FAQ - Frequently asked questions
We have compiled the most important questions and answers for you. Nothing suitable? Please contact us if you have any further questions.
Basic Knowledge
Explanation of Potential Damage to Chargers or USB-C Batteries Caused by 3-in-1 Charging Cables/Data Cables:
When a 3-in-1 charging cable is connected to a QC/PD or other fast-charging adapter, and any of the Lightning, Type-C, or Micro interfaces is plugged into a fast-charging device (such as a smartphone or tablet), the protocol will be recognized and fast charging will be initiated. The unused interfaces will also remain in a high-voltage output state. If a 5V device (such as VC2, ET1, BC4, USB-C battery, etc.) is connected to these unused ports, it may result in overvoltage damage.
Example:
If a QC3.0 adapter is connected to a 3-in-1 charging cable, and an iPhone is plugged into the Lightning port, the following issues may occur:
If a QC3.0 adapter is connected to a 3-in-1 charging cable, and an iPhone is plugged into the Lightning port, the following issues may occur:
- Connecting an AA 1.5V battery to the Type-C port may cause the positive terminal of the battery to overheat and melt.
- Connecting a BC4 charger may result in the LED indicator becoming excessively bright before it burns out and remains permanently lit.
- Connecting an ET1 charger to the Micro port may cause the LCD to become excessively bright, followed by a black screen, rendering the device inoperable and unable to charge.
If the output voltage of the solar panel matches the input voltage of XTAR, it can be charged.
Fast charging will not damage your 18650 li-ion battery if you use a good smart charger. The premise is, please make sure to buy a top brand high-quality charger instead of no name one. Because those cheap low-quality chargers do not take any protection measures during the battery charging. Read this article to find more details about whether fast charging damage battery life.
You can enter the security code of the product on the anti-counterfeiting query page.
For VX4
It could be due to high internal resistance in the battery or the protection board, or it might be because the battery or protection board has a relatively high self-discharge rate.
It is likely that there is an internal short circuit in the battery, which pulls down the open-circuit voltage and causes the battery to be recognized as abnormal.
Charging 1.5V Li-ion batteries
Different battery types require different charging schemes and voltages. For example:
- NiMH batteries require a charging voltage of 1.2V
- Li-ion (3.6V) with a charging voltage of 4.2V
- 1.5V Li-ion batteries require a charging voltage of 5V
The VC series chargers have a maximum charging voltage of 4.2V, which is insufficient for 1.5V lithium batteries.
Using an Xtar charger not designed for 1.5V lithium batteries will not damage the charger or battery, but the low charging voltage will prevent proper charging. We recommend using a charger specifically designed for 1.5V lithium batteries.
Using an Xtar charger not designed for 1.5V lithium batteries will not damage the charger or battery, but the low charging voltage will prevent proper charging. We recommend using a charger specifically designed for 1.5V lithium batteries.
This may be due to incompatibility with the customer’s adapter or overvoltage issues. To prevent future issues, we recommend using our QC3.0 adapter for charging.
For VC Series
If the VC4 charger screen digits do not flash and the current pointer points to 0A, it may indicate very low input current. Normally, inserting three batteries should set the current pointer to 0.5A. Please do as follows:
- Remove all batteries and disconnect power.
- Reconnect using a 5V2.1A adapter. The default current pointer should be 0.5A.
- When batteries are inserted into CH1 and CH4, the pointer defaults to 1.0A. With three or four batteries inserted, it defaults to 0.5A.
- If the pointer does not align with the expected position, the adapter is likely the issue. Confirm the adapter outputs 5V2.1A.
If the VC8 Plus charger display shows no response when charging batteries, please do as follows:
- Check if the power supply is normal (inspect wall outlets and switches).
- If power is normal, try powering on the charger before inserting batteries.
- The issue could also be due to a faulty adapter with no output or overvoltage that may have damaged the charger.
For PB2S/PB2SL
- When a battery is installed in the charger:
- The digital display will light up when a QC3.0 adapter is connected.
- The digital display will also light up when a PD adapter is connected.
- When no battery is installed in the charger:
- The digital display will light up when a QC3.0 adapter is connected.
- The digital display will not light up when a PD adapter is connected; it will only light up after a battery is installed.
- For 18650 batteries or flat-top 20700/21700 batteries without a protection board:
- Please ensure the connector (referred to as the "removable locking spacer") is installed before inserting the battery. Failure to do so may result in poor contact.
- For button-top 20700/21700 batteries with a protection board:
- Please remove the connector (locking spacer) before inserting the battery. Failure to do so may prevent the battery from fitting into the slot.
- To secure 18650 batteries more effectively:
- Rotate the plastic piece in the cover to a horizontal position.
- When inserting 20700/21700 batteries:
- Rotate the cover plastic piece to a vertical position. Failure to do so may prevent the cover from closing properly.
Note:
- If you encounter issues such as "18650 batteries not making contact," "PB2SL battery slot too short for 21700 batteries," or "PB2SL cover cannot be closed with 21700 batteries installed," please follow the above instructions to ensure proper use.
Charging NiMH Batteries
Usually chargers identify the battery types based on their voltage. Because the voltage of the nickel-metal hydride battery overlapped with the voltage of the lithium-ion battery that was seriously over-discharged. Most high-capacity lithium-ion batteries need 5 to 10 minutes to be activated. Several old models would take even more than 10 minutes. So, to enhance the identifying accuracy of the charger, the set of 10 minutes would be better. It also avoids the risk of identifying a seriously over-discharged li-ion battery as a NiMH type.
And it doesn’t delay the charging of NiMH batteries. The chargers use a very small charging current to charge the batteries to detect the voltage. So during the recovering and identifying process, the battery is also charging.
There are usually two reasons for this issue. One is the charger may be broken, and the other is the battery is too old. This article explained clearly why your NiMH batteries are detected as Li-ion and how to deal with it.
Severe heating is usually caused by excessive internal resistance or battery aging and damage.
Batteries
Basic Knowledge
You can go directly to the XTAR official store or authorized store to buy.
For most over-discharged batteries, it can be activated by the Activation function of the XTAR chargers. If the battery is completely damaged, it cannot be repaired and it is not recommended to continue using it.
If you use a VC8/VC8 PLUS/VC4SL charger, adjust your batteries to the best storage voltage (usually around 3.6V for Li-ion batteries) with its storage function. Then, recharge your batteries every three months.
The charging current we need to pay attention to is mainly the constant current charging. At this time, it is in the fast-charging phase. Most charging currents are set between 0.2C to 1C. If you want to calculate the charging time, divide the battery capacity by the charging current, and add 0.5 to 1 hour at the end. You can read more about the best charging current and charging time calculation for lithium-ion batteries.
Battery life is influenced by multiple factors, such as battery capacity, device power consumption, and working temperature. The battery life is the battery energy dividing the device’s power consumption. we should not hastily judge the quality of a battery solely based on its shorter usage time in certain devices. Read more about the factors affecting lithium battery life and device runtime calculation.
mAh (Milliampere-hour) is a unit of measurement for battery capacity. mWh (Milliwatt-hour) is a measure of the total energy stored in a battery. Battery energy = battery capacity x voltage. For devices with low power requirements, such as TV remote controls and wall clocks, mAh is the preferred unit of measurement. While for medium or high-drain devices, such as VR controllers, and wireless microphones, mWh becomes the ideal unit of measurement. Read more to understand the battery ratings of mAh and mWh better.
A quality 18650 high-drain battery typically has an internal resistance of around 12mΩ, The internal resistance of high-quality protected lithium-ion batteries is below 70 mΩ. A healthy 16340 protected battery should have an internal resistance of around 120mΩ. A healthy Ni-MH battery usually has an internal resistance of less than 50mΩ. Read more to learn about how to measure the internal resistance and judge the battery health.
It is okay to temporarily mix batteries in an emergency, but it is not recommended to make this a habit. Despite batteries being small in size, they involve complex chemical reactions and structures. There is an article that explained clearly about whether you can mix different lithium-ion batteries in one device.
Read more guides about cylindrical batteries.
Battery Safety
Read this article about the safety information in daily use
Troubleshooting
There are generally two possible reasons for this issue: either the battery’s protection board has triggered overcurrent protection, or there’s a structural limitation causing poor contact at the battery’s positive and negative terminals. A physical inspection of the battery and flashlight assembly would be required to determine the exact cause.
Flashlights
Basic Knowledge
Yes, all XTAR flashlights are waterproof. For more details, please visit the product page of the flashlight.
We suggest you use brand high-quality protected batteries so that you can experience better performance and safe use.
Read more guides about dive lights and EDC flashlights.
You can contact the place of your flashlight purchase or contact us directly.
Flashlights generate heat due to high power in high lumens. We use aluminum PCB boards to dissipate heat to the outside world so that the inside of the flashlight does not overheat and the overall temperature is not too high.
Troubleshooting
The four batteries were checked and are fully charged, but the flashlight still won't power on. When the button is pressed, the indicator light doesn't light up. Possible causes include:
- Battery issues or poor contact: This can happen with flat batteries.
- Dirty positive contact points or negative spring on the body and tail cap: Cleaning is required.
- Loose conductive copper pillar in the middle of the body: Tightening it should resolve the issue.
- Deformed spring on the tail cap causing poor contact: The spring may need to be adjusted or replaced.
- Demagnetization of the switch magnet: Check by bringing a magnet close to the switch.
- Abnormal driver function: Inspection and repair are necessary.