Slow, med or fast - 18650 - Best charge rate?

[Ancient Hermit]

Hi all, my charged has 0.25, 0.5 and 1.00 amp charge rates. The cells are AW IMR 18650. I looked up the data and apparently and those can accept 4 amp fast charge maximum, so even at 1 amp it's not exactly going to be pushing things to extremes.

However what is the best way for the battery chemistry? Take it slower if you got time? Or is the 1 amp just as good?

I'd like to preserve the life of the batteries obviously, just wondering if any of this can help enough to be worth doing?

I know some battery chemistry types don't like a deep discharge (these probably falling into that category I think), and others like a small use then a quick top up, others again appreciate a full cycle, but while still avoiding deeper discharges.

I've only just gotten over fully figuring out NiMH and all it's foibles and I have not yet found out about these ones in the same way yet.

Has anyone got  some words of wisdom about charging rates for me please? ???

[Kaaru]

Slow.

takes longer but batteries charge fuller and less stress ....blah blah etc, as I once read

So, I simply do it slow now.

Tempting to press the button to speed it up, and I`m sure now and again it won`t harm if you`re in a rush - but easier to just wait and not worry about it.

Batteryuniversity is the place to read about all the boring bits about batteries....clever stuff but ultimately zzZZZ

[Ancient Hermit]

Jul 15, 2013 12:34:26 GMT Kaaru said:

Slow.

Thank you very much.

I've just switched it down from 0.5 to 0.25!

I was playing it down the middle, but I have used 1.0 about 3 to 5 times on each cell so far. Hope I have not made them too much worse for doing that. <shrug>

[Kaaru]

You won`t have done them any harm, but over the long term - slower = better
they charge more to capacity as well....

You can`t go mad though and let the batteries rule your life - if I wanted to fast charge one, I would do.

[ChillerVapes]

Posh gits lol
I stick with my no frills trusty trustfire charger.
Red light charging, green light and a hum charged.

[Kaaru]

They even say it`s best to not charge li-ions to full capacity - but you have to draw the line somewhere.

[Kaaru]

Red light charging, green light and a hum charged....slight orange glow, fetch fire extinguisher

Joking...before anyone has a fit about getting burned alive.

[Ancient Hermit]

Yes, quite! I used BattUni for the NiMH debacle and I am nearly over that after a year or three, just not quite ready for another bucket full of that stuff yet as I have my hands and head full with learning in general about vaping! Got mixing to learn a bit about first, but once I got a mix I can vape all day then I'll maybe feel a bit more like it I guess! Then again there is wicking still to learn as well LOL

[Ancient Hermit]

Jul 15, 2013 12:42:02 GMT ChillerVapes said:

Posh gits lol
I stick with my no frills trusty trustfire charger.
Red light charging, green light and a hum charged.

I made quite a mess of buying my first kit and the chargers I "elected" to buy for that - I was rewarded by terrible performance, that very nearly made me give vaping a miss altogether. So I sort of bought my way out of trouble, went with a vamo which has helped hugely, and spent the extra fiver on the next battery charger up - was well worth the extra bit of cash and trouble that time!  Spesh if one gets to be called a posh git, fair made my day, as that does not happen all that often in my neighbourhood! 

[Ancient Hermit]

Jul 15, 2013 12:45:50 GMT Kaaru said:

Red light charging, green light and a hum charged....slight orange glow, fetch fire extinguisher

Joking...before anyone has a fit about getting burned alive.

Given the anecdotal reports, I am a bit suspicious of anything for charging these things having the word "fire" in it's name! LOL 

[Kaaru]

I must be proper Royal having a Pila...which I don`t use now n favour of the Xtar with charging display....ooer !!

it`s all what gets you through in the end without worrying isn`t it....

Edit: buy what you can afford, not the absolute cheapest - and you can`t go too far wrong.

[Ancient Hermit]

Jul 15, 2013 12:59:01 GMT Kaaru said:

I must be proper Royal having a Pila...which I don`t use now n favour of the Xtar with charging display....ooer !!

it`s all what gets you through in the end without worrying isn`t it....

Edit: buy what you can afford, not the absolute cheapest - and you can`t go too far wrong.

Xtar, snap! LOL  :DVP1?

[Kaaru]

I don`t even know which version this one is...this newest one has a display at the front showing the level of charge, boring, but informative

[Roger]

I have the Xtar WPII which will charge at 0.5 and 1 amp. I tend to charge at 0.5 and my batteries seem to be lasting well. My first 18650 were Sanyo 2400mah (from torchy) and they are nearly 2 years old and used every day.

[Karma]

I bought this charger, it works it all out for me

www.vapegear.co.uk/product/luc

I had my other charger set at 0.5 for all batteries