# Which charger XTAR VP4 or Nitecore D4



## Albinoni1967 (Dec 15, 2014)

Out of these two chargers which one will you take.

The XTAR might be a good quality charger but the only negative thing about it is that it will only charge LiIon batts and not NiMH AA's or AAA's

The Nitecore D2 or D4 is a more universal charger, also has a nice LCD display and supports more battery types such as LiIOns and Nimh and NiCd type batts.


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## UnderPar (Dec 15, 2014)

Personally, I don't use universal chargers in charging NiMH batteries. I have a separate charger for that kind of battery. Between the two, if you could purchase a separate NiMH chargers, I would go for the Xtar VP4. If you want a 4-bay charger with 1 amp capacity on all bays, then 2 VP2 is the answer.


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## Albinoni1967 (Dec 15, 2014)

Hi I actually use a Maha 9000 to do my NiMH Eneloops and also my Imedion batteries have had it for about 5 years now and has been a very good charger and reliable too.

My LiIon charger is actually a XTAR VP1 but i was thinking of getting the VP2 or VP4 either one, sound stupid I know but I like the Green/red LED indicator for each batt on top of the device the VP1 never had that. 

Re the VP4 doesnt it charge at 1amp capacity.

I am currently charging a 18650 KeepPower batt in my VP1 and I charge at 0.25A


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## kreisl (Dec 15, 2014)

two units of VP2 are your answer


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## aribach (Dec 15, 2014)

I have both and find the Xtar VP4 is the best. Better quality.


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## Albinoni1967 (Dec 15, 2014)

Both of what sorry


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## kreisl (Dec 15, 2014)

i see your confusion mate sorry


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## Albinoni1967 (Dec 15, 2014)

kreisl said:


> both = VP4 & D4
> 
> duh.



Be nice mate I thought you meant both the VP2 and VP4 duhhhh


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## kreisl (Dec 15, 2014)

total confusion now


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## ven (Dec 15, 2014)

For the money the vp4 does seem good value and imo you cant go wrong with Xtar chargers. The decision for me would be more down to actual use,if you can only buy 1 charger and require nimh charging then the d4 makes more sense. If like me you have a separate charger for nimh cells(i prefer not to have a jack of all trades tbh)then the vp4 out of the 2.

As mentioned,you could get 2x vp2 chargers,of course more $$, but best of both worlds and with better charge rates. If no need for 3.8v option on the vp2(4.35v cells) for charging,then a cheaper option of 2x vp1 chargers. Still charge at .25/.5/1a rates and split due to 2 chargers(could charge 16340 or 14500 at 0.5a and 18650 on the other at 1a as an example) .


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## tripplec (Dec 15, 2014)

I have the I4 which was its predecessor. The D4 added the display and you'll not go wrong with it as its a goof proof charger anyone in the family can use without consequences. There is a SC-H4 which I've order although no info here or reviews on it. It looks very good and flexible from the info I googled elsewhere. Its a Soshine charger


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## Albinoni1967 (Dec 15, 2014)

ven said:


> For the money the vp4 does seem good value and imo you cant go wrong with Xtar chargers. The decision for me would be more down to actual use,if you can only buy 1 charger and require nimh charging then the d4 makes more sense. If like me you have a separate charger for nimh cells(i prefer not to have a jack of all trades tbh)then the vp4 out of the 2.
> 
> As mentioned,you could get 2x vp2 chargers,of course more $$, but best of both worlds and with better charge rates. If no need for 3.8v option on the vp2(4.35v cells) for charging,then a cheaper option of 2x vp1 chargers. Still charge at .25/.5/1a rates and split due to 2 chargers(could charge 16340 or 14500 at 0.5a and 18650 on the other at 1a as an example) .



Hi Ven actually I have and use a Maha C9000 for all my NimH's this means my Sanyo and Panasonic Eneloops and also my Imedions as well and have had this charger for 5 yrs now and its been very good.


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## MrSteveLight (Dec 16, 2014)

Does anyone know if the Nitecore I4 can to LiFePO4 Like the D4 can?

I often read (with hobby chargers) "Mutli chemistry, all chemistries available now, and all future chemistries"
I don't understand how they can advertise "all future chemistries" that takes in a large amount of assumptions there...

However I could see that maybe LiFe would charge in a very similar fashion to Li-Ion or LiPo.
Perhaps the older packaging of the I4 just doesn't advertise LiFe, but it still charges the same?


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## NoNotAgain (Dec 16, 2014)

The i4 does not support LiFePO4 battery.


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## MrSteveLight (Dec 16, 2014)

Thanks. I went out to the RC forums to figure this out. 
I also decided. As I don't have any LiFe yet. I should grab an i4, save the money and buy the d4 if such a time arises that I need l LiFe. 

Then I will just have 8 slot capacity


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## rwfishman (Dec 16, 2014)

Just curious, I have an I4 2014 Edition but all I charge are 18650 batteries. What is the best and safest charger to use for that battery type and at what point can I feel secure (if ever) leaving the charger charge without me being there?


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## ven (Dec 17, 2014)

rwfishman said:


> Just curious, I have an I4 2014 Edition but all I charge are 18650 batteries. What is the best and safest charger to use for that battery type and at what point can I feel secure (if ever) leaving the charger charge without me being there?



The i4 is a good charger and fine for your use,also the d4(with a nice display which is an advantage at knowing the V)
Imo no charger should be left unattended or on over night as anything can fail! Might be a very low possibility but it's still there. I use various chargers from the Xtar vp1 and vp2 wp6 and i4. All are treated the same regardless of which I may believe is better.....or not. For me,the main attractions are based on brand reliability ,V readout and option to change charge rate . Having the 1a option for 18650 cells makes a difference for me(others may not be bothered in waiting). I also have an Xtar sp1 which has the 2a setting,great for some IMR 26650 cells.


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## rwfishman (Dec 17, 2014)

ven said:


> The i4 is a good charger and fine for your use,also the d4(with a nice display which is an advantage at knowing the V)
> Imo no charger should be left unattended or on over night as anything can fail! Might be a very low possibility but it's still there. I use various chargers from the Xtar vp1 and vp2 wp6 and i4. All are treated the same regardless of which I may believe is better.....or not. For me,the main attractions are based on brand reliability ,V readout and option to change charge rate . Having the 1a option for 18650 cells makes a difference for me(others may not be bothered in waiting). I also have an Xtar sp1 which has the 2a setting,great for some IMR 26650 cells.




Thanks for the response. All I have now are the 18650 cells. If I added a Xtar charger, which one would you add and how much time would it save me with the charging? I started charging at 6:30pm and fell asleep at 11-11:30 and it still was not charged. Also, I was only charging 1 cell at the time so it was receiving the fullest charge the I4 could supply.


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## NoNotAgain (Dec 17, 2014)

You mention charging for about 5 hours. What was the starting and finishing voltages you witnessed?
The i4 like the d4 will charge two cells properly inserted in bays 1 and 3 I think @ .5 amps each. Otherwise all 4 bays charge @.375 amps until they get close to the ending voltage.


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## rwfishman (Dec 17, 2014)

NoNotAgain said:


> You mention charging for about 5 hours. What was the starting and finishing voltages you witnessed?
> The i4 like the d4 will charge two cells properly inserted in bays 1 and 3 I think @ .5 amps each. Otherwise all 4 bays charge @.375 amps until they get close to the ending voltage.



It was closer to 6 hours of charging time. I believe the starting voltage was 3.1 or 3.12 (I'm using an inexpensive Innova 3320 digital multi-meter which I understood as being all I need for now). The current voltage is 4.13. Since I woke up from a sleep I just removed the charged battery from the charger and didn't check the voltage until the next morning (which I believe was Tuesday morning). I believe the I4 will charge a single battery, or charge 2 batteries in the 1 and 3 or 2 and 4 slots at .750 amps which is what mine should have been charging the single battery at. How much time do you think a XTAR Vp2 would save me? Also, is there a better 18650 battery charger available?
Thanks.


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## NoNotAgain (Dec 17, 2014)

3.1 volts is way down on charge. 
The first portion of charge from 3.1 to around 4 volts or so goes rather quick. It's the charge from 4.0 to 4.15-17 volts that takes the most time as the charger starts scaling back the amperage. 
My i4 typically took 6-8 hours to charge from 3.4-3.5 volts to 4.17-19 volts. This was based on charging 4 3400 mAh cells. 
On the d4 charger you'll see the amperage scale back to less than .1 amps. 
As far as a faster charger, you'll probably need a hobby charger with separate power supply. But I digress.


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## rwfishman (Dec 17, 2014)

NoNotAgain said:


> 3.1 volts is way down on charge.
> The first portion of charge from 3.1 to around 4 volts or so goes rather quick. It's the charge from 4.0 to 4.15-17 volts that takes the most time as the charger starts scaling back the amperage.
> My i4 typically took 6-8 hours to charge from 3.4-3.5 volts to 4.17-19 volts. This was based on charging 4 3400 mAh cells.
> On the d4 charger you'll see the amperage scale back to less than .1 amps.
> As far as a faster charger, you'll probably need a hobby charger with separate power supply. But I digress.



This was a protected battery. I thought it was low, but since it was a protected battery I didn't think I needed to be concerned. Was I wrong? Is 3.1 volts below the safe level of an 18650 battery? Is the XTAR Vp2 a better, safer and faster charger? Thanks again.


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## NoNotAgain (Dec 17, 2014)

Protection circuits protect from under voltage situations and high amperage demands.
A lithium ion battery at 3.1 volts would likely only contain 10-15% charge. Drawing the cell down this low causes internal resistance and heats the cell. The protection circuit may or may not open to make the battery appear totally dead.

Seasoned users on this site don't typically draw cells down to 3.1 volts. They consider if the voltage falls below 3.4-3.5 volts needing a charge.

Here's a link from the battery university to look at and decide for yourself. http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_lithium_ion_batteries

As for the Xtar charger, you'd need to check the specification for maximum charge rate, as I don't own this charger.


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## d13avo (Dec 18, 2014)

I had the same decision to make a few weeks ago between the Xtar VP2 and the Nitecore D2. After listening to everyone on here I finally decided on the Xtar VP2 and I'm happy I did, it's a great little charger.


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums


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## NeilP (Dec 18, 2014)

MrSteveLight said:


> I often read (with hobby chargers) "Mutli chemistry, all chemistries available now, and all future chemistries"
> I don't understand how they can advertise "all future chemistries" that takes in a large amount of assumptions



Some of these chargers have the ability to re-flash the firmware, at least the Junsi iChargers do

They tend to have leads and croc clips or plugs so cell size is not an issue. 
They can output a wide voltage range , the iCharger 3010b does up to 10 series LiPo from a single NiCad, so 1.2 to 42 volt output at up to about 20 amps at 42 volts , as long as it has good enough power supply ( input 12-36 volt DC)

So I 'd say they are fairly safe in making that assumption about future chemistries.

Saying all of that, they can be a PITA to use for a single cell or even multiple cells . Need PSU, cell holders, balance connectors etc. 

The iCharger 3010b is all I have at moment, which is why I came to this thread. I need a slow but convenient charger like the two mentioned 


I think a Hobby Charger IS a great versatile solution, but with that versatility comes work and comics toons . I can charge a pair of 18650's at a high 2C to 70% in about 20 minutes. Not advisable I know, but when you have about 200 free usable salvaged laptop cells all at 2.2Ah or more longevity of cells is not an issue. Temperature monitor with high temp shutdown on charger , and forced air fan cooling. Not had a cell explode on me yet, but I'll keep trying ...outdoors of course! 









Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums


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## RCTPAVUK (Dec 18, 2014)

Hobby (Ichargers) are good, but require some extra money spent.
They can do wonders with charging (provided that you have extra battery carriers) all types of batteries, and are programmable to any voltage supported by your cells.
Nitecore has 1.45, 3.6 and 4.2V settings but doesn't have 4.35. Also its current is shared between cells.

Hobby can charge any cell you put in it, and there's a lot of models to choose from.
It all goes to what you want...


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## NeilP (Dec 18, 2014)

I've not correctly formatted my picture that I posted this morning from the iPhone app. the app does not seem to format images tags correctly.

But as you can see, all the extra hassle that goes with them.

That pic is a iCharger 3010b, with 4 dead channels. Can only balance charge 6 series in balance mode. Seen there with a cheap and nasty plastic 18650 holder, crap quality springs and high resistance .


Another option is to build your own...No actual electronics required just wiring and mechanical. e-bay sell great little constant current PCBs, ready built up. You just need to add power in and a connection to the cell on the output. If you want 2 amps charge, just set it for 2 amp current and the voltage will take care of itself. To be safe I'd also set max voltage to 4.2, so if the CC side failed at least you'd not go over 4.2 volt. These can be used as CC LED drivers too. Great for projects. I have one rigged up with an ammeter and voltmeter and the two blue trim pots removed and fitted externally on a box, so i can set current and voltage


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## Night Glow (Jan 28, 2015)

Since this is my first post, I ask for some patience from the group as I am not near as technical as most on this board. I have a number of torches (Surefire, Olight, Felix) which all use CR123 type cells. I use these for EDC, in my Jeep or backpack when I camp or hike and most are limited to 200/300 lumens or less. But like most of you, we are always looking for something "new" so I recently purchased a new Nitecore STR7, which uses 18650 cells. Since my current charger is limited to Ni-MH, I was also searching for a new charger to handle the 18650 cells and that is what lead me to this lead me to this forum. In the end, I bought the D4 for several reasons. 1) The ability to charge multiple battery types which is less to pack on camping trips, 2) the dual power input ability of 12v and AC sources, 3) it was about 20% less expense than the ATAR. The most important was the flexibility. I could have a single charger for the variety of battery cell types. In addition, the D4 (not sure about the XTAR VP4 but the i4 does not) can be powered by my portable solar panel (PowerADD 40W) the outputs to the 12v/5a input on the D4. I tested it and it works great so I can now recharge almost any rechargeable battery that I own anywhere the sun shines. Thank you all for such an informative forum as I learned a lot that last couple of days.


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## Hammerdown (Jul 18, 2015)

Night Glow said:


> Since this is my first post, I ask for some patience from the group as I am not near as technical as most on this board. I have a number of torches (Surefire, Olight, Felix) which all use CR123 type cells. I use these for EDC, in my Jeep or backpack when I camp or hike and most are limited to 200/300 lumens or less. But like most of you, we are always looking for something "new" so I recently purchased a new Nitecore STR7, which uses 18650 cells. Since my current charger is limited to Ni-MH, I was also searching for a new charger to handle the 18650 cells and that is what lead me to this lead me to this forum. In the end, I bought the D4 for several reasons. 1) The ability to charge multiple battery types which is less to pack on camping trips, 2) the dual power input ability of 12v and AC sources, 3) it was about 20% less expense than the ATAR. The most important was the flexibility. I could have a single charger for the variety of battery cell types. In addition, the D4 (not sure about the XTAR VP4 but the i4 does not) can be powered by my portable solar panel (PowerADD 40W) the outputs to the 12v/5a input on the D4. I tested it and it works great so I can now recharge almost any rechargeable battery that I own anywhere the sun shines. Thank you all for such an informative forum as I learned a lot that last couple of days.



Yeah the D4 is more versatile. Love mine and for 25 bucks man get out of here!!!


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