Reddit reviews Powerex MH-C800S 8-Cell Smart Charger for AA / AAA NiMH / NiCD,Grey
We found 5 Reddit comments about Powerex MH-C800S 8-Cell Smart Charger for AA / AAA NiMH / NiCD,Grey. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
8 independent smart charging circuits capable of charging 1-8 AA/AAA batteries in any combinationA large LCD screen shows the charging status of each batteryYou have a choice of rapid and soft charge modes. Rapid charge enables 8 batteries to be fully charged to their maximum capacities in 1-2 hr. Soft charge takes about 3-4 hr but provides greater battery life, as well as compatibility with older, lower-capacity batteriesAn integrated deep conditioning system charges, deep-discharges and then recharges batteries automatically, in order to offer maximum rejuvenationBatteries Not Included
Have a look at Panasonic Eneloop batteries, they are designed to be used and abused and have almost zero self discharge.
Photographers love them for use in their flashes and other camera gear.
Grab a multi-pack plus a charger to go with it and you will be set for years (mine typically last about 5-6 years).
https://www.amazon.com/BK-4MCA24-CA-eneloop-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable/dp/B07CWWR6Z1?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_3446481011
https://www.amazon.com/Powerex-MH-C800S-8-Cell-Smart-Charger/dp/B000LQMKDS?ref_=bl_dp_s_web_2530190011
Honestly I'm not sure that eneloops have changed that much. They went from claiming 1800 recharge cycles to 2100 or something, but really who's going to be able to tell that difference...
Now they offer these Eneloop XX or Eneloop Pro models, which best I can tell are the same thing with different marketing attached. Those have about 20% higher capacity (more life between charges), but only recharge 500 times (so an 80% reduction in lifetime). And they cost about 25% more. Its important to note that they're all the same voltage so your flashlight won't be brighter, it'll just last 20% longer between charges.
Personally I don't find the capacity of standard Eneloops to be too low for my usage. Just keep a fresh set charged and ready to swap in. And the 80% reduction in total product lifetime isn't worth the 20% increase in per-charge capacity, in my opinion. I'm still buying the normal Eneloops, which usually means the 2100-cycle batteries just cause they're newer and easier to find.
As for a charger, the Nitecore i4 McFarlie recommended is always a great choice. Its a really good charger for $20 - can't beat that. Personally I went for the Nitecore D4 because its got even more charging options and its only ten bucks more or so, but honestly I only use that for my li-ion batteries. I use eneloop AAs and AAAs in lots of things around my house - literally dozens and dozens of them - so I keep a Maha 8-position charger stocked with 4-AAs and 4-AAAs at all times. Its not nearly as flexible as my Nitecore D4 but I like the convenience of not having to worry about all those eneloops I've got floating around the house. Plus I can leave this one in a common area, the laundry room in my case, and my kids can do their own battery swapping without bothering me. Worth it to me, but not necessary. You can do everything you need to do with that i4 you've already been recommended.
If I have 4 Eneloop Pros and 4 Eneloops (regular) can I charge them at the same time on my 8 capacity charger even though they have different mAh ratings? If it matters I have the MAHA MH-C800S charger
What are you charging them on? We talking 8hrs on one of these or one of these?
it would need at least detailed sharp, pics of both sides of the board and clear picture or schematics of the wiring.
OTOH, you do get what you pay for. Is $60 too much for being sure that your house doesn't burn down because of a cheaply made junker? Fixing the problems in the cheap one would likely cost more than that.
Finally, a much better solution than these chargers is to buy a normal fast charger for 4-8 AA cells. Some of those chargers will charge a pack in 60 minutes, there were even some that did it in 15 (but those needed special type of NiMh cells).
E.g. something like this:
https://www.vapextech.co.uk/fast-smart-charger-for-1-8-aa-or-aaa-nimh-batteries-lcd-display-vapextech/
That has both fast charging, detection of a faulty battery and trickle charge maintenance, so that the batteries are always topped up and ready to go. That is vastly more capable than the charger you have found and costs about the same.
Or this one - a bit more expensive but the charging time doesn't increase with the number of batteries inserted:
https://www.amazon.com/Powerex-MH-C800S-8-Cell-Smart-Charger/dp/B000LQMKDS
Yes, I get it that replacing batteries is a pain in the backside compared to just plunking the remote on a charger but you get much better life out of the batteries by separately charging each cell.