XTAR VC8 Review: RESCUING some OLD Dyson cells!
I got a new charger. The XTAR VC8. It’s on the list of things you think you don’t need… until you use it.
Buy the VC8 here: https://amzn.to/3U9xV9Z (Paid link)
So I like to do some e-waste salvaging from time to time.
That’s when I found an old Dyson V6 that wouldn’t turn on… but the battery pack looked in good nick.
After a lot of difficulty ripping apart the case, lo and behold… 6 X 18650 cells. These are LG 18650 cells with 20A draw. Not bad.
But are they safe to use?
This charger can test the impedance of each cell to see how worn it is, and also can conduct a full capacity test.
It discharges the cells completely and then charges them up again while measuring capacity.
I read that these Dyson battery packs lock themselves out when there’s a voltage imbalance in one or more of the cells (0.1V).
The cells appear to be fine although I’m probably going to dispose of the one with a dented positive terminal.
A few observations about the VC8. You can ‘grade’ or measure the capacity of cells on slots 1-4. 5-8 are for charging only. All slots can measure impedance.
You can charge just about any cell, including NiMH cells. Each slot operates independently, so you can mix and match.
I like how you can change the charging current from 250mA to 3000mA. It displays the actual charging current and battery voltage too.
Makes things a lot safer as I can’t see the voltage of cells charging inside a flashlight tube.
There’s also a storage mode. Discharges cells to 3.7 volts for long-term storage (safest voltage and maximises battery lifespan).
Go get one if you have lots of rechargeable batteries. You won’t regret it.
Disclaimer: I don’t recommend pulling apart any battery packs or messing around with mystery batteries unless you know what you’re doing.
Thanks, @Tim McMahon for sending me this charger. May have avoided losing my hand with my other one 😂
