Thanks Correllux.
congrats
its my fave,
fwiw
it tapers off as it charges…
there is actually no issue with “too high charge current”
for me it is ideal, because it is small, USB, and works on both Eneloop and LiIon…
I recently gifted my son an AA Copper Tool, with a pair of eneloops and my Olight UC…
I immediately bought myself another Olight UC… it lives on my desk, plugged into my computer USB
super covenient, super cheap,
no downsides
Just make sure that when you regularly charge small cells/batteries like the 16340s, AAAs, 10440s and the like, that you don’t start the Olight magnetic charger on empty cells.
700mA is a bit high for smaller ‘empty’ cells.
Chris
not sure what you mean
it does not charge at 700mA
the charger does not charge above 1C initially and it tapers off
shown here charging at 610mA, initially, on a 700mAh cell
15 minutes later 480mA:
basically the charger is self adjusting, there is no overcharging problem
It has a fixed 700ma charging rate.
That can be variable depending on the particular SOC of the battery/cell being charged.
700mA is too much for a depleted 16340/10440/AAA.
Just sayin’.
Chris
For low-volt it has a 1 minute precharge at 300mA before it ramps up to 500mA.
For lithium below 3v it does the same 300mA until it reaches that 3v and then ramps up to 750mA.
Seems pretty smart and safe actually. I wouldn't mind a slower 300mA rate for my 14500 and AAA for the full charge cycle but I don't know how they could incorporate a selectable rate. It's been a good little charger for me but it's just super slow on normal/larger lithium cells (for my liking anyway). I was surprised at how smart it is for such a tiny package and how good the charging curves look.
https://lygte-info.dk/review/Review%20Charger%20Olight%20UC%20UK.html
I’ve had two of them for three years and I would use them in a pinch, but I don’t regularly use them as a rule.
I have too many chargers here, to fiddle with them, but you guys do you.
Chris
Certainly not my main go-to either but mine sits at work where it's adequate and doesn't alert or worry anyone that I have "dangerous lithium" in a light. Do yours not follow the same patterns that HKJ shows in his graphs? Or some of those small cells damaged by this charger?
either I dont understand what youre saying, or, what youre saying does not understand the photos I posted showing less than 700mA
Ive been using the charger for all my AAA and AA eneloop and 14500, 16340, 18350 LiIon batteries for years… not a problem
The CC/CV curve pumps more current into a cell when it is most depleted, or usually when charging starts. As voltage rises, current is throttled back until voltage hits 4.20v.
The max for the Olight is 700mA and if you start charging a mostly empty cell such as a 16340, that might be too high a rate for the smaller jobbies.
Charging up/topping off those smaller cells from say 3.8v won’t be a problem because voltage is already past the ‘pump and dump’ stage of the CC/CV curve.
Chris
I dont know why you keep repeating the 700mA claim, when Ive already shown that the charger does not exceed 1C
you can keep saying the same thing, without evidence, and ignore evidence to the contrary,
or you could look at the photos I posted, and try to duplicate or refute, the data Im showing.
you could also read the lytge review, which is very favorable
some people got it into their heads that the Olight UC charges at a constant rate that is too high, but they offer no evidence….
so… either you dont understand what Im saying, or I dont understand your speculation without evidence. Of course, you could just keep repeating the same wrong info over and over, and Im sure many would believe you… But they would be wrong too.
lets try this
- The Olight UC does NOT charge at 700mA constant
again - The Olight UC does NOT charge at 700mA constant
and once more, because, I heard that if we hear the same thing 3 times, that makes it true: - The Olight UC does NOT charge at 700mA constant
I misspoke where I said fixed.
My initial comments were meant to suggest that 610mA is too high for that Fenix cell. A rate of 500mA might even shorten the cell’s life, but it depends on the SOC at the time you charge up the smaller cells. A few times and it’s not a big problem.
That’s the point that I’m tryouts not to convey with the Olight Universal charger.
Chris
I am not going to enter the discussion. but these are the specs of the charger 
the charge rate never exceeds 1C
and tapers off safely
330mA
140mA
fully charged, 0mA
.
That’s even worse for smaller empty cells. I don’t have my packaging handy and thought it was 700mA. Thanks.
Chris
the specs show the MAX charge rate
NOT the actual rate… look at the pictures… None of them show 750mA, they show MUCH lower rates…
HKJ review on this charger agrees with you
I guess to stay relevant we should ask the OP if this even matters to him for the cells he wants to use.
If memory serves, these smaller cells have "standard" ratings of 500mA charge but also an allowable rapid charge rate of a bit more than twice that current....i.e. no real harm done although yes, the potential is there to shorten the cycle life a smidge. Goes back to the basics of looking up data sheets on your particular cells where you can and see what is stated about them. I don't know if the ones rated at 3A discharge handle a higher charge current any better than ones rated at 1.5A, but I would assume that's likely so.
Personally, this charger, I would not worry about it at all. Not with li-ion. With lower quality NiMH AAA I'd for sure use a lower rate but would not worry about it with the better cells (Eneloop, Eneloop Pro, Imedion/Powerex, Fujitsu, etc).
Also would not take usb test meters at face value for this data.
Jon, have you taken a voltage reading on the cell when you put it in the charger? Your meter is only telling you what it sees from the power source and you can't see the voltage of the cell. The lower current rates you see probably indicate that you're charging somewhere well above 3V where the charger would begin its max current rate, tapering down at it fills. HKJ's equipment is pretty good and the graphs tell a lot. If what you see on your usb test meter never reaches "max" for this charger then either the charger is defective or you just aren't draining the cells as far down before charging, and that's what Chris was getting at.
yes I do measure voltage before I charge
yes I do charge fully depleted cells, even cells that have triggered the protection circuit…
yes the charger limits its charge rate to less than 1C and tapers down from there
there is no evidence of a problem
it seems no matter how many times I or Lyle share info, the myth of overcharging persists…
I suggest you do your own tests… and share your results
maybe we need a forensic audit, to verify that
and feel free to release the Kraken… but, so far…
there is no evidence of a problem, and no Kraken
there is no Kraken, and there is no evidence of a problem
there is no evidence of a problem
there is no evidence of a problem
really
there is no evidence of a problem (is this thing ON?) lol
