Eneloop charger - can it charge only one AA?

[Igor Porto]

Hi guys, I want to buy an Eneloop charger and a few AAs. I'd like to buy the MQR02 model, which can charge up to 4 AAs at once.

http://www.eneloop.info/products/chargers.html


But looking at the specs, it says the charge is 1,2V @ 1275mA × 2 (AA), but it doesn't say what the charge is for only one AA. There's a green LED on top of each pair, to show the charging status.

If I put only one AA, will it charge it?


Or do I need the MDU01 charger, which can charge only 2 AAs, and the spec says 1,2V @ 850mA × 1?

I don't use that much batteries, and sometimes I need to charge just one for my L1T.


Thank you.

 

[SilverFox]

Hello Igor,

I believe that if the output is listed as 1.2 volts, it is an independent channel charger and you can charge one cell at a time. On the other hand, if the output is listed as 2.4 volts, then you have to charge cells in pairs.

Tom

 

[Igor Porto]

Thank you, Tom.

 

[UnknownVT]

Hi guys, I want to buy an Eneloop charger and a few AAs. I'd like to buy the MQR04 model, which can charge up to 4 AAs at once.
http://www.eneloop.info/products/chargers.html
But looking at the specs, it says the charge is 1,2V @ 1275mA × 2 (AA), but it doesn't say what the charge is for only one AA. There's a green LED on top of each pair, to show the charging status.
If I put only one AA, will it charge it?

There seems to be a discreprency -
the link you gave goes to a MQN04 -
there does not seem to be a MQR04 listed

At the link you gave -

" MQN04
• Input: 230V ± 10%, 50Hz
• Output: 2,4V, 250mA × 2 (AA)
2,4V, 120mA × 2 (AAA)
• Charge Control: Timer 16h
• Charging Time: 16 h
• Charge-Indicator: 2 LEDs "

Of course if yours is a MQR04 - then all bets are off -
perhaps you can post the specs on the back and/or the user manual?

Or you can simply put just one battery in the charger and see if the LED lights up?
- if it does, then wait a while and see if the battery has gained charge?

Edit to Add -
I did find a MQR04 charger (via a Chinese site) and Here - both say -

SAN-MQR04-ENELOOP
Charging time 10 (h)

The spec'd 10 h charging time seems to be different from the spec you gave of " 1,2V @ 1275mA × 2 (AA) " which would put the charge time closer to just under 2 hours(?).

 

[yellow]

I would not use any to them,
and would never use any charger that does not charge the individual cell
(means: the one on the left is crap, no matter waht. The other 2: who knows)

 

[Igor Porto]

There is the MQR04 on the link, not the pic, just the specs:

http://www.eneloop.info/products/chargers.html

MQR02
• Input: 100-240V AC, 50-60Hz
• Output: 1,2V, 565mA × 4 (AA)
1,2V, 1275mA × 2 (AA)
1,2V, 310mA × 2 (AAA)
• Charge Control: delta V
• Charging Time:
- 100 minutes 2 ( AA )
- 220 minutes 4 ( AA )
- 155 minutes 2 ( AAA )
• Charge-Indicator: LED
• Size: 105 × 65 × 27,5 mm
• Weight: ca. 95g

 

[UnknownVT]

There is the MQR04 on the link, not the pic, just the specs:
http://www.eneloop.info/products/chargers.html
MQR02

Sorry if I am missing something -
you state MQR04 -
then gave the specs for the MQR02 ???

Which charger do you have?

 

[Igor Porto]

Sorry!!! It was a typo! Already fixed. Thanks for the attention.

 

[UnknownVT]

Sorry!!! It was a typo! Already fixed. Thanks for the attention.

OK so we're talking about the MQR02 -
the specs given seems to indicate only in pairs -

BUT when I did a search on "MQR02 pdf" - I found this - NC-MQH01
which seemed irrelevant -
until I opened it and found this line -

So it would appear at least from that document it can charge one battery at a time? But I cannot attest to how reliable this information is.

EDIT to ADD -
in searching for images of the MQR02 I found this page on overseas.sanyo.com

which seems to confirm it will charge one battery at a time.

There's a green LED on top of each pair, to show the charging status.

BTW - the image(s) I found also from the same overseas.sanyo.com site seems to show only ONE LED indicator....

 

[Igor Porto]

Thanks for the info. Too bad the PDFs on Eneloop's website are not available.

 

[UnknownVT]

Thanks for the info. Too bad the PDFs on Eneloop's website are not available.

if it's of any use, Sanyo ARE the manufacturers of eneloops though.

 

[Igor Porto]

Yes, I know.

 

[yellow]

these data seem to show that the chargers (MQR03 and MQR02) can charge one, two, three, or four cells at a time.
BUT
"only" 2 places feature something that "checks" for what ever it checks
(cell charging cradle 1 and 3)
and if there are any other cells added, then they are simply hooked in in parallel to the 1st cell --> thus dividing charging current and doubling time
(cradle 1+2, 3+4)

three cells: 1+2-->255 mins + 3-->115 mins

again: I would not use them

 

[Igor Porto]

I found a FAQ HERE that says:
Do I have to charge 4 batteries at a time in the 4-position charger, or may I charge only one?
The eneloop 4-position charger battery slots are designed in pairs. It is designed so that it may accommodate charging 2 batteries at a time - 2 in the inside positions or 2 outside positions - or 4 batteries at a time. The charger charges AA or AAA only.

 

[UnknownVT]

I found a FAQ HERE that says:
Do I have to charge 4 batteries at a time in the 4-position charger, or may I charge only one?
The eneloop 4-position charger battery slots are designed in pairs. It is designed so that it may accommodate charging 2 batteries at a time - 2 in the inside positions or 2 outside positions - or 4 batteries at a time. The charger charges AA or AAA only.

The problem with that quote is which 4-position charger were they refering to? - since Sanyo/eneloop now make so many - for example the original 4-position charger was the MQN05 - could unequivocally charge 1 at a time -
whereas the next one the MQN06 could only charge in pairs -
and indeed when one Download Instruction Manual (pdf) from the products page - the 4-position charger is the MNQ06 -
so the FAQ description is accurate - for the MQN06.

Please see these -
Eneloop Costco pack, different charger

Sanyo Eneloop Battery Chargers - Spec Sheets

Costco's Eneloop Power Packs - Picturing the Difference