The making of the BLF UC4 charger: the start of a new venture, INTEREST LIST, UPDATE 7 (Well, ramping stopped :/ )

Interested for 1 please

1. This one could be easily implemented.

2. Technically, it’s already been implemented, but only between 3,4V-4,40V. It could be extended to 0-4,50V, but a physical switch connected should be the only way to access this more advanced, and dangerous, mode.

3. That would be great, but this feature will not be included for cost and ease of assembly. However, external leads could be provided, if the user wants to pay for it.

4. In the current design, an 80/92mm fan can be used. I’d prefer going to 92mm, as it would make it very easy to replace it. 120mm would be very large, and would lower static pressure.

2. I think the UI should feel more like a power supply. Set your max voltage, max amps, and termination type.

3. I bet he would be happy with solder-pads on the PCB.

@JoshK

2. Yes of course regarding current(up to 3A) and termination type, but even theoritically, charging voltage will be limited to 4,8V, due to the individual buck converters used needed some room to work.

3. Excellent idea! I’ll actually forward the idea to DLYFull, so we could actually include a special solder pad for the 4th charging slot, and allow charging/discharging for other types of cells.
This is an exception I’m willing to make, probably the only one, but I doubt DLYFull would be keen on that, rather than making custom leads, as it would be easier.

I would also like the ability to attach external leads. Best would be something like the Olight UC Magnetic USB Charger

You could sell it as an add on.

@paetzi, yes, that’s what the pads will be waiting for. Someone will write a how-to, and you will just need to drill a small hole in the case and connect your wires to the solder pads.

1) great.

2) hidden switch for advanced voltages sounds good.

3)

Understandable. About solder pads : ultimately wires can just be soldered where the contacts are soldered in the charger, dedicated solder pads don’t really add anything.

4) 92mm fan sounds great.

Something else, about the UI :

5) Could there be a way to configure several slot at once like on some chargers, for example the zanflare C4 : before 9s have passed since 1st cell inserted, the first button press enable configuration for all cells inserted. (not saying it should be this way, and in this case 9s is actually a bit to short to insert 4 cells)

The solder connection to the battery contactor is dual purpose, it is both an electrical and mechanical connection. If someone were to try soldering a wire to the board at that point, the contact would fall over when the solder became liquid. Maybe that’s no big deal for someone with solder skills and a quality iron, but that’s not everyone.

Interested in two of these.

Dedicated solder pads to anode and cathode battery rail connectors add some value and they are really very easy to set or put, all it takes is a couple spots where the solder mask is removed or unlaid, and maybe positive and negative (+, −) signs. The impact on the charger's cost is absolutely negligible, virtually nothing.

I see the default charging currents' list was modified, plus an additional 2.5 A value was added. Since my list was written with decimals using point/period as separator (learned back in the days of writing computer programs), but the 2.5 A value was added with comma, it looks weird/wrong. I will refrain from judging the new value addition and how it fits in between, but in any case here is the list (whole point 1) fixed with commas (as BlueSwordM did at first):

1. Adjustable charging current: (0,03A – 0,05A – 0,08A – 0,12A – 0,18A – 0,25A – 0,35A – 0,50A – 0,70A – 1,00A – 1,40A – 2,00A – 2,50A – 3,00A).

Interested in 2 please

I’m Interested for two items

I’m interested in one piece. Need a charger that stops at storage voltage.

In for one

One for me please.

I had read:

.5 was best for gentle charging quality 18650
1.0 was for 18650 that you don’t care about as much.

The specs on my protected EVVA 3500 rechargeable 18650 says standard charge rate is 1000mA which is 1.0 amps.

I am not sure if that means the recommended charge rate, or maximum rate. Or what rate is better for a new cell. Couldn’t find anywhere if they are ready to use right out of the charger either.

Any charge rate that doesn’t heat the cell is a gentle charge for li-ion. I haven’t noticed any heating of my Samsung 30Q charging at 1 amp. Do you notice any heating of your EVVA at 1 amp? That’s like 0.28C, so that sounds gentle to me. Do you have a link to what you read?

Hi, below are additions since last update and the BLF INTEREST LIST file linked to in post #1 have been updated too.
The interest list count now stands at 547 chargers.

POST# NAME

1160 zaibas
1161 Funtastic
1162 Pistonsandgears
1163 Jtm94
1164 gds95
1165 daniu
1166 Batiste
1168 confucius
1169 vicastur
1170 Smoothynobutt
1172 luisgcan
1173 j8048188
1182 atobe
1188 TUNE4IT
1189 w4lls
1190 cheesecheeks
1191 NorthernHarrier
1193 CheapThrills
1194 hron61
1201 mgracia85
1208 Bribo
1219 BadWolf
1222 soppa1
1223 Giulius80
1226, 1243 Day_Light
1227 sac02
1231 thefreeman
1232 Quillz
1242 awoody001
1244 Skylight
1245 zeremefico
1246 jojosupir

If anyone is not on the list please notify me. Thanks!

I’m in for two.

PM sent stating interested in one. thanks