The Battery Killer

uConsole
1

Hi, has someone the same issue? Every time if I put in new fully charged 18650 batteries, the uConsole works fine. After plugging the USB c power cable into the uConsole and waiting some hours, my 18650 batteries were broken. I cannot even charge them with a laboratory power supply. I already wasted €40 because of that.

2

I’ve never encountered that. Could be a faulty power module.

Where did you get your batteries?

3

From “reichelt elektronik”. These two pairs:

https://www.reichelt.com/de/en/industrial-cell-18650-3-6-v-3210-mah-unprotected-son-18650-vtc6-p261052.html?search=SON+18650+VTC6&&r=1

https://www.reichelt.com/de/en/industrial-cell-18650-3-6-v-3500-mah-unprotected-pack-of-2-lg-18650-mj1-p261050.html?&trstct=pos_0&nbc=1

4

Those prices are much higher than I would expect for 18650s, but both of those sets of batteries should work in a uConsole. I was wondering how many batteries you fried if you spent 40 euros.

I’d email alex@clockworkpi.com to get a replacement power supply board.

I didn’t have great luck with the LG MJ1s. They worked, powered the device and charged fine, but I had disappointing battery life. I might have had a bad cell. I replaced them with a pair of Samsung 35Es, which have been rock solid. Easily over seven hours of battery life.

5

Just 4 batteries. Where do you buy your batteries?

Thanks, I will reach out to the clockworkpi team. I will write here if I have any news on that.

6

Yeah, that’s the first I’ve heard of someone’s uConsole or DevTerm frying batteries, much less repeatedly.

I ordered my batteries from 18650BatteryStore(dot)com, where you can get decent cells for $3 to $5, but shipping to Europe would probably cost more than ordering from the supplier you linked.

I’m sure there are better deals to be had though. 18650s are not expensive batteries.

1 Like
7

I would rather suggest you www.nkon.nl as a good, cheap and reliable 18650 seller, located in Europe with shipping to germany. Its better to buy here because reichelt is to expensive.

8

I talked to the support and I will get a replacement for the main board and the battery module.

And my temporary solution is a 3d-printed version of the back of the uConsole with a lid to access the batteries with ease to charge them externally.

3 Likes
9

would you mind to share STL? I am interested in modding mine to support 26650s, i have two beefy 5.2Ah boys laying abandoned at the moment but we all know that there’s no clearance for such fatasses inside.

2 Likes
10

Sure, I quickly uploaded them to Printables. Printables

Why do you want to use 26650? Just because you have them?

And for whom, who is interested in it. I received the replacement parts and now everything is working fine.

2 Likes
11

Why do you want to use 26650? Just because you have them?

yup, actually i have single piece laying around, 2nd one went to flashlight, however 5200mAh per single cell is way better over 2600mAh that i have for 18650s.

And for whom, who is interested in it.

me, myself and i, dunno if they count :D. But i believe in choice, if one can choose wether it’s viable to trade off slickness over longevity - there will be already present solution. Sure, best capacity vs surface area would have liion pouches but they would defeat whole pupose of using standardized cells.

12

Do you need an official 3d file