Review request for HKJ [Chargers]

I definitely want to review that charger, but it will first be next year, I have a lot of chargers in queue.

That looks a bit similar to the Nitecore SC4 (SC for “Superb Charger”), except it uses USB Quick Charge voltage to power that charger.

If it’s sort of a modification from the SC4 to adapt for USB QC input voltage, hopefully it won’t have the bugs/”features/annoyances” that are present in the SC4 (the SC4 time-sharing of charging certain slots seems to be also present in other Nitecore chargers; but also in some SC4, the capacity charged display can display grossly incorrect charged capacity results, as mentioned by several user reports when the SC4 is charging all 4 slots, maybe related to the “charging time-sharing”?)

Hi HKJ, hopefully you can fit the Zanflare C2 into your queue.

https://www.amazon.com/Display-Universal-Zanflare-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B07F3KMVTM

Probably not this year, I have a lot of chargers in queue at the moment.

How about flashlights with built-in chargers?
Here’s a comment on the charging behavior of the Sofirn SP32A V2.0
that’s currently being offered at a discount (read the first post, email them for a code):

where Lux-perpetua said

I like to measure the battery voltage while testing chargers, that is rater difficult on a flashlight without drilling holes!

Can a charger that’s capable of providing say 1 amp to a slot somehow detect a smaller cell and reduce the charging current?

That depends on the charger, some can, either by testing the length of the cell or by measuring the internal resistance.

Some Nitecore chargers do that, I know the SC4 and the F1 does that. I think 14500 or 18350 get 0.5A while 18650s get 1A (for the Nitecore F1). The SC4 also has something similar (check HKJ’s reviews for detailed info).

Not a huge nitecore fan but the new UMS2 and UMS4 really interest me since it has QC3 input. I really dislike barrel plugs with only 1 purpose when I always have half a dozen various high speed USB all around the house.

Consider this my request for expediting any future QC2/3/PD chargers with that for the INPUT :slight_smile:

Would you consider including the Liitokala Lii-PL4 in your review queue? This model is the same Liitokala Lii-PD4 sans the LCD readout. Quite similar to the Lii-402 which you reviewed more than a year ago.

Not at the current time, I have way to many chargers in queue.

Is it possible to get a review on one of these USB charging circuits?

I’m curious about stuff like
-does it limit the current you can draw through it (from what I can tell, the input and output are not directly attached)
-is there parasitic drain
-does the charging current fully terminate or does it ‘trickle’
-how much battery voltage has to drop before it starts charging again

This is a TP4056 based design, so:

1. Yes, the current limit is based on a sense resistor tied to the sense pin of the TP4056 IC.
2. The TP4056 is supposed to draw a max of 6uA on standby, so no problem there.
3. Fully terminates from my experience with it.
4. Starts charging back at a max of 4,14V, and a min of 4,10V.

So how much current can the flashlight driver draw before it gets limited?

My review of the TP4056 can probably answer some of your questions:

The absolute maximum is 1A if you pick the default config.

Thanks, just what I was looking for.

EDIT- the circuit design seems to have changed a bit, the one you reviewed only has one chip while all the ones I’m finding online (both type C and micro USB) have 3 chips on them:

I assume it performs the same but I wonder what those extra chips are for.

nvm, I just realized I could simply go directly from driver to the battery and there would be no current draw limit.

The ‘out’ seems to be for attaching other devices that use the 5v USB power:

The out terminals have battery protection and that is also what defines the current limit (There is no problem drawing higher current that you charge with, at least not in the short run).