battery re-charger advice

[scouserinlondon]

last year I bought Loads of 2700 aa and 1000 aaa batteries to power my various lights. Over the summer I was lazy and just left them in whatever state they were in. This means that for most batteries they were powered down. Well now most of them seen utterly screwed only lasting half the commute home tonight.

I remember reading on here that there are better battery chargers (than my cheap one) which can fix the cells and recharge each battery individually.

I'm happy to replace the batteries, but could somebody point me towards a decent charger?

Thanks

 

[andrew_s]

The mh-c9000 is the other do it all charger. A bit nicer than the BL-700, but costs £50 instead of £28.

Both charge cells individually, and will report the actual capacity. Either will do you well.
Use the charger to charge and discharge new cells a few times before you use them, and try to make up sets that report a similar capacity afterwards.

One of the ways old cells can fail is to self discharge much more quickly than a new cell would. You can find them virtually flat 2 days after charging, even if they haven't been put in anything. With older cells, it's worth checking capacity a few days after charging rather than straight away.

 

[jimboalee]

This is the baby I got.

http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.205-2008.aspx

Gives a 2A kick-off current until the cells are up to temperature. Then switches down to trickle.

 

[eddiemee]

[QUOTE 1228352"]
http://www.batterylo...oline-BL700.asp

This is the one I have, bought on a recommendation from here. It's good.
[/quote]

I have this one too, again following someone else recommending it on here. Does the job nicely, won't fry your batteries and has a discharge/charge mode that might help to revive your old batteries.

 

[the_mikey]

NiMh cells are a nightmare for self discharging, I was using 2700mAh rechargeables but got frustrated with their inability to retain their charge, switched to 2100mAh hybrid NiMh cells instead, and get much more use out of a pair of AA cells.

 

[sheddy]

I thought Nmh batteries were bombproof and could suffer abuse ?

 

[fossyant]

I'll also recommend the 7dayshop charger with a display. It charges and discharges individual cells. The only thing it doesn't do is report capacity.

 

[scouserinlondon]

I thought Nmh batteries were bombproof and could suffer abuse ?

Me too, but it seems not. I'd left them in various states of charge/no charge over the summer, and my hope 1 lasted ten mins last night and the rear light failed this morning. I'm hoping I can refresh some batteries with a decent charger, weed out some beyond all repair and then not bugger them up in future.

 

[scouserinlondon]

[QUOTE 1228352"]
http://www.batterylo...oline-BL700.asp

This is the one I have, bought on a recommendation from here. It's good.
[/quote]

Great thanks, this is the one I've ordered. HOpefully it'll sort out the problem.

 

[Cheule]

[QUOTE 1228352"]
http://www.batterylo...oline-BL700.asp

This is the one I have, bought on a recommendation from here. It's good.
[/quote]

Cheers for mentioning this charger, I'd not seen it before and I'm in the market for a new one too

I know I'll be getting one come payday Ooo and Hybrio batteries too...

 

[scouserinlondon]

Cheers for mentioning this charger, I'd not seen it before and I'm in the market for a new one too

I know I'll be getting one come payday Ooo and Hybrio batteries too...

lidl have AA hybrids at 2100ma from Thursday which maybe worth a punt. Anybody know how long they'd last in a Hope 1?

 

[cyberknight]

I use a Lidl battery charger ,worked fine for a year or so i have had it.

I use 1000 Mah AAA and 2000Mah AA batteries and i have plenty knocking about so much as i wouls like some more i think i have enough for now.

 

[HJ]

[QUOTE 1228352"]
http://www.batterylogic.co.uk/technoline/technoline-BL700.asp

This is the one I have, bought on a recommendation from here. It's good.
[/quote]

+1

 

[Davidc]

I have had to use large numbers of these things in the past, and experience and reading manufacturers blurb says the important issues with all NiMH (conventional and hybrid) are:

1) Not to reverse charge them, so with 2 or more in a device recharge before they run flat - the Hope 1 sorts that out for you.

2) To charge every cell correctly, so buy a charger which deals with each cell individually as do several of those mentioned above.

3) To avoid overcharging. Most chargers meeting 2 will deal with that.

4) To avoid excessively fast charging. Some chargers use high currents to achieve under 1 hour charge times. Better a charger which takes 2 or more hours.

5) To recharge them occasionally when not in use

6) To ALWAYS charge them before first use, including the so called use from the packet ones (which do in fact tell you to do that on the packets!).

Do those and the things last for years

The charger I normally use is called an MW 6278 and comes from component-shop.co.uk at £18.99 including post. Although a little flmsy I'm pleased enough with it to have just ordered another one so as to have one indoors and one outtdoors, but any of those above which have one channel per cell and intelligent charging should do you well.

I made the mistake of using the charger included with one set of hybrios I bought. The lesson (I should have known better than to use it) was don't use cheap and simple chargers! 2 dead 2700 Uniross standard NiMH 24 hours later.

 

[guitarpete247]

Lidl also have these batteries on offer from Thursday. I'm going to get some and see if they have a charger to go with them.