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Decent Ni-Mh AA battery charger for the road? Decent Ni-Mh AA battery charger for the road?
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  #1  
Old 28 Sep 2008
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Decent Ni-Mh AA battery charger for the road?
Can anyone recommend a good battery charger that will run from 12v?
I've got a travel charger that runs from most mains supplies round the world, but it's rubbish. So I'd like to get a decent one this time, even if it means a few more pennies.

Ideally I'd like a small charger that could run from 240v or 12v.
Any help appreciated.
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  #2  
Old 28 Sep 2008
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I used a 240V-only-Charger: an Ansmann powerline 4 - comes with all the different plugs you'll need and charges slowly - those quick chargers (e.g. the touratech one) destroy the akkus.

Had it with me on a >2 year trip and it still works.

Lars
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  #3  
Old 28 Sep 2008
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Maha
My Maha MH-C401FS cost about £30-£40 I think and is great. Has fast and slow charge and two leads, one for 240v and one for 12v. I can't find the link just now, and remember it took me ten mins or so to find in the UK, but search and you should find it. I would highly recommend it.
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Last edited by CornishDaddy; 28 Sep 2008 at 18:22. Reason: Model number inserted
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  #4  
Old 28 Sep 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Baron Bolton View Post
Can anyone recommend a good battery charger that will run from 12v?
I've got a travel charger that runs from most mains supplies round the world, but it's rubbish. So I'd like to get a decent one this time, even if it means a few more pennies.

Ideally I'd like a small charger that could run from 240v or 12v.
Any help appreciated.

Could this be what you're after?

3-in-1 Battery Charger > Maplin


I don't have one so can't recommend it or anything.
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  #5  
Old 29 Sep 2008
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Whatever you get make sure (as Lars says) that it doesn't charge too fast and that you can charge batteries individually, not in pairs. That way the circuits monitor each battery and switch to trickle charge when it's full.

I got mine from Conrad Elektronik.
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  #6  
Old 29 Sep 2008
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Here is where I got mine
Had a chance to search for where I got mine

Maha MH-C401S Dual Charger

Comes with a free battery bag too, which is very handy when you have as many as me. It takes upto four batteries, aa or aaa in any combination and has the slow charge feature mentioned too. I think if you are going to be spending money you won't make a mistake here.

Cheers

Ollie
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  #7  
Old 1 Oct 2008
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That's the puppy
Cheers CornishDeity and everyone, that's exactly what I was looking for, it's got all the features you'd want;

- 12v input or 110-240v
- Individual circuit for each battery
- Trickle charge as well as fast
- A little bag!

I'll order one now.
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  #8  
Old 9 Nov 2008
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Thank you CornishDiety! I followed the link, then did a search for distributors in my area and found one. Sounds great. My camera goes through batteries like stuff through a christmas goose.
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  #9  
Old 11 Nov 2008
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Absolutely SPOT ON
Thanks for the help guys.
CornishDeity, I've been using the charger for a couple of weeks now, and it's just what I was looking for, does everything just right.

Marvellous, this t'interweb thing eh
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  #10  
Old 11 Nov 2008
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No problems
Great to be able to feed back some of the knowledge I sucked up earlier!

Make sure you get some decent batteries too, they make all the difference.

Happy charging
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  #11  
Old 25 Jan 2009
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Guys,
This:
Amazon.com: Sanyo Eneloop 4 Pack AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargable Batteries w/ Charger: Electronics

do the reading on superior batteries under product description!!

and this:

NCIX.com - Buy Sanyo Eneloop Rechargeable Battery Charger and AA 2 Pack - ESCAA2 In Canada.

Is a nice little 2 battery charger for AAA and AA
120/240V.

Does a fast job.

I have had very good results with charger and batteries.
bill
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  #12  
Old 25 Jan 2009
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Ansmann Digicharger Vario
One interesting concept is Ansmann Digicharger Vario. It can charge both AAs and usual LiIon camera batteries and is small and lightweight (also 12v support). I had original Vario model (not new Pro) and it worked, but unfortunately it died on the road.
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  #13  
Old 4 May 2010
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An update after 13 months riding...
I really don't mean to sound unappreciative, but in the end I found the Maha charger to be absolute litter.

I used it once before I left, then when trying to use it the second time it stopped working all together. I sent it back under warranty and got a replacement a couple of days before I left. Then a month or so into the trip it failed again. I contacted the shop and they said useful things like "Have you plugged it into the power socket?" I ditched that one too.

Replaced eventually with this La Crosse BC-700 which doesn't do 12v input, but I find that 99% of the time it's easy to find a wall outlet.
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