Kevo88 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I got some more newbie questions for you guys, this time in regards to batteries and chargers. At the moment, I've got 1 18650 battery that is getting daily use in my kanger subox mini. I'm also charging through the subox directly, mainly because I haven't gotten around to buying a proper charger. So, first question. Should I have more than one battery, and switch off between them? Will this be important for battery life and or safety? Am I ok charging directly through the unit, or should a charger be high on my "to buy" list? I read somewhere that the subox has overcharge/ discharge protection, but the manual only mentions the discharge safety. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Charging through the unit (pass-through) is not an issue... that is why that port is there... not everyone has multiple batteries and chargers Yes, having more batteries is always a good thing... because you can swap them out as needed, and you're not tethered to a USB cord while it is charging. Also, the best reason is in case a battery fails during charge-cycle (rare, but can happen), which could spell disaster for you.I recommend having at least 2 batteries for your mod (at minimum). Label the batteries when you buy them, with the date and a letter (A-B-C-D), so you can remember which one is next in rotation... (ie. Pull battery-B, insert battery-C), and how old they are. This will ensure each battery is used equally, and they will provide max-life that way.For an external charger, buy a NiteCore i2 or i4! Their D2/D4 chargers look cool, but don't work any better than the i-series, they only cost more. For batteries... you can't go wrong with Samsung 25r or LG HE2. Purple eFest are probably over-kill in Amp-rating for your box, but still will work fine, but the Samsung are probably the lowest cost of the recommended batteries (I have more than a dozen of them, so I can say "I trust them"). texassmokes and Adversarious1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonculp Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I would personally put it pretty high on my list. It isn't a total necessity, but it is very convenient.I rotate 8 batteries in my electronic mods. This not only spreads the load out between many batteries, but it is another form of backups. It is also nice when one runs down, to just pop in another and keep vaping.The chargers are much more sophisticated and safer than the onboard one.Here is the charger I recommend: Nitecore i4 IntellichargerHere are some good batteries that are not too expensive: 18650 Samsung INR18650-25R or 18650 LG 18650HE2 Dang, I am a bit slow today Earthling! texassmokes and Earthling789 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I just type faster But, we're on the same page! jasonculp and texassmokes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevo88 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Awesome! Thanks for the recommendations guys! At under 30 bucks for the charger and a couple of batteries, it seems like a no-brainer.I like the auto-detect feature on that charger. Probably because I have no idea what kind of battery is in there now, aside from the size, which is kind of scary, come to think of it. The shop I bought it from rewrapped it to match my mod, and never mentioned the brand. I'll have to stop over there and ask them what the heck they gave me. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonculp Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 The vendor I linked to is relatively unknown to me. I have only ordered from them a couple of times. Both orders were quick, and as ordered. I just knew that would be the quickest place to find both. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) Yeah, an unknown battery is not a good thing... it could be one of those $0.99 Ultrafire or Trustfire batteries. I would find out what you have!I've been buying my Samsung batteries, and my last NiteCore charger, from Amazon lately... The charger was $15, and the last set of 4 batteries were $21, so yes, you can get a charger and pair of batteries for under $30, and if you have PRIME, you can have them in 2-days or less, with free shipping.Oh, and I picked up a pair of LG HE2 last week from the local Walgreen's drug store... $5/each, so you may check your local drugstore too Edited July 19, 2015 by Earthling789 texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevo88 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Something about a 0.99 makes me nervous. They're closed today, but I'll give em a call in the morning. They seemed to carry mostly only higher end mods and such, so I hope they wouldn't skimp on the batts. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonculp Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I've been buying my Samsung batteries, and my last NiteCore charger, from Amazon lately... The charger was $15, and the last set of 4 batteries were $21, so yes, you can get a charger and pair of batteries for under $30, and if you have PRIME, you can have them in 2-days or less, with free shipping.I bought my first 2 Samsungs from Amazon. The next 2 and 2 35A Efests from a online Vape store. The last 4 Samsungs were from Illum. The 2 I got from the Vape store do not look like the others (rewrap?) and one of the Efests has already died. I probably will not buy from them again. I have had great luck with all of the other batteries I have bought. My original Sony VTC 4's from the Vapor Talk store, and Fadora Vapor are still going strong nearly a year later. I keep them and the EFest for my Mechanicals. If you take care of these batteries, they will last a long time! Oh, and I picked up a pair of LG HE2 last week from the local Walgreen's drug store... $5/each, so you may check your local drugstore too I am going to check this out. We are heading to Lubbock in a bit, to a Grandson's birthday party and there is a Wallgreens right down the street. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I've bought my last 10 Samsung from Amazon, and had zero failures or issues with them. One of the 5 I bought from the local B&M has died (would not take a charge) after 6-months or so. The Samsungs bought from Amazon came from two different sellers (both with thousands of reviews, and 99% positive), and all were PRIME shipped.The Walgreen's I spotted the LG's at had a card on the wall saying 18650 back-up batteries for the CPAP machines were behind the counter. I had to get them from the pharmacist, I presume to prevent shoplifting of such a small item? Both were individually boxed, and two came boxed together with a date-stamp on the outer box. I've only used them once so far (each), and they are working exactly the same as my Samsungs... so I call it a win! texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevo88 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hmm, I've got a walgreens about a mile away from me. May have to stop in And see if they have any. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 If they sell supplies for CPAP machines, they should, but I can't guarantee all of them will carry 18650's, or what brand they will have, if they do. I may have gotten lucky that my local store carried LG's... But, yes, it won't hurt to ask texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonculp Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I just ran across some interesting information about the -25r batteries. I have read that there are quite a few fakes out there. I have checked all of mine, and the ones I thought might be fake are in fact real.Check it out here: Is it a fake 18650 battery? (Featuring the Samsung 25R)Here is another interesting one: Green Samsung 18650 25R5 vs. Blue 25R2 texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Interesting info on the Green-wrapped 25r5's... same performance, as the blue 25r2, but higher lifecycle counts. I'll have to look for those next time I buy batteries!Thanks, Jason... good info texassmokes and jasonculp 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FXRich Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Haven't seen anything on the nitecore UM series chargers, they any good? texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Haven't seen anything on the nitecore UM series chargers, they any good?The UM chargers are basically the same as the D-series chargers (LCD displays), but they charge via USB, not AC power. They also have a port where you can charge a USB device, and you can select which device (battery or USB) charges first.If you are looking for a travel charger, the UM series will do well, but for home-use, I'd still recommend the i-series or d-series NiteCore chargers. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I have a UM-20 that I keep in my work truck. It works great, and I have had no issues with it. My home charger is the LucV4, it's a work horse. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FXRich Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I was thinking about getting a UM10 for the car, got 2 power ports in front seat 2 more in the back seat and 1 in the very back, figured I could use one during trips. texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cany Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Here is the charger I recommend: Nitecore i4 Intellicharger Jason will that charger also do AA-AAA rechargable type batts also? texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Jason will that charger also do AA-AAA rechargable type batts also?Yes... it will, but 1.5V batteries must be charged in pairs to prevent damage. Paired slots are 1&3, 2&4 texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cany Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Thanks Earthling does that mean it can only charge 2 at a time? texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) You're welcome!No, you can charge in all 4 slots at the same time, but you cannot charge ONE 1.5V battery at a time, as it will damage the battery. You must do them in pairs (2 or 4) at a time when charging 1.5V batteries (AAA, AA, C, D). Edited September 11, 2015 by Earthling789 texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cany Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Got ya what ya think of the d4 version of that charger texassmokes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthling789 Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 The D4 and i4 are the same, as far as their charging capability. The D4 has a pretty LCD readout that shows the status of the battery charging, Voltage, etc., but either does the job nicely. I have two of the i4's, and they just work... and for ~ $15/each, you can't beat the price jasonculp and texassmokes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cany Posted October 3, 2015 Share Posted October 3, 2015 Just ordered a D4 charger for home need to bring my 2 batt charger too work texassmokes, Earthling789 and jasonculp 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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