Me too! Interesting thread on the other side about the SkyRC MC3000. I think a Spring launch was suggested (hope they mean Spring in the Northern hemisphere). 
Yes I saw that thread and have been following it. Now....to try to save what probably will be >$100.
An odd variation — I’m looking, for friends, for a charger that
— handles NiMH properly,
AND
— takes 18650-sized cells — that size cell, when it’s NiMH, is called a <a href=“”4/3AF”“\ - Google Search>”4/3AF” cell
Example: Sanyo 4/3AF 4500 mAh
(I gave them a couple of magnet-wire-alligator-clip extensions to use to charge this size cell with a regular Eneloop AA-size charger; that works but it’s clumsy)
So any li ion capable charger that handles nimh properly should also work? Li ion capable means 18650 will fit, nimh charging for the chemistry. im just spit balling as Ive not seen the battery you refer too.
Nitecore D4 or 2 should work, Opus BC3100, XTAR VC4 or 2?
Yep, and “inexpensive” I think rules out the Opus. That’s about what I came up with too, plus the latest version Nitecore I4/I2.
Nitecore i2 / i4
Niteore i2 for about $10-12 bucks….Best value for money imho.
The Nitecore i series are noted by HKJ as having potential issues re: nimh, fine for li ion, but theres potential to miss terminations in nimh, and iVe read two people state theyve cooked nimhs using them.
The D series uses -dv/dt so doesnt have the same issue. Not sure about a new i series though.
Nitecore I-series 2014 models supposedly fixed failure to terminate problem, but added a trickle charge problem.
“changed NiMH charging. With the added trickle charging the batteries will be filled, if they are left in the charger, but they will also be over charged if left to long, due to the high trickle current.” -hkj
The older I-series sometimes missed termination but didn’t trickle charge
> This Opus at $17
That’s AA/AAA only, doesn’t take 18650-length (4/3AF length) cells, which is what I’m looking for.
Opus BT-C3100 “charger is using a CC/CV algorithm for NiMH … uses trickle charging when the main charge is finished, this is not really a good idea for LSD cells.” — hkj
Xtar VC2 doesn’t charge NiMH; EDIT: VC4 does
VC2 doesn’t include a power supply; and requires USB 5v EDIT and that works out fine
Probably going with the Nitecore D2 or D4 I guess, unless something better shows up fairly soon.
I guess the rule is “good, inexpensive, fast — pick any two”
EDIT: I ended up happy with an Xtar XP4c (which has one slot that will cycle (discharge/charge NiMH) and an Xtar VC4 (for the meters showing voltages); I’m figuring the 500 mAh charge is acceptable for 950mAh Eneloop AAAs.
I’m happy with the Sanyo quick charger (MQR06). I bought it together with four Eneloop Pro AA. It looks very much like the Panasonic Quick Charger (BQ CC16) so it might be the same product just with a different name. I think it’s a pretty good deal when you buy it together.
> Sanyo
Yep. Looks like a fine charger for AA/AAA cells.
It won’t accept the 4/3AF size NiMH cells though.
XTAR VC series will do nimh, its the VP that does not. PSU can be just a run of the mill USB phone charger, a 2.1 amp tablet version would be better. Most modern smart phone PSU are 1 amp, so a VC2 would be getting somewhere near 500ma each. If going with the VC4 Id use my tablet PSU so again each slot could get somewhere near 500ma, a VC2 would be able to do near 1 amp per slot with the same PSU.
I’m relying on this review for that:
http://lygte-info.dk/review/Review%20Charger%20Xtar%20VC2%20UK.html
Yeah OK, hadnt noticed the VC2 is li ion only, the VC4 is both. Well thats embarrassing. I wonder why that is? Maybe a new VC2 is on the way and the one you link predates the VC4?
Yep, VC4 is different:
and — hmmm, slightly longer slot, hkj says: “cells from 30mm to 71 mm long.”
That’s a plus, for what I’m looking for — for the 4/3AF NiMH size.
The VC2 is replaced by an improved — NiMH capable — VC2+Master
(thread goes offtopic after about 16 responses, no need to wade through it all)
I don’t have one; I”m happy with an XtarWP2H, and nowadays that’s what I’d give people who want to charge NiMH from AAA on up, as it fits the 18650-sized 4/3AF NiMH cells.
Tenergy TN142 2-Bay AA/AAA NiMH Fast Battery Charger
I have a Panasonic four channel charger which is cheap and good but not made anymore. I bought an Xtar Vc4 from GearBest, they were sometimes doing them for about $20, a bargain price, you need to follow the sales threads here, but clearly I do not know if and when they will do it again.
Which one did u buy ( Ni-Mh )