Simple DIY 18650 Battery Charger - TP4056 Review (Everything Explained)

18650 lithium-ion cells, these type of batteries are very popular nowadays. And a good charger is very expensive. This is the most detailed tutorial on how to make your own cheap but very good - 18650 battery charger.
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18650 holder box: s.click.aliexp...
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[@Wreckz_Tea]

Dude...i didn't even think about how a circuit board actually worked because I never really needed to know. If someone told me they would pay me a million dollars to build one from scratch and gave me a full day to do it I would've still been scrappinng cans and eating ramen the next day...but its so simple and makes so much sense now that I've seen you do it. I'll still never do it myself, but the knowledge is cool. Thanks for that

[@GuidoKlebe]

nice "old school" workmanship & clearly explained for everyone, very well done

[@jlharland01]

I am so glad you didn't show the soldering of each connection! After the 1st one or two we get the idea. Good work! Very informative!

[@pileofstuff]

Nicely done. It's good to see a young guy who is willing to do things "old school".

[@curiosidicas]

yeah!! took me 30 years ago!! :D

[@royleoncallisonii1053]

is he using conductive paint?

[@curiosidicas]

no, he is using iron perchlorate that is copper corrossive and the pen he is using is able to protect only where needs, then what is above the pen ink will be preserved after the processes is done.

[@royleoncallisonii1053]

what is the pen? Paint? I have the ferric chloride and single sided plates.

[@curiosidicas]

actually a pen. a CD writer pencil alike.

[@tomwyrick2824]

I really liked the simplified (old school) prototyping with the copper clad board and the paint trick!!!! Since I guess am am one of the few people without a laser printer I had all but given up making my own simple boards : ( but now you have opened my eyes to how simple it really is thank you! ; )

[@ArjunKumar-jp1gc]

GOOd

[@myronlubman1051]

Thank you for your video. I have all of the batteries that I need but was unsure how to do a simple charge board. I am 75 years old and this is new to me. I have about four old cordless drills that I can now reuse with the 18650 cells and your charge board. This will keep me busy for a while. I just subscribed. Mike

[@Sorin_DIY]

Thanks for subscribing, Mike! I will soon make another 18650 cell charger video with voltmeter and other features included. I will also convert my cordless power drill to li-ion...

[@opera5714]

You can buy a 6 battery empty case with built in charger, 5V booster and USB ports for $2 shipped on ebay. No need to turn this into a big project. See my video.

[@Halakah7]

You HAVE no videos... WTH !!!

[@radiotec76]

YIKES! You used a soldering gun to solder wires to the plastic 18650 battery holders without melting them! I tip my hat to you! I did that when I was 13 with a Radio Shack "P Box" SuperRegenerative FM band receiver and an AM band IC integrated circuit radio. I melted part of the plastic perf board but I did not fry the transistors and the FM SuperRegen worked. It had that familiar rushing noise but, alas, no FM broadcasters to hear on Grand Bahama Island back in 1975.

[@DarthInsidiom]

Good video. Nice layout of the PCB. Only issue is the completely wrong way to solder. Heating the joint then applying the solder to the joint is the correct way.

[@DontGoHollow]

My guy etched his own pcb just for a 18650 charger. You have my respect.

[@nosafetyswitch9378]

I have done something very similar with a vero board but woithout the plywood base. I have used plastic screws as "legs" for the charger to stay 10mm from the ground and also used 2 x 40mm fans to keep the TP4056s cool while charging. I am using 2 step down converters and a laptop charger to step the voltage down to 6V and feed that to the charger. This can charge the cells with 1.1A each very easily but the fans are needed as each TP4056 is dissipatinf anywhere between 2 and 1 W. You need to keep the cable lengths and connections minimal as it reduces the charging current.

[@phenooharra8310]

Felicitari Sorin. Ne esti de mare ajutor. Frumos, explicit, concret, de la inceput pana la sfarsit. Multumesc pentru prezentare si explicatii.

[@matusondrus8987]

If you are using ferric chloride try it warm up. You can do it in microwave or with hot wather. Etching will be much quickly. Temperature can reach around 80 degrees celsius.

[@wowavidzz1822]

The best tutorial ever!

[@MrRoyston1953]

Just scored some 18650 batteries and was looking for a way to charge them, thank you for a great project with lots of helpful information.

[@tcirit]

Dear Sorin, I am really grateful for your efforts. You deserve the better place in this area. I would like to see a DIY intelligent charger like the Opus from you.

[@MadJDMTurboBoost]

So you poured the ferric chloride that dissolved the copper from your board down the drain where there are copper pipes?

[@agnonwolf9646]

Actually most european pires are pvc anyways :P (but good point x had a laught at the thought)

[@scottconover90]

@4:55 I thought a spoon in my room fell! ha ha

[@Th3Mafia]

10:41 certified cat inspection

[@Skilled_Maker]

Dude, I really like your videos and the way that you mention the cost of equipement👌

[@SkInventions]

Nice bro

[@jamesharris6062]

Great just what I needed for my project it would have nice put a picture of the wiring diagram.

[@NobodyNew02]

7:05 GENIUS!

[@liopoldrrr]

Bravo Sorine, mie imi e de folos pentru ca nu am gasit nici un video care sa imi arate exact cum sa fac de la ce piese sa cumpar pana la modul cum sa le montez. Multumesc!

[@BloodyHeartRo]

Cu clipul asta mi-ai reinviat dorinta de a ma reapuca de montaje ca in anii de liceu.

[@marinduque-theheartoftheph]

Very informative. Practical DIY. Clear instructions. Thank you 😃👍

[@FrumentzSefridus]

You are a GENIUS..!! Thank you very much.. Very simple and clear explanation even for someone who has never done something like this before, like me :) I've been working with software stuffs most of the time and I am trying to learn something about hardware stuffs like this one..

[@Ziplock9000]

FYI there are now upgrades to these board that have undercurrent protection too.

[@magicianofelectronics951]

I have seen your video saying that 4 TP4056 module with same power supply will make short circuit, thanks

[@DrHarryT]

From what I understand a typical charge rate should not exceed 1/2 the battery's rated capacity. This means a 2.6Ah battery should not be charged at more than 1.3A. Fast chargers will exceed this but will shorten the life of the battery and if the BMS [Battery Management System] charges the battery to 4.0V [80%] instead of 4.2V the life of the battery is even more greatly extended.

[@jaytomheldman5170]

used for etching is ferric chloride which can be saved and reused.

[@sammy-pp1gl]

Hi Sorin ,I also have some 31685 tried to fix it with the charger but it,s not charging at all ,what is the problem . ..can any one advice me about this problem

[@arjunmr9453]

The best video.....now my doubts are all cleared..thank you sir

[@Enoch-Gnosis]

Can this charging method be applied to 3S 18650 system using the TP4056 module , and have a secondary wiring for the batteries to provide 12v output isolated by a 3way on/off0n switch ? The 3S modules are not very good , I like the TP 4056 better .

[@Sorin_DIY]

no. I made another video on how to charge li-ion cells in series with TP4056 modules.

[@nahumloredo85]

Hi, in this case you charge the batteries in independent form, in parallel connection of circuit charger but if I want charge a batteries array 2P3S as laptops battery, then is serial connection among chargers circuit. Moreover, adjust the current in mA. Kind Regards.

[@Joshua.26]

Hi, can i use this to charge 21700?

[@Sorin_DIY]

yes

[@Hino_55]

Great explanation Sir Sorin! Thank you for this!

[@chrisdurante2544]

Well done. Impressed with the fit you achieved with common tools.. BTW, do yourself a favor and pick up a good iron, that gun is destructive.....

[@covinhas87]

I like the video but i'm confused... Those batteries are Lithium Ion, but the charger 1:36 is for Lithium Polymer batteries. Li Ion = 3.6v max 4.10v Li Po = 3.7 max 4.20v So you will damage your batteries unless they are rated 3.7v

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. this charging module can charge 3.6V and 3.7V cells. it has a maximum charging voltage of 4.2V, which is the same for both li-ion and li-po. for example panasonic NCR18650B has 3.6V nominal and 4.2V max.

[@covinhas87]

@@Sorin_DIY based on my research and the info on my smart charger, li ion battery max voltage is 4.1. But still, I like your video and those kind of diy projects. :)

[@Sorin_DIY]

the charging voltage differs for each type of cell. for example in the link below there is a Samsung S9 li-ion battery with 3.85V nominal voltage and maximum 4.40V. obviously it cannot be charged with a TP4056 module. this charging module it's made for cells with max 4.2V li-ion or li-po. rounded.com/samsung-galaxy-s9-plus-sm-g965f-battery-eb-bg965abe-3500mah-gh82-15960a.html

[@PM-wt3ye]

Very nice "How To"!! Can you use all 4 TP4056 together to charge with 1A each? Thanks

[@mobi47]

Thank you for the simple and awesome DIY you helped me make my own charger

[@abeginnerspov5968]

Can you tell us how did you make that soldering iron please? It's the safest and perhaps the soldering iron any beginner will need ever

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. it's a powerful Romanian made soldering gun from the '80s and '90s. it's not made anymore.

[@maazahmed9010]

Sir sorrin, I must say i am very pleased to see your work but can you also make a video on how to charge battery packs of li-ion cells?

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. I plan to make such a video in the near future.

[@maazahmed9010]

@@Sorin_DIY Thank you Sir! Its good to see how you love what you're doing. Great job Sir!

[@ForMa80]

Salut , imi place imbinarea dintre "old school" si tehnica moderna ... bravo pentru video, continua

[@Darryl603]

If I set a power supply with constant voltage and current control at 4.15 volts 1 amp , will that work safely? Thanks nice work

[@mr.robinsoncrewso7753]

The Best Explain for me in KZbin!

[@DigitalIP]

Very nice, exactly the info I needed.

[@cozenvr]

Will plugging in a usb charger to two of the micro-usb ports speed up the charging for the batteries?

[@Sorin_DIY]

no. the microUSB ports are already connected in parallel. you need a powerful charger.

[@cri8tor]

I did something very similar with the same charging component. Thank you for the video.

[@FerrydeManLapidothjr]

Smart,easy&cheap idea thanx!

[@ChesaruMediaEvents]

Am si eu acelasi pistol de lipit mostenit de la tata. Incearca sa faci o boxa portabila cu bluetooth, usb si tot tacamul, sunt la moda acum, cat mai puternice. Pt viitor fa videoclipul in si in engleza si in romana sau cate un video pt fiecare limba. Oricum buna treaba

[@q12x]

Foarte bine explicat ! Bravo.

[@Fellafoe69]

Charging current is 1.06A if you measure at the battery

[@12Blinker]

I think you could use only one charging unit, because you have 1A source and you divide it to 4 circuit which gives you around 0.25A to each circuit - same as you use 1 circuit and connect 4 batteries in parallel (each battery gets around 0.25A while charging) and whole charger cost you less... Am I right? :D

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. not really. this is the difference: with 4 charging modules you can charge 4 different cells individually. the cells can have different capacity, they can be discharged to different levels. you can put each cell in the charger at different times. all the cells will be charged much faster, with max 1A (if I use my DIY bench power supply. a phone charger with 2.1A is also very good) not 1A divided to all 4 cells. if you want to charge multiple cells with only one charging module, the cells must always be connected in parallel (when you charge them and when you use them). the cells need to be the same type, same capacity, same lifespan, same charging-discharging cycles and they will be charged 4 times slower.

[@12Blinker]

@@Sorin_DIY ouuuu, now that's Ok :)

[@soepvorkje]

Very nice video. I've learned a lot and because of this video I have the courage to build one of my own. (Just started this hobby). 1 question though, at the end of the video you plug the USB in the third port and at the very end in port 4. I am assuming it doesn't matter which one you plug it into?

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. the inputs of all 4 charging modules are connected in parallel, you can use which micruUSB port you want.

[@dmgaming5157]

Sorin will you show me how to make a hush box for a projector please great channel my friend.

[@joshuayoung8086]

Hey man, what if I had two lithium ion batteries and I connected them in parallel, can I use just one TP4056? Or do I need two?

[@Sorin_DIY]

if you also use them in parallel, yes you can charge them in parallel. the cells need to have the same capacity and preferably the same charging/discharging cycles. if you intend to use them individually, you should charge them individually.

[@razerniick]

Great tutorial! Everything is well explained, thanks!

[@hrsolarsolutionsltd4438]

Great Stuff, whats the calculation to match a good power supply to the charger/batteries ?

[@rosskilpatrick934]

Excellent and easy to follow your instructions. Thanks so much

[@joecrack5583]

Nice video, very detailed and beautiful song to follow and DIY!

[@evertspies3345]

I saw two other similar videos but on those it is recommended that each circuit have its own power supply. The one actually went as far as using a transformer with four taps, rectified, to supply the 5 volts for each circuit board. Could you explain why they did this and why you have not done so.

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. if you have a battery pack with lithium cells connected in series and you want to charge it with TP4056 modules, they need to have isolated power supplies. but if the cells are not connected in series, you can use one power supply for all charging modules.

[@jasonwilliam2125]

Great job. Highly recomened video and a great tutorial for newbies .

[@badhonebrahim7707]

Danm what a beautiful basin so clean

[@honestinsincerity2270]

Man, it was rough seeing someone cold solder a tiny SMD circuit board with like 1.5mm solder and a solder gun. Like using a sledge hammer to put in finishing nails on your custom wood cabinets.

[@Darryl603]

I see what you mean lol. Do you know you can feed the solder in

[@damilolaadeniji1434]

If you made it in a parallel instead of a series would it take longer to charge??

[@LawnMeower]

Hello, nice video! One question... Does the OUT+ port always provide 5 Volts when: 1. The battery is full but the power source still being connected 2. The battery is currently chargin 3. The battery is powering the device on the OUT+ port

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. I suppose you are referring to the TP4056 module with battery protection. the charging module can provide max 4.2V for the battery. the output voltage is the battery voltage. 1. when the battery is fully charged to 4.2V, the charging module doesn't provide voltage anymore, but is still monitoring the battery voltage. if you have a consumer connected to the battery and the battery voltage slowly drops to 4.0V, the charging process starts automatically and the charging module is providing 4.2V again. 2. & 3. the out pins deliver the battery voltage, even when the battery is charging.

[@LawnMeower]

thank you! :3

[@joeldubus2362]

hello good job the wire that replaces the pin connectors, is it really 0.8mm²? because it fits easily into the holes of the card, it looks like 0.5mm²

[@Sorin_DIY]

the wires are 0.8mm. the holes are not perfect.

[@getyourkicksagain]

Do you know if these modules would drain the cells under charge in a power outage situation? I understand these boards have over and under discharge protection built in, but I wish they had reverse polarity protection, or an easy way to add that feature to them. I occasionally put my batteries in the charger the wrong way, but since it is a smart charger, it will only blink indicating wrong polarity. These boards would just get permanently damaged.

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. these modules don't drain the cells. the modules I've used in this video don't have over discharge protection (but the link in the video description is for modules with over discharge protection). the modules from all my other videos have this feature. if you put in the cell in the wrong way, this simple module will burn. I haven't try this with modules that have over discharge protection. I think they will burn too.

[@getyourkicksagain]

@@Sorin_DIY Thanks for the prompt reply! I want to make a similar charger but using some sort of spring contacts and retention system so when I inevitably burn a module I can just swap it out without soldering.

[@thomasjaszewski64]

Well done, perfect if no green wall. Thank you! Good music too!

[@EmperorThePro]

You came here expecting pretty walls and good music? Or learn how to make some shit that you didn't know...

[@yosoyelsupremo]

I want to build a LED lamp with these batteries and charger, can I have the LED's turned on while charging??

[@Sorin_DIY]

it will work, but it's not a good idea to use the batteries while you charge them. it will shorten the batteries lifespan.

[@JohnRysMillanar]

Can you make a video on how you made your soldering iron.

[@itsglizda345]

Buy this items on aliexpress and you have this charger for ~5$, or you can buy proffesional charger for 15$-19$ from aliexpress ex. Liitokala lii500

[@houtjeboom]

great video and project.... what "paint" did you use on the board?

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. it's a car paint scratch repair pen.

[@nobody2254]

Sorin - DIY Electrical Nerd: Expensive, but clever. 🙏

[@MarcelDomuta]

Bravo, Sorine!

[@kmuralikrishna1582]

Yes really good job. But what if I want to charge 20 modules like this at a time.... What is voltage required for 20 modules...? amps required for 20 modules...? Note:not for more time, as usual normal time.mean how much time it will take for one cell with 5v1amp.

[@bernhardreinel]

If you wire all the TP4056 modules in parallel, as done in the video, the supply voltage stays at 5V and the maximum current draw is the number of modules in parallel X maximum current draw of one module. You can reduce the maximum charging current of the TP4056 modules by changing the current set resistor on the module. That allows you to charge at a lower current, but it will of course take more time. Don't use multiple TP4056 modules in parallel to charge cells wired in series in a battery pack, unless you are galvanically isolating the input supply of the module! Otherwise you are shorting cells in the pack over the common ground between the modules!

[@jebsagustin6745]

Nice work Sir. How many hours to fully charged this 18650 battery using TP4056. Thank you so much

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. it depends on the battery capacity. usually 2 -> 3 hours.

[@brazilcreative1063]

Is this module used to charge cell phone battery?

[@DanceySteveYNWA]

This module turns the USB 5v down to the 4.2v required. So no, it will not charge a a phone

[@carlnikolov]

Sorin, would you be able to avoid using the black wires if you had more room on the copper plate to lay negative traces underneath? Also how did you wire up that volt meter to make it work with usb?

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. if the copper plate is a few millimeters longer, you have room to lay the negative traces and not use the black wires.for the volt/ammeter you can find a diagram in the description of my power supply conversion videos 1 & 2.

[@sachinumayanga3555]

hey bro.this video is great.how can we make a charger to charge a battery in which 18650 batteries are placed in series?

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. I made a separate video about that, you can find it on my channel.

[@Accumulator1]

Sorin please tell me which is faster and better, a TP4056 module or a HT3786D ic chip? Also is there now a module or IC chip with USB type C fast charging? I am learning which be the best to build my charger. Thanks!

[@Sorin_DIY]

Hi. I haven't tested the HT3786D IC yet. I ordered some new charging modules and I will test them in future videos. I will make a simple fast charging powerbank soon.

[@agbrown308]

I love your videos. Do you have a video on how to charge the 18650 cells and discharge or use the power from the 18650 at the same time. For example, a Bluetooth speaker build using 3 x 18650’s that can be plugged in to charge them while you are using the speaker. I tried this and the battery wires started to smoke. The only way I can use the speaker is to charge the batteries then instal them in the speaker or plug the speaker in without 18650’s installed in the speaker. Thank you very much in advance.

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. my bluetooth speaker does that. I can charge it, while it's playing music. you need short thick wires for all the power supply connections. but it's using only 5V and very low current. in the future I will make other bigger speakers, with bigger battery packs.

[@deadscorpion77]

When I charge a 4 batteries together. It shows 4 volt. And when I check on single single it also shows 3.7volt. Why it not shows 14volt total after connecting together. After all are charged showing.

[@autismlim454]

I assume you check it in parallel state. Parallel = same voltage, capacity increased Series = voltage increased, same capacity

[@iliedraguta1389]

Bravo,Sorin.La ce pret faci incarcatorul?

[@akshaymestry5992]

Bro your speech very good. ... Best explain...

[@mwint1982]

Do you ever add a resistor to VCC IN to help with heat? Mostly for charging at 500ma-1A

[@Sorin_DIY]

I didn't add a resistor to the power input. if you charge the cells with 1A, the TP4056 IC will get hot. you can add a heatsink on the IC. or you can charge the programmable charging resistor, so the module can charge with a lower current, like 700 mA, this way it will not get hot.

[@zanpekosak2383]

Some people complain but I love the music!

[@notstorp]

Salut , faci o treabă foarte bună, continua tot așa

[@esixphp]

Mai are de lucrat la pronuntie si accent, dar e ok

[@crinaandreea9640]

@@esixphp ce legatura are pronuntia si accentul cu canalul?

[@akinnon2000]

What if i use a more powerful charger but only input one cell will it take all the current or the module limit it to a maximum ?

[@Sorin_DIY]

It's limited to 1A.

[@SolsticeKin]

Most useful cat video ever! Thanks!

[@FoodsecretsJahangir]

You can also use DC voltage meter in this project

[@telsego]

Thank you so much,good project

[@Deses]

Why can't you use just one TP4056 and connect the batteries in parallel? Assuming all 4 batteries are going to be used together so they have a balanced charge.

[@Sorin_DIY]

hi. with 4 charging modules you can charge 4 cells individually. the cells can have different capacity, they can be discharged to different levels. you can put each cell in the charger at different times. all the cells will be charged much faster, with max 1A. not 1A divided to all 4 cells. if you want to charge multiple cells with only one charging module, the cells must always be connected in parallel (when you charge them and when you use them). the cells need to be the same type, same capacity, same lifespan, same charging-discharging cycles and they will be charged 4 times slower -> 1A/4=250mA each cell.

[@DIYInventor]

How to charge and Use 18650 battery at the same time?

[@Sorin_DIY]

li-ion cells cannot be charged and used in the same time. they will get damaged. only lead-acid batteries can do that.

[@DIYInventor]

@@Sorin_DIY thx sir but i want to ask one thing that how can I charge the battery from solar pannel and use it at the same timr

[@Sorin_DIY]

the solar panels must deliver much more power than the load needs and they directly feed the load. the excess power is used separately to charge the battery. and when the sun goes down and the solar panels can't deliver enough power anymore, the load draws power from the battery. the battery is charged by day and discharged by night, it's not simultaneously charged and discharged.

[@DIYInventor]

​@@Sorin_DIY Thx sir you explained me very nicely I have last query the likewise for the time when cell is charging and if I connected some thing with output will it going to work or not/

[@gabrielantiligando9905]

Tp4056 is a game changer for me😅

[@rockbay79]

These are great skills needed for the future!!!!

[@wongogubongo8844]

A very good project and very helpful.. thanks a lot Also the tools you use are very motivating.. its looks not very expensive and so i may can afore it too :)

[@hamohamo234]

Very informative video, keep up! :D

[@krr711]

Very well done! I learned a lot from your video! Thank you!

[@user-bk3qb4vz2c]

it will help students understand what battery 18650 battery charge work， nice hand-on ability ！！

[@dongborjie127]

Nice,very good tutorial. I subscribed God bless you !