CRX Charger Mods

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts Featured Mods
1

These are mods i have previously done but wanted to make a thread for as i may be doing more at some point in the future.

Xtar MC1 Plus with a voltage indicator and current selector switch. I changed the sliding internal current switch to an external clicky so i can control whether it does the 500mA or 1A charge rate.
Normally this charger only charges cells longer than 53mm with the higher current setting.

I find this useful if i want to charge a 16340 or 18350 IMR cell a bit quicker.

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Klarus CH1 with voltage indicator, battery retention bar and built in charging lead.

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DQG Brass 10180 & 10250 Charger

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TP4056 Charger Board

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Charger Tin Build - LM2596 CC/CV

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Powerbanks etc

USB tester, built in lead

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Cylindrical 18650 Powerbank, built in lead

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Square 18650 Powerbank with meter & built in lead

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Xiaomi 5000 Powerbank, built in lead

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Xiaomi 10400 Powerbank, built in lead

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Battery Drill Voltage Meter

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Noctigon Meteor TP5000 2A Charger

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2

love the voltmeter, question: which voltmeter works in this kind of setup? I tried a regular voltmeter on my Liitokala 100 on a cell and it didn’t indicate anything. does the charger have to be one that ranges from 0V - xxV?

3

The volt meter i used is this one , ranges from 2.5V to 30V. Took a fair bit of hacking to get it in there.
It is connected directly to the battery charger terminals.

4

Thank you! I shall source a new voltmeter.

5

Can you please explain (or link to) the procedure “how to put a voltometer on a simple charger like XTAR MC1 or/and Lii-100”? I’d really like to give it a try as I’ve got 4-5 of these chargers, but I don’t have the slightest idea how to do it and where from to buy the parts needed for the mod.

BTW, I love the looks of “DQG Brass 10180 & 10250 Charger”, but I don’t understand why you named it so. Did you make it out of a broken DGQ flashlight?

6

All i do is solder one of these to the battery charger contacts somewhere inside the charger, there are only two wires. This is very useful for just checking the voltage of a cell without the charger even being plugged in.

These displays are about the smallest i have seen of this type and can be found almost anywhere, check the voltage range before buying though. Usually 2.5 - 30v is good for our uses.

The most difficult part is hacking up your charger to make it fit. Some have a decent space inside, others don’t.
Search the forum as some guys have done this mod to other chargers too.

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No, you can buy a tiny DQG brass screw on charger for the 10180 & 10440 DQG lights

There is also a 10180 brass body

What i have done is drill & extend the brass body with brass pipe, made a new endcap and soldered a spring into the bottom to accomodate both 10180 and 10250 cells.
The top has a layer of UV setting glue on it, helps disperse the charging indicator light and makes it easier to see from all angles.

7

Thanks for the info. :slight_smile:

It’s always hard for me to search and find a particular info in BLF, but I think I found something I can use for this case. The bad news is that the info I found is old (2011 to 2013 topics), so most pictures are gone (e.g. here). Anyway, it’s a simple mod as you described it, so worst case scenario is that my voltage meter will not be as elegant as yours, but something like this one or this one.

BTW, I really liked the battery retention bar idea! :laughing:

8

Does the current draw not affect the termination?
I know it’s a very small amount to drive one of these displays but it will appear to the charger that the cell is consuming that power and therefore will terminate late or not at all?

The MC1 plus was tested by HKJ…

What’s the draw on the volt meter?

9

evankuros

You can see pictures from my mod. It should be clear what I did.

Only part needed is small voltmeter.

10

Thanks a lot XXX-Man, it’s Lii-100 and XTAR MC1 that I intend to mod. :slight_smile:
I remember now that I had seen your post and I liked your neat mod :+1: , but I couldn’t remember the topic (I was searching for a “mod” titled).

11

I was just looking at EBay listings for similar meters, and the current draw for many of them can be anything up to 25mA. That could be an issue for charge termination at lower currents.

Mind you, this is a two-wire meter, basically hardwired to measure the voltage of its own power supply. There are also three-wire meters that keep power and measurement separate.

You could use one of those to get round the issue by wiring meter power to the charger’s USB input, so that the meter draws its current in parallel with the charging circuit. The measurement wire would go to cell positive and the 0V wire to cell negative, as normal.

By itself, this arrangement means that the cell can’t power the meter for standalone voltage measurements, but you could add a little changeover (SPDT) switch that let you choose whether the meter was powered from USB or the cell. Always assuming there was enough space within the charger, of course…

12

I got a 10mA draw for the voltage display.

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10mA at what segment illumination tho, it will be a range. 4.20 for example is 16 (of 24 segments?) but if you flick up to 4.21 you would drop current draw 4 segments. I know we are talking very small but still.

The alternative to the SPDT switch Phlog mentions above maybe a momentary on inline with the display, after all, no point having the display illuminated if you aren’t there looking at it. It mitigates any potential termination problem although less convenient if you can glance over I guess.

14

That was at 3.88v. I see what you’re getting at, i did consider switching the volt meter but must admit i am a meter watcher :laughing: and like to be present when cells are charging.
The cells do come off at 4.2v and no higher (tested independantly) so as long as it works within safe parameters that’s fine with me.

15

Yeah it was just a theory so if it has no effect then it certainly is a very handy mod to have.

I just ordered a couple of RD Techs power meters from his sale on AE, these could have some very useful applications :slight_smile:

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Got a link for those? :slight_smile:

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RD Store

A few to chose from, I’m sure more were in the sale when I ordered last night tho!?

18

For another option, they make SP3T / 1P3T switches as well. That would allow meter OFF / meter ON and cell powered / meter ON and USB powered.

Not sure I’d do it myself, though - I tend to find myself overshooting the middle positions on anything beyond single or double throw. I like switch arrangements where every position is whacked up against one end or the other :slight_smile:

I might actually go so far as to graft a very small junction box on the end of the charger and stick all my extras in there. Voltmeter, SPST meter on / off switch and SPDT meter power selector switch.

19

can you mod my brain to become smart too?

:smiley: