Charger for cylindrical Li-ion and NiMH batteries Xtar VC8

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, only 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 TC/CC/CV charging process for Li-ion cells and 0ΔV and -ΔV for Ni-MH batteries. 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, 18500, 18650, 18700, 18700, 20700, 21700 - also with protection, 22650, 25500, 26650. In the two extreme channels, it is possible to charge batteries with low internal resistance at a current of up to 3A (only 1 cell).

The backlit LCD display of the Xtar VC8 charger continuously shows information about the charger’s operating status: voltage of the charged batteries, charging current, charge used to charge the cells, internal resistance of the cells, indicates any errors, and informs when charging is complete. The type of displayed information can be changed at any time by pressing the "disp" or mode button. Switching between charging modes is possible by holding down the mode / displ buttons for a longer time. The charging current can be changed at any time to a higher / lower value - the charger measures the internal resistance of the cell and negotiates the maximum (optimal) charging current. To measure the battery capacity, the "Grad" option should be used. After the quality assessment process is completed, the display will show the battery capacity and its internal resistance. NOTE - the grade and storage mode only works on channels 1-4.

The maximum charging current is 3A and is only available for the two extreme channels and only when the middle channels are not used - at most, the charger can charge 1 battery at this current simultaneously. In the case of placing 2 batteries, the maximum charging current will be 2A. If 4 cells are placed, the maximum charging current will be 1A. If more than 4 cells are placed, the maximum charging current will be limited to 0.5A.

What is the TC/CC/CV charging method? It is a three-stage charging process for Li-ion cells that ensures the cell remains in good condition by charging at 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 2.9V, the cell is charged with a constant current of 0.1A to 1A (depending on the power source used and the number of charged batteries).
• 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 function for reactivating 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. Just 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 advisable to avoid overly 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 inoperative.

Included with the Xtar VC8 charger is a USB cable. The power adapter is not included in the set. To power the charger, a charger with QC3.0 standard (9V / 2A) is required. It is possible to use a weaker power adapter; the VC8 will adjust the charging current to the capabilities of the power source.