Hi, can those batteries that be charged with an usb cable be able to charge in a regular charger? Thanks.
I believe most of them can also be charged in a regular charger, but I’m not sure if there are exceptions to that.
Personally I have a Nitecore 14500 (750mAh) with build in (micro-USB) charging and 9 out of 10 times I charge it in my regular charger, without any problems. (It is the Nitecore type NL1475R by the way).
As far as I know most can be charged within a regular charger, but I might be wrong or there might be some exceptions. (Hopefully some of the other members might have some additional information!)
I own two USB-ported 14500s, both rated at 920mAh: a microUSB from Lumintop (came with my ToolAA 2.0 UV), and a Manker USB-C (ditto, E03H II). The Lumintop works great despite the obsolete microUSB, but the Manker is horrible: less than 700mAh real capacity, and heats up like crazy when being charged via USB.
Both work perfectly in standalone chargers.
They might have a pass element in series, but the ones I have do charge okay in a regular charger.
If they got the charger board, though, I’d just use that and be done with it.
Seconding the Lumintop cell, I have one of the newer ones that have USB-C (came with my FWAA) and it works well when using the integrated or an external charger (VC8 in my case). The only downside is the low capacity (compared to normal cells), the rating is 920mAh but the grading mode on my charger says it is only 880mAh
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Thanks for that info. I have use for USB-ported batteries, and the microUSB on my Lumintop is inconvenient as almost everything else I own is USB-C… so I might end up buying a couple of these to.
Just an FYI it is a tiny bit longer than 50mm, so it won’t work on an Emisar D2 and might not fit in some TS10s. Should work fine elsewhere though, as long as the slightly-higher IR isn’t a problem.
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Thanks for the heads-up. In fact I’ve been having some intermittent issues with my TS10, might be the extra length of my Lumintop MicroUSB, will try and observe if it only happens with it.
“Just for fun” I did a capacity (discharge) test on my Nitecore NL1475R on my Opus BT-C3100. (at 0,3A discharge)
I managed to get 802 mAh, so not that bad. (Accounting for inaccuracy of the C3100, it will probably still reach its rated capacity, so I’m happy with that.)
The battery is over 2 years old (I think closer to 3), but probably only done something like 30-ish recharge cycles.
At first that was true for my D2 also, it did not work with the 50.1mm Lumintop 14500… I had to use a shim: (but I did not like the slightly exposed O ring, so I ordered 48.7mm Vapcel F12 flat tops, that work well… the Vapcel L10 flat top is similarly short)
Now my D2 does work w my Lumintop 14500, without a shim. My TS10 has never had a problem w the Lumintop 14500.
at first my D2 had a problem closing all the way with those Lumintop and Wurkkos 50.1-50.0mm cells
I fixed that by adjusting the tailspring, so its coils now nest inside each other when compressed. At first, 2 of the tailspring coils were stacking.
That caused all sorts of flicker issues because the D2 body tube is almost too short to make good contact with the tailcap. So until I adjusted the tailspring, I could only use shorter batteries.
When it was new, I had a lot of problems w my D2 flickering or dimming itself. I tried a lot of different things to try to solve the problem including
removing excess lube, (made no difference)
closing the tailcap and head extra tight (not the core issue)
removing anodising from the threads, (not helpful)
polishing the contact ring and end of body tube: (waste of effort)
cutting the spring: (wrong intervention)
but none of those things addressed the core issue, which imo was that the tailspring coils did not all nest inside each other. There were 2 coils stacked on top of each other when compressed. This made a critical difference in whether I could use a 50.1mm button top battery such as the Lumintop 14500, and the 50mm stock TS10 button top. Both work fine now that I adjusted the spring coils so they do not stack on top of each other.
I have ordered a replacement tailcap with spring so I have the option to go back to an intact (uncut) tailspring. I will be checking to see if the tailspring I receive can be compressed flat with no coils stacking… I believe this coil stacking issue is at the core of reports from many people, that their D2 flickers. Whatever combination of battery length and compressed spring height ends up being used, it is of key importance that the tailcap be able to screw down all the way. To allow the tailspring contact ring to make contact with the body tube.
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Amazing! Thanks for the incredibly detailed/photographed post!
Particularly, I had never heard about nested/stacked springs or coils, but it makes complete sense. I wonder why all of them are not nested, as these would work in all cases… or am I missing something?
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my guess is they are supposed to nest but manufacturing variations happen.
That is why Im looking forward to inspecting the tailspring on the new tailcap I ordered…
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New tailcap arrived. I fiddled with the coils so they dont stack. However, the 50.1mm Lumintop 14500 will not work in the Emisar D2 with the new tailcap spring. It likes the shorter 48.7mm Vapcel F12.
My conclusion is that cutting the spring, and arranging the remaining coils so they dont stack, is what works with the 50.1mm Lumintop 14500 button top (also works w the Wurkkos 14500 button top). The cut spring also works with the shorter flat top F12 battery.
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On a related note, how do you like your USB-C-ported Lumintop 14500? I have an almost exact one but MicroUSB instead, and let’s be frank, microUSB sucks… so I was thinking about buying a couple of the USB-C persuasion, but with a USB-C from Manker I had had a bad experience that gave me some pause…
EDIT: also, is yours one of those that can be charged straight from a USB-C source?
what happened?
I have not had any issues…
its relatively new, Ive charged it a couple of times. I agree USB-C is more convenient…
can be charged straight from a USB-C source?
no experience,
I dont own a C to C cable, or would be glad to check the powerbank feature of my TS25
the link you posted seems credible to me, that C to C works
I have not had any issue with the protected battery shutting off my TS10, nor Emisar D2. Bear in mind Im not a Turbo user, (I disable Turbo in my anduril lights)
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I got a batch crom aliexpress at the beginning of the year, and all but one were only usb-a to usb-c compatible.
When i got a new batch in may from lumintoplighting.com, they all properly worked c-c.
And they should - as the batteries are advertised as usb-c compatible.
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Effing Manker battery heated LIKE HELL when being charged through its USB-C port – so much it actually burned my finger when I touched it its positive terminal. I literally taped the port over and now only charge it at a charger.
I also had issues with the flashlight it came in (an E03H II), Manker stuff is really low quality and their CS and warranty are not only worse than useless but also offensive. I’m not buying anything from them ever again.
I have not had any issue with the protected battery shutting off my TS10, nor Emisar D2.
Perfect.
Bear in mind Im not a Turbo user, (I disable Turbo in my anduril lights)
You and me both, brother! Actually, I learned that from you, back in the good old days at Reddit 
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Thanks @Lightweighted.
@jon_slider, I think you posted about that, but just to confirm: to use these USB-C ported Lumintops in a TS10 with no issues, the TS10 would have to undergo a coil-reduction surgery, right?
Orange’n’white 920mAH usb-c cell, no branding, dropped into a TS10 no problem.
No idea where it came from. Come with? Forgot…
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No
The Lumintop 14500 is 50.1mm
The TS10 14500 is 50.0mm
both are button tops, they are a direct match
the Only light that Ive cut the spring on is an Emisar D2, so it can now use both the Wurkkos and the Lumintop button tops.
after modding the spring in the D2, all 3 of these batteries now work in both lights, no modifications are needed for the TS10:
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