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Lefty

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Yeah, the ideal amperage for charging 18650s is between 835-875mA so the notion of 500mA is ultimately detrimental to the cells.
The closest I came was http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_lithium_ion_batteries where the claim was made "Manufacturers recommend charging the 18650 cell at 0.8C or less" I'm pretty sure 500mA falls under the "or less" category.
I did notice on the graphs of the review of the LUC V4 that the algorithm used at the 1 amp setting comes pretty close to this "ideal" current. http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review Charger Efest LUC V4 2014 UK.html
I was unable to find any support for the claim that 500mA was in any way damaging. Do you happen to have any references for it?
 

desk

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What charger uses this ideal amperage?

None that I know of. I was pointing out that the spread on a 1 amp charger is less than that of a .5 amp charger, thus being better for cell longevity.
 

Cloudy Peak Vapes

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I certainly don't know enough, but I read that it's best to charge at lower amperage for cell longevity. That could be indicating not to charge at 2 amps, though. I've been just fine with my tried and true i4. It's simple, and not the best, but it works well, and I use my multimeter anyway. It'll do two at .5 amps, and then splits lower with more in, but I never need to charge more than two anyway. My experience, though short, with the luc v4 just further re inforced my disdain for efest. It may be a good charger, but there's something wrong with a company that re wraps cells and exaggerates specs. I choose to not support them if possible.
 

fq06

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Yep, better to be lower than suggested charge current than higher.
Charging a cell at a higher rate than suggested can shorten the life of the cell and raise it's internal resistance. Charging at a lower rate will not damage the cell, it will simply take longer.

With that being said, what the manufacturers are saying may be on the safe side. Most lithium chemistry batteries are happy with a 1C charge rate so 1C on a 2000 mah batt would be 2a. Bigger Li-po batteries are getting into 10C+ charge rates.

I charge my 18650's & 18490 at 1a and do not see shortened life or a reduction in capacity so I think whatever company said 0.8a is covering their ass.

Also, one of the worst things for a batt is to leave it dead. Always charge it if you have ran it down past 3.7v... don't let it sit like that.
 
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Lefty

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I certainly don't know enough, but I read that it's best to charge at lower amperage for cell longevity. That could be indicating not to charge at 2 amps, though. I've been just fine with my tried and true i4. It's simple, and not the best, but it works well, and I use my multimeter anyway. It'll do two at .5 amps, and then splits lower with more in, but I never need to charge more than two anyway. My experience, though short, with the luc v4 just further re inforced my disdain for efest. It may be a good charger, but there's something wrong with a company that re wraps cells and exaggerates specs. I choose to not support them if possible.
Can't say that I'm a fan of claiming the burst rate as the battery's value. I notice though that this primarily occurs with the rewrapped (it's claimed) LG 20 amp cell that they label as 35 amps. I've seen the LG's themselves marketed as a 35 amp battery. It seems to be the rewrapped LG's and the LG's themselves where the varying claims are made. I wonder about promotional material distributed by LG. The Efest 2100 mAh 30 amp which has been speculated as a VTC4 doesn't inflate the VTC4's values. What Efest makes is chargers and they sell rewrapped batteries as well. Much like what Xtar is trying to do these days. The Efest charger I have works quite well and has been trouble free. I generally don't buy Efest batteries. Might as well buy the original.
 

Cloudy Peak Vapes

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Can't say that I'm a fan of claiming the burst rate as the battery's value. I notice though that this primarily occurs with the rewrapped (it's claimed) LG 20 amp cell that they label as 35 amps. I've seen the LG's themselves marketed as a 35 amp battery. It seems to be the rewrapped LG's and the LG's themselves where the varying claims are made. I wonder about promotional material distributed by LG. The Efest 2100 mAh 30 amp which has been speculated as a VTC4 doesn't inflate the VTC4's values. What Efest makes is chargers and they sell rewrapped batteries as well. Much like what Xtar is trying to do these days. The Efest charger I have works quite well and has been trouble free. I generally don't buy Efest batteries. Might as well buy the original.
I certainly don't doubt that the luc is good, I just got a bad one. I'm with you on no more efest batteries, but I already said that. I just picked up two pair off LG HE2's, with true claims regarding specs. 20 amp 35 burst far exceeds my needs, and they are legit, not re wrapped, and ironically cheaper than the efests, lol. I guess the purple wrapper comes at a premium.
 

Heabob

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Just ordered the LUC v4, it should be better than my Tenergy TN270 lol.
 

Kemosabe

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Yep, better to be lower than suggested charge current than higher.
Charging a cell at a higher rate than suggested can shorten the life of the cell and raise it's internal resistance. Charging at a lower rate will not damage the cell, it will simply take longer.

With that being said, what the manufacturers are saying may be on the safe side. Most lithium chemistry batteries are happy with a 1C charge rate so 1C on a 2000 mah batt would be 2a. Bigger Li-po batteries are getting into 10C+ charge rates.

I charge my 18650's & 18490 at 1a and do not see shortened life or a reduction in capacity so I think whatever company said 0.8a is covering their ass.

Also, one of the worst things for a batt is to leave it dead. Always charge it if you have ran it down past 3.7v... don't let it sit like that.

^this. if youre planning on storing your cells, the best voltage to do so at is 40% charged (3.6v).

Can't say that I'm a fan of claiming the burst rate as the battery's value. I notice though that this primarily occurs with the rewrapped (it's claimed) LG 20 amp cell that they label as 35 amps. I've seen the LG's themselves marketed as a 35 amp battery. It seems to be the rewrapped LG's and the LG's themselves where the varying claims are made. I wonder about promotional material distributed by LG. The Efest 2100 mAh 30 amp which has been speculated as a VTC4 doesn't inflate the VTC4's values. What Efest makes is chargers and they sell rewrapped batteries as well. Much like what Xtar is trying to do these days. The Efest charger I have works quite well and has been trouble free. I generally don't buy Efest batteries. Might as well buy the original.

especially when theyre less expensive! the LG HE2 is less expensive than the eFest 35A on every site ive viewed them at. better binned cell for less cash? sign me up. oh wait, i already signed up lol.
 

Cloudy Peak Vapes

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^this. if youre planning on storing your cells, the best voltage to do so at is 40% charged (3.6v).



especially when theyre less expensive! the LG HE2 is less expensive than the eFest 35A on every site ive viewed them at. better binned cell for less cash? sign me up. oh wait, i already signed up lol.
I'm pleased with my LG's, and fuck efest and their sketchy relabeling. Plus, you're dead on that the LG's are cheaper everywhere. A pair can be had shipped for 16.98, and the efests are around 20.00 a pair. I'd even pay more for the LG's, I'm really not cool with what Efest does.
 

Lefty

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While some retailers are up front on the LG HE2's there are also a sh*tload of them marketing it as a 35 amp cell. I sent an email to rtdvapor chiding them for listing it as a 35 amp cell. It was gone from the site for a few days and is now back making no amperage claims. Whether this kind of marketing is a response to Efest's practices with this cell or due to the way LG itself markets at a wholesale level IDK. I think anyone marketing it as a 35 amp cell should be called on it.
 

Kemosabe

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What charger uses this ideal amperage?

xtar vp1 can be adjusted to output 0.25A, 0.5A, and 1.0A.
I charge my 14500s and 18350s at 0.25A,
my 18490s at 0.5A and
my 18650s at 1A

unless ive got all day, then in which case I will charge everything at 0.25A.
 

Kemosabe

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I'm pleased with my LG's, and fuck efest and their sketchy relabeling. Plus, you're dead on that the LG's are cheaper everywhere. A pair can be had shipped for 16.98, and the efests are around 20.00 a pair. I'd even pay more for the LG's, I'm really not cool with what Efest does.

I agree that its not the best-looking practice. it appears shady. but consider what ive read about this phenomenon:
when it comes to batteries, there are only so many manufacturers. after manufacturing, batts are tested then binned according to how each individual cell stacks up. the better cells are available to the better name brands and they get the better wrappers, like Sony, and AW for example. the same cells that didn't test as well, get sold off to eFest, EH, etc.
distributors buy whats available to them from the handful of mfgrs, then affix their own branding.
 

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