Are there REALLY no good USB NiMH chargers?

For charging Li-Ion via USB, we have the superb Xtar MC series chargers. But it seems like, when it comes to NiMH, all I can find are junky, poorly constructed chargers that can only charge in pairs and do so REALLY slowly (as in 200mA slow). Is there really nothing at the same level as the MC series for USB charging of NiMH?

Probably not much demand for a USB NiMH charger. The cells are all standard sizes and removable, so you don't have the proprietary issues you do with lithium-ion devices (where USB power makes more sense). That makes a standard wall-plug easier and simpler, and able to provide much more power than you could get from a typical computer USB interface.

Hi

I have one of the chargers 600LCD it says on the back AAA or AA 2x1000ma or AAA or AA 4x500ma so that`s up to 500ma per channel depending on the usb power adaptor.

I have not really used this charger a lot.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001OTHBSU/

John

GoalZero has one that i think has been fairly well constructed but you have to put in 4 batteries to charge and use. It also has solar charging too which i would prefer it to be on more battery sets than USB. La Crosse has a car charger but that's about as fancy as they get. I have yet to see a USB charger that's a smart charger/analyzer.

MidnightDistortions said:

GoalZero has one that i think has been fairly well constructed but you have to put in 4 batteries to charge and use. It also has solar charging too which i would prefer it to be on more battery sets than USB. La Crosse has a car charger but that's about as fancy as they get. I have yet to see a USB charger that's a smart charger/analyzer.

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I've looked into the Goal Zero. What I DON'T like about it is that charging is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH slower with USB than with THEIR solar panel. I want something that can charge rapidly with USB, and not some proprietary panel. As for the charger, I would like a smart charger. But I don't need an analyzer.

Have a look at the Sanyo NC-MDU01
which is not in production anymore, but its a USB charger for NiMh
it charges 1 AA battery in 140minutes (so 2 hours 2 minutes) which indicates about 800-900mA
and AAA in 60 minutes (so about 750mA)

the only problem is that it looks like its charging 2 batteries one after the other, not simultaneously.

StorminMatt said:

I've looked into the Goal Zero. What I DON'T like about it is that charging is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH slower with USB than with THEIR solar panel. I want something that can charge rapidly with USB, and not some proprietary panel. As for the charger, I would like a smart charger. But I don't need an analyzer.

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Yeah, solar charges in about 3 hours while USB in 8 hours. I'm not too worried about that considering it would be ideal to charge a set of flashlight batteries with needing solar and need to get several packs charged while the sun is out. I haven't run some tests to see if a charged battery would overcharge in the unit or if it would only charge the 3 that are in need of charging. I suppose you can throw in a crap battery and see if the other 3 would charge, that would be the way i'd go about it, especially when a crap battery couldn't possibly be any better lol.

The Sanyo NC-MDU01 is a good charger (I have four of them). Although it's been discontinued, Panasonic seem to have a direct equivalent based on the same design. It's the BQ-CC14, as seen here on CPF. I can't tell you any more than that, though, because I don't own a BQ-CC14 myself.

In addition, PowerTraveller do a PowerChimp4A charger which I believe is supposed to charge up to 4 AA or AAA cells independently, but I don't have any experience with that one either.

Don't buy the original two cell PowerChimp, though - it only charges the cells as a pair.