Battery chargers

[Ron MacRae]

Hi all,
I've got an LED torch that takes 8 C cells. I normally go through 3 sets of Duracell cells in a year and am thinking about going recharegeable. However there seems to be a lot of different stuff out there.:confused:

I can get a Duracell recharger for £10 or an Ansmann charger for £72.
According to the blurb the Ansmann is very intellegent and my batteries will last longer?;)

That's before I even look at what type of C Cells to go for and I know the technology changes over time.

Anyone been down this route recently and got any recommendations?

If I'm going to spend £72 on a charger and £50 on a set of batteries is it worth my while or should I just stick to buying £30 worth of Duracells at a time?

I'll probably end up dropping the torch in the sea somewhere anyway.:(

Ron.

[PeteM]

Hi all,
I've got an LED torch that takes 8 C cells. I normally go through 3 sets of Duracell cells in a year and am thinking about going recharegeable. However there seems to be a lot of different stuff out there.:confused:

I can get a Duracell recharger for £10 or an Ansmann charger for £72.
According to the blurb the Ansmann is very intellegent and my batteries will last longer?;)

That's before I even look at what type of C Cells to go for and I know the technology changes over time.

Anyone been down this route recently and got any recommendations?

If I'm going to spend £72 on a charger and £50 on a set of batteries is it worth my while or should I just stick to buying £30 worth of Duracells at a time?

I'll probably end up dropping the torch in the sea somewhere anyway.:(

Ron.

Well to add another route to the mix...

Be a bit more sensible about buying batteries, £30 a time! where are you buying them from? try here (http://www.battery-force.co.uk/detail_DUCYYY010A-Duracell-Procell-C-LR14-Box-of-10.html), under £10 for 10. If you are talking about spending £120 on a charger and rechargeables then you can buy a hell of a lot of standard batteries for that money.

[ChristianG]

I can get a Duracell recharger for £10 or an Ansmann charger for £72. According to the blurb the Ansmann is very intellegent and my batteries will last longer?
Almost certainly so, as far as that last is concerned.

It's not "just" the charger but the quality of it. If you have a bad (relatively so) charger you will also get bad charges and your batteries will not last (per charge) as long as otherwise. Furthermore they are likely to not last as long (per batttery life) as if you had been charging them with a "good" charger, like an Ansmann in fact.

I have used Ansmann batteries and chargers (Sanyo Eneloops excepted but they don't make proper C cells) since forever but probably since about '95 when my favourite camera forum first made me aware of the company. Yes, they're pricey but they are also close to the best if not the best.

Having said that, I also agree with Pete, you need consider your usage of these things and, when you "only" have a torch to consider, buying decent alkaline batteries periodically makes sense. I have more than the odd torch to consider so, for me, NiMHs. or better, charged by Ansmann, makes sense.

[Ron MacRae]

Pete/Christain,
Thanks for the advice.

Ron.

[matthewoutram]

Hi all,
I've got an LED torch that takes 8 C cells. I normally go through 3 sets of Duracell cells in a year and am thinking about going recharegeable. However there seems to be a lot of different stuff out there.:confused:

I can get a Duracell recharger for £10 or an Ansmann charger for £72.
According to the blurb the Ansmann is very intellegent and my batteries will last longer?;)

That's before I even look at what type of C Cells to go for and I know the technology changes over time.

Anyone been down this route recently and got any recommendations?

If I'm going to spend £72 on a charger and £50 on a set of batteries is it worth my while or should I just stick to buying £30 worth of Duracells at a time?

I'll probably end up dropping the torch in the sea somewhere anyway.:(

Ron.

Rechargeable batteries are rubbish - I've tried them, waste of time.

These are OK and at this price you can change them often!

Matt.

£7.49 for 10 delivered:

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_3&products_id=107854

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/images_resample.php?image=prod_107854.jpg

[ChristianG]

Rechargeable batteries are rubbish - I've tried them, waste of time.
That's a big statement. Would you like to qualify it?

[matthewoutram]

That's a big statement. Would you like to qualify it?

Yes - the Cheapo C-cells I referred to last several (let's say 5) good dives (let's say 60 mins bottom time) before you change them - and they are still pretty good even though you change them.

The expensive C-cell rechargeables I bought needed charging everyday. After the torch turned off during a night dived I formulated my option on them - rubbish.

If you're confusing yourself with the factory made rechargeables like GreenForce etc. then I am not referring to these - only to C cells.

Thanks
Matt.

[ChristianG]

If you're confusing yourself with the factory made rechargeables like GreenForce etc. then I am not referring to these - only to C cells.
Actually I rather doubt that I'm confusing myself at all.

C Cells are a charging device, just like Ds, AAs etc and there is no difference (basically) between them apart from capacity (I'm ignoring cheap rubbish here). C Cells have their place, mostly a "size" place and they are just as good, given the parameters above, as any other battery.

[matthewoutram]

Actually I rather doubt that I'm confusing myself at all.

C Cells are a charging device, just like Ds, AAs etc and there is no difference (basically) between them apart from capacity (I'm ignoring cheap rubbish here). C Cells have their place, mostly a "size" place and they are just as good, given the parameters above, as any other battery.

Sorry I wasn't clear. I'm comparing rechargeable c-cells with non-rechargeable c-cells like the ones in the link I posted (btw: the [IMG] tag didn't work for some reason). I found the former no-good for my dive torch. This is the torch I am using them in:

MB-SUB LED X1 handlamp with 3C battery pack (http://narkedat90.com/shop/product/mbledx13c/)

Regards
Matt.

[ChristianG]

Sorry I wasn't clear.
Thank you.

I'm comparing rechargeable c-cells with non-rechargeable c-cells like the ones in the link I posted (btw: the [IMG] tag didn't work for some reason). I found the former no-good for my dive torch. This is the torch I am using them in:

MB-SUB LED X1 handlamp with 3C battery pack (http://narkedat90.com/shop/product/mbledx13c/)
MB-SUB do pretty good torches.

Having said that:

I would have thought that there's a bit of a doubt about what you're really trying to say?