Understanding the Battery and Charger Options?

[iceicebaby93]

Hi there! I'm new here, preparing to get my first saber after finally seeing the movies for the first time (I know, I'm way late to the party!). I know what saber I want, the Dark Initiate LE v5 with the Emerald Driver. The only thing I'm confused on it the battery options and the charger options. I'd like to be able to leave my saber on display sometimes so I read that having the Recharge Port + 1.2A Fast Charger is pretty much a necessity for that, but I'm not sure what I should be choosing for the Battery Configuration. Right now I have chosen the Li-Ion Setup (Batteries & XTAR VC2 Plus Charger Included) since I read the XTAR is awesome, but I really don't know what it's used for or if I actually need it for the configuration I've chosed. Is this the right choice or should I use something different? I'm not technically savvy when it comes to this stuff!

Thanks in advance!

[Racona Nova]

That's the best configuration when you want to charge spare sets of batteries. Which I recommend - never buy a saber with only one set of batteries The 1.2 Fast Charger is for the Recharge Port so that you don't need to remove the batteries from the saber. And the XTAR is used for charging the Li-Ions when they're out of the saber.

If you already have a Li-Ion battery charger for 14500-sized Li-Ion batteries, you don't need the XTAR, though. But it's one of the best brands, so I'd really recommend it.

[Cyclops942]

That's the best configuration when you want to charge spare sets of batteries. Which I recommend - never buy a saber with only one set of batteries The 1.2 Fast Charger is for the Recharge Port so that you don't need to remove the batteries from the saber. And the XTAR is used for charging the Li-Ions when they're out of the saber.

If you already have a Li-Ion battery charger for 14500-sized Li-Ion batteries, you don't need the XTAR, though. But it's one of the best brands, so I'd really recommend it.

I’d echo everything Racona Nova says, but I really, REALLY want to emphasize the “for Li-Ion batteries” part... your standard battery charger for AAA and AA batteries is NOT going to work.  And XTAR really is one of the best brands.  As a bonus, the XTAR charger will charge Li-Ion, NiMH, and NiCad batteries with no issues whatsoever, and will do so safely and as rapidly as the available input current will allow.

[iceicebaby93]

I wouldnt need to take the batteries out to charge technically with a recharge port though would I? I don't even know if I have any Li-ion batteries...? Haha

[Cyclops942]

I wouldnt need to take the batteries out to charge technically with a recharge port though would I? I don't even know if I have any Li-ion batteries...? Haha

No, you don’t need to remove the batteries if you have a recharge port.  You’re absolutely right; that is the whole point of the recharge port.  HOWEVER, you still have that as an option, and a good use case for when you might want to do that is if your batteries run low, but you’re not done using your saber.  If you have an external charger and have used them to fully charge some spare batteries that you just happen to have with you at that time, you can remove the batteries from the hilt, swap in the fully-charged batteries, put the spent batteries in the charger, and keep right on sobering with hardly a dent in your usage time.

THIS is why we talk about wanting an external charger even though you have a recharge port.

[iceicebaby93]

ok that makes way more sense lol. thank you!!!!!

[Cyclops942]

ok that makes way more sense lol. thank you!!!!!

You’re welcome!

Hey, I gotta be good for something, and this looked like an easy win, so I took it. 

Also, if you opt for the XTAR charger (which is highly, HIGHLY recommended, by the way), it will also quite happily, safely, and efficiently charge any OTHER rechargeable batteries you have lying around, be they Li-Ion, NiMH, or NiCad, so long as they’re cylindrical in shape and fit between the + and - contacts.  So everything from a size AAA (10440) or AA (14500) up to a size 18650 (often used in vape pens and radio-controlled devices, as well as high-output flashlights) will work in that charger.

[Racona Nova]

I wouldnt need to take the batteries out to charge technically with a recharge port though would I? I don't even know if I have any Li-ion batteries...? Haha

First part was already covered by Cyclops. The second is as easy: Any (I repeat any) premium board uses the Li-Ion batteries as a power source. Premium boards are Obsidian v3 and v4, Emerald and Diamond. So you definitely have Li-Ions when you have an Emerald saber.

[iceicebaby93]

This is my set up. Does it all work together? I shouldnt have any other issues right? Also you guys are the best!

Choose Your Configuration: Emerald Driver
Choose the color of your blade!: Blazing Red for Emerald
Emerald Driver Configuration: 4 Channel Emerald Driver - RGBW LED
Pulse Mode: Pulse to Blue
Battery Configuration: Li-Ion Setup (Batteries & XTAR VC2 Plus Charger Included)
Recharge Port: Recharge Port + 1.2A Fast Charger
Blade Option: UltraEdge Midgrade
Blade Size: Standard 32" Blade
v5 Claws: Silver (Default)
Pommel: Regular Solid Pommel (No Sound) [Recommended]
Switch Type: Black Non-illuminated AV Switch
Choose Blade Tip Type: Round Tip
Blade Retention Screw Wrench: No Thanks
Include Blade Plug: Standard Plug
Include Saber Stand: No Thanks
Include MINI USB Cable: Yes
Include Covertec Clip: Yes!
Install Covertec Wheel: Yes ($10 install + $5 covertec)

[Racona Nova]

Yup, no problems there. Seems fine I'd add a wrench for the blade retention screw just in case you don't have the right size at home.

[Cyclops942]

Yup, no problems there. Seems fine I'd add a wrench for the blade retention screw just in case you don't have the right size at home.

I’d supplement this by saying I’d add a blade retention screw wrench EVEN IF you have the right size (5/64”, fyi) at home, because a) the things are tiny and easy to lose, and b) it’s $1... not worth the cost of NOT getting one.

[EccOMyth]

You’re welcome!

Hey, I gotta be good for something, and this looked like an easy win, so I took it. 

Also, if you opt for the XTAR charger (which is highly, HIGHLY recommended, by the way), it will also quite happily, safely, and efficiently charge any OTHER rechargeable batteries you have lying around, be they Li-Ion, NiMH, or NiCad, so long as they’re cylindrical in shape and fit between the + and - contacts.  So everything from a size AAA (10440) or AA (14500) up to a size 18650 (often used in vape pens and radio-controlled devices, as well as high-output flashlights) will work in that charger.

This may of answered a question i had, but i'll double check. Does this mean i can upgrade the 14500 Battery that came with the saber to higher capacity longer lasting ones like the 18650?

[Cyclops942]

This may of answered a question i had, but i'll double check. Does this mean i can upgrade the 14500 Battery that came with the saber to higher capacity longer lasting ones like the 18650?

That’s a hard NO on that one, sorry.  There just isn’t room in the hilt for two 18650 cells, which is what you’d need to supply the 7.4V required by the electronics.

[EccOMyth]

That’s a hard NO on that one, sorry.  There just isn’t room in the hilt for two 18650 cells, which is what you’d need to supply the 7.4V required by the electronics.

Ok thanks. Just as long as i stick to 14500 i just need to find higher mAh ones. these 800's aren't bad but don't seem to last very long in my Fulcrum with Emerald v3. Have seen a few out there with double the mAh.

[Cyclops942]

What follows is free advice, and I have been told that free advice is worth what you pay for it.

Ok thanks. Just as long as i stick to 14500 i just need to find higher mAh ones. these 800's aren't bad but don't seem to last very long in my Fulcrum with Emerald v3.  Have seen a few out there with double the mAh.

Don’t believe a word of that.  And don’t buy from sellers that make such ludicrous claims; if they will lie about that, they will lie about many other things, including the safety of their batteries/chargers, the provenance (new/used) of their products, the presence or absence of protective circuitry in their batteries and chargers, and many other things.

Please understand that lithium-ion cells contain a LOT of energy, so they need to be made of high-quality materials, and they need to be treated carefully.  Remember the Samsung phones that burst into flame?  Low-quality or mistreated Li-Ion batteries.  Remember the hoverboards that burst into flames?  Low-quality or mistreated Li-Ion batteries.  Remember the viral videos of vaping pens bursting into flame?  Low-quality or mistreated Li-Ion batteries.  Remember the videos of various electric automobiles that became nearly-impossible-to-extinguish “carbecues” on the side of the road or in the parking garages?  Probably high-quality but still mistreated Li-Ion batteries (because no current commercially-available battery can survive the stresses of a high-impact automobile accident).

Please, please, PLEASE buy Li-Ion batteries— and the chargers for them— only from a reputable seller.  (The vape shop down the street does NOT necessarily qualify.)  If you don’t know who’s reputable, then stick with UltraSabers as your guide.  Either buy directly from them, or buy the brands they sell from large, reputable sellers.  There are shady operators who buy used 18650 batteries extracted from laptops, put new (but fake) name-brand wrappers on them, and sell them as new, and they have NOTHING to do with the brand name that is now printed on the battery.  The same sort of shenanigans can occur with chargers, too, where the outside looks great, but the internals are cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, and more than a little lacking in the safety features required, such as protection from overcharging, over-discharging, polarity reversal, and all the rest.  Sometimes these shady operators can get their products on major sites like eBay and Amazon, and escape undetected for a while, so don’t buy from just anyone, even if they are on a large retail website.

Do I sound like your weird Uncle Harold?  I’m sorry, but this is important stuff, and I don’t want anyone to get hurt because they thought they found a bargain.