Who made this charger?

[davidt1]

I went to Target to look for more Duraloops but ended up buying this charger instead. It is a feature-rich charger with LCD display, worldwide voltage, card charger and a refresh feature. It is small for all the features it has. It's just a bit thicker than the MQN05. In some ways, it would make a better travel charger than the MQN05. I know Targus does not make battery chargers, so who really made this charger? Also, how would you rate it for a $21 charger?

Front

Feature list

Size comparison. It is the same size as the Rayovac 15 minute charger.

 

[Mr Happy]

I don't know who makes it, but where did you find it? In the normal battery/chargers area, or in the outdoors/leisure area?

 

[rizky_p]

hmmm the charger look familiar

 

[davidt1]

I don't know who makes it, but where did you find it? In the normal battery/chargers area, or in the outdoors/leisure area?

I found it around the camera section.

I think it is this charger http://www.batteryjunction.com/tpec-ttg2800.html without the car charger and batteries.

 

[mikekoz]

I just picked up one of these at a Target near me for 14.98!! It charges all cells individually, quickly, will discharge, and the batteries seem like a good deal also. :twothumbs I am sure this has been sitting there quite some time, and all cells that came with it were only very slightly discharged also.

 

[jonnyfgroove]

I had to return one of those (The Targus from the camera section at Target) because it was a battery cooker. Also, it would not even recognize the batteries that came with it. :shrug:

 

[davidt1]

I had to find out for myself, so I opened the package. Here are parts of the manual. To tell the truth I understand very little of the technical stuff like delta V and 0 slope. Hopefully, someone will explain.

I never had a charger with a display before, so it's cool to look at the little blue screen of this charger. It's functional too. Right away it tells me that 2 of the batteries were nearly fully charged. And within 10 minutes the two bars went all the way up indicating they were fully charged. One question: should I take the charged batteries out now while the other two are being charged?

 

[Mr Happy]

Hopefully, someone will explain.

Can you show the full table at the top of the first picture? The charging times for different numbers and kinds of batteries are one of the most important things.

From what I can see I'm guessing it charges two batteries twice as fast as four batteries.

 

[davidt1]

Can you show the full table at the top of the first picture? The charging times for different numbers and kinds of batteries are one of the most important things.

From what I can see I'm guessing it charges two batteries twice as fast as four batteries.

Here it is

By the way, I turned the flash off and room light off. Light for camera was provided by my Zebralight H501.

 

[Mr Happy]

OK, so 1-2 batteries take about 2 hours and 3-4 batteries take about 4 hours to charge. That's pretty much mid-range charging speed; not exceptionally fast and not exceptionally slow. If you add the individual channels, the LCD status display and the refresh function, that is quite a nice charger.

The acid test will be how well it terminates on low quality batteries, how warm the batteries get, and how fully it charges them. The 0 slope detection is promising, however. That gives a better prospect that it will stop charging at the right time and not run into overcharge.

 

[ptolemy]

I found it around the camera section.

I think it is this charger http://www.batteryjunction.com/tpec-ttg2800.html without the car charger and batteries.

I am going to guess it's the same charger, but rebranded from an OEM manufacturer as well

 

[MattK]

Yes, they're from the same factory.

Targus Digital is a licensed brand 'made' and marketed by Merkury Innovations.

 

[swampgator]

To tell the truth I understand very little of the technical stuff like delta V and 0 slope. Hopefully, someone will explain.

I'll give it a shot, maybe wrong but I think:

-Delta V = a negative change (delta) in voltage.

0 slope = no change in increasing voltage ie, a flat line

 

[davidt1]

Thanks swampgator.

Update: 2 of the 4 batteries are defective. Both the Targus and MQN05 chargers identified these batteries as such. I charged the good batteries in the MQN05 yesterday. It was still charging when I came home from work 8 hours later. I removed the batteries and ran them through the K-106 and H501. After that I charged them in the Targus charger. This thing runs cool, as cool as the MQN05. I am testing the batteries in the same lights right now.

Edit: upon closer examination, it does run hotter than the MQN05.

This picture was taken at 2 hours 50 minutes. Both lights have switched to low mode and are still going. Will do a few more tests before deciding if I want to keep it. If I end up returning the Targus, it won't be because it's a bad charger, but because I have 2 chargers already.

 

[MattK]

The batteries are probably very old which explains the price that charger alone should be $21-25 - more like $30+ with batteries. My guess is that's a clearance price because of the old batteries inside the package.

If you cycle them using the discharge function they may be recoverable.

 

[mikekoz]

I have been using this the last few days and I like it! It charges in about 4 hours, and will stop charging when the batteries are full. The cells never get hot. They are luke warm after I remove the charger from the wall.

 

[Turbo DV8]

OK, so 1-2 batteries take about 2 hours and 3-4 batteries take about 4 hours to charge.

I stumbled across one of these at target today for $14.98 and couldn't resist. Haven't opeend it yet, as I recalled this post and was awaiting a refresher course here! I see all the pics have been removed. What was the current into two batteries and into four? My question is, if it charges 1-2 batteries in 2 hours, and 3-4 batteries in 4 hours, how can it be an independent channel charger?

 

[Mr Happy]

I stumbled across one of these at target today for $14.98 and couldn't resist. Haven't opeend it yet, as I recalled this post and was awaiting a refresher course here! I see all the pics have been removed. What was the current into two batteries and into four? My question is, if it charges 1-2 batteries in 2 hours, and 3-4 batteries in 4 hours, how can it be an independent channel charger?

See here and here.

In short, the charger seems nice but I am not comfortable with how warm it gets. However, I tested it face up, and with only two cells. It may be different plugged into a wall outlet with four cells. I have not tested that yet.

The internal circuit seems to have a 2 amp constant current source, which it rotates between slots. When 1 or 2 slots are in use it alternates 1-2-1-2, whereas when 3 or 4 slots are in use it alternates 1-2-3-4. In theory it could charge 1 slot at 2 amps, but apparently it doesn't.

 

[Turbo DV8]

Wow, so with four batteries it only charges at 500 mA? My Duracell mobile chargers charge at 550 mA and the batteries stay pretty cool. Other than the cool blue display, it seems this charger does nothing the Duracell mobile charger can't do, except maybe completely cook AAA cells! Does the Targus diminish current into AAA cells? How about the refresh feature? Does it discharge the cells then automatically start recharging? Or will it wait after discharge for the command to charge? I could use a charger that discharges then does nothing. And no smart remarks about me returning my C9000's, which have this very feature!