Exploding Charger

[Karma]

Mar 29, 2012 23:13:27 GMT dave said:

I've got a TR-001 that I used for months and it worked OK, although I think it is worth getting something better eventually. What I did have to do though was change the figure of 8 lead that came with it since it had fake BS markings on it and clearly did not meet the standards - worth checking!

How did you know that it was a fake BS marking?

I changed the fuse in mine from 13amp to 3 amp!

[alvoram]

BSi standards aren't always what you think tbh, where I worked, we manufactured to BSi standards, but it had little to do with the actual quality of the products, more to do with manufacturing procedures, simple things like maintaining clean working environments, and lean manufacturing. It did include things like checking we were following our own quality control procedures, in fairness, though....

However, in the electronics industry, the most widely recognised standards of safety and manufacturing quality, especially in assembly and soldering are IPC, with IPC class III being the highest, and the standard we had to reach in assembly of boards for things such as fire fighting equipment, sports cars, etc.

I should really have known better than to order a cheap chinese prodcut, knowing they don't adhere to many standards, however I really didn't expect it to be anywhere near as bad as what I found inside that charger. Dave I will check the lead

[dave]

Karma if you want to check a lead, you will find some information and a link in this thread:
allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=5235&page=1#118419
@alvo I came to exactly the same conclusion mate and got a Pila. I haven't taken it to pieces so all I can say is it seems well made. I have been using it for quite a while and it is quick and accurate, I am very pleased with it. If you want to save a few bob, I got mine here:
www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?252650-AW-Li-Ion-amp-IMR-Batteries-Sales-Thread-*USA*-amp-international-***Part-2***
He also does AW batteries at a good price

[Karma]

It looks like the one I have is a fake

Have ordered one from safercigs, it's just not worth the risk!

[alvoram]

Thanks Dave, definitely the way forward when I've got the money, I will already have the TR-001, so if I'm going to upgrade, may as well get the best. especially after this experience

Which leads do chargers use, mine hasn't arrived yet, but I'd assumed it was a figure 8 lead, the type that doesn't use the earth pin... I have loads of them, they are the PAS 003:1994 types... with completely plastic earth pins. Do I need to get a different one if the one that comes on the charger is fake, or is a 3amp one of these ok?

I can't believe they're selling leads with fake fuses in, going to all the effort of making fake fuses, surely it wouldn't be too much harder to just manufacture, or use, a fuse that actually works

[maccafan]

Anyone wanting some additional peace of mind, buy one of these, replace it with a 3 amp fuse and write 3A on top of it with a black marker and plug your chargers into these instead of rushing off to buy new chargers..

[Karma]

This one will be ok?

www.safercigs.co.uk/Xtar_WP2_II_Li-ion_Charger/p705283_5773951.aspx

[vereybowring]

Yeah, people seem to find that one better than the trustfire.

A Pila charger is even better but costs a lot more - but then again it has even more safety features.

Just down to budget really, I'd love a Pila charger but will be getting an xtar quite soon myself.

[Deleted]

ok now you are worrying me i have a charger supplied with my lavatube that has a small 3 pin plug with no fuse so i opened and no fuse inside i guess i should consider this unsafe and the plug then replace with a british kite marked plug with a 3 amp fuse or will it have any other device to make it cut out
its a li-ion charger model number PDC-03 ???

[Roger]

I have the Xtar WP2 II. It is a very good little charger. It has a USB plug, so you can actually charge a Tornegoriva battery from something like a 18650, handy.

[X&Y]

Mar 30, 2012 16:20:42 GMT vereybowring said:

Yeah, people seem to find that one better than the trustfire.

A Pila charger is even better but costs a lot more - but then again it has even more safety features.

Just down to budget really, I'd love a Pila charger but will be getting an xtar quite soon myself.

Mmm

In the video that Perps posted on my lavatube thread

The woman reviewing mentions the Pila but states that it does not stop charging the batteries when they reach 4.0/4.2 whereas the Xtar does.

Sort of implying that the xtar is better.

Although i am a complete novice with regards to electrics so i'll it to those in the know.

[maccafan]

I think people are getting unnecessarily worried..

I have had many a computer power supply blow up while I was sat right next to it..Some well branded one's too..Most modern house wiring has RCD's fitted and they'll protect you..

For additional peace of mind you can buy a fused plug adapter and plug the charger into that.

The Li-Ion batteries do not need trickle charging like Lead Acid batteries. Most Li-Ion chargers will charge upto 4.15 volts rapidly and then do what is called a top off charge at 0.05 C upto 4.2 volts and then cut out. It makes no difference to their performace whether they are at 4.15 or 4.2 volts so far as I am aware.

If you want some good researched and validated information, you can peruse links at:

batteryuniversity.com/

[alvoram]

The reviews I read said that was the other way around, the Pila does stop, and the xtar will carry on, whilst only "being up to a max of ~300uA" so undetectable unless on the uA setting of your DMM.

This is from a review directly comparing different chargers.

The Pila charger is probably the “standard” by which all Li-ion chargers are judged. Well designed, it uses a proper Constant-Current/Constant-Voltage charging regimen with proper termination (i.e. current shuts off once the cell reaches full charge). Features two independent channels. You can also top-up your nearly-full cells by manually forcing a charge (i.e. most chargers won’t charge cells that exceed ~4.0V).

With the bundled spacers, you can charge everything from 14500 and up. Although the Pila will also charge 16340 (RCR) with additional spacers, this really isn’t the ideal charger for them (i.e. the charge and cut-off current may be a bit high for them). However, the Pila should be reasonably safe on RCR thanks to its “intelligent” charging algorithm.

www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?307580-Xtar-WP2-and-MP1-%2818650-Chargers%29-Review-Comparison-to-Pila-DSD-DX.6105-Chargers

Macca: My house has RCD protection, and it usually triggers, but yesterday it didn't for some reason. Don't think anybody is over reacting, just being careful what they buy, learning from my mistakes, which I think is great. Lets put things into perspective though, from what I've learnt so far... As long as you have a reasonable charger, for instance, Trustfire, Xtar, or Pila, with a correctly fused lead (3A) you should hopefully be fine, is that fair to say?

[dave]

As I think alvo is saying - just use a decent figure of 8 lead with a 3 amp fuse in it. I had several lying about as well from long gone audio/TV kit, or you can buy one quite cheaply. There must be thousands of TR-001 chargers in daily use with no problem, but I have heard of several cases where a faulty lead had caused a problem.

[maccafan]

Mar 30, 2012 17:25:49 GMT alvoram said:

Macca: My house has RCD protection, and it usually triggers, but yesterday it didn't for some reason. Don't think anybody is over reacting, just being careful what they buy, learning from my mistakes, which I think is great. Lets put things into perspective though, from what I've learnt so far... As long as you have a reasonable charger, for instance, Trustfire, Xtar, or Pila, with a correctly fused lead (3A) you should hopefully be fine, is that fair to say?

I would get that RCD checked straightaway. That would worry me a hell of a lot more than a bang from a charger.

I only said people are getting unnecessarily worried. Capacitors make a lot of noise when they go but hardly cause any damage. Computer PSU's are massive compared to a charger with much higher currents and voltages and hence much larger capacitors and they make a god awful bang when they go but there is hardly ever any debris to do any damage. I have experienced several, and I mean several, go off during stress testing/burn in testing when I had the case cover off and sitting right next to them.

If I wanted added peace of mind I would get a fused 2/3 way plug adapter which costs abou a pound and plug my charger into it instead of running to buy another charger costing £15-£20.

However, if buying a new charger is what gives people reassurance and peace of mind that's what they'll do. Just opining that there is a alternative.