Universal charger for all my tools etc that have ultra lame factory chargers?

Let me preface this to on topic by saying I currently have a Maha and Lacross AA AAA chargers as well as some older came with the batteries type chargers, but nothing for LiIon so picking up a few 14500 batteries and the need for a charger fits into that, but ... I have a number of high quality tools that are still in great shape, but the factory chargers are junk (VersaPak overcharges), Makita insanely overcharges then croaked, and many more. I want to get a universal (hobby?) charger that I could make a plug adapter for and gut the inside of the existing chargers. I'm thinking about the Accucell I've seen mentioned in a couple threads, any suggestions?

Anybody build their own from chips and data sheets?

This URL might give you some ideas. Check out: DiscoverCircuits.com

IMHO, you would save a lot of time just by buying a hobby charger. With it, I charge all of my LiIon, NiMh, and NiCd individual batteries, and also my battery packs, such as NiMH and NiCd VersaPaks, and Milwaukee NiCd drill packs. I have brought my Milwaukee packs back to life by cycling them.

+1 for the hobby charger.

Well suited for someone with several battery types and can do so much more than just charge them.

I put a toe in the water and ordered an iMax B6 universal hobby charger from tomtop out of the USA warehouse for $25. I will report back once I try some stuff with it. Vendor selected not because I could see much difference in the product, although I did look closely at pictures and excluded the ones without external heat sink fins, but shorter delivery time usps and 6 month warranty.

I also ordered two cheap unprotected 14500 cells for less than $4 shipped from some other vendor. I do plan to use care when charging them, maybe use a box or something. I didn't order a temp sensor with the B6, but I may ask that question in a new thread.

DanglerB said:

I put a toe in the water and ordered an iMax B6 universal hobby charger from tomtop out of the USA warehouse for $25. I will report back once I try some stuff with it. Vendor selected not because I could see much difference in the product, although I did look closely at pictures and excluded the ones without external heat sink fins, but shorter delivery time usps and 6 month warranty.

I also ordered two cheap unprotected 14500 cells for less than $4 shipped from some other vendor. I do plan to use care when charging them, maybe use a box or something. I didn't order a temp sensor with the B6, but I may ask that question in a new thread.

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You can order a power supply for the iMax off ebay for about 10 bucks that will plug directly into the charger for plug and play operation. Just thought I would give you a heads up on the power supply if you hadn't already ordered one. You need a 12v power supply with a 2.5mm by 5.5mm barrel type plug. Do a search on ebay for iMax power supply. You should find several.

I also have an IMAX B6 and love it. Below is a photo of the leads I use to hook up batteries.

The outer set of leads are hooked up to the IMAX via banana plugs and attach to a single battery or to the two plus and minus leads of a battery pack, such as my Milwaukee drill pack. The inner set of leads in the photo are used to balance charge two li-ion batteries at the same time. You will note the special plug to insert into the IMAX. The other end is three magnets, one for the middle of the two batteries and the other two for the ends of the two batteries. I find that the cylindrical magnets are a very convenient method to attach to batteries/packs. They are easily soldered to wires. Try it. You will like it.

I thought about that, but I have boxes of adapters for various computer items, and I figure any switching laptop type supply 11 to 18v should do. I guess I should look around and find one before the charger arrives or I well end up using a car battery.

A computer power supply will work fine. Its what I use with the accucel-8. The ebay power supply just makes it simpler.

DanglerB said:

I well end up using a car battery.

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Nothing wrong with a car battery. Just put a car battery charger on it. I know this works just fine.

Aquanaut said:

I also have an IMAX B6 and love it. Below is a photo of the leads I use to hook up batteries.

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I want to rejuvenate and maintain a pair of seldom used Milwaukee 18V 2.4Ah NiCd tool batteries. Is the IMAX B hobby charger still the 'best bang for the buck" for this application?

SubLGT said:

I want to rejuvenate and maintain a pair of seldom used Milwaukee 18V 2.4Ah NiCd tool batteries. Is the IMAX B hobby charger still the 'best bang for the buck" for this application?

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I don't have any other "best bang for the buck" suggestions, but for many years, I have maintained my 12V 2Ah Milwaukee battery pack with the Imax B6.

I recommend that you store your battery pack for a long time by discharging it to 1V per cell. With my 12V pack, I discharge it to 10V for my 10 cell pack with the Imax. You don't want to store the NiCd pack fully charged, because I believe that the pack will form dendrites or whiskers that will be harmful to the pack.

The Imax will also rejuvenate the pack to a certain extent by cycling the pack in a charge/discharge mode. This has worked for me. I have owned and maintained my two Milwaukee battery packs for well over 10 years.

Thanks for the reply Aquanut. With the IMAX B6 can I do a timed charge of 16 hours at 0.1C (around 240mA) on my battery packs?

I am planning on using my CTEK automotive charger's "supply mode" of 13.6VDC at 7A as my power supply, hopefully.

SubLGT said:

Thanks for the reply Aquanut. With the IMAX B6 can I do a timed charge of 16 hours at 0.1C (around 240mA) on my battery packs?

I am planning on using my CTEK automotive charger's "supply mode" of 13.6VDC at 7A as my power supply, hopefully.

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You can charge at increments of 100mA, so you could use 200mA. After charging, it will trickle charge at 100 or 200mA. I don't believe that there is a time cut off, so you will have to monitor the time. You can see the full specs in the manual.

You can get the manual at: https://www.commonsenserc.com/B6Ultimate.pdf

BTW, it is AquaNAUT.

Aquanaut said:

………...BTW, it is AquaNAUT.

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Now my only challenge is to find a genuine SKYRC Imax B6. There seem to be a lot of clones on the market, with inferior quality circuit boards. Thanks for the help.