[HKJ]

HKJ: thanks very much for your prompt response to my post. I am quite surprised and somewhat disappointed that the instructions for the product promise a benefit that is not in fact provided - the total charge in the cell at the end of charging. On the other hand, I should not miss that information too much, if I know that the voltage at the end of charging is at the full 4.2 level. I guess I'll generally get some idea of the total capacity of the cells as I use them.

I will not comment on how Xtar explains stuff, but you can measure the full capacity of your batteries by running them empty first (Do not over discharge the batteries).

With LiIon the charged capacity is about the same as the discharge capacity, that is not always the case with NiMH.

 

[mightysparrow]

I will not comment on how Xtar explains stuff, but you can measure the full capacity of your batteries by running them empty first (Do not over discharge the batteries).

With LiIon the charged capacity is about the same as the discharge capacity, that is not always the case with NiMH.

Thanks, HKJ - I had no idea that charged capacity would be about equal to discharge capacity, even with overdischarge protection working and quite a bit of voltage left in the cells. Thanks for education.

Looking at the instructions carefully, I notice they include the phrase "at a discharge cutoff voltage generally below 3.0 V" in the discussion of how to get a readout of the total amount of charge capacity in the fully-charged cell. I am guessing this means that the full cell capacity will be shown on the display after charging only when the initial voltage before charging is below 3.0 V. I will have to presume for now that this in fact is the case.

 

[Minimoog]

I think that this is an excellent charger which is hobbled by the 5 Volt input. I bought one late last year but despite buying a few USB adaptors including the 2.4 Amp model from the Apple store I kept getting low charge current and flickering display during charge pulses. I did some research at our laboratory and noted that all my USB adaptors didn't like a pulsed load as occasionally the output dropped to around the 4.8 Volt mark and that then made the VC4 see a weak supply and drop the charge current. I ended up making my own supply using a 40 Amp capable MeanWell caged PSU run into a heatsunk buck converter. Over $200 of external parts (thankfully that I was given) now gives me perfect charge and steady display. I now get some really well charged batteries which shows that the charger is a good design, just unduly hobbled by reliance on junk supply voltage from unstable wall warts.

 

[CelticCross74]

Had my VC4 for over a year now and it still works perfectly. I ditched the Xtar specific wall wart for the Verizon iPhone 6 upgrade wall wart. I do not know the specifics of this wall wart I just can tell you it is Verizon labeled, black and has a red LED ring around the front of it that lights up when a USB device is plugged into it. With this wall wart my VC4 will not drop charge current at all no matter what I load into the VC4. With all 4 slots loaded with any cell size and type it is pegged at .50 amps never dropping charge current at all. With the 1 amp slots only loaded up with any size or chem type cell it is pegged at a full amp never dropping charge current. I like it so much I bought another VC4 and another Verizon iPhone 6 wall wart. They are awesome.

 

[Woods Walker]

Final conclusion must be that it is a good charger.

The last line says it all. So far mine has been working just fine. I use the USB plug from my Ipad Air 2. Seems to operate just fine with it.

 

[gsgtsg]

Hi,

I am charging a set of AA Ni-MH batteries and one is saying '0V NULL' on the display.

Does this mean the battery is faulty and cannot be recovered?

Thank you.

 

[ssanasisredna]

Wowsers! What a phenomenal review!

I needed to get a charger quick ... saw this on Amazon, came here to see if anyone reviewed and what do I find!

Thank You HKJ!

 

[ChrisGarrett]

Hi,

I am charging a set of AA Ni-MH batteries and one is saying '0V NULL' on the display.

Does this mean the battery is faulty and cannot be recovered?

Thank you.

It could be that it's a bad battery, or just a battery that is too low to charge on the VC4. What voltage are you getting with a digital multi meter? Some chargers won't charge up a battery/cell below a certain voltage.

If you have a dumb, timed charger, you can put the battery in that for 15-30 minutes, let it charge up a bit...say to 1.00v and then put it back on the VC4.

Chris

 

[samfeee]

can i charge ni-cd with this charger ?
is there another revision of XTAR VC4 on market ? i see two package one yellow other one white:
http://www.xtar.cc/products_detail/productId=64.html

 

[samfeee]

can i use this to charge NI-CD battery?
is there another revision of this charger ?
i see to package one yellow box another white box
http://www.xtar.cc/products_detail/productId=64.html

 

[HKJ]

I can see you post got approved.

NiMH and NiCD can both be charged with a NIMH charger, but a NiCD charge can only charge NiCD.

My graphic was faulty and I have corrected it (Thank you).

Xtar changed their color scheme recently, that means all current products got a new package.

 

[samfeee]

I can see you post got approved.

NiMH and NiCD can both be charged with a NIMH charger, but a NiCD charge can only charge NiCD.

My graphic was faulty and I have corrected it (Thank you).

Xtar changed their color scheme recently, that means all current products got a new package.

tanx bro i got my order there is only one version with new packaging
on the back of the package wrote you can charge ni-cd

 

[vadimax]

Fake or not fake -- this is the question... I have ordered this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/182529009023?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT, but I don't see authenticity label on the bottom wall and its price is half of the normal one. Makes me suspicious

 

[vadimax]

Deleted. That was a posting malfunction right before the forum stop.

 

[Mr Baz]

Fake or not fake -- this is the question... I have ordered this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/182529009023?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT, but I don't see authenticity label on the bottom wall and its price is half of the normal one. Makes me suspicious

The old version ie box came with the sticker on the charger all the 10 year Xtar ones I've tested have a separate card inside with the verification code on that. I wouldn't be suspicious unless that card isn't included

 

[vadimax]

The old version ie box came with the sticker on the charger all the 10 year Xtar ones I've tested have a separate card inside with the verification code on that. I wouldn't be suspicious unless that card isn't included

Thank you so much You've calmed me down a bit.

 

[Weylan]

Looking to use the XTAR VC4, with a 6V solar panel and 4XD batteries. Will the VC4 handle the input range of 4.8V-6V?