Accessory Review: Maha C-204W International Fast Charger
By
Dave Etchells
(Tuesday, September 21, 2004 - 16:13 EDT)
Longtime readers of this site will know that my favorite charger for NiMH AA cells has been the Maha C-204F for some years now.
I liked its charging capabilities, and its provision for discharge-conditioning batteries, something that I consider essential in a general-purpose NiMH charger. Maha has just recently updated the C-204 design, calling the new model the C-204W. The new unit has a number of improvements, including an *internal* international power supply, which means that it needs no "wall wart" transformer (better portability), and can be used pretty much anywhere in the world that has AC power. Also, apparently in response to some of my own findings about completeness-of-charge in most NiMH fast-chargers, Maha has modified the charging profile of the C-204W to provide a "topping off" cycle that does an excellent job of packing the last iota of charge into the batteries - a significant factor when another minute or two of run time could mean the difference between a lifetime memory or no photo at all. Finally, the C-204W has an improved "dead battery" detection algorithm, that promises to rescue many batteries from the recycle bin that other chargers would reject outright.
All in all, a very nice little charger, and my new favorite for AA cells. Check it out!
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