XTAR SV2 PURE GARBAGE

BoxCarWillie · 2018-11-19T00:20:15.000Z

I purchased (2) of the same XTAR SV2 chargers from www.illumn.com and one was given me issues as the spring that holds tension on the rear side (-) of the batteries came lose. So I had no choice but to try and open it up to see what the problem was. Well the cheap garbage Chinese plastic came off of like 4 of the screw holders and broke where the spring connects inside. I have uploaded (2) photos of this crap. Anyone know of a good American (U.S.A.) made charger I can purchase that won’t fall apart?

nick779 · 2018-11-19T19:14:36.000Z

I dont know of ANY decent US made chargers.

Ive been using Xtar ANT+ and VC2+ from Mtnelectronics for the last year or so with no issues on multiple units. Maybe try that route.

ChrisGarrett · 2018-11-19T20:23:51.000Z

Even Mercedes Benz makes a stinker from time to time.

You got two, one broke, so send the broken one back and get another one?

I’ve got 12 Xtar chargers and like the brand. I’ve had minor problems with a couple of them, one even concerning brittle plastic (initial VP2 production run,) but they’re damn good chargers.

Chris

atbglenn · 2018-11-19T21:37:55.000Z

The same thing happened to my SV2 the other day. I repaired it by drilling a small hole in the circuit board near the edge and soldering in a brass finishing nail. The sping in now stretched a little more but it seems like it will hold up. BTW, I’ve had mine over a year. I don’t know why they made the stud so thin. Really stinks that Xtar’s quality is going downhill.

JasonWW · 2018-11-20T01:11:22.000Z

One of my two did this on one of the spring posts. It was an easy fix. I took an extra lanyard I was not using and ran it around the slot in the motherboard then attached the spring to the end.

Brittle plastic.
Still works a treat.

BTW, there’s no such thing as “Chinese” or “American” plastic. There are hundreds of plastic mixtures used worldwide. The SV2 seems to be made of a high temperature plastic (for safely readons) that seems a bit brittle. There are stronger plastics on the market, but they can’t handle as high a temperature. It seems Xtar needs to beef up the post diameters on this model.

JakeDjanitor · 2018-11-20T03:48:18.000Z

I hate when chargers fail… I ruined my own opus 4 bay by insert a cell backwards

will34 · 2018-11-20T06:12:14.000Z

Same design flaw as in the early versions of the sky Rc mc3000. I think they have fixed it now but it’s funny how newer Xtar products don’t compare to the much older ones, I still have my VP2 from many years ago and they haven’t released another compact charger with voltage display.

atbglenn · 2018-11-20T06:22:17.000Z

Will, I have 2 VP2’s and gave 2 VP1’s to two friends. They get a lot of use. They’re bulletproof. My 2 SV2’s get limited use and still, the spring stud broke on one of them. Not happy.

Nev · 2018-11-20T13:51:07.000Z

JakeDjanitor:

I hate when chargers fail… I ruined my own opus 4 bay by insert a cell backwards

Mine just says null if the battery is put in backwards.

HONDARIDER · 2018-11-20T14:03:17.000Z

I had the exact same thing happen to it, the post that holds the spring broke. Luckily it was just in one piece and I was able to superglue it back on and it held. I contacted Illumn and they said they needed the serial number in order to verify whether or not it was authentic, I guess. I purchased it from them so I was confused as to why there was an issue. The serial number is not on the unit, it is on the box. I have had the unit for 6 months at that point so I did not keep the box. They were not willing to help at that point. I had to fix it myself. I agree, it is junk. Do not purchase this charger in particular.

BoxCarWillie · 2018-11-20T19:31:29.000Z

Thanks guys for your inputs! I will contact Illumn and see what they have to say. I’ll post back and let you all know what they say.

ChrisGarrett · 2018-11-20T19:41:23.000Z

BoxCarWillie:

Thanks guys for your inputs! I will contact Illumn and see what they have to say. I’ll post back and let you all know what they say.

They’ll take care of you.

I was one of the first people around to get the VP2 and ordered from Richard at Mountain. I got mine before anybody really knew about it. A week, or two later, I got an Email stating that my charger had been recalled due to the plastic housing becoming brittle after being subjected to freezing temps.

I sent mine back and got a new one a few weeks later and the rest is history. Illumination allowed their customers to keep the ‘potentially’ brittle unit and just sent them a replacement, so they scored!

I have an MP1S that only charges to 4.14ish volts, which isn’t catastrophic, but I got credited. My OCD can’t handle 4.14v.

There are enough examples here to surmise that it’s indeed a design flaw, but nobody hits a home run in every a bat.

Chris

BoxCarWillie · 2018-11-20T20:53:11.000Z

I hope they do! I had ordered quite a few products from them a while back. I have been using the (2) SV2’s to charge (4) 18650’s for my GT’s. I can rig up something to make it work, but I shouldn’t have to, if this is a manufacturer defect! I did try calling them a few minutes ago, but they may be out for holidays or something. I’ll post back when I do get in touch with them. Thanks!

CalvinIS · 2018-11-20T21:01:24.000Z

BoxCarWillie:

I hope they do! I had ordered quite a few products from them a while back. I have been using the (2) SV2’s to charge (4) 18650’s for my GT’s. I can rig up something to make it work, but I shouldn’t have to, if this is a manufacturer defect! I did try calling them a few minutes ago, but they may be out for holidays or something. I’ll post back when I do get in touch with them. Thanks!

Hey BoxCarWillie,

Best way to contact us is to send an email to support@illumn.com, that way we can get a ticket in.

BoxCarWillie · 2018-11-20T21:11:42.000Z

CalvinIS:

BoxCarWillie:

I hope they do! I had ordered quite a few products from them a while back. I have been using the (2) SV2’s to charge (4) 18650’s for my GT’s. I can rig up something to make it work, but I shouldn’t have to, if this is a manufacturer defect! I did try calling them a few minutes ago, but they may be out for holidays or something. I’ll post back when I do get in touch with them. Thanks!

Hey BoxCarWillie,

Best way to contact us is to send an email to support@illumn.com, that way we can get a ticket in.

OK, Thanks, will do!