Which Maha charger to go with a batch of Eneloops?

[DanWells]

I'm about to order somewhere around 24 or 32 Eneloop AAs from Thomas Distributing (unless someone knows a better place to get them), for GPS, lights, camera flash and other random devices. Some of them have been using conventional high self-discharge NiMH AAs (which I consider massively annoying), and others have been running on alkalines (which are ecologically unjustifiable) or lithium primaries (both expensive AND ecologically unjustifiable). The Eneloops should take the place of all these bateries, because they can sit in a device for quite a while.
I don't have any decent AA chargers around (a couple of the kind that get thrown in with batteries), and want to buy a good smart charger with the batteries. From comments here, it seems like the best choices would be either a C9000 or one of the Maha 8-series 8 cell chargers. I like the 8 cell feature, but the C9000 seems like a more sophisticated charger. One difference in favor of the C9000 is that it displays voltage and amperage, giving a better idea of condition, rather than just a three bar display. As I understand it, the Eneloops don't really need the break-in feature of the C9000, and either charger can do a conditioning cycle.
Is there any more to the decision than "more information from the C9000, but trade off 8 cell capacity to get it"? Is one charger gentler on the batteries than the other? I will also be charging some other AAs (I'll keep the 12 or so that I have), which might benefit from some of the 9000s cycles plus a few Eneloop AAAs.

-Dan

 

[Black Rose]

This will not help you at all....I bought a C9000 and a C800S.

I bought the C9000 because of it's analysis capabilities and the break-in feature. I bought the C800S because it could charge/condition up to 8 cells at a time.

With having 140 NiMh cells kicking around here more than one NiMh charger is a necessity.

 

[Radiophile]

As I understand it, Eneloops don't need to be broken in aka a forming charge, because of the charge they were given at the factory.

Unless you really want the bells and whistles of the 9000, I like the Eneloop MQN05 charger. It pulse charges the batteries at a .5C or better rate so there is good termination, but it charges one battery at a time and switches to the next channel giving the batteries a rest and keeping them nice and cool. It's not the fastest charger, but it does what it does very well, and with the charge retention of Eneloops, you can charge them ahead and use them when needed.

Here's a post explaining how it works:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showpost.php?p=2511280&postcount=65

 

[Mr Happy]

Eneloops do benefit from the break-in cycle of the C9000. After a long period of storage they tend to develop a higher internal resistance (also known as voltage depression), and an occasional break-in charge will return them to peak performance.

Additionally the C9000 can charge four eneloops at a rate of up to 2 amps while keeping them cool, so in principle you could run two batches of four on the C9000 in the same time as charging a single batch of eight on one of the 8 cell chargers.

Another neat feature of the C9000 is that each of the four channels is controlled completely independently. So you can run a charge on one pair of cells while doing a break-in or discharge on another pair, or you can start something new on one channel while part way through doing something different on another.

 

[bcwang]

Go with the 808M. The 808M should be the coolest charging since it's got the most spacing between batteries. And without pressing anything you get a fast charge for your cells, compared to the C9000 which does require lots of button manipulation to get 4 cells going at full rate.

Then later when the cells are finally starting to get old, get a C9000 so you can start analyzing and matching sets.

 

[Russel]

If you are charging 1 to 4 batteries at a time, the I recommend the MH-C9000. I agree with Mr Happy, the break-in function is a valuable feature. If, by chance you find you are charging lots of batteries. You could get an additional charger, or one of the others suggested.

MH-C9000 4 cell AA or AAA with break-in mode
MH-C800S or MH-C801D 8 cell AA or AAA
C808M 8 cell D, C, AA or AAA

I personally use two MH-C9000 chargers for break-in every week end and a MH-C808M to charge whatever else I may need charged while the C9000 chargers are occupied. I use AAA and AA Eneloop and C and D cell Accupower NiMH batteries.

 

[RA40]

Just to add, the programming of the C9000 isn't difficult. A read of the paragraph showing the modes is easily. I have a minimal amount of cells on rotation ~12 and this charger has done well for me.

 

[Russel]

Just to add, the programming of the C9000 isn't difficult. A read of the paragraph showing the modes is easily. I have a minimal amount of cells on rotation ~12 and this charger has done well for me.

When I am lazy, I just drop in 4 eneloop AAs and walk away. The default charge rate is 1 amp, a little lower than .75C that I prefer, but still within recommended charging current for a AA eneloop.

Ya can't get much easier than that!

Russ

 

[alfreddajero]

You might as well get two C9000's.......you will be happy.

 

[RA40]

+1

Especially when doing a refresh-cycle or break-in charge and it is tied up for the duration. I often wish for another.

 

[thedeske]

I get the impression a C-9000 and Eneloops are everyone's favorite combo. It's hard to find a negative post on either item.

True?

 

[Black Rose]

True for the most part.

There are a few folks that prefer the LaCrosse BC-900/9009 over the Maha C9000.

 

[alfreddajero]

I guess any charge will fit the bill just as long as your happy with it.

 

[tripplec]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I have been digging into a better charger than what came with the Eneloop batteries. We have other chargers but one I stopped using was cooking my other batteries and I have thrown them all out. No with a collection of AAA & AA between my son and I. We have the need to charge odd battery numbers since some devices he has use 1 or 3 batteries. Anyway this independent charging should be much better method. I see the C9000 above but who makes it and is it available in Canada?
Any other recommendations now being a few years later now.
THX

 

[Bumble]

Sorry to bump an old thread but I have been digging into a better charger than what came with the Eneloop batteries. We have other chargers but one I stopped using was cooking my other batteries and I have thrown them all out. No with a collection of AAA & AA between my son and I. We have the need to charge odd battery numbers since some devices he has use 1 or 3 batteries. Anyway this independent charging should be much better method. I see the C9000 above but who makes it and is it available in Canada?
Any other recommendations now being a few years later now.
THX

Hi, budget to spend ?? the maha MH-c9000 comes highly recommended, but it isnt cheap ! good alternatives are a technoline/ la crosse/accucell bc-700 or an AccuPower iq328. these chargers all have independent charging/analyzer capabilties and can charge/analyse 1,2,3 or4 cells at a time

 

[TinderBox (UK)]

When the C9000 break-in charge`s a AAA 800mah eneloop at 0.2C ie 160mah or does it round the charge rate up or down say 100mah vs 200mah as i know you cannot select a charge rate of 160mah.

Thanks

John.

 

[Yamabushi]

When the C9000 break-in charge`s a AAA 800mah eneloop at 0.2C ie 160mah or does it round the charge rate up or down say 100mah vs 200mah as i know you cannot select a charge rate of 160mah.

Thanks

John.

Charge rate for break-in is 0.1C. If you set the capacity as 800 mAh, it charges at 80 mA.

 

[Russel]

Charge rate for break-in is 0.1C. If you set the capacity as 800 mAh, it charges at 80 mA.

That is correct.

You can also set the break in capacity on the C9000 as low as 500 mAh, for a break in charge rate of 50 mA, or a maximum of 20 Ah (20,000 mAh) for a break in charge rate of 2 A (2000 mA). I set my C9000 to 10,000 mAh when breaking in the D cells that I have, with a resulting break in mode charge rate of 1000 mA.

When the C9000 break-in charge`s a AAA 800mah eneloop at 0.2C ie 160mah or does it round the charge rate up or down say 100mah vs 200mah as i know you cannot select a charge rate of 160mah.[...]

If you set the capacity to 1600 mA in break in mode you will get a break in mode charge rate of 160 mA. Of course, that would be appropriate for a 1600 mAh cell, but not an 800 mAh cell because break in mode charges for a fixed time of 16 hours. In normal charge mode, the charge rate can be set anywhere from 200 mA to 2000 mA in 100 mA increments.

 

[Swedpat]

I have C808M and C9000. While I find C9000 very complicated the C808M is more simple for normal use. However it has some strange behaviour so I wonder if it has become faulty(now and then totally empty screen after conditioning). I consider to get C800S, which while it's not really compact, still is pretty much more compact than C808M.
Also I think the time is soon over for using C and D NiMh batteries, so therefore C800s is attractive. What I can see the only difference between C800S and C801D is the charging time, and I think C800S is better for the cells because of the longer charging time. (2hr at normal charge is still fast).

Any comments about my thoughts?