Reliable Sub $20 AAA AA NiMH Charger and Capacity Tester?

[scott123]

After a couple hours research, I’m leaning towards an XSTAR VC4S, but am open to other options. A VC4S might exceed my needs, but, coming from an EBL 808, which, over the years, has gone from providing a full charge to my batteries to only about 1/4 of the original charge (with brand new batteries), I’d feel better seeing capacity in mAh.

[umop_3pisdn]

VC4S has some premature voltage termination issues for NiMH, IIRC. Also defaults to high charging current unless you charge more than 2 batteries, again, IIRC. All I clearly remember is ceasing to use it for NiMH.

It seems a lot of multifunction chargers don’t get NiMH quite right. One exception I have found is the Klarus K1X, simple and nails accurate multichem charging. But, it’s single bay and expensive now. Too bad there isn’t a USB BQ CC17.

[scott123]

@umop 3pisdn

It seems a lot of multifunction chargers don’t get NiMH quite right. One exception I have found is the Klarus K1X, simple and nails accurate multichem charging. But, it’s single bay and expensive now. Too bad there isn’t a USB BQ CC17.

Thanks for your reply.

How about sub $30? I’m also open to 2 bay units. I see Klarus has the K2, but without an lcd. Technically, I could probably live without an lcd, but, after my EBL 808 experience, I’d sleep a bit better seeing mAh on an lcd screen.

[zoulas]

Check Opus, one if the cheapest and best.

[Johnny_Bravo]

Opus BT-C700 is a good choice in the lower price range. And IMHO it´s better than VC4Sx in charging NiMH, the VC4SL which I have is simply unusable for this.

It can test the discharging-capacity, offers a good range of charging and discharging currents. It´s not for PPL who want to charge fast, in this case an Opus BT-C2000 is the better and more expensive choice.

[scott123]

@zoulas

Check Opus, one if the cheapest and best.

Thanks for the recommendation.

@Johnny_Bravo

Opus BT-C700 is a good choice in the lower price range….

…It´s not for PPL who want to charge fast, in this case an Opus BT-C2000 is the better and more expensive choice.

Thanks. The lowest price I could find for the BT-C700 is $22, and that’s shipped from China. I kind of need this faster than a month.

Amazon has the BT-2400 for $29, which, according to the comment from the seller is the V2.2, which is identical to the BT-C2000 V2.1 but doesn’t have the C&D adapters that the BT-C2000 has. This comment is from 2014, though. Assuming the BT-2400 they’re selling is still V2.2, does that sound like the one to get?

[Johnny_Bravo]

Yes, if it fits your needs . If you stay with NiMH it´s a good charger, if you want to use in near future also LiIon you have to look for something different

It have a nice range of charging currents, discharge, analyzing-mode, it´s a complete charger for AAA/AA NiMH

I have a rebadged Opus BT-C2000, the Everactive NC3000. Don´t know atm which firmware-version, but works good.

Test/Review of Charger Opus BT-C2000

Charger Opus BT-C2000 [image] [image] [image] This charger is new on the market, with a design that looks very much like the BM200 charger. This is because the charger is an improved version of the BM200. I have not tested the BM200 and will not be able to say exactly what improvements it has. [image] [image] [image] [image] [image] The charger comes in a cardboard box with a little explanation about the charger on the outside. [image] Inside the box is the charger, a po…