Advice re batteries and chargers

[Sparkky]

Realise that some of my batteries are getting beyond their best, as is, I suspect, the charger I’ve been using, so just had a look at Fogstar’s site.......and got a bit confused.!
I’m after some 18650 for my Swags, which would be best to use? I was thinking of XTAR VC4 for charging and would mainly use a wall socket so can I use any USB plug?
Thanking you kindly in advance.

 

[Deleted member 54254]

Get this to go with your charger.

https://www.fogstar.co.uk/collections/xtar-chargers/products/xtar-uk-plug-1

 

[RAPTOREX]

Realise that some of my batteries are getting beyond their best, as is, I suspect, the charger I’ve been using, so just had a look at Fogstar’s site.......and got a bit confused.!
I’m after some 18650 for my Swags, which would be best to use? I was thinking of XTAR VC4 for charging and would mainly use a wall socket so can I use any USB plug?
Thanking you kindly in advance.

Any usb plug adaptor will work. But you need a higher output unit, like that linked by @John R, for the faster charging rates.
I've a Nitecore i4, but if I bought now, the VC4 would be my choice.

 

[oORobOo]

Battery wise the Molicell P26A, P28A and Sony VTC5d are all really solid with not much between them. I plug my VC4 into my phone's fast charger plug and it works a treat. Go for an Xtar charger, my last 2 Nitecores both smoked and one melted and nearly burnt my house down, really not cool

 

[WaitFor1t88]

vc4s version is the one to grab, the updated vc4 , as said above make sure to get the adaptor for the quickest charge time on multiple cells

depends what wattage on the swag really, under 40w vtc6 or 30q , above p26a or the sony vtc5d or the 5a

personal choice would be vtc6 or p26a

 

[Deleted member 58360]

Any usb plug adaptor will work.

That's not strictly true...

If you use a 1.5A psu and put batteries in the outer slots, the display flashes and it does nothing else.

You can put a pair in the middle slots though - it'll only charge at 0.5A per cell.

If you use, say, a 700mA psu you can only charge one cell at a time, in the middle slots.

If you're not going to get a 2A+ psu to go with it, the 4 bay charger is pointless.

The charger may be able to charge at lower rates, but it always tries the highest rate first - if the PSU isn't capable of supplying enough current it'll fault out rather than drop down.

 

[RAPTOREX]

That's not strictly true...

If you use a 1.5A psu and put batteries in the outer slots, the display flashes and it does nothing else.

You can put a pair in the middle slots though - it'll only charge at 0.5A per cell.

If you use, say, a 700mA psu you can only charge one cell at a time, in the middle slots.

If you're not going to get a 2A+ psu to go with it, the 4 bay charger is pointless.

The charger may be able to charge at lower rates, but it always tries the highest rate first - if the PSU isn't capable of supplying enough current it'll fault out rather than drop down.

Perhaps not strictly, but effectively.

 

[Deleted member 58360]

Perhaps not strictly, but effectively.

I wouldn't call it effectively, I'd call it a pain in the ass

 

[Richard Winter]

As previous comments, the VC4's are great chargers and for maximum charge on a full bay get the increased current adaptor plug, will pay dividends.
I've had two Nitecore D4's, both over 4 yrs and never had any issues with them other than they charge the batteries at a lower rate, which isn't a bad thing. The only downside of the D4 is it's won't accommodate 20700/21700 batteries whereas the VC4's do.

 

[RAPTOREX]

As previous comments, the VC4's are great chargers and for maximum charge on a full bay get the increased current adaptor plug, will pay dividends.
I've had two Nitecore D4's, both over 4 yrs and never had any issues with them other than they charge the batteries at a lower rate, which isn't a bad thing. The only downside of the D4 is it's won't accommodate 20700/21700 batteries whereas the VC4's do.

Indeed so. I have to say, though I'd replace it with the Xtar, the Nitecore has been faultless. An exception being my inability to switch off 1500mah charging on the thing. I was messin and switched it on, now can't switch it off, ffs. I charge 21700's, usually signally, and would much prefer the lower charge rate. It's minor, which shows how good the charger is.