What cheap (and safe) single cell charger for a gift set?

Batteries and Chargers Chargers
1

Since i started this flashlight obsession i’ve been wanting to gift a number of those really cool lights but have been stalled by the Li-Ion battery handling and charging aspect of them. Most people have no idea what a Li-Ion cell is and that it needs a special charger… so the only way to make the gift work is to include a battery or two and a charger - making a gift set.

So… which charger?

I know there are quite some decent options in the $15 range and that there are some sound arguments for such a charger and i understand them… But i’d like to hear about the cheapest possible single cell option without compromising safety of course.

Thanks for your input! :slight_smile:

2

I bought the Olight UC Universal Magnetic charger and it works well. Simple, and easy to use.

3

LiitoKala Lii-100! It’s what I include with all the lights I sell. Dirt cheap ($4 at GearBest) and given a thumbs up by HKJ. I also think the Xtar MC1 Plus is good too. Both are 0.5 & 1.0 amp and powered via micro USB.

4

LiitoKala 100 (new model recently came out, same number, don’t know if it’s improved, but worth looking for it)
LiitoKala 202 (maybe an improved version of the 200? http://www.gearbest.com/chargers/pp_424662.html
MC1+ (note the plus, get the improved model)

see HKJ’s reviews.

These are basically hardware and software and as with computers, don’t assume versions ending in .0 are completely debugged, look into improvements

5

I like the Nitecore F1. Can be used as a battery bank and blinks out the voltage of the cell.

6

LiitoKala Lii-100…And the opus btc100 which allows you to do some basic testing on cells … buy both they are great cheap chargers … 4$ and like 12$ ? Price bounce around a little
LiitoKala Lii-200 does 2 cells and is 6~7$ at gearbest.com

7

nothing beats liitokala lii100
usb power, intelligent charger, .5 and 1 current, power bank capable, cheap.

8

XTAR MC1
cheap; charge batteries from 10440~ 26650.

XTAR MC1 PLUS
Cheap as well; Current & power display; 0.5A&1A 2 options;

Most of all, the 0V activation function is quite good for saving over-discharged batteries.

9

MC1 overcharges if left unattended, see HKJ’s details. I think that was fixed in the plus model.
There’s a new version of the Liitokala 100 out lately, and a 202 model.

10

Before the LiitoKala 100, I stuck to the MC1 Plus. It’s a good charger, but the only indication that it’s done charging is the LED indicator changes from red to green… I think.

I say “I think” because I couldn’t actually tell. I’m red/green colorblind, so that little indicator didn’t do anything for me - I had to have my wife watch the charger. It’s estimated that 1 in 12 men have some form of colorblindness, which is a pretty high rate. Something to think about if you’re giving them to others.

11

The Lii 100 is a good one as are most of the Xtar single bay chargers.

However, the Xtar SP1 is probably my favorite. Very versatile and capable of .5, 1, & 2 Amp charging.
This is my favorite single bay charger, with the Lii 100 coming in a not to distant second on my list.

SP1 User Manual

12

I have Xtar Ant MC1 Plus, very satisfied with this small but perfect intelligent and protected charger.
does 0,5 A and 1,0 A on micro USB charger

13

I personally like the Nitecore UM10 and UM20 (or their generic counterparts without the cord wrap on the back). Good travel chargers, and simple for new users with a % gauge instead of just a green light.

For a complete muggle, I give an EagleEye X6R or X5R. I take it apart and dumb-down the driver, reinforce the solder points for the USB port, install a protected 4.35v cell, and tell them not to even open it.

14

safe, gift, li-ion—- pick any two.

Better — give people flashlights that work adequately with NiMH
Give them several Eneloop, etc.) and the LiitoKala 100.

The charger recognizes the type automatically (tho its level of charge indicator is too high when the cell starts at low charge level, it charges NiMH fine)

Friends don’t give muggles li-ions.
What’s the worst thing that could happen?
They don’t know when not to inhale.

15

‘patmurris’, you know the people you will be gifting lights to. If you think they are responsible enough to treat Lithium Ion Batteries as they should be treated there is no reason you should not do it. Sure, explain the basics of Li Ion to them if they do not already know & stress the safety; but have at it.

Everyone has to start somewhere with Li Ion, otherwise none of us would be using them.

Given some of the sweeping logic presented here we might all be considered to stupid to use Li Ion. :smiley:

Now if your friends are like mine, some can handle Li Ion with no problem.
BUT…… there are some of them I would not gift with Li Ion’s for any reason at all. It would just be an accident waiting to happen.

You know your friends and they, just like all of us; cannot be put into the same “box”. Feel free to gift away with Li Ion’s the ones you know can “handle it”…… and for the people who you have doubts about do go with the NiMh.

My .02 …… ymmv.

16

Teacher, I’m assuming what he wrote describes the friends he wants to give gifts to:

With the LiitoKala 100, you can start people off with NiMH rechargeables.

The same charger will let the gift-giver move them up to the relatively safer LiFePO4 (that means: remembering to tap the button to select the 3.2v voltage setting, after putting the cell in the charger)

If they’re able to use those without screwing them up, the same charger will handle li-ions — safely iff they buy good ones from a reliable source, not bad ones cheap.

Starting from clueless, remember: “no idea what a Li-on cell is … the only way to make the gift work is ”

Yes, your friends may vary.
What’s the worst thing that could happen?
Never hurts to think about it.
I’m done on this subject here.

17

Hank, I am assuming what ‘patmurris’ wrote describes us all at one time or another; his friends included…. as well as both you and I.

And agreed, the LiitoKala 100 is a fine little charger at a very reasonable price.

As far as the “baby steps” you mention, I personally do not feel those need apply to everyone in a broad sweeping declaration…… whether they be “clueless” or not.

We could “split hairs” about the meaning of “clueless”, but why bother. I take it to mean “unaware of”, not “completely or hopelessly bewildered”.

We were all “clueless” about LiIon’s at one time or another no matter which ‘meaning’ applied to us. I am not saying or advocating abandoning safety……… far from it. I am simply saying that ‘everyone’ cannot be placed into the same box, so to speak.

Most any of us who would gift a light to a person would have a pretty good idea of that particular persons ability, intelligence and / or attention to detail. Then we could “gift” accordingly, simple as that.

Yeah, people do vary; whether they be friends or not.

It is always a wonderful idea for any and all of us to think…… “What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

But, and speaking just of Lithium Ion Batteries here; if we go with the worst case scenario of that question…. none of us would be using them.
And that train of thought could be applied to most anything in life…. driving a car, skydiving, flying in a plane and the list is endless. Honestly, there is risk in anything we do in life.

I agree wholeheartedly with what you said also…… “Never hurts to think about it.”
But after we think about it we then make informed decisions that apply to individual situations and people.

I think this is a wonderful discussion here. Hopefully it will help get more people involved with the safe use of Lithium Ion batteries as well as their benefits.

18

Thank you all for the suggestions and comments.

I just received five Lii 100 plus the same number of USB wall adapters - just in case.
They will go with a Convoy S2+ loaded with a Panasonic protected NCR18650B.
I’ll add an Astrolux A01 with a Ni-MH AAA too.
I think they’ll be happy with this.

…almost ready for Christmas! :slight_smile:

19

> USB wall adapters
Check HJK’s reviews of those. A few of them are safe
http://www.lygte-info.dk/info/indexUSB%20UK.html
(especially on 220v, which is harder to get right)

20

That sounds like a plan ‘patmurris’, I’m thinking they will be very happy with that gift package. :+1:

Your friends are fortunate to have you as a friend!!! :beer:

“Merry Christmas”…. in advance………… :wink: