What "normal" charger can also be used to test capacity (like BT-C3100)?

Hello.

Plans to start selling some stuff here in Norway, and one of the packs I want to sell, I want to contain a charger that you also can use to test your battery capacity. My target area, is people that is new with 18650 batteries, so no advanced stuff (like iMAX B6 etc)
If possible, I want names on chargers like Opus BT-C3100, but is cheaper (if possible) and takes 4 batteries, but I also need names on chargers that take only two batteries.

Name names please :slight_smile:

The new LiitoKala Lii-500.
But please wait for HKJ to review it like we all do :slight_smile:

For 2 Cells: LiitoKala Lii-300 (Overview of LiitoKala Engineer Lii-300)

As you know the Flying Fish (aka liitokala) 260, 300, 400, 500 look at the specs and take your pick.

Now hold on I get why folks MAY want to wait until our supereviewer (hey there are supermodels we should be able to have supereviewers) works his magic (old testment meaning) aka non godly attributed knowledge.

BUT if someone (lets say me for instance, wants to buy lets say a 500) what concern is it of yours? (I am not mad nor trying to sound tough) but I did want the question/point made and put out there.

Maybe you are proposing a group buy? (but I just gotta have one, so I cant wait)

I have already a couple of 500’s on its way for my self.
Did see the lii-300 yes, and it was nicely priced.

For this project, the charger can’t be to expensive, will try to make a package deal, with different 18650 stuff, and if the charger is to expensive, the total price I have to take will be too high for new people to buy (that is not in the 18650 world yet)

Got my Liitokala Lii-500 today. Not tested how well it works, but I think the BT-C3100 v2.2 charger is better, since you can change settings on all four battery bays if you want at the same time, with the Liitokala Lii-500 you have to change it one by one.
You can still do different things on each channel/bay, you can charge at one, do a quick test in one and do a normal test in one, and maybe charge one in the last one.
Liitokala Lii-500 is getting quite hotter then the BT-C3100 (it has a fan, Liitokala Lii-500 don’t have any fan). I checked the temperature under on the Liitokala Lii-500 when it has worked around 1 hour.
It was 53 degrees Celsius there. The batteries was around 30-44, still higher then normal on the BT-C3100.

In some hours, I will see if the discharge result is the same as BT-C3100 on the four batteries I test now.

I imagine that the lii500 feels better built?

Yes. little more heavy. So a solid charger.

I’m anxiously awaiting my sample to arrive as well. That and hoping HKJs review will be favorable so I’ll feel good about my purchase :wink:

Hi Kenneth Myhre,

we have one model called PS-MC204,
http://www.power-stations.com/ProductShow.asp?ID=121#.VcNzs5jxu6c

May be it can help you.

we are the factory, our partners include Uniross, Memorex, Kraftmax, ROBITON,AGFA etc.

Best,
Jeff

Looks exactly like the LiitoKala Lii-300, but can also charge NiMH, which the Lii can’t.

our own esteemed HKJ in his review said

“PLUSES:

•Charges/discharges both Li-ion and Ni-Mh batteries (improvement over Lii-260)
•Total length of batteries supported: 72 mm (improvement over Lii-260)
•USB 5V output from one or both Li-ion batteries (improvement over Lii-260)
•Battery voltage detection
•Battery internal resistance detection called mR (but results vary for the same battery, depending on the manner they are inserted)
•Battery capacity detection
•Battery charging/discharging time
•Dual completely independent charging channels
•Dual independent displays
•Real time data (display instantly shows charging/discharging progress)
•Capacity, time, resistance, charging current remains on screen after charging/discharging has finished
•It can simultaneously charge in one channel while discharging in other
•Heat dissipation from charger is excellent.
•You can choose 500mA/1000mA charging current (in both charging/discharging mode)
•Discharge is always done at 500 mA
•Before analysing it tops up the battery
•After analysing the battery is automatically recharged
•While charging, shows the capacity charged into the battery
•Judging from the display, it discharges Li-ion batteries to ~2,7V
•Seems to do a good job on charging/analysing Ni-Mh batteries
•Easy to use
•Very nice led display”

Interesting. Before I posted the above I had a short look at the underside of my Lii-300 where the specs are written and NiMH is not mentioned there - but 1.4V charging voltage. I stand corrected. I don’t use NiMH.
So in this case it appears to be exactly the same as the PS-MC204.

light-wolf, I agree there are charges that “look” like the 300, the question is Are they truly equivalent? for that I look to HKJ.

You may not know but Power-Stations/Jeff has posted about this charger before and was requested to post in the commercial section. see thread Intelligent Battery Charger NC1000, MC204, MC403 Many charge currents with CAPACITY Test Function, which one your will like ?

YES, IT can charge ni-mh/cd battery too, 5V usb output is power bank function to charge mobile phones.
so it is multi-functional smart charger.

Jeff

I’ aware of that, that’s why I used the word “appears”.

Obviously Jeff Zhou is not willing or able to tell whether his chargers are actually LiitoKala.

Anyway, I am owner of Lii-260, Lii-300, Lii-400.
I didn’t go for the Lii-500 because I reckon the capacity test feature rather useless. It is way to inaccurate for my requirements in the Lii-260 und 300, as in any other charger I have tested (Soshine, XTAR).

OT: the new Lii-400 is a very precise charger. My example charges within +/- 1mV on all slots. The only criticism I have is that it charges to 4.21V, not 4.20V. It even displays 4.21V. It is for people who want their batteries FULL.

so your li-400 charges to 4.210+/- 0.001V ?

Just found out that Lii400 just charges, and not discharge batteries, so good I just ordered one of that. I love my Lii500s, compared with BT-C3100, they are quite while testing, there the noisy fan on BT-C3100 really make a sound.
But on some battery types/brands I get better (and more right) result on BT-C3100 then Lii500. Like some 26650 batteries, and a very few types of 18650 batteries. 90+% of all other batteries, both 26650 and 18650 gives correct (within the margin) results on Lii500, so no big issue.

Ronin’s quote above is from the thread by DZV:

Overview of LiitoKala Engineer Lii-300

Max. cell voltage measured at the moment of termination is 4.208, 4.209, 4.209, 4.210V on slots 1-4.
Actual cell voltage after termination depends on battery type. Higher current cells like Samsung 30Q almost don’t drop at all, others like 35E or NCR BF drop more.

I tested with Samsung 30Q, 35E, LG MJ1, Soshine 3400mAh (NCR BF protected), 4 pieces each, and Enerpower 26500 (2000mAh high current, 3200mAh high capacity), 2 pieces each, several cycles each.
After charging, the cell’s resting voltages within the set of cells were within +/- 1mV of each other. Absolute voltage depends on set charging current, cell type, ambient temperature.

I haven’t measured the termination current yet, nor scoped the charging current, but with a DMM verified that the current is actually about 300/500/700/1000 mA as set.
I like this charger and have ordered a 2nd one.