Battery management

BrianR · 08-09-2015, 05:55 AM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Out of curiosity, what does the $61 charger have that these less expensive chargers from the same maker lack?

Powerex MH-C204FA AA / AAA NiMH or NiCD Battery Charger

This one charges in pairs, which is unfortunate if the batteries are mismatched (which can happen over time even if you use them as sets). It is still leaps better than most of the chargers bundled with batteries though.

I've used one of these Powerex MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer MH-C9000-0000GS B&H for years and it was totally worth whatever I paid for it.

The standard eneloops are a solid choice, I do have a set of the higher capacity eneloop XX that I preferred for my k100d. They cost more than the regular eneloops (so wait for a sale

), but I found with the picky camera like a k100d they were the perfect balance between standard eneloops and the non-LSD high capacity AA's (for me at least

).

stevebrot · 08-09-2015, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by Brooke Meyer

My intention was to recommend that if you're going to use rechargeable AA's, a good charger will pay you back long after the price is forgotten.

Thanks for breaking down the value vs. price for the various chargers. I totally agree that for situations where AA rechargeables are your primary power source, a competent charger is a good investment. Otherwise, you are stuck with keeping your batteries together as a cadre for both use and charging and that gets old fast.*

It would appear that for general use with the K-50's AA battery holder (4 cells), the $22.95 C204 would provide good utility as a reasonable price point when paired with two sets (8 total) of Eneloops in rotation. For my money, the $39.99 C800S is the better value, particularly if you use other than the built-in flash.

Steve

* At issue is the how the batteries work and how the cheaper chargers work when the batteries mounted have mixed level of charge. The better chargers will provide consistent maximum capacity and are supposed to help prolong battery life as well.

stevebrot · 08-09-2015, 01:45 PM

Originally posted by BrianR

This one charges in pairs, which is unfortunate if the batteries are mismatched (which can happen over time even if you use them as sets). It is still leaps better than most of the chargers bundled with batteries though.

Good point.

Steve

08-09-2015, 05:55 AM	#16
BrianR Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,332	Originally posted by stevebrot Out of curiosity, what does the $61 charger have that these less expensive chargers from the same maker lack? Powerex MH-C204FA AA / AAA NiMH or NiCD Battery Charger This one charges in pairs, which is unfortunate if the batteries are mismatched (which can happen over time even if you use them as sets). It is still leaps better than most of the chargers bundled with batteries though. I've used one of these Powerex MH-C9000 WizardOne Charger-Analyzer MH-C9000-0000GS B&H for years and it was totally worth whatever I paid for it. The standard eneloops are a solid choice, I do have a set of the higher capacity eneloop XX that I preferred for my k100d. They cost more than the regular eneloops (so wait for a sale), but I found with the picky camera like a k100d they were the perfect balance between standard eneloops and the non-LSD high capacity AA's (for me at least).

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08-09-2015, 01:40 PM	#17
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by Brooke Meyer My intention was to recommend that if you're going to use rechargeable AA's, a good charger will pay you back long after the price is forgotten. Thanks for breaking down the value vs. price for the various chargers. I totally agree that for situations where AA rechargeables are your primary power source, a competent charger is a good investment. Otherwise, you are stuck with keeping your batteries together as a cadre for both use and charging and that gets old fast.* It would appear that for general use with the K-50's AA battery holder (4 cells), the $22.95 C204 would provide good utility as a reasonable price point when paired with two sets (8 total) of Eneloops in rotation. For my money, the $39.99 C800S is the better value, particularly if you use other than the built-in flash. Steve * At issue is the how the batteries work and how the cheaper chargers work when the batteries mounted have mixed level of charge. The better chargers will provide consistent maximum capacity and are supposed to help prolong battery life as well.

08-09-2015, 01:45 PM	#18
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by BrianR This one charges in pairs, which is unfortunate if the batteries are mismatched (which can happen over time even if you use them as sets). It is still leaps better than most of the chargers bundled with batteries though. Good point. Steve