26650 Batteries

This was a resend because they sent me the wrong ones at first.

I also got a pair of TF 26650s coming from Manafont too. Wasn't sure what DX was going to do, so I backed it with an order with Manafont.

On the charger, I have had that for a couple weeks now. Really good as far as I can tell. My protected Keygos 26650 fit right in there and the charger lets me know when it is finished too. Plus, it can charge any kind of rechargable battery. No 9 volts. It was $25 shipped..IMO, a good deal..

If you want a good charger for 26650 its charges at 1.5 amps so it will charger alot faster then other chargers that charger from 0.5. 0.65 and 1 amp check out this link.

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8049

Or this which gives a 2 amp setting

Two amp,s might be a bit much even for 26650, you might start loosing mAh i would not charge 18650,s at 2 amps not even my 3100's, but i see a lot of people buying 0.65 amp chargers for 26650's 15 plus hour charge time lolls.

You want to charge them as fast as you can but not shorten the life and not increase the IR of the batteries, 1.5 amps is as high as ill personal go for 26650,s and i normally balance charge my 26650 at 1 amp, or use the linked charger when my hobby charger is busy doing other things.

I just received my Int'l Outdoor order from 4/17/12 with my King Kong INR 26650 raised top and (2) ML-102 chargers (ordered "INR" and received "INR"). These raised top cells do not like to sit in the ML-102 charger very nicely. The raised top of the battery slides up off the positive terminal of the charger (because the terminal just barely hits the edge of the raised part). Seems the charger is really sized for 18650's.

Anyone else using this combination? Seems to me that for use with these raised top cells it would be best to file off some of the chargers rolled side (the way it's rolled to fit an 18650) to allow the 26650 to sit down lower.

Here's a photo trying to show the issue:

It's tough to see the chargers positive terminal, but you can see how the cell is raised up off the "rolled edge" of the side of the charger.

-Garry

Garry, could you measure the length is?

The length of the INR26650? Or the length of the charger? Or both? I'll see if I can get both tonight. My calipers are metal, so what is the best way to measure the battery without shorting it? Is a thin strip of paper sufficient?

-Garry

I was getting ready to get this one ,but held up when I saw this. This is from Trustfire too, and it is a double bay for $2 more.. What you think?

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/trustfire-dual-channel-liion-battery-charger-for-2665025500267001865016340-tr006-us-plug-p-9985

That charger looks pretty decent. Anyone have it already?

Looks good to me, cehoward. As many 26650 lights as you have, I think you need a double bay at a minimum! I have not seen any reviews on this one, but Manafont seems to be a fairly reputable dealer of Trustfire. If you do go for it, report back with your impressions.

Looks like this is the place to post this.

On Saturday May 5th about 1:00 p.m., I placed an order with 4Sevens for their 26650 battery charger and two 26650 4000mAh batteries. At 1:00p.m. today the package arrived, wow. I don't know if this is normal or perhaps I'm accustomed to waiting for packages from Hong Kong. Either way, well done 4Sevens!

After looking everything over, I used my DMM to check the voltage of each battery and found them to be 3.75v each, basically exactly what I would have expected. I tossed one into the 4sevens charger, flipped one switch from 3.2v to 4.2v and the other switch from .5a to 1a charging current. While that one was charging, I tossed the other one into my Pila charger, which slipped right in, no fuss, no magnets and started to charge away. Shortly thereafter when the light turned green on the 4Sevens, I popped the battery out and checked the voltage, which was exactly 4.2v. Wow, I wish my Pila charged my 18650's to spec instead of 4.15v.

I checked the other 26650 on the Pila, and found it still charging and at 4.09v, removed it and tossed it in the 4sevens due to the slightly higher charging current and fantastic end voltage the charger achieves.

4Sevens boast their charger is optimized for their batteries, and I'd have to agree 100%. Unless all 26650 chargers truly fully charge these batteries to their rated 4.2v without over-charging them, I'd say this was very good money spent.

A few photos of what I purchased, excluding the Fandyfire of course.

Comes with a wall wart charger, 12v cigarette lighter adapter, and USB charger cable for other devices.

After fully charging one, I placed it in my Fandyfire HD-2010, which swallowed it right up and fit perfectly, and checked the tail cap reading. It shot up to 3.6 amps on HIGH mode and continued to rise slowly up from there, so I disconnected my DMM. That same test using a Redilast 18650-3100 yielded about 3 amps. Man do these batteries pack some serious power. Now I know why so many of you love them.
I'm curious to see when my Trustfire 5000mAh 26650's arrive from Manafont soon, if this charger will charge them exactly to 4.2v as their own brand does, or undercharge them to some degree, or slightly over-charge them. I'll have to keep an eye on it and let you all know.

Yup, I might as well ordered this charger.. I just ordered another JM05 clone from DX..Couldn't help it.. That will put me up to SIX 26650 lights..Wink

The length of your raised top INR26650.

My Xtar WP2 MkII charges my Keygos 26650s to 4.19v no problem.

Also, you need to mod the first post, the Keygos 26650s ARE protected, I can get pictures and post them if you want verification.

If it is 1 amp per bay it would be good, if it is 1 amp in total (0.5 amp a bay) it still would be a lot quicker to use the single bay charger i reviewed.

At lest it too has a common power cord easy for us Aussie's to swap out, same for the guys in Europe And it looks like it has a female plug on the side for 12 volt cigarette lighter.

King Kong Raised Top INR26650's: Total length 68.05mm, diameter 26.33mm. Battery is a tight fit in the ML-102 charger with just a mm or two to spare. Here are photos:

Subtract thickness of the plastic disc:

Distance between contacts with no pressure:

Distance between contacts spreading as far as I can by hand (notice it's not even spread to the length of the King Kong yet):

With a 2400 mAh Trustfire Flame (cradled in very nicely):

I don't see any reason that I can't file down the rolled edges of the charger to better accommodate this raised top King Kong. I can leave enough of the rolled edge to still firmly hold an 18650 (maybe file the edges down at the top and bottom to about the same level as the middle.

-Garry

First use of one of my ML102 chargers. Charged up my King Kong INR26650 and terminated at 4.19v measured with a cheap DMM. I then disconnected from the wall adaptor and plugged in my iPhone 3GS to see if it would start charging and it didn't at first. I removed the battery from the charger and placed it back in and it finally started charging.

Here's a photo showing my temporary solution to the raised top cell popping up out of the cradle (a rubber band):

-Garry

I was hoping for a less complicated solutionLaughing

Thanks for verifying, Bose - it was hard to tell from the pictures. You're word is just fine Cool, will update the OP

EDIT: And it is done.