Is there and optimum 1st charge rate on a new 18650?

ABitDark · 2018-10-04T13:18:12.000Z

I have a pair of Panasonic/Sanyo NCR18650GA protected cells arriving from LiOnWholesale in a couple of hours. Is there an optimum 1st charge rate? 05, 1, 2 amp?

Using a Xtar SP2. Today I’ll charge the new ones at whatever is the preferred rate if there is such a thing. If I’m in a hurry, or don’t want to sit around monitoring the charging batteries, I charge at 2 amp, which is < 1 C if I understand correctly, and never let the batteries get warm.

Thanks!

GeneH

kaybi · 2018-10-04T13:49:28.000Z

The NCR18650GA will be fine with any of those rates. There is no need to fuzz overly about the 1st charge or anything like that.

EDCba · 2018-10-04T16:17:47.000Z

Don’t they already come slightly charged? I remember 20 years ago when you were supposed to charge new lithium batteries for 8 hours or something the first time, if not they wouldn’t reach full capacity.

flydiver · 2018-10-04T17:01:51.000Z

EDCba:

Don’t they already come slightly charged? I remember 20 years ago when you were supposed to charge new lithium batteries for 8 hours or something the first time, if not they wouldn’t reach full capacity.

If that is actually a real fact, not just a common myth, I’d like someone to explain to me why that would be so. Seems to me there would be no harm at all of simply using it immediately down to 20, charge back up to 80, and maybe do that for years. I think it would still take a full charge if you wanted.

Pete7874 · 2018-10-04T17:08:05.000Z

I typically charge mine at 1.5A, which is the standard charge rate listed in their spec sheet.

I can’t imagine 2A charge rate to cause any serious issues though.

First charge rate should be no different than any subsequent charge rate.

kaybi · 2018-10-04T17:10:57.000Z

The “charge it full the first time” thing comes from the times of old nicd batteries.

You can charge lithium batteries as much or as little as you want, regardless of their current state of charge.

ABitDark · 2018-10-04T17:11:48.000Z

good deal! thanks! just thought I would check. I’ll charge ’em up and just for fun see what the run time is at 20% on my Convoy C8+. Hopefully it’s a bit longer than my 3 year old battery.

EDCba · 2018-10-06T03:19:14.000Z

flydiver:

EDCba:

Don’t they already come slightly charged? I remember 20 years ago when you were supposed to charge new lithium batteries for 8 hours or something the first time, if not they wouldn’t reach full capacity.

If that is actually a real fact, not just a common myth, I’d like someone to explain to me why that would be so. Seems to me there would be no harm at all of simply using it immediately down to 20, charge back up to 80, and maybe do that for years. I think it would still take a full charge if you wanted.

Some say it’s a holdover from other chemistries, some tried and found a difference:

ClubSNAP Photography Community

Why Must Charge Battery for 8 Hrs?

Howcome all the salesman advice us to charge the battery for 8 hours during the first charge? What's the rationale behind this? I've never seen this mentioned in any of the user manual.

¯\/¯
But I think lithium batteries used to come totally empty and now they come with a bit of charge, does anyone remember if they came empty?

Macka17 · 2018-10-06T11:22:01.000Z

I had 4 pack of 30Q arrive yesterday from China. (Eventually, 32 days. Hmm. About average).

Stuck them into my VC4 reading 2.4v each. Charged at 1\2A each to 4.2v.
I reckon a slow charge is better for longevity than quick charges all the time??.and
I’m in no rush.
I’ll stick 2 of into my 3 led Diving torch, and one into my new Convoy C8+ till they flash low.
See how long they last and charge up again.
I want to compare against the Panasonic 18650B’s I took out.
The old Ni-Cad’s held charge memory as low as you charged them to.
Apparently Li-Ions are better technology.