MAHA C9000 for Casual User?

I need a new battery charger and would like the ability to charge single cells. I would also like the charger to better utilize the high capacity batteries than some of the less expensive Duracell chargers that I understand can sometimes max out at about an 80% charge.

I am interested in the C9000 but realize it is expensive. The C800S on the other hand is about $10 less and will charge 8 batteries, four more than the C9000.

I am not apposed to spending the extra money for the C9000 and don't expect to need to charge more than 4 batteries at a time very often (i.e. almost never), but am curious is the C9000 is too much for the casual user.

The C800S says it delivers a perfect charge every time and that it conditions the batteries automatically. Is there any reason the casual user would want the C9000 over this?

By the way, I also considered the LaCrosse BC900, but started looking at MAHA for the longer warranty and after reading several posts concerning meltdown problems with the BC900. I was also afraid that the BC900's max chargine capacity of 3000mah will limit its use in the future.

Personally I'm an informationaholic so I love all the info the C9000 gives me, for casual use I'd suggest something else, something more automatic. I got my mother an accumanager 20 for christmas and some batteries to power various things she has. I wanted her to have a top notch charger but not have to deal with information overload. You pretty much can't go wrong with any of the Maha chargers, I have an 808M that I use extensively as well. But it all boils down to your preference, do you want to mess around with several screens per battery or do you want click n go?

***EDIT***

If the C800 is anything like my 808M then theres a condition button, insert battery, click condition, insert anymore batteries you want conditioned. Very easy to use and takes good care of your batteries.

The C9000 is really for battery geeks, and those for whom a battery failure is more than an incovenience. If you want to keep track of your batteries' performance, and create matched sets of cells, then by all means I'd recommend it. But for most users, the 800s (or other "smart" independent channel chargers) is a good choice.

Also the C9000 is so new that it might be worth waiting to see if there are issues with it. In other threads there are reports of it missing charge termination based on voltage drop, but other chargers do that too, and this one does seem to be good at keeping temperatures down in such situations, at least.

In short: I love my C9000, but then I am a battery geek. I wouldn't recommend it for most people.

bmoorhouse said:

I need a new battery charger and would like the ability to charge single cells. I would also like the charger to better utilize the high capacity batteries than some of the less expensive Duracell chargers that I understand can sometimes max out at about an 80% charge.

I am interested in the C9000 but realize it is expensive. The C800S on the other hand is about $10 less and will charge 8 batteries, four more than the C9000.

I am not apposed to spending the extra money for the C9000 and don't expect to need to charge more than 4 batteries at a time very often (i.e. almost never), but am curious is the C9000 is too much for the casual user.

The C800S says it delivers a perfect charge every time and that it conditions the batteries automatically. Is there any reason the casual user would want the C9000 over this?

Click to expand...

Thanks, JackJ. What would you recommend then? I want something to charge AAs for my Nikon SB-600 flash and a few other electronic devices. I want to be able to charge 3 batteries (ie not in pairs) and I want something that will deliver a full charge to the batteries.

As for matched sets of cells, how hard is that assuming you buy new batteries with the same capacity use them in the same device and charge them together in the same charger? Shouldn't they stay fairly matched throughout their life? I ask because I just fried a 1600mah battery by using it in a device with two 2000mah batteries. Obviously I won't do that again, but do batteries age differently and could this happen with batteries of the same rated capacity? If so, the C9000 would help me avoid the situation.

I have also looked at the MHC401FS, but it is nearly 5 years old now. It apparently was a great charger then, but does it still perform well relative to the newer ones?

The MH401FS does very well on slow charge, but Silverfox's testing showed it to be inconsistant and too hot on fast charge.

Based on the fact that you're here inquiring and know the difference, I'd still recommend the new C9000 for you. I'm convinced that poor chargers have greatly contributed to ruining many good NiMH cells. And for the many poor quality cells, a good charger lets us know that, too.

I'm amazed at how many bad cells I have, although I don't know whether they were crappy to start with or from poor charger habits. Now I'll know the difference and I feel that I'll be able to maintain decent cells instead of ruining them without really knowing. I'm in the process of changing all of my cells to Eneloops (or any other hybrids that prove themselves).

Any of us that half way seriously use NiMH cells, have a fair amount invested in them and will probably continue to buy even more. I personally feel that the C9000 offers so much more advanced technology than similar type chargers, that it is well worth the difference.

Thanks, kitelights. I am not a battery geek yet, but I tend to get into electronics pretty easily and am probably headed down that path now. Whatever you do, don't get me started on Macs or Nikons . . . I am well beyond geekhood on both of those.

I also edited my earlier post, but you replied before I got it back up. The part I added was this . . .

As for matched sets of cells, how hard is that assuming you buy new batteries with the same capacity use them in the same device and charge them together in the same charger? Shouldn't they stay fairly matched throughout their life? I ask because I just fried a 1600mah battery by using it in a device with two 2000mah batteries. Obviously I won't do that again, but do batteries age differently and could this happen with batteries of the same rated capacity? If so, the C9000 would help me avoid the situation.

. . . Thanks again.

If you're buying right now, IMHO, get a BC-900. The BC-900 and the C-9000 are the only inexpensive chargers that will allow you to check capacity which I find extremely useful. I can't imagine living without it again.

The C-9000 being shipped right now appears to have some issues. The BC-900 is a proven commodity whose biggest downside is probably that the buttons become flaky with lots of use and the double sensing, missed sensing gets annoying. Mine has seen heavy use over 2+ years and is still useable though annoying at times.

I have both the BC-900 and C-9000. Check the C-9000 threads for more info.

Mike

The C800S is a fantastic little 8-bay unit. I highly recommend it for a casual user.

bmoorhouse said:

Thanks, JackJ. What would you recommend then? I want something to charge AAs for my Nikon SB-600 flash and a few other electronic devices. I want to be able to charge 3 batteries (ie not in pairs) and I want something that will deliver a full charge to the batteries.

Click to expand...

I really like the Amondotech TG2800. It has independent channels, a discharge/recharge function, great form factor (small) and doesn't use a wall wart. Silverfox here at cpf has recommended it as a travel charger, and it still fills that bill for me. http://www.amondotech.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=814

bmoorhouse said:

As for matched sets of cells, how hard is that assuming you buy new batteries with the same capacity use them in the same device and charge them together in the same charger? Shouldn't they stay fairly matched throughout their life?

Click to expand...

They should, yes. But they don't always. Some of the newer higher capacity cells (Energizer 2500s for example) display a fair amount of variation despite being purchased and used as a set.

The more you contribute to this thread, the more evidence mounts that you're a good candidate for a fancy charger!

Jack

I have the BC-900, the C800S, and the C9000. I really like the 800S. I used the C9000 to cycle a few sets of cells when I received it last week. I'm watching the C9000 testing threads closely to determine if there's an heat problem. Many thanks to the members who are reporting information on these threads.

I'll most likely use my C800S the majority of the time, my C9000 when I want to analyze/break-in cells, and the BC-900 as my new travel charger.

I have 2 concerns with the MH-C401FS -

1. I've read several reviews/reports that cells get overly hot using fast charging mode (1A).
2. The slow setting is 300 mA, which equals a .11 or so charge rate for 2700 mAh cells. The recommended charge rate (per the MH-C9000 manual) for NiMH cells is 0.33C - 1C.

If I use the slow mode, I'm charging a too low of a rate. If I set it to fast mode, I run the risk of overheating my cells.

If you have enough batteries it isn't a bad idea to have a few smart but simple chargers for most of your quick charging needs and the C9000 for forming, analysis, matching. For many of us first the BC-900 and then the C9000 are like dreams come true. Both chargers basically automate many things I've already been doing manually for years like testing the capacity of my cells and cycling them. It's much nicer to do these things automatically. Checking battery capacity is manually is no fun. Basically, I had a constant current discharge circuit, a multimeter, and a stopwatch. I would still need to periodically check voltages at regular intervals and then stick around continuously near the end of discharge to get the exact time the cells hit end-of-discharge. This makes it impractical to do large numbers of cells on any regular basis. I had long been planning to build a setup to do exactly that but never got around to it. Usually I would just test the capacities when new but broken in and that was it. For $60 plus shipping the C9000 will easily pay fo itself in time savings after a few dozen cells. Of course, if you're the type who just wants to charge batteries and has zero interest in how they perform then you won't get the full benefits of the C9000.

coppertrail said:

I'll most likely use my C800S the majority of the time, my C9000 when I want to analyze/break-in cells, and the BC-900 as my new travel charger.

Click to expand...

Is that because the C9000 is complicated to use? I thought it could be put in a simple auto mode where you could just drop in the batteries and go, leaving the settings to whenever you needed the advanced features.

JackJ said:

I really like the Amondotech TG2800. It has independent channels, a discharge/recharge function, great form factor (small) and doesn't use a wall wart.

Click to expand...

Wow, that is a nice charger. I really like how it can easily double as a travel charger. The size of the C9000 is one thing that has me concerned. I don't travel often, but when I do, I take my camera and flash with me. It would be nice to be able to throw my charger in my bag. On the other hand, my trips aren't long so a set of freshly charged batteries and a set of backups should be plenty. And if I am going for a long trip, I will have a suitcase in which I can stash the larger C9000.

Charging batteries was certainly a lot easier when I thought Radio Shack was my only option for chargers!

Just to provide lots of options, the Sony BCG-34HRMF charge has independent channels, no wall-wart, 100-240VAC, and a Refresh function. The front LCD status display is lit as well. I have had two of them, only one remains. The recipient of the other one likes it primarily for the ability to charge one cell at a time.

for my comparison, I have the Maha 801D, 800S, C9000, 204W, 401FS, LaCrosse BC-900, AccuPower 20, and some others I don't recall right now.

Tim

bmoorhouse said:

Is that because the C9000 is complicated to use? I thought it could be put in a simple auto mode where you could just drop in the batteries and go, leaving the settings to whenever you needed the advanced features.

Click to expand...

No, has nothing to do with difficulty. You're right, I could just pop my cells in on the default charge mode and let them go. Even selecting the different modes and charge/discharge rates is simple.

As I mentioned, it appears there may be some "bugs" with the C9000. Look at the C9000 support thread and the other main thread on the C9000. I did have one of my new Sanyo 2700 cells get very hot during a charge cycle, others have mentioned this same phenomena.

I generally charge more than 4 AA cells for my lights, making the C800S my charger of choice.

I've read good things about the Sony and T8000 chargers. I may pursue one of them in the future as a "carry in your briefcase" charger.

I have read all of the following two threads. Are these the two you are recommending to me?

Maha MH-C9000, the Wizard One Charger

and

Maha MH-C9000 SUPPORT / FAQ Thread


From what I could read, most people are very happy with the C9000. The only problems I came across was a buzzing from the power supply, a issue with the performance following a power outage, the fact that you have to wait out the 1 hour rest period to see the results of a cycle, and most importantly, two counts of failed termination using iPower 2100 cells.

I am now leaning towards getting this C9000 charger. You guys have suggested some other very nice chargers, but at some point I am going to have to make a decision. The C9000 probably has more features than I need now, but there is room to grow and I don't see that the others have anything on it in terms of performace.

As for cost, the C9000 is only about $20 more than some of the others, but offers a 3 year warranty and will help me ensure my batteries are matched. As for its size, sure there are other travel chargers available, but the fold out plugs, while great on the road, can be a nuisance at home. I am assuming that I will be able to shove the thing into the side of a packed soft suitcase, so I should be okay.

Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. Now if TD will just get them back in before I change my mind and have to start all over again!!

Oh, one question I didn't quite follow from the other posts . . . The top off charge kicks in after the C9000 indicates DONE and continues for 1 hour (according to the manual, but 2 according to user reports). What happens after that? I thought there was a maintenance charge that would keep the batteries charged and allow you to leave the batteries in the charger for a long time. The posts in the support thread, however, indicated that no one has seen that take place.

Read this thread . . .

Hello. I just received my C9000 yesterday and what to chime in to let you know that although it is larger than the BC-900, it is still smaller than I expected after reading the threads here and seeing the pictures. The charger is -not- too large to travel with in my opinion.

As for the charging termination issues, I would expect Maha to update the firmware to resolve the thermal termination issues and provide a free update, perhaps only making the consumers paying to ship the unit to them.

My first use was charging a set of four Eneloops that were taken fresh out of the package and discharged over two weeks in a baby swing. I had the charger set to Refresh & Anaylize at 1000mah charge and 500mah discharge. The batteries tested at 1943-1955mah and final charge took approx 250 minutes. Batteries got warm but not hot, so I am not concerned with the temperature issues, but will send my charger back if they update the firmware. As I sit at work, thecharger is home doing the same thing on a second set of Eneloops

I trust this charger unlike the BC-900 I returned.

Just my $.02

Rob

The MH-C9000 is overkill for a casual user. My recommendation is a Duracell CEF80NC. I just did a Google search of "CEF80NC" and see they're still available, for around $20 - 25.

I've accumulated several chargers over the years, and a while back I did some tests with each of them to see how fully they charged the batteries, and the Duracell was the best. In addition, it's able to independently charge 4 AA or AAA cells (some charge only in pairs) -- although you can't charge 3 of one size and one of the other; it's compact and light weight, and it works on 100-240 volts 50-60 Hz so you can use it internationally. Mine is in almost constant use and has given no trouble.

c_c

coppertrail said:

Read this thread . . .

Click to expand...

Oh, THAT thread. Yeah, I can see that there is definite room for concern with the C9000. Of course, as long as that thread is and as many people as there are discussing the problem, there are also loads of others in other threads saying how great the charger is. Do you think these people just aren't noticing the failed terminations or do you think the problem is only with a few "bad" units?

Also, and this may be a silly question, but the manual for the C9000 says to use 0.33C to 1.0C and in that thread that was corrected to be 0.5C to 1.0C. When I was looking at the 800S, I noticed it charged at 1000mah normally and 500mah on the soft setting. With my 2000mah batteries that woud be 0.25C and 0.5C. Does that mean that the C9000 is harder on batteries than the 800S, since its softest charge is the same as the 800S's fast charge? And, why would the 9000C have to charge so much faster to detect the termination, unless the detection capability of the C9000 is inferior to that of the 800S?

Thanks for the tip. I actually now have a C9000 on order, but I may have to rethink that before opening it.