How reliable and safe is the Cellink NEO

[winter4w]

So I am thinking of getting the Cellink NEO Battery for my SG9663DC dash cam so I can use the parking mode. I have some questions, however,

1. How safe is this battery in hot climates? By hot I mean HOT such as it can be up to 115F in the summer, imagine how hot that is in the car lol. Will it be safe to use it in those temps or should I not get it just to play safe? after all, I would hate to go to my car to only find it's all in flames.
2. Are there any safety measures in a hot climate that will turn it off? This will also be good in protecting the dashcam when it is really hot out
3. I will be hardwiring it to my fuse box on an empty fuse slot anything special I need to do there?
4. Is it just as easy as splicing and crimping the wire from the hardware kit to the NEO?
5. How much time of parking mode am I looking at with it being fully charged?

 

[Nigel]

1. 115F is just over the safe charging temperature, if it is hotter in the car then charging should be disabled in those temperatures, using the power is not a problem. It wont last as long if used at high temperatures, but if you loose 2 years from a 10 year lifespan then it may not concern you much.

Safe charging temperature: 5°C to 45°C
Sensible operating temperature: -40°C to 65°C

2. It may have high and low temperature cut offs built in, although last time it was asked, it did not have a low temperature charging cut off which is a safety concern.
You can add an inline thermostat to the power supply, an above 45°C cut off thermostat is only around 1$. same for a below 5°C cut off. It is only the charging that you need to worry about on safety grounds, powering the cameras from it is safe, high temperature use will just reduce lifespan.

Example thermostat: https://www.ebay.com/itm/132678371472 (Note that is an example, not a recommended supplier and is only rated to 5A, if you are using 9A charging then either it is not suitable or it should be used to switch a relay.)

3. Remember that it takes a lot of charging power, you need a fuse with plenty of spare power available, unlike a dashcam that only uses a little extra. You should probably also connect it to a fuse that is turned off while the engine is being started so that more power is available to the starter.

4. Remember that it takes a lot of power, you need a good connection, not just a few strands making contact, or the connection will get hot.

5. From various posts I've seen, a little under 24 hours, from the specs it should be a bit over.

 

[SawMaster]

I can only comment on the heat-related safety issues in a circumspect way. When my Buick burned up I had a LiIon 18650-powered flashlight in the console. It was about 4 minutes after the interior was fully ablaze that the flashlight cell finally blew up as I watched. Estimated temps at that point were at least several hundred degrees. Since then I have not been concerned about LiIon batteries in my vehicles regards heat. Note that we're talking about high-quality LiIon's here- the cheap stuff can be unsafe straight out of the box. Cellink uses good quality cells.

However as Nigel notes, heat should be restricted during the charge cycle, and heat will somewhat reduce the lifespan of LiIon cells and batteries. Heat should be avoied during heavy discharge as well, but dashcams have a light power draw so no worries there. Best to keep the powerbank out of direct sunlight and in a cooler location just on general principles but don't worry about it's safety. The chances that a good LiIon cell or battery will go ablaze on you are probably similar to your chances of being struck by lightning 3 times.

Phil

 

[Nigel]

...The chances that a good LiIon cell or battery will go ablaze on you are probably similar to your chances of being struck by lightning 3 times.

Phil

Charging in freezing temperatures is an exception to that, there really should be a low temperature charging cut off to avoid the risk of fire. Or a battery heater to bring it up to OK temperatures before charging. The cells used in the Neo are capable of high currents and thus generating plenty of heat to start a fire, it wouldn't charge so fast if they weren't, it is not the same as a typical USB powerbank where the cells will probably fuse before they catch fire.

 

[JohnnyMnemonic]

I have had mine since January, it's been through ALL types of temperature extremes at this point, and I have had not one problem with it.

I've even had two expansion modules connected to it since August and it still hasn't given me a problem.

Others have answered your main questions so I'll just comment on reliability.

 

[SawMaster]

Yeah, no charging under freezing conditions. LiIon fires are mostly during charging and mostly with cheap ill-designed chargers. The Neo isn't going to have a problem there. Rapid-charging of LiIon's mostly reduces their capacity and lifespans but is safe when done well.

Don't worry about the Cellink Neo- it's not going to harm you if you religiously follow the instructions.

Phil

 

[jokiin]

The Neo only charges when the car is running so it's pretty easy to know what conditions it will be used in at any given time

 

[winter4w]

1. 115F is just over the safe charging temperature, if it is hotter in the car then charging should be disabled in those temperatures, using the power is not a problem. It wont last as long if used at high temperatures, but if you loose 2 years from a 10 year lifespan then it may not concern you much.

Safe charging temperature: 5°C to 45°C
Sensible operating temperature: -40°C to 65°C

2. It may have high and low temperature cut offs built in, although last time it was asked, it did not have a low temperature charging cut off which is a safety concern.
You can add an inline thermostat to the power supply, an above 45°C cut off thermostat is only around 1$. same for a below 5°C cut off. It is only the charging that you need to worry about on safety grounds, powering the cameras from it is safe, high temperature use will just reduce lifespan.

Example thermostat: https://www.ebay.com/itm/132678371472 (Note that is an example, not a recommended supplier and is only rated to 5A, if you are using 9A charging then either it is not suitable or it should be used to switch a relay.)

3. Remember that it takes a lot of charging power, you need a fuse with plenty of spare power available, unlike a dashcam that only uses a little extra. You should probably also connect it to a fuse that is turned off while the engine is being started so that more power is available to the starter.

4. Remember that it takes a lot of power, you need a good connection, not just a few strands making contact, or the connection will get hot.

5. From various posts I've seen, a little under 24 hours, from the specs it should be a bit over.

Okay thanks if I did get it, it would be charging when the car is running. How hot can the connection get and is it any risk?

I can only comment on the heat-related safety issues in a circumspect way. When my Buick burned up I had a LiIon 18650-powered flashlight in the console. It was about 4 minutes after the interior was fully ablaze that the flashlight cell finally blew up as I watched. Estimated temps at that point were at least several hundred degrees. Since then I have not been concerned about LiIon batteries in my vehicles regards heat. Note that we're talking about high-quality LiIon's here- the cheap stuff can be unsafe straight out of the box. Cellink uses good quality cells.

However as Nigel notes, heat should be restricted during the charge cycle, and heat will somewhat reduce the lifespan of LiIon cells and batteries. Heat should be avoied during heavy discharge as well, but dashcams have a light power draw so no worries there. Best to keep the powerbank out of direct sunlight and in a cooler location just on general principles but don't worry about it's safety. The chances that a good LiIon cell or battery will go ablaze on you are probably similar to your chances of being struck by lightning 3 times.

Phil

How hot was it when your flashlight blue up? Im just concerned because there have been days where things have melted in peoples cars (Credit cards or phone sitting in direct with the sun). If I did get the battery it would be placed under the seat.

Charging in freezing temperatures is an exception to that, there really should be a low temperature charging cut off to avoid the risk of fire. Or a battery heater to bring it up to OK temperatures before charging. The cells used in the Neo are capable of high currents and thus generating plenty of heat to start a fire, it wouldn't charge so fast if they weren't, it is not the same as a typical USB powerbank where the cells will probably fuse before they catch fire.

It would probably never see cold temperatures unless I go skiing or move. If there is a good risk of a fire for me I probably will look into a alternative.

I have had mine since January, it's been through ALL types of temperature extremes at this point, and I have had not one problem with it.

I've even had two expansion modules connected to it since August and it still hasn't given me a problem.

Others have answered your main questions so I'll just comment on reliability.

What camera do you have hooked up to it? Also how hot does the temp get in your area?

Yeah, no charging under freezing conditions. LiIon fires are mostly during charging and mostly with cheap ill-designed chargers. The Neo isn't going to have a problem there. Rapid-charging of LiIon's mostly reduces their capacity and lifespans but is safe when done well.

Don't worry about the Cellink Neo- it's not going to harm you if you religiously follow the instructions.

Phil

Yea it will only be charging when driving and will likely never see cold temperatures in my area lol

The Neo only charges when the car is running so it's pretty easy to know what conditions it will be used in at any given time

If it is hot in the car once I start it would it be better to unplug it until it cools down or would there be not much of a concern for it?

 

[JohnnyMnemonic]

What camera do you have hooked up to it? Also how hot does the temp get in your area?

At the beginning of the year I had it hooked up to a Viofo A119 Pro but come June I installed the new Viofo A129 2 channel dashcam. During the winter it got as low as single digits here but most days were in the teens. During the summer it is hot and humid as heck here, temps consistently in the upper 80's and week long spells in the 90's, again, no problem.

We also took a two week trip to Branson MO where it was in the high 90's for a good 8 to 10 days straight, both the camera and battery pack worked fine. We also took a 16 day trip to Orlando Florida in August so you can imagine extreme temps found there in August and never a hiccup.

And this is all installed in a 2018 Escalade ESV which is black in exterior color with a black interior, headliner and all. It gets HOT in the summer in there when parked, let me tell you, LoL.

 

[Nigel]

If it is hot in the car once I start it would it be better to unplug it until it cools down or would there be not much of a concern for it?

Charging at over 45C should be safe enough, but will shorten it's life fairly rapidly, so yes, better to unplug it, however above 45C is not good for humans so it seems unlikely you will be doing much driving at those temperatures, so maybe just ensure that it is in a location that is cooled by the aircon!

 

[SawMaster]

Sorry it's been so long for me to reply- I've been busy again. The temperature where my flashlight was in the console can only be guessed at, but only half a Meter away aluminum was melting which takes 800 degrees F or more, and the plastic console housing had melted into the floor with the rest of the seat while ablaze.So at least 200F (100C) would be my guess and about 4 minutes duration at those temps. A friend at a flashlight forum set up a test with a propane torch directed onto a similar flashlight and IIRC that took 5+ minutes to let go. These are well beyond the recommended temps anywhere so I am not recommending them, but they are well beyond anything you'll experience in a car which can be driven afterward.

Just keep the Neo out of direct sunlight and you'll be fine. It's a high-quality unit and AFAIK nobody has had any heat-related problems with theirs- certainly nothing catastrophic like a fire. Low-quality powerbanks might have problems but not this one, and those are unsafe just sitting on your desk in your air-conditioned house. Quality means everything with LiIon batteries and their charging systems- never go cheap here.

Phil