Smart charger reduced at Maplins: bargain, or avoid?

[Call me Bob]

I know bugger all about chargers and cells, except what I've picked up
following some of the discussions here in urc. I'd appreciate any
comments you electrical types might have on this unit, currently on
special at Maplins:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=45804&TabID=1&source=1&doy=2m11&ForceUpdate=Y

http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt

It seems to have the features that I think I'm supposed to look out
for, ie. it will charge cells individually (at least it says "1 - 4 at
a time") and has the delta V detection gubbins for switching from fast
charge down to trickle at the right point.

Am I missing anything silly? Decent buy, or one to avoid?

Thanks for any opinions.

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

 

[PhilO]

Call me Bob wrote:
> I know bugger all about chargers and cells, except what I've picked up
> following some of the discussions here in urc. I'd appreciate any
> comments you electrical types might have on this unit, currently on
> special at Maplins:
>
> http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=45804&TabID=1&source=1&doy=2m11&ForceUpdate=Y
>
> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>
> It seems to have the features that I think I'm supposed to look out
> for, ie. it will charge cells individually (at least it says "1 - 4 at
> a time") and has the delta V detection gubbins for switching from fast
> charge down to trickle at the right point.
>
> Am I missing anything silly? Decent buy, or one to avoid?
>
> Thanks for any opinions.
>
> "Bob"
> --

If you don't need them in an hour, why not save a fiver and get:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45809&doy=2m11

has the same features, but does AAA, AA, C, D & 9V

I just got one & it works OK (but that doesn't mean it's any good!

PhilO

 

[Mike Causer]

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 15:40:40 +0000, Call me Bob wrote:

> I know bugger all about chargers and cells, except what I've picked up
> following some of the discussions here in urc. I'd appreciate any comments
> you electrical types might have on this unit, currently on special at
> Maplins:
>
> http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=45804&TabID=1&source=1&doy=2m11&ForceUpdate=Y
>
> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>
> It seems to have the features that I think I'm supposed to look out for,
> ie. it will charge cells individually (at least it says "1 - 4 at a time")
> and has the delta V detection gubbins for switching from fast charge down
> to trickle at the right point.

I don't know anything about the Maplin charger, but I've had an
"Innovations" charger for a few years that takes about 24 hours for
discharged AA NiMh batteries, so doing them in an hour would be an
improvement -- provided they don't fry. However the Innovations charger
also does up to D-size, and will put a fresh charge into used alkaline
batteries too. Now _that_ is useful.



Mike

 

[Call me Bob]

On 2 Nov 2005 07:59:34 -0800, "PhilO" <[email protected]> wrote:

>> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>>

>If you don't need them in an hour, why not save a fiver and get:
>
>http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=45809&doy=2m11
>
>has the same features, but does AAA, AA, C, D & 9V
>

Well, the special offer £20 one comes with a 4 pack of 2400mAh AA's,
the other £15 one doesn't. I'll need batteries so there's barely any
price difference between them.

What I think might be more important is the cheaper one seems to
accept only either 2 or 4 cells for charging at a time. This might
suggest that it charges them in pairs, which is less desirable than
individually. I could well be wrong here, but my understanding is that
because batteries won't necessarily be discharged equally they need
topping up by differing amounts and when charged in pairs this can't
happen, they both get treated as one unit. Perhaps not a huge deal,
but not the way to get the best performance from your cells.

I now stand ready to be pointed at and mocked for my erroneous
thinking

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Call me Bob wrote:
> What I think might be more important is the cheaper one seems to
> accept only either 2 or 4 cells for charging at a time. This might
> suggest that it charges them in pairs, which is less desirable than
> individually. I could well be wrong here, but my understanding is that
> because batteries won't necessarily be discharged equally they need
> topping up by differing amounts and when charged in pairs this can't
> happen, they both get treated as one unit. Perhaps not a huge deal,
> but not the way to get the best performance from your cells.

I think it is a huge deal and essential for good performance.

The charger looks ok for the money to me.

~PB

 

[Ambrose Nankivell]

Call me Bob wrote:
> I know bugger all about chargers and cells, except what I've picked up
> following some of the discussions here in urc. I'd appreciate any
> comments you electrical types might have on this unit, currently on
> special at Maplins:
>
> http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=45804&TabID=1&source=1&doy=2m11&ForceUpdate=Y
>
> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>
> It seems to have the features that I think I'm supposed to look out
> for, ie. it will charge cells individually (at least it says "1 - 4 at
> a time") and has the delta V detection gubbins for switching from fast
> charge down to trickle at the right point.
>
> Am I missing anything silly? Decent buy, or one to avoid?

I got one at the above price 18 months ago, and it's done a good job for me,
so I'd say it was worth it.
--
Ambrose

 

[Ian Smith]

On Wed, 02 Nov, Call me Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> What I think might be more important is the cheaper one seems to
> accept only either 2 or 4 cells for charging at a time. This might
> suggest that it charges them in pairs, which is less desirable than
> individually.

All true.

Personally, if I knew I just wanted AA, I'd go for the 20 quid one you
identified. I think treating the cells individually is worth paying a
premium for, and while I don't have any experience with that
particular charger, the spec looks OK and the price reasonable.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

 

[Call me Bob]

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 17:13:49 -0000, "Ambrose Nankivell"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>> Am I missing anything silly? Decent buy, or one to avoid?
>
>I got one at the above price 18 months ago, and it's done a good job for me,
>so I'd say it was worth it.

Okay, thanks for the comments people, I went and bought one today.
Local store was actually out of stock, but I reserved one at the offer
price and it should be here within a few days.

"Bob"
--

Email address is spam trapped, to reply directly remove the beverage.

 

[Ambrose Nankivell]

Call me Bob wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 17:13:49 -0000, "Ambrose Nankivell"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>> http://tinyurl.com/7rzxt
>>> Am I missing anything silly? Decent buy, or one to avoid?
>>
>> I got one at the above price 18 months ago, and it's done a good job
>> for me, so I'd say it was worth it.
>
> Okay, thanks for the comments people, I went and bought one today.
> Local store was actually out of stock, but I reserved one at the offer
> price and it should be here within a few days.

I saw a Panasonic 2 hour one with deltaV at Morrison's for £9.99 yesterday,
but I'm not sure if it was individual. If so, that might be worth a look.
But the AA cells were expensive, and better off got from somewhere else.

--
Ambrose