Two Sony VTC4 authentics have a smell when I recharge them

[joeyboy]

I have two Sony VTC4 batteries that I use in two of my mechs, a fuhattan and praxis. When I recharge them I can smell them. There is no discharge fluid, they are not bulging, do not take any longer to charge then before and do not lose their charge any quicker. I don't allow them to go below 3.7 before recharging. They are less than one year old and less than 50 recharge cycles.

Is this normal?

Thanks

I honestly cannot remember smelling this, but maybe I have. They do not get hot when I use them and stay in the 0.3-0.4 ohm range.

 

[raymo2u]

Most batteries I have charged in the 18650 realm have had a weird smell after they are fully charged, it could be the charger smell from being hot and the fan blowing on them, making the smell stay on them more. If you notice any other discrepancies I would recycle them and get a new charger.

What Amps are you charging them at and what charger are you using also?

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Are you using the grahamnoodle mod?

Seriously, If it's really strong of a smell, I would consider getting a different pair. Especially if you bought them off eBay or amazon. Are you over drawing them? Batteries are alot cheaper than medical attention. If they are legit cells I would be shocked that both have a problem. But, I've always sided with caution. Are

 

[joeyboy]

Most batteries I have charged in the 18650 realm have had a weird smell after they are fully charged, it could be the charger smell from being hot and the fan blowing on them, making the smell stay on them more. If you notice any other discrepancies I would recycle them and get a new charger.

What Amps are you charging them at and what charger are you using also?

I am using a Nitecore D2 and charging them at the standard LI charge rate. I am not using low voltage mode.

 

[raymo2u]

I am using a Nitecore D2 and charging them at the standard LI charge rate. I am not using low voltage mode.

Next time you charge them smell the Charger itself, if its stronger then what the batteries smell like then its the charger's heat smell on the batteries, if its just the batteries with that smell then I would suggest getting new batteries.

 

[joeyboy]

Are you using the grahamnoodle mod?

Seriously, If it's really strong of a smell, I would consider getting a different pair. Especially if you bought them off eBay or amazon. Are you over drawing them? Batteries are alot cheaper than medical attention. If they are legit cells I would be shocked that both have a problem. But, I've always sided with caution. Are

I got them from a legit site. I use the bathroom to charge so it is a small room. I smell both. One was more than the other. I think it is only one battery that smells. I smelled both when I took them out. I put the smelly one in my mod. It smells like nothing now. It wasn't really SMELLY but I could smell the chemical.

 

[joeyboy]

Next time you charge them smell the Charger itself, if its stronger then what the batteries smell like then its the charger's heat smell on the batteries, if its just the batteries with that smell then I would suggest getting new batteries.

I have two kinds of LGs I use. I will try that on them, too. If it is that it should do it on those, I would think. I am going to clean the contacts on the charger.

 

[joeyboy]

So I smelled the charger and I think it is coming from power supply. It doesn't get overly hot so I think the charger is fine. Definitely in the fins in the back. I feel better.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

good to see someone being vigilant. Keep it up, dude!

 

[wally]

Fins? I guess you mean heat sink? Some times heat sinks are glued on so it could be the glue making the smell after getting warm.

 

[dr_rox]

Fins? I guess you mean heat sink? Some times heat sinks are glued on so it could be the glue making the smell after getting warm.

The odor is more likely coming from the pc board substrate found in some chinese made stuff. It could be too thin or material is not heat resistant. PS's notoriously get hot when under-engineered (cheap) and when a component gets hot, it will cause the board to slowly cook and smell. Sometimes the anti-halation varnish will cook off too. The fins may protect/cool semiconductors, but e.g. shunting resistors do not get the same treatment, and I have found they are usually under-rated for the loads they are asked to handle.

One battery may 'smell' more than the other since the cooking component is close to it or the venting in the charger sends it that way.

If you turn off the lights and use a flashlight from the side, any smoke or dust will scatter the light in the air above the charger while it is workng, so you may be able to see some faint smoke or hot air rising if the background is dark.
Then you have to make a decision. Get a new one or not.
Some chargers will load up components when dumping lots of current at beginning of charge, or when it has to do something with the power after the battery is fully charged. Depends upon design.

 

[wally]

The odor is more likely coming from the pc board substrate found in some chinese made stuff. It could be too thin or material is not heat resistant. PS's notoriously get hot when under-engineered (cheap) and when a component gets hot, it will cause the board to slowly cook and smell. Sometimes the anti-halation varnish will cook off too. The fins may protect/cool semiconductors, but e.g. shunting resistors do not get the same treatment, and I have found they are usually under-rated for the loads they are asked to handle.

One battery may 'smell' more than the other since the cooking component is close to it or the venting in the charger sends it that way.

If you turn off the lights and use a flashlight from the side, any smoke or dust will scatter the light in the air above the charger while it is workng, so you may be able to see some faint smoke or hot air rising if the background is dark.
Then you have to make a decision. Get a new one or not.
Some chargers will load up components when dumping lots of current at beginning of charge, or when it has to do something with the power after the battery is fully charged. Depends upon design.

Everything you have said sounds good but still I would not eliminate the glue at the bottom of the heat sink. At work upon taking thousands of boards out of units I have noticed some of the glue being burnt at the base of the sinks. He did mention smelling it on the fins so who knows. Most of the boards that I have seen fail were due to shorts in or around connectors attached to the boards. The biggest fails are usually the capacitors next to the heat sinks and if this is the case it will have a smell always I have seen hundreds of these.