Be careful with cheap battery chargers

There are so many chargers and may be most of them won’t auto stop charging when battery is full. Maybe it interrupts too soon or too late or to continue charge until you remove it out. That too bad, because the lack charging will cause lack of capacity for using and over charging will reduce life span (number of charging).

I divided the charger into three types:

Bad chargers: these types won’t interrupt when battery is full. When you read its instruction manual, you will find out suggestions for every battery type about the period that you have to remove it out of charger. I’m sure that is not convenient because I know you are so careful but sometime you will cause over or lack charging.

Set up time for charger (Off Delay Chargers): these types have built in clock circuit and it will auto turn off after a period set up. It will reduce lack or over charging but not completely. Moreover, you have to un-plug and then plug-in for reset the clock if you need to start charge battery.

Smart-chargers: These chargers will overcome all weakness above. It control and charge many kinds of different batteries at the same time. In addition, it provides enough energy exactly for batteries. The good news is price of smart-chargers and normal chargers are not different so much. I highly recommend you use Smart-chargers for your rechargeable batteries.

Note: All chargers aren’t specified clearly is smart-chargers that meant it is bad chargers. The opposite, all smart chargers is specified is smart-chargers.

Rapid or Slow Charging?

First of all, let me assert that you almost have no choice because most of them won’t permit you to choose speed of charging. However, supposing that you have high quality specialized charger. In this case, using in default is best. But if you want to set speed of charging, let choose slow charging. The slow charging helps to get long lifetime of battery. For instance La Crosse BC 1000 Battery Charger recommend optimized charging current is 200mA and this is default of BC 1000 that meant capacity of battery is 2000mA will need 10hrs charging.

Remember that if you charge battery is too slow, the charger will be hard to monitor and control. The period time for charging about 4 to 5 hrs is best, if it is faster will reduce lifetime and too slow maybe cause mistake, not good for battery.

The Power Consumption Charge

It is very little, battery store not too much energy. The AA alkaline battery store about 3Wh equal a 100W bulb turn on in two minute. If you charge 4 AA alkaline battery, It will consume around 5W.

Will battery consume when keep it on charger (turned off power supply of charger)?

Great question and the answer is YES! However, it is very little and not worth mentioning. You can calculate power consumption by using V.O.M (Multimeter) measure volt of battery when it on charger and then comparing it with battery which you remove out charger for a week.

Odd Chargers and Even Chargers

Odd Chargers: It has one or many signals indicate light. The odd chargers support one by one lot in isolation. You can charge many type and different status (low, high energy level) of each battery in each slot.

Even Chargers:  It usually supports 2 to 4 battery. If you put one battery into charger, it is not works. If you put three, it works for two. It work well in pair when you put two or/and four battery into it.

Note: You have to charge battery with the same capacity for every pair

AA battery chargers support AAA battery: In fact, AAA batteries rarely charged than AA batteries. That why most of charger only use for AA batteries and some other supports for both.

Conclusion

1. Do not charge battery at places with high or low temperature.
2. Always remove battery out of charger when done
3. Do not use chargers without auto top when battery is full
4. The NiMH battery is best for fast charging but not too fast (reading instructions for every battery). Slow charging will cause problems.
5. Some NiMH charger can use for NiCD but do not put the cart before the horse!
6. The Nikel and Lithium battery is very different so that do not use the same charger!

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