I have a Radio Shack model 23-425 battery charger that shuts off when the batteries are fully charged that I bought about eight years ago. It charges C,D,AA,AAA and 9V. Can I charge rechargeable CR123 batteries in it? It will not charge a single battery alone. Two batteries have to be in the bay for the charger to run. Because two batteries are charged together does that mean that they're charged an equal amount? Because the batteries are never equally discharged doesn't charging them the same amount overcharge one and undercharge the other? When I have an odd number of batteries to charge I pair a battery that I have not been using with one that needs to be charged. Doesn't that unused battery get overcharged or prevent the discharged battery from being fully charged? Are single cell chargers better because of these complications? The catalogue says that the charger has Automatic Charging Current Selection meaning that it selects the best charging current for each battery size. But that feature or the automatic shut off don't make it so the charger charges each battery to its full capacity if paired batteries are not equally discharged correct? This was a $25 charger. Are more expensive chargers better? Are single cell chargers better at charging batteries correctly? What charger brands or models are the most trusted? Thanks for any replies.
Battery charger questions
- Thread starter 777qqq
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
I am not going to answer all the questions for two reasons. It is all here if you look for it, and I am not the expert on here that many are. Spend a little time reading some of the charger threads and battery threads as well as the safety concerns. Look at "the welcome mat" and check in smoke and fire hot cells and close calls right at the top of the page.
But, quickly I will tell you do not put those lithium cells in your radio shack charger or any charger not designed for lithium chemistry batteries. They are two entirely different animals and it is not in any way safe.
Not trying to sound harsh, welcome to candle power forum. If you choose to do so, you can get an education here like no where else, but it will take a little effort.
But, quickly I will tell you do not put those lithium cells in your radio shack charger or any charger not designed for lithium chemistry batteries. They are two entirely different animals and it is not in any way safe.
Not trying to sound harsh, welcome to candle power forum. If you choose to do so, you can get an education here like no where else, but it will take a little effort.
Oddjob
Flashlight Enthusiast
As VegasF6 said, do not charge RCR123's in that charger.
bluepilgrim
Enlightened
I've reading up on charging myself lately -- and also getting a bit of 'experience'. I've been looking for NIMH stuff. I got a Targus charger a few years ago at a close-out sale and they've been fine, but I needed more.
I went to Walmart and (on sale) got an Ecotrends charger (2, actually, at half price for $10) with 4 AAs included, and a pack of AAA. The AAs seem to be OK, but it's 2 cells per channel, which I think will certainly not be good if the batteries are not well matched, which I think must be true to some extent.
I tried the AAA in it, and they seemed to charge, but there is something strange with them. I put one in my little Dorcy 45 lumen penlight, and it suddenly stopped working. I measured in with a VOM and it stone cold dead -- couldn't get even a resistance reading. Same thing happened with another one. The weird part is that it suddenly 'came back to life' at about 1.2 -1.5 volts. Then they quit again -- then they woke up. I'm thinking there is some kind of gassing going on which pushes something inside apart and creates an open circuit, or maybe it forms a gas pocket. They are now dead again (maybe to wake up when the sun goes down like a vampire, or when the phase of the moon is right?).
At one point I did a measurement with my digital meter, and I got a voltage of about 1 1/2V, but nothing with the VOM: I figured that the internal resistance was so high that drawing even enough current for the VOM dropped the volts to zilch.
I went back to Walmart and got a Kodak K6200-C with 4AAs, which said 'charge 1 or 2), so was 1 cell per channel. I tried it on one of the previously charged Ecotrends AA, and it seemed to start OK, but soon strated flashing -- the signal for charging malfunction (to which the instruction sheet adds 'use only rechargable batteries'. With the cells which came with the Kodak charger I got the same error, in various combinations of the cells, except with one particular cell. They all read zero volts, and open circuit resistance. (That went back to Walmart). The Kodak charge was supposed to turn off with temperature, -dV, or timer, but the one I got didn't work right, apparently.
I don't know -- is there a Murphy Field in the area?
I have a hypothesis:Walmart goes to the Sum How manufacturing comapany, which tells Walmart they can sell them woofoos (Chinese equivalent of widget) for $10. Walmart tells them they have to sell them for $7. Sum How says "OK -- we'll sell you woofoos for $7. They do -- they just make them out of old pig toenails instead of semiconductors .... Sum How. (Maybe they put melamine in the battery juice?)
I'm saving my pennies for a Maha Powerex MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer -- I see them for sale at Amazon for about $50. I don't know -- maybe it can even handle those Ecotrends (but I won't buy that brand again).
The eneloop look like decent cells, but the charger I saw them selling is 2 per channel, and Sanyo says they don't recommend using a different brand (and I don't have the money for an expensive charger -- even the Maha is pushing the budget).
I almost got the $14 Soshine Super Quick from Dealsextreme (SKU 6152), but when I tried to check out, they only use paypal, and paypal wanted me to agree to a 'contract' which was 20 pages long, and I wasn't about to read it all.
I do want to be able to charge one cell (on one channel), because I have one cell and three cell devices, and also because I think that's the only correct way to charge them. I've opened up bad 9-volt batteries and nicad battery packs and generally find 1 or 2 bad cells and the rest OK. I don't know if the 2 cell per channel are parallel or series, but I'm guessing it turns off when the weaker cell indicates it's finished, leaving the other undercharged. I am wondering if you could put in a dummy cell -- a resistor, and charge one cell with a 2-channel charger -- but I don't know how they are designed.
It would be nice to have a charger which could handle everything with a power supply, a few sensors, and a port connection to a PC where you could run a program with the right profile for whatever is being charged. A small embedded, like a Stamp computer, could handle it but you have to be able to get or burn plug-in proms for new profiles. Maybe an old Timex Sinclair or Commodore, or an old XT, would be do-able.
I think about the old days with some longing, when you just lit a candle. Maybe the new nickle zinc will be better, and will solve the problem of running a device that wants multiples of 1.5 volts (and can handle 1.65V) with 1.2V nicad or nimh. (A flashlight shoul not be so complicated that one has to become an electro-chemical technician to operate it. But the Dorcy 220 lumen NiCad works great with no fuss -- it seems to be designed for 4.8V.)
For 777qqq -- that Radio Shack is undoubtedly for NiCad, and maybe NIMH: do NOT put a lithium in there -- they will probably explode. As for a good lithium charger, look what's been said by members here who use those -- the Maha isn't for lithium.
I went to Walmart and (on sale) got an Ecotrends charger (2, actually, at half price for $10) with 4 AAs included, and a pack of AAA. The AAs seem to be OK, but it's 2 cells per channel, which I think will certainly not be good if the batteries are not well matched, which I think must be true to some extent.
I tried the AAA in it, and they seemed to charge, but there is something strange with them. I put one in my little Dorcy 45 lumen penlight, and it suddenly stopped working. I measured in with a VOM and it stone cold dead -- couldn't get even a resistance reading. Same thing happened with another one. The weird part is that it suddenly 'came back to life' at about 1.2 -1.5 volts. Then they quit again -- then they woke up. I'm thinking there is some kind of gassing going on which pushes something inside apart and creates an open circuit, or maybe it forms a gas pocket. They are now dead again (maybe to wake up when the sun goes down like a vampire, or when the phase of the moon is right?).
At one point I did a measurement with my digital meter, and I got a voltage of about 1 1/2V, but nothing with the VOM: I figured that the internal resistance was so high that drawing even enough current for the VOM dropped the volts to zilch.
I went back to Walmart and got a Kodak K6200-C with 4AAs, which said 'charge 1 or 2), so was 1 cell per channel. I tried it on one of the previously charged Ecotrends AA, and it seemed to start OK, but soon strated flashing -- the signal for charging malfunction (to which the instruction sheet adds 'use only rechargable batteries'. With the cells which came with the Kodak charger I got the same error, in various combinations of the cells, except with one particular cell. They all read zero volts, and open circuit resistance. (That went back to Walmart). The Kodak charge was supposed to turn off with temperature, -dV, or timer, but the one I got didn't work right, apparently.
I don't know -- is there a Murphy Field in the area?
I have a hypothesis:Walmart goes to the Sum How manufacturing comapany, which tells Walmart they can sell them woofoos (Chinese equivalent of widget) for $10. Walmart tells them they have to sell them for $7. Sum How says "OK -- we'll sell you woofoos for $7. They do -- they just make them out of old pig toenails instead of semiconductors .... Sum How. (Maybe they put melamine in the battery juice?)
I'm saving my pennies for a Maha Powerex MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer -- I see them for sale at Amazon for about $50. I don't know -- maybe it can even handle those Ecotrends (but I won't buy that brand again).
The eneloop look like decent cells, but the charger I saw them selling is 2 per channel, and Sanyo says they don't recommend using a different brand (and I don't have the money for an expensive charger -- even the Maha is pushing the budget).
I almost got the $14 Soshine Super Quick from Dealsextreme (SKU 6152), but when I tried to check out, they only use paypal, and paypal wanted me to agree to a 'contract' which was 20 pages long, and I wasn't about to read it all.
I do want to be able to charge one cell (on one channel), because I have one cell and three cell devices, and also because I think that's the only correct way to charge them. I've opened up bad 9-volt batteries and nicad battery packs and generally find 1 or 2 bad cells and the rest OK. I don't know if the 2 cell per channel are parallel or series, but I'm guessing it turns off when the weaker cell indicates it's finished, leaving the other undercharged. I am wondering if you could put in a dummy cell -- a resistor, and charge one cell with a 2-channel charger -- but I don't know how they are designed.
It would be nice to have a charger which could handle everything with a power supply, a few sensors, and a port connection to a PC where you could run a program with the right profile for whatever is being charged. A small embedded, like a Stamp computer, could handle it but you have to be able to get or burn plug-in proms for new profiles. Maybe an old Timex Sinclair or Commodore, or an old XT, would be do-able.
I think about the old days with some longing, when you just lit a candle. Maybe the new nickle zinc will be better, and will solve the problem of running a device that wants multiples of 1.5 volts (and can handle 1.65V) with 1.2V nicad or nimh. (A flashlight shoul not be so complicated that one has to become an electro-chemical technician to operate it. But the Dorcy 220 lumen NiCad works great with no fuss -- it seems to be designed for 4.8V.)
For 777qqq -- that Radio Shack is undoubtedly for NiCad, and maybe NIMH: do NOT put a lithium in there -- they will probably explode. As for a good lithium charger, look what's been said by members here who use those -- the Maha isn't for lithium.
Similar threads
