Hi all,
As I said in my recent introduction post, I have a fair amount of experience with AA/AAA pocket lights but have been looking for a larger light that has more juice and runtime capability–something that I will likely put in a backpack or jacket pocket when out camping in the woods for multiple days or perhaps use if we have extended blackouts.
I recently ordered a Convoy S3 (519A, 4500k) to test out in that role, after I heard nothing but good things about Convoy and Simon’s Aliexpress shop. It only cost me about $6 extra bucks to add a battery and charger to the order after getting a first time purchase promotion, so I went ahead and did so. However, I don’t know if the add-on battery and charger are going to be good longterm solutions for me.
Let me say that I am not well versed in rechargeable batteries. I do have a couple of rechargeable lights, but I got included batteries and they charge via a port in the light so I don’t need to use a separate charger. Therefore, I have never needed to pick out the right battery and charger to pair with a given light.
First off, the charger: The deal I got was a Yonii TC1 for $0.99 which I figured would be enough to get me started. However, I started doing a little reading after it shipped and it sounds like some of the cheap Yonii chargers have a problem with overcharging. At least it has definitely been reported for the Yonii Q1. Can anyone comment on the TC1 that comes from the Convoy Aliexpress shop and whether or not it overcharges? If so, I probably need to acquire a new charger pretty shortly. In that case, what should I look for in a charger? I have some general understanding that the ampere rating of the charger relates to charge rate, but other than that I have no idea what specs to look for with regard to what makes a “good” charger. Also, if I use the cheap charger for the time being and it does overcharge, does that risk damaging the light or simply damaging the battery cell. If it overcharges to a slightly higher voltage than it should, then what are the potential consequences?
Secondly, the battery. It appears to come with a LiitoKala 3500 mAh Li-ion 18650 cell. From some general internet browsing, I know that 3000-3600 mAh is pretty common for 18650 cells. That spec is fairly easy to compare. What I’m not so sure about are the other specs: flat top vs button top? Protected vs not? In addition, I started looking at Vapcell batteries online, since I had heard good things about them on the light forums. That just confused me, because Vapcell apparently sells a bunch of different 18650 lights that have different ampere ratings (10A, 20A, 18/35A, 8/15A, etc…). And what about 18650 cells that just have the usb port built into the cell for charging? I have some rechargeable 14500s that just plug into a USB-C charger. I have seen at least one 18650 cell that charges similarly. Anything I need to know about those? In general, what do you look for when choosing a rechargable 18650 cell?
Sorry for the barrage of questions. I just want to feel like I am making informed decisions and not just buying the first thing that pops up in the search engine. Thanks for any insight you can offer.