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(Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers

dks · 104 · 26743

cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #90 on: June 30, 2014, 10:06:39 PM
I got the BT-C3100 V2 today.

It has some nice features and charges a variety of battery types. It offers limited control and capacity measurements.
I have used it to charge batteries and check their capacity.

I will write a bit specifically on LiIon chargers later.

Here are some pictures.
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cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #91 on: July 01, 2014, 10:05:28 PM
I did not want to mix LiIon chargers with the mainly normal chargers in this thread so for LiIon chargers look here:

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,53103.0.html

Seeing that there is an interest in LiIon chargers and batteries I decided to write a bit on some easily available, working, charger models that I have. It is a natural progression for many people from really low end to higher end models, still within the lower cost region
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us Offline Aloha

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #92 on: July 25, 2014, 08:37:01 PM
Picked up some Rayovac Nimh cells 16 for $6.  Anyone know if the eneloop charger will charge these? 
Esse Quam Videri


us Offline Aloha

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #93 on: July 26, 2014, 12:55:32 AM
Eneloop charger is working great on these cells.  I will use them in my mouse and keyborad but now I have to buy a couple AA flashlights  :whistle:
Esse Quam Videri


cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #94 on: December 07, 2014, 06:32:37 PM
LADDA, not a car loved by few but the batteries sold by IKEA



These are made in China, by an unknown company, and are 2000mAh, lowish self discharge (eneloop style).

Being an IKEA product they are cheaply available in most countries.

They have a reputation of not holding charge as well as eneloops, or even other lesser LSD batteries.
This was true for mine too, and I found it necessary to give them a top-up every few months.

I used them mainly in a flashgun, a use that really stresses batteries as they need to provide a large current frequently (quick cycling after full power flashes).

The batteries performed very well, cycling very quickly and continuing to work even when nearly depleted; definitely better than the LIDL LSD batteries I was using before.

Provided you remember to top them up they seem suited to high drain applications and are cheap.

Bear in mind that there is always the chance of IKEA changing the manufacturer of these, something that tend to happen with all companies that do not actually make their own products (most do not...) so my comments are valid for the batteries I have.
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cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #95 on: March 10, 2015, 11:21:03 AM
These are chargers/batteries/lights so I am putting this in two places.

Seeing that the sun always shines here and that I use a lot of USB chargers I thought it would be a good idea to buy a solar PowerBank, charge it in the sun and then use it to charge various devices for free. I also thought that these could be connected directly to a device and charge it like solar charger, without even the need to store the charge.
I decided to get these two 30000mAh panels, as the price to capacity ratio seemed good. They are available in many places and I got mine from SPAMCORP, but SPAMCORP is actually 30% cheaper (I saw it later).

I did not expect them to have 30000mAh but hoped for a decent capacity.

These have 3 issues:

The capacity is not bad and seems to be around 10000mAh on one and maybe 8000mah on the other, but it is not 30000mAh. It takes about 8-12 hours at about 1A to charge them fully and they can charge a 2000mAh phone battery a few times, verifying my estimates.

One of the indicator lights stopped working in one, but he rest still work.

The MAIN issue, however is that they are really useless as solar chargers, for themselves or for other devices. The solar panel is very small/weak (claimed 0.5W)and though it charges the battery it will take a few weeks to charge it fully (in bright sun). So, my idea of charging them during the day and using them at night was not practicable.
The device is capable of charging some devices with solar power, provided that they do not require a high current (less than 0.5 A).
I wrote a bad review about them but SPAMCORP does not publish bad reviews.

Good points:

Used as just a powerbank they perform well. Once you charge them they will provide 1A or 2A and can charge two devices at the same time.
They feel solid (the screws on them are ornamental)
They both have a two brightness levels LED, which is bright and should last for months when they are fully charged.
I got a refund for the one and used it to get a proper,5W 1A solar panel that can charge them and other devices directly.

Summarising, buy them as 10000mAh powerbanks that can charge at 1A and/or 2A and which in an emergency will be able to operate/charge some devices by using the sun and provide you with a long lasting light at night, from the charge they get from the sun
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cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #96 on: December 23, 2017, 03:46:16 PM
Palo etc. smart battery charger

My main D/C/9V charger died so I ordered one of these.

There is a version without the LCD screen but the specifications are not very good

works well, around 12Euro, individual independent charging slots, fast as it pushes 1A per regular slot and 30mA for the 9V slots

The current is high for AAA and some AA batteries

Has charge/discharge and works well.

There is, supposedly, a newer model, so I ordered another, newer one (hint -I like it)

Good for D/C batteries. Does not work with Li-Ion batteries
Not ideal for AAA and AA batteries as it will get them very hot with the 1A (fixed) current.
Recommended if you use C/D rechargeable batteries
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Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

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ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #97 on: December 23, 2017, 03:58:55 PM
The batteries we use here are a mix of AA and AAA eneloops, amazon basics batteries rebadged from the same place as eneloops come from (unfortunately I think amazon might have changed source since.  >:( ) and cheap rainbow coloured pre-charged LSD batteries from lidl, they seem to be great for things like toys.

Our charger is a Panasonic BQ-CC17, a slow charger but it treats the batteries gently and doesn't overcharge them.

We don't use C and D cell batteries (though I have some AA to C adapters in the post), and the only important thing using 9V is the multimeter, which gets it's alkaline 9V changed every few years.

I have some 2017 europe limited edition eneloop expedition colours coming, most of these will be for me because they're pretty.  :multi:

Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #98 on: January 12, 2018, 11:47:01 AM


Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #99 on: January 12, 2018, 12:24:16 PM
They look too nice to use -you need to collect all the colours  :)
Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

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ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #100 on: January 12, 2018, 12:28:35 PM
That would require SAK collecting levels of dedication.  :ahhh
http://eneloop101.com/batteries/eneloop-limited-edition/
Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

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cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #101 on: January 12, 2018, 12:50:57 PM
The Disney ones are nice!
Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

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ie Offline Don Pablo

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #102 on: January 12, 2018, 12:51:39 PM
And hard to find.
 :drink:
Hooked, like everyone else. ;)

All hail the hook!


cy Offline dks

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Re: (Your) Batteries and Battery Chargers
Reply #103 on: August 07, 2021, 10:08:39 AM
I generally like the chargers I buy, some are better than others, some have more functions, are more intelligent and so on but they all usually charge batteries satisfactory.

However, the last one I got, very cheaply, was totally useless.

PUJIMAX 8 Slots Fast Battery Charger  USB powered. "Smart" with different currents for different battery sizes.

This is also sold under some other names and comes with USB or AC power.

Based on what I could decipher from the instructions it is suppose to charge the batteries using individual channels and the stop charging, letting you know through the LEDs that the battery is charged....

It does not. It just keeps charging the batteries continuously, at a low average current.

I tried putting in full batteries, flat batteries, totally flat batteries and the light goes on, the charging starts and never stops, even after two days.


It will overcharge the batteries, way over 1.6V if allowed.

The batteries also get very hot, both AAs and AAAs, on USB power, that lets me to believe that it sends the current to one channel at a time, going round all of them quickly.

It is very cheap, but unless you are desperate and willing to take the batteries out every 10 minutes to check with a voltmeter if they are charged AVOID buying this.




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Kelly: "Daddy, what makes men cheat on women?
Al : "Women!"

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