It's Battery Charger Time Again

[easysurfer]

My AA/AAA Panasonic charger that came with my Eneloop batteries is going on the fritz by identifying too many batteries as bad.

So, I'm looking for a new travel charger. Amazon has one, but that only charges batteries in pairs.

I'd prefer one that can charge odd numbers like 1 or 3 batteries at a time. Oh yeah, and one that isn't too aggressive in thinking batteries are bad like the Panasonic.

 

[REWahoo]

I've been very happy with this one. Not sure if you consider it a "travel" charger...

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Techn...56954&sr=8-1&keywords=lacrosse+bc-700+charger

 

[Walt34]

I have this one by Maha that can charge from one to eight AA or AAA batteries. They do offer them in smaller sizes too.

https://www.amazon.com/Maha-PowerEx...4&sr=8-4&keywords=maha+battery+charger+aa+aaa

 

[easysurfer]

I actually have two that I like.

A LaCrosse like the one REWahoo has and another a larger one of a different brand. But am looking more for one that is a bit more portable.

Alternatively, I could probably just bring some freshly charged batteries during trips. But like the idea of recharging as the need arises.

 

[Jerry1]

I got this one

https://darksucks.com/collections/battery-chargers/products/xtar-vc4-multi-charger

Except I got it at 18650batterystore for a lot less.

https://www.18650batterystore.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Xtar-VC4

 

[FlaGator]

This one has worked for me for several years

https://www.batteryjunction.com/tpec-ttg2800.html

My favorite in the "travel size"
https://smile.amazon.com/Sanyo-enel...=1539561291&sr=8-25&keywords=sanyo+charger+aa

Don't own it, but looks promising based on reviews
https://smile.amazon.com/EBL-Indivi...561349&sr=8-4&keywords=travel+charger+aa&th=1

 

[easysurfer]

I ended up getting this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Tenergy-TN142-2-Channels-Quick-Charger/dp/B004GF2MS8/ref=cm_wl_huc_item?th=1

Only charges 1 or 2 batteries at a time, but very portable. Don't think I'll do any mass recharging while traveling.

I ordered actually from Newegg as total came out to $9.89 (free shipping)

All I need is a charger that is simple, functional and portable.

Hope this will work out .

 

[Major Tom]

I have the same one as REW. Have had it for years and have been very happy with it.

 

[easysurfer]

Battery Back From the Brink

Been going over my batteries and battery chargers lately (I own a lot of chargers, as you can see by the photo ).

Found one D sized NiMh battery that seemed dead which I left idle too long. I don't really use D batteries anymore and have gone purely AA or AAA. To revive the D I tried recharging in a battery charger, but no good. Battery looked dead according to my voltmeter.

Before reading the battery the last rites and moving to the toss pile, I decided to do a quick internet search to see if there's a way to revive a seemingly dead battery.

Found and tried the following:

https://www.instructables.com/id/A-simple-step-to-revive-a-dead-Ni-MH-battery/

Gave that a try (I didn't have a safety pin or steel plate, so just used two pieces of aluminum foil instead) and ... the trick worked! and now I feel like MacGyver . Took several tries, but the trick got the voltage back above 1 volt and now battery is placed in recharger like normal.

 

[Fired Up]

I've been very happy with this one. Not sure if you consider it a "travel" charger...

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Techn...56954&sr=8-1&keywords=lacrosse+bc-700+charger

That is the one I have and have been very pleased with it.

 

[ERD50]

...
Found one D sized NiMh battery that seemed dead which I left idle too long. ...

Before reading the battery the last rites and moving to the toss pile, I decided to do a quick internet search to see if there's a way to revive a seemingly dead battery.

Found and tried the following:

https://www.instructables.com/id/A-simple-step-to-revive-a-dead-Ni-MH-battery/

Gave that a try (I didn't have a safety pin or steel plate, so just used two pieces of aluminum foil instead) and ... the trick worked! and now I feel like MacGyver . Took several tries, but the trick got the voltage back above 1 volt and now battery is placed in recharger like normal.

Oh yes, that's an old trick that's been used for NiCad and NIMH for decades. It blows out some tiny short-circuit growths that can develop. I've normally seen it done by charging a capacitor to ~ 12V, and hitting the dead cell with that. That provides a short burst of energy, so it is unlikely to damage anything.

IME, a battery reclaimed in that way typically has limited life remaining. It does revive it, but I'd bet it's days are numbered.

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh yes, that's an old trick that's been used for NiCad and NIMH for decades. It blows out some tiny short-circuit growths that can develop. I've normally seen it done by charging a capacitor to ~ 12V, and hitting the dead cell with that. That provides a short burst of energy, so it is unlikely to damage anything.

IME, a battery reclaimed in that way typically has limited life remaining. It does revive it, but I'd bet it's days are numbered.

-ERD50

Discharging a capacitor through the battery to blow away dendrites was a trick I learned more than 40 years ago. And yes, batteries in this condition would be internally shorted out again and again, and after a while I got tired of having to do that repeatedly.