SkyRC MC3000 - The most intelligent round battery charger!

Learn what puts this battery charger at the top of the heap!
- Intense customization
- large dot matrix LCD
- 3A per bay
- Bluetooth companion apps
- Computer communication
- Can operate in the field (car battery)
Contents
-------------
00:00 - Start
00:19 - Shape and Build
02:27 - Small Batteries
02:58 - Temperature Sensor
03:15 - 10440 slight issue
04:13 - Large Batteries (21700, 26650)
05:22 - Wide bays for 4x 26650
05:40 - Multi Chemistry
06:37 - User Interface
07:07 - Dummy Mode
08:06 - Advanced Mode & Programs
08:36 - Using Programs
09:17 - Custom Menus
09:58 - Charging Modes
11:57 - 0.01 Charging Rate Precision
12:28 - Changes are Temporary
14:00 - Voltage Termination
15:45 - Safety Features
16:13 - Why use Programs?
19:37 - Starting a Charge (running programs)
20:42 - Stopping programs
21:25 - Graphing
22:06 - Connectability
22:19 - iOS / Android App
23:20 - Amps per Bay
23:48 - Charging via Car Battery in a Power Outage
24:56 - Conclusion
25:39 - Why I'll Probably Not Replace this Charger Soon

[@gkcamden9050]

Dude. That was awesome. I’ve watched a few other videos on this charger, and I would get frustrated and shove the thing back in the drawer. I watched your video and feel like someone just turned the light on in the room, and now I love my MC3000. Thank you! Subscribed

[@cheule]

Glad you liked it!

[@gd.ritter]

Charge termination for Li-Ion / LiPo isn't a voltage dip. It's how low the constant current gets for it to consider it full. At first, an empty cell will take the maximum programmed current at the full capacity voltage level. You can imagine the voltage (of the cell and the charger) as a water level. Water just flows with gravity from high to low. The bigger the difference, the faster it flows. As the cell voltage approaches the maximum setting, the current slows down and will gradually trend towards zero. It's not safe to forcibly hold the battery at its max voltage if you leave a cell on the charger so it needs to pick a cut-off spot to decide it's done and disconnect the cell. The standard default for this is 1/10 of the charge rate. So, if your charger is set to 1500mA, it will consider itself done when the current drops below 150mA. When it stops there will be a minor rebound effect when voltage is disconnected, which is why a full cell charged to 4.2v will often read like 4.15v or something after charging if you test it with a meter. Nominal charging current for a cell is given in its spec sheet, but 0.5C or 1.0C is common. A reduced charge current is gentler on a cell overall, but that expected 1/10 cut-off standard needs to be respected for safety also. This setting on the MC3000 will let you arbitrarily reduce the charge current while maintaining the termination threshold. Giving you an ideal setup.

[@FutureSystem738]

Thanks so much for this summary- best I’ve seen. I have just received my charger, so now I’ll have to learn to drive it. Very happy so far, and the BT phone App seems really great too. My initial impression is that this is the best charger out there, (even if the manual is a little bit hard to understand.)

[@108CAM]

I fell in love with my charger instantly. It does everything I need plus a little bit more.

[@Aengus42]

That was a perfect light introduction & overview, thank you! If I was stuck in a field with it with no user manual I could now charge any battery that fits just from your video. I'm just about to unpack it, check the firmware is up to date and use it for the first time. Nice one mate! Much appreciated 😎

[@cheule]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelballance1893]

Great video. It's the right amount of detail for a quick start guide.

[@cheule]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Bob_Adkins]

I have the SkyRC B6 battery pack charger to charge packs and also use it to charge individual cells. I will be right at home in the "advanced" menu, it reminds me a LOT of my B6. Great review, thanks!

[@cheule]

Very cool

[@Stan-mh7bf]

It's hard to comprehend that I can get this at 120$ in 2022. This is absolute hig-tec cutting edge stuff. Thank you Sir for this great review!

[@Boz1211111]

Thats expensive af for me but i still cant write it off because it looks amazing

[@lullylew9083]

Fantastic review and guide. Thank you.

[@cicco1838]

Best info thank you for video bro...

[@bobcatt2294]

Searching a review on Epoch X4 Touch vs Mc3000. Thumbs up.

[@cheule]

Thanks for watching!

[@bobcatt2294]

@@cheule Is there a comparison review?

[@Dezagon]

I've been looking for something better to replace my XTAR VC4S, this looks like a great option! I love the level of customization in the programs, that seems really nice. I always feel like my charger does strange things with eneloop pros and it sounds like this one will handle those better. Thanks for the detailed review

[@Sui778]

You'll like the MC3000 a lot better than that VC4 series. Basically will be like comparing a tool to a toy.

[@epadafunk]

Regarding the charge termination setting. Isn't a voltage dip only seen with NiMH batteries? In the Li-Ion menu, I think what you're seeing is the CC/CV termination. The charger charges at a constant current, and voltage increases until 4.2 or whatever is set, then current is decreased to maintain that voltage until the set current , in the example 0.15Amps. Once the charger hits that current during the CV phase of charging, it terminates the charge cycle.

[@cheule]

You are of course correct. I had a brain fart and reverted to describing NiMH battery charging, just as you suspected. Good catch.

[@Milenko1041THEEDGE]

@@cheule So if I got this right, essentially setting the termination to 0.10A, this means that the charger would not go below 0.10A while charging? It would cut off as soon as it noticed a CV less than that?

[@bobcatt2294]

@@Milenko1041THEEDGE I am also awaiting a response to your question.

[@ultrapurple111]

Along with Mr Baz, this is the best review I have seen on a battery charger. Great attention to detail and clear and coherent. I would not even consider buying this charger because of its terrible interface and dated screen at this price point but my viewpoint changed when I saw the Android app. This looks slick, modern and customizable. My main focus will be on AA and AAA batteries so this charger may be too much for these. It's A choice between this the Powerex mh-c9000 Pro and the XTAR VC4+.

[@cheule]

For AA and AAA mainly, this charger is overkill. But when you start doing Li-Ion, LiPo, LiFePO, etc… this charger is the only one that gives me the control I’m looking for. The interface might look dated, but honestly the “dot matrix lines of text” is what you want for a charger this advanced.

[@MarkJones-gt2qd]

It's very fiddly to get batteries in. and if you are a goof like me, It takes me about an hour to remember how to use it every time. In fact, that's why I'm here! I thought the PC interface was a great idea for mapping batteries, but they got so cheap I stopped thinking about it. Must look into the android app, thanks!

[@naota3k]

I've never used a battery charger that you can just "toss" a 10400 in. They're always _just_ too thin to reach the little "nibs" on each terminal. PITA form factor, but such a useful battery.

[@youtubeuser5424]

My Vapecell S4 plus I can just toss 10440s in to. This looks like a great charger as well, but my S4 works well enough for my needs.

[@erikderuiter7475]

for the people like me that has on 'older' hardware version MC3000 and have problems with flat top batteries not making contact on the positive terminal: just use a little magnet on top of the battery to get a good contact.

[@cheule]

Good tip!

[@buzzkill1988]

Awesome thanks

[@achigkou7634]

My previous experience with the xtar vc4sl was terrible , especially with tha aaa batteries ( when the voltage is low, the xtar recognizes the ni-mh batteries are lion. So, is is a good idea to buy the mc 3000?

[@kylepaxton431]

So how do you charge your 26800 cells?

[@rudib4353]

I even charge 10180 with it with 0.05A. Needs an extension due to its small length, but it's the only charger that can charge from 50mA to 3000mA per slot.

[@cheule]

There really is no better charger. I just wish SkyRC would rerelease a version 2 with 26800 length.

[@SyntheticCompany]

@@cheule Thanks for your reviews, nice work! I am using an Olight magnetic charger for my 26800, I just let it rip overnight and it's not too bad. Have you found a newer multi-bay charger yet that works with this fatties?

[@EdingardSIGMA]

Can you provide a link to purchase those alligator clips to DC barrel connector?

[@kleinbottled79]

When you are charging a battery and it gets up to 4.2v it starts to ramp down the amperage. Down and down it ramps it until some set low amperage (set by us in this case), then it terminates. After it terminates the voltage dips because it is no longer under a charge load. That terminate amperage setting is letting you set how long of a tailing charge you want at the top. How long will it spend decreasing amps towards zero. I like to set final charge at 4.2 and terminate at some much higher Amps than stock, maybe .7A on a 2500mah. This means the charger doesn't spend a long time trying to trickle charge to the top of the battery and voltage ends (after the voltage dip) at like 4.10-4.12v which is a much better voltage for a battery to sit at than 4.2 anyways.

[@cheule]

All depends on what you want to accomplish! If you want max lumens, you want to be as close to 4.2v as possible. But it’s also true that batteries will last many times longer if they are only ever used bentween 20 and 80% SOC.

[@Milenko1041THEEDGE]

I've got a question. I ordered this charger and would be using it for LG HG2 batteries. 3000mAh cells rated at 20A. What termination should be used? Can something go wrong if that's set too high with this charger? Thanks!

[@cheule]

All Li-po 18650s should terminate at 4.2v. It’s safe to charge at up to 1C. 1C means match the capacity for amps. So a 3500mAh battery can be charged at 3.5A. Let me know if you need additional help.

[@Bigsmegma44]

Great video. I have one ordered. Can you charge 9v Lithium Ion batteries as well? Thank you

[@PaulCK]

Well done good review,this SkyRC MC3000 battery charger i would Never buy one,i just looking at the display and all the button's pressing give me a headache,all i want from a battery charger is to charge batteries i don't want to take an hour to set it up🙄,i do understand this charger has got lots of function's and lots of thought gone in to,it is a shame the design of this unit look cheap and unattractive that's my opinion, i hope i have help the manufacturer of the SkyRC MC3000.🤭

[@adrsprints]

Well, it's kinda the reviewers fault since this charger has an app to set things up.

[@lektro808]

Better than the ISDT N8? Need a quality charger primarily for AAA’s/lipos for hobby stuff. Seems MC3000’s may be overkill?

[@cheule]

Overkill? Probably-but I like having the flexibility to do whatever I want. I often charge batteries to 3.9V and things like that.

[@miguelsbpgj]

Capacity parameter is in fact (also) a limit. Effectively the charger sugests some other parameter values based on capacity but, if for any reason, its value is exceeded charging will be terminated and charger will show "Capacity cut off" on the display.

[@speedlever]

Curious what other chargers you have to compare against this one?

[@bobcatt2294]

Good question - thumbs up.

[@kleinbottled79]

XTAR SC1 is a 3A single bay charger that will charge a 26800. I'm seeing them on amazon for $13. Been searching for a more fully featured charger that fits the 26800 with no success. If anyone has a tip lemme know.

[@cheule]

Yes, I still use my SC1 plus for 26800s. By the way, note the sc1 and sc1 plus are different.

[@phantomphixer333]

First, great review! I'm a new subscriber as I recently purchased the MC3000. In fact, it just arrived via Amazon today. I encountered an issue almost immediately. I have a number of Fenix Flashlights and some used different batteries. This product seemed like a good buy rather than buying new batteries continuously. My issue is, I inserted four batteries, all of the same brand and type. (Garberiel 3.7v, 18650 Rechargeable Battery). Unfortunately, the charger says I only have one battery installed, the other three say "No Battery"??? I watched one of your great video's, you stated that you only encountered this issue with one of your sampler batteries, and you also noted no other battery gave you this error. The batteries I have are all larger, than the one you referenced. But I still have the issue. One location seems to work and the others do not. I moved that batter to another location, and it works? What could be wrong? Any idea?

[@cheule]

It’s really hard to tell without pictures or video to watch. I’ve been using my two SkyRC mc3000s for over a year and they’re fantastic chargers.

[@danielmcloughney7140]

Where do you go to find the specifications to charge different batteries? I am looking for: Samsung 35 E 18650 35000mAh 8A Epoch 18350 1100 mAh 9A IMR Molicel 21700 P45B 4500 mAh 45A

[@cheule]

Read up on batteryuniversity.com. Great website. Usually just follow 1C. So that means a 3000mAh battery can be charged at 3A. Or a 4500mAh at 4.5A.

[@tomquirin4231]

hey brotha , got any extra #21700 batts around ?, lookin for a trade/swap here possibly , i use in my klarus g15 tactical flashlight , thanks > tom !

[@SuperBrainAK]

Hey man! Great review! I had made a video on this thing also. It's pretty awesome right! I linked your video from mine because it seems a great fit if people are looking at getting one.

[@JATWICE]

is skyrc MC3000 resistance always high? because mine can be up to 1000 resistance (aa battery)

[@cheule]

Gosh, I haven’t paid much attention. I’ll start looking.

[@peskypeet]

​@@cheule Find anything out yet?

[@bobcatt2294]

@@peskypeet Also awaiting his response.

[@bluesteelbass]

Clean your connections. Spin the battery in the terminal, scratching the metal for best readings. You could have a dud battery if reading too high a resistance.

[@mattsmith6828]

i think chargers like these and LiFePO4 batteries is the way lol

[@cheule]

liFePO4 are really good in certain applications! (Like power banks)

[@nicholasscurti8001]

Can it charge Olight batteries, or if not any ways to do so?

[@cheule]

Depends on the battery. But most olight batteries can be charged in it. Sometimes with the addition of a little neodymium magnet on the positive end.

[@nicholasscurti8001]

I tried a small one, but it was still too large to work. Know where I can get one small enough?

[@nacogburn]

..."let's say there's a power outage, people need flashlights- I didn't have my batteries charged..." Something tells me that's not terribly likely based on what I know about you from your KZbin content. :)

[@JVBL1]

So where exactly can you get this for $79?

[@cheule]

It was a Black Friday deal, but even at $100 it’s a deal. Amazing charger.

[@JVBL1]

@@cheule it's $100 at amazon with $20 discount if I add a bank card to my account

[@MrGatlin98]

If this supported 26800 cells it would be perfect.

[@Sunstepa]

If this supported 46800 cells it would be unreal. 😆

[@bluesteelbass]

@@Sunstepa Why not just make an adapter? I can think of several ways, one of which I have already implemented.

[@Sunstepa]

@@bluesteelbass it's easy. You need wires and magnets tos connect the charger and baterry. By the way my reply to that person was sarcastic. 😁

[@cihanbozkir]

It's sad that I missed it while being sold for 79 USD.

[@cheule]

Even at $99 it’s worth picking up!

[@cihanbozkir]

@@cheule I think so too but cheapest price I can have it shipped to Turkey is 140 USD now. So I'll wait for a while more for the price to drop and keep enjoying charging with rd6006p power supply manually. Checking the minus delta V manually while charging nimh is a joy. Charging li-ion is easy with any charger but nimh is tricky.

[@Slipps-t7]

Doesn't seem to charge lithium AA 1.5 volt contacted the company twice but no reply

[@sethsalberg3678]

Go to: www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/skyrc-%E2%80%94-ifa-2014-%E2%80%94-mc3000-charger-analyzer.389700/ Almost 300 pages of forum posts going back to 2014 when the charger came out. There have been a few hardware revisions and firmware is still being updated. Ask your question there.

[@cheule]

First question, is “Lithium” 1.5v rechargable? I think of these when you say that: www.brandpreventiewinkel.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/energizer-lithium-aa-rookmelder-4pack.jpg and those ARE MOST DEFINITELY NOT RECHARGEABLE. With that said, switch to expert mode and you can set up any charging program you like. Start with a Li-Ion charging program and change it to have a lower cut off. I’m not sure what the values are, but I’m sure you could find it with search.

[@Slipps-t7]

@@cheule Kratak AA is what i'm using and the company have replied saying none of their chargers will charge these batteries

[@harryhenderson7208]

@@Slipps-t7 What charger do you take for the kratax aa? I have the same Problem. Thx

[@Slipps-t7]

@@harryhenderson7208 I had to buy 4 more batteries with the supplied charger, the MC3000 will not charge them and the company is not interested

[@CRONZ_2501]

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!!

[@cheule]

I love futurama so much.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

I had one, they suck. The spring for the battery broke, not one but two out of four. The user interface is just obtuse, like stupid complicated and unintuitive. This is the dumbest thing I've seen in a while.

[@cheule]

Haha!

[@Boz1211111]

This is not just average charger if its too complicated you should buy opus or sth simple that can charge and discharge. Im here just sitting amazed with this because its fully configurable which my opus is not and i really need that (im into capacity testing a lot)

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

@@Boz1211111 I'm an elelctrical engineer, I deal with complicated for a living. You are right... it's good to have options and access to advanced features. The simple chargers where only one or two buttons are pressed... yes, easy but no advanced features. The mark of a GOOD charger, however, is access to advanced features in an INTUITIVE way... and springs that do not break.

[@peskypeet]

​@@user-cx2bk6pm2f Your opinion is noted and seems wise. With that being said, what charger fits the parameters you listed? I need a charger for 14500, 18350, 18650, 21700, 26650. If I have to have two different chargers so be it.

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

@@peskypeet Hi Peet. I now have a charger callled Zanflare C4... I don't think it'll take 21700 though it will 26650. Is it good? I really don't know. Frankly the other charger gave me such a headache I just wanted something works without breaking, and so far it has. It's a Chinese brand, if that matters to you.

[@6537537]

Such an awful buttons and plastic for 120$? Seriously?

[@FutureSystem738]

If I wanted a dumb charger with great case and buttons I’d look elsewhere… plus anyway, it’s got a great phone App as well. (I don’t want a dumb charger, and could not care less about “awful buttons”. The buttons actually work very well.)