I've recently bought some LSD batteries and after much buggering about have determined that my hobby charger is just not happy charging single NiMh cells. I've never tried doing that before - 4 cell packs were the smallest I'd tried on it previously, which it is perfectly happy to do.
I did have a AA charger, but it is no longer working. I'll let it off though it was about 15years old.
So I'm after a charger for AA batteries and I want to spend upto about £20 ($30ish). I'd like to be able to set the charge rate and being able to take AAA's would also be good.
What would you recommend?
Does anyone charge AA NiMH's with a hobby charger with out issue?
It is not cheap, but with this charger it is possible to check the real capacity of each cell. I had serious problems with a set of GP 2300mAh batteries that came in a set with a GP charger. After only 6 months one of the four cells was defect because of the very high charging current (the batteries were too hot to hold in my hands after charging). So never buy a fast charger, because it will kill the batteries. I use AA batteries in the camera-flash, and i want to know if they still have enough capacity so it won't run out of power if i need it.
Aloha Piers! I too have 2 C9000's and it's the best one out there for AA & AAA nimh batteries period. Have you checked to see how much a C9000 would cost you? There's got to be a store in the UK selling them.
Thomas Distributing is selling them for $48.97 + $4.97 shipping in the US. That's very cheap compared to the $70 & $60 (+ shipping) I spent on my 2 c9000 chargers. Maybe you can check with them and see what it would cost to ship to the UK. It's worth asking anyway.
The price of the C9000 is £50 here, around $80. Plus shipping. Only place I know of (though there will be others) advertising it is Maplin who are famously not cheap.
+1 on the Maha C9000. i have this one as well. cost $60 here in Canada. i have been using it for a year. it allows u to set the charge rate and discharge rate and check cell capacity. i really like these features.
You could try a Duracell Mobile Charger [CEF23]. They do not make them anymore but you may get lucky and find in your local drugstore, department store etc., or perhaps online. It has independent charging channels - 4 bays, ~550 ma charge rate and most importantly does seem to terminate the charge properly. I use that one when traveling, as it's quite portable and handy to plug into a wall socket. It's perfectly fine for charging your eneloops. Downside is, no discharge, analyze functions etc, but for ~$15-18 Canadian, I think I'll manage.
At home I use the Mh-C9000, but you requested budget charger and that Duracell fits the bill nicely. Most importantly, seek out a charger with independant charging channels.
Edit for Canadian customers: there's plenty of Duracell Mobile Chargers @ Shopper's Drug Mart, Walmart and Canadian Tire. Unfortunately price ranges from ~$35-42, but thought I'd pass along that they're still available.Overpriced for now, yet perhaps SDM will be nice and put them on their monthly sales.