Inside an eBay cordless tool charger - with schematic

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  • čas přidán 9. 07. 2024
  • A look inside the extraordinarily lightweight 21V "2A" battery charger, often supplied with generic unbranded cordless tools.
    The charger is instantly notable for how lightweight it is. Literally just 60g or 2oz. It puts out a current limited supply of around 500mA, and uses a standard USB 5V 2A chip, but with the transformer wound for 20V at lower current.
    The end of charge indicator is very simple and mainly triggered by the battery pack's BMS turning off its charge transistor or the voltage gradually creeping up to near the charger's output voltage.
    The charger does work, although I wouldn't want to guarantee its life expectancy due to the pointless level of cost cutting and badly positioned foam mounting system in the case.
    If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
    This also keeps the channel independent of CZcams's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
    #ElectronicsCreators
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 233

  • @tonyweavers4292
    @tonyweavers4292 Před měsícem +123

    What a crappy circuit. They just keep removing components until it stops working.

    • @abitofabitofabit4404
      @abitofabitofabit4404 Před 18 dny +18

      Earl Muntz wants to know your location

    • @assassinlexx1993
      @assassinlexx1993 Před 18 dny +2

      Or it burst into flames

    • @emmettturner9452
      @emmettturner9452 Před 18 dny +5

      Exactly like Jack Tramiel at Commodore.

    • @tubastuff
      @tubastuff Před 18 dny +7

      @@abitofabitofabit4404 Hence the term "Muntzing". To his credit, I'm not aware of any of his sets catching fire...

    • @drussell_
      @drussell_ Před 18 dny +4

      Yep! Totally *Muntzed* it!
      Bravo, Shenzen Fine Mad Electronics Co! Well played!! 🙄

  • @drussell_
    @drussell_ Před 18 dny +44

    That is the most accurate Chinese electronics manufacturer name I've seen in ages! 😂

    • @markfergerson2145
      @markfergerson2145 Před 17 dny +2

      They are the preferred vendor for the discerning Mad Scientist.

    • @h14hc124
      @h14hc124 Před 17 dny +1

      It says Shenzen *Fu Man* Electronics Group Company (in Chinese). Fu man means wealthy or rich. I suspect "fine mad" is a terrible approximation of the sound of fu man

  • @gregorythomas333
    @gregorythomas333 Před 17 dny +14

    "Shen Zhen Fine Mad Electronics Group" That is an awesome company name :)

    • @AdmiralQuality
      @AdmiralQuality Před 12 dny

      Fine Mad is my favorite Homestar Runner character.

  • @jensschroder8214
    @jensschroder8214 Před 18 dny +25

    A British plug without a fuse.
    In the event of a short circuit, more than 32 amps will flow through the bridge rectifier.
    That's more than 7700 watts!

    • @sadlerbw9
      @sadlerbw9 Před 18 dny +15

      You see that tiny squiggle of PCB track in the lower-right corner between the bridge rectifier and the mains input? That is the 'fuse'. I have no idea if that actually meets UK electrical regs, but that is what these cheap boards do instead of any sort of real fuse.

    • @aaronmdjones
      @aaronmdjones Před 17 dny +4

      @@sadlerbw9 Fuses are to protect wiring, not devices. UK regs (BS 7671) do not require fuses for devices (though they are still a good idea to prevent exciting fires as Mehdi put it, and yes, this PCB has a fusible track). If this had a mains cable going from the plug portion to some kind of power brick (like laptop chargers do), then the plug would need a fuse to protect that cable. This is only because the circuit is capable of supplying much more current than the cable is capable of safely carrying.

    • @AnanasGuy
      @AnanasGuy Před 17 dny +7

      32 amps will flow through the bridge rectifier for a very, very brief time.

    • @willrobbinson
      @willrobbinson Před 17 dny +4

      for a Milli second before the bang!

    • @johnschneede
      @johnschneede Před 17 dny +4

      @@jensschroder8214 Non documented Heater-"Function"

  • @Tapsnapper
    @Tapsnapper Před 18 dny +19

    I think we should have bets on what new wound Clive is going to have on his hands.

  • @bikkiikun
    @bikkiikun Před 17 dny +5

    It's great that you not only point out the cardinal sins, but also how to "correct them". **thumbs up**

  • @pluribus_unum
    @pluribus_unum Před 18 dny +23

    ¼ the performance and ¼ the lifespan at ¼ the price with 4x the danger if the circuitry isn't one that has an _Inspected by Clive_ "rating".

  • @twocvbloke
    @twocvbloke Před 18 dny +27

    Same charger as what came with my dodgy chinese tools, I snapped one of them in half (breaking off the mains side) and just went with injecting 21v at some point in the circuit, didn't really work so just gave up and charged them via my DIY bench power supply instead, which is when I found how badly out of balance the cells were...

    • @MrHimer12
      @MrHimer12 Před 13 dny

      BMS does no balancing, only protection. Legaslov said it's cheaper :D I have modified those batteries to be charged with RC charger using JST-XH 6 pin connector for balancing.

  • @AnanasGuy
    @AnanasGuy Před 17 dny +4

    I can imagine the manglement meeting. "Ah, Clive, welcome, welcome
    We are here to circle back on your concerns about our barf-1 charger. We've invited Bob from vale engineering. Bob has an accounting degree, he knows his stuff. " Bob: You raised an issue that we didn't include the...umm.. snubber network. Well, you see that was a value engineering win. By removing this, we saved half a quid on every device sold, and the people who do the circuit stuff tell me that this device will fail in 6-12 months, so you can appreciate the after original purchase opportunity to upsell more chargers"

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 Před 15 dny +1

      _Sound of Bob being head-hunted by Apple..._ 💰🍎😉

  • @imcrazy886
    @imcrazy886 Před 18 dny +9

    FM3783 is primary sensing regulator (PSR) and monolithic switch power controller which is designed for small-power supply equipment with current mode control. Built-in accurate CV/CC control circuit, The output current is determinated by R4 at 6:43 . Io= 2/7*500/R4*Np/Ns ;Np:primary winding turns, Ns:secondary winding turns;

  • @g7eit
    @g7eit Před 16 dny +3

    I was hoping for a violent destructive entry 😂. Good to see your hand is better Clive.

  • @shaunclarke94
    @shaunclarke94 Před 18 dny +9

    12V ❌
    2000mA ❌
    Wouldn't want to plug that into another device thinking the label was accurate. 🤦‍♂️

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 Před 15 dny +1

      Pot-luck of 1.2v at 200A, 12v at 200mA, or 1.2Kv at 2µA. 🎰⚡😉
      You could always build a circuit to rectify whatever comes out - Magic smoke aside - Into a safer and more stable supply of course, but then you might as well just skip the lottery and do all the PSU work yourself! 😁

  • @andrasszabo7386
    @andrasszabo7386 Před 16 dny +2

    This planet needs these cheap chargers like a hole in the head.
    The manufacturer of the charger cheaps out on protection because they think the battery is going to have a good quality protection circuit and vice-versa.

  • @bethaltair812
    @bethaltair812 Před měsícem +10

    Urrgh,those battery packs are the bane of my life.
    The grippy connectors break off the pcb every other charge.
    I'm almost ready to glue wago connectors to the side of the saw and just admit I can't fix them permanently

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před měsícem +7

      A dab of silicone grease or vaseline on the contacts might make them slide on and off easier.

  • @zh84
    @zh84 Před měsícem +41

    I wonder if Shen Zen Fine Mad Electronics has a partnership with Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories inc.?

    • @JimJohnD
      @JimJohnD Před 18 dny +6

      Subsidiary of Doofenshmirtz Evil inc.

    • @agustinusreynaldi7101
      @agustinusreynaldi7101 Před 17 dny

      In China

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

      Just checked our partner list, no such association is possible, this shit is just too awful.
      Dispatching laser landsharks mk-3 to Shenzen... Had a wee bit of trouble with the mk-2's, they kept swimming into the lair's lava pit. The mk-3 also have a nitrowhisperin destruct charge for when they run low on energy. Don't want to offend anyone when they fail...

  • @AK.16
    @AK.16 Před 18 dny +20

    I bought a cordless impact drill with a slightly different design than the one on the video. Supplies 21 Volts forgot the amperage. It weighs literally nothing, even with the cable attached. It also gets very hot and makes a crackling sound while charging.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 18 dny +18

      The crackling sound doesn't sound right. Maybe a bad solder joint or bad plug fit.

    • @monteceitomoocher
      @monteceitomoocher Před 18 dny +6

      Ditto, cheap chainsaw, extremely light charger and even worse connecting cable, I've seen gramophone pickup wire with more current carrying capacity, really cheap and nasty!.

    • @AK.16
      @AK.16 Před 18 dny +1

      Broke immediately after two charges. Never really bothered to open it after it died, though I assume the main circuitry is as small as the one in the video. That might explain it weighing nothing.

    • @jo_bro666
      @jo_bro666 Před 16 dny +1

      ​@@AK.16 if you have it you should send it to him

    • @dieseldragon6756
      @dieseldragon6756 Před 15 dny +1

      Weight isn't necessarily an indicator of quality, though. Crack open enough Temu-bought chargers and you'll probably find a few bags of sand¹ amongst them... 🔌⏳😉
      I'll own-up to having a bag of soil dangling down from my own consumer unit, but this is by a length of green/yellow striped cable and the bag bears the appropriate electrical symbol for „Ground“... 🔌🌍😋
      (¹ - I don't mean the Cockney sort, either! 🙃)

  • @ConstantlyDamaged
    @ConstantlyDamaged Před měsícem +19

    Is it bad I half expected to see a capacitive dropper in there?

    • @alexandermonro6768
      @alexandermonro6768 Před 18 dny

      That's also what I was expecting. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or relieved by what Clive actually found.

    • @NinoJoel
      @NinoJoel Před 18 dny

      My father owns one of these and I also assumed there was a dropper inside.

  • @tubastuff
    @tubastuff Před 18 dny +5

    I generally get these glued-together "wall warts" apart by tapping around the seam with a small rawhide hammer. Eventually, the glue gives and the thing comes apart--and intact. Works better than repeatedly throwing the things down on a concrete floor. All of these things seem to be oblivious to the need for heat dissipation/ventilation. Eventually the heat kills something; the capacitors eventually will "cook out".

    • @mikemondano3624
      @mikemondano3624 Před 18 dny +2

      I put one side of the seam in a vise and squeeze until there is an opening for a screwdriver.

    • @tubastuff
      @tubastuff Před 18 dny +2

      @@mikemondano3624 Yes, I've done that too for the really stubborn cases. You many have to try all sides, but eventually, something gives.

  • @teardowndan5364
    @teardowndan5364 Před 18 dny +2

    While poor thermal conductivity foam over a hot chip may not be ideal, you do need to keep in mind that the whole board is inside a plastic housing and the chip packaging itself likely has pretty high thermal resistance. Most power semiconductors sink the bulk of their heat in their leads or thermal pad underneath when present. Heat from the chip isn't really going anywhere regardless of whether there is a foam pad or an air gap.
    As for ease-of-opening, I really wish power adapters were still held together by some combination of hooks and 1-4 screws. I've repaired dozens of these over the years and most of them only needed a new auxiliary/bootstrap capacitor for the switching IC because the 1.0-4.7uF original ones got the snot beaten out of them by flyback transformer current spikes they likely aren't rated for. Most of the bricks I repair are OEM adapters since I do not want to end up with Chinese knock-off replacements built to no safety standards worth a damn.

  • @johnnythefixer
    @johnnythefixer Před 18 dny +5

    Sometimes a small G-clamp is good for popping small power supply units like this.
    Just tighten on the sides in different areas.
    Better than stabbing my hands with screwdrivers.

    • @manolisgledsodakis873
      @manolisgledsodakis873 Před 18 dny +2

      Clive has a suitable tool. It's called something like "the vise of persuasion".

    • @sarkybugger5009
      @sarkybugger5009 Před 18 dny +4

      @@manolisgledsodakis873 The vice of knowledge, I believe.

    • @abitofabitofabit4404
      @abitofabitofabit4404 Před 17 dny +1

      @@sarkybugger5009 A vise is not a vice.

    • @sarkybugger5009
      @sarkybugger5009 Před 17 dny +1

      @@abitofabitofabit4404 The words are interchangeable, according to Webster's dictionary, but I believe the vice spelling is more common in the UK, where I live.

  • @steve64464
    @steve64464 Před 18 dny +6

    The chainsaw i got had a very similar power supply , Light as a feather and felt like i really shouldn't trust it , I ended up charging the battery under close watch using a buck booster from 12v to 21v with a dps3012 in between to regulate the speed of charge.

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

      They gave up on the weight strategy, where they'd do the exact same atrocities in design, but include a steel weight to make it feel legitimate.
      No, I jest not. Clive uncovered that in one as I recall, right as I had discovered one in my junkheap of failed crap.

    • @steve64464
      @steve64464 Před 16 dny

      @@spvillano always good to have a free piece of metal I guess , they are so cheeky

  • @ralphj4012
    @ralphj4012 Před 18 dny +2

    Fine mad, seems succinct and summarises your diagnosis of these devices (yeah, but nah, in Australian).

  • @frogz
    @frogz Před 18 dny +1

    my guess is it contains a little voltage gnome inside, voltage goes up it's clacker and a full gnome rectumfryer seperates the voltage out of each of it's eyes(it's quite the painful process to hook up a gnome, they bite when you're glueing wires to their eyes)

  • @d.t.4523
    @d.t.4523 Před 17 dny +2

    That name does seem over the top. Big Clive Industrial Corporation will have to up it's game. Thank you, keep working.

  • @KarldorisLambley
    @KarldorisLambley Před 17 dny +2

    i was so inspired by this vid, i have gone around my home and collected all the cheap Chinese barrel jack power supplies i could find, now i have a small pile on my bench of them. so i am going to see how they compare to this one, with my new found understanding of the short cuts they have been likely to take. tbh, maybe i am a reactionary old fool, but i just can't love SMPS. Whereas i do love transformers. The way they are so tangible, toiling away with B fields, and making hardly any 'noise'. wonderful. they put me in mind of a Victorian pumping station engine, maybe not terribly efficient, but capable of working for decades.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 17 dny +2

      A properly designed switching supply is very good. But none will last as long as a traditional properly rated transformer type.

  • @45KevinR
    @45KevinR Před 12 dny

    Think we have to give a small credit to Fine Mad (Fuman) who provided the chip, and the valid schematic. Some other bunch built and sold the charger (with no name on it) and components left out.
    I guess we also need to encourage or maybe discourage Clive from testing the isolation resistance of the windings and board.

  • @chrisstorm7704
    @chrisstorm7704 Před 16 dny +3

    I’ve always wondered why we don’t call that inductive spike “Electron Hammer” since it’s effectively the electrical equivalent of water hammer. 😅

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

      Especially in the absence of a snubber.

    • @dr_jaymz
      @dr_jaymz Před 16 dny +1

      @@spvillano the Chinese says that the output stage is bjt with sufficiently high voltage minimum of 750v rating to make it snubberless but all the datasheet examples have a snubber

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

      @@dr_jaymz well, they care about the early warranty period only, right after, who cares?

  • @desertdog2282
    @desertdog2282 Před 17 dny

    Thanks again for another lesson on how stuff works.

  • @bernieshort6311
    @bernieshort6311 Před 17 dny +4

    Hi Clive, you got me wanting my own spludgers years back after watching your channel. I didn't know the name of the tool and kept rewinding to hear you say "spludger" but for a long time I was still unsure because the tools being shown to me on the internet looked like the tools manicurist would use. Then I tried EBay with no change and eventually out of frustration I tried Amazon and Bingo, there was a two-piece set which I use often. I have my own spludgers 😁 just like you.

    • @Slicerwizard
      @Slicerwizard Před 17 dny +4

      There is no L in "spudger".

    • @bernieshort6311
      @bernieshort6311 Před 17 dny

      @@Slicerwizard Thank you

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

      They're in every standard cell phone and other electronics tool kit. Needed some small screwdrivers, found a cheap set for $20 USD on Amazon that included plastic, metallic spudgers (I really do need to get around to looking up the etymology of that word) and some other interesting tools.
      Huh, Middle English from spuddle, meaning short knife. dates back to the 1400's. I'm actually quite the fan of short knives, particularly after badly bruising my iliac crest after sitting down and my Rambo sized field knife jammed me there...

  • @stuartmcconnachie
    @stuartmcconnachie Před 18 dny +12

    7:13 Were they going for “Fine Made”?
    Actually Google translates it as Shenzhen Fuman Electronics, which is what they seem to be called online. No idea where the Fine Mad came from!

    • @foogod4237
      @foogod4237 Před 18 dny +2

      Yeah, the relevant part of the name is 富满, which is pronounced "fu-man", and appears to just be a name (combining the characters for "wealthy" and "satisfied"). However, some Google searches suggest that the official English name for this company is actually "Fine Made Microelectronics Group Co Ltd". I suspect that they decided to take the "Fu Man" from the Chinese name and pick English words starting with the same sounds ("F" and "M") that they thought sounded classy instead.
      So apparently the "Fine Mad" is just a typo in this particular document (unfortunately). However, I also love the fact that the actual Chinese name "Fuman" does sound sorta similar to "Fu Manchu", who was a famous fictional "mad scientist" and supervillain from the early 1900s, so in that respect it does actually also kinda work, IMHO...

    • @SianaGearz
      @SianaGearz Před 17 dny

      ​@@foogod4237 I've seen other chips by Fuman such as amplifier IC. The fortunate typo was on all the data sheets I have seen. I think they made that header and then copied it all over the place.

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny

      @@SianaGearz likely, they made copies for all over the place, trademarked it at the same time and well, it might cost a few pennies to change the name, so ran with it.

  • @ruben_balea
    @ruben_balea Před 18 dny +1

    If the charger can actually charge the battery and the tool seems to do its job the average buyer will write a good review about the tool and nowadays that is what manufacturers are most concerned about.

    • @dashcamandy2242
      @dashcamandy2242 Před 17 dny +1

      And if it fails in six months, "Well, I didn't pay very much for it," and in the bin it goes. 😆

  • @ThePurrpler
    @ThePurrpler Před 17 dny +1

    I saw that sodium-ion batteries are now available to the public, I think it would be cool if you made a video on that

  • @MrHimer12
    @MrHimer12 Před 13 dny

    Grind away some plastic in the top cover, drill two 4mm holes, 5x 20awg wires from printer motors, JST-XH male connector, solder away to PCB, close the case, use 2 copper prongs in main +/- terminal, attach balance lead to RC charger. There, battery with better balancing and effective charging than known name brands and their expensive BMS'es bullshittery(here poking at you makita :P). Balance plug with this mod clears very good in casing, no obstruction to the tool and tool covers the plug. Nice.

  • @icecreamtruckog3667
    @icecreamtruckog3667 Před 18 dny

    When opening a glued power supply you can hit it with a mallet bending the plastic back and forth and eventually the glue breaks and you can open it mostly intact.

  • @mikemondano3624
    @mikemondano3624 Před 18 dny +1

    My similar charger didn't charge and the light stayed halway between green and red. There was a capacitor with only one leg soldered down. Many said I should just have returned it, but my way was actually less work.

  • @bikkiikun
    @bikkiikun Před 17 dny +1

    As for the name, it's curious where the "Fine Mad" comes from.
    富 means wealth, fortune or abundance.
    滿 means full, filled up or satisfied. It's also an abbreviation for Manchuria.
    Combined it just means being very rich / wealthy.

  • @PaulSteMarie
    @PaulSteMarie Před 18 dny +1

    Worse case, that 2M resistor is dissipating 76mW, so it's not being pushed very hard. Voltage rating might be a concern, but that's not shown on the label.

  • @marcse7en
    @marcse7en Před 17 dny +1

    I've got a Crey Galculator, Big Clive! 🤣
    The trouble with modern electrics, Big Clive, is that they're no fun anymore! ... Back in the 60's and 70's, things used to go ⚡ bang 💥 much more! ... I can't remember the last time I had a good bang?
    Oh, I've embarrassed myself again? ... I'll close the door on my way out of the comments, shall I?

  • @coughcough5839
    @coughcough5839 Před 17 dny

    great to see a new video i can sleep to

  • @iamfubar1
    @iamfubar1 Před měsícem +15

    Wow...okay...let's go with a very sketchy power supply for this decently good battery pack!

    • @agustinusreynaldi7101
      @agustinusreynaldi7101 Před 17 dny +3

      How to degrade battery pack or cause battery short circuit and broke down

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny +2

      @@agustinusreynaldi7101 I dunno, looks like a race to see which would burn the structure down, failed battery or failed AC supply. The only thing missing is petrol coolant on the foam pad.

    • @MrHimer12
      @MrHimer12 Před 13 dny

      @@agustinusreynaldi7101 Those packs are deleting themselves because IC chip in this copy is only for protection, it does zero balancing at all. While you have balanced pack then this "powerful" lithium charger will work. When pack starts to spread then hatred rampage starts. I have built my own battery with HB6 30 amp cells I also have chineese 3Ah one which is of course worse, my pack delivers 60amps peak. There is a spot near the latch that can be ground away, drilled 2 4mm holes, ideal to attach 5 20awg wires and JST-XH connector for balancing, connector clears with the tools and is protected by it. I charge those batteries with RC charger. Mod for skilled hands take like 15 minutes with soldering and attaching top cap back.

  • @dr_jaymz
    @dr_jaymz Před 16 dny

    Some of the later switchers claim to have snubbers built in to reduce component count further. I guess if it runs for 10 years then a snubber isn't necessary. But then again it depends on how you decode the chinglish. It is surprising how beefy mosfets diodes and capacitors beyond a few picafarads can now be implemented on silicon.

  • @hpdv0276
    @hpdv0276 Před 17 dny +1

    I see that this charger relies on the overvoltage protection inside the battery.
    The matching battery did not have overvoltage protection.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 17 dny +1

      The batteries usually have a proper cell management system in them, that will stop the charge when any of the cells approaches 4.2V.

  • @amorphuc
    @amorphuc Před 17 dny +1

    Thanks Big Clive. I always immediately want to go to the Vice of Knowledge! LOL Do the bean counters really wind up with significant profit increase by requiring such shortcuts in the product? So weird. I wouldn't think a pick and place machine would really take much longer to implement correct components. Maybe it's more the planed obsolescence.

  • @markedis5902
    @markedis5902 Před 18 dny +1

    I always go for decent power supplies however recently I’ve had two Anker USB supplies fail. They claim to supply up to 5A but failed with a 4A load on a single output. O/P1 failed so I moved to O/P2 which lasted a day and the other outputs only lasted a few minutes. I had another the same and checked the outputs with a USB tester and dummy load. All outputs claimed to be IQ3 but would only supply 2A at 5V and the 5A was total load. Not sure how they got the 60W unless it dissipated more wattage than it supplied.
    I opened it up and it did have the Qualcomm chips but there were piggyback boards stacked on piggyback boards and everything crammed into a tiny space. Couldn’t see any obvious damage and I wouldn’t stand a chance trying to reverse engineer and fault find so it was unceremoniously consigned to the large round filing cabinet in the corner of the room.
    If Anker USB supplies are starting to go the same way as everyone else, who is there left that you can rely on for quality ?

  • @Alacritous
    @Alacritous Před 18 dny

    To be fair, it's for brute force charging a battery. Batteries aren't really vulnerable to noise or interference.

  • @sokoloft3
    @sokoloft3 Před 18 dny +1

    Sometimes a BMS is too smart for its own good. In saying that I'm just salty one cell went bad in this laptop battery and now I need to buy a new one. It was one of those wrapped up ones. Manu's should be forced to make marks on where to cut them so people can safely open them. As well as holes you can pierce into it so you can get access directly to the cells. 3 of the 4 cells are absolutely fine. Guess I need to order a boost converter and make them into a power bank.

    • @SianaGearz
      @SianaGearz Před 17 dny +1

      The problem is you have a series pack. While the laptop will run on say 3 cells instead of 4 (not ideal, could cause more VRM heat, but maybe it doesn't or maybe it's fine either way), well the charging current goes through all the cells. If one cell is getting 5000mAh, so do all of them! And in case one cell can't take that, well unfortunately the pack just can't be charged safely. Sure there's balancing but it has the current capability of like maybe 100mA, it can't shovel the current fast enough during the bulk of the charging cycle. So unless you're willing to make the BMS even more complex, the effective capacity is the same as the capacity of the weakest cell plus maybe a little extra, not much. It's not too smart, it's just the only sensible way it could go about things.

    • @baqcasanke
      @baqcasanke Před 17 dny +2

      That’s why we should use 18650 cells that can be replaced. I hate built-in lipos!

  • @agustinusreynaldi7101
    @agustinusreynaldi7101 Před 17 dny

    Have a cordless 18v(or 21v) drill, and the charger is small and light than original old Nokia phone charger
    The battery and the charger has lower power and capacity than what it's advertised, just 12V as I expected

  • @user-yn8mz5bf9y
    @user-yn8mz5bf9y Před 18 dny +1

    hey at least it has a isolation slot on the board

  • @Graeme_Lastname
    @Graeme_Lastname Před 18 dny +4

    Those cardinals are a sinful bunch. 🤣👍

  • @NiyaKouya
    @NiyaKouya Před 18 dny

    Hey, it should at least provide 2A on the primary, so the rating on the label was only half a lie xD
    Thanks for dissecting and analyzing those tools, makes one realize that it's really worth spending a few extra bucks on tools (and chargers) from reputable brands so you get decent electronics that won't set your living space on fire.

  • @simontay4851
    @simontay4851 Před 18 dny

    If you populate the snubber components and class Y capacitor then it'll probably be ok. Could also stick a heatsink on the switching chip.

    • @SianaGearz
      @SianaGearz Před 17 dny

      I don't know if that transformer is OK. It looks sus.

  • @LawpickingLocksmith
    @LawpickingLocksmith Před 18 dny

    My cheap whipper snipper came with the same charger. It does the job and even carries a fake EU approval. A fusible resister at the mains side would make me feel a little less iffy.

  • @methanial73
    @methanial73 Před 17 dny

    Ooooooh, you had me at design sins.

  • @perhansson6718
    @perhansson6718 Před 18 dny +1

    0:30 are we sure we don't need some new glasses Clive? It says 21v and not 12v @ 2A as you said :D

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 18 dny +4

      I'd just made a video about a 12 V pack at that time.

  • @hobbesip1
    @hobbesip1 Před 16 dny

    I've studied electronics since I was 7, as a hobby. I figured by my current age of 44 I would be able to look at a schematic or board and work it out like Big Clive does. Turns out I cannot 😞

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny

      As a hobby, exposure is limited, occupationally, while one's exposure is increased and proficiency arrives, so does penury.

  • @JohnSmith-gs4lw
    @JohnSmith-gs4lw Před 14 dny

    I can NOT believe you got that wall wart open without cutting sonic welds. 2:50 Nearly every single one I’ve ever touched requires power tools or, my favorite, a hacksaw blade. When you saw it by hand, you can sneak up on cutting all the way through it without putting your Dremel cutting disk through the side of a lytic hiding right up against the seam.

  • @randycarter2001
    @randycarter2001 Před 18 dny

    That label is most likely hot stamped. Very cheap to do since the data doesn't change from one unit to the next. Come to think of it, the die doesn't need to be particularly hot.

  • @spvillano
    @spvillano Před 16 dny +1

    So, D4, D5, D6 and D7 are those new fusible diodes. Once the smoke goes out, they open. I'll not go into the oddity of numbering diodes only no other component actually rating a designation...
    Really nice blind faith regulation system, totally overload protected. Who needs failsafes when one can simply rebuild the buildings it burns down?
    Are you sure that the foam pad wasn't saturated with petrol as well? Or is the pad simply a plastic explosive?
    To quote the Colossus computer, "Missiles launched".

  • @tubaman66
    @tubaman66 Před 17 dny +1

    Probably best that the Class Y cap is missing as they are often fake and just another electrocution hazard.

  • @dieseldragon6756
    @dieseldragon6756 Před 15 dny

    The diode at 10:05 might not be a _Shottkey_ diode...But it'll certainly be a _Shot to ribbons_ diode after about 100h of use! 🔋💥😉
    But then, that's the standard for these parts. So long as they work for longer than the returns window stays open... 📦⛔😉

  • @rimmersbryggeri
    @rimmersbryggeri Před 18 dny

    Some of these machines nominally have a voltage of 20v to I think DeFault for example does that. 20/40.

  • @nelchan2421
    @nelchan2421 Před 16 dny

    Tips alert: don't use this type of charger. It can cause damage to your battery if the charger is getting too hot for the 18650 to handle. The charger name is: Power Tool Battery Charger Replacement Suitable For Makita 21V Li-ion Battery Portable Fast Charger Universal 0.8A 2A EU Plug

  • @fredfred2363
    @fredfred2363 Před 17 dny +1

    Why don't we have DC mains voltage?
    Everything including motors are now run on DC. Lights, tech, EVs, fridges, washing machines, heat pumps etc etc. All DC now.
    Variable speed DC controlled motors are much more efficient than regular induction motors.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 17 dny +1

      Due to the AC legacy for motors and transformers it's going to be hard to change.

    • @BrendonGreenNZL
      @BrendonGreenNZL Před 15 dny

      AC is also just very much easier to generate and transmit, since electricity is almost universally generated from mechanical rotation (solar farms being a notable exception).

  • @g8xft
    @g8xft Před 18 dny

    Ta. I think my charger is probably one of these so I may try modding it

  • @3rdpig
    @3rdpig Před 18 dny

    It's probably designed to last as long as the cells in the battery.

  • @janosnagyj.9540
    @janosnagyj.9540 Před 18 dny +1

    0:31 Output DC 21V, not 12! 😅

  • @curtishoffmann6956
    @curtishoffmann6956 Před 18 dny +1

    My brother is a tool. Will this charger work on him?

  • @chuckthetekkie
    @chuckthetekkie Před 17 dny

    I don't like how thin the gauge of the wires they used are. I'm sure they are "probably" fine, but I would have preferred them to be a bit thicker for a higher margin of safety.

  • @markfergerson2145
    @markfergerson2145 Před 17 dny

    Cheap and easy charger for cheap and easy battery packs used in cheap and easy power tools.
    Well, at least they are consistent.
    I’ve seldom seen a better example of the lower end of the “you get what you pay for” scale.

    • @spvillano
      @spvillano Před 16 dny

      I have. The brand is Harbor Freight Tools. Pretty much single use tools, use them once and they'll quite often never function again.
      Literally. Got cheap drills and angle grinders there for a single use, next time I needed one, tried them to find their gears stripped round into wheels with no contact between them, but plenty of metal shavings inside of the head.
      Calling them shit would be in insult to excrement.

  • @water9111
    @water9111 Před 18 dny +1

    What does the chip do, is it inverting the DC and increasing the frequency?

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 18 dny +2

      Yes. It converts the high voltage DC to pulses of current through the transformer.

  • @jaycraft21
    @jaycraft21 Před 18 dny

    Just bought a couple of cheapy tools with these batteries and chargers, actually surprised how well the tools themselves performed, between charges, 3 hour charge, 10 minutes of use, after watching this I now suspect the charger isn't actually charging as it should, Is there an alternative or 1 hour fast charge charger available that anyone has found?
    Would love to see Clive put one of these right and safe just out of curiosity to see if it would improve the charging ability.

  • @brianallen9810
    @brianallen9810 Před 17 dny +1

    Maybe it needs the hammer of knowledge to open it.. They probably just ran out of parts for the snubber.

  • @CrazyOregonBeaver
    @CrazyOregonBeaver Před měsícem +9

    I wonder if it's a division of the Yu Mad Electronics group. For using this piece of crap. 😂😂😂

    • @CrazyOregonBeaver
      @CrazyOregonBeaver Před měsícem +3

      I know the chip isn't bad. Probably reversed engineered and stolen from some american company, now I'm probably on some chinese hit list. 😂

  • @aaronag7876
    @aaronag7876 Před 18 dny

    I have 2 of these cheap devices, a multi drill and impact. I also have a DeWalt multi drill.
    Guess which one performs, last longest and doesn't let me down lol😂
    The cheap multi Drill is so rubbish and can't drill into bricks lol
    The impact drill is not bad and been really good. Even if the battery doesn't last more than an hour lol
    I also have a cheap Chinese cordless garden strimmer, as they are now flooding the market lol
    Same batteries and charger
    It's ok for general strimmer work but doesn't last long.
    All came with 2 batteries each, so can interchange the empty ones with the charged ones

  • @smalcolmbrown
    @smalcolmbrown Před 18 dny

    Thanks :)

  • @kyoudaiken
    @kyoudaiken Před 18 dny +1

    I wouldn't touch that charger with a 4000 parsec long pole.

  • @bikkiikun
    @bikkiikun Před 17 dny

    For some odd reason, I expected a capacitive dropper, rendering the popping batteries live with mains voltage. The disaster you showed us, is not that dangerous.

  • @worroSfOretsevraH
    @worroSfOretsevraH Před 18 dny +1

    Hi Clive.
    Do you know anything about Panzer 18V Li-Ion tools batteries?
    It uses a PT6111 IC for charging/balancing and a microcontroller for the 5 series cells.
    There is a USB socket, a button and 3 led's for charge status.
    I have 2, they are not charging, nor providing any voltage at the output or USB port.
    When I press the button, it works briefly.
    Is it possible that the microcontroller locked the battery for some reason? On a tool? Like a laptop?
    Have you seen anyting like this before?
    I cannot find any damaged component on the PCB. I've charged every cell individually to rule out balance problems.
    Thanks.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 18 dny +3

      If the cells are above 3V it should work. It might be worth disconnecting the cells from the control module to see if it resets.

  • @rolfs2165
    @rolfs2165 Před 18 dny

    My guess: the circuit board is half the size of the case at most, only held by being soldered to the plug terminals. No protection or anything, just the bare minimum.

  • @janosnagyj.9540
    @janosnagyj.9540 Před 18 dny +1

    Soo disappointing, there is no antigravity inside!😭 Maybe they hid it in that HUGE transformer 😅

  • @DumahBrazorf
    @DumahBrazorf Před 18 dny +2

    And no fuse, fusible resistor or ntc to ease the inrush current. It's a ticking fire hazard. SUPER DODGY!

    • @BrendonGreenNZL
      @BrendonGreenNZL Před 15 dny

      The PCB _is_ the fuse. Failing that, one of the diodes will surely pop.

  • @V0S1N0
    @V0S1N0 Před 17 dny

    I wonder if it's possible to have a high carbon content foam that actually conducts vs. insulates a thermal load?

    • @BrendonGreenNZL
      @BrendonGreenNZL Před 15 dny

      Not when thermal transfer pads/putty are already a thing.

  • @echothehusky
    @echothehusky Před měsícem +27

    I'm not a fan of poorly made short lifespan products like this, it just seems like a huge waste of the planets resources. :(

    • @vladthe_cat
      @vladthe_cat Před 18 dny +9

      One day, landfills will become mines for metals and plastics and other related materials

    • @iindium49
      @iindium49 Před 18 dny +5

      ​@@vladthe_cat dude I came here to say this, you are absolutely correct. There are serious discussions concerning scrubbing atmospheric CO2 and chaining the hydrocarbons into gasoline or even plastics. Sure it's not energy efficient. But we have this large unshielded fusion reactor 1 au from us that we can tap to do much. I have great hope in people's ability to find interesting ways to reuse waste products.

    • @cheeto4493
      @cheeto4493 Před 18 dny

      @@iindium49 Mr. Fusion

    • @dr_jaymz
      @dr_jaymz Před 16 dny

      I think the charger is supposed to last the life if the battery and no more, so that would only be 5 years or so. I didn't say that was a good thing but a 21v psu isn't standard so you likely get one with every battery.

  • @MsLancer99
    @MsLancer99 Před 18 dny

    What get me is when it say on the back of a charger it's say 2A at 21V then I look at the very thin gable from the charger I'm thinking 2A at 21V I don't think so

  • @985D
    @985D Před 17 dny

    Hmm, USB C phone charger with PD/QC dummy/trigger/decoy module set to 20V (and 2-3A ?) should be much better

  • @Benbearjones
    @Benbearjones Před 18 dny

    Being a makita knock off I always wondered if I should put them on my genuine charger but not being knowledgeable enough on the matter and preferring not to have an indoor fireworks display I avoided the idea

  • @CubbyTech
    @CubbyTech Před 18 dny

    The missing components may have been excluded during the supply chain shortage? Although in this case, if they can save 5 pennies, they will!

    • @simontay4851
      @simontay4851 Před 18 dny

      Not even 5 pennies. Its 0.5 of a penny.

    • @tncorgi92
      @tncorgi92 Před 18 dny

      ​@@simontay4851adds up if you're building 1 million of them

  • @phonotical
    @phonotical Před 18 dny +1

    No way of boosting it up to 2a?

  • @rimmersbryggeri
    @rimmersbryggeri Před 18 dny

    Would this be an ok circuit for an emergency light maybe?

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 17 dny +1

      The battery packs would be ideal for powering suitable lights. Especially the 12V version.

  • @colinbailey6236
    @colinbailey6236 Před 18 dny +1

    It says DC 21V not 12.

  • @BersekViking
    @BersekViking Před 18 dny

    The charger is marked 21v, not 12v. So the output voltage was correct. 😀

  • @psirvent8
    @psirvent8 Před 18 dny

    Speaking of chargers I just got a e-bike (From Decathlon, not China although it's the same factories) and the battery charger that comes with it has a LED that changes between red and green depending on the charge level of the battery just like on many chinese chargers for power tools or the blue battery packs with a barrel jack output.
    I would like to charge the e-bike battery in my car and I would prefer to use a boost converter rather than an inverter that recreates mains voltage from the car's 12V power.
    The charger outputs 48V at 2 amps but I'm not really sure if it has smart circuitry in it or if it's all in the battery.
    Any idea ?
    Thank's.

  • @tpcdude
    @tpcdude Před 18 dny

    and no emi filter?

  • @shawnstillman736
    @shawnstillman736 Před 15 dny

    Yep if it keeps working you might not buy another one. If it stops working you have to buy another one.

  • @jeffdayman8183
    @jeffdayman8183 Před 18 dny +2

    Boy, that one's a junker both electronically and mechanically. The housing does not look safe or robust enough for a line voltage device at all. Seeing all the usual safety / good operation / snubber devices not present and a real iffy transformer in place, as well as using foam to mount the PCB, I'd be pretty nervous plugging that in. But the thing that really shocked me badly was the exaggerated 2 amp charge spec! Never seen that before. (much) 8^) Cheers!

  • @TCASAnalytics
    @TCASAnalytics Před 2 dny

    If I want to contact Clive about sending him a device to "take it to bits", how would I go abouts doing so?

  • @martingriffin5084
    @martingriffin5084 Před 18 dny

    Clive, that charger at 33seconds does not say 12V it says 21V

  • @braddofner
    @braddofner Před 18 dny

    Hello from Pittsburgh, PA!
    I wouldn't be surprised if this was just a bare-bones example circuit from some book or online source that they blindly replicated without thinking of ANYTHING, then told a 12 year old to remove every component they can while still having it charge the pack.
    Then I get to the part of the video where you show the crappy schematic😅😂. Amazing!

  • @skyll4141
    @skyll4141 Před 18 dny

    more quality items

  • @andygozzo72
    @andygozzo72 Před 17 dny +1

    and no fuse in the mains input?!

    • @SianaGearz
      @SianaGearz Před 17 dny +1

      Well the low weight PCB is a fuse of sorts.

    • @bigclivedotcom
      @bigclivedotcom  Před 17 dny +1

      That's the wires and PCB tracks.

    • @BrendonGreenNZL
      @BrendonGreenNZL Před 15 dny

      The PCB has a deliberately thin track wiggled from one of the mains input pads to the bridge rectifier immediately adjacent to it. That's your fuse.