What charger for 2017?

Yes mine is the 2.2 version.
My fan was noisy from new, it whined like it needed lubing.
I lubed it & it was quiet for a short while then started whining again.
After a few months it just stopped working so I stopped using it.
It always read high on capacity sometimes 8-10% higher.
Many members have posted similar to the above with some regularly lubing them & some fitting a different fan & the charger reading high.
I have found that the Lii-500 is within 1-2% by comparison & obviously silent as it has no fan.
If you are lucky with the fan then the OPUS is a good charger & as it always reads high is fine for tracking the health of cells but it was just to far out for me as I like to confirm a cells true capacity when I first get it.
I was disappointed with the OPUS TBH.

Yes, and I meant to add….all of the Liitokala chargers are great and priced right,

I think we have no idea how cheap electronics are to make.
it is just a piece of molded plastic, a pcb, some chips and few metal parts.
The Lii500 is not cheap, the rest is expensive :wink:

I have 3 x Lii-500”s, 2 x Lii-202”s & 6 x Lii-100”s all perform well :+1:
Although I also have 2 x D4, 2 x i4, 2 x C4 & a broken Opus they are my “go to” Li-ion chargers, unless I want to charge a cell at 2A when I use the Rocket.
From what I have been told Miboxer have a 4 bay 2A charge/discharge/ capacity test across all 4 bays that will take 4 x 26650”s charger under development (with proper termination).
That should be an interesting charger :+1:

The electronics are cheap yes but just think of the cost to engineer and design. Imagine paying a western design engineer the time to design and thoroughly test just one simple charger! It would be thousands!
BLF rock here, just imagine the hours the Q8 has taken you and the team, done for the love thank god :+1:

The components used are not always the right components either, take cheap multimeters. Most hobbie versions get away with it because of the applications but if you look inside, the expensive protection is substituted for an inadequate alternative. The fuses in some flukes cost more than some dodgy DMMs, nobody knows until it injures them or the equipment! HKJ shows us inadequate isolation distances weekly in alsorts.

Not really sure where I am going with this reply but I’m still impressed the Lii500 appears to be so budget friendly :smiley:

Ps, the Miller, did you get my PM I sent? Maybe a week ago now?

I’ll have to agree with what has already been said about the Lii-500. It is a fine charger & certainly priced right. My OPUS works fine, no fan issues at all…… but I prefer the Lii-500 hands down for my go-to analyzing charger. A part of the reason is the greater accuracy than the OPUS.

This is a fantastic idea & stellar advice!!!

These 2 chargers have been my go-to pair for several months now.
At this point in time you will not find a better analyzing charger, for the money; than the Lii-500. Combine that with the faster charging capability of the Xtar mentioned and you have a winning combination. :slight_smile:

I charge at 500mA because I read that is best for the cells, right?
In the summer, even at that low current I place the charger on a big CPU heatsink for easy airflow at the charger and put a piece of 2mm copper on the cells with a couple of CPU heatsinks on top if that to get heat away from the cells.
Can’t imagine 2A, but we don’t have or want airco :wink:

Maybe,but my God, My Husky and me being a VERY light sleeper works for me! :wink:

No, I do not think that 500ma is best for the cells. It migh be for a 700 mAh 14500 but not for a 5000 mAh 26650.
For the 26650 the 2000 ma charge would not even be .5C …
A 500 ma charge for the same battery is only .1C …… much to slow in my book. It might even miss termination. Not good…….

It is ALL about preference! I like to see ALL 4 bays at once instead of data from One[1] channel at a time! No Thanks!

Charging at 500ma, I assume you mean for 18650”s & 26650”s may result in a few extra cycles out of the cell but Li-ion charging is recommended up to 1c or the capacity of the cell per hour.
500ma charging on a 3000mah 18650 will take around 6 hours to complete assuming the cell is pretty much fully depleted & around 10 hours with a fully depleted 5000mah 26650.
I generally charge 18650”s at 1A which is still only .33c of a 3000mah cell & at 2A on a 5000mah 26650 cell which is still only .4c.
I am still charging at less than .5c but it takes half the time you do & if I lose a few cycles compared to charging at 500ma so what.
If I had a 4 bay charger that charged at 1.5A across all 4 bays that is exactly what I would charge my 3000-3400mah 18650s at, which is still only about .5c, & given the option I would charge my 5000mah 26650”s at .5c or 2.5A rather than 2A :wink:
Good quality cells are cheap & life is to short to warrant really low charge rates just to get a few extra cycles in my opinion.
Good cells are only around $4-$6 each & even if I were to only get 100 cycles from my cells the way I charge them & charged them once a week that is still 2 years life from a $4-$6 cell.
Each to their own obviously & what is important to me charging wise may not be important to others as I know for instance that some people don”t like to charge their cells to 4.20v to help increase their life.
I am happy with the way I charge my cells & my cells life, & at the rates I charge at the cells stay cool so I doubt I am reducing their life by much.
Just my take on it The Miller :wink:

You actually do all that ‘The Miller’? Charging at 500ma? Why? Have you found “you” need it or are you just being very precautious?

My high capacity 18650’s do not even get warm at 2000ma charge…. much less the 26650’s.
And they have no “extra” cooling at all.

What brand & model charger are you using?
.
:slight_smile:

OK thanks
But in summer temps are a real concern here with 35°C
I feel both charger and cells get warmer at 1A charging over 500mA
The CPU heatsinks help but still iblike lower temps.
(When I feel a hotspot on a phone I usually take off the back cover and place it on a big CPU heatsink up side down (so the flat of the heatsink has max area of touch)

But if charging at 500mA is bad well I must not do that and charge in a cooler room/kitchen (but losing sitting next to it most of the time)

We only get a max of probably around 25-26C in my house here in the UK on the hottest of summer days & 18650”s charged at 1A & 26650”s charged at 2A barely get warm :slight_smile:
As I said I would happily charge high capacity 18650”s at 1.5A & 5000mah 26650”s like the Liitokala”s at 2.5A :wink:

40C days are not uncommon here in the summer…… :person_facepalming: … :weary:

But, I do not charge in the direct boiling sun either. I’ll charge in the garrage, where it might br a slight bit cooler; or on the kitchen table where the room temp is around 28C. (no, I do not like it cold indoors…. just a slight bit cool) :wink:

Charging the two type batteries mentioned above at 2000ma in either place mentioned, I can tell no difference in battery temp besides that of “room temlerature”.

I charge both 18650’s & 26650’s at 2000ma and never think twice about it…. because “heat” has not been an issue at all for me with the good cells mentioned.

I’ll go even high on charge rate when a reasonably priced charger is avaiable that offers that choice. (as long as heat remains a non-issue)

Can the Li500 have the capability to log output data (Current, Volts, time etc) out to an external file?

Not that I know of.

It can get very hot here also,Sometimes 95F/35C or higher.

It really makes no difference because the air conditioning is on! I keep the temp. ~ 74F/ 23C inside.

I have never changed my charging rate due to outside temps.

However, I do know this from visiting relatives in Italy…Not ALL of them had AC,that may be true in other European countries?

Oh to have weather warm enough to need AC.
Houses in the UK have lots of insulation (by law for new builds) double glazing throughout & central heating :person_facepalming:
My car has AC & I have never needed to use it :frowning:
Outside temp here at the moment is 6C/43F after having reached the dizzy heights of 10.5C/51F this afternoon :frowning: