electric sheep
Enlightened
I need a good chargger for enloops and varies AA batteries but have Amazon vouchers i need to spend. Is the Powerex C9000 The best i can get ?
Need good charger... is Powerex C9000 best bet?
- Thread starter electric sheep
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Black Rose
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Need good charger is Powerex C9000 best bet from Amazon
+1000 😀
+1000 😀
alfreddajero
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Need good charger is Powerex C9000 best bet from Amazon
Its a nice charger indeed.....so heed the words of wisdom with the above posters.
Its a nice charger indeed.....so heed the words of wisdom with the above posters.
A couple of the Amazon reviewers commented on what they saw as the unusual complexity and high number of button pushes needed to set up 4 batteries to charge (for anything other than the default). Like 48 keystrokes to get a 2A charge on all 4 batts. And no memory to get the same charge cycle the next time, it has to be programmed all over again each time. Would some of you c9000 users care to comment?
The unit seems to inspire either deep love or abiding hatred, as I read those Amazon reviews.
The unit seems to inspire either deep love or abiding hatred, as I read those Amazon reviews.
Mr Happy
Flashlight Enthusiast
I find no problem with the number of keystrokes. It's very easy and straightforward to follow the menus. It might be a few key presses if you actually count them, but I honestly don't count them. It's just ra-ta-ta-ta...done. It hardly takes more than a couple of seconds.
(But you know, if you are the kind of person who can't program a VCR, you don't want a C9000.)
45/70
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think that it's important to point out that the C9000 is a charger/analyzer. Yes, it can be used just to charge cells, but there are other chargers from Maha that are more practical and in some ways, actually do a better job, if that's all you want to do.
For basic charging and conditioning cells, I'd recommend one of the 8xx series Maha 8 bay chargers over the C9000. They are much simpler to set up and actually faster at the same charge rate, as they don't have the two hour "top off" charge after 'DONE" that the C9000 has. I say this owning three C9000's and no 8xx series chargers. An 808M has been on my wish list for a while now though. 🙂
If you're really into analyzing your cells and meticulously maintaining them, or restoring old/unused cells, then the C9000 is "The" one to have, as it offers many features that most chargers don't have. Otherwise, it is rather complicated for ordinary basic cell maintenance.
Dave
For basic charging and conditioning cells, I'd recommend one of the 8xx series Maha 8 bay chargers over the C9000. They are much simpler to set up and actually faster at the same charge rate, as they don't have the two hour "top off" charge after 'DONE" that the C9000 has. I say this owning three C9000's and no 8xx series chargers. An 808M has been on my wish list for a while now though. 🙂
If you're really into analyzing your cells and meticulously maintaining them, or restoring old/unused cells, then the C9000 is "The" one to have, as it offers many features that most chargers don't have. Otherwise, it is rather complicated for ordinary basic cell maintenance.
Dave
alfreddajero
Flashlight Enthusiast
For a novis (that word doesnt look right), the charger might take some getting used to, but once you start using the charger and getting familiar with the keys and functions its like icing on a cake, easy to learn and do. 😗
alfreddajero
Flashlight Enthusiast
Dont worry that charger has been on my wishlist forever, but with all the darned lights coming out its just going to have to wait.
Yucca Patrol
Enlightened
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2008
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- 954
The programming is really nothing to worry about. In general, you select the type of program you are running and then select some relevant capacity and charge rate numbers.
And besides, the vast majority of the time, you are just fine and dandy just putting the batteries in the slots and letting the default charge setting go to work.
And besides, the vast majority of the time, you are just fine and dandy just putting the batteries in the slots and letting the default charge setting go to work.
Paul_in_Maryland
Flashlight Enthusiast
Maha C9000 and Maha C401FS
I used my C9000 to do the initial conditioning of my 24 Sanyo Eneloop AA cells. Since then, I slow-charge them in my venerable Maha MH-C401FS because it's so easy to use...and I've lost the C9000's AC adapter. I'm about to start another thread about that.
I used my C9000 to do the initial conditioning of my 24 Sanyo Eneloop AA cells. Since then, I slow-charge them in my venerable Maha MH-C401FS because it's so easy to use...and I've lost the C9000's AC adapter. I'm about to start another thread about that.
Turbo DV8
Flashlight Enthusiast
Originally Posted by Rexlion
Like 48 keystrokes to get a 2A charge on all 4 batts. And no memory to get the same charge cycle the next time, it has to be programmed all over again each time.
It's all in qualifying the customer. Which in the case of an internet purchse, is impossible. An enjoyable "rat-a-tat-tat" of the keys to one person may be an incomprehensible feat to another.
Turbo DV8
Flashlight Enthusiast
I asked this very question a while ago, so I called Maha. "When the 808 says 'DONE,' does it really mean the cells are full, or does it have a two hour top off period?" The person said that the 808 actually does have a "top-off" period. I noted at the time, but I can't put it in words, the person I spoke to did not quite come across as 100% confident in that assertion, possibly because he could not give me a specific duration of time for said top-off mode.
I am a total novice when it comes to sophisticated chargers. I tried one of the La Crosse models and returned it because of concerns about the melt down hazard. I should have just purchased the C9000 to begin with. The review on Amazon really overstates the problem with the number of button pushes needed to get things going. I have found the C9000 to be very easy and intuitive to work with. I would not want to lose any of the options and can totally recommend it.
SilverFox
Flashaholic
Hello Rexlion,
To put 48 keystrokes in perspective, that is about 1/3 of a maximum Twitter message.
This response required 183 keystrokes and took me under 30 seconds to type...
Tom
To put 48 keystrokes in perspective, that is about 1/3 of a maximum Twitter message.
This response required 183 keystrokes and took me under 30 seconds to type...
Tom
Magic Matt
Enlightened
The C9000 is only £50 at Maplins ... you might want to get it there and use your Amazon vouchers for something else. 🙂
JaguarDave-in-Oz
Enlightened
I'm a total moron when it comes to programming electrical devices but I am awaiting delivery of the C9000 that I ordered since I felt that it was something I can cope with. I'll likely use the default mode but it's nice to know the machine has the capacity to analyse and condition a battery if need be. It costs about eighty five dollars in Australia (roughly the equivalent of about forty eight pounds in Britain).
My thanks to the OP, Electric Sheep, for starting this thread, and for the replies. It caused me to take a second look at the C9000 and I ended up ordering one as well. It will help me make an intelligent decision about some of my older batteries... whether they are worth saving... and if they are, this machine is the one to breathe new life into them. Sort of the DC equivalent of CPR. 
Lite_me
Flashlight Enthusiast
95% of the time I'm just topping off AA cells. All I do is snap them in and walk away. The default 1000mA charge is near perfect enough for me to not worry about programming any thing else for AAs. The C9000 does a great job. When I do need to do that occasional programming for a different task, I don't mind the ra-ta-ta-tatting and I think the programming is simple and straight forward for the additional features.
