# New - Nitecore UM20 and UM10 USB Chargers



## Labrador72 (Nov 3, 2014)

Nitecore announced two new Lion / IMR USB chargers with 1 and 2 bay respectively:

UM10: http://nitecore.com/productDetail.aspx?id=130

UM20: http://nitecore.com/productDetail.aspx?id=131

At first sight they look pretty compact and I like the storage compartment for the USB cable. They could be very good if you want to bring along a charger when travelling.


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## kreisl (Nov 3, 2014)

:rock:


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## UnderPar (Nov 3, 2014)

I saw this earlier on their website. Its good to note that its charging current is now up to 1A. But we still have to wait for the review if this is per bay or it'll halve when charging 2 18650s. But it seems nicely built and I also like the way they tucked the USB cable. This would be great for travel


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## StandardBattery (Nov 3, 2014)

these look very interesting. Good concepts behind the use of the powerbank feature. Seems it is using battery length to automatically select the charge current, not a big fan of that since selecting the rate manually is much more accurate and flexible, but they are trying to make it easier to use with current typical cells.b

microUSB input is nice also with usb data compatibility.

*Update*: _sorry looks like no powerbank feature exists. _


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## Timothybil (Nov 3, 2014)

Glad to see it, but I have a question. I would really like a charger like this that would also charge NiMH, but haven't been able to find one. Does anyone make a good one that will do both from USB?


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## swordfish2 (Nov 4, 2014)

They are looking pretty good. does two things that i do on the desk at the same time from the same socket and thats cool.


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## subwoofer (Nov 4, 2014)

Timothybil said:


> Glad to see it, but I have a question. I would really like a charger like this that would also charge NiMH, but haven't been able to find one. Does anyone make a good one that will do both from USB?



When NITECORE told me about this charger I was under the impression it was multi-chemistry as they said it was like the D2 with added benefits. It is disappointing to see it is Li-ion only. If it had included NiMh it would have been the one to beat.

Looking through the instructions, it doesn't mention using it as a powerpack. From the design, I assumed that one function it would offer would be to have USB power output running off a Li-ion cell, but it appears to not offer this function unless I've read it wrong.


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## Timothybil (Nov 4, 2014)

subwoofer said:


> Looking through the instructions, it doesn't mention using it as a powerpack. From the design, I assumed that one function it would offer would be to have USB power output running off a Li-ion cell, but it appears to not offer this function unless I've read it wrong.


I was looking for that as well, but it appears not to be. Nothing in the rather detailed instructions about the second USB device leads me to believe that is going to be possible.
Also, nothing is said in the UM20 Manual about one channel or two channel. If it is indeed two channel, then charging two 18650s at 1000ma would require almost two amps input, which many USB chargers would not be able to supply. Since many feature phone chargers only supply .7A, and USB 2 ports on computers are only supposed to supply .5A, this could be a problem for both the UM10 & the UM20. The Manual says nothing about what happens in a case like this.


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## jag-engr (Nov 4, 2014)

The manual made it rather confusing, but Nitecore's YT marketing channel has a couple videos that make the set up a littel clearer: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoMD73pos-cPE0yJJceXyAg/videos

I could see this being a great travel accessory, especially if the charger can charge a device off the USB (which I'm still a little fuzzy on).

Regarding the Ni-MH question, I would think that any Ni-MH USB charger can piggyback on this, though it seems silly to carry two separate chargers. If you were at home, on the other hand, I don't see any benefit to not just using a separate outlet.

I guess time will tell how well this system works.


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## StandardBattery (Nov 4, 2014)

I sure made a big mistake i thought it offered powerbank support. Now this is looking a lot less interesting. :thumbsdow


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## Aperture (Nov 4, 2014)

These are nice travel chargers for those whom prefer to travel light as you can charge your li-ion batteries and your iPhone from one power socket and a small 5W iPhone or 12W iPad USB charger, very clever idea.

It would be a killer device if it could also act like a powerbank and had the ability to charge Eneloops but sadly they stopped halfway their brainstorm session...


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## Chaitanya (Nov 5, 2014)

It doesnt look like a charger for someone travelling light. I like the fact that I can charge both cell phone/gps and my flashlight batteries at the same time from a single wall outlet. And most hotels only have 2 sockets which means need to travel with power splitters, but with this that need is solved.


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## jag-engr (Nov 5, 2014)

StandardBattery said:


> I sure made a big mistake i thought it offered powerbank support. Now this is looking a lot less interesting. :thumbsdow


By "powerbank", do you mean the ability to charge a cell phone (or similar) off of a charged 18650 cell without a power connection? I was wondering if it could do that.

Do you actually have one in hand? I'm really interested in whether or not it has this ability...


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## Timothybil (Nov 5, 2014)

I will gladly accept being wrong here, but I don't think it can. After reading the manual and watching the videos, it looks like the power is switched between the charging circuit and the USB output jack, based on conditions and the position of the Priority switch. That leads me to believe it is an either/or situation. It would have been nice to include that option, maybe triggered by having no power on the input jack with a charged cell present and a connection on the output jack. Maybe in Rev. 2.


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## StandardBattery (Nov 7, 2014)

jag-engr said:


> By "powerbank", do you mean the ability to charge a cell phone (or similar) off of a charged 18650 cell without a power connection? I was wondering if it could do that.
> 
> Do you actually have one in hand? I'm really interested in whether or not it has this ability...


Yes, that's what I mean. BUT I don't have one in hand yet. 

Like others here I looked again at the video and the manual and agreed with their assement that at least at this time this does not seem to be a feature offered by these chargers (I was mainly looking at UM10). It seems so obvious.... but right now... they are not talking about it. However... maybe they still have time to add the feature before the product ships. Best to stick with XTAR retail charger line I think, but fun to play with others ones.


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## mvyrmnd (Nov 10, 2014)

The UM20 specs say USB input and output. To me that says "powerbank"


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## Timothybil (Nov 10, 2014)

From the UM20 User Manual:

When there is a power deficit for the UM20 to charge both batteries and USB device
simultaneously, the UM20 will prioritize the charging of the batteries or the device
following the user’s preference.
When the top switch is set to BATTERY, battery priority mode will be activated. In this
mode, the UM20 will charge the batteries first. When batteries are fully charged or
removed, the UM20 will then charge / power the USB device automatically
When the top switch is set to USB, USB priority mode will be activated. In this mode,
the UM20 will charge / power the USB device first. When the USB device is fully
charged or disconnected, the UM20 will charge the batteries automatically.
NOTE: A small electrical current will keep passing through to the external device
connected to maintain the device in its full power state when i t is charged.

Nowhere in the manual does it mention powering the USB output from any cells loaded into the charger.


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## oKtosiTe (Nov 14, 2014)

I still haven't seen any decisive evidence either way. To me it seems that it may or may not function as a power bank. I'll be keeping a close eye on this one, since I'm in the market for a power bank or two. :santa:

My gut feeling says "yes, they just neglected to state it explicitly", but it's been wrong before. 

Now back to our regular programming.


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## Aperture (Nov 14, 2014)

Nitecores marketing department would have zoomed in on the powerbank feature if it was an option, it's not something they would forget to mention IMO but time will tell.


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## Bicycleflyer (Nov 17, 2014)

Timothybil said:


> Glad to see it, but I have a question. I would really like a charger like this that would also charge NiMH, but haven't been able to find one. Does anyone make a good one that will do both from USB?



I am am using the Xtar XP1 "Hummingbird". Uses a micro USB and will charge AA, AAA NiMh and 14500 and 16340. It is not big enough to do 18650. But for someone who travels as much as I do it is really nice and compact. I use 14500 in my SRT3 and AA NiMh as back up. I also use AAA in my 4/7 preon pen light and my ANR headset. So it handles most of my needs. Only drawback is it only charges one battery at a time. 

I want to start carrying my Nitecore CR6 that uses 18650. So I pulled the trigger today on the UM10. Looking at both the Nitecore and Xtar websites, I see the UM 10 is slightly bigger than the Xtar MP1 that I presently have at home sitting in a drawer. It won't do NiMh, so I will have to start carrying my Sanyo USB charger again too. Still, the two combined should still be lightweight and compact enough for a frequent traveler.

time will tell.


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## magellan (Nov 17, 2014)

And then there's the most advanced feature of all: the rear USB cable winder!

But seriously, looks like a decent charger. The single bay one is small enough to be portable and I might use it in my car. That job is currently filled by my Xtar MC0 mini charger.


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## thegreatfixer (Nov 18, 2014)

i think i can answer the USB IN USB OUT 
ITS NOT A POWER BANK (THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!) 
it just means that it can CHARGE a phone and/OR TRANSFER DATA 

its on this Nitecore page (10th picture down) http://nitecore.com/productDetail.aspx?id=131


BTW from what it looks like the newer 4.35v Li-ion cells are growing in popularity 
how will Nitecore address this with their 4.20v cutoff


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## Bicycleflyer (Nov 18, 2014)

magellan said:


> And then there's the most advanced feature of all: the rear USB cable winder!



lol..... That is actually a welcome feature.


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## Bicycleflyer (Nov 23, 2014)

Ok folks,

Just got home yesterday and my UM10 was waiting in my mail pile. 

First impressions...

Bigger than my older XTar MP1s. But not terribly so. Most of the extra height is in that cable winder/ stand. I am sure the extra length is for the extra electronics. 

Digital display is nice. I can see exactly where the charge status is. Most of my travel sized chargers just have a red and green LED.

The digital display is not the blue backlight I see in the ad. It is more like the older LCD watches with lights located on both sides just under the edges. The lights. Are white. You can still read the display in the dark. The light is also very bright. I can see myself throwing a towel over it if I am trying to sleep. (Think hotel room).

It is nice not having to deal with those screw on spacers.

Uses micro USB port same as my cell phone. So no extra cables needed. 

Now to answer the power-bank question. I sorta knew from the website that there was no power bank, but I decided to test that theory anyway. So I charged a battery in it last night and this morning I plugged the usb in the bottom portion and hooked my cell to it..... Nothing, so it is not a power bank folks.


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## whtwalker (Nov 24, 2014)

Does anyone know, if you can use a small portable battery pack to charge cells through the USB?


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## Timothybil (Nov 24, 2014)

whtwalker said:


> Does anyone know, if you can use a small portable battery pack to charge cells through the USB?



Why not? USB voltage is USB voltage. The only question would be would the power bank have enough total capacity to fully charge the cell(s) in question. An auxiliary fact would be how fast can it provide that capacity? [ .5 amp, 1 amp, 2 amp, etc] That will have an effect on total charge time but not on ability to charge.

Part of my SHTF plan is to have some solar cells to charge up a 15,000 mAh power bank that I can then use to charge my tablet, phone, and Li-ion and NiMH cells. So far I haven't found a good NiMH charger that uses USB input. Anyone know of any?


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## whtwalker (Nov 24, 2014)

Thanks! I just bought a 16000 mah, Anker battery pack for similar situations. I have a goal zero panel and charger for my eneloops. I needed a charger like the UM10/20 for my Lithium-ion batteries. I should be getting my new UM10 this week. 



Timothybil said:


> Why not? USB voltage is USB voltage. The only question would be would the power bank have enough total capacity to fully charge the cell(s) in question. An auxiliary fact would be how fast can it provide that capacity? [ .5 amp, 1 amp, 2 amp, etc] That will have an effect on total charge time but not on ability to charge.
> 
> Part of my SHTF plan is to have some solar cells to charge up a 15,000 mAh power bank that I can then use to charge my tablet, phone, and Li-ion and NiMH cells. So far I haven't found a good NiMH charger that uses USB input. Anyone know of any?


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## subwoofer (Dec 8, 2014)

I've just got the UM10 and UM20 from Nitecore for testing.

So far the pass-through power function appears not to work in a usable way from either.

As li-ion chargers powered from the same USB cable as your phone (if it takes micro-USB), they are OK albeit termination voltages vary between 4.16V and 4.20V.

If you connect a device to the USB charging output when there is no li-ion in the UM10/20, that USB output goes on - off - on - off - on.....constantly, so the phone I have connected acts as if I'm pugging in then unplugging then plugging in... the charger. Not really much good for anything as the phone screen keeps coming on and off so draining more power that gets into the battery.

Only if there is a cell already fitted in the UM10/20 does it manage a reasonably stable set-up (I expect this to work with or without a li-ion fitted), but once the current draw on the secondary device drops low enough, the UM10/20 starts to turn the USB output on-off-on-off again resulting in that device thinking you are repeatedly plugging in and unplugging the charger. This is not a very healthy state to leave things.

Not impressed.

Does anyone find the same results from theirs?


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## Bicycleflyer (Dec 9, 2014)

Hey Subwoofer,

read your post and I decided to try my UM10 out. Plugged my cell phone in series with the charger and with different discharge rates ( 50, 75, and 97% charged ). I also tried with, and without a cell in the charger. Unlike you, I have no issues. My phone charges constantly. Maybe you got a bad one.

BF


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## subwoofer (Dec 9, 2014)

With further testing (and after a great deal of plugging and unplugging), things seem to be behaving better with both. Perhaps there was some contact corrosion which had been worn away.

Anyway, retesting now and waiting to see what happens when the phone finishes charging this time.


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## UnderPar (Dec 10, 2014)

Any updates here? I have a UM-20 to be delivered today and would be glad to hear more feedbacks for this charger


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## subwoofer (Dec 11, 2014)

I was sure I posted an update, but it seems I forgot :duh2:

So after much testing of these I've found they started to work as stated. With or without a cell to charge the second device would charge. The cell would charge with or without a second device.

I suspect the connectors were dirty/corroded and after a lot of plugging and unplugging the connections got cleaned up.

The issue for me is that when the second device draws only a tiny current the UM10/20 (I have both) decides to cut the USB output. It then senses a device plugged in and tries to power it. If the secondary device is fully charged, it then drops the current draw, and the UM10/20 cuts the USB power to it - and round and round we go. All the phones I have turn the screen on when connecting to a charger, so this means the phone, once fully charged, sits there flashing the screen on and off as the UM10/20 keeps turning on and off its USB output.

If you are there to catch it doing this, no harm will be done, but if you left it for a long period I would be concerned about bump topping up the battery and damaging it.

A note for iphone users, you can still use this as all you need to do is take your lightning cable (or whatever it is called), and plug this into the USB socket underneath the UM10/20 and the cable that comes with the UM10/20 between your usb charger and the UM10/20. This assumes you are using a charger which has a USB socket in it rather than a fixed cable type of charger.


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## curlysir (Dec 18, 2014)

Upon further review and help from HJK and subwoofer I realized I had a senior moment. See corrections below.


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## HKJ (Dec 18, 2014)

curlysir said:


> FYI -- I just received one of these today. One thing you need to be aware of is that the usb cable has a micro male connector on the end that you plug into the power source. Should not have been a surprise as that is what is shown on the Nitecore site, i just didn't pay any attention until the UM20 got here today. The only problem with that is that all my power sources require a USB A male connector. The connector on the UM20 itself is a regular USB A female connector. I didn't think it would be a problem as I have a lot of extra USB cables, but I could not find a USB A male to USB A male cable in all my junk. These cable are readily available and I ordered one and it will be here tomorrow.



The micro usb hole on the back is input power, the one on the bottom is usb output.


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## subwoofer (Dec 18, 2014)

HKJ said:


> The micro usb hole on the back is input power, the one on the bottom is usb output.



HKJ beat me to it.

curlysir read HKJ's reply and the instruction manual.


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## curlysir (Dec 18, 2014)

subwoofer said:


> HKJ beat me to it.
> 
> curlysir read HKJ's reply and the instruction manual.



OOPS  

Manual I don't need no stinking Manual. 

Thanks, Been one of those days


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## curlysir (Dec 18, 2014)

Now that I have the cable thing figured out I have tried charging some batteries. The left slot is acting strange, the battery will show capacity and the bars are going up and down but the charger is drawing no current according to an inline USB ampremeter. I just put a battery that I had discharged a little more then the previous 2 that I tried and it now appears to be working. The right slot appears to be working fine. Hopefully the charger has started working correctly and I don't have to return it.

Edit: Still acting up, the left slot will charge for a while then quit, I can take the battery out and put it in the right slot and it charges fine. Appears I am going to have to return it for replacement.


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## curlysir (Dec 18, 2014)

Sending the charger back. I have determined that the left slot will not charge above 90%. At that point it stops charging, voltage is at 4.16 volts, I can take the same battery and put it in the right slot or in my other chargers and it will continue to charge. I like the size of the charger and hope the next one works correctly. I am primarily getting this charger for travel so I want a smaller charger. I already have a Nitecore D4 and a Xtar VP2 but they are a little bigger then I want to carry with me.

Thanks for the help and sorry about the OOPS, won't be my last.

Update: The right side charges to 94% and stops, battery is at 4.2 volts and it is fully charged. Put the battery in either the D4 or VP2 and they both show the battery to be fully charged. If I did not have the in-line monitor I would not know that the charger had stopped charging. I have left the battery in the left slot for 30 minutes after it stopped charging just to see if it would go to 100%, never restarted the charge or showed above 90%. Certainly hope this is an isolated problem just to this 1 charger, otherwise you would not know when it is charged if you just relied on the indicator on the charger.


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## subwoofer (Dec 19, 2014)

curlysir said:


> Sending the charger back. I have determined that the left slot will not charge above 90%. At that point it stops charging, voltage is at 4.16 volts, I can take the same battery and put it in the right slot or in my other chargers and it will continue to charge. I like the size of the charger and hope the next one works correctly. I am primarily getting this charger for travel so I want a smaller charger. I already have a Nitecore D4 and a Xtar VP2 but they are a little bigger then I want to carry with me.
> 
> Thanks for the help and sorry about the OOPS, won't be my last.
> 
> Update: The right side charges to 94% and stops, battery is at 4.2 volts and it is fully charged. Put the battery in either the D4 or VP2 and they both show the battery to be fully charged. If I did not have the in-line monitor I would not know that the charger had stopped charging. I have left the battery in the left slot for 30 minutes after it stopped charging just to see if it would go to 100%, never restarted the charge or showed above 90%. Certainly hope this is an isolated problem just to this 1 charger, otherwise you would not know when it is charged if you just relied on the indicator on the charger.



I had a similar instance early on where the UM20 stopped at 94% and 98% and wouldn't go above this. After powering off the UM20 (unplugging it), and then plugging it back in again, it did finish the charge.

However, I have had cells show 100% and measure 4.16V, so it is not like the D2 and D4 that finish on a rock solid 4.20V


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## curlysir (Dec 19, 2014)

subwoofer said:


> I had a similar instance early on where the UM20 stopped at 94% and 98% and wouldn't go above this. After powering off the UM20 (unplugging it), and then plugging it back in again, it did finish the charge.
> 
> However, I have had cells show 100% and measure 4.16V, so it is not like the D2 and D4 that finish on a rock solid 4.20V



I could live with the charge voltage, the left slot stopped at 4.16 volts at 90% and the right slot stopped at 4.20 at 94%. I tried unplugging and unplugging and leaving a battery in the charger for over an hour to see if it would indicate 100% or the bars stop but they never did. I could take the battery from the left slot at 90% and 4.16 volts and put it in the right slot and it would charge to 94% and 4.20 volts before stopping. The main problem I had and the reason I returned the charger was that the charger (by the bars going up and down) and the % charge was indicting that the battery was still charging. If I did not have the amperemeter in line I would not have known the charger had stopped. If the bars would have stopped I might have kept the meter.

I haven't given up on the charger, I have another one on order and hopefully it will be OK.

Will update when I get the new one next week.


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## curlysir (Dec 23, 2014)

Got my new charger today and it also has problems. This one goes to 93% in the left slot and 97% in the right slot and stops charging, the indicator bars are still going up and down so I can't rely on the charger to show when the battery is charged. Will probably keep because the batteries are fully charged to 4.2 volts and I was only out $16. As a side note I also ordered a Xtar VC2 and it worked correctly and indicated a full charge.


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## naked2 (Dec 25, 2014)

I concur/confirm the UM10 is not a power bank. @ curlysir- the VC2 is also NOT a power bank, correct?
I bought three UM10s;  one for myself and two I gave as gifts along with 18650s to my niece and nephew, to use as power banks for their new IPhones. Two I'll be collecting from them and returning to BatteryJunction where I bought them. This is from BJ's description:

"The UM10 can also be used for charging USB powered devices through the power of your pre-charged Li-Ion batteries." 

Apparently they didn't test one before publishing the above statement; to be fair, I didn't test one either, before giving to my niece and nephew. The third, I bought from Going Gear, and will probably keep it to give to someone I help get into LiIon powered flashlights; It IS a decent single bay charger after all. 

My father taught me "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is"; at $9.90, I should've known better!


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## Timothybil (Dec 25, 2014)

I raised that particular point with them as soon as I saw that blurb appear, back when we were still discussing the possibility. After several exchanges of emails, all I was told was 'it is in the manual'. I was trying to get BJ to prove their source, to keep this very thing from happening, but finally gave up.


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## Aperture (Dec 26, 2014)

naked2 said:


> My father taught me "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is"; at $9.90, I should've known better!


Luckily not always true, the ML-102 is my favourite travel USB charger and costs less than 8 bucks shipped worldwide from eBay or Fasttech and works great as an USB powerbank (just be aware to get the model with the spring at the negative pole).

I always have one in my backpack when I go hiking for a few days together with a spare 18650, an iPhone charger and small USB car charger which enables me to charge the iPhone with the 18650 when in the field or charge either the 18650 or iPhone indoors, when on the move in a car, etc.

HKJ reviewed it here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?342760-Review-of-Measurement-on-ML-102-Charger


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## curlysir (Dec 26, 2014)

naked2 said:


> I concur/confirm the UM10 is not a power bank. @ curlysir- the VC2 is also NOT a power bank, correct?



Correct, no provision for external output.


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## naked2 (Dec 26, 2014)

Aperture said:


> Luckily not always true...


Still too good to be true for ME; first it's not a CC/CV charger, and second, to quote the above linked review: "sadly it uses the mini and not the micro USB connector". Also, it doesn't have safety features like a UM10 or similar, which would be fine for us here, but no good for someone like my niece and nephew who know NOTHING of the hazards of charging/discharging/recharging/storing LiIon cells.

For about the same cost as the ML-102 and a fair to decent quality protected 18650, I'm going to get them a nice little power bank at Home Depot. It's about the same size/shape as IPhone 5 or earlier, and requires no special cord/connector; just charge it with their existing charger, and with the same cord, use it later as a power source.


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## subwoofer (Dec 30, 2014)

I've just posted a quick review of these here:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...Review-Nitecore-UM10-and-UM20-li-ion-chargers


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