Nitecore Intelligent Charger - 4 bay or 2 bay?

[toots]

Jun 4, 2014 13:43:06 GMT DiscoDes said:

AHHHHH! just found it!

"Precautions:
1. When charging a single battery in the I4, the charging
current can reach as high as 750mA, which exceeds the
current many Ni-MH/Ni-Cd AAA and 10440 Li-ion batteries
can withstand. For this reason, under no circumstances
should a single AAA or 10440 battery be charged on its
own, as potential overheating, damage or even explosion
may occur.
2. Due to the aforementioned reasons, it is recommended that
a minimum of two (2) AAA or 10440 rechargeable batteries
are placed into the charging slots together. When charging
two batteries in the I4, be sure to always place them in
either slot 1 and 3 or slot 2 and 4."

Haha, I've already typed that in a post above. You must have been typing yours out when I was already posting mine

[ronaldo]

love it just love it I have been working with these chargers for years and I didn't know that but we go through that many batteries at work we never have a empty slot anyway so it makes no difference to me at work I just make sure I use the same type/size and same brand in all slots and leave it to do its job

[DiscoDes]

Jun 4, 2014 13:43:06 GMT DiscoDes said:

AHHHHH! just found it!

"Precautions:
1. When charging a single battery in the I4, the charging
current can reach as high as 750mA, which exceeds the
current many Ni-MH/Ni-Cd AAA and 10440 Li-ion batteries
can withstand. For this reason, under no circumstances
should a single AAA or 10440 battery be charged on its
own, as potential overheating, damage or even explosion
may occur.
2. Due to the aforementioned reasons, it is recommended that
a minimum of two (2) AAA or 10440 rechargeable batteries
are placed into the charging slots together. When charging
two batteries in the I4, be sure to always place them in
either slot 1 and 3 or slot 2 and 4."

HOWEVER

I think this is only for when you charge small cells like AAA or 10440 to leave a air gap to aid cooling is the reason, I guess.

ALSO

It does not mention that you cannot charge different battery chemistry types side by side, i.e. a LiIon next to a NiMh next to a NiCd anywhere, I wonder if you could do this? I only ever put one type on at a time as I have some NiMh that I use in a radio that i charge but I never mix them with my E-cig LiIon batteries.

Am I being over cautious ???

[ronaldo]

I don't know the answer for that one DiscoDes I will find out for you when I get back to work though but I always say if in doubt leave it out go for the safety option

[toots]

Jun 4, 2014 13:49:28 GMT DiscoDes said:

Jun 4, 2014 13:43:06 GMT DiscoDes said:

AHHHHH! just found it!

"Precautions:
1. When charging a single battery in the I4, the charging
current can reach as high as 750mA, which exceeds the
current many Ni-MH/Ni-Cd AAA and 10440 Li-ion batteries
can withstand. For this reason, under no circumstances
should a single AAA or 10440 battery be charged on its
own, as potential overheating, damage or even explosion
may occur.
2. Due to the aforementioned reasons, it is recommended that
a minimum of two (2) AAA or 10440 rechargeable batteries
are placed into the charging slots together. When charging
two batteries in the I4, be sure to always place them in
either slot 1 and 3 or slot 2 and 4."

HOWEVER

I think this is only for when you charge small cells like AAA or 10440 to leave a air gap to aid cooling is the reason, I guess.

ALSO

It does not mention that you cannot charge different battery chemistry types side by side, i.e. a LiIon next to a NiMh next to a NiCd anywhere, I wonder if you could do this? I only ever put one type on at a time as I have some NiMh that I use in a radio that i charge but I never mix them with my E-cig LiIon batteries.

Am I being over cautious ???

Aha, you can charge different types as in No 3 under Precautions it says:

When charging different battery types simultaneously (for exaple, li-ion 26550 and AAA), always ensure solid contact is made between both sides of the battery and the charging slot's metal contact points

[toots]

Jun 4, 2014 13:52:20 GMT ronaldo said:

I don't know the answer for that one DiscoDes I will find out for you when I get back to work though but I always say if in doubt leave it out go for the safety option

Just posted the answer ronaldo

So much for putting my feet up I haven't managed to get off this flippin forum yet

[DiscoDes]

Jun 4, 2014 13:54:56 GMT toots said:

Jun 4, 2014 13:49:28 GMT DiscoDes said:

Aha, you can charge different types as in No 3 under Precautions it says:

When charging different battery types simultaneously (for exaple, li-ion 26550 and AAA), always ensure solid contact is made between both sides of the battery and the charging slot's metal contact points

toots

BUT....... Do you think that's different battery "TYPES" or different battery "CHEMISTRY" (which would need a different charge profile) ?

It's not very clear is it?

BTW I love mine


BTW how are you getting on with that little ICR 18350?

[ronaldo]

I have just taken a look at the charging circuit diagram on my computer and looking at the board and the way that the currant flows through the thyristors on the board I would not mix different types of battery as the different characteristics of different batterys and differing heat levels would make the charging circuit unstable sorry for being technical but I think you know what I am saying stick to one type of battery and don't mix them I could delve a lot deeper into the technicalities but it would get to complicated for most even though I think you DiscoDes could probably understand what I was going on about but I will leave it at that stick to 1 type mate

[lairey]

Deleted - got sidetracked and asked and answered 

[DiscoDes]

Jun 4, 2014 14:01:12 GMT ronaldo said:

I have just taken a look at the charging circuit diagram on my computer and looking at the board and the way that the currant flows through the thyristors on the board I would not mix different types of battery as the different characteristics of different batterys and differing heat levels would make the charging circuit unstable sorry for being technical but I think you know what I am saying stick to one type of battery and don't mix them I could delve a lot deeper into the technicalities but it would get to complicated for most even though I think you DiscoDes could probably understand what I was going on about but I will leave it at that stick to 1 type mate

Thanks ronaldo i'll stick to one CHEMISTRY type then, as I always have.

If you have the circuit diagram there you can answer the bit about the channels:

1. is it 4 seperate charging channels?
2. Or is it 2 channels split in 2? (1+3 & 2+4) or something else?

[toots]

Jun 4, 2014 14:01:12 GMT ronaldo said:

I have just taken a look at the charging circuit diagram on my computer and looking at the board and the way that the currant flows through the thyristors on the board I would not mix different types of battery as the different characteristics of different batterys and differing heat levels would make the charging circuit unstable sorry for being technical but I think you know what I am saying stick to one type of battery and don't mix them I could delve a lot deeper into the technicalities but it would get to complicated for most even though I think you DiscoDes could probably understand what I was going on about but I will leave it at that stick to 1 type mate

Oh, so we take no notice of their precautionary number 3 text: When charging different battery types simultaneously (for example, li-ion 26550 and AAA), always ensure solid contact is made between both sides of the battery and the charging slot's metal contact points

Why do they state that then ??? in their instructions. Oh well, I have been charging up a 18350 battery along with a 18650 battery - coz I've only got one 18350 battery until I get my next delivery of batteries from fasttech, which hopefully should be sometime this week or early next week.

[VapingBad]

2 batteries on i4:
I have read elsewhere several times:

The shared slots are to split the 750 mA current so each battery only gets up to 350 mA as DiscoDes said (not sure how well this would work if one charge much quicker than the other).

But for larger lithium batteries you want the opposite as each channel pair shares 750 mA, so want the bigger batteries on different channels to get faster charging of up to 750 mA each.

This is just from memory and I don't have a Nitecore, so double check before you relay on this.

ronaldo does this seem correct with the schematic?

[ronaldo]

1+3 and 2+4 for definite I would love to send you the schematics mate but with them only being on the works computer and they get every circuit ever made and being confidential I cant but there is never anything to stop me answering questions

[ronaldo]

Jun 4, 2014 14:10:55 GMT VapingBad said:

2 batteries on i4:
I have read elsewhere several times:

The shared slots are to split the 750 mA current so each battery only gets up to 350 mA as DiscoDes said (not sure how well this would work if one charge much quicker than the other).

But for larger lithium batteries you want the opposite as each channel pair shares 750 mA, so want the bigger batteries on different channels to get faster charging of up to 750 mA each.

This is just from memory and I don't have a Nitecore, so double check before you relay on this.

ronaldo does this seem correct with the schematic?

correct just checked

[toots]

Jun 4, 2014 14:00:49 GMT DiscoDes said:

toots

BUT....... Do you think that's different battery "TYPES" or different battery "CHEMISTRY" (which would need a different charge profile) ?

It's not very clear is it?

BTW I love mine


BTW how are you getting on with that little ICR 18350?

Fab Des it's working a treat. Just the right size for my Caravela. Luckily I ordered 3 more of those same batteries from FT before the problem with sending out batteries via Malaysia post, so they are on their way to me. They'd already left Malaysia thank God Just waiting for them to arrive at my door now.