Is there such thing as a universal battery charger?

[Guy's Dropper]

I am looking for a universal battery charger that could charge basically all types of batteries. That includes everything from 17500s, to 18650s, to RCR123s. Is there such a charger?

 

[TigerhawkT3]

This is the cheapest, most universal charger I've used, and it seems to work just fine. You could get a Triton2 or similar hobby charger for lots more functionality, but those are over $100, and you'd need a 12V PS to boot.

 

[Guy's Dropper]

Excellent. Thank you very much.

 

[Norm]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.15225
Digital Balanced Li-Ion/LiPo/NiCD/NiMH/Pb Battery Smart Charger and Discharger
Note you will need a small 12Volt power supply to run this type of charger.

 

[Guy's Dropper]

That's strange. Why would it need a 12V power supply?
Sorry if the question is stupid. I know very little about electronics right now.

 

[TigerhawkT3]

Not a stupid question at all.

A lot of these hobby chargers are meant for RC use. RC batteries are often run extremely hard, with runtimes of 10 minutes or less. For this reason, RC hobbyists find it convenient to be able to charge their batteries in the field, powered by a 12V lead-acid battery.