What rate do most people consider to be a reasonable charge rate for their Lithium batteries ie a typical 18650 …. is 1C generally considered a level that will charge in a reasonably short time but without damaging the battery.
In essence I guess what I’m trying to ask is if I charge a 3000 mah at 1 amp am I doing it more damage than charging it at 1/2 amp or would you crank it up to 2 amps if your charger can do it???
It depends on the cell. Really just look at the datasheets and see what they say.
Charging some high capacity cells like the GA at 1C will damage it. (Testing in the link I posted shows this) 0.5C is recommended.
I found some interesting info on charging recently.
The main effect discussed is how fast the anode can accept the Li ions while charging, and this will be different for different cells.
I prefer 0.25-0.5C at most.
Makes the cell last longer, heats up less, etc.
Do remember that charge rate is only part of li ion cell lifetime, temps the cells are stored/operated at and charge percentage are big factors. Try to keep your cells at 10-20C, and moderate humidity
Li ion likes 40-80% best, so unlike some chemistries charging and leaving charged till you need it is a bad idea. I keep 3 batteries fully charged for everyday use (the sacrificial ones as i think of them), the rest are stored at 50%ish charge, and recharged when needed. I also store them in a airtight containers in a controlled humidity basement.