Post by Outer Rim Armory on Oct 25, 2007 2:14:58 GMT -5
[glow=blue,9,900] UltraFire Li-Ion Battery Care and Charging. [/glow]
This is a quick tutorial for the Ultrafire Li-Ion Batteries. There are many types of Ultrafires available for just about any application, but we will be dealing with a set of Unprotected LC 14500 3.7V 900mAh Ultrafires (AA equivelant). This tutorial can be applied to the other types, although some may require special chargers for their specific design.
**NOTE- THESE BATTERIES ARE NOT SUITABLE TO USE IN STOCK MR SABERS!**
This is the charger that comes with the batteries.
This is the back of the charger.
Make sure you place the charger in an area that is not around any flammable materials, and is in a cool, dry place. Also be sure that the outlet you are using is properly grounded. You will notice that the charger is universal in its power regulation. All you need is the proper adapter or power cord for your country's standard receptacles. These can be purchased at any home improvement center in the electrical department.
When the charger is plugged in, both charging status lights should be solid green. This indicates a "ready" status of the charger.
DOUBLE CHECK THE POLARITY and insert your batteries in the charger.
When the batteries are inserted and seated properly, the status lights will turn RED, and will flash green every 2 seconds. This is normal operation. I cannot supply a picture of this ocurrance due to the speed of the flash, but I will attempt to get some video up ASAP.
Ultrafire Charging status lights Video
When the Lights turn steady green your batteries are charged and ready for use!
When you first purchase and receive your batteries, they will be paired together. YOU MUST KEEP THEM PAIRED. This is because unprotected Li-Ion batteries "memorize" their counterpart's discharge rate. They also have a memory cycle of charges, so it is imperative that you charge a new set fully before use.
To keep track of your batteries, I recommend using the colored adhesive file tabs that can be purchased anywhere that carries office supplies to mark your batteries, as the tabs come in multiple colors.
After the status lights turn steady green on the charger, your batteries are ready to use. NEVER leave the batteries unattended while charging. Even though the charger is protected against over charging, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the batteries during the charge cycle and remove them from the charger when they are finished. The Approximate charge time is 2 hours.
A quote from Ultra on the subject.
Ultra said:
A quick note about UltraFire Li-Ions. Several sabers are now being shipped with the UltraFire option. This setup is quite unlike any other setup previously offered by any other saber builder, so there are some important things I need to cover.
Any Ultra Saber being offered with the UltraFire Li-Ion option will come equipped with a protection IC in the saber itself. However, the cells themselves are not "protected". All that means is that the cells themselves don't have an integrated circuit to prevent damage from short circuiting, over charge, or over discharge.
So, care must be taken in their storage and use. Below are some basic guidelines:
- Do not subject your Li-Ions to severe heat or cold.
- When carrying the cells, make sure there's nothing in your pocket/pouch that can short them out. I would highly recommend using one of those nifty plastic battery cases they sell at walmart.
- Never put the batteries into the charger or saber backwards. Always check polarity!
- The UltraFire option comes with a great 2 cell charger. Use it and only it. For the love of the force, NEVER use a different type of charger.
- And above all else, do not use the UltraFire cells for anything other than your saber which was designed for it.
- When you notice your saber getting dimmer, it's time to change batteries. Do not let your saber drain the batteries to the point where the protection IC cuts off the current. Doing so may damage the batteries.
- If your saber uses a pair of batteries, always use the same batteries in that pair, do not mix up your pairs. I would recommend labeling your batteries so that the same two are always used together. (Yoda can probably clarify this better if you have any questions)
The UltraFire cells are awesome, they have long life, are easy to carry, are very easy to swap out, and are inexpensive. Follow these simple instructions, and you'll get great use from them. Deviate, and your life is forfeit. (well, not really, but it may mess up your batteries.)
