which charger can charge D size NiMH batteries?

picard

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which charger can charge D size NiMH batteries?
 

StorminMatt

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The Xtar VC4 will also charge D cells, albeit fewer and at a slower rate. It IS cheaper, though.
 

novice

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It's true that the XTAR VC4 is not very speedy, but one of the nice things about it is that it will charge both NiMH, and 3.7v Li-ion cells. It also has a spring-loaded terminal. I trust my Pila IBC, but sometimes it is a bit cumbersome having to screw in a spacer for a 17500/18500, and having to drop in another spacer if I want to charge 18350/16340 cells. The Pila also won't handle a bigger size than 18650.

I wish that XTAR made a model that would also charge the other Li-ion cell voltages. It doesn't seem like it should be that difficult, but I'm not an electronics engineer.
 
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Lateck

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I have asked almost the same question over in the electronics / battery forum.
I have a Sky RC MC3000 and a Xtar VC4 that will charge D-cells....
But, I want to charge 4 or more at a time, not just 2 as my current chargers can do.
The Maha MH-808M has been suggested to me in that thread also.
So it loooks like I'll be adding that charger to my stable soon unless a better unit is brought up.

Lateck,
 

FroggyTaco

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I know I'm biased because I own own but It's a pretty capable charger.

A few notable features: It can simultaneously charge D cell, C cell, AA cell & AAA cell. Under "soft charging" the charging rate is lowered to 1A for AA-D cells & 375mA for AAA cells. Otherwise it's 2A & 700mA for "normal charging".

And of course it can also "condition" the cells buy charging, then discharging, then charging the cells to refresh any "lost" capacity.

I have owned mine for at least 6 years & I use it weekly & it has been flawless.
 

Willie

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For the price of the Maha I would recommend you buy a hobby charger. More options, and more output. However, you would have to come up with your own way to connect the batteries. I use magnets.
 

FroggyTaco

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For the price of the Maha I would recommend you buy a hobby charger. More options, and more output. However, you would have to come up with your own way to connect the batteries. I use magnets.

Doesn't that require that you charge the cells in series if you are charging more than one cell at a time?

And if so how do you know that each cell is getting fully or properly charged?
 

Willie

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Lateck

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picard; There is a older review of the MH-C808M under "Flashlight Reviews" . It is 10+ years old but it seems to be the most in-depth review I have found. (I would post a link, but I am not sure on how to do it, sorry).

Lateck,
 

FroggyTaco

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picard; There is a older review of the MH-C808M under "Flashlight Reviews" . It is 10+ years old but it seems to be the most in-depth review I have found. (I would post a link, but I am not sure on how to do it, sorry).

Lateck,

You copy the link(URL) from one browser window & then click on the little globe icon with a "chain link".

Then paste the link in the pop up box & voila it now appears in your post!
 

Timothybil

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I wish that XTAR made a model that would also charge the other Li-ion cell voltages. It doesn't seem like it should be that difficult, but I'm not an electronics engineer.
They do. The VP2 will charge LiFePO4, regular Li-Ion, and 4.35v Li-Ion (selected via switch setting), and has a switch for .25A, .5A, and 1A charge rates. The only drawback is that it does not do NiMH/NiCad.
 

Lateck

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Hi, you can try XTAR latest ROCKET SV2 fast-charging charger. Fully charge D size 10000mAh NI-MH batteries in just 6hrs! l
Great charger, I'm sure. I have a VC4 already, but how can you charge 4 D-cells at one time? (Let alone 8).
That seems to be a problem with most current chargers.

Lateck,
 

Timothybil

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You can always go the magnet route. Reasonably short lengths of wire with a small strong magnet on each end. One end goes to contact on charger, other end goes to like contact on D cell. Messy, but it supposedly works.
 

david57strat

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Hi, you can try XTAR latest ROCKET SV2 fast-charging charger. Fully charge D size 10000mAh NI-MH batteries in just 6hrs!

For more:
http://www.xtar.cc/products_detail/&productId=151.html

I have a pair of these SV2s and couldn't be more happy with them:

Shown next to a pair of VP2s



I have a pair of VC4s, as well, but the charging rate is much higher on the SV2s, and the fit is much better (the wells seem deeper, on the SV2, so the fit is more snug, for these larger D cells).
 
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david57strat

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You can always go the magnet route. Reasonably short lengths of wire with a small strong magnet on each end. One end goes to contact on charger, other end goes to like contact on D cell. Messy, but it supposedly works.

I'm not sure I'd ever want to mess with magnets or spacers, in a battery charger. I like the battery to just fit, without having to add any parts to the charging process. I cannot imagine having to stick some kind of spacer in a charger, just to make a battery fit properly - but that's me.

I've just ordered a Nitecore SC2 (which is supposedly capable of even higher rate of charge, than the XTAR SV2s); but I'm not crazy about the metering system. Still, I think it's worth giving one of those a shot, and if I like it, I'll just use a multimeter, to measure the final voltage, after termination. I'll post some comments and pictures here, after I receive the charger, and have had a chance to use it for a bit.
 

david57strat

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Maha MH-C808M.

Eight at a time no less.

The MAHA site states, ..."Delivers 2000mA of current for AA, C and D batteries, and 700mA for AAA batteries", but they don't specify how many D batteries could be charged, simultaneously at that 2 Amp rate.

All they say about the power supply (probably a humongous wall wart) is "100-240V 50 / 60Hz universal AC adapter", but there is no mention of the amperage output, nor is there is a picture of the power supply, itself. I'd hate to imagine how huge that thing must be, and how hot it must get, when working at full capacity.

Just the same, I had been wanting to purchase one of those 8-slot MAHA chargers for a long while, but got side-tracked, when I started buying Nitecore and XTAR chargers lol


Not pictured - 2nd XTAR SV2 charger, and 1 Nitecore SC2 charger, on its way :)
 
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FroggyTaco

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If that's your definition of "sidetracked" I'm very curious to see what "focused attention" brings about!

p.s. I will post the Maha power adaptor specs for your perusal shortly.
 
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