a better charger for flat top 18650 batteries?

[machinestatic]

Hey. So I've been using an xtar WP2 II battery charger for over a year, and it's held up great. However, the majority of the batteries I own are now flat top and they're kind of a pain to charge in this particular charger. (I have to fiddle with how I put them in the charger, and then pull them out a little bit so they make a connection.) Does anyone have a suggestion for a charger with a tighter fit for flat top 18650 batts, preferably something that doesn't break the bank? I don't need a huge crazy charger with 6 charging slots... 2 would be fine. I'm just not sure if xtar or Nitecore is better nowadays, and what model has a better fit. Thanks!

 

[Jayvaps]

I charge 18350 flat tops on the nitecore i4 with no problem. Not sure if there would be a difference with an 18650 flat top. I only have button top 18650's though to test, so not positive.

 

[Baditude]

The Xtar and Nitecore chargers in that price range are all going to use the same sliding bar to contain the batteries in the charging bays. They work better than the chargers that use a spring instead. You'll have to pay a little more to get a charger that uses spacers like the Pila to get away from springs and sliding bars.

Battery chargers at RTD Vapor

 

[BuGlen]

FYI: Best price I've seen on the Pila IBC 4 stage-charger (which I highly recommend) is at Illumination Supply.

https://illuminationsupply.com/char...ae7a0b94d41d7e42eb885c890b1d952b#.Uoks5fnkvig

 

[machinestatic]

FYI: Best price I've seen on the Pila IBC 4 stage-charger (which I highly recommend) is at Illumination Supply.

https://illuminationsupply.com/char...ae7a0b94d41d7e42eb885c890b1d952b#.Uoks5fnkvig

Thanks, I was in the middle of writing a reply that $50 is a little high, but this is a great price.

So Baditude/BuGlen, from experience, flat-top 18650's definitely fit better in the Pila? Does it come with separate button-top and flat-top spacers, or is there just a universal 18650 size you use with both? Because the batteries do differ in length, I think by about .05 mm.

Though for these prices, I could just order 5 or 6 BUTTON-top 18650's (2,000 mah) and keep using my old charger.

 

[BuGlen]

Thanks, I was in the middle of writing a reply that $50 is a little high, but this is a great price.

So Baditude/BuGlen, from experience, flat-top 18650's definitely fit better in the Pila? Does it come with separate button-top and flat-top spacers, or is there just a universal 18650 size you use with both? Because the batteries do differ in length, I think by about .05 mm.

Though for these prices, I could just order 5 or 6 BUTTON-top 18650's (2,000 mah) and keep using my old charger.

You don't need the spacers for the 18650 size batteries. I have Orbtronics (button top), AWs (button top), and Panasonics (flat top), and they all work fine in the Pila.

 

[Baditude]

The only flat top batteries I have are a couple of Efest IMR 18350 batteries. They have worked in every charger I've had (Pila, Nitecore i4) except for the Xtar WP6 II which uses those springs I talked about earlier. 18350 batteries keep popping out of the charging bay because of the tension of the springs on the batteries.

 

[supertrunker]

My wife and i both vape and use a lot of 18650 batteries. I have an Xtar VP1, because it's pretty and shiny, but the spring loaded bays have become hard to shift over time. So this might be worth a look:

18650 Li-ion Battery Charger Soshine SC-S1-MAX-Latest Generation.

i bought this a week ago and it will charge 4 18650s (i use maybe 2 a day at work) all at full power, all at the same time. And the springs in it are really smooth.

T

 

[The Vagabond]

4 Bay Efest LUC Multi-function Smart charger under $30

 

[Truetopath]

I use the xtar wp6 ii, it's a 6 bay charger but charges my flat top efest 18650's perfectly, and for $35 you can't go wrong


CASAA member 2013

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

 

[machinestatic]

Update: I did a little research and found a cheap solution... rare earth magnets. I picked up a couple for only $2.99, popped one on the top of a flat-top battery, and it fit into the charger exactly like a button-top. Very pleased.

 

[Baditude]

Update: I did a little research and found a cheap solution... rare earth magnets. I picked up a couple for only $2.99, popped one on the top of a flat-top battery, and it fit into the charger exactly like a button-top. Very pleased.

Sorry, this is NOT CONSIDERED A GOOD IDEA in my opinion. Adding earth magnets to flat top batteries is considered to be dangerous and practicing poor battery habits. Doesn't matter if this is done for a charger or a mod. Statistically, most bad battery incidents happen during charging, so using magnets on batteries in a charger just increases the risks involved.

In fact, manufacturers who design their APV's to work only with button top batteries will void the warranty if this practice is used:

"We recommend only using AW IMR high drain batteries in your ProVari.
You must use batteries that have a positive button on the top. Flat top batteries will not work. Installing magnet(s) on top of your battery is very dangrous and will void the warranty."

Quotation from Provape

 

[machinestatic]

Baditude, thanks for the info. Hmm, I find it odd that Provape has a warning about using magnets, while there are over a dozen vendors (for both e-cigs and flashlights) that sell rare earth magnets right on their site (to be used specifically as battery spacers). What are your thoughts on that?

Also - it seems like the warnings I can find refer to the battery sliding laterally to make contact with the metal housing of a mod. But I was NOT going to use the magnet in a mod, only in my charger (because it's made of plastic). I think I'll be okay, but if you think this is insane, please let me know.