Best 18650 Battery Chargers

Lithium-ion cell is a rechargeable battery wherein during discharge lithium ion move from the negative to the positive electrode and reverses during charging. Lithium-Ion batteries when compared to the metallic lithium used in a non-rechargeable lithium compound as one electrode uses intercalated lithium compound. Li-Ion batteries are a prevalent battery type to be seen in our homes. They are one of the most used and known species of a rechargeable cell for mobile electronics, and they have a high energy density, low self-discharge, and tiny mercury effect. Lithium-Ion Battery is also becoming very popular for military, battery-electric vehicles etc.

These batteries can constitute a very high safety risk since they contain flammable electrolyte which is very risky and may be kept pressurized. A short circuit can occur if a battery is charged too quickly thereby leading to fire and explosions. Therefore, charging at a considerate current is adviced. Also the use of stabilizers can help in normalizing the current of power, giving the battery a moderate power supply during charge.

Batteries are of high importance in any battery operated gadget/device. Rechargeable batteries are more expensive as it needs battery charger alongside with the battery compared to the use and throw batteries but are good worth of money. Rechargeable batteries use different combinations of electrolyte and electrode materials examples are: lead acid, nickel cadmium, lithium ion (Li-Ion) etc.

Lithium-Ion based batteries are a dynamic way of storing energy; they have a very high energy density and specified energy amidst rechargeable batteries. They cannot be charged by a regular power supply like the capacitor or other kinds of battery. They need to be charged with a limited current up to a specific voltage, otherwise, they might explode. Such a high rate of energy in a portable and tight packaged gadget/device can be very harmful. However, due to their relatively high voltage, they are instrumental in electronics.

Charging lithium-ion batteries are simpler than nickel-based systems. The charge circuit is simple, straightforward, more comfortable to accommodate voltage and current limitations than analyzing complex voltage signature which alters as the battery ages., Lithium-ion does need not saturation as it applied to the case with lead acid and the charging process can be intermittent. The absence of trickle charge also simplified the charger.

When choosing the best and efficient battery charger for use, so many factors are to be considered. There are hundreds or thousands of models advertising supplementary features but finding the one that exclusively suits your choice can be challenging or tricky most times. Batteries come in various familiar sizes such as AAA, AA, C, and D in both rechargeable and single-use types. The rechargeable lithium-ion 18650 battery has a dimension of 18mm across by 65 mm long and its designation depends on these dimensions. This battery needs a specialized charger to keep it sound and functioning. Generally, green lights indicate a full charge. The full charge takes about four to eight hours, the indicator may glow red or green during charging. It is not advisable to leave batteries in the charger for more than an hour after it has changed completely. Always follow the operating instructions exactly the way they are. Charging and discharging of the battery is a chemical reaction, but in Lithium Ion, it is a different case. The Lithium Ion charger has a voltage limiting ability that is similar to the lead acid system. The variability in Lithium Ion depends on the higher voltage per cell, the absence of trickle, tighter voltage tolerances and float charge at full charge. Lithium-Ion manufacturers are extremely strict in its settings; this is because the battery (Lithium Ion) can accept overcharge; however, it can only take what it can absorb because it is a clean system.

Unlike rechargeable lead-acid batteries which offer some flexibility regarding voltage cut off, 18650 Lithium Ion batteries should not be topped off and don't need to be fully charged. Lithium-Ion batteries undergo several stages when recharging, at stage one which is the constant current stage - the voltage increases at constant current, at step two which is the saturation charge stage - voltage peaks and current decreases, at stage three which is the ready stage - charge is at zero current which indicates a complete charge, stage four is the standby stage - there is a discontinuous topping charge.

Lithium-Ion battery undergoes high a high level of stress at a high voltage saturation thereby reducing its life. Its battery is fully charged when the current falls to a certain level at the end of stage two. Lithium-Ion battery charger is designed specifically for Nuon 18650 - NURE18650-1.

18650 Battery Charger

Users should not overuse batteries to the extent that the voltage drops below 3.6 volts, this can be measured using a multimeter if there is no voltage indicator on the charger. Charging over-drained battery can be dangerous, especially is they have been flat for a very long period. It takes a good battery analyzer to identify the battery charge level and capacity and recharge them with its boost function. If Lithium Ion battery drains below 2.5volts per cell, its safety circuit tends to open, making the battery seam dead.

Long Period Storage

Users with an intention to store these batteries for an extended period should discharge them to 40 percent before storing them in a cool dry place such as in a refrigerator. Saving a Lithium-Ion laptop battery which is fully charged for an extended period tends to reduce the battery lifespan.

During Partial Discharge

It is also recommended that users should recharge Lithium Ion batteries when they notice a partial discharge because they do not have a digital charge memory for about the first 30 charges. A complete discharge to the designated cutoff point helps in preventing the so-called digital memory, and it decreases the accuracy of the charger's power gauge.

Types of 18650 Battery Charger

18650 battery charger comes with different settings and terminal types. Just choose the charger that suits your choice, it might be a two cell charger meant for e-cigarette or a multi-charger that holds other size cells. Smart chargers relate to the Battery Management System (BMS) of intelligent battery park through multiple terminals. Chargers with EU wall plug are perfect for travelers, users using chargers into an AC socket can buy portable models that can be plugged into a car's cigarette charger or USB slot.

When selecting a good battery charger, the following factors are most important therefore should be considered.

Speed: Charger that can charge batteries faster and can handle two batteries at 1.0amps likewise four batteries at 0.5 amps.

Charging Accuracy: Charging accuracy should be considered as the user might need a lithium-ion battery 18650 charger that will charge your battery to 4.2 volts. Overcharging of battery does more harm than good to it.

Battery Safety: When dealing with batteries with high discharge rate which requires a lot of power and care in handling. It is necessary to get a charger that will handle it safely.

When the current in a disposable or primary battery is very low to power the device, users should get rid of them by disposing of them safely since it cannot be recharged. The chemical reaction of a battery can be reversed by applying an electrical charge to depleted rechargeable or secondary batteries. To avoid expensive primary battery replacement on some devices such as laptops and cameras that consume a considerable amount of energy, rechargeable batteries are required. A typical rechargeable 18650 battery can serve well. Consumers can as well choose protected or unprotected 18650 battery. However, some failures can occur when using simple unprotected circuits in the battery but it is less expensive, unprotected cells are applicable in some applications such as LED flashlight. Unprotected 18650 Lithium Ion cells are powerful and hence should be handled with care as directed by the manufactures to avoid short circuits. The manufacturer often recommends cells with short circuit resistant protected circuits. The circuit adds 2mm to 3mm to the length of the cell, and consumers should make sure the cell fits well in the device. Consumers should recharge Protected-circuit cells with the charger which are specifically designed for these batteries.

Steps and Guidelines for Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries:

· Make sure the device is disconnected and turned off while charging to allow the current without hindrance during saturation.

· Avoid charging at freezing temperature, charge at a reasonable temperature.

· Lithium-Ion need not be fully charged, it is better to be partially charged.

· If battery or charger gets excessively warm, please discontinue to use it.

· Always apply some charge to an empty battery before it is stored.

Important Attributes of 18650 Lithium Ion Battery Charger

· It recharges lithium, NiMH and NICd cells. It automatically detects the inserted battery.

· It adjusts the behavior of charging, the status of each battery is indicated by the LED, and selects appropriate voltage and charge mode.

· It automatically identifies Lithium Ion, NiMH and NiCd rechargeable batteries.

· All the battery slots charge independently.

· Each of the battery's charging progress is displayed on the 3 color LED.