Review: MarsFire MF-001 (nitecore i2 clone)

MarsFire MF-001 charger (intellicharger i2 clone)

Reviewer's Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆

Summary:

Chemistries supported:
Ni-Mh, Li-ion
Inputs: 12v DC or 110v-220v AC
Number of channels: 2
Independent channels:
Yes
Charging current:
500mA each channel (independent channels)
Power supply:
Internal 110-220v or External 12v DC
Price Paid: 12,50$
From: DealExtreme
Date Ordered: March 2013

Pros:

  • Cheaper than the genuine i2
  • Seems to use a similar algorithm than the i2 *
  • Smoother springs and guides than the i2
  • Independent channels
  • Different chemistries can be mixed with no problems

Cons:

  • Charging current measured = 470mA (30mA less than declared) *

Features / Value: ★★★☆☆

First, I have to say, that I have no way to do a scientific review of the charger, nor I have the adecuate testing equipment to explain the charging algorithm it uses, to do graphs showing the current, etc.... in short, I have no way to do a impressive/extensive/scientific review similar than the ones that other users (i.e. HKJ and others) do about chargers...

This charger was designed to "copy" the Nitecore intellicharger i2 ( http://dx.com/p/nitecore-i2-multi-function-battery-charger-for-26650-22650-18650-17670-aa-more-black-174085?r=43033281 ), both in the "looking" and the internals/behaviour/charging method.

It is shipped in a hard transparent plastic "case" including a mains cable. No 12vDC adapter...

Design / Build Quality: ★★★☆☆

It seems well built. About the same quality than the genuine i2. However the "guides", the negative metallic contacts that you "move" when inserting a battery are way smoother than in the i2, despite it also lacks a metallic guide and also lacks lubrication...

You can see the internals if you watch through the air vents....

The overall "case" of the charger is identical to the i2, except where the "marsfire" logo is placed. Even the negative contacts are almost the same. All the surrounding to the logo is basically "holes for ventilation".... you know what I mean... You can see the inside through them...

It accepts 18650 protected cells with no problem. When charging my protected TF Flames 18650, there is still room for a 3mm longer battery...

I had contact problems with AAA Ni-Mh cells, but it happens the same with the Nitecore I2. Some AAA cells have "too much wrapp" "surrounding" the negative pole and I have to "raise" them to allow proper contact between the negative pole of the batery and the "protuding" part of the slider....

Charging process/algorithm: ★★★☆☆

The manufacturer claims to have a CC/CV charging algorithm for Li-Ion, and CC for Ni-Mh. By the moment, I should say that it charges the batteries in the same time than the i2...

All is measured with my DMM... I will asume the readings are ok... It has been working perfectly during a lot of years... I trust on it.

Measurements:

Li-ion

The i2, when shows fully charged cells, the cells are about 4.18 volt.

The MarsFire001, when shows fully charged cells, the cells are about 4.21 volt (using the same cell)

Ni-Mh

The i2, when shows fully charged cells, the cells are about 1.44 volt.

The MarsFire001, when shows fully charged, the cells are about 1.47 volt (with the same cell)

When the charger shows fully charged, the charge process seems to stop. No trickle charge (or very low) is applied to the cells (impossible for me to measure). Also the "buzzing sound" dissapears as soon as the leds show "fully charged".

When the charge ends, if you remove the cell, and reinsert it, it will try to charge the cell again, but after a few seconds, it shows again battery full, and the charge seems to stop again.

When charging, I have measured 470mA of charging current, but it is not "steady"... each 3 seconds I can hear a "buzz" and when that buzz sounds, the current drops to about 150mA during a bit less than a second, and then goes again to 470mA... and it goes again again again until the end of the charging process...

As said, the charging current seems to be 470mA for both channels no matter of the chemistry...

When you leave the batteries in the charger, after shown "fully charged", it seems that no current flows to the cells (or at least, I can not measure it, maybe is too low).

When you leave the batteries in the charger and the charger is not connected to the mains, the batteries also seem that are not being drained (or at least, I can not measure it, maybe the current is too low).

When charging batteries, you can hear a "buzz" sound coming from the charger... 1 buzz each 3 seconds... maybe the circuitry is measuring the voltage.... as said, when you hear the buzz, the current drops to 150mA during a second, then goes again to the max 470mA measured...

The charger produces a lot of heat when charging, but the batteries are only "warm"... the heat is generated from the internal PS...

Summary: ★★★☆☆

This is a "similar looking - similar working" charger compared to the intellicharge i2. It is priced at 12.50$ where the Nitecore is priced at 19.10$ at the same store. By the moment, it seems to be an aceptable charger for both chemistries, but, taking into account, that I have no way to test the algorithm, I can not take a 100% sure conclusion. Perhaps, it does not use proper algorithm, but, again, it takes the same amount of time to charge the batteries than the Nitecore i2, despite the internals are not the same... who knows... me not...

I have finished the review, sorry for the delay. Anyone has any question or sth to test??

Thanks for the thorough review. -answered all my questions and more. :slight_smile:

if a China product is tooo cheap, then it's probably Chinese *u*k.