NIMH Battery Charger

[ElektroLumens]

I just purchased some Radio Shack NIMH rechargables. The D cells are 4,500mAh. The AA's are 1,600mAh.

What is the best charger for these batteries? [img]images/icons/confused.gif[/img]

Wayne J.
www.elektrolumens.com

[Al]

CCrane will do 'em all

[Siriuslite]

I just recently bought the Energizer CHM4FC NiMh/NiCad charger. It charges everything from AAA to 9V. I did a quick search on the web and seen it being sold for under $20. So far I've been quite happy with it.

[evan9162]

How short of a cell will the CCrane charger charge? That is, how far up to the negative contact slider things move?

-Darin

[radellaf]

The Energizer Ds are 2200 IIRC, though, so that charger may not fully charge the RS ones. Heck, I don't think RS sells a charger (other than a "dumb" charger) that will fully charge them.

The CCrane charger is a really good one to get no matter what else you have. I wish I could trade in my Maha C204s for another one. The Maha can overheat cells.

It's the only one I have, for instance, that doesn't over or undercharge my new 4500 (RS) and 8500 (NexCell) new D cells, when the NiMH voltage curve can be a little funky. I'm hoping the RS/Maha Universal (pack) charger will handle them 4-in-series once they are broken in. Right now it prematurely terminates charge.

[Al]

Originally posted by siriuslite:
I just recently bought the Energizer CHM4FC NiMh/NiCad charger. It charges everything from AAA to 9V. I did a quick search on the web and seen it being sold for under $20. So far I've been quite happy with it.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Got one of these also, ... now if I can just disable the timer ...

[ElektroLumens]

Thanks for all the input. I guess C Crane is the one. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Wayne J.

[Sigman]

Wayne, I'll agree on the C Crane...just got mine. It was between this on one and the Maha...this one wins!

[K3LAW]

Wayne, I have the C Crane charger and it works very well. It charges the aa, c, and d batterys four at a time. Get one you will be happy with it.

[Nerd]

sorry for being off topic, but doesn't anyone feel that 4500mah for a Nimh D cell is a bit on the low capacity side? I remember seeing 8000mah D cells...

It's kinda like a 1300 mah Nimh AA.....

[lemlux]

Nerd:

The good stuff in C and D sizes isn't in the US mass retail distribution channels. You have to go on line or to a specialty store.

For example, I think Energizer sells 2200 mAh D NiMH cells on price for 2 for $11.99 with the capacity in small print.

Radio Shack sells 3000 mAh NiMH C's and 4500 mAh D's each at 2 for $14.99.

In October I bought 16 @ 9000 mAh NiMH D cells (generic green Chinese manufacture) from an EBAY vendor for some project lanterns for $116 -- $7.25 @.

[Al]

True, there are higher capacity D cells around but sometimes the lower capacity cells have their place. Depends on how long you want to wait for them to charge up ...

[Nerd]

I see... because I also do remember seeing 2200mah C & D cells in Singapore... made by GP (Gold peak)

For me, the only reason/reasons I would use anything with a D size battery requirement would be because of high capacity or high current requirement. Kinda funny isn't it, Sanyo already come out with 2100mah AA batteries (extremely rare) and the more common 1600 mah AA batteries (twincell) and D cells here for GP are stuck at 2200mah. Variety sure helps tho... you guys heard of GP?

[lemlux]

Al:

You don't have to fully charge a NiMH each time you charge it. If you only have a certain time to charge at a set current you'll put at least as many Ah hours into a larger capacity battery as you will into a lower capacity battery.

The only reason I usually trade off capacity on a rechargeable is to get higher discharge current rate capability.

(I won't pay $3 to $4 for a 2100 mAh AA NiMH either, but this is about the only rechargeable capacity cell I know of that is priced more steeply than the fastest CPU of the moment.)

[Nerd]

I paid $1.60 each for the Sanyo 1850 mah cells that I have... all 24 of em.... Is that expensive? Or is there a even cheaper source?

[Siriuslite]

I couldn't find a spec sheet for the Radio Shack D cells, but on the Energizer website, it looks like their D cell NiMh starts off in the 4400+ range before it drops off to 2200. If this is the case, I'm assuming the the cells are probably on par with each and that RS is stating the high end of the scale with their labeling.

[Hemingray]

I just got the C Crane charger, it works well on those very same RS 4500 mA/H D cells. It is designed and rated for AAA, AA, C and D sized NiMH and NiCD cells. Not alkalines or lithiums.

I also have two of the Maha C777 chargers, have had them a couple years. Actually, one is a radio shack branded Maha. Same thing, different number. It handles 4 to 10 NiMH or NiCD cells in series (4.8 to 12V). I have also used it on low amperage Lead-Acid (2300 mA/H "bagphone" batteries and it seems to work. The Maha manual does not mention this, the RS manual does. I have
once tried Lithiums on the Maha, seemed to work, but I would not recommend this, too many chances
to cook or kill the Lithium or the charger.

C Crane has 9,000 mA/H D size NiMH, but I have not yet gotten any to try out. 6 in a 6D maglite
should make a 5W Luxeon do wonderful things, probably shoudl throw a low-ohm resistor on series so not to smoke the LED into a SED.

/ed brown in NH

[Hemingray]

C Crane also has the 9,000 mA/H D cells, I am getting tempted. Must control self....
aaaauuuuuuuugggghhhh!!!!!!!!

/ed brown in NH

[Quickbeam]

A little late, but ditto on the CCrane charger. Been using it for a while and it works well.

[Al]

Originally posted by lemlux:
Al:

You don't have to fully charge a NiMH each time you charge it. If you only have a certain time to charge at a set current you'll put at least as many Ah hours into a larger capacity battery as you will into a lower capacity battery.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">True enough. Interestingly however, my cellphone runs on a 4.8V Nimh pack. If I just "top it off" until the charge light turns green (fully charged), I will get significantly less runtime than if I either allow it to run down to self-shutoff or "trickle" charge for a day after the green light ... figure???

[ElektroLumens]

I have found one of these chargers for $39.99.

I use 3 batteries at a time, not two or four. So I end up with 3 batteries needing to be charged. It seems this charger must have at least 2 at a time to charge. This presents a problem. Is there a way to charge only one battery at a time, or, 3 batteries?

My flashlights use 3 D cells.

Any ideas? Or, is there a charger that can do only one cell at a time?

Crane has the 9000mAh batteries for $9.95, and the 1,800mAh AA for $2.29.

Wayne J.

[vcal]

Originally posted by ElektroLumens:
I have found one of these chargers for $39.99.
I use 3 batteries at a time, not two or four. So I end up with 3 batteries needing to be charged. It seems this charger must have at least 2 at a time to charge. This presents a problem. Is there a way to charge only one battery at a time, or, 3 batteries?
My flashlights use 3 D cells.
Any ideas? Or, is there a charger that can do only one cell at a time?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Just like all the other posters above, I've gotta strongly recommend that $35. CCrane unit.--espec.for the 1 or 3 battery-at-a-time situation.

Get one, Wayne. -I spent $40. on mine 2 years ago, and have never regretted it. It gets used virtually every day. Why spend all your time worrying about battery charging??
-I know I sure don't anymore. [img]graemlins/winkie.GIF[/img]

[Sigman]

I didn't see it in the CCrane "Orphan/Closeout" area anymore for $35. It's back to the orignial price of $40. Still I love mine, sure takes the headaches out of charging!!