Meritline - USB AA / AAA Battery Charger, 79c US Posted

Comments (Closed)

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  ThePistonHead on 13/06/2012 - 21:23 ¶

  Just had a thought - could you use this with an ipad/htc ac charger?

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    +1 vote

    ibfragalot on 13/06/2012 - 21:27 ¶

    It should work fine with an iPad/iPhone charger, yes. Not familiar with htc chargers, but if they mimic a standard usb outlet then should be ok, though depending on the amps the particular outlet can provide, charge time may vary is all. Doubt it would make a big difference though.

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      +2 votes

      brucefromaustralia on 13/06/2012 - 21:38 ¶

      Only 160mA charge - so almost any USB outlet/AC charger with USB outlet will charge batteries - slowly. 2000mAH AA in 12+ hrs. No protection against overcharge.
      Usually only a resistor & LEDs in these - not HiTech.
      Constant current charger originally designed for NiCds.

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    +3 votes

    orktane on 13/06/2012 - 22:33 ¶

    Out of curosity, how would you use this to charge an iPad?

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      +1 vote

      johnno07 on 13/06/2012 - 22:40 ¶

      I was confused too. I think he means the other way around. Plugging this into your iPad to charnge batteries.

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      +2 votes

      StewBalls on 13/06/2012 - 22:41 ¶

      Don't worry, I had to re-read that one…TPH means can this charger be plugged into the USB out of an iPad style wall adapter.

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        orktane on 14/06/2012 - 00:20 ¶

        Ah, got it.. thanks.

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  +1 vote

  altomic on 13/06/2012 - 21:34 ¶

  Charging 160mA / hour

  so an eneloop AA battery would take about 14 hours to charge?

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    +4 votes

    ibfragalot on 13/06/2012 - 21:37 ¶

    I'd probably not charge expensive high quality batteries in a 79c usb charger, no ;) This one will be another "shove in the drawer for when I need it" jobbie.

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  josephchi on 13/06/2012 - 21:34 ¶

  So, this has a delta v cutoff? or is it just a timer?

  I am reading some of the comments, and it mentions batteries getting hot… Overcharged and probably just a simple timer. But very good for usb leeching at work (worth a 1.5 cent an hour at 40c per kwh). a few days and you will have saved yourself a maccas icecream cone.

  lol. I charge my phone at work. (discreetly a cable reaches into my bag.)

  However, this could be discreet if you plug it into the back. Don't forget to pick it up again!

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    ibfragalot on 13/06/2012 - 21:38 ¶

    I'm only willing to reply to questions about this charger's "delta v cutoff" if they come from jv himself ;)

    If anything, I'll probably end up using it to charge some remote batteries overnight, nothing super important.

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    +1 vote

    brucefromaustralia on 13/06/2012 - 21:41 ¶

    delta v cutoff? timer? LOL Cough! Splutter!

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      +2 votes

      StewBalls on 13/06/2012 - 22:26 ¶

      Well, there's probably a couple of resistors & a protection diode in there…that's pretty advanced for 79c! ;)

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        +1 vote

        brucefromaustralia on 13/06/2012 - 22:55 ¶

        A protection diode - but that would cost a fraction of a cent more - "tell them they're dreaming" ;) Needs a resister to provide constant current charging, and 2 more for the LEDs to give rough indication of 'charge state'. (Just disassembled a similar unit - 13 resistors, 2 LEDs, 2 Diodes & 2 mystery parts (diodes or caps)! No wonder it was more than 79c delivered!)

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        StewBalls on 13/06/2012 - 23:02 ¶

        You forgot the 'flux capacitor' Bruce! :)

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        brucefromaustralia on 13/06/2012 - 23:07 ¶

        Oh Flux!

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    prisonerzero on 13/06/2012 - 21:45 ¶

    I think you are out by a factor of 100 there. To cost 1.5c an hour, something would have to use energy at a rate of nearly 40 Watts.

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    wolfenator87 on 14/06/2012 - 14:14 ¶

    Wait, so you're so tight that you charge your mobile at work to save power? and you boss is even tighter that you have to hide this evil practice of yours, so he doesn't catch you in the act?

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  AlexSydney on 13/06/2012 - 21:35 ¶

  I am using this, i highly recommend it. Works fine with Ipod charger. I also have a 3g wifi charger, it works just fine.

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    +1 vote

    silverrat23 on 13/06/2012 - 21:58 ¶

    AlexSydney: it works just fine…

    (charger explodes and enloops turned into ashes)

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      StewBalls on 13/06/2012 - 22:25 ¶

      charger explodes and enloops turned into ashes

      I believe that 'shrapnel' is the term you're looking for… :p

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        +1 vote

        llama on 13/06/2012 - 22:51 ¶

        "Eneloop smoke - don't breath this" LOL

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        +1 vote

        tsunamisurfer on 13/06/2012 - 23:39 ¶

        I love the Smell of Eneloop in the morning.

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      +1 vote

      mattgal on 14/06/2012 - 09:14 ¶

      lol the charge rate will be so small that there's no way it will harm batteries.

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  mattgal on 14/06/2012 - 09:13 ¶

  i opened mine up a while back and it isn't a smart charger.

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    +1 vote

    brucefromaustralia on 14/06/2012 - 16:30 ¶

    You expect so much for so little!

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  wolfenator87 on 14/06/2012 - 14:15 ¶

  I think these make great gifts for 80 crumbs.

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  fastdude on 14/06/2012 - 20:28 ¶

  good price, but use a cheap usb cable it may damage the usb socket