When using my ultrafire hd2010, how will i know when to recharge my battery, i have a TrustFire - Protected TF 26650 3.7V 5000mAh Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, reviewed by Benckie somewhere. im not sure whether my hd2010 has a low voltage dimmer or something, if not how do others avoid over discharging their batteries as iv heard it is inadvisable to rely on the protection circuit. This is my first foray into lithium cells coming from nimh.
Thanks for the help
Nik
I , too, am new to these batteries and can’t want to get this question answered.
Charge them often. Lithims don’t suffer from “memory” like nickle cells do. The less of a discharge you do between charges, the longer the cell will last. I have been using the same AW 2900 for almost three years and it still has full capacity. I use it every day and charge it every evening.
On lights like these you will see it getting very dim as the battery gets depleted. But you may want to measure the voltage from time to time and I recharge at around 3.6V.
As stated above, you may recharge them every day. But I'm too lazy for that.. but I usually recharge my cells after a longer continuous use (night walk or working with a light for example).
ok, so when it is noticeably dimmer or after a period of continuous use, before 3.6v, thanks for the info guys.
Good information here …
hey, i just read through those links, one says there is no need to remove batteries when full because the charger should turn off, does this hold true for our chargers, i have a TrustFire Dual Channel Li-ion Battery Charger For 26650/25500/26700/18650/16340 from manafont, do you have any experience with this charger, i thought you were supposed to remove the batteries as soon as the light is green
Its better to remove them. Better be safe than sorry.
Thanks for the info, will do.
Terrible advice!!! They should be corrected on that! I just pulled a Panasonic & it was at 4.23 & still going. I have been using li-ion for a month & already am pretty (I check periodically as well) aware of when the batt is nearing 3.6 discharge & how long it takes to put a volt in the batt on my (WF-139) charger. I had no intention of going LI-ion but after reading BLF for a while I made the jump to li-ion & discovered the learning curve was not so steep. I feel comfortable with single cell now. I may get into multiple cell later on but I doubt it as I don”t desire that much light since 800 lm covers me well. BTW, I use a little timer to remind me to check (voltage) lest I forget. Be safe.
Keith
Aloha and welcome to BLF Lord_Niksidor!
If that’s the TrustFire TR-006, I just received mine.
I’ve only had the time to top up one old 18650 with it, but the green light seems to come on early and there is a steady 100mA charging current persisting after that. After about one hour on green light, the battery finally reached 4.2V (charging current was still at 100mA at that time).
This could have something to do with the high internal resistance of that battery, I don’t know, it was just a preliminary test.
But it’s interesting to note that my Canon camera-battery charger works the same way. Actually, the manual instructs to leave the battery in the charger for one more hour after the light stops flashing if you want maximum charge.
And you are the one who knows better??
The charger MUST stop. If your charger puts out too much, you should not use it.
He does. Yes, chargers should stop, but I wouldnt bet my life on it. As I said, better be safe than sorry. Especially with stuff like lithium..
Wow, I don’t think i’ve ever had this many responses on any fourm before, looks like this one is a goodie. I know there are some pretty smart cookies on here so I was thinking, I’m pretty innatentive most of the time, I does anyone here know about relays, I was thinking the led might use somewhere in the region of 20mA, how much would a small relay signal or a small speaker (one of the small annoying ones that do one tone at 9V), thinking avout hooking it up in series so when the batts are ready it will sound, anyone have any idea on electronics like this, if I find a way ill post it up if anyone is interested.
Continuing on my idea, i was thinking somthing like this (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-x-PIEZO-ELECTRONIC-TONE-BUZZER-ALARM-1-5-28V-PCB-/280635476186?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41572d88da#ht_1410wt_905), anybody seen anything like this, think it might be possible?
I dont think these speakers are accurate enough. You dont have to pull the cells immediately after finishing, but it also shouldnt stay there over night. Better dont charge lithium cells unattended. I go check mine usually once an hour.
OK, every hour I can manage, i was mainly worried because i was a guy who charges in a save box, and a heap of fire proof bags for charging lithium cells, for sale on manafont, i suppose they will only vent flame if they’re extremely overcharged, not by half an hour, or if i’s a bad cell i guess.
Thanks for the advice
Well, I charge mine on concrete with nothing flammable in 3m around in one of these LiPo safety bags. ;)
Shopping list updated: 1 x Fireproof container with ventilation.
Good plan, wish i had that much unoccupied concrete.