Best Budget Eneloop Charger

[PeAK]

.
.
. It's still my understanding that slower charge rates are inherently less stressful....they (higher currents) cause the cell to create a stronger negative deltaV signal for those chargers that utilize it to terminate their charge.

....as long your particular charger can terminate reliably at lessor rates of charge, presumably by utilizing an alternative methodology....

I think I've just been "paraphrased" on the points/recommendation giver earlier. My point is that given a smart charger (i.e. topic of discussion in this thread) would you still use/recommend using lower currents ?

The issue of an alternate method is a separate discussion.

PeAK

 

[TakeTheActive]

Isn't lower better for service life of the cells at expense of longer charge times?

Of course, lower TEMPERATURE is better for the service life *IF* the charger TERMINATES properly.

From my Sig Line LINKs:

• A Look at Slow Charging
  .
• Charge Rate Recommendations

For all the times I've challenged a "Slow Charge" afficionado with 'THE EXPERIMENT' SLOW Charge Rate Is Not Always BEST Charge Rate!, no one, to date, has ever replied... :shrug:

 

[TakeTheActive]

...Chargers and Cells have improved since then ......in fact I'd say that 500mA is more than enough to activate correct termination with the latest tech...

That's *YOUR* opinion and you're certainly entitled to it! :buddies:

But, putting it out there as a "Blanket Statement" can EASILY confuse Newbies... :thinking: :shakehead

Not just *ANY* 500mA charger can be relied on to terminate properly:

• Quality vs Budget 500mA Charger
• Quality vs Budget Cells
• New vs Old vs Abused Cells
• ...there are just too many variables...

 

[Bones]

I think I've just been "paraphrased" on the points/recommendation giver earlier. My point is that given a smart charger (i.e. topic of discussion in this thread) would you still use/recommend using lower currents ?

The issue of an alternate method is a separate discussion.

PeAK

Actually, the topic of this thread is budget chargers for the Eneloop PeAK, and since none of them offer a selectable rate of charge, it renders our discussion largely immaterial to the topic. Nonetheless, it bears mentioning that all these chargers also utilize a rate of charge significantly less than 0.5C, yet all are still known to terminate reliably.

Anyway, given a smart charger with selectable rates, for the majority of cell applications I would simply recommend the lowest rate of charge that still results in reliable termination.

 

[Perfectionist]

That's *YOUR* opinion and you're certainly entitled to it! :buddies:

But, putting it out as a "Blanket Statement"... :thinking: :shakehead

• Quality 500mA Charger
• Budget 500mA Charger
• Quality Cells
• Budget Cells
• New Cells
• Old Cells
• Abused Cells
• ...too many variables...

I'll give you some more of my opinion then shall I !! :wave:

I appreciate that "purists" must always have the very best products and just have to squeeze every last drop of performance out of them ......but most people, most of the time, are okay with getting 99% instead of 100% !!

This is coming from an Ex-Purist !! 😉

I've overcome this obsession and now don't mind if my cells might be 50mAh below capacity or might be losing 50 cycles due to imperfect termination ...... I'm content with the knowledge that they will serve me well for many years to come ...... by which time better technology would have arrived for me to replace them with anyway !! :naughty:

In short, I'm happy using my (Non-Eneloop!) Recyko's with a lowly 500mA current on my (Non-Maha/LaCrosse!) cheap-*** Uniross Charger !! 😛

Yup, I'm trying my best to NOT be a Perfectionist !! 😀

 

[pobox1475]

given a smart charger with selectable rates, for the majority of cell applications I would simply recommend the lowest rate of charge that still results in reliable termination.

Which is why on my C9000 I multiply times 0.3 then add a little cushion.

 

[TakeTheActive]

I'll give you some more of my opinion then shall I !! :wave:

I appreciate that "purists" must always have the very best products and just have to squeeze every last drop of performance out of them ......but most people, most of the time, are okay with getting 99% instead of 100% !!

...I've overcome this obsession and now don't mind if my cells might be 50mAh below capacity or might be losing 50 cycles due to imperfect termination...

...I'm happy using my (Non-Eneloop!) Recyko's with a lowly 500mA current on my (Non-Maha/LaCrosse!) cheap-*** Uniross Charger !! 😛

I edited my OP in an attempt to further clarify what I was attempting to communicate:

A portion of Perfectionist's original reply:

...Chargers and Cells have improved since then ......in fact I'd say that 500mA is more than enough to activate correct termination with the latest tech...

A portion of my 'edited' reply:

...But, putting it out there as a "Blanket Statement" can EASILY confuse Newbies... :thinking: :shakehead

Not just *ANY* 500mA charger can be relied on to terminate properly...

The members here on CPF have identified several <0.5C 'Smart' Individual Channel Chargers that terminate properly. Indeed, your Uniross may be one of them. What I'm saying is that "just *ANY* ole 500mA Charger" that someone buys may NOT terminate properly.

IIRC, a Targus 'Smart' Charger (too lazy / relaxed right now to look up the SPECS 😱) that one CPF member found 'on clearance' at Target got a 'bit hot' according to Mr Happy. There's JUNK and there are GEMS... 🙂

My main goal, when posting, is to provide information that is COMPLETE and can 'Stand Alone'. IMHO, members who post INCOMPLETE information and/or OPINIONS (possibly) do a disservice to the folks reading those posts who are 'less knowledgeable'. That's all.

 

[pobox1475]

*** Update ***

I got the Sanyo Eneloop charger and with my basic test of placing 4 AA's that were charged within the past 3 months into it. The termination light went off within a couple hours so I guess it is good to go. Should have a couple of the Sony's within a few days.