Best battery chargers in the world: MAHA battery charger now available!

[EastGear]

Order Maha MHC204F and MHC401FS Battery Charger Kits now! Hurry limited stocks available!

MHC204F ($59.95)
- 3-hour Intelligent Charger for 2 or 4 AA/AAA NiMH/NiCD batteries
- Conditioner to fully discharge batteries to reduce memory effect
- Trickle charge mode to continuously "top up" batteries
- PC Photo Magazine 2001 "Best Charger & Battery"
- Includes 4 PowerEX AA 1800mAh 1.2V NiMH Batteries with case
- 230V AC Adaptor (Singapore)
- 12V DC Car Adaptor
Product Specs:
http://www.mahaenergy.com/products/PowerEx/Digicams/mhc204f.htm
Reviews:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/C204/C204A.HTM
http://www.steves-digicams.com/maha_c204f.html

MHC401FS (New Price: $89.95 )
- 100-min Cool Charger for 1 to 4 AA/AAA NiMH/NiCD batteries
- Cold room temperature charging to prevent cells from heat damage
- 4 independent charging circuits to monitor & charge each battery individually
- Unique FLEX negative pulse charging eliminates memory effect
- Trickle charge mode to continuously "top up" batteries
- Named 2002 Top 25 products by PCPhoto magazine
- Called "THE BEST CHARGER IN THE MARKET" by Steves-Digicams.com
- Called "A NEARLY PERFECT CHARGER" by Imaging-Resource.com
- Includes 4 PowerEX AA 2000mAh 1.2V NiMH Batteries with case
- Universal Adaptor
- 12V DC Car Adaptor
Product Specs:
http://www.mahaenergy.com/products/PowerEx/Digicams/mhc401fs.htm
Reviews:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/C401FS/C401A.HTM
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/maha_c401fs.html

To order, sms to 96226876 with name and order.
Or email maha@eastgear.com

 

[EastGear]

In its annual "top 25 picks," PC Photo Magazine gives the Editor Choice Award for battery & charger to PowerEx's latest MH-C401FS 100 Minute Cool Charger.

http://www.pcphotomag.com/content/2002/dec/top25.html

 

[EastGear]

Imaging-Resource.com, a leading review site for digital cameras and accessories, has just reviewed PowerEx's latest MH-C401FS charger, calling it "a nearly perfect battery charger for digicam enthusiasts."

http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/C401FS/C401A.HTM

 

[EastGear]

Steves-digicams.com, one of leading review site for digital cameras and accessories, has just reviewed PowerEx's MH-C401FS charger, calling it "..the four independent circuits and lifetime warranty.... this is the BEST charger on the market"

Read the full review:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/maha_c401fs.html

 

[fruitybix]

How come there is a price increase for the second charger? I think it used to be about 70+.

 

[EastGear]

Originally posted by fruitybix
How come there is a price increase for the second charger? I think it used to be about 70+.

The promotional introductory price recently ended. We have now reverted to the normal price.

Regards.

 

[kh_drew]

Do the PowerEx batts come in pairs? I'm two short for a 6-batt configured camera.

andrew

 

[EastGear]

Originally posted by kh_drew
Do the PowerEx batts come in pairs? I'm two short for a 6-batt configured camera.

andrew

Hi Andrew,

pls check your PM. Thanks.

 

[Fundee]

the 401fs rocks.........

 

[EastGear]

:gbounce:

 

[vince123123]

can this charger/s charge the new 2100 mAh batteries by GP n Sanyo? or max of 1800 only

 

[chucks]

Originally posted by vince123123
can this charger/s charge the new 2100 mAh batteries by GP n Sanyo? or max of 1800 only

Of course it can.

 

[TSC]

Actually the BEST battery charger in the WORLD is the Ansmann 16. This is an intelligent charger that independently can charge up to 12-16 batteries. It has a universal adapter. The circuit detects the battery and charges it accordingly. If it is a NiCD and detects that there is some damage due to memory effect, it will discharge it before charging. And when it charges fully, it will change to trickle charge. Lastly, it is also a fast charger - takes about 3 hours. And also, it is a low temperature charger. Charges both AA and AAA. German product.

So wat more can u ask for. The Ansmann is THE best charger in the world now.

http://beststuff.com/article.php3?story_id=2945

Check it out. Mebbe ui want to bring it in. Also, they have a set of cool battery cases.

 

[alyee]

Originally posted by TSC
Actually the BEST battery charger in the WORLD is the Ansmann 16. This is an intelligent charger that independently can charge up to 12-16 batteries. It has a universal adapter. The circuit detects the battery and charges it accordingly. If it is a NiCD and detects that there is some damage due to memory effect, it will discharge it before charging. And when it charges fully, it will change to trickle charge. Lastly, it is also a fast charger - takes about 3 hours. And also, it is a low temperature charger. Charges both AA and AAA. German product.

So wat more can u ask for. The Ansmann is THE best charger in the world now.

Perhaps its the "best consumer charger" in the world?

Some consumer chargers are better than others, with charging and discharging function. Heat from overcharging is the main enemy to NiMH's battery life. Therefore, peak detection (negative delta voltage) is used to cut off charging when full capacity is reached.

Moderate and high current charging will not heat up batteries. The only reason why battery heat up is because overcharged batteries cannot consume the charge current, thus dissipating the energy as heat. If the peak detection circuit is not good enough, you battery will be too hot to grasp during end of charge.

If you would like to check out what's a good charger, you visit a radio-controlled hobby store. Radio controlled vehicle recycle and abuse batteries at much higher rate than consumer electronics. Therefore, matching quality chargers are used to support the battery usage of such hobbies.

Examples:

Millenium Pro
Eagle CDC
Reviews for both chargers above
Schulze Chameleon
KO Propo

 

[TSC]

Well, just wanted to tell EastGear that the Maha is probably not the BEST charger in the world. I think the Ansmann beats it. It is a cool charger too.

 

[EastGear]

Originally posted by TSC
Well, just wanted to tell EastGear that the Maha is probably not the BEST charger in the world. I think the Ansmann beats it. It is a cool charger too.

TSC,

the opinion that Maha is the BEST battery charger in the world is not shared by me alone. At least 3 other independent and well-known media sources (PC Photo Magazine , Steves-Digicams.com & Imaging-Resources.com) give the highest acclaimation to the Maha chargers.

The Maha 401 charger better the Ansmann 16 in these aspects:

1) Maha 401 is faster (with higher charging currents of 1000mA for AA, 500mA for AAA) compared to Ansmann 16 (700mA for AA, 300mA for AAA), meaning it would take the Maha 401 just 126 min to charge four Sanyo 2100mAh batteries while the Ansmann 16 would take 180 min.

2) Maha 401 is smaller and lighter. At the dimension of 256x258x77mm, the Ansmann 16 is even bigger than eight Maha 401 put together. And at 1.2 kg, the Ansmann 16 is probably the last equipment you want to carry with you on a trip.

3) Maha 401 does not require additional time to discharge batteries as it removes any battery memory effect "on the go" while charging using MAHA's unique FLEX negative pulse charging algorithm. The Ansmann 16 will automatically (you cannot manually set this function!) discharge batteries if they find the battery is damaged, making the charging time twice as long.

4) Maha 401 has the option of selecting 2 different charging speeds and comes with a car adaptor, while Ansmann 16 has neither.

5) Maha 401 has cool (close to room temperature) charging function, while there is no mention of cool charging for Ansmann 16

6) Maha 401 is cheaper than Ansmann 16 which cost 118 Euros.

7) Aside from speed and features, the Maha 401 is actually more well known for its completeness of charge (meaning the ability to bring the battery to its maximum capacity)

I quote Dave Etchells from Imaging-Resource.com

"I can report that the C401FS seems to bring batteries to a pretty complete state of charge in both its slow and fast-charge modes. Charge completeness numbers of 94% in fast charge mode and 97% in slow charge mode are pretty good. (I haven't really found any chargers that do a better job than this.) I believe that the 401FS will take cells to very nearly 100% capacity if they're left in it overnight, to let the trickle charge "top off" the cells..."

Most chargers will only state that they can reach 90% charge capacity, Ansmann 16 did not provide any figures.

All details of the Ansmann 16 can be found here

 

[EastGear]

With all these figures & fact in light, I have to conclude the MAHA charger is still the BETTER (if not the best) battery charger in the world.

I believe TSC also owns a Maha charger himself

 

[EastGear]

Originally posted by alyee


Perhaps its the "best consumer charger" in the world?

If you would like to check out what's a good charger, you visit a radio-controlled hobby store. Radio controlled vehicle recycle and abuse batteries at much higher rate than consumer electronics. Therefore, matching quality chargers are used to support the battery usage of such hobbies.

Examples:

Millenium Pro
Eagle CDC
Reviews for both chargers above
Schulze Chameleon
KO Propo

Unfortunately all the chargers mentioned above are meant for RC battery packs (packaged AA/AAA cells). The charging algorithm is catered to the entire pack with no means to monitor and deliver completeness of charge to individual AA/AAA cells within the pack.

The technologies used in these chargers like negative delta voltage detection are also used in the Maha 401.

In fact the irony is, RC users tend to be slower in implementing better battery technology (Li-Ion, Li-Polymer, 2100mAh NiMH batteries) into their equipment than their photo taking counterparts.

 

[EastGear]

Originally posted by vince123123
can this charger/s charge the new 2100 mAh batteries by GP n Sanyo? or max of 1800 only

Maha chargers are smart intelligent chargers which can charge any NiCD/NiMH battery capacity

It monitors the voltage levels within the battery during charging.

If the voltage is continuously rising, it means that the battery has yet to reach its maximum capacity and the charging cycle continues.

If the voltage reaches a peak level (~1.2-1.4V), it means the battery has reached its maximum capacity. The Maha charger will detect this peak (negative delta voltage) and switch to trickle charge mode to maintain the battery at its maximum charge capacity.

 

[TSC]

I am very happy with my Maha. Except that some professional has told me that the Ansmann is the best. I have checked out their site and it seems really good. BTW, Ansmann are cool chargers automatically. Anyway, perhaps a head to head test will be good.