3.7V/1.2V Battery Charger XTAR VC8 USB-C

Xtar is a renowned manufacturer of high-quality chargers for Li-ion batteries, flashlights, and Li-ion batteries. Xtar products are sold in over 120 countries, including the USA, Germany, Japan, and Russia. For the production of Xtar chargers, the highest quality materials are used - from the casing material to efficient electronics. All Xtar chargers have CE certification required in European markets.

VC8 is a professional processor charger with a three-stage charging process TC/CC/CV and an LCD display. It charges 1-8 Li-ion cells 3.6 / 3.7V and Ni-MH of any capacity in sizes AAA/R03, AA/R6, 10440, 14500, 14650, 16340, 17500, 17670, 18350, 18490, 18500, 18650, 18700. In the two extreme channels, it is possible to charge batteries in sizes R14, R20, 20700, 21700 - only unprotected, 22650, 25500, 26650.

Backlit LCD display of the Xtar VC8 charger continuously presents information about the operational status of each charging channel. It displays, among other things, the battery voltage, charging current, charging time, and delivered capacity (mAh). The charger also informs about the completion of the charging process and any errors. There is also a capacity measurement mode (Grade Mode), allowing for the assessment of the actual capacity of the batteries. The information about the used charge can be used to measure the capacity of the batteries. To measure the battery capacity, it should be discharged to its appropriate cut-off voltage level (usually 2.5V for Li-ion, 0.9V for Ni-MH) and inserted into the VC8 charger. After charging is complete, the display can show the value of the charge used to charge the battery. This will always be a value 3-5% higher than the actual capacity of the battery. This is due to the fact that the battery charging process is never 100% efficient, meaning that a slightly larger charge is needed to fully charge the battery than what is indicated by the actual capacity of the cell.

The maximum charging current depends on the number of batteries being charged and the power source used. When powered by Quick Charge 3.0, the charger offers a current of up to 3A for one cell, up to 2A for two cells, up to 1A for four cells, and up to 0.5A for eight simultaneously charged batteries. Charging parameters are automatically adjusted depending on the configuration.

What is the TC/CC/CV charging method? It is a three-stage charging process for Li-ion cells that ensures the cell is kept in good condition by charging with the appropriate current at each stage and completing the charging process at the right moment.
The individual stages of the TC/CC/CV process are:

• TC Phase: cells discharged below 2.9V are 'woken up' with a lower current.
• CC Phase: after reaching the appropriate voltage, the cell is charged with a constant current. The current value is automatically adjusted by the charger and depends on the number of batteries being charged and the efficiency of the power source used.
• CV Phase: when the cell is almost fully charged, the charger switches to charging with a decreasing current until the voltage of 4.2V is reached on the cell. After reaching 4.2V, the charging process is complete - the battery is fully charged.

Batteries left in the charger will undergo a natural self-discharge process. Charging of Li-ion batteries will resume when the voltage on the battery drops below 3.9V. For Ni-MH batteries, charging is not resumed when the voltage drops due to self-discharge.

The Xtar VC8 charger has a reactivation function for deeply discharged cells and cells with a voltage of 0V. Many chargers on the market are unable to charge such batteries. Here, the Xtar VC8 charger comes to the rescue, which in many cases allows for the 'rescue' of such cells. Simply insert the deeply discharged battery into the VC8 charger, just like with normal charging - the charger will detect the discharged cell and attempt to reactivate it. Note! Cells discharged below a certain level may suffer irreversible damage, and their reactivation may be impossible. It is important to avoid deep discharging of Li-ion and Ni-MH batteries - this can lead to a significant reduction in their lifespan and capacity or render them completely inoperable.

Included with the XTAR VC8 charger is a USB-C cable. The power adapter is not included in the package. To achieve the full performance of the charger, it is recommended to use a power adapter that supports Quick Charge 3.0 or another compatible power source with adequate power. In the case of a weaker power adapter, the charger will automatically adjust the charging current to the available performance.