2 questions about my rx200 batteries

[VapeVillian]

I currently am running one of my rx200s w/ 2 sets of 3 efest 2100mah batteries. Both sets have been charged and used together. Here's where it gets weird (at least to me). Both sets, the battery in the second slot will discharge quite a bit faster. From all 3 at 4.2v to 3.53 (slot 1), 3.4v (slot 2), and 3.52v (slot 3). Again, this happens with two separate sets of 3 batteries. When I go to charge them, the slot 2 battery (the one with lowest voltage) will finish charging approximately 5-10 minutes before the other 2 at 500mah charge rate. My question is, is this the battery, or the device?

My other question is, on regulated devices, does it matter what the batteries amp rates are? I know that certain boards regulate the amp levels, but I'm not certain. For instance, if I use 3x Imren 3500mah or 3x LG hg2 3000mah, be a better option for battery life but also be safe to use?

Thanks all for any and all tips/suggestions.

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[Angrygod50]

I don't have an Rx but its not uncommon for stacked (series) batteries to have one drain more than the other. Next time you change batteries put a different one in slot 2 and if it dose the same thing it's probably normal for that mod. Hopefully some one with that mod will chime in with better info.

As far as batteries go I'd use the LG's. I only recommend and use OEM batteries like Sony, Samsung or LG. I've had good results with Imren's but they lie about the specs. For safety sake you want to use a 20 amp CDR. If you look at Mooch's battery charts you'll see that some Imren's are 20 amp CDR but some are 10 to 17 amp and there are no 20 amp
3500mah batteries.

 

[AmandaD]

Sounds normal to me! And ditto on the above post about the battery types. I use the brown LGs.

 

[Markw4mms]

It's always best to number (label) your batteries and change the position they're installed in each time you charge/replace them since it's rare that they discharge at the same rate in all positions.

 

[fq06]

One cell is weak, probably from day one. Efest is not too concerned with the matching of their cells so you get whatever you get.

If it starts at a lower voltage, is charged at the same amp rate and finishes sooner, it has less capacity than the others.

Because the RX200 is a 3 cell mod you can get away with running 20a cells and not needing lower mah, higher discharge cells like the vtc4. Three 20a cells has more than enough constant amp rating to run 200w. So 25R's or any of the regulars (nothing with fire or purple) are fine to run. I just ordered 3 HG2's from Liionwholesale, those should be a perfect match for the RX200.

 

[VapeVillian]

I don't have an Rx but its not uncommon for stacked (series) batteries to have one drain more than the other. Next time you change batteries put a different one in slot 2 and if it dose the same thing it's probably normal for that mod. Hopefully some one with that mod will chime in with better info.

As far as batteries go I'd use the LG's. I only recommend and use OEM batteries like Sony, Samsung or LG. I've had good results with Imren's but they lie about the specs. For safety sake you want to use a 20 amp CDR. If you look at Mooch's battery charts you'll see that some Imren's are 20 amp CDR but some are 10 to 17 amp and there are no 20 amp
3500mah batteries.

Yeah, I'm actually switching sets right now and am mixing those slots up. LoLz, I can't believe I didn't think of that.

About the batteries, I grabbed a bunch of the HG2's awhile back, but am planning on using them with my lavabox and extra rx200.

Not gonna argue about mislabelling, cuz I am by no means close to even being a novice when it comes to batteries. I was more looking at if I put a set of Hg2s into the rx200, would that 20amp continuous rate on the batteries cause bad things if I were to go over the amperage? Or would the chip/board "regulate" that and not allow it to fail?

Thanks again m8!

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[VapeVillian]

It's always best to number (label) your batteries and change the position they're installed in each time you charge/replace them since it's rare that they discharge at the same rate in all positions.

Cool. Thanks for that info. I had been under the impression that all the batteries had to go same slot every time. I did label them too, but for the wrong reason.

Thanks for the help m8!

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[fq06]

My charger only reads down to 0.1 so I'm sure they do not come off exactly the same but when I pull my batts from my RX200 they are all at the same tenth of a volt... usually 3.6v. I see no difference between any of the slots and they all take about the same time to charge.

If your batteries get to a state of charge that's drastically different, the RX200 will shut down so you dont do damage to the battery.

 

[VapeVillian]

My charger only reads down to 0.1 so I'm sure they do not come off exactly the same but when I pull my batts from my RX200 they are all at the same tenth of a volt... usually 3.6v. I see no difference between any of the slots.

Yeah, mine are off by a lil over a tenth. The thing is, it's two separate sets of batteries that do the exact same thing.

Think I might just pull em and use em for my tab or single battery devices and try some hg2s and Imrens.

Did you grab your hg2s at their sale a couple of weeks ago?

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[Angrygod50]

if I put a set of Hg2s into the rx200, would that 20amp continuous rate on the batteries cause bad things

Not at all 3.7v x 3 = 11.1v x 20a = 222 watts. The mod will only draw what it needs for the wattage you set. That's kind of the point of regulation.

 

[VapeVillian]

Not at all 3.7v x 3 = 11.1v x 20a = 222 watts. The mod will only draw what it needs for the wattage you set. That's kind of the point of regulation.

Awesome! That's what I was looking for.

Much appreciated m8!

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[fq06]

No, but they were pretty cheap ($7?) and shipping was only a couple bucks.

 

[icharliex]

Just gonna recommend at least once a day swap ur batts in a rotation ( slot 1 batt moves to slot 2, slot 2 batt moves to slot 3, slot 3 batt moves to slot 1) it does help keep the batts in a equal state, which can expand their life span, this is what i do with my rx200 and it does help.
Hope i helped.

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[VapeVillian]

Just gonna recommend at least once a day swap ur batts in a rotation ( slot 1 batt moves to slot 2, slot 2 batt moves to slot 3, slot 3 batt moves to slot 1) it does help keep the batts in a equal state, which can expand their life span, this is what i do with my rx200 and it does help.
Hope i helped.

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It definitely helps. Thanks for the tip. It seems to be the consensus among all you guyz.

Thanks again m8!

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[VapeVillian]

Alright guyz. So I took your suggestions and switched the order of the batteries and am getting a similar result. Slot 1: 3.67v, Slot 2: 3.53v, Slot 3: 3.66v.

So I'm guessing that it is not a battery issue, but the board itself. I appreciate all the help and tips you all have given me!

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[suprtrkr]

I have two of them. The batteries come out within .04V every time, I have never had one battery discharge faster than the others. I would personally rather have the LG cells over Imren any day of the week. I load my RXs with LG HG2s.

 

[VapeVillian]

I have two of them. The batteries come out within .04V every time, I have never had one battery discharge faster than the others. I would personally rather have the LG cells over Imren any day of the week. I load my RXs with LG HG2s.

I must have a bad board then. I've bow tried different battery configurations on the 2 sets I have been using and decided to add another set (this time w/ 3x 30qs). With the never before used Samsung's, slot 2 was .13v lower than the other two batteries.

I am going to try out the HG2's and the Imrens to see if that happens on my spare rx200. I'm assuming if it doesn't happen, then it has to be the board/chip on my original. Or could it be something else?

Thanks for the help

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[suprtrkr]

I must have a bad board then. I've bow tried different battery configurations on the 2 sets I have been using and decided to add another set (this time w/ 3x 30qs). With the never before used Samsung's, slot 2 was .13v lower than the other two batteries.

I am going to try out the HG2's and the Imrens to see if that happens on my spare rx200. I'm assuming if it doesn't happen, then it has to be the board/chip on my original. Or could it be something else?

Thanks for the help

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Either the board, or perhaps-- tiny possibility-- a bad battery connector. It really shouldn't be the latter. It's a series mod. If one or more were not making good contact, you'd think the whole thing would fail. Try the other one, LMK what happens. Say, did you upgrade the firmware?

 

[VapeVillian]

Either the board, or perhaps-- tiny possibility-- a bad battery connector. It really shouldn't be the latter. It's a series mod. If one or more were not making good contact, you'd think the whole thing would fail. Try the other one, LMK what happens. Say, did you upgrade the firmware?

I have the 3.00 update on both. How would I test the connector? I started fiddling with the slot 2 battery (just the battery, not the connector) and the device will shut off and back on until I push it firmly into place. Not sure if that's pro for the connector being ok, but lemme know what you think.

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[suprtrkr]

I have the 3.00 update on both. How would I test the connector? I started fiddling with the slot 2 battery (just the battery, not the connector) and the device will shut off and back on until I push it firmly into place. Not sure if that's pro for the connector being ok, but lemme know what you think.

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In that case, the connector is prob OK. Have you tried marking your batteries? Might try rotating them around in the mod, see if it's always the same one. That would indicate a bad battery.

 

[VapeVillian]

In that case, the connector is prob OK. Have you tried marking your batteries? Might try rotating them around in the mod, see if it's always the same one. That would indicate a bad battery.

Yea. I've rotated batteries and now have 3 sets for that device that all do the same. Whatever is in slot 2 drains faster.

I have an idea I think might help. Gonna try a multimeter on each battery and see if the readings match the rx200. I would think if the readings are off, that would be a board problem, right?

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[suprtrkr]

[edited]

 

[suprtrkr]

Yea. I've rotated batteries and now have 3 sets for that device that all do the same. Whatever is in slot 2 drains faster.

I have an idea I think might help. Gonna try a multimeter on each battery and see if the readings match the rx200. I would think if the readings are off, that would be a board problem, right?

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Yeah, I'd think so. What kind of charger are you using?

 

[VapeVillian]

Yeah, I'd think so. What kind of charger are you using?

Charger is the Efest LUC Blu6 OLED. Forgetting my charger shows down to hundredths, I checked with my multimeter and then with the charger. Since the results from the meter and charger were near identical I'll just list the rx200 voltage and then multimeter voltage in parentheses. Slot 1: 3.87v (3.96v), Slot 2: 3.78v (3.93v), Slot 3: 3.88v (3.95v).

So it seems that not only is it reading slot 2 lower, but all the batteries. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be that far off right?

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[suprtrkr]

Charger is the Efest LUC Blu6 OLED. Forgetting my charger shows down to hundredths, I checked with my multimeter and then with the charger. Since the results from the meter and charger were near identical I'll just list the rx200 voltage and then multimeter voltage in parentheses. Slot 1: 3.87v (3.96v), Slot 2: 3.78v (3.93v), Slot 3: 3.88v (3.95v).

So it seems that not only is it reading slot 2 lower, but all the batteries. I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be that far off right?

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In that case, I would not be worried. It is axiomatic the battery voltage meter will be better in a DMM and/or a quality charger than in a mod, if for no other reason than there's more room for it. The mod's meter is showing you .1V difference, but the more sensitive ones are all within .03V. That's close enough for government work. I don't think you have a problem at all. I get a few hundredths variance myself. Even a tenth is not grossly excessive.

 

[VapeVillian]

In that case, I would not be worried. It is axiomatic the battery voltage meter will be better in a DMM and/or a quality charger than in a mod, if for no other reason than there's more room for it. The mod's meter is showing you .1V difference, but the more sensitive ones are all within .03V. That's close enough for government work. I don't think you have a problem at all. I get a few hundredths variance myself. Even a tenth is not grossly excessive.

OK awesome m8! Thanks a bunch. It's weird, I thought going regulated would make life simpler LoLz.

Thanks again!

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[suprtrkr]

OK awesome m8! Thanks a bunch. It's weird, I thought going regulated would make life simpler LoLz.

Thanks again!

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No prob. There's no real telling what might be causing it. Even a slightly cold solder joint could move a reading .05ish or so. But if your DMM is putting you within that figure... that's approaching the limit of the accuracy of your instruments. You could easily get that much flux just from the battery gaining or losing temperature, or allowing it to "rest" after a discharge, to redistribute the electron balance within the cell. Sometimes it's hard to remember, but batteries are chemical, and chemical processes are a lot slower than electronics.