Overview: Vifly ToothStor 4-Channel 2S LiPo Battery Charger

On this overview I’ll take a look at the VIFLY ToothStor 2S LiPo charger. This charger boasts user-friendly options, portability, and the reliability anticipated from VIFLY’s respected lineup. Excellent for FPV pilots largely flying 2S FPV drones, the ToothStor guarantees to make charging extra environment friendly.

What’s the ToothStor Charger?

The Vifly ToothStor is a specialised charger that caters completely to 2S LiPo batteries.

Its design is tailor-made primarily for batteries geared up with BT3.0 connectors – on the time of writing, solely BetaFPV gives these batteries. See my publish about what BT3.0 is: https://oscarliang.com/betafpv-bt3-0-connector/. Observe that the ToothStor additionally accommodates regular 2S batteries with commonplace steadiness leads (XH2.54), and conveniently eliminating the necessity to join the XT30 discharge lead.

Admittedly, its unique help for 2S batteries could seem restrictive when in comparison with a standard good charger that usually helps 1S to 6S batteries. Nonetheless, the ToothStor’s means to cost 4 batteries concurrently makes up for this limitation by providing a extra environment friendly charging expertise. For drone pilots who primarily fly 2S, this charger may very well be an enormous time-saver within the discipline.

Now, let’s get into the overview.

The place to Purchase?

The Vifly ToothStor charger is accessible for buy on AliExpress: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_DDvdcO1.

For those who want to energy this charger by way of USB-C, it is best to contemplate getting an influence adapter like this, Anker 65W: https://amzn.to/3VE3yro.

The package deal features a easy guide and a USB-C cable that powers the charger and likewise for firmware updates.

Characteristic Highlights

• 4 Particular person Charging Ports: Concurrently steadiness cost as much as 4 2S batteries, in contrast to parallel charging, there’s no must match the voltages or capacities of the batteries.
• Colourful LCD Display with Intuitive Interface: Outfitted with colour LCD display screen, the ToothStor shows charging statuses with readability, providing a user-friendly expertise.
• Compatibility with XH2.54 and BT3.0 Batteries: Cater to a variety of 2S batteries, making certain broad compatibility.
• Environment friendly Warmth Dissipation: A mixture of a fan and a big warmth sink effectively dissipates warmth, enhancing the charger’s efficiency and pace.
• Versatile Energy Enter Choices: The charger helps a number of energy inputs, together with XT60 and Sort-C with PD3.0.
• Handy Reminiscence Operate: The ToothStor remembers your final used settings, streamlining the setup course of for subsequent charging classes.
• Buzzer Notifications: The built-in buzzer notifies you when a charging cycle is full, which you’ll disable if you happen to choose a quieter setting.

Specs

• Enter Connectors: XT60, DC (5.5 x 2.1 mm), USB-C (PD3.0)
• Enter Voltage Vary: 10V-26V
• Minimal Enter Energy: 65W
• Most Charging Present: 1.5A per port
• Supported Battery Connectors: XH2.54 3Pin & BT3.0
• Battery Sorts: LiHV / LiPo
• Storage Voltages: 3.80V/Cell & 3.85V/Cell
• Most Discharge Present: 0.2A per port
• Steadiness Present: 0.2A
• Dimensions: 109 x 56 x 30 mm
• Weight: 142g 143.3g

Construct High quality

The ToothStor’s casing is strong, inheriting its construct high quality from the WhoopStor collection. Having used VIFLY’s chargers for the previous few years, their reliability has been constant – they merely work with out fuss. And the ToothStor continues this custom, performing reliably throughout my assessments.

It gives compatibility with the generally used XH 2.45 3-pin connectors (steadiness lead), in addition to with the newer BT3.0 connectors from BetaFPV.

Versatility in Energy Choices

The place the ToothStor actually stands out is in its energy versatility. The inclusion of an XT60 connector permits for a broad enter vary, from a 2S to a 6S battery. For these with entry to a PD energy supply, the USB-C enter is a handy characteristic carried over from the WhoopStor V3. The flexibility to energy from a USB energy financial institution is a major plus, particularly for pilots who must cost their batteries in numerous areas.

Person Expertise: Charging Made Easy

Utilizing the ToothStor was a breeze. The consumer interface, managed by simply two buttons, is intuitive, even for newcomers. Right here’s the guide, however I didn’t even want it.

When connecting batteries, every port accepts both a BT3.0 or an XH2.54 connector (steadiness lead). To keep up security and keep away from the dangers related to parallel charging, just one kind of connector needs to be used per port.

The 4 charging channels function independently, which is a major benefit. This lets you cost batteries with completely different voltages and capacities concurrently, a characteristic not usually doable with parallel charging. Whereas the channels share the identical finish voltage and cost present settings, which may’t be adjusted individually, this shared setting does streamline the charging course of.

Biking via the top voltage per cell is completed by urgent the best button, providing 4 choices:

Deciding on the present is simply as simple, with choices biking from 0.2A as much as 1.5A. If it is advisable lower the present, it requires biking as much as the utmost first after which again right down to the minimal setting. If it is advisable cut back the cost present, I like to recommend stopping all 4 channels and restarting the method to set the specified present.

To start out or cease charging, lengthy press the left button. Upon beginning the cost, the cooling fan kicked in after a couple of minute or two, it’s comparatively quiet in comparison with good chargers this measurement.

A built-in buzzer alerts when the cost cycle begins and ends, however it may be turned off if you happen to choose a silent operation. To mute/unmute the charger, lengthy press the best button.

Limitations and Concerns

When charging on the ToothStor’s most present of 1.5A throughout all channels, the charger attracts an enter energy of 56W, contemplating losses. To make sure security and optimum efficiency, Vifly recommends utilizing a 65W energy adapter. For these seeking to make the most of the USB-C energy possibility, a strong energy adapter, such because the Anker 65W, is advisable, get it from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VE3yro.

The charger additionally features a discharging characteristic, which turns out to be useful for taking absolutely charged batteries to a storage cost. The discharging fee is considerably gradual at solely 0.2A, however provided that 2S batteries usually have a decrease capability, it’s not that dangerous. For example, discharging a 2S 450mAh battery to three.80V from a full cost would take beneath an hour, and you are able to do 4 batteries directly.

There’s, nonetheless, a minor discrepancy with the accuracy in reaching the focused finish voltage. In my expertise, when discharging to three.85V, the method stops with the cells at about 3.87V to three.88V. Equally, when charging to 4.20V, the charger tends to cease prematurely at roughly 4.19V. The identical occurs to all ports. Whereas it’s not essentially a security concern—because it doesn’t result in overcharging—the precision might sure profit from some enchancment.

Voltage Accuracy

I examined the charger’s accuracy with a calibrated multimeter. The outcomes had been passable, displaying nice consistency between the charger’s readings and the digital multimeter.

The slight discrepancies are negligible, reassuring me of the charger’s voltage accuracy.

Closing Ideas

The VIFLY ToothStor could be a useful software for many who fly 2S FPV drones, particularly if you happen to use BT3.0 batteries. Its means to cost a number of 2S batteries concurrently and individually, coupled with the convenience of use and a number of energy enter choices, makes it a standout product.

You should purchase the Vifly ToothStor charger via AliExpress: https://s.click on.aliexpress.com/e/_DDvdcO1.

Nonetheless it’s a distinct segment product – it doesn’t help some other batteries besides 2S. It’s not a one-size-fits-all resolution, however it doesn’t goal to be. Vifly isn’t attempting to reinvent the wheel with this product. As a substitute, they’re refining it, making certain that charging 2S batteries is as easy and environment friendly as doable.